Match Discussion: Round 20 vs Brisbane @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[mozza91]

That was grim. So much plod. And it was f**k off cold as well. That cold my dick is now an innie.

 

[Apey]

Yeah it was classic Knights. A few fluffed opportunities to start with, you could even say we came out better to start with. Then we drop the ball another half a dozen times, giving the opposition the ball back over and over literally until they score and it's all downhill from there.

It was probably over when Best went off tbh. Lucas is great but obviously not a centre. Perhaps the scariest and most embarrassing part of our squad is once Best goes off, who is our threatening player? Who does Ponga pass to?

Ponga still looks a little tentative too which didn't help when there were some chances. I noticed he's passing the ball a bit too early, doesn't have that 100% confidence back yet of running right into the line. Can't do much about that except wait, but man when none of your playmakers are taking the line on, you get that embarrassing attack we saw in the Broncos 20 today.

Our squad is just embarrassing and that 10 game run last year really covered up the cracks and earned the coach three more years.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I sat in what felt like 2 or 3 degrees to watch that?

 

[Apey]

I sat in what felt like 2 or 3 degrees to watch that?

I ended up leaving after Broncos hit 30 and missed our last two tries, lol.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

Yeah it was classic Knights. A few fluffed opportunities to start with, you could even say we came out better to start with. Then we drop the ball another half a dozen times, giving the opposition the ball back over and over literally until they score and it's all downhill from there.

It was probably over when Best went off tbh. Lucas is great but obviously not a centre. Perhaps the scariest and most embarrassing part of our squad is once Best goes off, who is our threatening player? Who does Ponga pass to?

Ponga still looks a little tentative too which didn't help when there were some chances. I noticed he's passing the ball a bit too early, doesn't have that 100% confidence back yet of running right into the line. Can't do much about that except wait, but man when none of your playmakers are taking the line on, you get that embarrassing attack we saw in the Broncos 20 today.

Our squad is just embarrassing and that 10 game run last year really covered up the cracks and earned the coach three more years.

Yeah, in hindsight that run did more harm than good. It saved AOB and a few dud players but it was all down to nothing more than a purple patch of form by an Elite player and some handy work from a winger we let go.

 

[Nuke]

Hastings took half an hour to miss..

Hastings with an ineffective kick. Anyone genuinely surprised?

 

[Nuke]

Here we are, basically an hour after the final siren. Let's review what happened.
Knights home game. Full house. Season on the line. Playing a team who were coming in with a 6-game losing steak and whose season was also on the line.
Knights lost. Didn't look in the game. Played the other team into form.

What was the overall consensus of opinion, predictions made in the lead-up top the game by those on here? That exact scenario in the above paragraph.

This is such a frustrating and aggravating team to support. Yet we continue to do so. That's on us, but the rest is up to the players and coaching staff.

Early prediction for next week: Bye 13+.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Honestly I thought the effort was definitely there. We were very willing in the first 20 mins, especially in defence. But as has been stated already, that error from Leo was clearly deflating to them after they did so well to turn the Broncos away for so long.

We seem able to defend well for decent patches but our attack is so bad that if we go behind by 2 tries or more at any point in the game we’re just done and the floodgates start to open. That’s on coaching more than anything.

 

[Wizardman]

Here we are, basically an hour after the final siren. Let's review what happened.
Knights home game. Full house. Season on the line. Playing a team who were coming in with a 6-game losing steak and whose season was also on the line.
Knights lost. Didn't look in the game. Played the other team into form.

What was the overall consensus of opinion, predictions made in the lead-up top the game by those on here? That exact scenario in the above paragraph.

This is such a frustrating and aggravating team to support. Yet we continue to do so. That's on us, but the rest is up to the players and coaching staff.

Early prediction for next week: Bye 13+.

Sadly, I think your team on the whole does things very slowly......and it has been that way all year. Your halves and hooker just don't do things quickly....which leads to slow ball and ineffective attack.
We have had some slow halves in the history of our game who have been very effective. But, the way the modern game is played, a slow half is just not a great indicator of future success. Fire Hastings/Cogger to the sun and find a quicker 7 to start with.

 

[Apey]

Sadly, I think your team on the whole does things very slowly......and it has been that way all year. Your halves and hooker just don't do things quickly....which leads to slow ball and ineffective attack.
We have had some slow halves in the history of our game who have been very effective. But, the way the modern game is played, a slow half is just not a great indicator of future success. Fire Hastings/Cogger to the sun and find a quicker 7 to start with.

Yep the game is the fastest its ever been and we're operating at an absolute snail's pace.

 

[Woody90]

Sadly, I think your team on the whole does things very slowly......and it has been that way all year. Your halves and hooker just don't do things quickly....which leads to slow ball and ineffective attack.
We have had some slow halves in the history of our game who have been very effective. But, the way the modern game is played, a slow half is just not a great indicator of future success. Fire Hastings/Cogger to the sun and find a quicker 7 to start with.

Yep, that’s been a major issue all year. Sadly Hastings and Brailey are cooked physically after repeated leg injuries (and the alternative Cogger is just slow). The sad part is that I think Hastings can still read the game well but unfortunately he’s just too cooked to execute. Even if he spots something, by the time we’re actually able to get the ball there the opposition have smothered us.

I still think we need to give Gamble a run at 7 with Pryce at 6. I know he’s not a natural halfback but the coach doesn’t allow us to have attacking plays to organise anyway. Not a long-term option by any means but anything has got to be better than what we have now until something better comes along.

 

[Wizardman]

Yep, that’s been a major issue all year. Sadly Hastings and Brailey are cooked physically after repeated leg injuries (and the alternative Cogger is just slow). The sad part is that I think Hastings can still read the game well but unfortunately he’s just too cooked to execute. Even if he spots something, by the time we’re actually able to get the ball there the opposition have smothered us.

I still think we need to give Gamble a run at 7 with Pryce at 6. I know he’s not a natural halfback but the coach doesn’t allow us to have attacking plays to organise anyway. Not a long-term option by any means but anything has got to be better than what we have now until something better comes along.

In the 80s, Hastings would have been sensational. He has never been quick.....but his problem is that with the 6 agains and all that...the game has never been quicker.

 

[Woody90]

In the 80s, Hastings would have been sensational. He has never been quick.....but his problem is that with the 6 agains and all that...the game has never been quicker.

To be fair to him he did ok last year (we had the best attack in the comp so the halfback must have been doing something right) but this last injury has just caused him to lose another bit of pace that he couldn’t afford to (not helped by Brailey also coming back much slower). He can’t kick the ball far or high either now which isn’t acceptable for a halfback.

I will say though in his defence, I think a lot of his poor plays have also been coached.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Yeah Hastings’ problem is he does everything a bit worse (or a lot worse) than pretty much every other first grade starting halfback in the comp. He is the slowest, can’t kick very far, doesn’t have a step and doesn’t have a bullet pass or anything like that in his game either. His defence is decent but his lateral movement is so bad that being able to tackle doesn’t really help that much when you can’t reach the player you’re trying to tackle.

It’s a shame because I like his attitude but he just isn’t physically up to the NRL anymore.

I hope O’Sullivan can go and find the best young half from wherever who’s not likely to get a first grade gig at their current club and sign them up asap. Basically we need Isaiah Katoa 2.0

 

[Zoidberg]

In the presser, O’brien said something along the lines of - Gamble took on most of the kicking which we’ll have to look at.
I heard that as, game plan had Hastings as main kicker but during the game the ball went to Gamble more, which is interesting. Do the players realise Gamble has a better kick so they just went to him?

 

[slotmachine]

Gamblor had
a) a kick that found grass, the broncos were pinned deep and spread the ball and dropped it giving us possession inside their 20.
b) a kick that ended up a try assist for Croker

No wonder AOB is so unhappy.

 

[Yosh]

I've been calling for Gamble to 7 for a while now. It literally can't get any worse. What can Hastings do that Gamble can't? Also I think Gamlbe is humble enough to let the other star players shine and he can just stick to his job. His attitude was a concern before he came but has been sensational as a Knight. Hastings on the other hand is more interested in fighting the opposition than beating them.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I've been calling for Gamble to 7 for a while now. It literally can't get any worse. What can Hastings do that Gamble can't? Also I think Gamlbe is humble enough to let the other star players shine and he can just stick to his job. His attitude was a concern before he came but has been sensational as a Knight. Hastings on the other hand is more interested in fighting the opposition than beating them.

Im starting to warm to the idea Yosh, you might have been onto something here mate

Jackson has lost the good things he came to the club with and i think its mostly due to that bung ankle. His goal kicking is about the only thing that didnt suffer surprisingly but his speed (what little he did have), general play kicking and selective passing have all nose dived.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Im starting to warm to the idea Yosh, you might have been onto something here mate

Jackson has lost the good things he came to the club with and i think its mostly due to that bung ankle. His goal kicking is about the only thing that didnt suffer surprisingly but his speed (what little he did have), general play kicking and selective passing have all nose dived.

Yeah. Last year he still had physical deficiencies, but not as bad as he is currently. His general pass selection and smarts made up for it then and I considered his footy IQ quite high. With his physical deterioration, it's probably put a big knock on the confidence, but his smarts have gone out the window, his passes are premeditated and goes short to KPP nearly every time which is nauseating to watch. I have a theory that most probably don't, but I think physically he knows he's shot and him going short to KPP is the only way he thinks he can stand out with some try assists etc.

What I want to know is, is he putting the team first or himself first at the moment? Given his off-field history and the way he's currently playing I honestly question whether he's got a team first mentality as someone like Gamble.

 

[Old dog]

Time to bite the bullet, Hastings to rehab, fix or retirement. Pick new 7, young Sutton from Cup would be the best long term choice With Gamble at 6.
Other changes should be made with 2025 vision