John Nick
Contributor
Dont remember the left being as much of an issue.
TeamList Knights vs Warriors - [Round 9, 2024]
- Thread starter mt.wellington
- Start date
Knights vs Warriors
Knights
Kickoff In:
McDonald Jones Stadium
Sunday
Afternoon
16:00
Warriors
Team Lists
That's because we were winning, it was an issue last year also.
John Nick
Contributor
So in your opinion what was the issue last year?
Josh Curran came off a red hot season then under Webster he was put in the NSW cup. Then had a brief run because we were short, then put back in NSW cup while folk around here were gnashing and wailing about no Josh.
Then of course as we know he was dropped entirely from the club.
Bunty got sent to the cup last year.
As for the rest, replacements have been forced through bad injury runs in 2023 and worse this season. There is no point in dropping people when the team is struggling to field a preferred 17 for any decent trial period of any given combination of players.
I will concede the season is in a sticky patch right now, but far from over like the naysaying going on around here.
We have placed ourselves in a position where we have to pick up two wins against harder teams and to start putting away the weaker sides if we want to make top six.
That is obviously a big challenge, but not beyond us. Webster has to find the belief that the team had when they faced the Storm in an epic.
But first he has to arrest the rot. And it starts this weekend with a win over a grinding mid comp type side that doesn't really fear the Warriors.
Newcastle are a redemption game, an honest challenge, not easy, not too much too soon for a team looking to rebuild its confidence like the Warriors.
As such, with the extra rest, and Walker and Bunty adding two older heads to that bench, the game could genuinely turn our season around.
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The left side attack was good with Pompey at centre. He had no problem setting up Marcello, though his defense left a bit to be desired. That's why I suggested Rocco inside MM.
People calling for Zyon Maiu’u ahead of Laban are missing the point. I think both have good cases to play the game but not head to head, they are different players and in different roles, so a case could be made for both before you talk either or.
Zyon Maiu’u came on as an impact forward and ran a burst against a tired pack.
Laban was entrusted with holding it down as an opening batsman in a back row forward position.
One role is all glory in at peak miles per hour (Zyon Maiu’u the benchie) he did well sure.
The other role is a defensive role, absorb the opening assault by the fresh opposition, and don't screw up, help your team settle into the grind.
Laban has been getting better week on week, it would be nuts to drop him for a benchie when he is the first potential starting forward our NSW cup players have produced in some years.
Zyon Maiu’u came on as an impact forward and ran a burst against a tired pack.
Laban was entrusted with holding it down as an opening batsman in a back row forward position.
One role is all glory in at peak miles per hour (Zyon Maiu’u the benchie) he did well sure.
The other role is a defensive role, absorb the opening assault by the fresh opposition, and don't screw up, help your team settle into the grind.
Laban has been getting better week on week, it would be nuts to drop him for a benchie when he is the first potential starting forward our NSW cup players have produced in some years.
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I thought it was Metcalf, but obviously I was wrong
Get Charnz to wear a headgear and the Knights will give him the ball all day
I think Laban is in competition with Bunty/Ale with the role you're describing, the defensive holding role with solid hit ups
Zyon Maiu’u is more of a hitman like Curran or Barney last year off the bench, it just depends on what kind of bench Webby wants this weekend
Two different roles I agree.
But Laban is more similar to Niukore in terms of being a big hard running backrower, and as such will stay around till Marata is fit.
Zyon Maiu’u is competing with Ale.
Stalefish540
Contributor
Metcalf wasn't playing direct enough last year, it was all very either I'll run myself or I'll angle you out of room by not squaring up and diving into the line to play out the back giving you room.I thought it was Metcalf, but obviously I was wrong
It was looking a little similar to start this season, although better than last year and new combo to work with.
TMM well shit I duno what he's up to but it's a hot mess atm.
Of the three I have the most faith in CHT to actually square up, dive into the line and setup his outsides for a pass. But Webby prefers him on the bench as a Swiss army knife so doubt we'll see that.
I think I heard on YouTube but when the ball does go to TMM we're already on the left side, so he doesn't have room to do moves.
Where as when we shape to go right we are on the left side so have like 2/3 of the width to work with. That's how we create tries for charnez and dwz.
Stalefish540
Contributor
Correct, but you can still play a short side by playing square and direct deep into the line as a half.
CHT is the better distributor of the three and is willing to wear a shot to get the outcome he wants.
**That doesn't mean the attack doesn't need more variation and our sets aren't giving them much room or quality ball to work with though.
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Only if you underrated those blokes.No offense, but after 2 losses to mid teams we're thinking Bunty and CHT are the answersHow the tide has turned
Last year when we were having one of our best seasons ever there were people calling for Zyon Maiu’u and Leka Halasima and Ali Leiataua.
These are people that like individual players rather than being able to understand a total organism that is a team and how that creature functions as a unit as a sum total of its parts.
You cannot win the NRL by selecting a bunch of individuals in isolation. If you want to win, you have to understand the Jigsaw as whole rather than its pieces.
If Webster went with everyone's favorite Junior Warrior we would be the new Titans, totally shit house in defence and able to win some upsets with our attacking ability.
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Knights to win and Best to score
Season is starting to turn out that way. So….
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