Saturday’s result at Brookvale was a loss all of us Knights supporters didn’t want to see.
Beaten 30-6 by a rampant Manly side, things simply fell apart in the second half. Similar to the loss against Roosters at the SCG, Newcastle were in it until being run over in the final 20 minutes. The Knights had endless opportunities but only cashed in once.
In our last five matches of the regular season, we only have two games at home and three of them are on the road against teams higher than us on the ladder.
Do I think they’re winnable games? I do, but the team has to play the full 80 minutes with full-on acceleration and never let go, like they did in the run of six wins in a row.
In those games, Newcastle were ruthless and aggressive. I don’t know what’s happened to that team but this side seems to lack the will and desire to succeed. The loss of Jesse Ramien may have happened but he never looked like he wanted to be in a Knights jersey in the first place.
In the early years of the club, Newcastle blooded their juniors to become a dominant force that always competed and never quit. Yesterday only saw five Knights juniors and shockingly none in our back line.
I can see a lot of back-line Knights juniors putting their hand up for a first-grade spot. Sure, between 2015 and 2017 thats what we did, but that was in the aftermath of the Nathan Tinkler fiasco.
Now we have got a decent forward pack mixed with experience Knights juniors and top signings. We’ve got juniors who want to play for us in first grade and I don’t think letting anymore go is what we want.
The old-school spirit we had of players playing for the town has returned, and as time goes on, it will be just as big as it was in the early years. During the days of the Johns brothers, the Chief, Danny Buderus, Billy Peden and Mark Glanville, we had hometown legends who bled for the club.
I’m not making tips on who to let go – nor do I think we should release players en masse – just let some of the older players take the back seat.
In the back line, you’ve got up-and-coming guns in Phoenix Crossland, Tex Hoy and Starford To’a, who are big threats whether as a fullback, wing or centre.
Mix them with most of the current crop we have from other clubs like Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga, Connor Watson and David Klemmer then give them a few years and they’ll be a destructive force to be reckoned with in the competition.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
The knights must win games to make the finals.
Big Daddy
Guest
The fact they are running 2 nd last in Canterbury Cup doesn't help your cause. Their Flegg cup is doing well but I wouldn't be blooding player's at this time of year. Brown needs to find some answers or he's in the centre link queue next year. St Helens will probably take him back.
Paul
Roar Guru
Adrian, you have a barn full of talent that less than a month ago, was playing some outstanding footy but has simply gone off the boil. Surely that falls back to Brown to fix? You don't need to blood juniors, you simply need Brown to do his job, the other big names in the side to step up and the rest should follow. The real question is whether Brown has to ability to lift the squad and, as things stand, I think the answer has to be "no".
terrance
Guest
Souvalis, I was thinking the same thing. 2pts out of the eight and with a better for and against than the 3 teams above you and it's panic stations? They also have a great run home, two what should be somewhat easy (if there is such a thing) home games against the titans and cowboy, and the three away games are against teams fighting out for the last few spots in the eight, parra, tigers and panthers (last game of the home/away season), the winners of those game really get a boost at the expense of the loser. Chucking a young kid on the wing (out-of-position) against Sivo or Takarangi/Ferguson, with Jennings or Waqa Blake running one-in with Mau lurking on the edge, no place for an undersized rookie, a recipe for disaster. The Knights main problem isn't lack of juniors in the team, that means very little, basically nothing. It's their totally predictable attack (one side only, the pearce/ponga show, easy pickings) and the fact that 10 of the current top 30 squad have been told to look elsewhere for 2020, and that's on top of the three players that have left this year already (yates/ramien/ross), they are not a happy squad and it looks that way. Coach? Hmmm, don't know who's better out there, too late for this season anyway. The Knights were an ''around the eight'' team this year, expectations were way too high by many. But I can't see a reason to change that for next season at this stage.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Apologies Adrian, not Alex.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
It’s Round 21 Alex..they’re still the bare 2 points out of the 8..hardly the time to be throwing young blokes into the fire. That said I’d be trying to shuffle Mann and/ or SKD out, enough is enough.. For whatever reason Pearcies gone right off, this is the killer..over at Manly DCE has been sensationally consistent, he’s got them where Mitchell should have the Knights..now is the time the club should expect recompense on the million he cost.
Chui
Guest
Those names you put up look like the results of where you make up your own porn name. Is there a Buck Naked there as well?
Nat
Roar Guru
It's a sign of desperation when you start looking at unproven reserve graders to 'add something' just because they may have been born in the region. The guy Brownie just let go is better than all of them and most current centers in top grade. The problem isn't with the cattle, it's with the bull.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Blood your coach
kk
Roar Pro
The Knights keep going round and round at their table. A fresh R & R team is urgently needed.
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Your club literally picked up wooden spoons with their youth, then spend millions on white whales and all of a sudden the youth is the answer again? Oh and while we're at it... bring back the Bears, right?
Randy
Roar Rookie
they must have someone better than Shaun Kenny Dowall and Kurt Mann in the jnr ranks. ..
Insider
Roar Rookie
Clubs spend $$$ on players, Des, Belly and Robbo ( you can add Sticky now) have shown that maybe just maybe if you spend $$$ on a coach it’s a great start
Dutski
Roar Guru
Didn’t the Knights spend a couple of years picking up wooden ware for the trophy cabinet blooding local juniors? I get what you’re saying but there’s more going on with the Knights than their back 5 needing some inexperience. Some starch up the middle perhaps? I think the loss of White Lightning was a massive one. Speed, passion and pride in the jersey. Sadly missed. I think it’s easy to look at the jersey and remember the locals who played well. Supported by a mix of ringins who did their job.
Max power
Guest
Not a convincing argument