NRL Round 9 - Knights Vs Rabbitohs - 2:00pm Sunday, 3rd of May - McDonald Jones Stadium

[jamesgould]

Hopefully a good chance for us to get back on track next week.

Ponga, Best, Frizell and Marzhew all possible returnees for this game.

Our last meeting was a 30-4 win against the Bunnies in Magic Round last year:

 

[Newygirl]

Gags was unusually quiet, only 6 runs is very low for him. Did I read somewhere he’s playing with a foot injury or something. Can’t recall where I saw it though

 

[slotmachine]

Gags was unusually quiet, only 6 runs is very low for him. Did I read somewhere he’s playing with a foot injury or something. Can’t recall where I saw it though

Yeah Toohey said he's getting needled to play each week.

 

[Billy]

Ponga
Young
Gags
Best
Marz
Sharpe
Brown
Saifiti
Crossland
Saulo
Frizell
Mcewen
Croker

Smith
Mooney
Hopwood
Manuleleua

Hunt
ESL

 

[frankLauda]

I'd be tempted to rest Sharpe if Ponga is back. Or put him on the bench, start Smith. I hope at least Frizz is available; we need that extra forward.

 

[Sarge]

Hopefully a good chance for us to get back on track next week.

Ponga, Best, Frizell and Marzhew all possible returnees for this game.

Our last meeting was a 30-4 win against the Bunnies in Magic Round last year:

Thats when they had as many injuries as we have now

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

I'd be tempted to rest Sharpe if Ponga is back. Or put him on the bench, start Smith. I hope at least Frizz is available; we need that extra forward.

There’s a good case for that after today.

 

[Sheent14]

Much better looking side. I think we see a bounce back. Ponga gives this whole team confidence, keen to see him and Brown linking up again.

 

[Sheent14]

I’d be keeping Friz off the bench still, he’s been unreal in that role.

 

[Frank McWilliams]

Like to see at least one of Friz and JSaf on field whole game

 

[Les Misérables]

I’d be keeping Friz off the bench still, he’s been unreal in that role.

Same but also we could really really use him for 80 mins just locking down that edge and taking hard carries. I reckon Holbrook might find that too hard to resist. Itll be his match fitness that sees him start from the bench

 

[Billy]

Holbrook said in the presser that Lucas is an outside chance to be back for the Souths game.
Cartilage heals pretty quickly in healthy people, but i'd say he will have to have a scan and be completely healed for them to let him play, and it will only be 3 weeks by the Souths game.

 

[Frank McWilliams]

Only come back if fit and ready, better to delay a week to play out a season

 

[Wagyu Patty]

Not quite sure why so many people have been so quick dismiss Souths, are they beatable? Probably, are we likely to beat them? Probably not tbh. Only lost 2 games this season so far, have completed well in every game and have a dynamic attack, all things we've struggled with so far this season. Coupled with a fairly solid record away at Newcastle, I'm not confident even with returning troops.

 

[Joel.M]

Our forward pack has been dominated in every loss, if we get an even share of possession, I think this is anyone’s game

Keaon playing busted helps

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Not quite sure why so many people have been so quick dismiss Souths, are they beatable? Probably, are we likely to beat them? Probably not tbh. Only lost 2 games this season so far, have completed well in every game and have a dynamic attack, all things we've struggled with so far this season. Coupled with a fairly solid record away at Newcastle, I'm not confident even with returning troops.

Our attack has been great.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Not quite sure why so many people have been so quick dismiss Souths, are they beatable? Probably, are we likely to beat them? Probably not tbh. Only lost 2 games this season so far, have completed well in every game and have a dynamic attack, all things we've struggled with so far this season. Coupled with a fairly solid record away at Newcastle, I'm not confident even with returning troops.

Not dismissing them, but they’re not as strong in the fundamentals through the middle as the teams we’ve struggled with, not even close. A fair few of their games have been shootouts, eg the 36-34 loss to the Raiders, who we smashed. We shouldn’t get bashed out of the game and I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s one where both teams score 30+. Which means we have a shot.

I think if we have Friz, Best & Kalyn back we can get them, I think Brown & Ponga can kill their edge defence worse than they can kill ours. And the difference on our left edge with/without Best is comically massive. Statistics also indicate no fullback in the NRL has a bigger impact on their team’s defence than Ponga believe it or not.

 

[frankLauda]

I hope we have them back. Hollbrook confidence in the presser has got me optimistic that 4-5 return. Bonus if Lucus is available.

 

[BTP]

Reasons I don’t rate souths still.

Who they’ve played.

Rd 1. Phins. 40-30 win
2. Rooters - 28-18 loss
3. Tiger - 20-16 win - decent win
4. Bye
5. Dogs - 32-24 win
6. Raiders - 34-36 loss
7. Dragons - 30-12 win
8. Storm - 48-6 win.

They can certainly score points, but lawdy they can leak them too. And bar the tiger loss which I think Luai and Doueli got injured in, they haven’t played a decent team for a win.

They’ve had a couple I juris sure but not to Newcastle level.

We have a lot to fix for this game but if we’re getting 4 elite players back, at home. I’m expecting a very good performance by us.

 

[Kurriboy]

If we get those 4-5 back I think this is a winnable contest.

Just need those sweet 6 against to get on a roll. So the focus should be on hitting the line and getting quick play the balls to generate 6 agains from Souths trying to slow the ruck.

But no reason we can't compete with Souths.

Mission number one, smash Latrell a few times and put him back in his box somewhat.