The rise of the Newcastle Knights

This highlights my greatest doubt about Ponga's readiness for first grade. Regardless of injury or pain you dont let the opposition know you're in strife. His posture and the way he carries himself when hurt is an indicator he perhaps has a bit to learn yet to be first grade ready. Having said that the kid is a freak and when he does mature into first grade ready he will be one of the best we've seen in a long time. He has the natural ability to be anything by the end of his career he could be one of the greats.

Interesting sideline to this is Newcastle rugby league want to leave CRL. If newcastle wests leave it would leave Newcastle comp in tatters.

But I think the Knights already have a pretty solid and improving pack with their current young locals like the Safiti boys, Josh King, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Levi & Seoni Mata Utia , along with a couple of good imports from last year in Barnett & Buhrer. Most of these new forward imports like Guerra, Heighington & Lillyman will be bench starters at best. Its their backs that worry me mostly, although potentially the importing of Pearce, Watson, Moga & Ponga offers plenty of new hope .

Yep ! But the Knights need to make the tough decisions around their youngsters. Some are never going to be good enough , others will make it over time, and others may be ready now. My assessment after watching every Knights game last year, is that I would be wrapping up securely their young local forwards in the Safiti boys, Josh King, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Levi & Seoni Mata Utia as the platform for the Knights future success. These local youngsters, in combination with experienced imports like Barnett, Buhrer, Guera, Ese Ese, Heighington & Lilyman will become a formidable pack this year and the future looks bright for these youngsters. On the other hand, I would tread warily with the youngsters they have vying for the future spine positions ( Lamb, Cogger & Johns). I have my doubts about their true potential, and it is not surprising that the Knights have basically imported a full new spine for 2018 in Pearce , Watson, Ponga & Slade Griffin ( though Levi should hold the 9, I would think).

Having bennet as coach was our biggest mistake. We learn from our mistakes

I’m happy to believe that the Knights won’t be adding another spoon to the cabinet but a top eight finish may be a harder prospect I’m not sold on Ponga, he had some flashes of brilliance when he was with my Cowboys but he also had some absolute shockers. U20 head is still firmly screwed-on like the game against the dragons where after a great line break he proceeded to grubber it dead, on the second tackle, with runners in support. He’s also capable of some genuinely shocking defensive reads. He’s good but won’t be great for a another few years

I stand corrected, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Melbourne_Storm_players there were 6 from Reds and 6 from Mariners in the Storm 1998 squad

Thanks, mental block about Packer, I've written that a few times. I agree with you about the younger players. They need to be looking at the competition for spots as a challenge rather than looking for an easy spot elsewhere. You're right, thinking of it as "my spot" is a pretty good indicator that it's not. But it will be a balancing act for Brown. There's a core of blokes - most of them younger - who've been through hell for the last few seasons and have been improving. Now 5-6 of them will be playing reggies for the new signings. That situation would have to be managed carefully in any work group.

I remember that too. We cannot judge how much pain someone else is in but it was an attitude thing as well. Although we would be hard task masters comparing anyone to JT by any measure.

When you look at a couple of signings they have had the last couple of years. Tupou only got on the field a couple of times and Kostyjasen didn't make it at all. That's the risk you take with older player's. Heighington and lillyman are good performers but a little bit long in the tooth. Guerra will need to be fully fit and perform at his top to make a difference.

Two wins Nat, one against the Titans in Round 4 if my memory serves me correctly. But I absolutely agree with you on all points re Ponga. His talk in defence is his major deficiency. The Cowboy's defence tightened up considerably with Coote at the back after he returned from injury. Whilst Coote didn't have his greatest season, playing with a groin injury for the majority of the year, his positional play and organisation was still top notch. Plus he was dependable bringing the ball out from the back. In my opinion he finished 2017 stronger than he finished 2016. My lingering memory of Ponga is from that home game the Cowboys played against the sharks at the end of last year. With the majority of the squad playing through pain with serious injuries, Ponga came out of a tackle clutching his shoulder. He continued to nurse it like a child attempting to convince his parents he is too sick to attend school. Highlighting to Green 'I'm sore interchange me'. At this point in the game I think Morgan had already gone off with concussion and we had lost a forward, so the bench was already bare. He proceeded to let in two tries on the goaline with p1ss weak attempts to tackle, and at one point when he was standing at marker picked the ball up with one hand and nearly threw it forward to the first receiver. Says a lot about his commitment and toughness. Contrast that with Thurston from Origin II. After the game a journo asked Greeny if Ponga had suffered a serious injury. His response was 'no it's just sore'. Green had to play Coote busted and bring him back early so as to not play Ponga again.

Don't disagree. Injury plagued his season which was Ponga's chance but only one win, against the Knights, with him at FB in which he scored 2 out of his season total 3 tries. He missed 1 out of 3 tackles as well.

Another attempt at humour Jeff? A Knights fan articulating his enthusiasm for a team that has no where to go but up definitely deserves your ire. As does a 20yo kid trying to make his way in the game from the shadows of his father and uncle. You're a class act.

The Knights don't have Packer, he has gone to the Tigers. Daniel Safiti will either start or be on the bench, but I think from everything Brown has been saying, he will start with either Lillyman or Ese'Ese as his starting partner. I think Heighington is there more for a mentoring role and may be lucky to get a spot on the bench. I also believe after a few rounds that Lamb will find himself in the starting 5/8 spot with Watson on the bench in the utility role, as that would suit the team better than having Lamb on the bench or not in the team. To be honest, if some of the younger guys get their nose out of joint because a more experienced player has come into the team and "taken" their spot, I don't think they are ready for first grade. The competition for spots is finally there, and with it, the extra effort that will be needed to prove the player deserves their spot rather than just being there because there is nobody else.

Yeah. The signings are solid. Pearce is a very good club player but he's not in the top five halves (incl 5/8s) in the comp - maybe not top 10. SKD, Moga, Guerra, Packer, Ese'ese, Lillyman, Heighington are all solid players but not in the top 10 (maybe top 20?) in their respective positions. If all of these guys are selected they'll also force out some of the young bloke so that have been developing over the last couple of years. eg where does Daniel Safiti fit into a middle third rotation of Packer, Lillyman, Ese'ese, Heighington, plus Barnett. Ditto Brock Lamb with Watson, Pearce, Ponga, Hodkinson. Watson and Ponga have loads of potential but are still relatively unknown quantities at this stage. So the sum for mine is that they've improved from three time spooners to a lower-mid table quality team with potential to finish higher if things line up.

I think the real accomplishment this year is the West Rosellas group taking over the Knights -- at last we have a large solid Leagues club base to back us up like Parra Penrith and St George -- we can start planning the ground work for a brighter surer future not living from hand to mouth like we have been for the last 30 years

Adrian, I'm going to give you two pieces of free advice: 1. stay away from anything to do with the Knights at any betting agencies this year. The odds will make you miserable, and if you take them you'll go broke; and 2. maintain your enthusiasm champion, and spit out some more articles. Good job.

Dunno if Lachlan Coote set the world on fire either...5 points guts and 5 points klutz..

I'm with you on this, I see a big improvement but they have been so far off the pace that it will need a lot to break right to play finals. Good news for them is their young team is capable of a step change in results due to development, plus the patience with the coach helps here. I think if the warriors gave a decent coach a 5 year window they'd be a top 4 mainstay.

Good comment Paul. Publicly and to the team I'm sure Brown will be setting a top 8 spot as the goal. Behind closed doors with the board I'm sure it's a bit more modest. This years about setting solid footholds for years to come.