Sadly it's that time, your team for 2020

luke46 said:
Cronk and thurston retired at 35. I think we will be ok with pearce at 31.
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Cronk has been looking after himself a lot for the last few years - missing games, even when not really injured, and taking a back seat in games when he is not needed so much.
Maybe the new coach will have a plan to look after Pearce in the way the Roosters have looked after Cronk, but that will mean having someone like Keary who can take a lot of pressure off him.
However you look at it, the new coach has to have a plan for how we win without Pearce being MOTM every week.
 
Like those mentioned, Cronk and Thurston, Pearce will play better and longer with the team performing well around him. Until he came here he had players around him to assist he didn’t always play flat out cause others took up the slack, we need that with our team.
At 35 Thurston played one year too long, Cronk is a more laid back picking his moments, Pearce is all go or nothing, a replacement will be required but will it be 1 year or several depends on what we have in the other 16.
 
Billy said:
He'll be 31 and not getting younger by kickoff next year.
If the new coach isn't looking at what we do after Pearce, I don't know why we bothered changing coaches.
All the forwards and all the backs in the world don't make you a winning side if you don't have someone organising them. Ask Brisbane.
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Billy I'd be really suprised if we didn't get another 5 years from Pearce. Bit forward to be planning for mine.

My biggest concern is keeping Kalyn's ego in check, really didn't like the way he phoned in performances post origin, his laid back attitude is starting to really grate on me.
 
Billy said:
As you would expect from someone banking a million a year.
But what do we do if he can't get his wheelchair to move that quickly at 32 or 33?
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Boyd gets paid $1m to not do that, and he's a similar age, and misses tackles that lead to tries.
 
I don't think Billy is suggesting Pearce is past his used by date, only pointing out that the clubs most important player is starting to age a bit. I don't think a good coach would be worth his wage if he wasn't looking at what would happen if he is injured this year or his body starts failing him in the next couple. Pearce plays a game that engages the line to give space to those around him. He may evolve in to being able to sit back and conduct a bit more, but really, his style is more like Thurston than Cronk.

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Owey said:
I don't think Billy is suggesting Pearce is past his used by date, only pointing out that the clubs most important player is starting to age a bit. I don't think a good coach would be worth his wage if he wasn't looking at what would happen if he is injured this year or his body starts failing him in the next couple. Pearce plays a game that engages the line to give space to those around him. He may evolve in to being able to sit back and conduct a bit more, but really, his style is more like Thurston than Cronk.

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Pearce plays a more physical style than Thurston or Cronk does. I doubt he’ll last as long as they did.
 
If I were the incoming coach i'd be delighted if Pearce wins the DallyM and takes us well into the finals.
I'd probably say it was my plan all along if it happened.
I'd be working hard on plan B though.
 
I think that’s why they’re trying to fast track players like Sasagi and Crossland, so that way they will be ready once Pearce gives it away.
 
I watched the junior Kiwis v Australian schoolboys and Star Toa had a blinder at fullback for the kiwis - topped the run metres with 203, scored 2 tries, topped fantasy points for both sides with 62. He looked like a firstgrader playing against kids.
But most interesting from a Knights perspective was big Daniel Ticehurst. He started from the bench but got the most minutes of any of the Kiwi middle forwards and also the most metres, post contact metres and tackles. He was the biggest guy on the field and took the aggression to a new level. His best game yet by a fair way. I would have been happy if he just looked he wasn't out of his depth at this level, but he looked as good as any of the forwards on the field, which is a huge step up for a guy who basically started playing this year. I really hope he gets at least the early part of the pre season with the top squad.
 
Billy said:
I watched the junior Kiwis v Australian schoolboys and Star Toa had a blinder at fullback for the kiwis - topped the run metres with 203, scored 2 tries, topped fantasy points for both sides with 62. He looked like a firstgrader playing against kids.
But most interesting from a Knights perspective was big Daniel Ticehurst. He started from the bench but got the most minutes of any of the Kiwi middle forwards and also the most metres, post contact metres and tackles. He was the biggest guy on the field and took the aggression to a new level. His best game yet by a fair way. I would have been happy if he just looked he wasn't out of his depth at this level, but he looked as good as any of the forwards on the field, which is a huge step up for a guy who basically started playing this year. I really hope he gets at least the early part of the pre season with the top squad.
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Do you think Toa could be a regular first grade winger and back up fullback next year?
 
krustykraz said:
Do you think Toa could be a regular first grade winger and back up fullback next year?
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He did seem to hurt his ankle again right near the end of the game, but if he is fit enough to do a proper firstgrade off season I don't know why he wouldn't be ready.
 
I've just been kinda skimming the player season reviews on the Knights website. I'd found most to be pointing out the positives, as you'd expect, so wasn't taking a lot of notice. Chris Randall's was up there today and I took more notice as I wanted to check out his stats in reggies. The article basically said he had found his spot at hooker, then the last line struck me:

"With a full season now behind him, Randall will no doubt have both first grade regular Connor Watson and new recruit Jayden Brailey looking over their shoulder."

No mention of Danny Levi. Is he a done deal to be leaving? Or is he expected to be staring at his backside from further down the pecking order?

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I don't think that review of Chris Randall was very accurate.
I think he's 24, not 23.
I think this was his 3rd season for the club, not 1st. His reserve grade stats only list 13 games last year and 19 this year, but there was a mixup with his stats which meant they kept putting him down as Tyler Randell for his first season in 2017, and then they just deleted him so he didn't even have stats till about round 4 or 5 this year.
I don't think he got a firstgrade off season, and I don't think he got a development contract till the mid season deadline, and only started training fulltime after that.
I also think he was mostly a hooker last year and was only in the halves early this year because they were giving Woolford a chance to impress, but once they went off Woolford, Randall went back to playing 80 at hooker.
This coming pre season will be the first time Randall has had a chance to train as a fulltime footballer, and he already has a bigger motor than most of our firstgraders, so he could give the coaches a few headaches by out training some bigger names.
 
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The best thing the club can do for Pearce is got him a decent 5/8 that can handle some of the playmaking workload. Especially kicking at the end of sets where he gets smashed frequently.

The club is probably looking to get another contract out of Pearce and then look at a replacement after that. Though I am sure they are watching the market in the halves and are well aware who comes off contract when and what players are on their way through at all clubs and should be ready at what times etc.

Same for all positions.

Negligent if they are not.
 
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