Match Discussion: Round 8 vs Sea Eagles @ Lottoland

[perverse]

The most important thing is that the effort and grit were back today. You can win games playing shitty when you've got that. The expensive half of our spine is dreadfully out of form, but we're not going to embarrass ourselves too often if we keep turning up like that in defence.

It's something to build on, but we need to be more clinical and take more chances to be any shot at it next week.

Having said the above, credit to Manlys defence. They didn't give us much for free and ripped in for each other too. Any win at Brookie is a good one imo... hopefully the casualty ward isn't as bad as it seemed. Obviously most concern for Sione, his head is always a worry.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

I think this was the type of performance we needed after last weeks pea-hearted effort, especially coming up against Parra next week. We played tough. Our forwards were good against a strong pack and Manly had the rub of the green almost the entire match. There is however, huge concerns over the form of some of our key players. Pearce (whilst better today) is far from his best and Ponga is lacking involvement and looks out of touch. He looks afraid to run and pass except when flopping it off to his winger to avoid a kick return ala Darius.

On the injuries, I feel for Sione and Edrick but I don't think we lose anything with those guys out. On the contrary. Sione's shortcomings have been well documented in this forum and nothing has changed there. We can replace him. Edrick has been ok...but I feel he isn't dynamic enough in comparison with other wingers and he still has a clanger in him. We already have a rock solid type winger in Hunt and I really hope we see Star Toa get a good run of matches now. I think he can really add another dimension to the side with the speed and power we currently lack out wide.

We are a chance against Parra if everyone is at their best. That's a BIG if though...

 

[Knight Vision]

It's something to build on, but we need to be more clinical and take more chances to be any shot at it next week.

I'm as one eyed as the next bloke but unless there is some sort of miracle reversal of form we are going to get smashed. Sivo will cause our winger knightmares. .

 

[Knight Vision]

Pearce (whilst better today) is far from his best and Ponga is lacking involvement and looks out of touch.

indeed, at least hopefully it means they should be in form at the pointy end of the season

Edrick has been ok...but I feel he isn't dynamic enough in comparison with other wingers and he still has a clanger in him. We already have a rock solid type winger in Hunt and I really hope we see Star Toa get a good run of matches now. I think he can really add another dimension to the side with the speed and power we currently lack out wide

It's the next area we really need to look at in our roster, a big mobile powerful winger ( or 2) . With our pack and 2 big wingers bringing it out of our own end we would be a formidable outfit. I like Lee, he's tall and fast ( over a long distance )but lacks any punch or power, not particularly arialy athletic either. Hunt tries hard and is probably a good filler for the cap.

 

[perverse]

I'm as one eyed as the next bloke but unless there is some sort of miracle reversal of form we are going to get smashed. Sivo will cause our winger knightmares. .

I'm not going to sit here and expect a win by any stretch of the imagination, but there are certainly timelines where we turn up with the same commitment and click a bit better in attack, while the Eels are a step or two off their best footy. We've won less likely games with worse teams than this.

 

[Yosh]

Attack was pretty ordinary apart from Jordan's ally hoop to Pippen. Oh I mean Mann's try.

Really enjoyed our kicking game. All four of our spine took on some kicking duty today. First time we have ever seen that from a Knights team??? Really happy with Andrew. Great try to get us into it, some good little kicks, wonderful goal line defense and that try saver at the end. Must kill Broncos fans watching Andrew play his heart out week in week out.

How good were some of Ponga's returns from the in goal. Teams gonna struggle to get a repeat set from us!!

 

[Apey]

They raved on about Manly being hard done by during half time of the next game. Absolute drama queens, correct call was made.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

No doubt we won this game with our defence. Our attack still looks clunky, we’re just not giving early ball to Ponga or our edges often enough. That being said I’ll take a win like this over Manly at Brookie any day of the week. I thought Pearce kicked really well all night and really ground Manly down, also he controlled the game well by kicking for touch as we got near the end.

The most pleasing thing is that we figured out that playing flashy football like we tried to do last week has to be earned and we really rolled up our sleeves this week.

 

[Zoidberg]

They raved on about Manly being hard done by during half time of the next game. Absolute drama queens, correct call was made.

I find it hard to see how many people are saying it should’ve been a penalty. If you watch it in normal speed, the push was so close after the kick.

 

[Knight Vision]

Really happy with Andrew. Great try to get us into it, some good little kicks, wonderful goal line defense and that try saver at the end. Must kill Broncos fans watching Andrew play his heart out week in week out

amazing they let him walk out the door. What is he a 250 gamer ? invaluable experience in a crucial position. Glad we got him he's a gem.

 

[Yosh]

They raved on about Manly being hard done by during half time of the next game. Absolute drama queens, correct call was made.

I'd rather it was the wrong call because it feels so good to get one over Manly in such a dirty way! Haha!

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Even if it was the wrong call, we’ve been getting dudded for years with calls like that so I don’t care. It’s swings and roundabouts and there will be ones that go against us this season too. Ultimately we defended well enough to hold Manly out when they had all the ball and all the field position in that second half. Proud of the guys, they earned that one.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Joey's review:
https://www.newcastleknights.com.au...8-breakdown-defensive-steel-and-halves-combo/
I agree we need to tweak the attack. I didn't think our attack was poor but instead that it wasn't great.
We had a lot of defence to endure made more difficult with injuries. We were off our feet at times but still kept going.

 

[Burwood]

Attack was very clunky. Had several sets on Manly’s line and all we could muster was using Klemmer and Saifiti over and over as battering rams. Or passing the ball from dummy half and it goes to a forward, who then passes it a metre to Pearce who is standing alongside them. Or Ponga getting the ball from a scrum 10m out and it ending up with him surrendering so he doesn’t get penalised for a shepherd.

Hopefully things start to click again soon in attack.

 

[Knight Vision]

Attack was very clunky. Had several sets on Manly’s line and all we could muster was using Klemmer and Saifiti over and over as battering rams. Or passing the ball from dummy half and it goes to a forward, who then passes it a metre to Pearce who is standing alongside them. Or Ponga getting the ball from a scrum 10m out and it ending up with him surrendering so he doesn’t get penalised for a shepherd.

Hopefully things start to click again soon in attack.

Our attack at the moment reminds me of our games last year just before we went on a run of hot form.

Joey's review:
https://www.newcastleknights.com.au...8-breakdown-defensive-steel-and-halves-combo/
I agree we need to tweak the attack. I didn't think our attack was poor but instead that it wasn't great.
We had a lot of defence to endure made more difficult with injuries. We were off our feet at times but still kept going.

Agree with the Guerra call.....he might be getting slow but it was not by chance that the old fella was there to take that kick. No substitute for experience.....it wins the big moments.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Our attack at the moment reminds me of our games last year just before we went on a run of hot form.

And guess who it started against..

 

[Knight Vision]

And guess who it started against..

I'm guessing it was Parra ?

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I'm guessing it was Parra ?

Yep lol

 

[Knight Vision]

Yep lol

wouldnt it be nice to go on another run.

I'd rather be out of form and winning at this part of the season than out of form running in to the finals. New coach and staff , lots of new players again....always gonna take time. We're building, cant stop looking at that ladder.