Official Teams: Newcastle Knights vs St George Illawarra Dragons

mozza said:
Good to see Ross get a shot. But am I the only one who can see him going the way Josh Mantellato did? Great in NSW Cup but just not good enough for First Grade. I hope I'm wrong though.
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Possibly, but I'd say Ross is much more naturally talented than Mantellato. Mantellato was another one of those tall, slow guys who looked physically strong in NSW Cup but weak at NRL level, like Eto Nabuli. He was also on the decline, best year 2012, then not as good in 2013 & average in 2014.

Ross has always been a speedster & I never knew how strong he was until I watched him play NSW Cup on a regular basis, he's beefed up to NRL size now & doesn't really seem worse than last year. Hasn't had as many games at fullback with Mamo around but still looks great everytime he's there. I'm glad he's getting a game at the peak of his powers, because at his age he could start declining by next year as a back.
 
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If there is anyone of our NSW Cup forwards who deserves a first grade spot it's Fitzgibbon, he absolutely bleeds red and blue. Epitomises what the clubs qualities should be imo, great guy too.
 
I just love that hes not adverse to throwing them - if entertainment is the purpose of it all, then surely a bloke like Fitzgibbon is exactly what the game needs
 
I can't find who were the two Knights who were sent to the sin bin in the NSW cup game on the weekend, but i'd bet one of them would have been Fitzgibbon.
10 minutes on the bench must have done him good because he finished the game with 2 barnstorming trys in the last 13 minutes.
 
NRL Late Mail ahead of round 21: Team changes and gossip


  • TOM SANGSTER
  • THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • JULY 30, 2015 12:18PM

DRAGONS v KNIGHTS - 2pm Sunday at Jubilee Oval

Dragons:

St George Illawarra have two sessions left and haven’t hit the field yet this week.

However, coach Paul McGregor says his side will be 1-17.

Dylan Farrell (back) is pushing to be fit, but would likely return through NSW Cup.

Yaw Kiti Glymin (hamstring) is aiming for next week.

Dan Hunt (knee) announced his retirement on Thursday.

Knights:

Interim coach Danny Buderus will make a huge reshuffle.

Tariq Sims (shoulder) is out, with Joseph Tapine to come into the 17.

Livewire winger Nathan Ross will become a mature-age debutant at 26.

At this stage, he is in for Chanel Mata’utia.

However, five-eighth Carlos Tuimavave is in doubt, which could see Kurt Gidley move to the halves, Jake Mamo play fullback and Mata’utia recalled.

Final decisions will be made after Saturday’s captain’s run.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...anges-and-gossip/story-fnp0lyn3-1227463104919
 
I expect Ross to try to get as involved as he can from the wing, but really, if he were playing fullback he'd be running and calling for the ball every set and struggling like a maniac in every tackle.
In NSW cup when he has a real go he can have up to 15 tackle breaks in a game. He easily had the top number of tackle breaks in NSW cup last year despite missing heaps of games, and again this year he has gone to the top of the tackle break stats despite only playing about half the games, and playing many on the wing because of Mamo, where he has far fewer runs.
I really think we'd see something special if he got to play fullback, even if that was just a bloke trying his guts out and never giving up in a tackle.
 
Billy said:
I expect Ross to try to get as involved as he can from the wing, but really, if he were playing fullback he'd be running and calling for the ball every set and struggling like a maniac in every tackle.
In NSW cup when he has a real go he can have up to 15 tackle breaks in a game. He easily had the top number of tackle breaks in NSW cup last year despite missing heaps of games, and again this year he has gone to the top of the tackle break stats despite only playing about half the games, and playing many on the wing because of Mamo, where he has far fewer runs.
I really think we'd see something special if he got to play fullback, even if that was just a bloke trying his guts out and never giving up in a tackle.
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If Carlos is out Mamo will start at fullback but it wouldn't surprise me if he & Ross switch between wing and fullback throughout the game like they did in NSW Cup.
 
rhugh89 said:
NRL Late Mail ahead of round 21: Team changes and gossip


  • TOM SANGSTER
  • THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • JULY 30, 2015 12:18PM

DRAGONS v KNIGHTS - 2pm Sunday at Jubilee Oval

Dragons:

St George Illawarra have two sessions left and haven’t hit the field yet this week.

However, coach Paul McGregor says his side will be 1-17.

Dylan Farrell (back) is pushing to be fit, but would likely return through NSW Cup.

Yaw Kiti Glymin (hamstring) is aiming for next week.

Dan Hunt (knee) announced his retirement on Thursday.

Knights:

Interim coach Danny Buderus will make a huge reshuffle.

Tariq Sims (shoulder) is out, with Joseph Tapine to come into the 17.

Livewire winger Nathan Ross will become a mature-age debutant at 26.

At this stage, he is in for Chanel Mata’utia.

However, five-eighth Carlos Tuimavave is in doubt, which could see Kurt Gidley move to the halves, Jake Mamo play fullback and Mata’utia recalled.

Final decisions will be made after Saturday’s captain’s run.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...anges-and-gossip/story-fnp0lyn3-1227463104919
Click to expand...


Updated to include news on the Dragons lineup
 
Ross will be invaluable getting us some metres out of dummy half early in sets, one of the best facets of his game.
 
Drat Kurt to 5/8. Unlike Kenny i think his defensive reads are poorer than Sione's and doesn't know if he should be up in the line or a little deeper. No chance now for mine.
 
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