Round 22 | Knights vs Bulldogs @ Hunter | Sat 5.30pm

[docbrown]

f**k me, we needed to score with all those repeat sets...

That would've turned the tide.

Woeful opening but to keep Bulldogs scoreless in the second half was a solid effort.

Bulldogs are one hell of a team.

That said Ennis & the ref are getting a motel room after the match...

 

[Whats Doing]

ok, well you can get cut up about it and start pointing fingers if you like. i'm happy the boys stuck in it after the early assault and turned it around. it shows a lot of progress. yes, the slow start was unfortunate, and is something that we have done numerous occasions this year... but who do you want to blame for it, and what do you feel the solution is?

we still went on to put ourselves right back in the match. if we can come out with a better attitude in the coming weeks and ahve better starts then we should win some more games.

I am not cut up about it but stating the obvious. The game was over after 19 minutes and final score line flattered us.

I thought we got only got back into the match on the back of a string of penalties (favourable ones at that) with the penalty count 7-3 I think which got us into a position to be competitive. Without this my view is the scoreline would have blown out.

Not sure what the solution is with the slow starts but thats Wayne's job to fix.

However it is obvious we have more than a few non standard NRL players in the run on team which needs to be fixed for next year.

 

[Jobdog]

For what it's worth I don't think we were bad at all for 60 minutes of the game. The first 20 was where the game was won and lost, but the 24-0 scoreline at that point was a combination of our rather average intensity and the fact we had no ball. Fact is, top teams make use of possession when they have it - the Dogs did that, we didn't when we had our chance in the second half.

At 24-0 a lot of lesser teams would have gotten pumped by 50+ and I must admit I thought it would get close. For 60 minutes we outscore the premiership favourites 10-2. It's just annoying we didn't give ourselves a chance to be in the match right from the start.

 

[RABK]

First 20 was balls, we lost it there but we did well to win the final 60 minutes. Des will be pleased we provided the Dogs with huge confidence in their goal line defence.

We'll bounce back next week. But we can't drop another game, i think we cna beat the sharks handsomely but Manly and Cowboys away B2B wil be very hard.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

We were very very brave tonight. They strangled us in the first 20. Absolutely no ball at all. However once we got the ball we really pushed a side which looks every bit premiers. Graham is a class act. So much their second phase comes off him. The way we silenced Barba should be a guide to other sides on how to play him. Gagai was every bit Morris equal. If Willie got the BOTD try which we deserved then it could have been a different story. I still say Aku grounded Wrights try.

 

[Whats Doing]

We were very very brave tonight. They strangled us in the first 20. Absolutely no ball at all. However once we got the ball we really pushed a side which looks every bit premiers. Graham is a class act. So much their second phase comes off him. The way we silenced Barba should be a guide to other sides on how to play him. Gagai was every bit Morris equal. If Willie got the BOTD try which we deserved then it could have been a different story. I still say Aku grounded Wrights try.

It was a fair try as Uate missed it completely. Why on earth players try to push the ball over the dead ball line instead of forcing it is beyond me. It is higher risk, not necessary, and so many tries have been scored as a result.

 

[Johns Magic]

Tetevano was disgusting and Edwards wasn't much better.

 

[Nuffy]

Just got back from the game.

Some comments.

Our intensity and focus in the first 15 minutes was appalling. We just never got into a good position at the end of a set of six. A poor kick at the end of a set resulted in the dogs getting the ball back on the halfway and they scored on that six. Edwards missed a tackle on Tolman, they made a bust, got into a position to make an attacking kick, Kevin knocks on and they scored.

The less said about Edwards miss on Reynolds for the 4th try the better, no wonder Benny hooked him and tets, both were ordinary.

That said we did well to come back into the contest, I think we were better than the dogs for 65 minutes and for a large part of the second half we were bashing them.

The Willie no try hurt, it could have gone either way and in another game it would have been awarded. We score that and it's 24-16 with 25 to go.

Tonight our attack lacked fluency and we tried too many trick shots, we have to be confident that repeat sets will eventually paid dividends.

All in all I am pleased they came back, I don't think we were embarrassed and with a ounce of luck it would have been a grand stand finish. We do need to start the games as we finish them.

 

[Yosh]

Haven't seen the game but can't see how people are so emo... We lost to the best team in the comp by 2 tries... By the sounds of it, we a couple of things rolled our way we could have won the match.

Nothing's changed, we can still get into the eight and i'll be cheering the boys on till the end!

 

[Zoidberg]

Ok, so watching the replay, I got to 18-blot and decided to check the final score.

What is with our starts?
Seriously, as someone else said, why can't we bring the game from our first 20 of the 2nd half to our first 20.

Still hopeful of making the finals, but now it's obvious we will be lucky to get past the 1st weekend if we do so.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

It was a fair try as Uate missed it completely. Why on earth players try to push the ball over the dead ball line instead of forcing it is beyond me. It is higher risk, not necessary, and so many tries have been scored as a result.

Saw replay highlights and stand corrected. Was at game so a bit of the old slo mo blur i think.

 

[Spot On]

First 20 was balls, we lost it there but we did well to win the final 60 minutes. Des will be pleased we provided the Dogs with huge confidence in their goal line defence.

We'll bounce back next week. But we can't drop another game, i think we cna beat the sharks handsomely but Manly and Cowboys away B2B wil be very hard.

Totally agree. Congrats to the Dogs. We were fine from the 20 minute mark. Finished ahead on the scoreboard from that period. Obviously that doesn't help when you concede four in 19 minutes. That first try was freakish and I'm not convinced with the touch on the ball from Wright after Aku missed it. However. the Josh Reynolds try was too soft and teams aren't giving this bloke enough respect. He is getting a free ride with the ball in hand and must be pressured more.

We were dominant as far as possession and field position goes for close to 60 minutes and it's a shame we couldn't put another two tries on but the Dogs defence was simply awesome. This time last year we would have been Buckleys chance of getting multiple sets on opposition line through our kicking game. I take that as a positive.

Go the Bunnies!

 

[Jono078]

Had to lists to this one on the radio last night while driving into the city (Sydney). Couldn't believe what I was hearing that first 20 minutes and needless to say I'm pretty shattered about the result

Witha couple more results going our way this weekend it's still not all doom and gloom but it would have been a good one to win and prove a point.

 

[Holla if ya hear me]

where the dogs are right now..that will be us next yr.Its coming toghether just not quite at the moment

 

[IanG]

We just got blown off the park by a lack of posession. Got off to a terrible start.

 

[Burwood]

We just got blown off the park by a lack of posession. Got off to a terrible start.

I'll agree that we got blown off the park with a terrible start, but it wasn't from a lack of possession. They scored two tries in their opening three sets. All of the possession that the Bulldogs got early on in the match was pretty much on the back of repeat sets from them scoring.

When the score was 24-0 the only two errors we had made was Kev dropping a bomb and Aku turning over the ball on the last tackle when Mullen put in his little cross field chip. It wasn't like we were giving away cheap penalties or were making lots of handling errors that gifted tonnes of possession to the Bulldogs.

The big difference early in the match last night was that when they did have the ball, they asked a lot more questions of our defence and we couldn't answer them.

 

[Apey]

I don't think I can handle watching us concede too many more line breaks between their 30m and our 30m line where the opposition should be doing the hard yards. It's absolutely killing me :lol:

 

[MJ 23]

Anyone else get pissed off when Costigan goes to hooker? It's pretty much throwing the towel in. We need an actually hooker on the bench.

 

[Burwood]

Anyone else get pissed off when Costigan goes to hooker? It's pretty much throwing the towel in. We need an actually hooker on the bench.

Haha, me! I have made a point about it twice this year in match day threads. The first time I did he scored from dummy half about 2m from the line and then last week he threw a pass close to the line for someone else to score.

But those two highlights don't go anywhere near towards making up for his incredibly poor service from dummy half.

 

[Sacrolishes]

We got taught a very important lesson by the dogs last night! They were simply unbelievable, i was in awe watching them.

Best thing is we learn from this mistake!! Take it to the rest of the teams coming up!! and be prepared for the Finals!!

It's 1-all between Knights and Dogs... I think we need a third and defining set at end of the season ;-)