TRIAL 1 - NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V CANTERBURY BULLBOGS 21/2/2022

Billy said:
Tuala is a young guy who has been improving steadily since he joined us.
Hunt is an old player who seems to have peaked.
Both were about the same level last year. When that's the case, you have to go with the young, improving guy.
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Can’t agree with that. Hunt is a solid proven player with good D (my opinion) and takes hard carries out of our red zone all the time. Probably just personal preference but I’m with Hunt.
 
I watched Tuha's highlight reels and we should give him any position he wants going by them . He plays 5/8 F/b and wing and looks to have all the skills including good defence although they are called HIGHlight reels.
 
Tim Johannssen getting a chance is interesting.
I think there must only be 1 year between the Johannssen brothers.
They look pretty similar from the sidelines and play a similar style, so it's hard to work out if Tim or Noah is the better. They both played under 19s last year and a few times you'd see Tim dropped to the bench to be replaced by Noah in the starting lineup, or the other way around, but they were rarely on the field at the same time. Maybe like the Saifiti's, you only want 1 big bopper on the field at a time. Noah is coming off the bench in Ball this year. I assume Tim is 19 and too old for Ball, so Noah would be 18.
I remember watching a Laurie Daley cup game in about 2019 and Tim Johannssen was a new signing at the Knights from Tweed Heads and we lost the game against Northern Rivers featuring Noah Johannssen, and the next year we had both of them playing Ball.
 
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Billy said:
Tuala is a young guy who has been improving steadily since he joined us.
Hunt is an old player who seems to have peaked.
Both were about the same level last year. When that's the case, you have to go with the young, improving guy.
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I don’t agree that they were about the same level. Hunt’s carries out of our own end are far more impactful and I think he offers a lot more defensively.
 
Tomacles said:
Can’t agree with that. Hunt is a solid proven player with good D (my opinion) and takes hard carries out of our red zone all the time. Probably just personal preference but I’m with Hunt.
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Hunt is the safe option, no doubt. I wouldn't be annoyed if he were to be picked, it's just that a trial isn't the time to be conservative. Young has an x-factor and more of a rocks and diamonds option right now. I reckon it's a good choice to give Young the chance in the trial and have Hunt nipping at his heels.
 
Not worried or upset with trial selections, it is a trial.
Some players may be carrying small injuries that don’t stop training or selection in competition but why risk in a trial besides Hunt for example is a known quality player where others are knocking on the door for selection.
I’m looking forward to seeing them all play
 
Hunt has been good for us, but looking at the wingers across the comp he'd be middle of the pack at best.
I think it's good we're aiming higher tbh.
 
www.newcastleknights.com.au

Knights v Bulldogs NRL Trial team list

nib Newcastle Knights NRL Head Coach, Adam O'Brien, has named his team to take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
www.newcastleknights.com.au www.newcastleknights.com.au

Knights have finally put up an official team list, which is the same as the earlier "unofficial" one from the NRL game page.

I expected they'd change that 4th bench spot to either Hunt or Croker, because as much as I love watching Neti Tuha play - number 31 on a list of 30 is about right for him.

The list of players missing;

Barnett - still injured
Lee - they probably don't want to rush him for a trial
Sue - still injured
Saulo - no idea
Hoy - no idea
Jones - no idea
Sasagi - no idea
Johns - still injured
Thompson - no idea
Mapapalangi - no idea
Lucas - no idea
 
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Does anyone know why Jones is not there? Seen him yesterday driving his car said he is hoping to be in round one. But does not look good if he is not in trial
 
Jones was at the junior game the other day and I think he looks like he's given up League and taken up body building.
I saw a description of Arnold Schartznegger (spell) once - a bunch of walnuts stuffed into a condom - fair description of Jones in a 2 sizes too small T-shirt the other day.
 
Billy said:
Toohey says on twitter that Young and Momoisea are being rewarded for the effort they have put in this pre-season - which is fair enough. If they have trained the house down they deserve first chance, and if they can play well enough to keep the spot, that's fair too.
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Agree Billy - It has always been Adzy puts a lot of stock in selecting/rewarding players for what they deliver on the training paddock...pretty clear that this is why Mann is always seen as a player that gets selected, even when execution and errors creep in to his performances on game day...he haous been pretty consistent on that point.

So if it is working for bringing on and blooding some of the young talent coming through and shaking up the competition for spots, that is a good use of the trials for me
 
Billy said:
Jones was at the junior game the other day and I think he looks like he's given up League and taken up body building.
I saw a description of Arnold Schartznegger (spell) once - a bunch of walnuts stuffed into a condom - fair description of Jones in a 2 sizes too small T-shirt the other day.
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He definitely has put on weight
 
Article in the Herald gives a slightly different squad list - with Hymel Hunt in the 17 jersey and Dylan Lucas in the 18. It also has Tex Hoy and Leo Thompson added to the list.

1 Kalyn Ponga,
2 Enari Tuala,
3 Dane Gagai,
4 Bradman Best,
5 Dom Young,
6 Jake Clifford,
7 Adam Clune,
8 David Klemmer,
9 Chris Randall,
10 Daniel Saifiti,
11 Tyson Frizell,
12 Jirah Momisea,
13 Kurt Mann,

14 Phoenix Crossland,
15 Jacob Saifiti,
16 Lachlan Fitzgibbon,
17 Hymel Hunt,

18 Dylan Lucas,
19 Matt Croker,
20 McKenzie Baker,
21 Bailey Hodgson,
22 Brayden Musgrove,
23 Dylan Phythian,
24 Chris Vea'ila,
25 Kobe Rugless,
26 Jaron Purcell,
27 Liam Wilkinson,
28 Cooper Jenkins,
29 Tim Johannsson,
30 Ben Talty,
31 Honeti Tuha,
32 Tex Hoy,
33 Leo Thompson


The article also says O'Brien is just watching the game and Rory Kostjayson will coach the side on the day. It says this is a covid strategy - in case O'Brien has to isolate during the season.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Knights coach hands clipboard to assistant for Bulldogs trial

O'Brien will step away from the coach's box next week.
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au
 
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If you look at that list as an order of merit after the off season;

Dom Young - very happy to see him in the starting side.
Jirah Momoisea - probably the biggest jump up the order of merit - he missed all last off season but came back in career best form - and it looks like he's smashed this off season.
Pheonix Crossland - clearly has trained well enough to make it hard to leave him out, which will be a headache for the coaches when everyone is fit.
Dylan Lucas - a few good trials and they'll have to give him a contract
Mac Baker - above Hodgson - on his form last year that is fair - he had an amazing year - but he must have kept it up in training.
Dylan Phythian - looks like he trained well enough to be pushing for selection.
Tim Johannsen - Must have trained well to make the list as a 19 year old prop.

Lower than expected;
Tex Hoy - way out of favour
Jacob Saifiti - maybe Klem had an outstanding off season to get back the starting spot
Hymel Hunt - Young must have out trained him
Ben Talty - I'm surprized he isn't in the top 5 or 6 reserves. He was good last year
Leo Thompson - Don't know what I expected from a rookie league player, but barely making the list isn't encouraging.
Jaron Purcell - I'd have liked to see him very close to selection after a good off season, but still only 20.
 
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