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Match Discussion: Round 8 vs Sydney @ McDonald Jones Stadium

Who will win? Round 8: Newcastle v Sydney


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NRL 2021 - Round 8
Newcastle Knights v Sydney Roosters
McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton (TICKETS)
Saturday 1 May 2021

NSW Cup 5pm -- NRL kickoff 7:35pm


NEWCASTLE-2021.png


1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Starford To'a 3. Enari Tuala 4. Bradman Best 5. Brayden Musgrove 6. Kurt Mann 7. Blake Green 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. Pasami Saulo 19. Phoenix Crossland 20. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 21. Tex Hoy

SYDNEY-2021.png


1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Josh Morris 4. Joseph Manu 5. Brett Morris 6. Drew Hutchison 7. Sam Walker 8. Isaac Liu 9. Sam Verrills 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley
Interchange: 14. Benjamin Marsce 15. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 16. Nat Butcher 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho 18. Fletcher Baker 19. Matt Ikuvalu 20. Egan Butcher 21. Joseph Suaalii


fevf2bE.jpg


Referees: Matt Cecchin
Sideline Officials: David Munro, Nick Beashel
Video Referees: Alan Shortall

NSW Cup
Newcastle v Norths (SYD) at McDonald Jones, Sat 5pm​
 
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Burwood

Bench
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Good chance Teddy will be rested. Although they did seem to play better when he went off the field. :confused:
 

Yosh

Coach
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11,245
As a Knights fan, I'm rarely worried about the opposition we play on any given week. Rather, I'm mor concerned with which Knights team will turn up. Depending on which Knights team turns up, we can lose by 40 to the team coming last, or beat the minor premiers.

I hope our good team turns up this week because I think this is definitely winnable.
 

Knight Tales

Juniors
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2,343
As a Knights fan, I'm rarely worried about the opposition we play on any given week. Rather, I'm mor concerned with which Knights team will turn up. Depending on which Knights team turns up, we can lose by 40 to the team coming last, or beat the minor premiers.

I hope our good team turns up this week because I think this is definitely winnable.
Over reliance and focus on defence is actually our problem. We do the groundwork to stay in the fight but are completely cooked in attack when we get good field position. O’Brien has yet to show any attacking fluency at all. Ironic for a man Cronk says was responsible for the Storm’s set pieces when he was there.
 

Yosh

Coach
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11,245
Over reliance and focus on defence is actually our problem. We do the groundwork to stay in the fight but are completely cooked in attack when we get good field position. O’Brien has yet to show any attacking fluency at all. Ironic for a man Cronk says was responsible for the Storm’s set pieces when he was there.


Maybe, just maybe, our lads in the 6 and 7 aren't skilled enough to pull off the set pieces? It could be an issue. Perhaps that's why our attack seems a bit one dimensional. He wants to keep it simple because our halves aren't up to it? Just speculation though.

People are calling Watson's role the Watson's role. If we can figure out how to use him as a good link for set plays, I think we will be far more effective. He isn't getting on the end of offloads or doing much at the moment. I hope we do see him do more no looks passes and sniff around the ruck for offloads.
 
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Over reliance and focus on defence is actually our problem. We do the groundwork to stay in the fight but are completely cooked in attack when we get good field position. O’Brien has yet to show any attacking fluency at all. Ironic for a man Cronk says was responsible for the Storm’s set pieces when he was there.
"Over reliance on defence"

Its 50% of the game mate and having good defence doesnt make you more tired in attack, just the opposite. We just dont have good attacking structure right now and thats pretty understandable given our halfback is out, our 5/8 has been missed a game or 2 and our fullback is only on his 2nd game for the season. Couple that with the fact our spine depth is atrocious and we get out "brave loss" games
 

Mr_Knightside

Juniors
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2,155
I actually think the boys will be right up for this one. At home against the Roosters on a Saturday night I reckon there will be a big crowd too.

For us to win our forwards will need to get on top and Ponga will need a big game. He was excellent against the Sharks a couple of weeks ago but he’s had a habit of carving up the mid-lower table teams and then going missing against the top sides.

I’m not saying we’ll definitely win or anything because I know us too well to ever feel that but I reckon it’ll be a good game one way or another.
 

Knight Tales

Juniors
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"Over reliance on defence"

Its 50% of the game mate and having good defence doesnt make you more tired in attack, just the opposite. We just dont have good attacking structure right now and thats pretty understandable given our halfback is out, our 5/8 has been missed a game or 2 and our fullback is only on his 2nd game for the season. Couple that with the fact our spine depth is atrocious and we get out "brave loss" games

The new ruck interpretations is attack is now equal to defence in maintaining the midfield dominance. That is where the great sides get it and the poorer sides do not.
There is simply no way around the fact attack is a form of defence. The ball has never been more in play than ever before. You cannot simply defend well and hope to win off of mistakes.
It takes one tackle and ruck violation to reset a line properly by giving away a set restart. Hence why the poorer sides are struggling. The great sides can keep field position and not lose momentum. The lack of penalties has led to a serious imbalance. Until it goes nothing will change.
 
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Old dog

Juniors
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2,449
I have yet to see anything that makes me think Obi is a great coach, even ok ordinary. Yes he has had serious injury problems to key players but the general overall improvement is not showing.
He spent years at Storm and a year at Roosters under very good/excellent mentors but is he riding on there success and struggling as the main man. He was reportedly attack coach but we haven’t seen much he seems to emphasise defence.
Hopefully now we are getting back some long term injured things will hopefully improve and use of full squad can be achieved. We need back up players playing in correct position in reserves and training, our backup 6 should be playing 6 in reserves etc.
I feel we are almost gone for season as far as finishing top 8 and Pearce will be back to late to save us, we will need to win most of our games when he returns not only to qualify but to gain confidence
 

Yosh

Coach
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11,245
I have yet to see anything that makes me think Obi is a great coach, even ok ordinary. Yes he has had serious injury problems to key players but the general overall improvement is not showing.
He spent years at Storm and a year at Roosters under very good/excellent mentors but is he riding on there success and struggling as the main man. He was reportedly attack coach but we haven’t seen much he seems to emphasise defence.
Hopefully now we are getting back some long term injured things will hopefully improve and use of full squad can be achieved. We need back up players playing in correct position in reserves and training, our backup 6 should be playing 6 in reserves etc.
I feel we are almost gone for season as far as finishing top 8 and Pearce will be back to late to save us, we will need to win most of our games when he returns not only to qualify but to gain confidence


He is just in his second ever season as a coach. Last season was a buzz are season as any but he still got us to 8th. We were literally the worst side in the comp for many years just before he got here. Many players have improved under his tutelage.

I don't see how he is a bad coach. He was never going to make us a top 4 team in just one season. It even took the Panthers near a decade of Phil Gould magic to become a super team.

Another point, we should be thankful we got a coach like him because most talented coaches didn't want to touch us with a ten foot pole.
 
Messages
1,923
I have yet to see anything that makes me think Obi is a great coach, even ok ordinary. Yes he has had serious injury problems to key players but the general overall improvement is not showing.
He spent years at Storm and a year at Roosters under very good/excellent mentors but is he riding on there success and struggling as the main man. He was reportedly attack coach but we haven’t seen much he seems to emphasise defence.
Hopefully now we are getting back some long term injured things will hopefully improve and use of full squad can be achieved. We need back up players playing in correct position in reserves and training, our backup 6 should be playing 6 in reserves etc.
I feel we are almost gone for season as far as finishing top 8 and Pearce will be back to late to save us, we will need to win most of our games when he returns not only to qualify but to gain confidence
Point is mate, if you're defence isn't up to scratch then all the fancy attack in the world won't make up the difference

The new ruck rules has made a cohesive, concentrated and sustained team defencive effort all the more important cause you can have multiple sets of attack thrown at you throughout the game. Focusing on getting that right is paramount and the best sides do
 

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