Where Do We Stand & Where Should We?

[Sarge]

We had the best attack last year? Most tries scored etc. Its all down to the head coach and what his sets look like this year. Very defensive minded which is hell boring but it's kinda working. We do need to be better though.

Pretty sure even though Obi claims that he is the defensive coach .Strikes me as a bit of a control freak , and he would have the final say on how we play . After all it is called Obi ball ?

 

[Treadly]

I think that of the 5 or so rumoured players to receive shoulder taps, we will only offload 2 maybe 3. I feel like that was the plan all along. Free up a bit of cash to retain who we want to keep, and buy what we need.
Look at those who were named, Elliot and hethro are both playing some of their best footy for us, the boys know what's acceptable and what will get them moved on. Brailey and dsaf can both move on for all I care.
I don't think it has actually caused dissent in the ranks. It seems to have show the accepting level of performance.

 

[R_A]

Hetherington has already committed to 2025 and there's been nothing from the Knights on Elliot so it's all guesswork from the Sydney media as usual.

Pretty sure even though Obi claims that he is the defensive coach .Strikes me as a bit of a control freak , and he would have the final say on how we play . After all it is called Obi ball ?

AOB did say the plan for the Dolphins game was early to make sure the defensive line was set when kicking for field position, not trying to chase too hard and possibly caused missed tackles with Fuller's speed and carries... was set to not give them a sniff with any quick carries and it did work, in comparison to when they got fast transitions against the Broncos kick chase last week.

 

[MBQLD]

Very clearly the halves are the problem. Cogger and Crossland aren't the solution in the long term. Even with Ponga, our spine as a whole is in the lower bracket. We need a change in attitude, we cannot keep starting seasons terribly, and taking half way through the season to start looking like a dangerous team. Also, if we're to become a better team, we need to become way more ruthless. Far too often in games we're winning, even against lesser teams, we're just trying to hold on and not overwhelm teams.

Yes I second the part where Knights become a painfully ruthless team. You get glimpses like on the weekend with big hard barnstorming runs and violent tackles that gets us winning the field position.

I think the first set for each team sets the tone. What I like to watch is where does Newcastle make it for the fifth tackle on the first set? Do they make it to the 50m line? That’s great! Did they make it over the 50m line? That’s awesome! Did they put in a giant kick to finish the set and pin the opposing team back early? Has the opposing team made up the ground too easily and now THEY are over the halfway mark?

Do any of you look at that stuff?

The best teams do all that good stuff consistently every week and if they do have a bad set they back it up with 5 or 6 more. Where Newcastle has come crashing down in the past is dropping the shoulders after a bad set or mistake and not dusting themselves off and getting on with it. They are much better than they were in the spoon years for not kicking their own arse and just playing football now then look at that other crap later after the game.

 

[jamesgould]

Yes I second the part where Knights become a painfully ruthless team. You get glimpses like on the weekend with big hard barnstorming runs and violent tackles that gets us winning the field position.

I think the first set for each team sets the tone. What I like to watch is where does Newcastle make it for the fifth tackle on the first set? Do they make it to the 50m line? That’s great! Did they make it over the 50m line? That’s awesome! Did they put in a giant kick to finish the set and pin the opposing team back early? Has the opposing team made up the ground too easily and now THEY are over the halfway mark?

Do any of you look at that stuff?

The best teams do all that good stuff consistently every week and if they do have a bad set they back it up with 5 or 6 more. Where Newcastle has come crashing down in the past is dropping the shoulders after a bad set or mistake and not dusting themselves off and getting on with it. They are much better than they were in the spoon years for not kicking their own arse and just playing football now then look at that other crap later after the game.

I actually always used to closely watch the first set from both sides. Back in the mid 00s when it was a very close comp it would often tell you who would win. Not so much now though, you can start well vs the top sides and still get smashed haha.

 

[MBQLD]

I actually always used to closely watch the first set from both sides. Back in the mid 00s when it was a very close comp it would often tell you who would win. Not so much now though, you can start well vs the top sides and still get smashed haha.

That’s very true but I enjoy those feelings of hope still early on

 

[Still_Nutty]

Yes I second the part where Knights become a painfully ruthless team. You get glimpses like on the weekend with big hard barnstorming runs and violent tackles that gets us winning the field position.

I think the first set for each team sets the tone. What I like to watch is where does Newcastle make it for the fifth tackle on the first set? Do they make it to the 50m line? That’s great! Did they make it over the 50m line? That’s awesome! Did they put in a giant kick to finish the set and pin the opposing team back early? Has the opposing team made up the ground too easily and now THEY are over the halfway mark?

Do any of you look at that stuff?

The best teams do all that good stuff consistently every week and if they do have a bad set they back it up with 5 or 6 more. Where Newcastle has come crashing down in the past is dropping the shoulders after a bad set or mistake and not dusting themselves off and getting on with it. They are much better than they were in the spoon years for not kicking their own arse and just playing football now then look at that other crap later after the game.

Yep - always looking at the first 5 minutes in both attack and D to see if we are up for the game.

I think one of the things that was highlighted by a few earlier in the season seemed to be that we expended a lot of energy in a big, extended warm up that saw us flat at game time - is anybody able to say whether we have modified that in the back end of the season and whether that is also contributing to our better starts?

 

[MBQLD]

Yep - always looking at the first 5 minutes in both attack and D to see if we are up for the game.

I think one of the things that was highlighted by a few earlier in the season seemed to be that we expended a lot of energy in a big, extended warm up that saw us flat at game time - is anybody able to say whether we have modified that in the back end of the season and whether that is also contributing to our better starts?

Yeah I’m interested to know too. Or even if they’ve gotten used to that being part of the regiment?

 

[OnTilt]

Yep - always looking at the first 5 minutes in both attack and D to see if we are up for the game.

I think one of the things that was highlighted by a few earlier in the season seemed to be that we expended a lot of energy in a big, extended warm up that saw us flat at game time - is anybody able to say whether we have modified that in the back end of the season and whether that is also contributing to our better starts?

The boys are on the field less the last few games, doesn't mean they are not doing more inside the sheds. Dolphins were out for much longer than we were, I was wondering if they were even going to come out.

I wouldn't read into it too much though.

 

[R_A]

That’s very true but I enjoy those feelings of hope still early on

Wild to think we came last twice with 8 wins which in most years would be more than enough to avoid the wooden spoon. Let's not mention the other two in here otherwise lol.
Then there are other years where we have had 12 wins and missed the 8 in 2008 so were owed one now

 

[danknights]

The boys are on the field less the last few games, doesn't mean they are not doing more inside the sheds. Dolphins were out for much longer than we were, I was wondering if they were even going to come out.

I wouldn't read into it too much though.

Old boys were in the shed pre game.