NEWCASTLE winger Nathan Ross has accused rival teams of showing his team a lack of respect and declared “we are not going to be walked over as a club” as the embattled Knights stare down an unwanted club record.
The Knights are facing the prospect of equalling their worst ever losing streak of 13 straight defeats set more than a decade ago when they come up against Manly at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.
But despite a forgettable season that has delivered just one win, Ross is adamant there is still plenty of fight left within the playing group and they won’t be intimidated by disrespectful rivals.
“We are not going to be walked over as a club and even though we’ve got a few young players and a few inexperienced players, we are not going to have more senior people try and talk down to us or play over the top of us and intimidate us,” Ross said.
“Yes, we might be coming last at this point in time but we have still got a lot of fight in us.
“We are still upbeat. We came up against a very good Cronulla outfit (on Sunday). They are coming first for a reason.”
But that’s where the in-form winger’s admiration for the Sharks ended.
Ross intimated the niggle between the two sides during Newcastle’s 36-4 defeat was born out of a lack of respect from their rivals and pointed the finger at Sharks skipper Paul Gallen.
“Some teams and certain players in teams think that just due to the situation they are in, they can act whatever way they want,” he said. “But like I said, we are not going to be walked over.
“I don’t want to talk too much out of turn but at the end of our last game (against the Sharks), we were called a reserve grade team by their captain (Gallen).
“I know that everyone in our team is a lot better than a reserve grade player.”
Asked did the lack of respect irk teammates, Ross said:
“I wouldn’t say it irks us — it motivates us,” he said.
“People use motivation in different ways and other people are entitled to their opinions but I have a lot of faith in my teammates and a lot of faith in myself and I know this year has been tough.
“But it is not going to be the legacy we leave behind. We are going to leave behind something good.”
The Knights had some good news on the injury front with five-eighth Jarrod Mullen suffering only a low grade hamstring strain and not a more serious tear against the Sharks which will sideline him for one or two weeks.
But they could be without backrower Mitch Barnett for two games after he was charged by the match review committee with a shoulder charge on Sharks prop Andrew Fifita.
