WiL R10 // Sea Eagles 15-14 Knights @ Brookvale // Mon 7pm

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Is anything likely to improve next year?

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Knights
1 Darius Boyd
2 James McManus
3 Dane Gagai
4 Joey Leilua
5 Akuila Uate
6 Jarrod Mullen
7 Tyrone Roberts
8 David Fa'alogo
9 Kurt Gidley (c)
10 Kade Snowden
11 Beau Scott
12 Robbie Rochow
13 Adam Cuthbertson

Interchange
14 Adam Clydsdale
15 ChrisHouston
17 Willie Mason
18 Korbin Sims
19 Joseph Tapine

Coach: Wayne Bennett

Still no smith I see.

 

[mozza91]

I've been to Brookie the last 3 seasons but will be unable to this year due to work. I am completely responsible for the rapings that we've received in those 3 years. I therefore conclude we will handsomely on Monday by 40 led by a virtuoso performance from Chris Houston.

You heard it here first

 

[perverse]

Yeah, and I'll be getting outrageously friendly with Kate Upton, too.

 

[aqua_duck]

Good to see Bennett's wrath is full effect.....

 

[perverse]

I wonder if Darius would last the whole year in current form? Bennett did drop Wally Lewis once.

I think a lot of you are a bit deluded about the replacements we actually have access to at present, and whether they'd be doing any better. I'm of the opinion that Mamo isn't really ready yet based on his showings in first grade thus far, and that the slow and steady approach that Bennett is taking with him is the correct one. It will do none of the young guys any favours to come into the current team environment anyway - none of them would make much difference at the moment and they would have the losing culture that we currently exhibit instilled into them, too. I say leave them in the lower grades - where the club is performing extremely well - and try and breed that culture into the first grade team over the next year or so. We want these kids to maintain their confidence and continue to develop well... because they're the best crop we've had in ages. Chucking them into the deep end with a losing team is a shit idea, to be honest.

Tapine is about the only young gun I would give a bit more of a crack at the moment - liked what I saw on Sunday. Definitely gives value above Houston... and it won't shock me if House is dropped for Tapine off the bench this week. Vaivai didn't get many minutes, but had a couple of nice runs. I'm sure he'll be eased in a bit as the season moves along ,too.

 

[Spot On]

Well, I've not rubbished Bennett since he arrived here, and I don't care how poor our depth is or how many injuries we have, but if the Supercoach does not banish Chris Houston for that pathetic f**ken shirt grabbing exhibition on Jamie Soward last week then we deserve everything we get.

 

[perverse]

Wait until Houston takes the field before getting your panties too twisted, I reckon. I'd bank pretty heavy on Houston being the one to make way for Tapine. It's classic Bennett to name a rookie in a team like this... I don't know if he does it to motivate them, or to take the pressure off... but it's pretty textbook Wayne.

I reckon Darius has been given a bit of a tap on the shoulder in private, too... judging by the couple of good kick returns he did on the weekend, as well as the notable increase in effort. Someone has stuck a rocket up him, for sure.

 

[slotmachine]

if boydo thinks two hard kick returns will silence the critics he's sorely mistaken. he got smashed on the second one and wasn't sighted again.

agree that there isn't much bennett can do in terms of changes, but f**k me, surely it's time to send a message.

we're going to get belted anyway, give boyd a week in nsw cup and get minto in. hell, we should be asking penrith if we can have kev back

 

[Swarzey]

Houston won't play. I seriously don't see him holding onto a bench spot with Sims back and Tapine shining last week.

I expect Smith will be added to the team with Fa'alogo dropped, Mason to 8 and Cuthbertson to the bench.

Boyd was pretty decent against Penrith. Certainly did more than he had done all season and I believe he'll return to form.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Isn't house off contract after this season? I would have thought that he'd be playing at 100 miles an hour.

 

[Noname36]

Tbh I don't care if Houston and Boyd play this week. We're gonna get toweled and they don't deserve to get to sit it out while the young blokes get sent in to be thrashed.

 

[Spot On]

Tbh I don't care if Houston and Boyd play this week. We're gonna get toweled and they don't deserve to get to sit it out while the young blokes get sent in to be thrashed.

I'm happy to see Boyd get belted.

But that Houton should not be allowed to chalk up another first grade game of NRL. No one that attempts to grab a blokes jumper; who is a foot shorter, 15kgs lighter and just overall piss weak at best, should be given the opportunity to pull the jersey on again. IT'S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

God.. Is it that time of the year already?? I only just stopped having nightmares about round 2 last year!!

 

[Jobdog]

I'm 100% confident the first 17 names you see on that team list won't be the 17 that run out on Monday.

 

[Jono078]

I'm 100% confident the first 17 names you see on that team list won't be the 17 that run out on Monday.

Why?

Shame if Houston plays over Tapine.

 

[Noname36]

I'm happy to see Boyd get belted.

But that Houton should not be allowed to chalk up another first grade game of NRL. No one that attempts to grab a blokes jumper; who is a foot shorter, 15kgs lighter and just overall piss weak at best, should be given the opportunity to pull the jersey on again. IT'S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To be honest as much as I want to see Houston get belted I think he's been dropped but he's still been named to keep the pressure off Tapine. The talk following the game pretty much says that Tapine will be in the side and with Mason, Sims and potentially Smith coming back Houston is clearly the weakest link.

It just worries me because it seems like the club holds Houston in pretty high regard (I.e. Interviewing his mum at the game on Sunday). Bennett doesn't seem to be a huge fan though hence dropping him before which is a good sign. I can't get over how many times I've seen blokes in the media like Sterlo say we're a much better team with Houston in the side. What are they smoking?

Wait until Houston takes the field before getting your panties too twisted, I reckon. I'd bank pretty heavy on Houston being the one to make way for Tapine. It's classic Bennett to name a rookie in a team like this... I don't know if he does it to motivate them, or to take the pressure off... but it's pretty textbook Wayne.

I reckon Darius has been given a bit of a tap on the shoulder in private, too... judging by the couple of good kick returns he did on the weekend, as well as the notable increase in effort. Someone has stuck a rocket up him, for sure.

I think Boyd's been spoken to as well. I suspected it after the Bulldogs game press conference and then Midley openly criticised his form the other day which isn't common. Seems to me like he showed up on Sunday with the intent of showing more effort (hence the kick return) but as soon as it occurred to him that we were in for a tough game he pussed out and went back to how he's been playing all year.

That's what shits me off with Boyd. When we're going well he gets involved and can be brilliant, but when we're doing it tough he runs for the hills. For what we're paying him we need him to actually help us win games...not just show up and help when the other boys already have it won.

 

[perverse]

I think Boyd's been spoken to as well. I suspected it after the Bulldogs game press conference and then Midley openly criticised his form the other day which isn't common. Seems to me like he showed up on Sunday with the intent of showing more effort (hence the kick return) but as soon as it occurred to him that we were in for a tough game he pussed out and went back to how he's been playing all year.

That's what shits me off with Boyd. When we're going well he gets involved and can be brilliant, but when we're doing it tough he runs for the hills. For what we're paying him we need him to actually help us win games...not just show up and help when the other boys already have it won.

Agree, that's how I've read it too. He's absolutely a flat-track bully. Great when you're winning... but he's not the kind of guy that's going to get you winning in the first place.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I dont understand how Beau Scott can possibly run out onto the field. He was in complete agony after every tackle he made against the panthers with his ribs.

 

[Noname36]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-15/knights-backline-needs-to-fire3a-mason/5453940

This is the sort of stuff that worries me. Mason saying that the forwards have made an impact in every game this year and that they've at least matched it with every forward pack and it's pretty much the backs faults we're not winning games. At the same time we have Mullo insinuating that they're struggling from lack if go-forward. No wonder we're losing if they're playing the blame game. Everyone at the club needs to do some serious soul searching.