Round 11: Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs

What is your prediction for this game ??

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 8 57.1%

  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • Draw

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Bulldogs 1-12

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • Bulldogs 13+

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .
Kurriboy said:
Hoy already played fb a few times and did well.

Ponga is already attacking from 5/8 but would need to makre more tackles for sure.

I dont buy that just because we tried it once under the master strategist Brown, that it wont ever work.
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'Hoy played ok at F/B but he was no Ponga ...
I was one of the first to say Ponga should play 5/8 even before he actually got here but it didn't work at the time but in the future who knows .
Ponga showed he is much more of a weapon if he has that little bit extra room to move and no way would i move a Million dollar SOO f/b out of his prefered position to accommodate a rookie.
Imo there's no way Hoy is good enough yet to make us make Ponga change .
The other thing is Ponga's defence at F/b has saved us quite a few times not saying Hoy couldnt do that but i dont know for sure .
I say let the rookie play a different position if he doesnt like it bad luck .
 
I'm just gonna put it out there on the Mann situation... I thought Rudder was the weak link in our 2001 team. Especially after losing Matty Johns, noone was keen.
I'm not saying we are gonna win the premiership, but I can see some similarities between the two.
 
We should have done much better in those 2000s then what we did. I thought both 2000 and 02 should've been in the playoff for the trophy. The way the game was played then and now is totally different so it's hard to compare teams. I do agree rudder was the weak link but he also played the role he was meant too.
 
Ethan said:
'Hoy played ok at F/B but he was no Ponga ...
I was one of the first to say Ponga should play 5/8 even before he actually got here but it didn't work at the time but in the future who knows .
Ponga showed he is much more of a weapon if he has that little bit extra room to move and no way would i move a Million dollar SOO f/b out of his prefered position to accommodate a rookie.
Imo there's no way Hoy is good enough yet to make us make Ponga change .
The other thing is Ponga's defence at F/b has saved us quite a few times not saying Hoy couldnt do that but i dont know for sure .
I say let the rookie play a different position if he doesnt like it bad luck .
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Ponga doesn't attack with more space now, as he is in the line and playing as a 5/8. That point is irrelevant as between the two positions attacking wise, he wouldn't need to change anything.

Hardly moving a million dollar fullback to accommodate a rookie, thats misrepresenting the argument. It's moving a player to create a better balanced team.

Anyway, there is clearly some who think this is a good idea and others that don't. Which is fine.
 
Kurriboy said:
Ponga doesn't attack with more space now, as he is in the line and playing as a 5/8. That point is irrelevant as between the two positions attacking wise, he wouldn't need to change anything.

Hardly moving a million dollar fullback to accommodate a rookie, thats misrepresenting the argument. It's moving a player to create a better balanced team.

Anyway, there is clearly some who think this is a good idea and others that don't. Which is fine.
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I dont agree that moving Ponga is creating a better balanced team infact i dont think we need to do anything other than finish off our plays a bit better and we will be as balanced as any team playing .
 
Kurriboy said:
Ponga doesn't attack with more space now, as he is in the line and playing as a 5/8. That point is irrelevant as between the two positions attacking wise, he wouldn't need to change anything.

Hardly moving a million dollar fullback to accommodate a rookie, thats misrepresenting the argument. It's moving a player to create a better balanced team.

Anyway, there is clearly some who think this is a good idea and others that don't. Which is fine.
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You WOULD be moving a million dollar f/b to accommodate a rookie because you would be getting rid of Mann (the most improved player ) to get Hoy in .
 
When push comes to shove it’s a case of is Ponga a better 5/8 than Mann and is Hoy a better full back than Mann is a 5/8 And is that now or a season or two from now. It all depends on future aims, who you might buy/replace.
Right now we are ok but where do we want to be a year or two from now.
Who replaced Lockyer when he moved from F/b to 5/8, I don’t know but it is similar situation, we moved Ponga too early to be a chance of success, Lockyer was a seasoned player but took time?
Not sure it will happen but if we are not looking to improve the spine then it won’t happen, Pearce is getting on, Mann is limited, with the pack we have the next few years are critical for ultimate success, current squad might get to play offs over next year or two but winning G/Final is a whole new game. We have to look to the future and develop a strong side, I like what we have but feel it’s not quite what we need
 
There was an article the other day about King maybe getting a game today. anyone see it happening?

I can see some changes to the lineup before kick off. Maybe Barny & Sione starting with Guerra possibly getting a rest and King to the bench, just a guess.
 
Each to there own i personally think we have exactly what we need if Ponga and Pearce were finishing off a little better we would be a sure top 4 the way the rest are playing ..
As far as looking to the future isnt that what were doing with Crossland , Best , Hoy , Brailey , Huth , Sasagi , Saulo, Sione Toa, Jones, Momoisea, The 2 Safs who have 10 years left yet..
Any team that gets into the top 8 but especially into the top four can win a G/F , its a whole new ball game then .
We've had our best start to a season in over a decade and were not even playing to the best of our ability yet . If pearce and Ponga just get those few little things right we can beat anyone ...
 
I would like to see King get a game he was always a good defender and i bet most players didnt like getting hit from him twice .
I always thought he would go well in the NRL but his attack was never what it needed to be never made enough meters or breaks i thought . He defended well before he should be dangerous now if he has improved like the others under OB lol.
 
O'Brien has preached consistency and picking the same players which has pretty much been the case and people are still talking about moving players.

Aside from whether he thinks guys (McCullough) need a break expect to see the spine the same each week which is also a big reason why we aren't lower down the ladder.
 
reckon the 'dogs will be eyeing this one off, they know the knights haven't been great over the past month...
 
They got us here last year too. One of those games where I'm not sure if it is good to score early or have to work for it. It might show us a much improved mindset from the boys in the end.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
 
Knights are unchanged 1-17.
However Herman and Guerra back to the bench for Sione and Barnett.
1. Ponga
2. Tuala
3. Moga
4. Best
5. Hunt
6. Mann
7. Pearce
8. Klemmer
9. McCullough
10. J Saifiti
11. Fitzgibbon
17. Mata'utia
15. Barnett
Reserves
14. Watson
12. Guerra
13. Ese'ese
16. Saulo
 
That's very close to our strongest possible side now - only DSaf in for Saulo and Lee in for maybe Moga if everyone were available
 
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