NRL Round 5 teams: Ponga returns for Knights, more injury returns on the cards

can you see now what their issue is? And they haven't played a good team yet

No player is worth 12 points to a team

If Ponga was in the team from round 1, I'd say the Knights score at least 12 points (2 tries) more each game, or they would be at least 12 points better off with 1 extra try scored and 1 saved with his defensive calls during opposition attacking raids. That would have given them a 4-0 start, so the attack is definitely one of the Knights issues in need of addressing at the moment.

Greedy grubs they should be ground and mulched into fertiliser. If they are going to stink like it they might as well be put to some productive use.

not a fan of player managers

"Reynolds was reported as saying" I think perhaps we are seeing the player manager effect in play. Reynolds said he is leaving everything to his manager and his manager knows Reynolds wants 3 years so... I'm guessing they are trying to field some very competitive and attractive offers to frighten the Rabbitohs into doing the right thing. I'm sure the Souths members and fans are starting to feel frantic and just want the deal done. Reynolds deserves better. He has been the cornerstone of the Rabbitohs since he debuted in 2012. Being the highest points scorer in the NRL last year and club captain should have been enough to strengthen his case. As I showed in a recent post Reynolds is not injury prone he has played in almost all of the games in the last 4 or 5 years, and he even played with a fracture in his vertebra when he should have been on the sidelines instead. If the Rabbitohs members rallied to sign a petition to keep AJ I don't understand why they have not already mobilised to do the same thing for Reyno. The Gladiator needs to step in and apply some pressure on Solly.

That may be the case, I don’t think Souths kicked this all off the right way. Yet, Reynolds was reported as saying he’d take a 2 year but when they offer it he’s like “Naaa, I want 3 now” BUT to ad a further twist – that two year came with an option in the club’s favour. Which wasn’t the right offer. All getting murky and Souths should have put this to bed before it went anywhere, they have their best shot at a premiership in years and taking shots at their foot. I understand their reluctance and the damage agents bring with negotiations at critical times, but if premierships are so sought after they’re silly to jeopardise this one IMO.

I think he is probably feeling a little disrespected by the way Souths have conducted themselves during this process. Trying to tarnish his brand before he has a chance to test the open market by labelling him injury prone. I'm not sure if it is the reported $700K a season that is the stumbling block or the fact he wants a three-year deal. I just hope Souths get it done. Reynolds breathes and bleeds cardinal and myrtle, he is the captain of the club and the clubs' highest point scorer. Surely he is worth $800K a year and a two-year deal will a player option on a third year if he plays, say 22 games, in any given year consistently? I just hope they get this deal done before he signs elsewhere and then both Reynolds and the Bunnies will regret it. Reynolds has a young family who are settled, and I would think the last thing his family would want is to be uprooted to relocate to North Queensland... as lovely as it may be jimmmy. :stoked:

Your mate Reynolds just lost me. South came to the party with an upgraded 2 yr deal and he pulled out. His agent is disingenuous.

Reynolds is certainly not a good buy for the Cowboys. The club has never had much joy with the Southern retirement funding contracts. Good halfback, great bunny but not a good buy IMO. Dearden would be my choice with Braydon Trindall also a youngster worth considering.

I'd hope so, but the other guys you mentioned left without there being a stink at the club. This stuff around Reynolds is starting to reek of internal disharmony. Not a good situation.

Much more than a few. And I recall the days of Arthurson as well, and Bullfrog and Frank Facer. A well run club is usually successful. And many of the competition get their noises out of joint. There is, however, a vast difference between doing well in class because you apply yourself, have the smarts and work hard as opposed to being the teacher’s pet. That can be your research project, learning to differentiate, it would be helpful to your outlook. I’m sure you can find the material, I don’t need to resort to churlish commentary about your maturity or reading ability. As a person with an acute sense of fairness, I never was offended by the way the above three were successful. And as for the dislike Manly days, I was on board with that, yet Manly’s sins seemed to be confined to pinching players and ‘buying’ premierships. Don’t ever recall media campaigns to rewrite the rule book for them. And when they did get ‘arguably’ a refereeing leg-up in a GF the league and media world was howling about it for years. The leg-up chooks got in 2019 went to sleep real quick. There’s some more facts for you.

:laughing:

Lol....you are funny big mig....the class teacher at the bunnies is big Sammy Burgess I suppose.

That is pretty hard to determine from the half game he played there last year against the Tigers. A game where no less than Benji Marshall rated his performance as the best debut he’d witnessed.

It must be comforting for you to have a couple of people on this site who support your theory that the Roosters are continually afforded “favours” from the NRL. I’m old enough to recall Ken Arthurson’s reign at Manly when they faced the same accusations. It is a common theme. A team is successful because it is professionally run hence supporters of non performing clubs accuse them of having unfair advantages. I suggest that you look up the meaning of the word “jealousy”. As a measure of assistance, you will find it under the letter “J”. I look forward to your further factual comments.

Yep, Ponga is a class above when it comes to football IQ reading the play talking to the defensive line and as an attacking threat. Hoy was making 2 soft handling errors a game alone. Handling errors and poor options put pressure on your defence. It’s a 2 for one deal especially under the current officiating.

You just have to look at the JWH highlights reel for this year, all the indiscretions and then wonder why hasn’t he been fined or suspended at any point?

In these modern times, no amount of dollars will ever get Reynolds to the Roosters, he has too much class, he is of good character. Only a few players of lower quality can stoop so low, like Keary, Crichton and Suaallii.

Spartacus - I've often said "No Reynolds, No Rabbitohs". The Club needs to put him above any other player, his blood is red and green, there is no doubt about that. Despite all the media hype I think he'll stay with the club.