Knights coach won't settle for seventh

[Pumba]

Knights coach won't settle for seventh
Brett Keeble

THE Knights will secure their first finals berth in three years if they beat the Raiders at Canberra Stadium tonight but coach Rick Stone wants them to aim higher than the sudden-death seats of seventh and eighth.

Stone believes a win would ensure the Knights finish no lower than seventh, but they hope to take both points against the Panthers next week and ride a season-best four-game winning streak into the finals.

That would also mean finishing on 32 points and no lower than sixth, avoiding a first-round elimination qualifying final on the road against one of the two top-ranked teams.

''We control our own destiny … and that's important rather than relying on other results to get us in,'' Stone said yesterday. ''But I think the way the top eight is, if you look at the McIntyre System historically, getting as high up the eight is as important as actually making the eight.

''Obviously, first things first, but we want to take some momentum out of the last couple of weeks and do our best. If we can get a win here, then we could move on and finish even a little bit higher than seventh, which is probably where we will finish if we win one out of our last two.''

A Newcastle victory would almost certainly determine the eight finalists with one round left, though Penrith would cling to an improbable mathematical hope of displacing Parramatta. If the Knights win tonight, Penrith would have to beat them next Sunday and hope the Dragons beat the Eels on Friday by a total swing of 80 points.

''If we can beat [Canberra] down there, we'll come back here with a massive boost of confidence and that would be good for us going into the finals,'' Knights back-rower Zeb Taia said.

''We need to win this game and keep the pressure off us going into our last game at home. We want to win this one, win next week and go into the semis with mad confidence. Then it doesn't matter who we come up against in the finals because we've beaten everyone in the eight.''

League HQ

 

[Yosh]

Will be awesome to see Duearu put out there next week to match up against Walsh, would be mouth watering to see them go at each other and then we could finally close that 'We kept the right half' thread right?

I know some of you guys are gonnna say one game doesnt define a player but Walsh will have everything to prove next week if we win against Canberra tonight. He is playing for a finals spot, coming back to the place that kicked him out, against his old foe Duearu! Classic! Almost Joey vs Kimmorley if you ask me ^^

 

[Serc]

Yoshy...before everyone else jumps in...have you seen Dureau picked in our team lately? lol

Though yes I would like to see those two go up against each other!

I think hitting the books made your brain a little more mushed up than it usually is

 

[Weels]

I know some of you guys are gonnna say one game doesnt define a player but Walsh will have everything to prove next week if we win against Canberra tonight. He is playing for a finals spot, coming back to the place that kicked him out, against his old foe Duearu! Classic! Almost Joey vs Kimmorley if you ask me ^^

Yosh your right when you say one game is not going to settle this argument, but I just want to point out one thing.
Do you think if it was Scotty joined Penrith at their low spot on the ladder like Luke did, could he have brought them to a spot where they still have a mathematical chance of making the eight. Even though it's extremely unlikely that it will happen.;-)

 

[keeney]

Yosh is geniused. Walsh is the better of two hacks. He has a more complete offering because his speed and short passing game mean he probes the line more, and is more difficult to figure out. Neither are the answer, we need to invest in a decent structural half to compliment our pretty creative spine.

 

[Yosh]

Booo Keeney BOOO!!!

Anyways honestly at the moment I most definately agree Walsh is better. HOWEVER I see/saw something in Duearu. He has it, not the x-factor but that halfbackness around him that reminds me of Kimmorley/Stacey Jones? He is still young but I think he'll come through later in his career. He needs to be more confident however at the moment he is too prone to going into his shell and doing nothing all game, whlie Walsh on the other hand wants the ball every set, willing to make mistakes thats why he has improved alot...

 

[Alex28]

Will be awesome to see Duearu put out there next week to match up against Walsh, would be mouth watering to see them go at each other...

Yeah...it will be that mouth-watering 'battle of mediocrity' the NRL has been crying out for...

 

[keeney]

Kimmorley and Jones are old now, perhaps being 13 means you have only seen them this year? Fact is both had and to some degree still have X-factor. This is on top being 20 times the organiser Dureau is.

 

[Yosh]

Well I am 22 this year, by no means an oldie and yes I have only watched league since around 2002ish (seen every knights game since the 2003 season bar that one where we got smashed by Brisbane in the final series, couldnt bear to watch it...)

Kimmorley and Jones will never be Joey but they always had a good head on them, much better than Orford or Finch or Cooper Cronk will ever be. Duearu is quite composed however doesnt offer enough that is his biggest weakness if you ask me. He has a good kicking game, I have seen him put players through holes before however he just doesnt do it often enough...

So how old are you Keeney? Bet you're s**t old ^^

 

[Alex28]

He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentance as Jones, Kimmorley, Johns, et al. He can kick and can throw a pass. What he can't do is run and tackle.

I thought we had all finally agreed that Dureau (and Rogers) were not the answer and we needed another halfback badly...forget the "we kept the right half" thread - we need to start "we just need a competent half".

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

There both sh*t. More excited about Uate and Jennings in a foot race, thatd be worth watching.

 

[keeney]

I'm 22. Why would I be sh*t old? Because I can articulate without the emphasis of over-punctuation and emoticons? Or is it because my posts make a modicum of sense?

Don't get me wrong Yosh, I dig your enthusiasm. But it does get tired when you continually compare 2 of the more mediocre players the Knights have produced in the last 5 years to legends of the game. Especially since it is not for hyperbolic comedic effect.

 

[keeney]

He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentance as Jones, Kimmorley, Johns, et al. He can kick and can throw a pass. What he can't do is run and tackle.

I thought we had all finally agreed that Dureau (and Rogers) were not the answer and we needed another halfback badly...forget the "we kept the right half" thread - we need to start "we just need a competent half".

Exactly, I thought we were at that stage too. Although if you spend any time at MS you'll see where the messianic portrayal of Dureau escapes from.

I'm happy to admit I was wrong about Dureau. We need someone with a rounded game and some degree of consistency. Porter from the Sharks would be a decent fit, all things considered (price mainly).

 

[Serc]

Not everyone has agreed on that...but yeah the issue has been thrashed to death so heavily over the past 2 years there's not much for me to add at this point. Not saying any more though

 

[cram]

I am nervous about tonight....nervous with anticipation that a win tonight secures finals footy....

 

[otori]

This is going to be a massive test for Stone. Those players especially the ones that weren't around in 2006 and probably haven't played finals footy will be pretty damn anxious. Stone's ability to get Burleigh to and win those grand finals should hopefully pay off for our boys tonight because this might be the season definer.

 

[Adsy]

Will he settle for tenth?

 

[perverse]

This is going to be a massive test for Stone. Those players especially the ones that weren't around in 2006 and probably haven't played finals footy will be pretty damn anxious. Stone's ability to get Burleigh to and win those grand finals should hopefully pay off for our boys tonight because this might be the season definer.

it sure was last year, look how that turned out.

 

[Nuffy]

They won't have to worry about week one in the finals at this rate.

Penrith will fancy their chances.

However on this form we are road kill even if we make it into the finals.

 

[perverse]

the honeymoon period with our brand new coach is over. we are back to the rabble we were 3 weeks ago.

sick of wicks. VERY SICK of wes. i'm absolutely gobsmacked at mullen. i don't really know where to from here. for some reason... when one of our blokes has a bad game, the whole team follows suit and gives away stupid penalties... ridiculously soft knock ons... the refs get in on the action and have a bit of a dig...

when it rains, it f**king pours.