Match Discussion: Round 14 vs Melbourne @ AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2024 - Round 14
Melbourne Storm v Newcastle Knights
AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri (TICKETS)

Sunday 9 June 2024
NRL kickoff 2:00pm.
Broadcast live on Fox, Kayo.

1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Grant Anderson 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Christian Welch 9. Harry Grant 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Trent Loiero 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Joe Chan 19. Jack Howarth 20. Young Tonumaipea 21. Kane Bradley 22. Dean Ieremia

Out: Will Warbrick (wing)
In: Bronson Garlick (bench), Joe Chan (reserve), Jack Howarth (reserve), Yee-Huang Tonumaipe'a (reserve), Kane Bradley (reserve), Dean Ieremia (reserve)
Changes: Grant Anderson (bench to wing)

1. David Armstrong 2. Enari Tuala 3. Dane Gagai 4. Krystian Mapapalangi 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jack Cogger 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Kai Pearce-Paul 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Tyson Frizell 17. Brodie Jones 18. Thomas Cant 19. Mathew Croker 20. Will Pryce 21. Jack Hetherington 22. Fletcher Sharpe

In: Thomas Cant (reserve), Mat Croker (reserve), Will Pryce (reserve), Jack Hetherington (reserve), Fletcher Sharpe (reserve)

Referee: Adam GEE
Sideline Officials: Phil HENDERSON, Belinda SHARPE
Video Referee: Ashley KLEIN

HEAD TO HEAD - 1998 - 2024​

	TOTAL	MELBOURNE	NEWCASTLE	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	47	30	17	0
AAMI	12	10	2	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2020	Round 12	MELBOURNE 26-16	Sunshine Coast	5837
2021	Round 18	MELBOURNE 48-4	Cbus Super	3874
2022	Round 8	MELBOURNE 50-2	McD. Jones	15895
2023	Round 21	NEWCASTLE 26-18	McD. Jones	20392
2024	Round 3	NEWCASTLE 14-12	McD. Jones	21889

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2000	Round 2	NEWCASTLE 38-6	Marathon	16155
2001	Round 19	NEWCASTLE 48-16	Marathon	21367
2022	Round 8	MELBOURNE 50-2	McD. Jones	15895

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 15	Round 16	Round 17	Round 18
MELBOURNE	WARRIORS (A)	DOLPHINS (A)	CANBERRA (H)	WESTS TIGERS (A)
NEWCASTLE	PENRITH (H)	(BYE)	PARRAMATTA (H)	CANBERRA (A)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 11		Round 12		Round 13
MELBOURNE	PARRAMATTA	W 48-16	MANLY	L 20-26	(BYE)
NEWCASTLE	GOLD COAST	W 28-24	(BYE)	CANTERBURY	L 2-32

STATE OF PLAY: 2024 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
MELBOURNE	1st	11	2	8-3-0	280	205
NEWCASTLE	11th	12	1	6-6-0	202	241

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Yay .. Can't wait for this one...

 

[Nuke]

They'll probably turn up for this one. Shouldn't have any reason to have any complacency for it. May not win, but will probably have a dig.

 

[ryan.a87]

Chances of Melbourne testing their origin players?

and also resting their first grade players?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Barring some sort of miracle, we're getting pumped here

 

[Zoidberg]

I mean, we did beat them earlier in the year.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

That loss on the weekend really stings given we have a couple of really tough games now. It’s just absolutely classic knights losing to a mid-table team without their 3 best players then turn up the next week and lose a close one to a really good team.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Exact same line up as last week.

I'm so shocked...

 

[Allstar Knights]

Will Pryce on extended bench. Chance?

 

[Woody90]

Exact same line up as last week.

I'm so shocked...

Was anyone really expecting significant changes following one loss? I don’t agree with a lot of what AOB does but giving them all a chance to redeem themselves rather than mass changes after one game is the right call IMO.

If our attack is just as bad this weekend though I’d be making changes in the halves. I’d give Armstrong a couple of more games at least.

 

[Woody90]

Will Pryce on extended bench. Chance?

He’s been on the extended bench most games this year.

 

[Frederick]

 

[Woody90]

Wait so Armstrong maybe gets dropped after 1 bad game but both of the halves survive?

I really don’t understand AOB sometimes.

I was all for giving them all another chance after that bad game, but if cuts were being made it would make much more sense to start with the halves. I know we don’t have many options as replacements there but doesn’t send a good message to the rest of the squad to make Armstrong the example.

 

[Apey]

Sharpe was always ahead of Armstrong in the pecking order. He was just injured as well when Ponga got injured.

 

[PhilGould]

There's an equal at worst option at fullback who, as mentioned above, would've already been there if he was healthy when Ponga went down.

The NSW Cup halves are Pryce and Liam Sutton. The right choice is being made there unfortunately.

 

[Woody90]

Sharpe was always ahead of Armstrong in the pecking order. He was just injured as well when Ponga got injured.

I agree Sharpe is ahead of Armstrong in terms of ability but other than 1 game where none of the spine played well he’s been very good since coming in. Pretty rough for him to be dropped after 1 bad game when none of the spine (who have much more experience) performed well.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I've had to endure a Knights thrashing and two NSW losses in the past week... Surely you can give me this footy gods?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I agree Sharpe is ahead of Armstrong in terms of ability but other than 1 game where none of the spine played well he’s been very good since coming in. Pretty rough for him to be dropped after 1 bad game when none of the spine (who have much more experience) performed well.

Armstrong is young and is being talked about in the media a lot, maybe too much tbh. Giving him a spell might be the best thing to not burn him out or wreck his confidence because let's face it Melb are going to pump us on Sunday

 

[Apey]

I've had to endure a Knights thrashing and two NSW losses in the past week... Surely you can give me this footy gods?

I predicted to get 1/3 wins from those, expecting the Women's NSW team to be the sole winners. It sure as shit won't be us, but stranger things have happened I guess?

 

[ryan.a87]

Any chance Armstrong gets moved to 6 rather than the dropping headline making the rounds