Women in League R10 | Knights 44-8 Bulldogs @ Hunter | Sun 3.00pm

[Rolla]

I really don't think Aku is going as bad as people are suggesting to be honest.

With that said it will be nice to see Kev get a run. I was calling pretty loudly for him to pick up Jimmy's wing spot at the start of the season, but Jimmy got the nod and has been great most weeks so no dramas there. Kev is too good not to be in firsts, would love to keep him here long enough to replace Boyd when he goes. Unfortunately he is behind a couple of great wingers.

 

[aqua_duck]

I really don't think Aku is going as bad as people are suggesting to be honest.

With that said it will be nice to see Kev get a run. I was calling pretty loudly for him to pick up Jimmy's wing spot at the start of the season, but Jimmy got the nod and has been great most weeks so no dramas there. Kev is too good not to be in firsts, would love to keep him here long enough to replace Boyd when he goes. Unfortunately he is behind a couple of great wingers.

He's going so well that he's managed to play himself out of origin contention even with 2 wing spots opening up last week.
They reckon Taufua, Merritt and Ferguson are the contenders, all 3 of them combined wouldn't be on as much money as Aku

 

[Zoidberg]

Gids is on fox sports' Sterlo tonight if anyone wants to see what he's got to say.

 

[Jobdog]

We all know what he does say won't be anything ground-breaking. But it's good to see one of our boys on on of the footy shows.

 

[Jobdog]

Injured Uate unlikely to tackle Bulldogs

By BRETT KEEBLE
May 16, 2013, 12:30 a.m.

KNIGHTS winger Aku Uate looks certain to miss the game against the Bulldogs at Hunter Stadium on Sunday due to an ankle injury suffered in Newcastle’s 44-14 loss to the Raiders at Canberra Stadium last weekend.

Uate’s left ankle was in a protective CAM Boot at the launch of the club’s Captains Foundation at Mayfield yesterday, and he was overheard saying he did not expect to play against the 2012 minor premiers on Sunday but should miss only one game.

That will leave the three-time Dally M winger of the year with just one more NRL game, against the Warriors in Auckland on Sunday week, to convince NSW coach Laurie Daley he is worth picking for the first State of Origin game at ANZ Stadium on June 5.

Daley will announce the Blues team for Origin I on Sunday night, May 26, a few hours after full-time in the Warriors-Knights game.

Injuries to Brett Stewart and Brett Morris opened the door for a possible recall for Uate, who was dropped from the Origin decider last year after playing five straight games for the Blues.

But the Fijian-born flyer had an unhappy afternoon under the high ball against Canberra and would need a big game against Warriors wrecking ball Manu Vatuvei to force his way into the Blues’ back line for Origin I.

Kevin Naiqama will be Uate’s likely replacement on the right wing outside Dane Gagai and is expected to train with the team today.

Naiqama is yet to play an NRL game this year but was a stand-out filling in for the injured James McManus at the end of last season, scoring seven tries in a six-game stretch that earned him a new one-year contract.

A certainty for Fiji’s World Cup squad this year, 24-year-old Naiqama is unsigned beyond this season and the Knights would struggle to keep him if another club makes him a reasonable offer.

Coach Wayne Bennett dropped left centre Timana Tahu to the NSW Cup team after the heavy loss to the Raiders and named former Roosters outside back Joey Leilua in his place. It is understood Bennett is not contemplating giving Tahu a reprieve.

LINK

 

[The Showstopper]

It would suck to be Tahu. Joey Leilua waiting in the wings. Quinn also a option. Long way back for T now.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I've thought Tahu has been combining well with McManus in attack. That pass for the McManus try was pure magic.
His defense and position in defense has let us down. They scored way too many tried down McManus wing with nobody else there - no cover and a huge overlap.
They should have never got into that position to begin with. We miss a first tackle on a play, allow an offload and then their offloads kept coming.

Uate has been working on his kick takes and has showed some improvement in past games. Last game he took a few good ones but stuffed a few up too. In his part defense I don't recall seeing anyone there to cover for him or to try and take it themselves.

I reckon Boyd has a lot to answer for.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

It would suck to be Tahu. Joey Leilua waiting in the wings. Quinn also a option. Long way back for T now.

After one poor game in defense and you are already saying Quinn is an option of leapfrogging Tahu? I would like to think that even after Tahu's shocker, that the coach isn't so shortsighted that he'd consider Quinn as highly as you are implying.

 

[Jono078]

Tahu was rushing in and not reading the plays well, leaving McManus stranded.

More of an attitude adjustment more than anything is needed for Tahu to stick to structure.

In fact, it's something the whole team needs to adjust overall, stick to structure and game plans!

 

[Joker's Wild]

That's the way I read it too Jonno. Tahu stranded Jimmy on several occasions trying to prematurely shut down the Canberra right edge. He's a hero if he hits and sticks but a zero if he mistimes it and opens up the 2-1.

Hold back, work with your team mates and slide to cover should have been the order of the day.

Hopfully a stint in Reggie's will teach him a lesson

 

[The Showstopper]

After one poor game in defense and you are already saying Quinn is an option of leapfrogging Tahu? I would like to think that even after Tahu's shocker, that the coach isn't so shortsighted that he'd consider Quinn as highly as you are implying.

Not my call. I am saying that Timana is 32 and the kid replacing him is 22 and quite capable of keeping him out of first grade. Joey Leilua will not be easy to dislodge. You want to talk short sighted! Less than 12 months ago Joey was the 18th man in origin. As for Quinn, he was the one marking up on Fergo in the first game and ran right past him to score. He also more than once closed him down on the half break. Who made way on the left when T marked up on Fergo? Quinn.

 

[Rod]

Quinn actually did ok in his games for us this season I thought but him vs Fergo was a disaster waiting to happen, you could see it during the game. If it wasn't for us dominating possession and territory to such a degree in that game the mismatch would have been a lot more obvious.

 

[ryana87]

Highlights for me about gidley on sterlo

1. He recognises he isnt a half
2. The team knows they suck at consistent football atm

And a bunch of other things a lot of people on here have been saying all year.
Didn't really talk about how they are going about fixing f their issues

 

[Noname36]

I know a few blokes that work at the club. Apparently we were so terrible at training yesterday Wayne left 35 minutes in. It will be very interesting to see what side shows up on Sunday.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I know Wango's meant to be the master coach and everything, but this just seems bizarre. I team plays shiity-ly and he give them the silent treatment, then they train badly and he knocks off early.
I know im not privvy to the inner workings of his genius, but it just seems like he's stopped caring.

 

[Jono078]

Hmmm, I've heard from some that Wayne just isn't in it 100% with us. But I personally take that with a grain of salt.

Not good re: poor training if that is true. Wonder what it is that is really holding us back as a team. Our roster has proven they can play good football, so something is not clicking for us to not be consistent.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I know a few blokes that work at the club. Apparently we were so terrible at training yesterday Wayne left 35 minutes in. It will be very interesting to see what side shows up on Sunday.

From what I've heard they usually do well in training but don't transfer it to the game. Maybe the shock factor has kicked in.
A reversal will do fine by me - train like crap and go out and play their balls off.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Hmmm, I've heard from some that Wayne just isn't in it 100% with us.

I got that impression early on when he'd refer to the team as "they" in interviews. I thought it a little odd that he didn't refer to them as "we".
Probably an inconsequential observation and just is nature.

 

[Jobdog]

How a team trains throughout the week doesn't necessarily transfer to match performances. Just saying.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Not my call. I am saying that Timana is 32 and the kid replacing him is 22 and quite capable of keeping him out of first grade. Joey Leilua will not be easy to dislodge. You want to talk short sighted! Less than 12 months ago Joey was the 18th man in origin. As for Quinn, he was the one marking up on Fergo in the first game and ran right past him to score. He also more than once closed him down on the half break. Who made way on the left when T marked up on Fergo? Quinn.

Where did I mention anything about not wanting Leilua in the team? After Tahu's game, I am happy for Leilua to have taken his place.

So you are honestly saying that how Tahu and Quinn both marked up on Fergo is an ultimate gauge on them as a player? For a start they were both in different games... One involving fergo in the middle of media strife and the other game where he was coming of scintillating form the week before. The standard of evidence you are using to gauge Quinn and Tahu as players doesn't carry much weight at all.