Match Discussion: Round 1 vs Sharks @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2019 - Round 1
Newcastle Knights v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton (TICKETS)
Friday 15 March 2019

Gates 3:30pm / Canterbury Cup 3:45pm / NRL 6pm

1. Connor Watson 2. Edrick Lee 3. Hymel Hunt 4. Jesse Ramien 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 6. Kalyn Ponga 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Danny Levi 10. James Gavet 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Sione Mata'utia 13. Tim Glasby
Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann 15. Aidan Guerra 16. Mitchell Barnett 17. Daniel Saifiti 18. Jamie Buhrer 19. Herman Ese'ese 20. Josh King 21. Brodie Jones

1. Matt Moylan 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Josh Dugan 4. Josh Morris 5. Sione Katoa 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Briton Nikora 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Blayke Brailey 15. Jayson Bukuya 16. Aaron Woods 17. Jack Williams 18. Scott Sorensen 19. Kyle Flanagan 20. Bronson Xerri 21. Braden Hamlin-uele

Referees: Peter Gough, Phil Henderson
Sideline Officials: Rickey McFarlane, Drew Oultram
Video Referees: Bryan Norrie, Ashley Klein

Feeder club info
Knights feeder clubs: Newcastle Knights (NSWRL: Canterbury Cup, U20 Jersey Flegg, U18 SG Ball Cup, U16 Harold Matthews Cup).
Sharks feeder clubs: Newtown Jets (NSWRL: Canterbury Cup); Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NSWRL: U20 Jersey Flegg, U18 SG Ball Cup, U16 Harold Matthews Cup)
Draws available at leagueunlimited.com/quick-links​

 

[Knight Vision]

Knights by 2

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Us to win in golden point

 

[Bartwah]

Man I hate to be that guy, but I’m a realist. Sharks by 20
Please prove we wrong

 

[Knight76]

Who knows, but lets have a tough contest out of this one. Close game most likely, a great test first up.

 

[Spot On]

Man I hate to be that guy, but I’m a realist. Sharks by 20
Please prove we wrong

Unfortunately we get absolutely belted everytime we play them.

I think we have a side to get the win but I wouldn't put money on it.

Won't be surprised if our defence is well below par.

 

[Yosh]

Surely we can beat the Sharks? Us by at least 14.

 

[Bartwah]

Unfortunately we get absolutely belted everytime we play them.

I think we have a side to get the win but I wouldn't put money on it.

Won't be surprised if our defence is well below par.

I think that’s the reason I’m not confident at all. If sharks only win 1-12, I’ll take that as a win

 

[Knight76]

Won't be surprised if our defence is well below par.

To be honest neither will I. Against the dragons they let in about 4 tries that were bombed by them, and the sharks trial was fairly poor in D.

Only trials, but haven't they been focusing on defence this pre-season?

 

[slotmachine]

They focus on defence ever pre-season.

 

[perverse]

No idea, tbh. Hope they have a dig.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Feels like forever since we last beat them..

 

[mozza91]

Feels like forever since we last beat them..

2014 at Cronulla. Came back from 18-0 down.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Considering our recent record against the Sharks I expect that they’ll be a bit too strong for us. That being said I think it’ll be a lot closer than some of the results over the last few years. Sharks by 4.

I’ll take an improved defensive performance on this one.

 

[NK Arsenal]

Baz reporting Hunt will be back and Ese’ese will be the one to miss out

Very surprised thought the big fella did enough last year to warrant a spot over Barnett

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Ese'ese shouldn't miss out, especially for Barnett ffs..

 

[Spot On]

Really?? Barnett over Herman.

He really must have trained the house down.

 

[Sacrolishes]

Barnett was quite impressive in two trials. Herman also great but did miss a couple goal line one on ones leading to tries. He’ll be back hungrier than ever. Barnett obviously knew his position was in the line during pre season and produced the goods in trials. Gotta reward him.

 

[slotmachine]

No fan of sione as a player but think it's pretty rough if barnett gets the starting spot on trial form, when sione was denied chance to impress at second row.

Brown likes barnett because he sets line speed. He was first into every tackle in the sharks trial

 

[Knight76]

No fan of sione as a player but think it's pretty rough if barnett gets the starting spot on trial form, when sione was denied chance to impress at second row.

Brown likes barnett because he sets line speed. He was first into every tackle in the sharks trial

Line speed has been a big problem for the Knights over the years, mostly due to such poor play that they get themselves on the back foot most of the game and then can't get the energy to keep running up and back all game.

Something has to give. Hopefully we can go toe to toe with teams this season and compete. There were good signs in the first few sets in the Sharks trial, I thought our forwards were on top. Then they started the rot.