NRL Round 14 - Storm V Knights - 2:00pm Sunday 9th June - AAMI Park, Melbourne

I don’t think there’s really any changes we could make that would improve the side, especially if Pryce has been going as badly as everyone says. Thought the side to play the Bulldogs looked really strong pre-game … confidence has been dented a bit, but this side is capable of a lot better.
 
jamesgould said:
I don’t think there’s really any changes we could make that would improve the side, especially if Pryce has been going as badly as everyone says. Thought the side to play the Bulldogs looked really strong pre-game … confidence has been dented a bit, but this side is capable of a lot better.
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The truth is, this week will be all about belief and what is going on between the ears for the whole playing group...if they fold, don't get down in the trenches for each other and go hard for 80, regardless of the end result, our season will be shot IMHO.

After 'that' game last weekend, this is the week they need to put it all on the line and step up as a group for each other. I don't need to see fancy or anything else...I just want to see heart, effort on effort, a preparedness to get into the grind, turn up for each other under fatigue and do the 1%ers for the full 80 minutes.

That all sounds very cliche BUT I just see this is a defining week that will really affect how the rest of 2024 goes for us.

And of all the players missing, I believe we are missing Gamble the most out there at the moment. In his own way, he is a leader and player that lifts others around him by word and deed. He is also a player that is prepared to chance his hand and put an opposition in two minds.

Without him at the moment, there is absolutely no variety or creative spark in the Knights attacking structure that can break down a defence
 
Article in the Herald this morning where KPP talks up Will Pryce.
Calls him a special talent and says he "came here for a reason" is "ready to go" and will "smash it when he gets a chance".
Says his off the cuff style is a point of difference and says he has played 45 ESL games.
Also says Pryce is not sulking, is the happiest guy at the club, is full of energy, and is doing all the extras at training.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Pryce is right for Knights NRL call-up: Pearce-Paul

The 21-year-old is yet to make his debut.
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au
 
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Newcastle is all about patterns I see.

That was last weekend, this one will be different I swear!
 

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Feels like it’s angling to Pryce getting a run. I’m a little miffed by it all, at a bit of a “what Eva, season done anyway once KP and Gamble went down” All I’m hoping for is a competitive team and more finals appearances. We had that last 4 weeks before last week. No reason we can’t pick that up again after one ****ty loss.

As much as I keep championing for Hastings, I’d wouldn’t be surprised if Obi gets a few words from senior players and Cogger gets the nod.
 
Arm chair analysist said:
This is going to be a blood bath. I really hope aob knows what he is doing. If they get flogged again and he made no changes to the side. I can't see that going very well for him. The blokes on 360 will have a field day.
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360 seem to give him a fair bit of slack.

AOB probably owes Ponga a big % of his wage. A) for his run of form last season that gave us the win streak and AOB his extension. And b) the “No Ponga” excuse that seems to save him from a 360 grilling.

In all seriousness, 4 from 5 ain’t bad. You can only play and beat the teams in front of you. This week and next I’ll probably give us a better idea. If we rebound this week and put in a good performance, then maybe we just write it off as a bad day. If we go down heavily and roll over it’ll be last chance before bye round perhaps.

I think the players that will need to put in a good performance these next 2 weeks will be Hastings, Cogger, Armstrong (more because Sharpe seems ready to go) and Mapapalangi.

Our kicking game and attack needs more direction. Our defence has improved and grinding out wins is evidence of that (albeit against lesser teams). We don’t mount any pressure on teams unless we get some penalties or restarts. Our kicks just turn over possession and are rarely attacking.
 
If Pryce was even just performing in attack consistently he would be in line for a debut even with the defensive issues. In fact he probably would've already debuted a few weeks ago. The Super League highlight reel plays that a lot of fans are basing their opinions off aren't happening here. He's not even seen as close based on the coaches' comments post-game which were about as clear as he could've been while still remaining professional.

Don't think the recent links to all these young halves (Talagi, Schuster, Pezet, even Carter Gordon) are a great sign for how they're viewing him going forward either.
 
Without a competent/fit halfback, it’s like we are moving the deck chairs around on the Titanic.

We desperately need to secure a competent halfback for next year.
 
Last week was ****. No doubt, but having 2 of our best attacking weapons in KP and Best out and one of our better link man in Gamble out. No surprises our attack is down. Also it's mid yr. We were no where near good attack until late last season.

Team just needs to focus on good line speed for 80mins and 1%'s and try stay in the games with Melbourne and Penrith next 2 weeks.
 
JOJO82 said:
From best attacking team to second last and yet the coach refuses to change up anything.

Forget that we got pumped last week by a dogs team missing their key players, the fact we couldn't even fire a shot is the biggest concern for me.
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To be fair we butchered 3 tries. there is no benefit to this side from any single player in cup apart from sharpe for armstrong potentially as he is a better ball player.
 
Lefty said:
We desperately need to secure a competent halfback for next year.
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I have some bad news for you.

EASBay17 said:
To be fair we butchered 3 tries
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To be fair we played against 12 for a quarter of the game.
Easily worst attacking performance for a few years. I was trying to remember the last one as bad, might have been with Clifford and Clune in the halves when Melbourne put 50 on us? 2021 maybe...
 
Sadly the selectors continue to ignore Pryce in favour of a seriously pedestrian Cogger. What does he need to do to get a run? Can he possibly be any worse? The job of the halves is the link between forwards and backs and last Friday there was no link at all. One up, one up, kick! All contributing to a boring match and a lack lustre performance. Three cheers for Tyson Frizelle being the only player to thank the fans after the match.
 
Crabs said:
Sadly the selectors continue to ignore Pryce in favour of a seriously pedestrian Cogger. What does he need to do to get a run? Can he possibly be any worse? The job of the halves is the link between forwards and backs and last Friday there was no link at all. One up, one up, kick! All contributing to a boring match and a lack lustre performance. Three cheers for Tyson Frizelle being the only player to thank the fans after the match.
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Welcome aboard Crabs!
 
mozza said:
There was a few games at home in 2022 where we only got the 2 points. Melbourne and Parra iirc. Friday was definitely on par with those efforts.
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No way man, I think you’re forgetting how bad we were in those games. The 39-2 vs the Eels, they never even got out of second gear, they could have put 80 on us if they were trying. We were putrid, team-wide.

There was effort on Friday night and the Bulldogs played very well to beat us as convincingly as they did. Just struggled to get anything going with the ball and it’s not fair to not attribute any of that to the enthusiasm, aggression and envelope pushing of the Dogs. The scoreline blew out at the end but we were in the game for most of it. We were never in those big losses vs Parra and Melbourne.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
No way man, I think you’re forgetting how bad we were in those games. The 39-2 vs the Eels, they never even got out of second gear, they could have put 80 on us if they were trying. We were putrid, team-wide.

There was effort on Friday night and the Bulldogs played very well to beat us as convincingly as they did. Just struggled to get anything going with the ball and it’s not fair to not attribute any of that to the enthusiasm, aggression and envelope pushing of the Dogs. The scoreline blew out at the end but we were in the game for most of it. We were never in those big losses vs Parra and Melbourne.
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I was thinking attacking wise. Plus Parra and Storm were much better sides than the Bulldogs side we faced on Friday.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
There was effort on Friday night and the Bulldogs played very well to beat us as convincingly as they did. Just struggled to get anything going with the ball and it’s not fair to not attribute any of that to the enthusiasm, aggression and envelope pushing of the Dogs. The scoreline blew out at the end but we were in the game for most of it. We were never in those big losses vs Parra and Melbourne.
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Also you could see the Dogs confidence grow and grow as they kept turning us away. If Tracey doesn’t take Armstrong out we’d have been 6-0 up after 5 minutes, Or Marzhew just scored as he should’ve, playing from in front in those conditions would have made it a completely different game.
 
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