Match Discussion: Round 3 vs Wests Tigers @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2021 - Round 3
Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers
McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton (TICKETS)
Sunday 28 March 2021

NSW Cup 1:45pm -- NRL kickoff 4:05pm

1. Tex Hoy 2. Starford To'a 3. Enari Tuala 4. Bradman Best 5. Hymel Hunt 6. Kurt Mann 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Connor Watson
Interchange: 14. Sauaso Sue 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Josh King 17. Brodie Jones 18. Gehamat Shibasaki 19. Pasami Saulo 20. Dominic Young 21. Simi Sasagi

1. Daine Laurie 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Tommy Talau 4. James Roberts 5. Asu Kepaoa 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Luke Brooks 8. Zane Musgrove 9. Jacob Liddle 10. James Tamou 11. Luke Garner 12. Luciano Leilua 13. Alex Twal
Interchange: 14. Joe Ofahengaue 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Stefano Utoikamanu 17. Moses Mbye 18. Michael Chee-Kam 19. Joseph Leilua 20. Russell Packer 21. Alex Seyfarth

Referees: Gerard Sutton
Sideline Officials: Belinda Sharpe, Chris Butler
Video Referees: Henry Perenara

NSW Cup as a curtain raiser - Knights v Western Suburbs (WST feeder). 1:45pm at McDonald Jones​

 

[Jono078]

Should be confident of getting the two here but man previous history tells me this is exactly the kind of game we lose.

Already seems to be some drama at the Tigers and I'm sure they'll come out strong, but if we can score early then hopefully we go on with the job and rack up a score.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Pearcey's 300th... Surely we get the win here

 

[Burwood]

If only Best was lining up the right hand side of the field. He’d eat BJ alive.

 

[Old dog]

If only Best was lining up the right hand side of the field. He’d eat BJ alive.

That’s a big feed, lol

 

[Knight76]

If we have turned around our up and down form from last year we win this.

This is exactly the type of game we would not turn up for last year, particularly if it were an away game.

 

[Silent Knight]

I wish Kalyn was playing in this game because he normally puts on a show against the Tigers.

I don't think we'll blow them off the park while Ponga and Green are still out. If we can get away with a 1-2 try win I'll be happy.

 

[ShuShuShu]

Should be confident of getting the two here but man previous history tells me this is exactly the kind of game we lose.

Already seems to be some drama at the Tigers and I'm sure they'll come out strong, but if we can score early then hopefully we go on with the job and rack up a score.

yep , totally agree on both points.

hopefully O'Brien gets them to turn up and not take the Tiges lightly

 

[Yosh]

We don't seem as fragile as we were in the past. Can't really see us losing this and BJ always plays stupid against us. Us by 20.

 

[slotmachine]

BJ might get dropped after how bad he went yesterday.

 

[Jono078]

We don't seem as fragile as we were in the past. Can't really see us losing this and BJ always plays stupid against us. Us by 20.

What makes you say that just 2 games into the season? We would’ve lost to the Warriors if not for some Best magic!

 

[Rodney Rude]

What makes you say that just 2 games into the season? We would’ve lost to the bulldogs if not for some Best magic!

You mean the Warriors?

 

[Silent Knight]

You mean the Warriors?

Nah I'm pretty sure he meant the Gramercy Riffs.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

What makes you say that just 2 games into the season? We would’ve lost to the Warriors if not for some Best magic!

Missing key players, in other years we would just fold, Ponga, Fitz, Green and one of Hodgson/Young eventually and this team will be ready to fire.

 

[Yosh]

What makes you say that just 2 games into the season? We would’ve lost to the Warriors if not for some Best magic!

Well a couple of things.

We are winning the forward battle. Warriors have a strong pack and we didn't get overrun or intimidated at all.

We won both without Ponga.

We were pressured heavily against the Warriors due to the six again count but we didn't fall apart and kept defending strong.

Two of their tries I felt were due to Toa. Not blaming him but perhaps if Hunt was down that side, we wouldn't have conceded them two.

We were down with 6 to go and in previous seasons we would have either - done nothing to win the game or give it to Ponga hoping he does something magical. However, we kept going at them and we set up Best to get us that try. It wasn't just give it to Best and hope he beats a couple. We made good metres and when they were a little on the back foot, we gave him early ball and Hunt backed up brilliantly.

Saifiti and King have looked great off the bench. In previous years we lost a lot of momentum when our bench forwards came on but we don't lose a thing now. Could just be great bench rotation by O'Brian but we look solid and strong all 80 minutes.

Hoy has been very average with the ball but has not really put a step wrong when defending. Can't see us letting in stupid tries if Hoy keeps it up.

Also, general atmosphere? When I've watched the team in previous years, it felt as if we were just one call or one drop ball away from blowing up a lead or falling apart. This year it seems there is a lot more mental toughness about the team? Maybe it's Friz? Maybe it's the co-captaincy choice? Even Pearce is playing less like a dud.

Once we get Ponga and Green in the side, I think we will start putting 50 on the bottom 5-6 sides.

 

[Jono078]

Fair enough mate. Personally I’m not ready to call it just yet. Roosters are missing 6 starters and demolished the tigers so I don’t want to use that excuse of us missing players.

We’ve also started the last couple of years pretty strong so that’s another reason I’m holding out on saying we’ve turned the corner.

Anyway, big test this Sunday - will be super disappointing one to lose and I’m sure we’ll see the best the Tigers have to offer, to get their first win.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Fair enough mate. Personally I’m not ready to call it just yet. Roosters are missing 6 starters and demolished the tigers so I don’t want to use that excuse of us missing players.

We’ve also started the last couple of years pretty strong so that’s another reason I’m holding out on saying we’ve turned the corner.

Anyway, big test this Sunday - will be super disappointing one to lose and I’m sure we’ll see the best the Tigers have to offer, to get their first win.

Them missing players doesn’t mean much, the back ups would walk into most teams in the league.

 

[Jono078]

Them missing players doesn’t mean much, the back ups would walk into most teams in the league.

Yeah but it's a mentality thing. Build a club that accepts no less and the backups are ready to go and know their roles. Their backups may have potential but so do a lot of our juniors who come up. You never know the Storm's backups until the end of the season when they are then being considered for rep teams.

That's all my point is.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Im confident we'll win this one. Our boys look and are playing with steel, if not polished steel, and the Tigers are a hot mess that i doubt Madge has time to fix

 

[Burwood]

Unlike past years, they seem like a more resilient bunch and able to withstand a bit of pressure when it starts to build up. Hopefully AOB has fixed the consistency problem from last year where they'd follow a win up with a loss. They need to start stringing wins together and not going WLWLWLWLW.