Round 10 | Knights 12-32 Cowboys @ Hunter | Sat 7.30pm

[Matt23]

That call on half way (the lead up to Graham 2nd's try) all but decided the game, in saying that we didn't deserve to win anyway.

 

[Snappy]

massive :lol: at you lot blaming the refs

 

[Yosh]

You're the one saying our defence is amazing and we've improved so much. if our new found amazing defence improvement wins us 35% of the games we play i'd prefer we go back to our harlem globetrotter rick stone days.

Look i'm the one who has said it's going to take a while to adjust to Bennett and we'll need a fresh roster to implement a grinding style but to say we are improved from last year is just wrong. Our goal line defence is the only part we are improved on from 2011 thus far.

It's a work in progress. Sure quantitatively we're not looked that great. HOWEVER, I personally think we're showing some real quality in patches.

You're thinking very short term. If we play like we have done in the past, we might make the top 8 every year but we'll never win it. We're gonna slowly turn into contenders within 2 years and we're gonna stay there with the resources Tinks is able to provide.

Stop being a hater and start being a supporter.

 

[RABK]

Efforts is there, ability and execution isn't and never will be with the roster we have.

It's sweep the broom and hit the player market hard or bust for Bennett and Tinkler.

 

[Knightmare]

For the last 5 years at least, the refs have treated the Knights like second class citizens. They are not tipped to finish in the top 4 in the pre-season, so they are regarded as such by the officials. I don't look forward to playing sides like Manly and Melbourne...

 

[Nuffy]

And that's emblematic of our season.

 

[hugzy]

Wtf at blaming at blaming the ref. We played well, they just played better.

Thurston reminded me of a no7 that used to play for the knights today

 

[Nuffy]

For the last 5 years at least, the refs have treated the Knights like second class citizens. They are not tipped to finish in the top 4 in the pre-season, so they are regarded as such by the officials. I don't look forward to playing sides like Manly and Melbourne...

Got it in one, the refs will never get dropped for torching the knights, can you imagine Bellamys reaction if they were copping half the calls we get each week.

We are a team that need the calls to break even and it just doesn't happen.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

That was a much improved performance. Seemed to run out of steam a bit.
Hilder had very little push out of dummy half. The line was too flat at times. We need Bedsy.
Thurston was the difference that worked against us.
I'm a critic of Roberts but thought he was ok this week.

 

[Rusty]

We have zero, zilch, zip in attack. We had opportunities but blew them. I can't see anything changing tbh.

 

[RABK]

It's a work in progress. Sure quantitatively we're not looked that great. HOWEVER, I personally think we're showing some real quality in patches.

You're thinking very short term. If we play like we have done in the past, we might make the top 8 every year but we'll never win it. We're gonna slowly turn into contenders within 2 years and we're gonna stay there with the resources Tinks is able to provide.

Stop being a hater and start being a supporter.

We showed quality in patches? Parra have showed quality in patches. Patches are for under 8's, not for a 4.25 million dollar Wayne Bennett coached side.

How am i thinking short term - do you even read any of my posts around this board? I am of the agenda that we have not improved because the improvement we are seeking is not possible with some of the players we are carrying in this side. Stone knew how to win games with this squad. Bennett's style is simply not going to work with this squad.

The improvement we need is in personnel - not in 'gelling over 2 years to Bennetts style'.

As for the last part - You might be the forum clown good for a laugh but you call me a non supporter and you can blow it your arse.

 

[Silent Knight]

Efforts is there, ability and execution isn't and never will be with the roster we have.

It's sweep the broom and hit the player market hard or bust for Bennett and Tinkler.

That's exactly what we should do, sign some experienced players and complement them with the promotion of some promising juniors (e.g. Chris Adams, Korbin Sims etc). We need to get the right mix of leadership and youth.

We really need a wholesale cleanout of our forward pack. I very much doubt Tui, Faas and Taia will be here next year (Taia just about confirmed from that previous article). They just don't fit with the Bennett game plan. If we do resign Eddy I hope it's only on fringe money, because I predict that's exactly what he'll be in 2013...a fringe player. The club might try and sell Hilder on to England, sad because he was one of my favourite players last year. But like many have said, he isn't really required in this team anymore.

If we make the 8 this year, we'll be doing well. Very well.

 

[Knightmare]

We have zero, zilch, zip in attack. We had opportunities but blew them. I can't see anything changing tbh.

Well, if we go after a few more rep players and get them to sign three contracts each on the condition they keep it on the down low...

 

[Nuffy]

It's also time for some serious soul searching in the club, blokes have got to stop talking themselves up in media and start delivering.

We again endured more than our fair share of injuries, nothing new there but the roster has been badly exposed.

It's hard to believe but for all the additions and Bennett's influence, we look worse that last year.

The pressure builds further.

 

[munge]

Wtf at blaming at blaming the ref. We played well, they just played better.

Thurston reminded me of a no7 that used to play for the knights today

andrew johns

 

[K-Man]

Yeh so improved aye Yosh? Top 8 twice under stone with a worst roster to bottom 5 with master coach bennett and a much better roster.

That's improving?

This is the bit I'm finding hardest to deal with. While I Stone's inability to implement better discipline would frustrate me at times, at least you knew we would come out and play some attacking football and that our best was often good enough to mix it with any team.

We made the finals and gave ourselves a chance, and even pushed the Storm in a finals game.

I reckon teams worried about us over the last few years, even though it was clear we weren't the finished product.

But now what? If I was coaching against us I'd say hold the ball and we'll beat these guys - and we don't, it will be because the forwards didn't march over the top of the knights pack like everybody else does.

For all the talk of our forwards not being good enough or big enough, well what did Stone have to work with?

WB has Snowden, McKinnon and Taia back, having discarded guys like Taufua and Ciraldo.

So I don't buy that this is ALL about the forwards Bennett is working with not being up to his lofty standards for success.

Honestly, if Wayne wasn't our coach nobody would ever guess that he was from the way we play. Just calling a spade a spade. He has delivered very little thus far, that's just the way it is.

Doesn't mean things won't turn around, but the fact is I think we were a better football team last season if you base it on current performance.

 

[Knightmare]

No, Steve Fulmer!

 

[Matt23]

Wtf at blaming at blaming the ref

Case in point, the call in the lead up to Graham's 2nd try.

 

[K-Man]

We showed quality in patches? Parra have showed quality in patches. Patches are for under 8's, not for a 4.25 million dollar Wayne Bennett coached side.

How am i thinking short term - do you even read any of my posts around this board? I am of the agenda that we have not improved because the improvement we are seeking is not possible with some of the players we are carrying in this side. Stone knew how to win games with this squad. Bennett's style is simply not going to work with this squad.

The improvement we need is in personnel - not in 'gelling over 2 years to Bennetts style'.

As for the last part - You might be the forum clown good for a laugh but you call me a non supporter and you can blow it your arse.

That sums it up for me. It's hard to see Bennett backing down either. Could be a difficult season to endure, and next as well.

 

[Knightmare]

This is the bit I'm finding hardest to deal with. While I Stone's inability to implement better discipline would frustrate me at times, at least you knew we would come out and play some attacking football and that our best was often good enough to mix it with any team.

We made the finals and gave ourselves a chance, and even pushed the Storm in a finals game.

I reckon teams worried about us over the last few years, even though it was clear we weren't the finished product.

But now what? If I was coaching against us I'd say hold the ball and we'll beat these guys - and we don't, it will be because the forwards didn't march over the top of the knights pack like everybody else does.

For all the talk of our forwards not being good enough or big enough, well what did Stone have to work with?

WB has Snowden, McKinnon and Taia back, having discarded guys like Taufua and Ciraldo.

So I don't buy that this is ALL about the forwards Bennett is working with not being up to his lofty standards for success.

Honestly, if Wayne wasn't our coach nobody would ever guess that he was from the way we play. Just calling a spade a spade. He has delivered very little thus far, that's just the way it is.

Doesn't mean things won't turn around, but the fact is I think we were a better football team last season if you base it on current performance.

Since 2007, I would say the only season where the Knights have played like a top team was 2009. They were cruising towards a top 4 berth before Brian Smith signed with Easts, then it fell apart and they had to make do with 8th spot and a first week exit to the Bulldogs.

Mentally, the team is weak. Other sides suffer an unexpected loss or a heavy loss and generally bounce back the next weekend with a spirited performance or even a win. Knights losses generally seem to come in threes. It shouldn't take more than a week for a professional sporting team to re-gain focus.

Possession is the biggest killer. How many times have we seen the boys throw it away on the second tackle? This has been a problem in the side for several years now, if Wayne can get them playing a more clinical, grinding style of football with perfect completion as the number 1 objective, then that will make a considerable difference in the W/L ratio come seasons' end, believe me.

My hope is that having a high profile coach will cause the officials to stop dudding us in nearly every 50/50 call, but tonights' display doesn't give me much hope.