The pre-season thread - 2022

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Billy said:
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Jacob Saifiti's Pearce warning: 'It's going to hurt us'.

"I don't want last season to be a fluke."
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au

The yearly Jacob Saifiti "I want to be as good as Daniel" article.

Also says we'll miss Pearce's energy in games and at training, but like Ponga said yesterday, he ends by saying Pearce did the right thing for himself by going.
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ahh yeh he did the right thing for ***himself*** by leaving. I doubt Mitch Pearce has ever done anything that wasn’t right for himself first (on purpose)
 
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Jacob wasn't that far off being as good as Daniel He took Clems spot and kept it.
Didn't OBi tell Jacob last season to bulk up i remember something like that last season , he does looked to have slimmed down though.
 
Ethan said:
Jacob wasn't that far off being as good as Daniel He took Clems spot and kept it.
Didn't OBi tell Jacob last season to bulk up i remember something like that last season , he does looked to have slimmed down though.
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I still think Daniel is better by a decent margin, but I'd rate Dan in the top 4 props in the comp and Jacob was totally impressive this year, wouldn't look out of place off the bench for the blues if he keeps on improving I can't wait to see what they can do now they have lost a few kegs.
 
Can jirah momoisea play back row at all? To me he seems very athletic and I believe he has the potential to be a star. I remember seeing interviews from other forwards (I think the safs) saying he is the strongest in the club and leads the way for forwards in athleticism. Could be our very own version of kikau.
 
ApperceptionJosh said:
Can jirah momoisea play back row at all? To me he seems very athletic and I believe he has the potential to be a star. I remember seeing interviews from other forwards (I think the safs) saying he is the strongest in the club and leads the way for forwards in athleticism. Could be our very own version of kikau.
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He never showed any sign of being anything but a prop in the juniors, and a fairly one dimensional one at that, but he was just learning the game, after not playing league till he was 18.
In his time in firstgrade he's shown he spent all that time training in 2020 and 2021 picking up new skills, so I reckon he could be anything.
 
ApperceptionJosh said:
Can jirah momoisea play back row at all? To me he seems very athletic and I believe he has the potential to be a star. I remember seeing interviews from other forwards (I think the safs) saying he is the strongest in the club and leads the way for forwards in athleticism. Could be our very own version of kikau.
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Agree with that. He looks great. You are correct the players said he is the strongest.
 
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Adam O'Brien talks Pearce, Ponga, Joey and Knights' 2022 prospects

"I honestly believe top four is well within our capabilities."
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au

Big interview by Toohey with O'Brien.
Answers a lot of questions.

When asked which young player was impressing, O'Brien straight out said Dom Young - said he was a different guy and is leading the way in some fitness and wrestle areas. Also mentions Crossland and Hodgson.

Talks up Crossland a lot, saying that putting him in charge of the reserves team for opposed sessions in the Qld camp has improved him a lot.

Clearly said Kurt 13 and Simi 14 is the current plan - sharing the lock position between them.

Impressed with Clune's fitness and speed and says Joey has said that Clune is a better footballer than he thought he was.

If I had to guess the spine after reading that,

1 Ponga
6 Clifford
7 Crossland
9 Brailey
13 Mann
14 Sasagi

When asked about Brooks, O'Brien says he has no idea and doesn't comment on recruitment.
 
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Billy said:
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Adam O'Brien talks Pearce, Ponga, Joey and Knights' 2022 prospects

"I honestly believe top four is well within our capabilities."
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au

Big interview by Toohey with O'Brien.
Answers a lot of questions.

When asked which young player was impressing, O'Brien straight out said Dom Young - said he was a different guy and is leading the way in some fitness and wrestle areas. Also mentions Crossland and Hodgson.

Talks up Crossland a lot, saying that putting him in charge of the reserves team for opposed sessions in the Qld camp has improved him a lot.

Clearly said Kurt 13 and Simi 14 is the current plan - sharing the lock position between them.

Impressed with Clune's fitness and speed and says Joey has said that Clune is a better footballer than he thought he was.

If I had to guess the spine after reading that,

1 Ponga
6 Clifford
7 Crossland
9 Brailey
13 Mann
14 Sasagi

When asked about Brooks, O'Brien says he has no idea and doesn't comment on recruitment.
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That is not sounding too bad to me.

who's spot will Dom get?
 
On development, Toohey asked him to name a few of the standouts and he talked in glowing terms about Dom and added Crossland and Hodgson to make up the few he was asked for, but finished by saying he was impressed with "quite a few" others.
The follow up question was about depth of the squad and O'Brien said there will be strong competition for spots.

It's probably true for most sides, but I think the relocation to Qld has been a really positive thing for the development of young players. We won't know till they play, but I feel that many have made 2 or 3 years worth of progress in the last year. Players make the most progress in the pre season when all they do is train and work on their skills, and it's been almost like one long pre season for the last 2 years for many of the guys who haven't been able to play.
 
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Agree re Best‘s fragility. Just a long term, best-case scenario, which will likely never eventuate.

Would be great if he wasn’t made of glass. Still hoping he will grow out of it.
 
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