NRL Round 20 - Knights Vs Sharks - 6:00pm Friday, 17th of July - Ocean Protect Stadium

I’d be okay with Hunt on wing for Marzhew if his butt is still sore. (This looked particularly nasty imo, but instead we will focus on the one kick Ponga took with his legs up)

My concern with Hunt on the wing WAS from last year.
He was lanky/tall and defenders were just dominating and driving him back every carry, like Jenkins. He always came back for more though. But it wasn’t overly effective to have him taking carries out of our own end.

But, this year, I think he’s really worked on his strength and he seems to get through the contact and/or find the ground a lot quicker. Think that’s been his biggest improvement for mine. Still the same 100% effort, supported by a stronger body.

Opportunity to bring in Winter (presumably if Votano considering leaving, or do we dangle to carrot to Votano, or even McCarthy) to the reserves as backline cover.
I think Ponga has to take some action when catching the high ball as it has been open season on belting him in the head for a period of time without any consequences for the attacker. While I am not comfortable with feet out towards the defenders in the air, at least he is not getting hit in the head using this strategy.
As for the dogshot Fifita put on Marschew on the weekend, it confirmed for me how alarmingly poor our rule compliance is, with the last time I saw a Knights player wear dogshot knees in the back was Jason Smith dropping the knees into Andrew Johns in a 1997 finals game(ribs broken on that occasion).
I shouldn’t have been surprised that there was no action taken then either.
In what other sport would knees in the back be an acceptable tackling technique, as both of the above examples were obviously deliberate?
 
Want to give Crouchy and Hopwood some love. Whilst Crouchy copped a couple hit in end after confrontation with Smith and Keon. He didn’t put his head down and kept plugging away and also didn’t lose his head with errors.

Hopwood showed his maturity again as well and had an errorless game, unsure in there meters but that doesn’t fully matter. With Mooney off for 15min they put in decent mins.

It may be our downfall a little in coming weeks against Sharks and Roosters, but I have all faith in the boys coming through to keep being a quality forwards in the future.

Not having Jsaf, Saulo is starting to pinch but still impressed by these boys.
Agreed. I thought Hopwood actually won a couple of collisions he would not have at the start of the year.
 
Of course Gagai is still in the team, has been one of the worst in the team for the last few weeks in a row, he cost us two tries at the most and one try at least last week and got ruined by a lock makeshift centre who broke his tackles and scored against him.

But no yeah we need him so bad because the guys below him might be worse… despite the fact it literally couldn’t get worse.

But yeah let’s keep the guy that is one of the weak spots in the team and won’t even be here next year while letting juniors not get any experience in the top flight.

Of course Holbrook doesn’t have the balls to drop a player that needs to be dropped, he missed a perfect time to set standards by dropping a former international which would have showed no one is untouchable if you play bad…

KL is going to destroy Gagai and I will smile because they refuse to change something that’s not working so they get what they deserve.

Sharks by 20+ and that’s me being conservative it could easily be our first game where we get 50+ , we have been close a few times and I think it’s going to be this one, KL hat-trick
 
Would have liked to have seen ESL on the bench, given Brodie won't be here next year, but Bradman back, Sharpe at 6, Manu has been great in his limited time in FG, and it's not at Shark Park....IDK if I'd be asking the wife to start hiding the sharp implements and bleach just yet.
 
Of course Gagai is still in the team, has been one of the worst in the team for the last few weeks in a row, he cost us two tries at the most and one try at least last week and got ruined by a lock makeshift centre who broke his tackles and scored against him.

But no yeah we need him so bad because the guys below him might be worse… despite the fact it literally couldn’t get worse.

But yeah let’s keep the guy that is one of the weak spots in the team and won’t even be here next year while letting juniors not get any experience in the top flight.

Of course Holbrook doesn’t have the balls to drop a player that needs to be dropped, he missed a perfect time to set standards by dropping a former international which would have showed no one is untouchable if you play bad…

KL is going to destroy Gagai and I will smile because they refuse to change something that’s not working so they get what they deserve.

Sharks by 20+ and that’s me being conservative it could easily be our first game where we get 50+ , we have been close a few times and I think it’s going to be this one, KL hat-trick
Yep said to a mate last Friday night if Gags get injured he won't get back in the team . The way he has been goings one of the kids couldn't be any worse .
 
Glad they’re at least trying something different with Manuleleua starting, hopefully the defence is more worried about him than they were with Cant. Noticeably missed McEwen’s line running even if only as a decoy.
 
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