thuganomics
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NEWCASTLE coach Michael Hagan has adopted a novel approach in his quest to win this weekend without star halfback Andrew Johns: He's given up.
"I don't know mate, I've got no idea,'' Hagan said when asked how the Knights would cope against North Queensland without Johns.
"I don't know what we're going to do without him."
The tongue-in-cheek remark reflects how Hagan and other members of the Knights squad are all sick of answering the eternal question: Can the Knights win without their inspirational leader?
Johns will miss the Knights' final two matches of the regular season after having his contrary conduct charge for swearing at touch judge Matt Cecchin downgraded at the NRL judiciary last night.
And Newcastle's struggles without Johns are well documented. Indeed, the Knights collected the wooden spoon last year - when Johns missed most of the season with injury.
There is of course an easy way to end the same relentless line of questioning: Leave Townsville with the two competition points on Saturday night.
Given that the Cowboys are without key playmaker Johnathan Thurston, captain Travis Norton, Test back rower Luke O'Donnell and first-choice centres Ty Williams and Paul Bowman, the Knights will never get a better chance to get one over last year's grand finalists - even without Johns.
Teenage Knights halfback Jarrod Mullen and five-eighth Kurt Gidley will assume much of the playmaking responsibility in Johns's absence, with Hagan confident both are ready to step out of the shadow of their more illustrious teammate.
"We're in a pretty good position with the fact that Jarrod has played some first grade and played very well," he said.
"So has Kurt and Danny Buderus, and Milton Thaiday's getting better.
"Our forward pack is going forward and defending well, and that should make Jarrod and Kurt's job a little bit easier.
"You can only play as well as your forwards allow you to play sometimes.
"Our preparation hasn't changed too much from what we would normally do, and I guess the game being in Townsville it gives a chance to escape a bit of that media scrutiny.
"It's probably worked out pretty well for us I think to head out of town."
The Knights are precariously placed in sixth place on the ladder following last week's loss to Manly, but they probably need to win only one of their remaining two matches before a last-round bye to avoid finishing in seventh or eighth spot.
Wins in both matches would put them in the running for a top-four spot.
Several teams are scrambling to avoid seventh and eighth place on the ladder, which would result in a daunting match-up against either Melbourne or the Bulldogs in the opening week of the finals.
The Knights' remaining two games are against teams who are virtually out of the running for the top eight, with a home fixture against Penrith to follow the trip to Townsville.
Despite the need for competition points, Hagan believes his squad will gain a massive psychological lift by winning without Johns.
"That's our focus and that's what we're intent on doing," Hagan said.
"Whether we're good enough to do that or not is a different story."
AAP
Source - http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20160298-23214,00.html
"I don't know mate, I've got no idea,'' Hagan said when asked how the Knights would cope against North Queensland without Johns.
"I don't know what we're going to do without him."
The tongue-in-cheek remark reflects how Hagan and other members of the Knights squad are all sick of answering the eternal question: Can the Knights win without their inspirational leader?
Johns will miss the Knights' final two matches of the regular season after having his contrary conduct charge for swearing at touch judge Matt Cecchin downgraded at the NRL judiciary last night.
And Newcastle's struggles without Johns are well documented. Indeed, the Knights collected the wooden spoon last year - when Johns missed most of the season with injury.
There is of course an easy way to end the same relentless line of questioning: Leave Townsville with the two competition points on Saturday night.
Given that the Cowboys are without key playmaker Johnathan Thurston, captain Travis Norton, Test back rower Luke O'Donnell and first-choice centres Ty Williams and Paul Bowman, the Knights will never get a better chance to get one over last year's grand finalists - even without Johns.
Teenage Knights halfback Jarrod Mullen and five-eighth Kurt Gidley will assume much of the playmaking responsibility in Johns's absence, with Hagan confident both are ready to step out of the shadow of their more illustrious teammate.
"We're in a pretty good position with the fact that Jarrod has played some first grade and played very well," he said.
"So has Kurt and Danny Buderus, and Milton Thaiday's getting better.
"Our forward pack is going forward and defending well, and that should make Jarrod and Kurt's job a little bit easier.
"You can only play as well as your forwards allow you to play sometimes.
"Our preparation hasn't changed too much from what we would normally do, and I guess the game being in Townsville it gives a chance to escape a bit of that media scrutiny.
"It's probably worked out pretty well for us I think to head out of town."
The Knights are precariously placed in sixth place on the ladder following last week's loss to Manly, but they probably need to win only one of their remaining two matches before a last-round bye to avoid finishing in seventh or eighth spot.
Wins in both matches would put them in the running for a top-four spot.
Several teams are scrambling to avoid seventh and eighth place on the ladder, which would result in a daunting match-up against either Melbourne or the Bulldogs in the opening week of the finals.
The Knights' remaining two games are against teams who are virtually out of the running for the top eight, with a home fixture against Penrith to follow the trip to Townsville.
Despite the need for competition points, Hagan believes his squad will gain a massive psychological lift by winning without Johns.
"That's our focus and that's what we're intent on doing," Hagan said.
"Whether we're good enough to do that or not is a different story."
AAP
Source - http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20160298-23214,00.html
