NRL Round 13 - Knights V Bulldogs - 8:00pm Friday 31st May - McDonald Jones Stadium

They’re trying to blame it on Armstrong on the radio. **** me he dropped the ball a couple of times. How about we have a go at the pigs who got monstered by a terrible Dogs forward pack. Or our pathetic halves who were absolute dog****?
Had enough ball inside their 20 to win three or four times. Pretty harsh to blame it on a guy in his fifth game, if we're relying on him to win then we're in trouble.
 
From what Billy has been describing in the lower grades, I’d like to at least reward Sharpe and Votana and put the first grade under performers on notice that, if you dish that $h!t up, you get dropped…no ifs or buts
 
They’re trying to blame it on Armstrong on the radio. **** me he dropped the ball a couple of times. How about we have a go at the pigs who got monstered by a terrible Dogs forward pack. Or our pathetic halves who were absolute dog****?
Armstrong was mia all night , crucial errors, driven back on every carry. We won the middle for majority of the game. Ample oppurtunity to score points yet halves couldnt excecute. Heads dropped when it went to 18-2 and that was all she wrote.
 
They’re trying to blame it on Armstrong on the radio. **** me he dropped the ball a couple of times. How about we have a go at the pigs who got monstered by a terrible Dogs forward pack. Or our pathetic halves who were absolute dog****?
I actually don't think our forwards were too bad. Our halves were absolutely dreadful though. Armstrong got found out, but he's not to blame for the loss.
 
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From what Billy has been describing in the lower grades, I’d like to at least reward Sharpe and Votana and put the first grade under performers on notice that, if you dish that $h!t up, you get dropped…no ifs or buts
sharpe is a better fullback than armstrong in every department, still flegg age though. Votano is a once in a decade type talent who they seem to be transitioning to the halves, can play anywhere 1-6, silky hands , speed and power. If your the knights and your building a 10 year plan its around this kid .. i think
 
Very very disappointing from both players and coach, game still in balance why was Thompson so late coming back on when we already had lost DSaf, we needed his drive.
Hastings was poor but what have we got instead, missing Gamble due to his enthusiasm, if we drop Hastings then it is Cogger to 7, let him run the show, yes he hasn’t been good but he seems to be shelved as back up player rather than playmaker, 6, if Pryce isn’t right then it’s Crosslands who has similar attributes to Gambler, a goer,
My overall thoughts on team are:- 1 Armstrong or Sharpe, Armstrong deserves a chance one bad game in five isn’t the end. 2 Tuala did enough to hold spot, 3 Gagai a keep, 4 Maps leave him out and play Lucas. 5 Marzhew not good, if Mordreke is ok then play him otherwise no change. 6 & 7 said earlier Cogger 7 Crosslands 6, let Cogger run the side.
Pack Likely to lose JSaf suspended and DSaf injured so it’s Thompson, Brailey, Hetherington, KPP, Frizell, Elliott with Bench Jones R, Jones B, And Croker and Cartwright if one or both of Safs are out.
That was our worst game in ages and we need to make changes rather than keeping same old same old.
This loss, big loss, will be the one we look back on as the one that cost us a spot in the 8, instead of being entrenched we are out of 8 facing two tough games next.
My opinion KPP isn’t as good as Frizell or Lucas, has not quite reached the hype surrounding him, I have been a bit disappointed.
We missed Best today, badly, might explain Marzhews form
 
sharpe is a better fullback than armstrong in every department, still flegg age though. Votano is a once in a decade type talent who they seem to be transitioning to the halves, can play anywhere 1-6, silky hands , speed and power. If your the knights and your building a 10 year plan its around this kid .. i think
I've got a good feeling about Votano. There's something special with him but he has to move to 6. Too many gun fullbacks here and he's got the skills to convert to a Daley, Fittler style 6.
 
sharpe is a better fullback than armstrong in every department, still flegg age though. Votano is a once in a decade type talent who they seem to be transitioning to the halves, can play anywhere 1-6, silky hands , speed and power. If your the knights and your building a 10 year plan its around this kid .. i think
Agreed but give Votano time, still young and developing new skills
 
I've got a good feeling about Votano. There's something special with him but he has to move to 6. Too many gun fullbacks here and he's got the skills to convert to a Daley, Fittler style 6.
He wore number 4 last week but was playing 5/8 from what i saw. Setup a great try at the line with his smooth ballplay , was very ponga like.
our lack of halve options and the lack of geniune halves these days will probably see us go down the ponga to halves route again at some stage i think. But yeah votano has a ponga type style and possibly potential but its way to early to be declarong that.
 
How does a team that hasn’t achieved a thing bar getting flogged in the second week of the finals ever get complacent?

Penrith have dominated the comp for 4 years and rarely shown that sort of complacency. It’s mind boggling. They need a good sports psychologist to figure that lot out.

Although ultimately it’s in the coach to sort that out and figure out a way to stop that happening. Don’t think he has the answers though
 
Ennis spot on with his comments in the post-match. AOB frustrated because we start the season poorly, lose Ponga, find a new way to play and get some gutsy wins and then it all goes to our heads and we completely lose what we'd built.

And how many times have we seen it over the years ...

Yeah that was a scathing summation from all three on the panel. And well earned, and all true.

Pathetic is really the only work to sum it all up.
 
How does a team that hasn’t achieved a thing bar getting flogged in the second week of the finals ever get complacent?

Penrith have dominated the comp for 4 years and rarely shown that sort of complacency. It’s mind boggling. They need a good sports psychologist to figure that lot out.

Although ultimately it’s in the coach to sort that out and figure out a way to stop that happening. Don’t think he has the answers though

The only thing I can put this down to is the Newcastle factor.

They know they get paid no matter what, they know there are low expectations of them at Newcastle from the wider RL comp, they know the crowd is going to turn up and heap love on them all over Newcastle no matter what!
 
How does a team that hasn’t achieved a thing bar getting flogged in the second week of the finals ever get complacent?

Penrith have dominated the comp for 4 years and rarely shown that sort of complacency. It’s mind boggling. They need a good sports psychologist to figure that lot out.

Although ultimately it’s in the coach to sort that out and figure out a way to stop that happening. Don’t think he has the answers though
I dont think it was complacentcy at all, we started just how we have for a month, we won the ruck, earnt field possesion all the way up to the 60ish minute but time and time again could create any chances. Up until that point we conceded only to an arsey half break and chip kick and were punished for an error from our fb. Reality is we earnt the right to beat them but our year long lacklustre attack couldnt cracl the 2nd best defense in the comp. It got to 18-2 (off a kick deflection) and it was all over, heads went down and floodgates opened. We also completed well below what we have in the past on which we set a pretty high bar in that area.
 
I dont think it was complacentcy at all, we started just how we have for a month, we won the ruck, earnt field possesion all the way up to the 60ish minute but time and time again could create any chances. Up until that point we conceded only to an arsey half break and chip kick and were punished for an error from our fb. Reality is we earnt the right to beat them but our year long lacklustre attack couldnt cracl the 2nd best defense in the comp. It got to 18-2 (off a kick deflection) and it was all over, heads went down and floodgates opened. We also completed well below what we have in the past on which we set a pretty high bar in that area.

I think this is a perfect summation
 
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