R9 | Raiders 44-14 Knights @ Canberra | Sun 2.00pm

[Beetlejuice]

Canberra.

 

[Zoidberg]

Well, after a nice dinner with mum I finally got around to watching the game.... Well I saw the 1st 45 mins or so, then knew we weren't gonna win, so I checked the score and wow, I did not expect to see that score line.

Really don't know how to feel about it. I'm just numb. Wish I had the answers or even the confidence that we could turn things around again (majorly). But I don't know what to expect with this side.

Got all excited after scoring 2 tries, then had a panic go through me when we took the penalty goal. Small thought in my mind that went "gee, this is kinda how we started last week. Then after 20mins of dominating and taking an easy 2 when we should probably keep the pressure on, we got smacked. Hope that doesn't happen again".

Again, I'll just say I feel numb about this team. I can't hate them, but they're giving me reason to.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

“Adam is a specialist hooker, and I got tired of making them up and making guys play hooker that aren’t really hookers,” the coach explained of Clydsdale’s inclusion.

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news-display/Knights-disappointed-with-performance/74495

wonder where this leaves Gidley since he isn't really any position.

 

[1qaz]

Something is up with Gagai the last couple of weeks. Not the same player since he got injured in round 2. He's usually the first one down on the kick chase. He usually chases everything and is always in the right spot. His reading of the game is usually exceptional. Maybe his ankle is still causing him problem, maybe he's struggling with fitness being out for 5 weeks.
Doesn't help when he doesn't get good ball either. The only time he got one on one with his opponent last week he scores.
It is also affecting Uate's game big time. Uate needs to be used smarter and not constantly used as a battering ram. He looked tired out there. Hopefully with Mullen back next week, we see some good early ball to the right edge.

 

[aqua_duck]

Uate looks too big as someone mentioned, doesn't look like the speedster he use to be, now looks more like a bruiser

 

[Silent Knight]

Akuila Uate: 187cm, 96kg stopped dead in his tracks with a full head of steam but Jack Wighton: 188cm, 88kg stationary. Uate didnt gain one centremetre of ground once he hit Wighton. That's just about as burried as you see Uate

I'd like to see you get buried. Hell, I'd even help with the shovelling.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Uate looks too big as someone mentioned, doesn't look like the speedster he use to be, now looks more like a bruiser

Uate has been playing injured since the Titans game. He was complaining about his back at the fan event on the Goldie and its clear he hasnt been the same since.

In fact, I think a fair few of our boys are carrying niggles that have been getting progressively worse for weeks

 

[Rod]

Something is up with Gagai the last couple of weeks. Not the same player since he got injured in round 2. He's usually the first one down on the kick chase. He usually chases everything and is always in the right spot. His reading of the game is usually exceptional. Maybe his ankle is still causing him problem, maybe he's struggling with fitness being out for 5 weeks.
Doesn't help when he doesn't get good ball either. The only time he got one on one with his opponent last week he scores.
It is also affecting Uate's game big time. Uate needs to be used smarter and not constantly used as a battering ram. He looked tired out there. Hopefully with Mullen back next week, we see some good early ball to the right edge.

Good post. I'm not going to get on the bash Bennett bandwagon just yet but our current structure means that Gagai and Uate don't get the ball with any kind of time or space until we're inside the attacking 20.

 

[Zoidberg]

What has been happening at the 20 min mark lately? We used to start slow the get good after 20. Last 2 weeks have been opposite. Is it our interchange? Having Smith, Scott and Bedsy out forces our best side bench into the starting lineup.

 

[Jobdog]

I might be watching this a little bit with clouded judgment since I missed the game, but I don't think it's all doom and gloom.

We know we're rubbish away from home this year - but that's gotta change if we want to give ourselves a chance of a top 4 finish.

I guess the most concerning aspect is that in two of our four away games at various stages we've been smacked 76-0. Manly at Brookie and then the 44 unanswered points yesterday. I do think once Smith and Scott come back we'll be better.

It's still only the end of Round 9, we're not even halfway through the competition yet...

 

[Nuffy]

I do think that the fans deserve a little more explanation that Bennett and Gids offer.

I know its Bennett's schtick to give reporters nothing, but after a loss of that magnitude, it would have helped to hear the coach and captain be a little more insightful and direct in their language.

Right now it seems that the coach and captain aren't all that troubled by the circumstances we are in.

 

[Joker's Wild]

JD, its less about the players coming back and more about the attitude shown from the guys out there right now. No one was working for each other in defence after the 1st 20min and our left edge got torn apart. The whole mentality of the team goes to shit once oppositions manage to gain some momentum. Its happened in all 4 of our loses this season so far and indicates a big big issue with the team.

Im not one for wrist cutting after a loss and thats not what Im doing here, but we wont be going anywhere if the boys crumble when teams offer resistance. There is simply no use burying our heads in the sand and pretending its all just bad luck/a one off/etc

 

[Jobdog]

I understand that JW, as I say, I missed the game in the highlights, our left-side defence did look like turnstiles too.

Hypothetically, if Mullo is back this week, and Wayne openly said in the presser he was sick of trying to "create" a hooker, where does this leave Gids? Mullo to five-eighth, Clydsdale to hooker. Gids to ...?

 

[Hanscholo]

This club is officially soft, has been for 20 years, this side is particularly bad because they HAVE NO EXCUSE TO BE SO. Needs to be said. The pack aims up occasionally. Once they do, they think its job done and knock off again. The culture of the place is miles away from where it needs to be to win a comp.

I'm not waiting for them to aim up anymore, i will just assume i will get soft performances and until they show me a season of consistent efforts ill just keep assuming they are a bunch of soft c**ks to alleviate any misconceptions or disappointments i may have.

 

[Hanscholo]

Uate looks too big as someone mentioned, doesn't look like the speedster he use to be, now looks more like a bruiser

Yea he is fat. Carrying a heap of weight, and it aint muscle. Thats all well and good steamrolling nuffies, but when you come up against a bloke that can give as good as he gets Uate feels it and goes into his shell.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I understand that JW, as I say, I missed the game in the highlights, our left-side defence did look like turnstiles too.

Hypothetically, if Mullo is back this week, and Wayne openly said in the presser he was sick of trying to "create" a hooker, where does this leave Gids? Mullo to five-eighth, Clydsdale to hooker. Gids to ...?

My honest opinion? I think the only place we can put him is at left centre and that is thinking well outside the square. Tahu is just not cutting the mustard, despite his nice flick pass yesterday, and I have no confidence in any of our other centre options

Its worth a shot

 

[Zoidberg]

Is it a question of "Gids to?" or "Tyrone to?".

 

[Bring it home Knights]

This club is officially soft, has been for 20 years.

Paul harragon, Ben Kennedy, Tony Butterfield and Adam Muir say hi.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Is it a question of "Gids to?" or "Tyrone to?".

There is no question of where Tyrone should be playing. The kid needs to be given the halfback spot and told that its his to lose, not chucked in at hooker off the bench some games and starting at halfback in others.

I really though that Gids would have made a fine hooker by now but the same decision making problems he has in the halves are now occuring in his dummy half work. That pass he threw to Sims late in the game was just diabolical and highlight the lack of dynamic thinking in his football.

 

[Jobdog]

Is it a question of "Gids to?" or "Tyrone to?".

I think if it's a question of "Gidley to halfback" or "Roberts to halfback" I think we all know what the answer is.

It's a shame too, because there's no doubt Gids bleeds red and blue, but in the current team dynamic, we've got a better fullback, five-eighth and halfback than he can offer and the jury still appears out on his work from dummy half.