Through the tough years, some Knights fans kept asking ‘when?’ Some questioned ‘if?’
For me, the time is now.
The Newcastle Knights have done so much over the last three years since Nathan Brown took over. We got ourselves out of that horrible debt, our debt was so bad, even Kanye West in 2016 was richer than us.
Wests took over and put us in a financial stability, we got the right staff in all stations and best of all, we’re the community team once again. Now we take a look a multiple facts.
1. Nathan Brown: Finals or bust
You read that properly, finals or bust. With the fact he’s under a performance-based contract, Knights must make the finals for not just the fans sake but his own. There’s no excuses should we have a full squad with little to no injuries with plenty of current and future rep football players.
Knights coach Nathan Brown. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
2. Depth
This year they got themselves a sizeable depth to the point no one will be forced to play out of position due to injuries. Everything is going on track and after all the struggles the club went through, we’re going to tear a new one in the competition this year.
3. The difference
From our horror 2016 campaign, only eight players remain:
Mitchell Barnett – 2 games for the Raiders and 21 years old
Lachlan Fitzgibbon – 1 game and 22 years old
Josh King – debut and 21 years old
Danny Levi – 7 games and 20 years old (2 tries)
Sione Mata’utia – 29 games and 19 years old (10 tries)
Nathan Ross – 6 games and 27 years old (2 tries)
Daniel Saifiti – debut and 19 years old
Jacob Saifiti – debut and 19 years old
Total games: 45 – 5.62 average
Total tries: 14 – 1.75 average
That’s the list of players from the 2016 season who still remain with the Newcastle Knights and they stuck around and with that said, they got three more years of experience with football. So now if we catch up to the times;
Mitchell Barnett – 56 games and 24 years old (8 tries)
Lachlan Fitzgibbon – 41 game and 25 years old (18 tries)
Josh King – 40 games and 23 years old (0 tries)
Danny Levi – 66 games and 23 years old (5 tries)
Sione Mata’utia – 90 games and 22 years old (25 tries)
Nathan Ross – 60 games and 30 years old (23 tries)
Daniel Saifiti – 64 games and 22 years old (6 tries)
Jacob Saifiti – 47 games and 22 years old (3 tries)
Total games: 464 – 58 average
Total tries: 88 – 8 average
What a difference.
From those players who entered 2016 with overall of 45 games to now 464, that’s impressive plus from 14 total tries to 88.
As the years gone on, they have become better players not just for their own benefit but the club as well.
Out of the 2019 signings, each of them stand out in their own way but the true pinnacle is of course David Klemmer. Many have dubbed him as the next Paul Harragon but he’s not. David Klemmer is the first David Klemmer. You don’t create a legacy by building off someone else’s.
Now with 67 days left until the season begins (hurry up Goddammit), the Knights look ready to take charge. How far do I think they’ll get?
Top eight? Bet every bone in your body on it.
Top four? Outside chance but maybe not as far as betting your bones.
Grand final? Long odds but perhaps.
I’m not saying we won’t win it but I believe we got some work left to do before we will win our third. It could happen this year and if it does, I’ll do a nudie run down Turton Road painted in red and blue.
Roarers, how do you think the Knights will do?
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
Not looking forward to your run.
Jock the sock
Guest
Knights or titans for the spoon. Keep buying has been. Klemmer is just ok, but no leader. Easts get rid of Pearce and get a premiership.
Peter Piper
Guest
It is far more complex than that. If you have good depth then you can cope with a few injuries and indeed, most of the top clubs seem to plan ahead for injuries. Extreme situations are different but they are just that, they are extreme, they are not the norm. Statistically speaking and assuming no ref bias then you must get 50% of 50:50 calls over time. So one point is irrelevant and the other depends on depth.
Knightsman
Guest
After many years of blunders, the Knights are looking the goods. Pity so many locals have been lost to the club for various reasons, but with West Newcastle adding so much financial and business weight behind the team they should remedy the underrepresentation of locals over the next 5 years.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
To be successful in the NRL a team must have a low injury toll through out the year and must get more than 50% of the 50/50 referee calls. In other words some luck. Simples! Nothing else matters.
Peter Piper
Guest
Not so sure. There are so many things that you have to get right in order to feature in the top 8 and have to get darn near perfect to feature in the top 4. The Knights are a bit of an unknown entity, a bit untested to be able to predict with any degree of certainty and one thing is for certain, if there are any weaknesses then you can rely on the Roosters, Storm, Broncos and Bunnies to find them out. Never say never but I think the four teams listed are your top 4 for 2019.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Coach Brown made it pretty clear that he wanted more strength in the outside backs and further hardness in the front row..well he chased and got one of the best young prospects for the former and two rep junk yard dogs for the latter vacancy.. Knights fans wont be getting ahead of themselves though..they only won something like 4 of their last 16 games in '18....inc. 2 against spooners Parra and 1 against the Titans..dont know if that was totally acceptable,certainly not this season..
terrykidd
Roar Pro
I do not agree. Top 8 or better, or not, Brown has overseen a club rebuild and player education that has improved the Knights vastly. In 2019 they will be very hard to beat at home and will most certainly trouble all teams.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I like the Knights prospects in 2019 assuming a reasonable run with injuries. But for me, they still need to demonstrate that they now have a strong reliable spine? Pearce & Ponga are their obvious keys , but I still have a query on their other two spine spots ? Does Ponga play 1 or 6 ? And they need to make MacDonald Jones Stadium a fortress again. Klemmer is a great buy for them, and I think Ramien too will prove pivotal over the season.
Paul
Roar Guru
You're completely right about Brown being the Knights coach next year, only if they make the finals this year. He's in a similar position to Mary MacGregor, both have the teams they want, now they have to produce.
PGNEWC
Roar Rookie
We have a lot of fanatical supporters BAS mostly of the through thick and thin kind so we're sort of the antithesis to Easts --- oh and we can read.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Players like Mitch Barnett have served a purpose and toiled well over the last couple of years. But you don't want to see him in first grade too often in 2019 or it probably suggests too many injuries to be making a charge.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Like every team injuries will have their say. If Ponga goes down or if Pearce struggles, then top 8 seems a long way away, but with luck on the injury front the roster looks a top 8 one.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
I remember last off season there seemed to be about a dozen pieces written about the Newcastle Knights and their improved chances for the upcoming season, and it seems to be happening again....
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
Need a coach Must be on the NRL “agenda” But you just don’t know with a little bit of “help” could be the distraction that Todd needs
Bangers N Mash
Guest
I’d like to see the Knights feature in the finals , but as FT has pointed out , The NRL is an unpredictable beast , so who knows . The only thing for sure is that , Browny needs a decent result, or his time at the club would have to be considered a failure.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Cows, Eagles and Eels all made the eight in 17 and battled for the spoon in 18 so who knows what happens in 19. The games most influential players have retired in recent years or are on their last legs so the chance for a player like Ponga to cement his position and dominate is huge.
max power
Guest
well purchased Knights. dont know why you looked at the tries scored as a form of analysis
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Surely top 8 with that roster.