Match Discussion: Round 4 vs Dragons @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[slotmachine]

Tried hard, played dumb.

If we don't beat manly things are looking pretty grim finals wise.

 

[Spot On]

Once Connor gets a go at 5/8 and is actually kept there, he’ll kill it.

And this is another problem with the coaching.

Please pick the best 17 available and don't f**k around with the spine anymore.

It was obvious who should have been selected 1 to 17 in R1.

Now we are at R5 and hopefully it is become clear to Brown.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

The thing that frustrates me the most when watching the team play atm is that we don’t seem to have any intention of attacking at all until we get to the 20 metre zone and then we only seem to have 2 plays, either give the ball to Ponga and expect him to create something on the left or attempt a crash over try with the forwards.

Outside of those two plays when we’re outside the 20 metre zone we just plod our way up field and then put up a bomb. It’s literally the same set of 6 over and over again from us all game, we don’t do anything even remotely creative with the ball. The forwards just run one out and we don’t get early ball to the backs at all. Ramien has received early ball once in the first 4 rounds and he scored a try so why didn’t we give him the ball as much as possible.

It seems like we’re trying to play percentage footy but that doesn’t mean much if we don’t actually threaten to score for about 80% of the time that we have the ball.

Overall we’ve been in every game through our improved defence but we’re just not threatening enough with the ball at the moment, Brown needs to identify and fix it.

 

[Zoidberg]

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves with Ponga to 1, Watson to 6, problem solved thing. The reason Ponga went to 5/8 I feel is due to his defence compared to Watson’s. We don’t want to take a backward step with our defence with teams targeting and breaking through Watson all game. Last year it was a big issue with us until Sione (from centre) moved inside Watson in the defensive line, which I think worked well.

 

[slotmachine]

Watson is a solid defender. He can't pass.

 

[Spot On]

Not sure Watson was the issue in defence last season Zoid.

 

[Pedge1971]

We realistically are a 5 to 8 team at best. The problem is we have now been beaten by 3 teams who we are in direct competition with for those 5 to 8 spots which means we have to knock over one or 2 of Melb, Roosters, or Souffs and beat all those other teams 2nd time around to be a viable top 8 chance. I dont think this team the way they are playing are capable.

It is clear the referees are letting teams stand off-side and lie all over the tackled player so why arent we doing it? The top teams (Roosters, Melb, Souffs) have stifling defence and brilliant counter-attack whereby when the ball is turned over they can react quickly to get the ball in hands of speed men who can score from anywhere.

We dont throw an attacking play in anger until we are in oppositions 22m and this year teams seem to be easily defending that part of the field. Again, by standing off-side and lying all over the ruck and getting away with it.

Soooo.......we need to stand deeper in attack and be prepared to chance our arm more or 9 to 11 (which is where I currently think we will end up) could easily become 14 to 16.

Oh and if I see one more f**king midfield bomb by Pearce down the throat of the opposition fullback I am gonna deadset kick the shit out of the telly. Ffs stand deeper and put it on the ground in the corner!

 

[slotmachine]

It is clear the referees are letting teams stand off-side and lie all over the tackled player so why arent we doing it?

We got away with murder in that regard against the raiders. Gavet should have given away 10 penalties himself.

 

[Pedge1971]

We got away with murder in that regard against the raiders. Gavet should have given away 10 penalties himself.

Fair. We went away from that yesterday.

 

[Spot On]

I thought we were taking a little liberty standing in front of the ref last night at times.

As Slots said, Gavet got away with murder the week before. I don't know how.

We need more than 1 kicking option. Bloody predictable.

 

[Woosh]

Not sure Watson was the issue in defence last season Zoid.

Who was then?

 

[Yosh]

The first four games of the season we have conceded: 8, 16, 18 and 13. When was the last time a Knights team went four games in a row conceding less than 20 points a match?

In the three games we lost, we lost by 2, 7 and 1. As a long time Knights fan, those stats are bloody impressive in my eyes. In years gone by we would have probably folded and got dumped on. Our 1-3 record doesn't look pretty but our defense has been immense this season.

I believe a strong season is built on defense. And we have started so strongly in this regard. Our attack will get better as the season goes on.

 

[Zoidberg]

Not sure Watson was the issue in defence last season Zoid.

Can’t say I agree from memory. Might have been the bad reads of a few players but I remember a few problems down his edge

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I get the impression from the post match interview that Brown wants to stick with Lino for a while but he also sees a future for Watson. That would leave Mann out

 

[Spot On]

Who was then?

No prizes for guessing that one.

The commentators on Fox were openly questioning our right side defence again last night.

No secret we have issues there, as per usual.

 

[Knight76]

Isn't it a thing that most teams left side attack is their strong side, makes sense that right side defences will be weaker.

 

[Woosh]

We don’t want to take a backward step with our defence with teams targeting and breaking through Watson all game. Last year it was a big issue with us until Sione (from centre) moved inside Watson in the defensive line, which I think worked well.

LOL what?
Surely you are taking the piss.

 

[Knight Vision]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/23d1e2d5fbb7f145d4bdc3f1816857f0

No 2 ways about it, this set was amature hour and sits on Pearce for mine. This is about calm game management and directing players on where they need to be. Pearce does have problems seizing the big moments unfortunately.

 

[slotmachine]

The commentators on Fox were openly questioning our right side defence again last night.

Buderus called out sione and said teams were targeting him. What would he know about defence though.

 

[Spot On]

Buderus called out sione and said teams were targeting him. What would he know about defence though.

This fact seems to have been ignored by some of our great forumites don't you think Slots????????

Oh dear, how will Knight Vision, Swarzey and Fred feel about Buderus and the other Fox Commentators publicly identifying Sione as our weak link and a poor defender????

Opinions guys??

I mean, the Newcastle Knights club legend Danny Buderus was openly and publicly highlighting one of our players as a horrible defender and saying his side is being targetted because of said poor defense and telling viewers it has to fixed or his side will constantly be targetted and the team will continue to suffer.

C'mon you weak pricks - lets see you twist this one around.

Knight Vision takes on board everything past NRL greats say as gospel. Do you refute Danny boys attack on Sione KV??? Swarzey?? Fred??

Or are you big enough to admit you got carried away with the herd and got it wrong.

Or does Danny boy just need to get laid Fred? C'mon Fred, let's see if you can make a sensible footy related and original comment in your smart arse response. Or are you far too busy to drop in and make debate about who is the most shit defender? Don't disappoint us, give us one of your better immature one liners when you do find time to chime in. Original opinion may be a little beyond you.

Bloody Buderus, no f**king idea that bloke.

Lol.