Match Discussion: Round 11 vs Panthers @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[slotmachine]

Lamb's defence is a work on progress, but getting better. Last two weeks he's make strong first contact

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Still trying to work out why brown didn't put Elliott at fullback and Gagai out wide. Elliott was playing pretty well until injury and gagai has always been ordinary at fullback

 

[Pedge1971]

Nice try to finish the game...

But wow we absolutely blew that game big time and allowed Penrith right back in. We just lacked respect for possession in the second half, no ball control whatsoever.

Stone probably had his worst game in first grade so far, Barnett wasn't much better. Gags was absolutely woeful today, it's unfortunate that he has to play at fullback when he's clearly not up to it.

Saifiti x2 were strong though and Feeney, Lamb and Levi all showed some good signs.

Levi Lamb and Feeney are starting to build a good understanding with the ball. They just overdid it a little in a few sets just after ht. This gave Penrith a heap of ball and with penalties they spent the next 15 mins on our line.

The game was lost right there.

Very frustrating.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

That second half was disgusting, we just gave them set after set in possession and of course we weren't going to be able to hold them out forever, then on the odd occasion that we actually had the ball we dropped it cold.

I keep thinking back to that play early in the second half where Feeney made a half break and gave it to Lamb who was in the clear only for it to be called back as a forward pass. That was a huge call in the context of the game imo. If we score there or at least end up attacking their line then we could potentially have been up 20-0 with about 30 mins to play. Instead Panthers get the ball in our red zone, build heaps of pressure and score back to back and then the refs just penalise the shit out of us for another half an hour and we become fatigued and drop our bundle. I know that you can't blame a result like this on one call but it was the kind of call that gets let go every week and I'm not convinced it was worse than flat yet it changed the momentum of the game.

 

[Fangs]

Feeney > moylan

Moylan>Feeney

 

[Swarzey]

Levi Lamb and Feeney are starting to build a good understanding with the ball. They just overdid it a little in a few sets just after ht. This gave Penrith a heap of ball and with penalties they spent the next 15 mins on our line.

The game was lost right there.

Very frustrating.

Part of our rebuilding process is allowing those three to build their combination. They'll go overboard plenty of times but it's needed.

Side just needs to respond better.

Again I think Buhrer might have eased the rot a bit today if he was playing. Experienced head to calm the side down and focus.

 

[mozza91]

Great first half. Pathetic 2nd half. The refs were atrocious and single handedly got Penrith back in the game. We, in turn played like utter spastics after that.

I hope Gagai packs his bags and f**ks off now I don't want to have to look at him again.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Fatigue, inexperience and bad calls got to us. The result was errors. I could see the Safiti boys out on their feet.
When the game turned we should have lifted above it by charging them into touch or pushing them back 10 m in a tackle or by pulling of a magic try saver. Instead we let them play the game and stuffed up. We sank deeper and deeper.
A lot of positives from the first half and a lot to be learned from the second.

 

[True blue knights]

Our side is punching above its weight,they have stuck it to some teams lately.i know we need marquee players but even fairly reliable players like lewis ,tolman, would make us a fair team.fustrating to watch again though. I hope ross is back next game.whats up with pauli pauli,get him in there.

 

[slotmachine]

Part of our rebuilding process is allowing those three to build their combination. They'll go overboard plenty of times but it's needed.

If Feeney isn't warming the seat for someone else in 2018 something is wrong.

 

[Zoidberg]

When is Buhrer due back?

 

[OldPanther]

If that was at the opposite end of the field that is no try. No control of the ball, not firmly grounded? No problems, it's just the Knights...

Cartwright had the exact call a few weeks ago.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

What do people make of Wardle in the centres?

Personally I don't think it's a long term option but he's been going alright. He makes good contact with his defence and seems to position himself well when we defend our goal line. He doesn't do much more than hit ups in attack though. We need to look at a full time centre to replace Gags.

 

[Swarzey]

If Feeney isn't warming the seat for someone else in 2018 something is wrong.

Of course but Lamb and Levi are still seen as our long term players in their positions then we're absolutely going to need to allow them to work on their combination; that includes playing with a 6. Furthermore, we don't have anyone confirmed for that 6 jumper next year; I'd rather go into 2018 with Feeney comfortable playing with Lamb and Levi then ditching him for someone as equal or worse.

 

[Apey]

That was the first game in a long time I've left early in disgust.

Some rubbish calls soured me to begin with, mainly the "strip" before half time and I just can't cop the forward pass call after the one Canberra got away with against us although it was the right call. It'd be nice to get some Broncos luck in that department. Didn't cost us the game but it sure helped swing momentum.

Really though it was the garbage capitulation in the second half that did me in. You'd think it being completely predictable would make it easier to cop but it doesn't, lol. The amount of errors we dished up was pathetic. The two in a row just before Panther's last try saw me done. I just can't believe it was the same team out there in the second half... holy moly. One of our better halves of the year followed up by one of our worst?

Oh and Feeney's penalty to give them their second try was seriously dumb and unnecessary. He needs to get that out of his game ASAP.

 

[Pedge1971]

What do people make of Wardle in the centres?

Personally I don't think it's a long term option but he's been going alright. He makes good contact with his defence and seems to position himself well when we defend our goal line. He doesn't do much more than hit ups in attack though. We need to look at a full time centre to replace Gags.

Solid if no spectacular and defence is very good. Needs to have a few more games before u can really tell but suits us for now.

 

[Alex28]

Two 50/50 calls that actually go our way (DWZ no try, Gagai grounds the ball in goal) and we win.

It's frustrating watching football like the second half, but it is getting better...

 

[Spot On]

Our line speed the past 4 weeks has been awesome and has really helped us compete better. Is that the 4th week in a row we've won the first half? Flip side to that is the flatness we see in a lot of them in the second half. They looked spent walking off after 40 today. Not as bad as the game v Titans but pretty tired.

I think some of that can be solved with a better bench - which unfortunately we don't have atm. Kostjasyn and Buhrer would have been terrific to have in this little period as would a big unit like Pauli if he was super fit.

The other thing that stands out is the huge improvement in our attacking structures either side of the ruck. So many options for Lamb especially when he has the ball now. I hope they stick with and build on what we've seen the past few weeks. The sideline kicking is also helping us. It is suiting us big time - if we hang onto the ball.

Levi and Dan S have been awesome. They have given us good control in the ruck area when we have the ball. Levi is looking like a bloody good dummy half. Smart, strong and quick. Can he kick??? That would be the icing on top.

Feeney has surprised me. He is nowhere near as bad as I thought he would be. However, there is so much that he needs to do better. Not the strongest bloke going around and obviously not the greatest defender so we will have to put up with that for a while as he will continue to be heavily targetted. I hope he can improve his technique and commitment to his defence. Lamb has improved out of sight in this area so far this year so maybe it's possible for him.

I haven't questioned Brown's selections too much in the past but for the life of me I can't understand the Gagai move. Last year. no probs. That was the time to experiment. But now??? Having him at the back is not going to help this side at all. Do people think Elliott is the better option here?

 

[Apey]

I haven't questioned Brown's selections too much in the past but for the life of me I can't understand the Gagai move. Last year. no probs. That was the time to experiment. But now??? Having him at the back is not going to help this side at all. Do people think Elliott is the better option here?

I assumed it was because he's gone to Souths? We have Ponga there next year so it's not like it's about the future.

 

[Swarzey]

It makes sense. Start building a new edge combination between Wardle and Sio for beyond this year and have Gagai in a spot that doesn't disrupt that. If Wardle and Sio click as a pairing, then there's less stress to find someone to replace Gagai next year.

And Elliot is the far better option. I don't think Penrith score those two tries where Gagai failed to ground the ball if Elliot was in the 1.