Comeback of captain Kurt can really rally the Knights
Phil Gould
May 29, 2011
It was cold, wet and windy at Newcastle last night, but the quality of football from the Knights and Parramatta defied the difficult conditions. Both sides were keen to show plenty of attacking skills rather than the usual conservative approach often seen on slippery surfaces. Given the fierceness of the tackling, (Newcastle's Joel Edwards was the star in this category), and the difficulty of the handling, it was an amazing display of fast-moving football from both sides.
Neither side troubled the scoreboard attendants too much, but they certainly troubled each other.
Newcastle tended to go side to side a little too much, which aided the Parramatta defensive system.
However, they do make opponents nervous with the precision of their passing game. They were inhibited by the loss of playmaker Jarrod Mullen with a season-ending injury at a vital time; this had a major effect on their style of play for the remainder of the match. The Eels looked the more dangerous of the two teams with a more direct approach but couldn't get the line break they needed.
Desperate defensive efforts were more responsible for the low scoring than anything else. Both sides were resilient under pressure and showed courage on their own goal lines.
There was nothing between the two teams. The Knights ran with the breeze in the first half and led 6-0 at the break. The Eels had the advantage for the second 40 minutes and won that period 6-2.
In the end, the difference in result was a solitary penalty goal to Newcastle following an innocuous-looking high tackle from Parramatta's Fuifui Moimoi. The hit did not warrant a penalty, let alone two points from the goal kick, and it certainly didn't deserve to decide the game. It's a shame - but one would hope it is a learning curve for the referee in question. Developing a feel for the game and understanding the value of a penalty under certain circumstances sets referees apart.
There really wasn't much else to report. It wasn't a night for brilliant tactics. The two teams provided an entertaining affair. Had they kept playing for another two hours, the score would not have changed much. The Knights had their noses in front when the siren went.
For me, though, the big story of the night was the return from injury of Newcastle skipper Kurt Gidley. He was terrific. A supremely fit athlete who played several roles for his team during the course of the 80 minutes, Gidley showed his class and will only be better for the run. Two sensational tackles in the last five minutes saved his team from a late Parramatta surge.
