Round 11: Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs

[Billy]

In his second game back from a long layoff Barnett played 78 minutes as a middle forward and made 59 punishing tackles. He missed 5 tackles, but seriously, he was running miles to make tackles so he had to miss a few.

 

[Lefty]

In his second game back from a long layoff Barnett played 78 minutes as a middle forward and made 59 punishing tackles. He missed 5 tackles, but seriously, he was running miles to make tackles so he had to miss a few.

He also ran 106m and put in a kick too. His big hits were exceptional.

I was also very impressed with Mann today, he played well at hooker.

Those were the two positives I took out of today’s debacle.

 

[Frank McWilliams]

Barnett’s missed tackles were partly due to rushing up to unsettle opposition with chance of dislodging ball, it was a good play and with a bit of luck could have been a success.

 

[Kurriboy]

Blaming the conditions is poor, those same conditions the dogs faced and they got the job done.

We had injuries sure, good teams overcome challenges.

There is something wrong with the Knights. Has been for a long time and its ingrained in the club. Coaches dont seem able to change it. We cant seem to play like a professional club. We come up against weak teams struggling and lower ourselves down to their level. Hell, below their level.

Im sick of watching other top 4 teams smash the bottom 4 but us putting in a poor performance after poor performance and losing.

Simply not good enough. Period.

The players and club should be embarrassed by that performance. But unfortunately, for the Knights, performances like that are commonplace and acceptable.

 

[packo]

That’s 4 points given away now by games we should have won.

 

[Battler]

In his second game back from a long layoff Barnett played 78 minutes as a middle forward and made 59 punishing tackles. He missed 5 tackles, but seriously, he was running miles to make tackles so he had to miss a few.

Most of his missed tackles were Dogs players seeing him zeroing in on them and stepping at the last minute to avoid being hammered. I can forgive Mitch for that.

 

[Owey]

Ok, I'm going to say it. I preface this by saying I'm glad O'Brien is striving for a higher standard. But really, I watched 17 blokes in red and blue give it a red hot crack today. I can't fault their application. I think the dogs deserve a massive rap for their completion rate which is where they won the game. They deserved their win. They jagged two tries basically from kicks. I'd like to have seen a bit more effort to defuse the first one but I can't fault Herman (I think?) for trying to dive on the ball for their last try. So much better than his no effort against the storm. I thought Ponga was close to our best, he was so dangerous every time he touched the ball. His tackle breaks must of been close to double figures. His one blemish was the lost ball straight after half time. Could we have challenged that because I thought it was a clear knock back? Unfortunately it led to points. Other than completion rate, we finished well ahead in most major stats, run metres, tackle breaks, etc. It may not be a popular opinion but today wasn't that bad and we have made some massive advancements this year.

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[OnTilt]

If we were not that bad and we were beaten by a side that has had one win this season, then what does it say about our side? They turned up expecting to win the game, and wasn't until the last 20 they really got stuck in and had a go. Plenty of other teams are on the improve and we are just stagnant if not going backwards and on current form we won't make the 8.

 

[Joshhh]

Just listening to that press conference, it makes me think this is a good thing & we needed this loss. The team had yet to really prove once & for all they have fixed their mindset from last year & now it appears they haven't fixed it. O'Brien looked pretty pissed off, can imagine they're going to get flogged during the week & ripped apart a bit mentally.

 

[JOJO82]

As much as it pains me to say it but I think we are done for the season.

We will lose the next 3 which are Melbourne, tigers and then manly. Given up too much by losing to cowboys and now the dogs.

I back this team no matter what but what they dishes up today was a slap in the face for the fans that sat out in that weather to watch them. I am embarrassed as a fan of this team.

We need to be putting teams like the dogs and cowboys to the sword no matter what conditions or injuries we face.

 

[relicorange94]

As much as it pains me to say it but I think we are done for the season.

We will lose the next 3 which are Melbourne, tigers and then manly. Given up too much by losing to cowboys and now the dogs.

I back this team no matter what but what they dishes up today was a slap in the face for the fans that sat out in that weather to watch them. I am embarrassed as a fan of this team.

We need to be putting teams like the dogs and cowboys to the sword no matter what conditions or injuries we face.

I do not expect us to make the eight until at least 2021, if not then O’Brien is sacked in my opinion since he apparently has two years to make the top eight.

 

[Billy]

Ok, I'm going to say it. I preface this by saying I'm glad O'Brien is striving for a higher standard. But really, I watched 17 blokes in red and blue give it a red hot crack today. I can't fault their application. I think the dogs deserve a massive rap for their completion rate which is where they won the game. They deserved their win. They jagged two tries basically from kicks. I'd like to have seen a bit more effort to defuse the first one but I can't fault Herman (I think?) for trying to dive on the ball for their last try. So much better than his no effort against the storm. I thought Ponga was close to our best, he was so dangerous every time he touched the ball. His tackle breaks must of been close to double figures. His one blemish was the lost ball straight after half time. Could we have challenged that because I thought it was a clear knock back? Unfortunately it led to points. Other than completion rate, we finished well ahead in most major stats, run metres, tackle breaks, etc. It may not be a popular opinion but today wasn't that bad and we have made some massive advancements this year.

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It was one of those games where everything went right for them and nothing went right for us and we lost by 6 points. You get that in Rugby League.
It still feels like a kick in the guts though.

 

[packo]

Games we need to win. But definitely not panic stations. We are sitting 6 one point out of the 4. If that game wasn’t wet we would have won that.

The worst part about that hame besides the injuries is Pearce’s lack of ability to find the in goal time after time as well as him not directing the team.

Can definitely see what The Roosters meant now.

 

[Kurriboy]

Lol, if if if.

If's don't win grand finals.

And this caps a long list of losses against teams on the bottom that haven't won in ages, are out of form and we manage to sh!t the bed and somehow play them in to form, or gift them a win.

I can take, if Canterbury played well, and we played well, and the best team on the day won. That I can take. I can't excuse this performance.

How about, if this were any other team in the top 4, hell, top 8. They win today.

 

[Alex]

I do not expect us to make the eight until at least 2021, if not then O’Brien is sacked in my opinion since he apparently has two years to make the top eight.

I'd be sacking players before I sack the coach. .

 

[Still_Nutty]

I was starting to put all the content below into my player points for this week but it probably makes more sense to put it here...

From individual performances from yesterday's game, my first 3 in order:

Barnett - not the most effective forward on the field for the knights, based on stats BUT definitely the most effective forward on the field for the Knights...and I think he is only going to get better
Mann - for a makeshift 5/8, he is one of the most consistent effort players achieving to 100% of his potential in everything he does, every week...give me 16 more of him
Saifiti - a breakout season for Jake and he is now starting to deliver consistency at an NRL standard...let's hope it continues

I have honourable mentions for Ponga, Klem, Sione, Tuala, Hunt and Best....

But on the flip side:

Herman - I've always considered his flaws (lack of ability to read defensive positioning, general effort on effort plays and his lack of mental toughness) were never going to see him reach his potential and I'm happy that he is moving on... but his derpness on the weekend was almost single-handedly the main contributor to the loss - I don't hate him like I do former players like BJ but that performance makes me want to help pack his bags and pay for the petrol to the Qld border and send him on his way now

Pearce - not because of his general effort but because he is not able to execute as an organising half back or a first string strategic kicker...at his level, experience and pay packet, how you can not get at least 70% of your short kicking game to either get past the defensive line or stop in the in-goal is beyond my comprehension. On the kicking front, Ponga and Mann are no better at present but I can cut them some slack for being inexperienced and not our primary play maker.

Blaming the conditions is poor, those same conditions the dogs faced and they got the job done.

We had injuries sure, good teams overcome challenges.

There is something wrong with the Knights. Has been for a long time and its ingrained in the club. Coaches dont seem able to change it. We cant seem to play like a professional club. We come up against weak teams struggling and lower ourselves down to their level. Hell, below their level.

Im sick of watching other top 4 teams smash the bottom 4 but us putting in a poor performance after poor performance and losing.

Simply not good enough. Period.

The players and club should be embarrassed by that performance. But unfortunately, for the Knights, performances like that are commonplace and acceptable.

Lol, if if if.

If's don't win grand finals.

And this caps a long list of losses against teams on the bottom that haven't won in ages, are out of form and we manage to sh!t the bed and somehow play them in to form, or gift them a win.

I can take, if Canterbury played well, and we played well, and the best team on the day won. That I can take. I can't excuse this performance.

How about, if this were any other team in the top 4, hell, top 8. They win today.

And I'm with Kurriboy's 2 posts above on this game...I'd also add that what really makes it worse for me, is that they seem to consistently dish this up to their HOME FANS?!

 

[Kurriboy]

Ponga for mine is certainly better at short kicking than Pearce. Mann, has shown he can get the ball in to the in goal also.

I'd be changing strategy that at the end of sets, the ball goes to Ponga or Mann with the view to secure a repeat set with an attacking grubber. Might jag some tries even.

Pearce can stick to his passing game, and longer downfield kicks with the proviso he tries to find space and stops those booming downfield kicks that are caught on the full, every damn time.

Short ball to Fitz has been over, for years now. Why not have fitz run decoy but stop before the line, and cut out pass to Best running a straight hard line?

 

[slotmachine]

Tell you what, Klem gets a hard time. Might be different if he was born in Newcastle? Or maybe people get bored with his consistent excellence, dunno.

Yesterday he played 80 minutes, 19 runs for 198m, 57 tackles 0 missed and was even popping up a first receiver. And gets called lazy.

 

[Kurriboy]

I personally don't have any issue with Klem. He is a quiet guy that just goes out there and does his job.

Any forward would like to have stats like those per game.

He isn't the problem.

 

[packo]

Put that one down to errors, a few Bounces of the ball going their way and our lack of attack.