Well Chev/Kallum was then, Harry is now. I just hope his body allows him to live up to his considerable potential.

Yeah that’s fair. Think we all agree Harry has huge potential ton unlock, just needs his body to be a bit kinder to him now, and give him that chance. He is the great hope I guess, and a lot resting on his shoulders….

Both Walker and even more so Watkins could also pass. I can't see Newman getting close to his potential if he doesn't develop at least a rudimentary passing game. He can pass, but he never looks for it. I've never understood why young centres don't get taught that they are actually more dangerous when they run if there's the threat of setting up their winger to put defenders in two minds. Mind you, its not helped nowadays by wingers standing so flat that passing to them is often all but impossible.

Just need a couple a more with similar athleticism and pace. Maybe then he can focus on some of the subtleties of centre play that he currently isn't showing. He often looks, and probably feels, like is trying to make the difference on his own.

They will get taught this, doesn't mean the player is going to apply it though.

I wouldn't look back too much at Walker and Watkins with rose-tinted specs. Both were physical freaks, and way ahead of their ages athletically, but Chev ended up having a bang-average career despite early promise, and Watkins was a mixed bag injury-wise for years. I also seem to remember most of his attempted flick passes ending in touch...

Newman is a strike player. He's not Greg Inglis, and he need better luck with injuries, but he has a good balance of natural ball-running talent and agression which make him exciting. Only time will tell whether he's another Stevie Ward or the next Keith Senior.

Chev ruined his career by going to union though, probs would have been different if he had stayed. Also don't forget his horrific leg break.

Agreed, and we might look back at Newman in a few years and say don't forget about his leg break and bad spell of injuries. Doesn't change the fact that Walker ended up being an SL journeyman.

Well that’s your opinion bud.

certainly not mine!

Isn’t it all opinions on here? Not saying Newman won’t end up better than them all, but a lot of variables involved in that. He needs some better players round him too…..

Hes got Olpherts what more do you want

newman has got the potential to be world class. wether he reaches that level time will tell.
chev, in my opinion, was very good but left to go to union before he reached the very top level

Yes that’s why I said it. You’ve misinterpreted what I was saying bud.

Brian McDermott getting some good plaudits for his work at the Knights.

Time to start a McDermott back thread? I noticed him the coaches box at the Nights last week. He’s done it all in SL yet still feels that he can get something out of the game, good on him.

Getting all bleary eyed for mcdermott, yeah he started this rot...

I always used to say that McDermott just loved creating adversity where is wasn't really needed sometimes, flogging certain players, completely ignoring others (remember his name a player on the bench but don't bring them on move?)

remember v Bradford a young Walters being thrown about like a rag doll in the centres. he could have moved delaney there but left Walters on. we got beat. he said Walters had to learn to cope with it. ridiculous

He was a guest speaker at a rugby dinner I attended and he told us that in his opinion the starting 13 should be fit enough and tough enough to play a whole 80 mins no subs every one in the room laughed his face was like thunder the compair cut in and said if they were as hard as you Brian you'd only need ten! True story.

We used to have a few forwards like that (Peacock, JJB, Ablett)
No wonder we were that good!

To be fair to McDermott, when you've been trained as a marine and been shot at, 80 minutes of playing pro rugby league probably feels quite recreational.

I remember Handley saying that McDermott said to him I don't care how well you play you can score an hatrick but once Briscoe is fit you are out of the team.What sort of man management is that.

Terrible, but it worked for his favourites I guess….

His man management and in particular how he spoke to Junior players was appalling. The man's an ego maniac.