Match Discussion: Round 2 vs Titans @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[Knight76]

To all the guys that were at the game today...How good was that atmosphere. Only 12k there but it sounded like 30.

I won't forget being at that game, ever.

 

[Alex28]

Did anybody see Wardle run around in NSW Cup today? How did he go?

 

[Caped Crusader]

Eliott has been a whipping boy around here in the past and for good reason but I thought he was serviceable at the back today. Chimed in well and while his passes weren't what you call crisp, they did lead to opportunities. His footwork was very nice too

I think he can develop there

 

[Johns Magic]

Did anybody see Wardle run around in NSW Cup today? How did he go?

Physical but poor hands and reads in defence I thought.

 

[Jono078]

Not much love for Levi today? I thought he was outstanding and backed up a solid round 1 performance.

Also Lamb showed some signs of quality playmaking and vision today, great to see him step up after a poor first round.

Safitis are beasts, they will be unreal if they keep fit, hope they dont get too big and slow like Snowden did.

 

[Spot On]

Hey, hey

Slowden wasn't slow, it just looked like he was.

 

[Sacrolishes]

Not much love for Levi today? I thought he was outstanding and backed up a solid round 1 performance.

Also Lamb showed some signs of quality playmaking and vision today, great to see him step up after a poor first round.

Safitis are beasts, they will be unreal if they keep fit, hope they dont get too big and slow like Snowden did.

I thought Levi was brilliant in first 30. The reason we have. Lasted out of the gate in the first two games with leads has. Even because of his service. Looked like he injured his arm just b4 Harold time and the. Didn't return until last 15 or so. Of which we ran away with it.

 

[Pedge1971]

I was more impressed with Yates last week, but 2 weeks in and they both seem to have a bit of promise. Stone definitely has that rangey Steve Simpson look about him. If he can match Simmos heart then he'll do very well.

Look out mate! I got called out for that after the Raiders trial!

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Levi was great at times.He had a hamstring worry that might have seen him go a bit quiet at other times.
Brown said in the post match that it might be related to his back.

 

[Pedge1971]

I reckon the Saifitis should be both starting together, eventually. Each trying to out-do the other with every run. We just need the guys who come on for them to hold the fort, I suspect that's why Brown is holding off starting then together at the moment.

Eventually. But both blokes have errors in them and are young. From the 2 games I have seen, I like Starling. He was off too long today for mine.

 

[Caped Crusader]

I thought Levi was brilliant in first 30. The reason we have. Lasted out of the gate in the first two games with leads has. Even because of his service. Looked like he injured his arm just b4 Harold time and the. Didn't return until last 15 or so. Of which we ran away with it.

In English please

 

[Pedge1971]

Eliott has been a whipping boy around here in the past and for good reason but I thought he was serviceable at the back today. Chimed in well and while his passes weren't what you call crisp, they did lead to opportunities. His footwork was very nice too

I think he can develop there

Attack pretty decent. Defence, positional play on kicks and actually defusing kicks terrible. Not his fault but we will have a problem there for the rest of the season.

 

[Pedge1971]

Yeah, Toops in for Yates I could get behind. It's a shame Pauli got injured in preseason... I know it's cliche, but it sounded like he had a big one and was ready to rip in. We probably won't see his best until 2018, assuming he has the drive to back up and put in another effort at the end of the year.

Pauli and Phythian would be great to have. Not to mention Mullen in for Hodko... God every year is just a long, bloody trail of unfortunate circumstances...

Imagine living in the alternate universe where Hodko gets done for steroids and Mullen is our half. Geez that would be great and much easier to support.

Mate. Every team has injuries though the drugs stuff seems to be unique to us and a few clubs.

Before the season started most people here had no real high hopes but wanted us to be competitive. Surely that goal has a tick for first 2 weeks?

The play is 200% on last years rabble. Long way to go and we laxk quality. But if I see that commitment every week by this young squad:

a: I will fall back in love with my footy team again and more importantly;

b: elite players will take notice and want to come here.

Very happy with how we have started despite the match day spectator frustrations.

Brown has built a squad who clearly get on well and play for each other.

 

[Pedge1971]

I think something as simple as Ross to fullback and Elliot to wing would make the world of difference to our team. The amount of energy and enthusiasm that Ross brings to the side is immense- you just know that what he'd lack in play making skills would be made up for with his support play. 12 months ago I wouldn't have believed it, but he's wasted on the wing.

Why? Ross killed it today. Leave him in his current role.

 

[Rudderriffic]

Why? Ross killed it today. Leave him in his current role.

Because his current role is no where near as important to the team's ongoing success as Fullback? And he has more than earnt his shot.

Elliot looked like a career winger playing fullback. It was fine today, but down the stretch (unless there is a massive improvement) it will cost us.

Pete Mat was great (and I have never been a fan of his), Lamb was awesome, Barnett is exactly what we have been missing for years. Promising from the middle guys too. I wish Yates had a larger frame because I love everything about his football aside from his size. Stone looks like a kid, but he ran some excellent lines today.

I thought the opening of the game from us was impressive. Very assertive, tone setting play in both attack and defence. They dropped off after some freakish tries. I remember similar situations last year where we faced adversity like that and crumbled. We didn't do that today, which is promising. Love the passionate reaction when we won too. We have some talent, if we play with intent we may do half decent this season.

 

[Knightmare]

Without going full Skeepe..........................

The refereeing performance was simply shit.

This.

True, it shouldn't have been such an effort to get the win against a depleted side and yes, the inability to wrap up Titans players was comically bad at times BUT...

There's a problem when match officials come to a game expecting that the Knights will lose, based on recent form and the betting odds. It causes an unconscious bias against us in 50/50 calls, and if the Knights do get out to a lead, there's a little voice in the head of the officials going "Newcastle is LEADING this game? Somethings' wrong here" and they leap on any reason to return things to "normal". Because (unlike the Broncos, Roosters or Souths) if the Knights get screwed it won't make the back-page. There won't be mass-demand for a crackdown on the refs. A large portion of the more casual NRL audience won't have bothered to watch our games. They'll just see the result and figure "Nothing to see here- Knights are shit" and leave it at that.

It also doesn't help that as far as the NRL is concerned, the Knights are that irrelevant, unfashionable bunch of losers up the road. They're not that special handful of Sydney clubs or the Broncos where they'll bend over backwards to accommodate us. We don't have the membership numbers, the financial clout or the interest of the casual fans to matter much to them whatsoever. They only care about Newcastle for having a token presence and that's it.

BUT....already equalled last seasons' W/L record and we're not bottom of the ladder.

 

[Knight76]

Very happy with how we have started despite the match day spectator frustrations.

What happened?

 

[Knight76]

Imagine living in the alternate universe where Hodko gets done for steroids and Mullen is our half. Geez that would be great and much easier to support.

Yeah, then Mullen blows his hamstring out the next match!

 

[perverse]

Yeah, then Mullen blows his hamstring out the next match!

At least I don't have to watch Hodko defer to a bunch of kids every week.

 

[Pedge1971]

Because his current role is no where near as important to the team's ongoing success as Fullback? And he has more than earnt his shot.

Elliot looked like a career winger playing fullback. It was fine today, but down the stretch (unless there is a massive improvement) it will cost us.

Pete Mat was great (and I have never been a fan of his), Lamb was awesome, Barnett is exactly what we have been missing for years. Promising from the middle guys too. I wish Yates had a larger frame because I love everything about his football aside from his size. Stone looks like a kid, but he ran some excellent lines today.

I thought the opening of the game from us was impressive. Very assertive, tone setting play in both attack and defence. They dropped off after some freakish tries. I remember similar situations last year where we faced adversity like that and crumbled. We didn't do that today, which is promising. Love the passionate reaction when we won too. We have some talent, if we play with intent we may do half decent this season.

What makes u think putting Ross at fb when he is already alternating very successfully between wing and centre and playing a great planned role in attack will make ua better?

Leave it alone and find a bloke who can hold that spot.