http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/01/gallery_2018_pre_sea.html Photos of the first training session - good to see some of the injured guys are running freely - Dan S, Ross, Lamb, Yates, Barnett - all look to be running and fit. I can see Brodie Jones, Saulo, Amey, Chanel, Matt Cooper, Cogger, Tom Hughes, Lillyman - but no sign of Robson, Pat Mat, Braidie Smith or Sione in any of those photos.
hard to tell if it's Pat or Chanel, but it does seem to be a group of forwards there, so probably Pat. Hodko is another who is either not there, or camera shy.
New profile photos have gone up. Brodie Jones is the only one amongst the 33 that hasn't been announced in one way or another. From the 33 profiles; 1 Ponga 2 Ross 3 Moga 4 SKD 5 Sio 6 Watson 7 Lamb 8 Dan Saifiti 9 Levi 10 Lillyman 11 Sione 12 Guerra 13 Barnett 14 Buhrer 15 Eseese 16 Jake Saifiti 17 Heighington 1 Meaney 2 Tom Hughes 3 Chanel Mataútia 4 Cory Denniss 5 Dylan Pythian 6 Jack Cogger 7 Trent Hodkinson 8 Josh King 9 Slade Griffin 10 Tyrone Amey 11 Fitzgibbon 12 Brodie Jones 13 Luke Yates 14 Tom Starling 15 Sam Stone 16 Pat Mataútia
Do any of us really know what is going to happen, is the 33 on profile our first squad, will 13 plus 4 play and what do the other 16 do. Will more than one game be played on day of match, if so and we have injuries where will the others come from. Will we be like interstate teams and the reserve graders play in a local club, will we actually get to see those players pushing for a first grade spot. Nothing seems to be clarified, will we have $300,000 players playing in local competitions. To be honest I haven't got a clue what is happening in 2018
NSW cup is definitely still happening, but instead of local guys filling in we will probably use all under 20s players when there are injuries.
Young guns dominate early fitness testing Thu 2nd November, 09:27AM The squad was welcomed back to Knights HQ with a two kilometre time trial on Wednesday, as performance staff aimed to judge where everyone stands ahead of a big pre-season. It was no surprise that Nick Meaney took first place, as the super fit young fullback clinched that place last year as well. Half Jack Cogger came in at second, while Nathan Ross was a big improver from last year to grab third. It was a top five dominated by young guns though, as NRL pre-season newcomer Zac Hosking registered fourth and Brayden Musgrove and Sam Stone shared fifth. Outside of the top five, the biggest improvers from last year's testing were Jamie Buhrer and Chanel Mata'utia. http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/02/top_results_in_early.html
Brown welcomes team back for pre-season Wed 1st November, 05:37PM There’s one thing on coach Nathan Brown’s mind as the nib Newcastle Knights kick off their 2018 pre-season, and that’s improvement. With the Club’s younger players all showing plenty of improvement over the last two seasons, the challenge now is to keep that development going. On top of that, Brown says he will be looking for his new signings to add plenty of quality across the park. “Our young players showed a lot of growth both physically and mentally from year one to year two, and we’ll be hopeful that in eight weeks’ time they’re making the same progress this time around,” the coach said after Wednesday morning’s fitness session. “The staff’s expectations for this year are a lot higher, and we’d certainly hope that the players have much higher expectations as well. “Players like (Lachlan) Fitzgibbon, (Mitch) Barnett and the (Jacob and Daniel) Saifitis all showed good improvement this year, and they’ve got to challenge themselves to improve a lot more next year. “We’ve had 21 players leave the squad from this day last year, and I would think no other squad in the history of the NRL has had a turnover of that size. “With what we’ve brought in, we’d like to think that the pressure on our existing players to make the team will be a lot harder.” There’s more experience across the squad now, and several high profile signings in different positions means everyone will be fighting hard for a spot in Round 1. “We’ve gone through a very different stage where we’ve lost a lot of players, and we’d like to think that the players we’ve signed will help us improve,” Brown explained. “The squad is a little light at the moment with the World Cup and with a lot of our new players not being here yet, so I’d like to think that when we’re fully assembled there will be that extra pressure.” Connor Watson, Kalyn Ponga, Tautau Moga, Slade Griffin and Aidan Guerra will link with the squad in the coming weeks, while World Cup participants such as Herman Ese’ese and Chris Heighington will arrive further down the track. http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/01/brown_welcomes_team_.html
Lillyman knows what makes Newcastle tick Wed 1st November, 03:33PM He was the Club’s first 2018 signing to make an appearance at pre-season training on Wednesday morning, and Jacob Lillyman says he can’t wait to get stuck in.on Wednesday morning, and Jacob Lillyman says he can’t wait to get stuck in. After a challenging first up session, the 33-year-old prop fronted the media and held his new Club and town in high order. “This town loves its footy team and I want to play a part in getting it back where it belongs,” he explained. “If you look at that last game (in season 2017), around 20,000 people showed up.” Lillyman, who joins the Club from the Zealand Warriors, has been keeping a close eye on his new club since signing on. “When I was playing for the Warriors, we only just beat the Knights at home when they probably should have won,” he said. “And then they beat us back here (in Newcastle), so I can see there’s the makings of a good young side. “If we can give things a real red hot crack, it would be good to reward the loyal supporters and give them something to hold on to.” Lillyman ended his 2017 season early with a torn bicep, and had surgery soon after. It meant he could do little to maintain his fitness during the off-season. “It was a tough little session today and there was a bit of testing,” Lillyman said. “The lungs and legs really felt it, but I’m certainly looking forward to getting out there and ripping in with the boys. “I’m only a week or two away from full contact again.” Connor Watson is the next 2018 signing reporting for duty, as he’s set to start pre-season training on Tuesday November 7. http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/01/lillyman_knows_what_.html
Cogger back to one of our fittest after struggling all last pre season is good to see. Last year was basically a wasted year for him.
Amey's profile has been removed - they might be just changing it or something. Only new thing I learnt from looking through the new profiles is that Tom Hughes was a Newcastle Wests junior before he spent 4 years at souths, which explains why he came to Newcastle.
I was trying to work out who the tall, lean blonde guy in picture 11 is. It's Zac Hosking, who looks a completely different guy without his trademark pony tail. He says he has been training hard since the season ended and I see he was the first forward to finish the 2klm run. He also looks taller in that pic. He was our hardest worker in NYC in 2017, and it looks like he's giving it his best shot now.
https://twitter.com/NRLKnights/status/925944371341434880 Anyone know who the guy is about 10 seconds in spotting for Buhrer? I saw him in a training video yesterday too. Thought it might be Thomas Cronan but I don't think it is.
2018 rookies get first taste of pre-season Wed 1st November, 06:20PM A number of players that featured in the Club's 2017 Under 20s campaign made the step up to NRL training on Wednesday morning, as they got their first taste of a full-time pre-season. Knights TV spoke to Pasami Saulo, Zac Hosking, Matt Cooper and Brayden Musgrove, to find out how they handled the session. Brayden Musgrove admits he was a bit nervous for day one. “It was a tough session back but it’s good to be training,” the outside back said. “It is good to be training with the bigger boys, with the experience and where the contact is going to be a lot harder.” 2017 NYC captain Zac Hosking said it was a good first hit out. “It was a lot more professional than what I'm used to, it was tough, short and sharp so it was good,” he said. “I did plenty of work in the off-season because playing in the forwards, I need to step up with the big fellas. “I have to put on some size and I’ve been really working hard in the gym.” Pacey fullback Matt Cooper agreed it was a big step up. “Being around the boys makes you a bit nervous but also the running, it is never easy in pre-season,” explained Cooper. “It will be great what they can teach me.” Musgrove is confident full-time training will help develop his game. “It is a good opportunity… I feel very privileged. “It's going to be a good opportunity to build as a player and I’m going to learn a lot of things from the older boys and I’m looking forward to that.” http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/01/_2018_rookies_get_fi.html
I think if his body doesn't let him down he will be brilliant for the Knights in future love his workrate
For anyone wondering why Amey is no longer on the team list - apparently he just signed and they can't have his profile up during the 10 day cool off period.
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/03/starling_sizes_up_fi.af_news.html Tom Starling talking about pre season. He says Connor Watson is his brothers best friend and someone he has had a lot to do with. We already know Watson is good friends with Cogger and the Saifitis, and now Starling - no wonder he was keen to sign with us - all his mates are here.