What’s has gone wrong and who is to blame
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what's that pong
Jason Hoogerworf
I don't know what has gone wrong other then poor ball security and an uninterested ponga.
It's so frustrating watching poor teams (bulldogs) improve much faster then us, same old same old
It's so frustrating watching poor teams (bulldogs) improve much faster then us, same old same old
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Newygirl
Darren Albert
Surely he of all people must realise that he needs help in the spine. No one player can do it all themselves without decent players around them.
He’d also surely have to realise they need to pay overs. That should be evident to him every time he looks at this bank balance.
I’m normally his biggest fan and defender, but I’d be pretty pissed with him if that’s the issue. He can’t blame the club for doing that what they have to get the team into a better position.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I can't see there being any truth to this.
KP can't expect the Knights to build a decent team around him, without spending money on (hopefully) quality spine players to put around him.
They cost money, and KP will again take the mantle of highest player at the club soon enough again anyway.
I’m not saying this in defence of AOB because to be honest I’m so confused about what’s happened myself I have no idea who’s at fault, HOWEVER I think in situations like this it’s really hard to extrapolate whether it’s a poor game plan from the coach vs. the players not being able to execute it. What’s telling from AOB’s comments though is that there’s obviously a discrepancy between what game plan they’re coached to do vs. how it’s being executed by the players.
Given AOB has traditionally been a conservative coach, I think when we see the team playing ultra conservative we assume it’s what they’ve been coached to do, but often when you see a side taking one out run after one out run it’s because they’re not able to do more than that. It’s impossible to get your edge players in any type of space when your halves aren’t actually halves and can’t set up a play.
Today the most obvious game plan would be for KP to play a lot of first receiver with Crossland and Sharpe who are runners only on either side of the ruck. It’s very hard to tell though if that didn’t happen due to the game plan vs. Ponga not wanting to be involved. Either way though Crossland ended up with way too much ball and Ponga with too little, which is the opposite of what we needed.
There’s honestly so much going on at the moment it hard to know if it’s more of a coaching or personnel issue. I suspect a bit of both.
He’s never lost it. He’s still on more than Brown will be. If he signs a new extension he will be on significantly more than Brown will ever be.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
The personnel thing, is just a poor excuse for even poorer coaching.
Crap coaches blame the players they don't have.
I don’t know to be honest. I go back and forth on this a lot and have done since last season. Our spine is horrible and that’s where the attack comes from.
what's that pong
Jason Hoogerworf
Said his mrs was in labour that's why he wasn't there today
I agree with KurriBoy comments (and not just because I was born in the town of the Bulldogs). Something that I think backs up that AOB isn't up to the job, how many Knights players have left the club in his tenure and gone on to other clubs and become better players, some much better players? Mitch Barnett went from being a loose cannon that AOB couldn't get the best out of, to playing for NSW Origin, then Australia. Josh King went from a fringe first grader to a regular Melbourne Storm starter. Even Shibasaki this year under Michael Miguire is a completely different player. He looks like a really good centre now. Surely that isn't just a coincidence. Funnily enough, I couldn't remember Madge's name so I googled it for this post, and google reads me " Michael McGuire is a successful coach known for building disciplined and resilient teams". Resilience, not something Google is going to be reading out about AOB coaching anytime soon.
I also think some of the trouble lies with the club's lack of proper leaders. Ponga is not a leader. Never has been, never will be. He might've grown up a bit but he's still that laidback kid with a heap of talent, That doesn't make a Captain. Think of the good team NRL captains now or in the past. They produce on the field and give it to the team when they need to. From what I've seen, I have never seen Ponga giving anybody a serve about bad play, although he does seem to be very friendly and chatty to the opposition players when his team has just been thumped. Compare that to how Joey would've been feeling. That I think is also a reason why the team we follow is an incompetent crap football side, no leader.
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Defence wins games
Todd Bates
After today’s performance, there’s nothing that we could argue about Lewis’s comments.
First the good part. I think our tackling has been outstanding this year. We are second defensively. That gives you a lot to build on. For mine, Ponga is now doing elite stuff defensively I've never seen from him before. Gone are the days you can get him involved in the ruck close to the line and then grubber to the in goal on the next play knowing he'll be out of position. Yesterday he cut one of their front rowers in half with a tackle to the right of the posts, then was *easily* in position for the grubber in the next play over to the left.
Our attack is being stifled so much through dropped balls. If we hold it a bit, our defensive effort will keep us in most games. I just stated elsewhere, 4 losses of possession on play zero of a seven tackle set from the 20 will cruel you every game. I've never seen it before. I'm not going to be too critical of our spine when simply never held on to it.
I thought the dumbest play of the day was, down 8-0 and being under the pump, we got to half way on tackle 5 and Brailey scooted from dummy half, realised it was the last and threw the ball away, turning it over on their 40 instead of further down field. The Tigers got a roll on from the loose play and Bula came up with a great play to score from his own kick. But truth be told, he should never have had that opportunity if Brailey's game awareness was where it should be.
In short, attitude is shown by the defensive effort, and the effort is definitely there. The attack will come if we hold the ball. The issue with resting on defence and not getting results is it eventually erodes the defensive attitude.
Our attack is being stifled so much through dropped balls. If we hold it a bit, our defensive effort will keep us in most games. I just stated elsewhere, 4 losses of possession on play zero of a seven tackle set from the 20 will cruel you every game. I've never seen it before. I'm not going to be too critical of our spine when simply never held on to it.
I thought the dumbest play of the day was, down 8-0 and being under the pump, we got to half way on tackle 5 and Brailey scooted from dummy half, realised it was the last and threw the ball away, turning it over on their 40 instead of further down field. The Tigers got a roll on from the loose play and Bula came up with a great play to score from his own kick. But truth be told, he should never have had that opportunity if Brailey's game awareness was where it should be.
In short, attitude is shown by the defensive effort, and the effort is definitely there. The attack will come if we hold the ball. The issue with resting on defence and not getting results is it eventually erodes the defensive attitude.
Our lack of depth and inexperience in the middle is whats killing us for mine. We have been slaughtered in the middle for the last 3 weeks, when your getting beat in the yardage battle the game snowballs away from you. The defensive resolve is still there and if we can get a few troops back and play off the front foot the points will come.
the thing that i am scratching my head over is pongas involvement, the first 2 weeks he was literally running the side like a 7, alot of first reciever in shape and taking the ball to the line, aob made comment that thats a look into the future after the dolphins game and since then his been largely uncited. When your attack is spluttering you want your most dangerous player with his hands on the ball multiple times a set not setting up on the opposite side of the ruck as a decoy constantly, head scratcher!
the thing that i am scratching my head over is pongas involvement, the first 2 weeks he was literally running the side like a 7, alot of first reciever in shape and taking the ball to the line, aob made comment that thats a look into the future after the dolphins game and since then his been largely uncited. When your attack is spluttering you want your most dangerous player with his hands on the ball multiple times a set not setting up on the opposite side of the ruck as a decoy constantly, head scratcher!
frankLauda
Matthew Gidley
I don't know exactly but I can say the amount of times we were in the opposition red zone the last two weeks has been minimal. Yes, when we are in those positions, Ponga should get involved. I do distinctly remember a couple of times yesterday when we were in the red zone, Crossland went the other side of where Ponga was. Then eventually it got to him on the 4th or 5th and he knocked it on. But there was a bunch of plays they did not pass the ball to him and went the other side.
They seem to have no structure, players in motion, and Ponga is a key piece in those movements. It's been the crux of this side forever, we don't have someone who can organize the attacking plays, but also see what's in front of him. Is that Ponga? It probably shouldn't be, but it seemed to working against the Dolphins. But one important note in that game we did have field positions and plenty of opportunities in the red zone.
When Gamble comes back we should improve, but he will need time. Will Brown be that player? Not confident. He and Sharpe need to develop that part of the game and quickly. I just think how much of a different better side we would be if we had a Fogerty, DCE, Reynolds, Sexton, type player.
Crossland has been doing this all year, I called it out a few weeks back......he keeps destroying the play and goes the wrong way or goes for the stupid crash play.
Honestly hope Mat Arthur ends up being our starting hooker sooner rather than later, so much smarter than Phoenix who in my opinion should be playing as a 14.
Would have loved Fogarty & his kicking game for two years , oh well !
slotmachine
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Has a legit claim to owning the best kicking game in the comp.
frankLauda
Matthew Gidley
Insight is a wonderful thing. We had Hastings, fell off the cliff. Cogger backup/premiership winner. Both have turned out poorly.
During that time, sexton, Fogarty, others available. But Fogerty was out almost all of last year. That’s when Canberra’s form dropped right off.
There’s talk, Canberra will only offer him one year deal about 500k. Manly offering two years 1.2mil
During that time, sexton, Fogarty, others available. But Fogerty was out almost all of last year. That’s when Canberra’s form dropped right off.
There’s talk, Canberra will only offer him one year deal about 500k. Manly offering two years 1.2mil
I think their cap must be pretty tight . Ricky was nearly crying after their game on the weekend talking about the prospect of losing him. Also prob don't want to hinder a couple of youngsters they have coming through.