Rebuild The Knights

Swarzey

Swarzey

Michael Hagan
Firstly, yes, this is something that started "over there" but please, please don't let it make your choice.


This is something that needs to be done. Us fans need a single place, a single campaign, a single hashtag to encourage change. We have a new board in place and they deserve their time and our patience. However, there is two big issues remaining; Matt Gidley and subsequently Rick Stone.

This is a call for pressure; this is a call for the future of the club over the next few years not to be remembered for disappointment, to be remembered for missed opportunities. Pressure is more valuable than most realise and currently there is none at the club. Matt Gidley applies none to Rick Stone and so Rick Stone doesn't feel the results will impact his future; to him he still has another year to get it right. In a year, we'll be nowhere, we'll have the same players under performing and a greatly flawed logic leading to plenty of missed opportunities.

This club has talent and plenty of it, but the wrong people in the wrong position are making the wrong calls and it's time that we stand up and say something. REGARDLESS of where we come from, what forum, what page we talk on, we're all fans of this club and we all want the same thing; success. We want what's best and for the most part we all know what needs to be changed. I'm not asking to befriend them, but recongise that THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN and support our claims.

This can be done. It's going to be tough, people are going to quit, it's going to be mocked, but if we want change, if we want success, then we need to get steam and I can't do it alone. A handful of people can't. We NEED this forum to back us, we need everyone here who loves the club to use their Twitter, whatever social media that works to spread the word. It sounds harsh, yes, I know people will steer clear of it and that's okay, but if you can, if you want, please support it. We're so quick to jump on here, jump on League Unlimited, jump on Reddit and plead for change; this is the time and this is the way to make sure that our voices of concern are heard.

I love this club too much to watch it crumble under itself. Please. Please support this and get it going.

https://www.facebook.com/KnightsRebuild​

Thank you.

~Swarzey
 
I myself made a thread about protesting this rubbih weeks ago seeing what effort they were throwing up each week, everyone laughed in my face at the idea of a fan revolt? Now everyone wants to back it, the club needs new leaders, they need people in place who care, Danny Buderus to coach paul Harrogan to ceo! The Knights fans have always shown the fighting spirit! We need to encourage change and get back the respect we as a town and team worked so hard to create
 
Just re-opening this thread (not sure why it got locked) as I think this is something that all Knights fans should come together to discuss. It's the only glimmer of hope I can see at the club at the moment, we need huge changes to become competitive again and move on from the last 12 or so years of mediocrity.

What do people think? I am really interested in what the goals etc are.

Personally I think it goes beyond sacking a couple of people (ie Stone and Gidley) and don't like the idea of it being a personal crusade against certain people. The problems were there well before those two. Just my opinion though.
 
I liked the page and I'm also interested in seeing what they wish to achieve.
Hoping that it's not just another chance to criticise without offering any actual solutions.
 
Certainly those that have been mentioned in the opening post might end up going if the movement achieves its goals, but a few sackings shouldn't actually be the goal.

If I were in charge, I think I would be pushing these goals:

1) A playing side that re-engages with the clubs foundation goals of 100% effort every week, regardless of who is wearing the jersey. (Pretty much stole that one off Defender! :P )

2) An experienced club management team and coaching staff that comes from a background of success.

3) Accountability on and off the field for a lack of performance (failure to at least make the top eight each year).

We've had over a decade of rebuilding, it's time to start achieving.
 
As I have posted before James with the NRL being in control the fans, and even the members, have been disenfranchised from our Club. Nobody outside the 'inner circle' has any idea what is going on, if any pressure is applied to the coaching and recruitment staff and who knows how much or how little of our salary cap is actually spent and if any is 'banked'. I think with Stone as not a strict disciplinarian style of coach, the players have relaxed and the effort has not been there. I believe most of us are fed up with the press conferences 'The effort was there. The opposition played very well'.

This team regularly produced State of Origin and Test players. The only players near that standard has been Beau Scott, who was imported in an attempt to stiffen nup our defecse.

Some say we do not need a rebuild, that is the only way to achieve success and I refer to each of the management, coaching and playing sectors. The only thing we have herd from the Chairman is how great the business side is going. Important sure, but the Club main thrust must be to be successful on the paddock, re-connect with the supporters and then worry about making overs. Nobody, including members, kwnows the state of finances after whathisname was turfed out and it is treated as some sacred secret.

A small correction James. We have had talk of a rebuilding for ten years but nothing has been rebuilt. We are where we started in 2006 after Joey, on the cusp of again earning the dreaded spoon. I am afraid B Smith and W Bennett were most intersted in their own careers and finances. Look how quick Smith left after the chooks offered more 'corn'.
 
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I know you're not a Smith fan, but he was offered a one year contract extension when he wanted longer, and then given permission by the club to negotiate elsewhere. Clearly the admin at the time did not want him to stick around. Still strikes me as one of the more stupid decisions they've made - 2008 and 2009 until he left were the only time since 2006 we've actually looked to be heading in the right direction, in my opinion.

Nothing has been rebuilt, that's for sure. The side is a mess.
 
jamesgould said:
as I think this is something that all Knights fans should come together to discuss. It's the only glimmer of hope I can see at the club at the moment
Click to expand...

Exact reason.

I saw people here, I saw people there, I saw people on Twitter, I saw people on Reddit talk about how bad the club is and how something needs to change. Over there they had been talking about a campaign, set up the Knights Rebuild idea and I just ran with it. There are a lot of ways to make our voices heard but for me personally, being in Melbourne, it's impossible to go the distance I otherwise would have If I still lived up there. For fans to have a say and for fans to be recongised by the club, there needs to be a manifestation of some sort and I feel this is the best way to do so; hopefully some more passionate fans step up and start delivering on Twitter. Of the 400+ we've got, only a few are doing anything and I greatly, greatly appreciate that effort.

My hope for this is to snowball and for local fans to band together and start a physical display of the campaign at the remaining few games. This can work, it just needs the right drive and the right determination.

Despite not outlining a plan (rushed into this BIG TIME), I'm hoping to encourage people to simply show their displeasure with the club's direction. Being loud enough that the media picks up on it, that we get columnists and writers to put bits and pieces about us wanting change, wanting accountability, wanting action instead of a mountain of excuses would be a massive win that's easily achievable. Over time solutions agreed by fans can be put forward in a more structured manner although I'm hoping the Board is wise enough to recongise our cause and make the right calls.
 
In the NRL pressure for success can come from two places; from the administration or from the fans.

It is terribly obvious that the current administration does not possess the level of ambition required to compete in the NRL. This can't be said for any other club in the NRL at the moment, in my opinion, even the Raiders have signed a classy half in Cezar. So if pressure isn't being applied from the top then naturally it will come from the fan base.

All these morons like 'Philip boss Simpson' on the FB page who are aggressively opposed to supporter action are completely ignorant of can happen to sporting clubs without the ability to self criticize, improve and overcome. People like that are the real reason why sporting clubs die slow deaths - we are the Newcastle Knights and we should have our say
 
jamesgould said:
Certainly those that have been mentioned in the opening post might end up going if the movement achieves its goals, but a few sackings shouldn't actually be the goal.

If I were in charge, I think I would be pushing these goals:

1) A playing side that re-engages with the clubs foundation goals of 100% effort every week, regardless of who is wearing the jersey. (Pretty much stole that one off Defender! :P )

2) An experienced club management team and coaching staff that comes from a background of success.

3) Accountability on and off the field for a lack of performance (failure to at least make the top eight each year).

We've had over a decade of rebuilding, it's time to start achieving.
Click to expand...

I wanna let you know James, if we still had rep on this forum I'd rep the sh*t outta this post.
 
Must do this first
tumblr_mlq9f46ofx1s3xsayo1_400.gif
 
Like all things today, the almighty dollar rules. There are few players today that have pride or feel any obligation to the club or the fans they play for. At the end of the day, I believe they are only interested in what they are being paid. In reality, they are employees of the club they play for and are & should be held accountable for their efforts & the results they achieve. We all know this is not the case with the team and I feel the only way you are going to get the effort & results the club & fans deserve is to hit these players were it hurts, in the hip pocket nerve. Put them on incentive based contracts, where their pay packet will reflect their effort/results & watch the improvement!!
 
mozza said:
I liked the page and I'm also interested in seeing what they wish to achieve.
Hoping that it's not just another chance to criticise without offering any actual solutions.
Click to expand...

Hey if you are the type of person that....

A) Gets upset when they miss a tackle.
B) Grabs the razor when they loose.
C) After a few losses demands they sack they CEO, Coach and all the players.

Well they are for you!

- - - Updated - - -

jamesgould said:
Certainly those that have been mentioned in the opening post might end up going if the movement achieves its goals, but a few sackings shouldn't actually be the goal.

If I were in charge, I think I would be pushing these goals:

1) A playing side that re-engages with the clubs foundation goals of 100% effort every week, regardless of who is wearing the jersey. (Pretty much stole that one off Defender! :P )

2) An experienced club management team and coaching staff that comes from a background of success.

3) Accountability on and off the field for a lack of performance (failure to at least make the top eight each year).

We've had over a decade of rebuilding, it's time to start achieving.
Click to expand...

Are you accounting for the fact that we are at -2 step after the Tinkler era?

We all but folded.

- - - Updated - - -

jamesgould said:
I know you're not a Smith fan, but he was offered a one year contract extension when he wanted longer, and then given permission by the club to negotiate elsewhere. Clearly the admin at the time did not want him to stick around. Still strikes me as one of the more stupid decisions they've made - 2008 and 2009 until he left were the only time since 2006 we've actually looked to be heading in the right direction, in my opinion.

Nothing has been rebuilt, that's for sure. The side is a mess.
Click to expand...

I hear ya mate...... Once chance we had to progress forward in the last 15 years.
 
I think the first big step needed is to stop having this "jobs for the boys" mentality. There are guys in positions at the club past and present that simply had no qualifications for the role they had.

Do that first then move on from there.
 
cowboyman said:
I think the first big step needed is to stop having this "jobs for the boys" mentality. There are guys in positions at the club past and present that simply had no qualifications for the role they had.

Do that first then move on from there.
Click to expand...
That's bull****.
Stone has virtually the same experience and qualifications as Trent Robinson - In fact they were both assistant coaches under Brian Smith at the Knights, and Stone was the senior of the two because he had also done the job under Hagan.
Gidley would probably be still a bit short of experience to be a stand alone CEO, but the club is under administration from the NRL, so he isn't making the financial decisions on his own.
Lantry is probably very inexperienced for the position he holds - being younger than Clint Newton and only coaching his second side after one year in the real NRL, but he is actually doing a pretty good job.
Sandercock is probably over qualified if anything, having been an assistant coach in the NRL or a head coach in the ESL for the last 10 years.
Buderus is a rookie coach, but it comes after a pretty solid career.
Pezet has coached junior sides for years and was handpicked by Bennett to head our junior development, so he is well qualified for NYC coach, even if it's his first year.
The head trainer is doing his first year in the job, but he has a PHD and is a part time Uni lecturer in the field.

Overall it is an inexperienced group, but everyone is qualified for the job they are doing.

They could replace them all with some old has beens from another club if you subscribe to the belief that people from outside Newcastle must be better, as many seem to, but you wouldn't get people with better qualifications.
 
Did you not get the past and present term... no need to rattle off the whole CURRENT coaching staff though it does prove half my point.

Buderus shouldn't be anywhere near the coaching ranks so early after retirement. Matt Gidley, as much as I like the guy should be no where near a CO role for a NRL club.

Harrogan though being a club legend should never of held such a high position at the club when he was there as well.

The club just reeks of a jobs for the boys place and you wonder why there is complacency in the playing ranks. Jeremy Smith doesn't deserve a contract extension after his form and injury problems this year either but he gets another years pay day from the club.
 
cowboyman said:
Did you not get the past and present term... no need to rattle off the whole CURRENT coaching staff though it does prove half my point.

Buderus shouldn't be anywhere near the coaching ranks so early after retirement. Matt Gidley, as much as I like the guy should be no where near a CO role for a NRL club.

Harrogan though being a club legend should never of held such a high position at the club when he was there as well.

The club just reeks of a jobs for the boys place and you wonder why there is complacency in the playing ranks. Jeremy Smith doesn't deserve a contract extension after his form and injury problems this year either but he gets another years pay day from the club.
Click to expand...

And Hagan? I don't know why I thought he might be alright at the football manager job, his side building skills were his biggest weakness as a coach!
 
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