StephenP
ArnoldNRL Club Analysis for Season '08 - Newcastle
February 22nd 2008 04:46
Newcastle Knights
Attack – 7/10
Defence – 7/10
My prediction – 13th
Defence – 7/10
My prediction – 13th
After a horror debut season at Newcastle, coach Brian Smith will be hoping that his new breed of Knights will re-captivate the hearts of the disillusioned Newcastle supporters. Season 2007 saw Smith wear the brunt of criticism and discontent throughout one of the darkest periods in the Knights history, and he knows that his team must produce the results so as to earn the respect back from the seething Knights fan base.
While the Knights have captured a host of talented new signings, it will take time for the new faces to build confidence and combinations with one another. We should have a clear gauge on how Newcastle will fair by Round 10, as the new look Knights will face off against five of last years semi-finalists by then.
If Newcastle can avoid the dreaded injury curse that has haunted the club in recent seasons, than the Knights may well be an outside chance of capturing a semi-final position.
Strengths-
Having been given permission to clean out ‘the dead wood’, coach Smith and his recruitment team have managed to obtain a host of talented individuals to fill their void. The addition of Naiqama and Lulia more than compensates for the departure of Carmont and Thaiday, while props Wicks and Cross are adequate replacements for Perry and Woolnough. Matt Hilder will takeover Daniel Abraham’s utility role, and Ciraldo and Fa’aoso will replace the flair that Hinton and Reynoldson provided.
Coach Smith has replaced a host of middle aged players with a group of talented youngsters, and while you may not see the best of the seasons from the Knights this year, look out for them in season ’09!
Weaknesses-
Given the massive player turnover throughout the club, it will take the Knights a few weeks before combinations start to gel. With so many new faces, and games against NRL heavyweights Manly, Parramatta, New Zealand, Brisbane and the Roosters all preceding their Round 7 bye, coach Smith and his players may well behind the eight ball in terms of confidence and table position.
Best Team-
1- Kurt Gidley
2- Cooper Vuna
3- Adam McDougall
4- Wes Naiqama
5- James McManus
6- Jarrod Mullen
7- Luke Walsh
8- Ben Cross
9- Danny Buderus
10- Danny Wicks
11- Mitchell Sargent
12- Steve Simpson
13- Cory Paterson
14- Terrence Seu Seu
15- Daniel Tolar
16- Matt Hilder
17– Chris Houston
Trial Matches-
15/02/08 v New Zealand Warriors @ North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
01/03/08 v Cronulla Sharks @ Cessnock
2008 Gains and Losses –
Gains –
Wes Naiqama, Danny Wicks and Keith Lulia (St George-Illawarra), Matt Hilder (Gold Coast), Ben Cross (Melbourne), Cameron Ciraldo (Cronulla), Richard Fa’aoso (Parramatta), Sione Finefeuaki (Manly)
Losses –
Adam Woolnough and Brad Tighe (Penrith), Kirk Reynoldosn (St George-Illawarra), Josh Perry (Manly), Riley Brown (Sydney Roosters), Daniel Abraham (Central Coast), Kade Snowden (Cronulla), Nathan Hinton (Newcastle Wests), Milton Thaiday (Charlestown), David Seage (QLD Cup), Reegan Tanner, Trent Salkeld and George Carmont (released)
*Please join me Monday for my Analysis of the New Zealand Warriors 2008 season.
Cheers,
StephenP
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