Match Discussion: Round 3 vs Roosters @ Allianz Stadium

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2018 - Round 3
Sydney Roosters v Newcastle Knights
Allianz Stadium, Moore Park (TICKETS)
Sunday 25 March 2018

Gates 5:30pm / NRL 6:30pm

1. James Tedesco 2. Reece Robinson 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Joseph Manu 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 9. Jake Friend 10. Dylan Napa 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Ryan Matterson 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 15. Zane Tetevano 16. Mitchell Aubusson 17. Victor Radley 18. Nat Butcher 19. Kurt Baptiste 20. Mitchell Cornish 23. Frank Paul Nuuausala

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Shaun Kenny-dowall 3. Sione Mata'utia 4. Tautau Moga 5. Nathan Ross 6. Connor Watson 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Herman Ese'ese 9. Slade Griffin 10. Jacob Lillyman 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitchell Barnett
Interchange: 14. Brock Lamb 15. Chris Heighington 16. Jamie Buhrer 17. Daniel Saifiti 18. Ken Sio 19. Jacob Saifiti 20. Danny Levi 21. Luke Yates

Referees: Gerard Sutton, Chris Butler
Sideline Officials: Chris McMillan, Clayton Sharpe
Video Referees: Ashley Klein, Bryan Norrie

Feeder club matches
SAT
Wests Tigers/Magpies v Roosters/Wyong @ Campbelltown, Flegg 1pm / ISP 3pm
SUN
Parramatta/Wenty v Newcastle @ Ringrose Park, Flegg 1pm / ISP 3pm​

 

[Glendale]

This one will be a great gauge of where we're at. Yes we are a solid footy team but can we match it with one of the strongest teams in the comp?

Will be happy if we can just get into a solid tight contest with them.

 

[Dave_]

I monged out and accidentally voted scum 13+.

Us by 16

 

[Pedge1971]

Away from home if we run them close it will be a massive boost for this team. With our start 2 from 5 is a pass mark, we are already there. 3+ and we start to believe. Long season ahead though for the young kids.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

This is definitely our biggest test so far, the Sea Eagles and Raiders are both dangerous teams but they're not the complete package and I expect both of them will finish somewhere between 6th - 12th on the ladder this year while the Roosters are deservedly one of the favourites to win the comp and they would probably have a grand final appearance as a minimum expectation for themselves this year.

I think winning this match-up might be a bridge too far just at the moment but I suppose stranger things have happened (e.g. Tigers beating Roosters & Storm) the main thing for me is that we play for 80 minutes and stay with them. In both our games against them last year we held them at bay in the first half but they ran all over us in the second half and ended up losing by a big margin.

We've got a much better forward pack this year and the Roosters' pack hasn't been in great form so I can see us matching them in the middle but I think their back line is just a bit too classy at this stage. I feel it'll be pretty close, Roosters by 8.

 

[Silent Knight]

I will watch the Pearce vs Cronk contest with great interest. I really think Mitch will be fired up for this game and will want to make a point to his former club. I expect Mitch will be one of our best, win/lose/draw.

 

[Spot On]

Once again, our pack stands up and we should go close. Rip into them.

I think our backs were very good last night v Canberra and should only improve each week.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Right edge looked much improved in D against Canberra. Sione was great.

Moga still rushes out a bit too much. Needs to work on that but he did good things in attack

 

[Yosh]

Can't see us getting too hammered. Probably lose but not by too much. It's early in the season and a win or loss here isn't that important. Want to see us compete, like we did the past two games, for the whole 80.

20-16 to the Roosters. But want a 2-40 win to us.

 

[Burwood]

I will watch the Pearce vs Cronk contest with great interest. I really think Mitch will be fired up for this game and will want to make a point to his former club. I expect Mitch will be one of our best, win/lose/draw.

I’m just trying to remember which of the four players Easts actually wanted to keep? They were disappointed to lose Watson, but they were looking for an excuse to move SKD on. Was Guerra wanted?

 

[slotmachine]

No.

 

[Burwood]

So plenty of players looking to prove a point.

 

[Silent Knight]

I’m just trying to remember which of the four players Easts actually wanted to keep? They were disappointed to lose Watson, but they were looking for an excuse to move SKD on. Was Guerra wanted?

Actually they released Connor when he still had 1 year left on his contract...

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ne...rm-connor-watson-signing-20170724-gxhi5n.html

Probably because Keary was ahead of Connor in the pecking order (pun intended) and we were offering him a pretty good 3 year deal to secure his future.

I still think it was fairly decent of the Roosters to release him to us at that time when we were on our knees and just looking to catch a break. I can't think of another club who has done (or would do that) for us. They could have just dug in, held him to his contract and said "enjoy another spoon" if they wanted to be a**holes.

I know Connor hasn't set the world on fire the first two rounds like Ponga has, but give him time and he'll come good. Each player develops at their own pace.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Actually they released Connor when he still had 1 year left on his contract...

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ne...rm-connor-watson-signing-20170724-gxhi5n.html

I know Connor hasn't set the world on fire the first two rounds like Ponga has, but give him time and he'll come good. Each player develops at their own pace.

Watson hasn't had a chance to run the ball off the back of forward momentum yet, this is where he will really excel. In both games so far our forwards have been solid but haven't really gotten on top for any period of time. Whenever Watson has received the ball the defence has been up in his face or he's been expected to shovel the ball onto someone else or pass from dummy half. When our pack starts to dominate other teams and we introduce a bit of second phase play into our repertoire then Watson will really shine. Whenever I watched him play for the Roosters last year he was generally pushing up in support of a ball playing forward or sniffing around for an offload, also the Roosters were generally getting a roll on through the middle so he was able to run the ball against a retreating defence. It might take a while yet but when we're dominating the middle then we'll see his best IMO.

 

[Knight Vision]

To win this would be a giant leap and perhaps a little out of reach at this stage in the teams development. Having said that I think there's a few ex Rorters players that have something to prove in this game. This could be a closer one than some would predict.

I just want the boys to be competitive against one of the comps heavy weights.I'd love nothing more than for Pearce to walk away victorious and shove a giant foot up the Rorters ass.

 

[Misanthrope]

Less worried about this than Canberra tbh.

 

[Noname36]

The pressure is all on the Roosters here but I’m sure Pearce and co would love a win.

 

[Spot On]

Luke Keary is the bloke that will do most damage to us if we can't win the forward battle. Right edge must be working well this week to control that damage.

 

[Jono078]

I actually have a really good feeling about this and this might be the game that turns everyone's heads and makes them think ok, Knights are tough this year and will surprise many and often.

 

[Swarzey]

Watson might not be performing as well as we might have expected but personally I don't think he's been bad at all. Solid at best which is fine; I'll expect more later in the year and next year though.

Anyway, I don't think we'll win this one. Roosters have the talent in the side to expose a defensive weakness and exploit it time and time again and their defence will be up to it. I think we're better than the Bulldogs but don't have the attitude of the Tigers. I'd say the game will be similar to the Manly game in Round 1, just without the golden point and maybe a try or two at the end to make the scoreline flatter the Roosters more in the last 10.