Knights V. Sharkies - post match thread

[les norton]

I have got alot riding on this game...c'arn the knights

 

[Misanthrope]

Still watching the game on Nine, but very happy with the result. Whilst Cronulla aren't playing world class football of late, I think tonight's performance was one of the better showings from both sides in recent weeks. I calculated our finish at season's end based on the assumption we'd lose tonight's game, so a 22-18 victory is not only a step closer to a final eight I already had us making, but it's also the kind of gutsy win we'll need come the finals.

A little concered over Mullen's injury. As it was, Hagan would have had to do some collosal excuse making to push Kidley back into #6. If Mullen is out, Kidley will walk it back in, and $5 says Mullen has to 'earn' his spot once fit.

 

[Nuffy]

Good on them for having a dig.

Joeys back to his competitive best and I thought that the forwards were combative and I even saw a couple of big hits.

Bit worried about the constant mistakes in the 2nd half and does anyone know whats wrong with Simmo and how bad is Mullen.

Good win against the odds with plenty of character, thats what we want from a Knights team.

 

[astrogirl]

Yeah!!! *fist pump*

How awesome is it to post a win!!!

 

[macavity]

oooooooooohhhhh yyyyyyyyeaaaaaaaahh

THAT is what we expect.

all hail the Knights newest (defensive) star, Dr Evil! (even almost made a line break!)

 

[Alex28]

A great comeback given how inept we were in attack in the second half - completion rate was disgraceful and it was just as well we had Johns and Buderus to get us across the line.

However defence was outstanding for the most of it. The hit on Bird late in the game was testiment to how much the boys wanted to win this game.

KOTW should be pretty easy this week - just depends on whether you put Johns or Buderus first. Perry would get the 1 point for mine - very good tonight.

Injuries are a bit of a worry - mind you if Mullen is injured and Lowrie is gone with the hamstring (brave effort staying out there incidently) then supercoach has no choice but to put in a real half!

 

[keeney]

Yeah, the hairless wonder, was pretty good tonight. I may have even seen Tanner bending the line. =o

Still not happy with the showing, we're just unable to get everythign right in a game. I think while our defense was good, it wasn't great, we were slow off the line and were lucky a few times.

 

[Jono078]

2 Friday night games in a row that weve had where everyone has put in, if anything I am probably still a bit dissapointed with Thaiday, but I have time for him to find some form come finals time.

Good and much needed win, but still lots of improvement needed..

 

[Big Tim]

Good win.

A few ref issues I wanted to raise though.

1. In the first 10 mins Cronulla kick downfield, Quinn carries back, is pushed backward, ref calls "held" and the ball come loose, Vagana's hands are all over it. Outcome: Knock on

Last 10 mins Knights put in a kick, Vagana runs back is pushed back by defence, ref calls "held" and the ball comes loose, one of our backrowers hands are around the ball. Outcome: Penalty

2. Thaiday knock on.... no explanation needed

3. Markers not square. Bedsy was penalised for not being square.
NOTE TO ALL LEAGUE PLAYERS:
If the marker is making plenty of tackles, stand up and before playing the ball step to one side. The marker is no longer square.
What a joke

Last one
4. Inside the last 5mins Bird runs the ball, Joey makes a tackle around the ankles and kinda comes loose, bedsy stands over and puts his hands on him, ref calls "THATS ONE" Bird continues his run, Bedsy appeals, referee calls "PLAY ON" Outcome: WTF????? Leaves me and probably the players confused.

On a good note, wonderful defence by all and a hard fought win that was well deserved. Lets just try and hold onto that ball.

 

[Master Vippo]

Point 4 was the biggest one i noticed too Tim. Heart flutters! I prefer to focus on the positives tonight though.

Great effort by all players. Most of the pack deserve points in KOTW for that effort. So much defence, and some real mongrel for once.

Our best players (Johns, Simpson, Buderus and Gidley) really stood up when needed. They played great and it showed when the 4 of them ended up putting Cronulla over the sideline near the end.

We need to work on our errors, and defusing of bombs, we didnt really look comfortable under them all night i thought. Were lucky a couple of times.

All and all though, well played, and if our defence stays like that, and we lower our eror rate, watch out NRL, here we come!!!!!!

 

[Jono078]

Not to mention after the Quinn losing the ball incident in the first 10, after that Perry 'stripped' the ball and was penalised yet it was no worse than Vagana on Quinn..

Hayne was pretty inconsistent tonight.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Uncle fester made 50 tackles tonight in 65 minutes.. Top effort

And reguarding that not square thing... Bedsey was on the left hand side of the player playing the ball, he then ran infront of the player and eventually ended up on the right hand side.. If he ran from left to right, eventually in there he would have made himself square would he not? Not to mention that bedsey pretty much held his ground and the person playing the balled walked off the mark.. What is the deal?

 

[chinorocks]

Ball security was pathetic. We won the game based on defence and thats as good a birthday present (its tomorrow) as I could get.

Joey and Bedsy we're the difference, but I want to wrap two players who we're unsung in the commentary tonight...

Kirk Reynoldson - Has never played a better game in a Knights jersey. Made 50 something tackles, several of which we're very important. Ran hard and only made 1 mistake i can remember. Should have cut off his hair a year ago, because his efforts in the last 2 weeks have been a COLOSSAL improvement.

And now the man of the moment, Adam Woolnough - His best game since he hurt his neck. He ran hard, he tackled hard. He chases through a kick, smashes their fullback back into the in-goal, then scores in the next set of six. I don't care what anyone says that was inspirational stuff.

All in all a much improved defensive effort. Ball security and attack still need alot of improvement, but they come much more naturally to us than defence, so...WELL DONE BOYS!!!!

 

[Ben]

What a great result for the team. Our ball handling wasn't very good but the conditions were pretty atrocious and both teams had some trouble holding onto the ball because the defence was so tough.

Again, some questionable decisions by the referee. I knew Shayne Hayne isn't a very good ref but some of his decisions just made me laugh. Especially the fourth one Tim highlighted. What chance do defenders have if the referee acts like that. I hope some thing about that comes out in that weekly referee's report just to show that they realise a mistake was made.

I think our forwards really stood up today. Even Reynoldson and Tanner had astonishing good games. Reynoldson is starting to pay off the bucket loads of money we are paying him with some really good runs and great defence. He also made 50 tackles which was brilliant seeing that he played around 60 minutes. Perry was also good in defence. Tanner and Lowrie are starting to run at the line with angles which makes it harder to shut them down. I was a bit disappointed with Newton though. Something is up and his performances haven't been as strong. Is he carrying a niggling injury, because he doesn't make as many runs as he used to and the qualities of those runs are no where near as good. Maybe he just needs a break.

 

[Misanthrope]

Cronulla fans are (somewhat justifiably) angry over Carmont's try being given. I did think it looked a little dubious, but given how they had the run of things in Newcastle - I'll take the square up.

 

[Ben]

Also like to add. All week we have been calling for more mongrel in the defence and the boys have shown it this week. Do you think the players read these forums? Everyone raced up of the line and really put the Sharks on their backs with some force.

Their determination was shown when Johns pushed Pomeroy over the sideline but offloaded before he was out. And then Buderus and Simpson came running through to put Albert over. Great determination by the boys there. Also, how good was that hit by Simpson and Joey on Greg Bird. Feel sorry for Bird though because that must've hurt.

Our form continues it's trend of up down up down. We were good against Manly, bad against Parramatta, good against Storm, bad against Rabbitohs, good against Sharks, and hopefully we break this trend next week against the Roosters.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

We had a lot more bad decisions go against us tonight than the sharks did.

 

[Alex28]

Graham West is no better - what about the second Sharks try when he has looked at the play-the-ball, seen that the Sharks player DID NOT touch the ball with his feet yet awarded the try in any case!

The NRL really can't deny a try for incorrect play-the-ball at all now - a precedent has been set.

Hayne is an idiot though agreed. The first penalty for being inside the ten when he had them back 15 metres at least was a joke.

 

[Burwood]

I have to give Carney and Quinn a big thumbs up. Between them they made 40 hitups and over 330m. I think that they were a big part of us winning the game when in the last 10 minutes our forwards were out on their feet in attack. It really helps the team when you have guys like this who give the forwards a bit of a rest. We are really going to miss them next year.

 

[Master Vippo]

Also, have the Sharks been taking lessons form the Italians? How about some of those dives? In particular the one when Tanner was around the legs, was virtually sanding and walking away and the Sharks guy jumped to the ground