NRL Round 16 - Knights Vs Dragons - 8:00pm Friday, 19th of June - McDonald Jones Stadium

[HarVeeGee13]

Our left side attack is pathetic when Sandon plays there, I know people will disagree but it was on show for all.

I thought he had a Barney too and I was on the Sandon train all the way toot toot. Not putting the ball through the hands after that break was Luke Brooks ****.

 

[jamesgould]

I actually don’t think we were too bad. St George were really gutsy and looked to promote the ball a lot. They looked better than a few teams we’ve played this year.

It was actually a pretty good quality game. Not many errors and a battle of the middles.

Our goal line defence was decent too, all their tries were off kicks.

Like Dyl Brown running the ball so much, I reckon he’s gonna hit a purple patch soon.

Fair play to Tom Cant easily his best game of FG by a mile. Manulelua was strong too.

My brother just messaged me, and I think it’s true, “Origin weekends are the Dragons’ finals matches”

 

[JOJO82]

We play so flat when coming back from the bye

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Honestly the best news out of that game is that it was proof we really really do miss Kalyn now when he’s out which is good given how much we pay him

But we may miss Lucas even more, he affects every phase of the game more than all but a few forwards in the comp.

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

Just watching the Brown highlights…….it’s pretty awesome to have such a safe and talented half in addition to all the other strike we have. **** performance this evening, but future is bright.

 

[Alex]

Brandy is ****ing HATING the fact we're sitting in the top 4

 

[The Artist Formerly Known as Aku'd]

We’ll have a very strong line up next week

I think we will actually be full strength……when was the last time? Round one? Or am I missing something?

 

[Seano]

I think I predicted Tommy Cant to become a first team regular and a crowd favourite at the start of the year. Hasn't happened yet, but performances like that won't hurt. Really pleased for Manu too...doesn't look too far off first team regular as well. The run in FG will only help.

 

[Jon Snow]

I thought that was Hopwoods best game, ran strongly and tackled well. Hope he can step into that bench role for the season.

 

[danknights]

I think I predicted Tommy Cant to become a first team regular and a crowd favourite at the start of the year. Hasn't happened yet, but performances like that won't hurt. Really pleased for Manu too...doesn't look too far off first team regular as well. The run in FG will only help.

Frankie had probably 2 10-15 minute periods where he was absolutely gassed. It's like the step up from cup for him is a lot bigger than he gives the game credit for.

 

[Hard Yards]

A 5/10 performance that got us 2 points. Ugly, but better than getting beaten.
Not many teams can go a full season playing blinders every week, it drains the fuel tank for the finals, and is unsustainable. The Knights are learning what it takes just to be competitive week to week in the NRL, and there’s plenty of room for improvement in the team. I feel like byes aren’t helping us this year, it seems to impact momentum in some effort areas, built up by playing well in previous games
Learn from this week, take a breath, move on and show improvement next week.
I thought the discipline and completions were good, young forward pack did well against a better forward pack.
Lack of attacking game plan and cohesion were obvious issues, but hopefully Ponga, Lucas and McEwan will bring some of that back next week

 

[danknights]

Moral of the story is we have to keep winning. There's 1 win between third and 9th. Can't lose a few in a row otherwise clap the hands together and call it done.

 

[Newygirl]

Who was it that had the ball stripped off them near the end?

 

[Frank McWilliams]

Was a tough game, we didn’t play great and Dragons played strong.
Sharpe is a good f/b but not a Ponga, Smith is a good 6 but not a Sharpe, Manu is good but not a Lucas.
Left side is so much better with Lucas, Best and Marzhew. Brown is so much better with Sharpe and Ponga around him, options, options, options.
Our pack was a bit down, Safiti and Mooney have had better games and despite efforts from Manu and Cant they are not Lucas and McEwen.
Best fwd Croker, best back Gagai.
Bit fortunate to win, lucky in a sense but next week we should be back to full strength and Best will be better for the run.

 

[jamesgould]

Who was it that had the ball stripped off them near the end?

Mooney wasn’t it?

 

[Newygirl]

Mooney wasn’t it?

Was it I wasn’t sure but I think you might be right. Atrocious whoever it was, letting Gutho strip the ball as a forward

 

[krustykraz]

Cant looked like a real first grader today, there is a good solid future player there for us. I think he will become another Croker type player.

We seem to really be struggling with the game slowing down and a lack of 6 agains.

Eagan and the Couchman's have a bright future.

 

[EASBay17]

that was the slowest ruck ive seen all year, not sure how it looked on tv but both teams were allowed to slow it right down all night. Be interesting to see the average play the ball speeds.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Yeah Cant has a heart like Phar Lap and Manulelua had some great moments.

But also Lucas cracks 150 running metres in a game like that, McEwen probably 100, there were a few moments where there was a very good chance one of them bursts through rather than gets pulled down in a legs tackle, and both of them but particularly Lucas are a massive part of the good ball we can generate in our own half. You could make a supercut of Lucas cutting back inside and generating a Cam Murray-esque play the ball and it would go for 20 minutes.

Both of them get a big tick on effort and didn’t do anything wrong in D from what I saw (though Francis does get pretty fagged out there), but yeah we do lose a lot without the two first choice guys.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Also it’s still my favourite plot twist of this season that I think Sharpe’s looked better at every position he’s played besides fullback. I was so adamant he’s not a half! Turns out the best recruitment guy ever and a very smart coach both know better than me? Weird but okay.

Like he was alright today but I like the way his running game affects the game more attacking the inside shoulders of edge defenders rather than swinging around in shape.