Absolute disgrace, what a way to destroy a brilliant start to a season, only Newcastle could do it. Rick Stone was 100% the wrong choice for head coach. With quality and proven coaches such as Nathan Brown, Stephen Kearney, Anthony Griffin out there and actually worth their while, we employ Rick Stone. Idiots. The first 4 weeks I was like, well maybe I was wrong, but it is all coming out now! It is a culture of failure continuing - Souths turned it around by attracting decent players and getting exceptional coaching staff, as did the Roosters, Bulldogs...instead we are languishing with Mullen, Roberts and Gidley that have brought us nothing but mediocrity. I am not claiming I can do a better job, but coaching an NRL team isn't my full time job. Then we see our club lose possibly the best player week to week we put on the field and something people can only shake their heads at, an incumbent Australian player is playing in NSW CUP! And we are losing in First Grade!!! WTF....how does that make sense to ANYONE!
As a long term fan, tattooed with the Knights logo and 1000 jerseys and shirts and shorts and ties in my cupboard and merchandise, jerseys, signed pictures all over my walls I am saying the Knights absolutely deserve to be losing and failing when acting like they are. It is an absolute disgrace.
I would like to see us:
-> Attract a proven and seasoned coach (not an old has been) - a Nathan Brown/Anthony Griffin
-> Retire Gidley (18 months ago preferrably)
-> Move on Roberts, Snowden and McManus
-> Buy a decent high profile Hooker and experienced half to work with Mullen (Maloney springs to mind)
-> Stock up forwards with youth to back up Sims brothers, Stockwell mixed with experience of Smith, Houston and co
It will not see results for a couple of years, but if we were thinking about this in 2005 say, we would be more of a Manly/Bulldogs/Roosters rather than Newcastle/Parramatta/Penrith type outfit.
The message they need to get is get a brain AND hold on to the ball.
Just my thoughts.