Match Discussion: Round 3 vs Melbourne @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

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NRL 2024 - Round 3
Newcastle Knights v Melbourne Storm
McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal, New Lambton (TICKETS)

Sunday 24 March 2024
NRL kickoff 6:15pm
Broadcast live on Fox, Kayo.

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Jed Cartwright 18. Brodie Jones 19. Will Pryce 20. Mathew Croker 21. Dylan Lucas 22. Jackson Hastings

Out: Greg Marzhew (wing)
In: Enari Tuala (wing), Jayden Brailey (bench), Brodie Jones (bench), Will Pryce (bench), Mat Croker (reserve), Dylan Lucas (reserve)
Changes: Jackson Hastings (halfback to reserve), Jack Cogger (bench to halfback)

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Jonah Pezet 7. Tyran Wishart 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Kane Bradley 15. Tepai Moeroa 16. Chris Lewis 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Grant Anderson 19. Aaron Pene 20. Jack Howarth 21. Marion Seve 22. Shawn Blore

Out: Jahrome Hughes (halfback), Christian Welch (bench)
In: Kane Bradley (bench), Tepai Moeroa (bench), Grant Anderson (bench), Aaron Pene (bench), Jack Howarth (reserve), Marion Seve (reserve), Shawn Blore (reserve)
Changes: Tyran Wishart (bench to halfback)

Referee: Grant Atkins
Sideline Officials: Wyatt Raymond, Matt Noyen
Video Referee: Liam Kennedy

---

H2H since 1998: 46 matches, Newcastle 16 Melbourne 30
McDonald Jones: 20 matches, Newcastle 11 Melbourne 9
Last met: 2023 R21 - Newcastle 26-18, McDonald Jones

Biggest wins:
Newcastle 38-6 (2000, R2 at Marathon)
Newcastle 48-16 (2001, R19 at Marathon)
Melbourne 50-2 (2022, R8 at McDonald Jones)

Next game:
R4: Warriors v Newcastle, Go Media
R4: Melbourne bye; R5: Melbourne v Brisbane, AAMI​

 

[Nuke]

Oh, I hope we win this one...

 

[Burwood]

No Hughes, and hopefully they give Munster 1 more week to fully recover before the Round 4 bye.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Must win.

Therefore, I'm sure we'll manage to get a massive crowd and do everything possible to lose 13+

 

[mozza91]

Hopefully no Munster and Hughes for them. I’m sure we’ll still f**k it up though.

 

[Old dog]

No Munster and Hughes would be great but worried we will have no Brailey

 

[Woody90]

Will 100% be like that game in Penrith last year. Even with key players out we couldn’t get the job done.

I don’t think we’ll get flogged but can’t see a win either. We can usually do pretty well against the Storm but can’t see us being able to score points.

 

[Apey]

Can we skip to Round 4... uhh Round 5 actually.

 

[Yosh]

No excuses if both Hughes and Munster are out. I reckon both Gamble and Hastings are last chance saloon territory and if they can't guide us to a win, one of both should get the chop.

 

[macavity]

Jacko dropped apparently.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Jacko dropped apparently.

I suspect it's more than likely he's injured given the obvious state of his ankle

2 major injuries there and the last 1 from the 1st not healing properly. Given his kick metres from the last 2 games, or more accurately his lack of kick metres, I'm sceptical we see him back anytime soon

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Looks like Marzhew out for this one too and possibly 2-3 after that

Cool cool cool cool cool

 

[Apey]

Sounds like it will be

1. Ponga
6. Gamble
7. Cogger
9. Crossland
14. Brailey

 

[Woody90]

Jacko dropped apparently.

Probably had to happen.

If it was just a form issue I’d be tending to let them play through it as a fit Hastings is a lot more talented than Cogger, but he’s clearly not fit and it’s hurting the side. Gamble and KP lucky not to go with him but I also think they’ve both been playing outside of their scope the past two weeks to try and compensate for Hastings not being right.

Credit to AOB, dropping the halfback after 2 rounds is ballsy. It’s not going to suddenly fix us (we might even get worse), but it puts the side on notice that nobody is safe.

I really like Hastings and hope he can work to get back into the side if fit, but I’m hearing he didn’t take it well.

 

[Woody90]

Sounds like it will be

1. Ponga
6. Gamble
7. Cogger
9. Crossland
14. Brailey

Regardless of anything else, this is great to see. Welcome back Capt.

 

[Yosh]

Is Brailey back? I was a little hoping we might see Pryce at 14 and see what he offers.

 

[Burwood]

I just hope it goes well with Jackson and he takes the axing in his stride. He has a bit of history of falling out with clubs when things don’t necessarily go his way. I think when fit and firing, he’s absolutely one of our top 2 halves and deserves selection.

Same thing happened to Dom last year- he was dropped a couple of games into the season after a terrible game against the Dolphins and he came back bigger and better than ever, when the easier choice would have been to sulk in reserves and agitate for an early release.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

So what happened to Marzhew? Dropped or injured?

 

[mozza91]

So what happened to Marzhew? Dropped or injured?

Wrist injury. Out for up to a month.

 

[perverse]

Jesus. Bradman and Gags are going to have to roll their sleeves up high on the weekend. Hard to see how we get out of our own end without Marzhew. He's a monster on that first carry.