Recruitment And Retention Discussion

Grandpa Joe - Prev Lord said:
With that record, if he wasn't our coach, everyone on here would be saying "he is exactly what we need" lol.
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Yep, I can see it. "He's underrated, having got a poor roster with no halves at the Knights to the finals for 4/5 seasons, and had them playing great football in 2023! He's also really good at bringing though younger players, which would be ideal for us. I really think if we can get him, he can take us to the next level!"
 
I’ve mentioned it before. But AOB is learning, and slightly improving each year learning from mistakes or wrong decisions. I think I can speak for everyone, we all wanted his head 23 before the miraculous run.

One thing I noticed is I feel the playing group has a lot of respect for him, and could almost say play to there best for him. Obviously not to the Bennet level, but he cares for his players.

Hopefully loyally / sticking with him pays dividends. I’m quitely confident the club as been making all the right moves.
 
Celticman98 said:
Listening to Mason in that podcast is starting to get me bullish on our season.

If we had a clear stand out 7 eg Moses or even Fogarty, I'd like our chances for a top 4 spot.
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I have not taken anything old Willy has said seriously for the last decade. He was a good footballer but not much of anything else.
His unwarranted attacks on Gamble last season were just atrocious, with that attack continuing my low regard for his opinion.
What’s the saying?
“Empty vessels make the most noise”
 
Grandpa Joe - Prev Lord said:
What people don't get or are incapable of understanding is that AOB coached what he had, your never going to get a million dollar performance out of Hastings, Gamble and Cogger and he gave the team a basic game plan to suit.

Yes, it was boring, but did we make the 8 after missing Ponga for half a year, Best, Frizz, Gags, Safs, and other key players for long period, we did.

Or my fav, people bagging the halves, roulette and saying pick and stick, yeah stick with a combo thats not working and come last - yeah baby!

This year he is obviously going for more attack if the Sharpe move to the halves is true, if that is a success I wonder how people will continue to lay the boot into a coach that made the finals 4/5 years.

But anyway - sack Obi.
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Some very well argued points here. Can’t disagree with much of it at all.
Let’s hope we get off to a better start in 25!
 
Grandpa Joe - Prev Lord said:
With that record, if he wasn't our coach, everyone on here would be saying "he is exactly what we need" lol.
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Don't kid yourself, anybody suggested for head coach, or practically any player suggested to sign here, is not what we need :lol:. Short of a superstar or established rep player, or Bellamy etc.

People have short memories. Wasn't long back most of the forum wanted him gone, not getting the best out of players, usage of the bench, team selections, DSaf remaining rubbish and in the NRL team, had us going well until the wind in Cronulla then busted after that etc etc.

We are currently in the pre-season, so I get the optimism, it's a cycle. Half way through the year, unless things change markedly, people will be back to sacking him again.


frankLauda said:
One thing I noticed is I feel the playing group has a lot of respect for him, and could almost say play to there best for him. Obviously not to the Bennet level, but he cares for his players.
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I'm sorry but when I read that line I actually laughed out loud. That is a classic. You and I must be watching different players.

Anyway - I look forward to OB's new expansive attacking style with Sharp moved to the 6. If it works and we are going well, can hold some form and intensity for the first half of the year I will gladly concede OB is going well.
 
Beatell said:
Yeah I agree. I’ve been critical of him not pushing up but that is likely because he’s play making. Sharp coming in from the wing to do that would be great or a good 7 or 6 to free him up.
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Agreed but I’m also critical of people not helping Ponga how many breaks did he make and not a soul in the stadium, KP is the most dangerous player in the game that can break the line at will so you’d think they would be aware and have someone with him, but there never is.
 
KPGreatness said:
Agreed but I’m also critical of people not helping Ponga how many breaks did he make and not a soul in the stadium, KP is the most dangerous player in the game that can break the line at will so you’d think they would be aware and have someone with him, but there never is.
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Can’t disagree we probably haven’t had speed to burn in our team either though. But they could at least slowly get there 😂
 
Kurriboy said:
Don't kid yourself, anybody suggested for head coach, or practically any player suggested to sign here, is not what we need :lol:. Short of a superstar or established rep player, or Bellamy etc.

People have short memories. Wasn't long back most of the forum wanted him gone, not getting the best out of players, usage of the bench, team selections, DSaf remaining rubbish and in the NRL team, had us going well until the wind in Cronulla then busted after that etc etc.

We are currently in the pre-season, so I get the optimism, it's a cycle. Half way through the year, unless things change markedly, people will be back to sacking him again.




I'm sorry but when I read that line I actually laughed out loud. That is a classic. You and I must be watching different players.

Anyway - I look forward to OB's new expansive attacking style with Sharp moved to the 6. If it works and we are going well, can hold some form and intensity for the first half of the year I will gladly concede OB is going well.
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Let me put it this way. In 23 when he was one the verge of being sacked. If the playing group didn’t care then they wouldn’t have sparked that run.
 
Defence wins games said:
I have not taken anything old Willy has said seriously for the last decade. He was a good footballer but not much of anything else.
His unwarranted attacks on Gamble last season were just atrocious, with that attack continuing my low regard for his opinion.
What’s the saying?
“Empty vessels make the most noise”
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As metallica said: the empty can rattles the most
 
Adam O’Brien did not come here expecting instant results. You could argue he has overachieved in Many respects. But whatever it is he has a group of players who believe in him. And he has not buckled under media pressure either. I would argue he has built a siege mentality here on slow boil. He is incredibly protective of his players and they see that.

He is the one who actively made Jackson Hastings seek help for his issues. So even though he won’t pick him does not mean he does not care for the bloke. And let us be real. Hastings would have said he had a problem with AOB by now if there was one of a personal nature.
 
Junior said:
There's talk that Edwin Ipape wants to look at an NRL contract as he is off contract at seasons end in the SL. Has been arguably one of/if not the best hooker in the comp over here for a couple years now, could be used as a great genuine impact 9 or run on 9 at the drop of a hat with Crossland filling the other role IMO. Is this an option for us with Brailey's contract being up at seasons end? Would get him for a fraction of Bailey's price as well I'd Imagine and only aged 25 averaging 23 games a season with an average of 12 tries a season, lots of potential for whatever club picks him up in either comp
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I always worry about English players with big hype coming to the NRL, but honestly I don’t think it’s a realistic option for the Knights with Crossland and Arthur looking like the combo they want to go with for the future.
 
Grandpa Joe - Prev Lord said:
Very simply we have enough fringe players in Hastings, Gamble, Cogger, Pryce and Crosslands(great hooker.) in the halves already with another crop like Votano and Sutton(@Billy ?) and others ready in 2 - 3 years.

He would just be another $400k we could use towards more worthwhile things in the cap.
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Well Votano being talked about a half is very premature and Sutton is what 23 now? and not really getting any wraps at all, I’m not holding my breath.

Personally I think Sexton is better than both Cogger and Hastings but sure let’s keep going for star 7s we will never get that’s fun.
 
Seth Gecko said:
Adam O’Brien did not come here expecting instant results. You could argue he has overachieved in Many respects. But whatever it is he has a group of players who believe in him. And he has not buckled under media pressure either. I would argue he has built a siege mentality here on slow boil. He is incredibly protective of his players and they see that.

He is the one who actively made Jackson Hastings seek help for his issues. So even though he won’t pick him does not mean he does not care for the bloke. And let us be real. Hastings would have said he had a problem with AOB by now if there was one of a personal nature.
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Mentions of AOB and over-achievement in a single post are a trigger for some on here lol.
 
Not a trigger, it's more just sad that after 5 years having one streak of looking like a possible outside chance at being a contender can even be argued as overachieving at the Knights. Said before I think he's competent enough in areas but we're no closer to being contenders now then when he arrived, and it's pretty clear he's not drawing players in to want to play for him. Nothing changes if nothing changes.

"Group of players who believe in him" Ask Leo about that. Or DSaf only pulling his finger out once he was looking for a new home. Tom Jenkins turning down a first grade jersey due to having no idea what the coach wanted from him and then willingly giving up his top 30 contract to play park footy in hopes of maybe getting match payments for the Panthers is about as damning as it gets as well, even though no one will lose sleep over him being gone.

"Siege mentality on slow boil" Would love to have the reasoning behind this explained but I suspect there's not much substance to it.
 
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