I'm losing faith in Nathan Brown

Finally got the team he wants, now his team ain't performing

Souvalis, my main beef with Brown has been his retention/recruitment not matching his stated goals of developing local juniors. My second issue is around development - who is developing and becoming a better player under Brown? I know Pearce is better than Cogger / Lamb, right now at least. But Lamb in particular was starting to look good and Watson was signed as his 5/8th for the following year. Then Pearce became available, and Brownies stated goal of developing juniors got chucked out the window...and the juniors left. I know Levi has been persisted with...but only because Griffin's knee went again. But why does he keep throwing dodgy passes? Why hasn't he improved that vital area of his game? For me, that is a black mark on Brown. With Heighington and Lillyman, did the young props get better? I would argue not appreciably. A developed Saifiti and Ese'ese have more upside than Gavet and probably Glasby...yet they were signed. Ese'ese and Watson are also playing worse at Newcastle than they did at their previous clubs when signed. That also looks bad for Brown. The nucleus of the squad is fine...it's the bits and pieces players making up the rest of the squad that are the issue, and it all flies in the face of Brownies goal of developing juniors. What was the point of his first two years in charge giving games to kids and losing every week, when his solution now is import experienced players developed elsewhere?? Almost every commentator says they're a top 8, maybe top 4 squad. I don't agree. Time will tell

I wouldnt go as far as say Brown has an elite team. He has a team of better players though. After their first game they seemed destined for the eight. Not now.

Brown said when he first came the Newcastle he would develop the local talent -- he didn't -- wooden spoon after wooden spoon -- so everybody blamed the poor quality of local Juniors -- wasn't Brownies fault --Nup. With The West Group coming on Board the argument went we could finally get some reasonable Cattle so we tried to get the best that was going around but once again won only one game this season and that was by the skin of our teeth this was because we lacked intensity and bad attitude from the players --- Not Brownies fault --Nup -- he's a good bloke -- a nice fella . Knowing the West group like I do and how ruthless they can be its mind boggling that they haven't put him out on his ear 2 games back -- the only thing I can think of is that old she'll be right clique who used to run the knights are still there in some capacity. It is not enjoyable to watch and the West group are pouring good money away because "Brownies a good bloke" -- Id rather have a mongrel coach and watch them winning than this nonsense!

Think you've missed more than you've hit there Bunny..Guerra had an excellent 2018 and picked up 2 club awards last year..Heighington and Lilliman were brought in purely as mentors to his young props...wouldnt be judging their value on on field contributions. Nick Meaney,caught behind Ponga, left to play NRL as a fullback, definitely not shafted..Cory Denis isnt NRL level,neither is Stockwell,Cogger,K. Sims or B.Lamb (playing for Norths didnt get a look in when Cronk was crook and not this week either with Keary doubtful). Levi has been persisted with despite a poor '18,cant say he hasnt been given a good shot..if you've watched them at all this year you'd know he's still been a major disappointment.. You'd be off your rocker to prefer Cogger/Lamb even to an average playing Pearce.. As for your team,Gagai was part of 3 wooden spoons,Tapine,played 20 games for the Knights but a huge stretch to call him a junior, missed a quarter of '18 and wont be back this year till round 19 with another injury,is that a surprise surprise ? Watson on the wing..nah.. Which player forming the nucleus of the squad ie Ponga Pearce Klemmer Watson Ramien Fitzgibbon Ese Ese and Safiti is 'massively over rated' ? Brownie has got the personnel,no doubt,but admittedly,hes done little with the available talent to assuage fans' pain post Bennett..hes probably one more spanking away from cleaning out his desk..

I think you hit the nail on the head. Newcastle will have to learn to play for each other this year as I don’t think they will play for the coach. Hopefully the players respect each other enough to want to win..

Brown has to go . Better coaches out there

I don't think Brown has recruited as well as he's been given credit for. SKD and Guerra are Rooster rejects and both long past the form that got them into Rep teams. Same with Heighington and Lillyman when they were signed. Of the team he inherited in 2015, he's only got Danny Levi, Sione Mata'utai, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Josh King left, with the Ross-dog now retired. Now playing elsewhere in the NRL are Tyrone Roberts, Dane Gagai, Korbin Sims, Joseph Tapine, Jack Stockwell, Tariq Sims, Jack Cogger and Brock Lamb...the quality he's let go outweighs what he's kept. Plus, he hasn't exactly replaced them with superstars. He's shafted other local up and comers such as Nick Meaney and Cory Dennis and replaced them with Rocks & Diamonds type players such as Edrick Lee, SKD and Hymel Hunt...and they're still delivering rocks as much as diamonds. He signed Moga and Griffin despite them having 7 knee constructions between them, and then they each racked up another one. Surprise, surprise. He's a former hooker whose had a bunch of up and coming hookers - Levi, Randall, Starling - but instead of developing them, signed Griffin and then Five-Eighth/Centre Kurt Mann to fill those spots... In the end, this is a massively over-rated team. Ponga, Klemmer and Ramien were great signings, but too many others haven't fitted the needs of the team. They had Lamb, Cogger and Connor Watson, but signed Pearce and lost Lamb and Cogger as a knock-on, and had to sign Lino as back-up. They had Ese'ese, King and the Safiti twins, then signed Klemmer (tick) Glasby and Gavet (surplus). Brown's recruitment strategy seems to be based around recruiting players from successful teams (Roosters, Storm, Broncos, Sharks) in the hope that these players develop the younger squad players... because it appears he can't. Here's a team he could have had, if he'd kept a few more locals, and signed a couple less outsiders. 1. Ponga 2. Meaney 3. Ramien 4. Gagai 5. Connor Watson 6. Tyrone Roberts 7. Lamb 8. Klemmer 9. Levi / Randall 10. Ese'ese 11. Tapine 12. T. Sims 13. Fitzgibbon 14. K. Sims 15. King 16. Saifiti 17. Buhrer Mitchell Pearce is probably the only current (available) player could come into this team and improve it. But this team has a local identity, with Meaney, Roberts, Lamb, Levi/Randall, Tapine, King and Saifiti all from the Hunter. I don't believe Brown's recruitment and retention has been good, and he doesn't seem able to develop players that are good or promising to great.

There are some guys that are great assistant coaches, and poor head coaches. Jason Taylor, Cartwright, Barrett, Price - and I put Brown in that category.

I'm at a loss to understand it Adrian, to be honest. I haven't seen as much of their games as you and I can't comprehend how that roster is performing so badly. I can't help but to think that the Ponga experiment had something to do with it - in what way I can't explain - and I wonder if Roosters winning last year was a kick in the guts for Pearce as he just doesn't seem to have the same impact and dominance this year. The next month will be telling, 4 games against lesser lights before a month facing chooks, Storm, Rabbits along with Broncos. They need at least 3 wins from the next four or I would guarantee Brown won't see out the year.

Spot on Albo. The thing that struck me when the Knights played the Raiders in Canberra a few weeks ago was their lack of intensity. The game was never a blow out but the Knights never really threatened to take on the Raiders when the game was up for the taking. It was one of those games you watch where the scores are fairly close but you never feared losing. Is that the coach's fault or a collective lack of player effort?

I was referring to a couple of first half tries , JD ! Check out the Kelly try in the first half where he let Kelly stroll under the posts after crossing out wide, rather than making an attempt to stop him ?

After 31 years of following a team you're throwing away and burning stuff after six weeks!!!??? You need to seek out some old Bears supporters.

That may be how the tries were scored and you're correct in saying that they came from one off errors but the lack of intensity and poor attitude was there for all to see.

Yes the NSW million dollar alpha male is looking very intimidating this year

Hard to imagine KP agreeing to terms past his current contract

hi Adrian, first of all anyone who trains it from Penrith to Newcastle to watch their team play has my complete admiration, especially if you do it for most of their home games. I'm wondering if you and the Newcastle faithful are asking the wrong question about Mr Brown? The team's played 6 games and won one, so this is when good coaches hit the reset button. No more talk about finals places till after round 25, just work on winning. It doesn't matter by how much or how they do it, they just have to win. Brown needs to wield the big stick so if guys are underperforming, they're dropped from the team, if that's what it takes to get the team winning. The players also have to accept ownership for winning and be filthy on themselves if they lose. In other words, right across the board, the complacency that's led to the current Knights dilemma needs to be eradicated. The real question to be asking Mr Brown is whether he's the coach to do all this?

Ponga was injured in the last 5 minutes so his running was inhibited which is why he couldn’t stop those last couple Titans try’s.

I hear Seibold might be available.

I am burning my Knights gear piece by piece each week they show such disrespect for the club, the fans and themselves untill it is all gone. Then I will no longer be a fan. 31 years following. Enough is enough.