Match Discussion: Round 9 vs Canberra @ McDonalds Park

[Jono078]

Same team as last week but Crossland in for Green and Hunt in for To'a. Saulo keep his bench spot over King.

AOB starting to annoy me more each week now. Why is Tuala continually rewarded? Why not try and mix up the forwards a bit like putting Barney in the middle and Connor impact off the bench?

Insanity - doing the same thing and expecting different results.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Same team as last week but Crossland in for Green and Hunt in for To'a. Saulo keep his bench spot over King.

AOB starting to annoy me more each week now. Why is Tuala continually rewarded? Why not try and mix up the forwards a bit like putting Barney in the middle and Connor impact off the bench?

Insanity - doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Expected much the same but I thought Lee might be back in before Hunt and Fitz might be in.
Watson should be off the bench. That's where his impact comes from.

 

[Jono078]

Expected much the same but I thought Lee might be back in before Hunt and Fitz might be in.
Watson should be off the bench. That's where his impact comes from.

Was quietly hoping for Musgrove or Toa to replace Tuala in the centres too.

I think Fitz will come in some how.

 

[perverse]

I feel like there's a case to be made for Jones starting at centre for Tuala with Fitz coming in off the bench. I think Brodie has proven enough that he can do a job there, and Tuala has proven beyond any doubt that he can't.

It's not ideal, but Tuala is only getting worse and contributes zero as far as I can see.

 

[Knight Tales]

I don’t think it is fair to bring Crossland in and expect him to fire this week. It should have been done a lot earlier when Junior first got injured to ease him in. It is what it is though.

 

[Jono078]

After watching the NSW cup highlights maybe Fitzy shouldn't come up just yet.. 2 ordinary bits of defense he was involved in where they got tries.

https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2021/05/04/knights-v-bears-nsw-cup-highlights-round-8/

Also depressing watching the reserves and how bad they look. The whole club doesn't know how to play football. I used to love when we'd dominate all the lower grades.

 

[Knight Tales]

I feel like there's a case to be made for Jones starting at centre for Tuala with Fitz coming in off the bench. I think Brodie has proven enough that he can do a job there, and Tuala has proven beyond any doubt that he can't.

It's not ideal, but Tuala is only getting worse and contributes zero as far as I can see.

Jones is not a centre according to some. He only shut down Cronulla’s left sided raids and won us the game or had a major part in that result! So the next week back to the bench. This club does not know what fate is unless it is bad ie. we feel sorry for our players and give them another week and pray they find form. We unearth a kid ready to bleed for the club due to an injury but the whole focus is whether it is fair the player loses a spot cos he was injured! What is that! Tuala is a backup. Not a top 17 player. Jones is far more talented.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Was quietly hoping for Musgrove or Toa to replace Tuala in the centres t

Same. Tuala's last chance in defence. He has strong leg drive but errors and defence kills him.

 

[perverse]

Jones is not a centre according to some. He only shut down Cronulla’s left sided raids and won us the game or had a major part in that result! So the next week back to the bench. This club does not know what fate is unless it is bad ie. we feel sorry for our players and give them another week and pray they find form. We unearth a kid ready to bleed for the club due to an injury but the whole focus is whether it is fair the player loses a spot cos he was injured! What is that! Tuala is a backup. Not a top 17 player. Jones is far more talented.

Yeah, it doesn't really matter what Jones is or isn't at this point. The result this weekend matters. Figure the rest out later.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I’m glad Crossland has been named at halfback this week. I suspect the next 3-5 weeks will be make or break for him (at our club at least) but I hope he’s given the keys to the car and told that it’s his team to run. So far he’s either played off the bench or out or position and in his only starting game he was pretty quiet although he was playing alongside Pearce at the time.

I’m not expecting him to put in a Joey-like performance but he should be given a licence to play what’s in front of him and do what he’s good at. I hope for his sake that he can put his best foot forward and show what he can do.

 

[Yosh]

I’m glad Crossland has been named at halfback this week. I suspect the next 3-5 weeks will be make or break for him (at our club at least) but I hope he’s given the keys to the car and told that it’s his team to run. So far he’s either played off the bench or out or position and in his only starting game he was pretty quiet although he was playing alongside Pearce at the time.

I’m not expecting him to put in a Joey-like performance but he should be given a licence to play what’s in front of him and do what he’s good at. I hope for his sake that he can put his best foot forward and show what he can do.

If he can kick, pass, run and tackle, he is pretty much already the best half we have available.

After all that we have been through as fans over the past decade and then some, I'm still optimistic that he will do well and keep his spot even after Pearce comes back. I think the squad is much more balanced without Mann in the 6. Keep Pearce and Crossland in the halves but Ponga should call the shots. This is Ponga's team so I hope he starts using it like it is his.

 

[aqua_duck]

Jones is not a centre according to some. He only shut down Cronulla’s left sided raids and won us the game or had a major part in that result! So the next week back to the bench. This club does not know what fate is unless it is bad ie. we feel sorry for our players and give them another week and pray they find form. We unearth a kid ready to bleed for the club due to an injury but the whole focus is whether it is fair the player loses a spot cos he was injured! What is that! Tuala is a backup. Not a top 17 player. Jones is far more talented.

to be fair Jones was marking up against another backrower in Teig Wilton and alot of the time Mann was playing one in. Honestly (I'll get some flack for this) if we're looking for a centre who can defend abit it's Shibasaki though he has absolute feet for hands. I'd personally love to see them give To'a a chance in the centres

 

[Mr_Knightside]

to be fair Jones was marking up against another backrower in Teig Wilton and alot of the time Mann was playing one in. Honestly (I'll get some flack for this) if we're looking for a centre who can defend abit it's Shibasaki though he has absolute feet for hands. I'd personally love to see them give To'a a chance in the centres

I agree, Jones was great in all the effort areas but he wouldn’t be mobile enough to defend against regular NRL centres. I do think he should get more game time for sure though, maybe Barnett needs a few less minutes?

 

[Jono078]

Lucky for us the Raiders centres (well most of their backline) are rubbish, so Jones should go ok.

But yeah I would've liked to see Toa or Musgrove get a go there. Toa might be a much better centre than winger, I think he would be.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Musgrove has been a centre all through juniors yeah? He def should be given a crack there

 

[Knight Tales]

Raiders are a team in turmoil. Tapine, Williams and Hodgson all in the headlines the last few days and none are happy with Ricky allegedly. This is really a game which we should take advantage of but likely it will steel them.

 

[Yosh]

Raiders are a team in turmoil. Tapine, Williams and Hodgson all in the headlines the last few days and none are happy with Ricky allegedly. This is really a game which we should take advantage of but likely it will steel them.

Mate, what you worried about? We all know what's going to happen.

We kick off. Smash them and pin them in their 10m zone for the first 3 tackles but let them make a line break on the 4th and they score within 2 minutes. They go on to dominate the half and we go in 24-6 at half time. We come out and have a 20 minute patch of "the lads had a real crack" and then go on to lose 32-10. It's already scripted mate.

 

[ryana87]

Hunt ruled out due to hamstring soreness..... Toa straight back in

Sigh...

 

[Jono078]

Ah f**k. This is Watson’s 50th game for the Knights. Notch up another milestone loss for us. Then again next week when it’s Barnett’s 100th.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Hunt ruled out due to hamstring soreness..... Toa straight back in

Sigh...

....and there goes any hope of a decent kick return