Round 15: Newcastle Knights vs Melbourne Storm

What is your prediction for this game ??

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 2 11.1%
  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 4 22.2%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Storm 1-12

    Votes: 8 44.4%
  • Storm 13+

    Votes: 4 22.2%

  • Total voters
    18
  • Poll closed .
When you put it like that it doesn't seem as bad. Saifiti and Lillyman will give us size and Pearce will give us direction. Positive note is Sione, I don't know about anyone else but I think he has improved massively

My issue is the Roosters and Storm didn't really get out of third gear they were crusing along and let us make errors..
 
Life my friend, life hurt me.

It’s not your fault.
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Realistically the 1-5 had fair to good games, 6 & 7 not so good both needed someone along side them that could kick, Pearce injured so would be better to have Cogger and Lamb or Lamb and Watson at least you have a player that can kick reasonably long distance as well as goals. Forwards, Esee, Guerra, Griff, Heighinton, Barnett and Levi went good to ok, King, Fitz, Stone and Yates looked out of depth.
 
No kicking & a few errors from Watson, but thought otherwise he had a good game. Plenty of running which is what we signed him for. Just needs a dominant halfback next to him. Probably time to give Lamb another go.
 
Even kicking for touch after getting penalties was poor.
when Lamb had the wind behind him he was making 50m. Cogger 10m.
Though i dont think Lamb is the answer either. we need Pearce back. Brown said he should be back after the dogs game. So we just have to get through the dogs game without him which we should win.
 
Even kicking for touch after getting penalties was poor.
when Lamb had the wind behind him he was making 50m. Cogger 10m.
Though i dont think Lamb is the answer either. we need Pearce back. Brown said he should be back after the dogs game. So we just have to get through the dogs game without him which we should win.

we wont beat the dogs pearce needs to return our season will be dead after bulldogs loss
 
Have virtually two weeks before next game, assume Pearce is still out then whatever is decided in team selection have plenty of time to work it all out. Major problem is general kicking game and forward pack, Lamb would improve the kicking but only see Lillyman as possible return for forwards so might need a slight reshuffle in pack and bench. Fitz, King, Yates and Stone (who had little time?) didn't do a lot Lillyman replaces one and I know he is young but would like to see Suolo get a run, say 15 mins either side of half time, showed good signs in reserves today, he has a bit of aggression
 
Levi played well I thought. His dummy half work has been sharp and Griffin is really struggling in that department.

I'd do a reshuffle next week:

9. Levi
11. Guerra (get him back to edge where he plays his best footy there. Proved that for Roosters and us earlier in the year)
12. Fitz
13. Griffin (mainly to sure up our D in the middle but he's actually got a decent running game and leg drive)

15. Barnett (use him for impact as he's really out of form at the moment)
 
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Brown made a good point. Both the tries they had up on us were long distance ones that really shouldn't have happened. We had that game on a platter.
 
Watson's problem is with no half back he is trying to do everything - run plays, organise defence, general kicking and he does not have the experience as yet and is not the natural talent like Ponga.
 
Have virtually two weeks before next game, assume Pearce is still out then whatever is decided in team selection have plenty of time to work it all out. Major problem is general kicking game and forward pack, Lamb would improve the kicking but only see Lillyman as possible return for forwards so might need a slight reshuffle in pack and bench. Fitz, King, Yates and Stone (who had little time?) didn't do a lot Lillyman replaces one and I know he is young but would like to see Suolo get a run, say 15 mins either side of half time, showed good signs in reserves today, he has a bit of aggression

Kicking definitely plays a big part, the major assett for a good kicking game is an active brain , where to kick for best advantage for the team and which kick to use to get there.

The forward issue has a simpler solution, why is it that our props appear to think they are 5/8 and always shuffling it on to the next player out to hit up?
Front rowers are the engine room they should tuck the ball under their arm, run as hard and straight as they can, hit the line hard and drive through the line with legs pumping ,play the ball correctly with minimum delay with in the rules - no problem.

Less passing less handling errors more chance of getting forward momentum and drawing in defenders, if there is a need to spread the ball wider of the middle let the halves do the passing - it has been working for over 100 years
 
Brown made a good point. Both the tries they had up on us were long distance ones that really shouldn't have happened. We had that game on a platter.

Joel , we certainly had the game served to us on a platter mishandled opportunities, lack of application and un forced errors cost us dearly.
Storm are no easy beats but yesterday they were beatable.
 
Watched the replay last night. As poor as we were there was still a few positives to take out of it.

We created enough opportunities to win the game in spite of our poor handling. You can’t drop that much ball and beat anyone let alone Melbourne.

Cogger, Watson and Ponga all making clean breaks and we didn’t capitalise on any of them. It’s incredibly frustrating to watch but at least we are making these breaks and creating chances. We’ve definitely bombed more tries than any side this season. We have a happy knack of doing it at key moments as well.

I don’t think we that far off. If Pearce was fit we’d of won 2 or 3 more games and would be sitting in or around the 8.
 
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