Match Discussion: Round 9 vs Bulldogs @ Suncorp Stadium

[Mr_Knightside]

While the second half was frustrating to watch it was quite satisfying to see us win a game on the back of our defence which hasn’t happened in a while. I know the Bulldogs aren’t a great side right now but we held them to only 2 tries and one of those was a 95 metre intercept.

Some of our errors in the second half were concerning and we definitely gave them a sniff when we shouldn’t have but we defended pretty well all things considered.

We’re still a work in progress and the goal needs to be a consistent 80 minute performance because we still haven’t delivered that yet but there was still a fair bit to like in the toughness that we’ve showed over the last few weeks. We’ve got the dragons coming up next week which will be a real test as they’ve got a strong forward pack so hopefully we’ll take it too them.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I'm a big fan off Ese'ese as a middle forward however I wonder how he would go as a back rower. He's big, quick, very agile and can offload. He's basically got all the attributes to be a quality second rower. I wonder how the team would go if we put Barnett on the bench to relieve the middle forwards and replaced him out wide with Eseése.

 

[Knight Vision]

We’re still a work in progress and the goal needs to be a consistent 80 minute performance because we still haven’t delivered that yet

Consistency will take some time yet.Having a quick look through our teams NRL experience and the only players in our team (besides Pearce (261) and SKD (262)) with over 100 NRL games are Klemmer (121) and Glasby (118 ). Most of our players are hovering around 60 NRL games.

Compared to the teams in the top 4 we have about half their NRL experience. Out of the top 4 Storm look to have the least experienced team but still have a few old heads and a system that's been in place for at least a decade.

I remember Matty Johns saying it takes at least 50 games for a player to realise what it takes to be an NRL player. If that's the case the penny has only just dropped for our boys.

 

[Knight Vision]

Barnett also has the quickest PTB of our forwards, in the dogs and warriors games 2nd wasn't close.

I think as a team we've had the quickest play the ball compared to every team we've played this year.

 

[Spot On]

Congrats to the players and coaching staff for turning their form around the past 3 weeks. It was always going to be a much tougher game than what the Warriors dished out last week and I think Pay is doing a great job with what he has. Yes we were lucky to get the win imo but it's another 2 points snd we are alive and hopefully still improving.

Defense has definitely improved out of sight, line speed is there when needed and structures have continued to improve. I think Wolfe has improved our technique out of sight compared to last season and I can't wait to see it tested against the better sides over the coming 6 weeks or so.

Still think we need more support from some of our big men when in posession of the ball and Herman looked like he might be one to put his hand up for that job at times yesterday.

Our attack is often too predictable and we don't offer up much change in angles imo. Hasler has Manly looking very dangerous in attack with their halves and back rowers all changing angles by turning players under and not being dominated as much in the ruck. It then opens the next play up more often. Brings Levi and Pearce into the game more often too. I'd love to see that part of our attack develop in coming months.

I thought we had plenty of opportunity to put the game away in the first 15 mins of the second half but we seemed way too flat in attack.

 

[Old dog]

Think what we lack is “winning culture” so when in front and something goes wrong, like an intercept try, then doom, gloom and here we go again takes over. Well in front at half time, talk is don’t make mistakes, don’t take for granted, play starts, mistake or ref decision is dubious, again doom and gloom and confidence is lacking. Three wins on trot and hopefully confidence is building, individual players take more responsibility and a new culture has begun, at least I hope so.
With the fit players we have yesterdays side was as good as we have I think, might tweet one or two positions but 17 selected was our best

 

[NK Arsenal]

So when's the last time we won 3 in a row? Perhaps back when Joey was playing?

2017

Parra, Saints and the Warriors were our victims in that particular stretch of games

Very strange to believe we could be as high as 5th if we manage to get a win next weekend in Mudgee. Would be the first time we’ve done 4 wins in a row since rounds 1-4 in 2015.

 

[Yosh]

If we had started the season like the last three weeks, I reckon we would be unbeaten and first. Or is that too optimistic?

 

[Knight Vision]

If we had started the season like the last three weeks, I reckon we would be unbeaten and first. Or is that too optimistic?

safe to say we should never have lost to Titans, lost by 1 to Saints and should have beaten the Panthers. Should be at least another 2 - 6 points up the ladder and well in the 8

 

[Yosh]

If we had started the season like the last three weeks, I reckon we would be unbeaten and first. Or is that too optimistic?

 

[Spot On]

At the moment, it looks as though we are one of a large number of teams that will fart and splutter their way to fighting for a position in the bottom 4 of the top 8. Outside the Roosters, Rabbits and Storm and maybe the Sharks and Manly if they get their star players back, the rest are a fair few levels below.

 

[Knight Vision]

If we had started the season like the last three weeks, I reckon we would be unbeaten and first. Or is that too optimistic?

on points diff we are currently 6th. I reckon that's about where we would be on the ladder if it werent for a couple of stupid games

Good chance of jumping right up there with a win next week.

 

[aqua_duck]

Interesting criticism of Barnett, before yesterday he had 4 games on the edge for 2 tries, 1 line break, 2 tackle breaks and 4 offloads.

The bloke he replaced had 0 tries, 1 line break, 3 tackle breaks and 0 offloads in the same number of games.

Barnett also made more tackles, less missed tackles, more metres, more post-contact metres. Don't think he's going to lose his starting spot while we are winning.

The two tries he scored were effort tries one where he ran hard and received a nice short ball from Gavet that no one was expecting and the other was chasing a grubber kick. I think where you're misunderstanding is that you think we don't rate Barnett, which isn't the case, no one ever accused him of not being a good tackler, no one ever accused him of not making metres, and right now he probably is our best option on the edge but that speaks more to our lack of options. Also missed tackle stats aren't always a great indicator for edge players, Barnett's problem in defence isn't completing the tackle, it's actually getting a hold of the player, Tyrone Roberts burnt him bad in the Titans game yet that won't go down as missed tackles because not a hand was laid.

 

[slotmachine]

So what's the solution? Sione is objectively worse. Fermor can't play until July 1. Jones isn't as good.

 

[Spot On]

There is no better option. We need to recruit a quality backrower and hope a couple of the younger blokes come on.

 

[Old dog]

Could consider Ese’ese in for Barnett or JSaf if he can get to full fitness soon, would probably mean bringing in King with Barnett or Sione to bench.

 

[aqua_duck]

So what's the solution? Sione is objectively worse. Fermor can't play until July 1. Jones isn't as good.

As I said Barnett is realistically our best option at the moment though Fermor should come into consideration later in the season.
I think next off season it should be a position we should look at in terms of recruitment given Guerra's horrendous injury and Sione looking more effective off the bench. Luckily for us I think edge backrow is probably one of the easier positions to find talent on the open market, quick look on the off contract list and there's quite a few options like Rhyse Martin, Michael Chee Kam, Briton Nikora, Tepai Moeroa, Alex Glenn, Joel Thompson, Joe Stimson, Hudson Young (Knights junior), Ethan Lowe, Manu Ma'u etc.

 

[Jono078]

2017

Parra, Saints and the Warriors were our victims in that particular stretch of games

Very strange to believe we could be as high as 5th if we manage to get a win next weekend in Mudgee. Would be the first time we’ve done 4 wins in a row since rounds 1-4 in 2015.

NVM.

 

[Pedge1971]

Agree we need more work on the rhs. No expert but I reckon blaming 1 player is unfair and Watson, Barnett and Ramien himself all need to have a look at the video and communicate better. We dont have a definitive better option right now so work on what we have.

Yes Watson goes to Barnett but is Mitch running good lines and is Jesse positioning himself in the right space off both his inside men for the play we are running?

Also one for the coaches. Both Ponga and Pearce have long passing games and most of the opporunities in the game today come from hitting one side and denting the line followed by 2 quick long shifts of the ball to isolate the centre and his defender on the other side.

If Connor cannot make that 2nd long ball then change his role and position Ponga or another to make that play.

Not sure what the answer is but we have this years deck and need to play it as best we can.

 

[aqua_duck]

Agree we need more work on the rhs. No expert but I reckon blaming 1 player is unfair and Watson, Barnett and Ramien himself all need to have a look at the video and communicate better. We dont have a definitive better option right now so work on what we have.

Yes Watson goes to Barnett but is Mitch running good lines and is Jesse positioning himself in the right space off both his inside men for the play we are running?

Also one for the coaches. Both Ponga and Pearce have long passing games and most of the opporunities in the game today come from hitting one side and denting the line followed by 2 quick long shifts of the ball to isolate the centre and his defender on the other side.

If Connor cannot make that 2nd long ball then change his role and position Ponga or another to make that play.

Not sure what the answer is but we have this years deck and need to play it as best we can.

It's hard to really tell what kind of lines Ramien is running because the ball usually never makes it that far to be honest, in terms of Mitch, he runs a nice straight line but that's about it, I personally think it's too methodical and pre meditated and no one in the team has good enough left to right passing to pull off the those plays, we're better lining up deeper on that side and just giving Ramien and co quick early ball