Match Discussion: Round 14 vs Manly @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[perverse]

Edit:

We are a f**cking good footy side when we want to be. Being Bipolar is part of being a knights fan isn’t it

Mate to be fair to yourself, our entire year looked like that first 40. Something came down from the clouds tonight and gave us something to cheer about. We went out there and played footy.

 

[Knight Tales]

Our edge attack is quite something when we let it breathe.

 

[Woosh]

Didn’t see the game but how did the old man go?

 

[mozza91]

 

[Apey]

Didn’t see the game but how did the old man go?

Sure you didn't. Great second half. Bog average first half - like everyone else, to be fair.

 

[Alex28]

Didn’t see the game but how did the old man go?

Played like he had $400K next year to play for.

 

[Old dog]

Big, no HUGE effort, lost Frizell early and Jones and Croker, played very strong, kept going and we were making big efforts for little gain, second half was complete turn around.
Worried no Frizell next game so have to look deeper into Cup players, ESL and McEwan did well and will likely stay with Manuleleua or Greacen likely to replace Frizell if ruled out. Could see Cant being left out, no impact.
Schiller back to right wing, Hunt likely left centre. Might see Crosslands starting 13 with Brailey our 9 and Arthur 14, Cogger likely to remain 7. Our pack and bench played strong against a bigger pack which allowed us back into the game.
Ponga was better but not quite the Ponga we need and want

 

[perverse]

Didn’t see the game but how did the old man go?

Get off your bloody phone and go enjoy the win with the rest of the team.

 

[Rod]

To be fair Gags was unbelievable in the second half, but who could have possibly seen that coming the way the whole team played in the first half? It was like a body swap comedy starring Lindsay Lohan or something.

 

[Zoidberg]

Hunt looked pretty comfortable in the centres.
Marzhew’s runs are invaluable.
Schiller is a ways off being a centre.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

View attachment 102773

This wins the internet tonight for weirdest stat.

 

[Woody90]

Who needs a forward pack lol?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

What a bizarre game that was. I’m obviously stoked with the result but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a turnaround of form that dramatic from 1st to 2nd half. Just amazing.

 

[Burwood]

Manly picking 4 forwards on the bench and then having 2 outside backs with HIA issues definitely played its part.

And kudos to the coach for swapping hunt/schiller at half time. When’s the last time that’s ever happened in one of our games?

 

[mozza91]

Our biggest comeback victory since Round 1 2007.

I was thinking watching us cop a beating in Cup about how little value I’ve got out my season ticket this year. They sure as shit made it worthwhile in that 2nd half.

 

[Yosh]

Don't have the exact numbers but I reckon we made a ton less errors playing expansive attacking football in the second half than we have all season playing conservative footy.

I'm the biggest AOB hater out there but if he has the team playing like that (regardless of the result) I'm happy to keep backing him.

 

[Knight Tales]

They will be confident now. It needed to be a win like the type we witnessed last night. If they do it again next week then it may just turn around this season. Roosters playing games with Dom not withstanding.

 

[Woody90]

I think last night was a good advertisement that the take that we can’t play attacking football because of our forwards is complete BS. In the second half we were making a heap of metres because we were throwing it around. In the first half when we were trying to play a grinding and physical game with Manly is when we couldn’t compete.

I thought some of the young blokes were fantastic under the circumstances. McEwan and ESL definitely didn’t look out of place, and there’s something special about Hunt. There’s been a lot of talk that we’re going to get destroyed next year due to lack of forward experience which is likely true, but I think the injection of youth last night was great for the squad. They didn’t get bogged down by previous results or form, they just played footy.

Definitely KPP’s best half of footy at the club. Such a shame he’s taken this long to show it as I reckon we would have been happy to match the 600k if he’d been showing this consistently.

Thought Brailey was great last night and I admit I’d written him off before the game. Crossland was immense defensively too.

To his credit, I don’t have much to say negatively about Cogger last night. He stayed out of the way and his game saving try saving tackle was immense.

Sharpe is just…special. There was a play where he went down the blind side on the last, he was held back and Schiller went the wrong play but it was the definition of eyes up footy. That play actually reminded me of Johns a bit. I thought he was a lot better on the right too which is helpful because Brown is better on the left.

Ponga’s obviously still not where we need him to be but I like that in the second half he wanted to be involved. Loved that he wanted the ball in his hands in GP and scoring that try must have felt really good for him after struggling for the Knights and QLD.

Gags was immense in that second 40. If he can maintain the second 40 form I reckon they’ll work a contract out.

On negatives the first half was horrible obviously. Some of our defence was horrible too. We can’t seem to put both attack and defence together. Also a bit concerned that all it took was a bit of booing for them to turn on. Why couldn’t they have a go without being booed?

Schiller was given a complete bath in the centres. Have to give credit to AOB for swapping them at half time and to Schiller’s credit he kept playing.

Anyway it was fun to actually enjoy a win like that. It’s been a while. Not taking anything from it though. I’m sure next week we’ll go straight back to trying to play grinding football with the Roosters despite having no forwards to do so.

 

[ryan.a87]

If we don’t sign Gagai for next year

do we see the full strength backline next year as

ponga
Marzew
Best
Hunt
Young

 

[The Axe of Druss]

If we don’t sign Gagai for next year

do we see the full strength backline next year as

ponga
Marzew
Best
Hunt
Young

I actually think McCarthy is the better centre with Hunt on the wing but its a tough call with Young returning