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

[Greeny95-98]

Geez, we’re really in trouble with those middles atm. The way crouch and jones lost the wrestle and the ruck was alarming too. Not bagging them, just where we are at using reserve graders.

Lachlan Crouch – 2026 First Grade (85 minutes)

Category Result Ranking

Runs per 80 minutes 21.6 - 1st
Tackles per 80 minutes 64.9 - 1st
Total involvements (Runs + Tackles) per 80 - 86.6 - 1st
Run metres per 80 - 167.5m - 2nd
Tackle efficiency 98.6% Among the highest

Comparison with Established and current Knights forwards.


Not to bad for a reserve grader so far

Geez, we’re really in trouble with those middles atm. The way crouch and jones lost the wrestle and the ruck was alarming too. Not bagging them, just where we are at using reserve graders.

 

[Jon Snow]

Stats only tell part of the story, suggest u go back and watch the sharks game. Lost total control of the ruck from about 25 mins on. Crouch was targeted and was lying in the ruck, leaving one marker, also chased slowly to close the gap for Katoas try. My point is there is a massive difference between our first choice front rowers and genuine reserve graders.

 

[Joey1245]

Stats only tell part of the story, suggest u go back and watch the sharks game. Lost total control of the ruck from about 25 mins on. Crouch was targeted and was lying in the ruck, leaving one marker, also chased slowly to close the gap for Katoas try. My point is there is a massive difference between our first choice front rowers and genuine reserve graders.

Guy has played 6 games and throwing up those stats! To say genuine reserve grader is a bit shallow. Rookies will have mistakes. Sometimes people need to realise there words are pointed and very strong! Crouch has a future went after there pack leaders against Souths held his own

 

[Jon Snow]

I thought Crouch was great against Dolphins, brave but dominated against Souths, and poor vs Sharks. My original point was we are in trouble if we’re relying on Crouch and Jones, both reserve graders, when our first and even second choice front rowers are available. That’s just to be expected with our injury toll. I’d be stoked if he pushed his way into the starting side.
Anyway if stats are all that matter in forming an opinion, play on.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Just by eye test, Crouch is absolutely at a level where he *has to* play first grade now, I don’t see how he’d improve any further against second stringers because the big improvement areas are motor and repeat off-ball efforts. You don’t adjust to NRL pace in NSW Cup. If his inexperience hurts us in a few games so be it. The only way we’ll win a comp is developing the forwards who have the potential to be good to great and bringing them into the team to usurp guys who will only ever be okay. I think Lachlan has it in him to be actively good in the NRL, maybe very good.

I don’t care about the numbers, for a young prop nowhere near his ceiling he’s denting the line and sticking in contact in D.

 

[slotmachine]

At full strength Jsaf, Mooney, Crokes, Frizz and Hopwood are clearly the 5 middles.

After that Saulo is still better than crouch but is at his ceiling, I'd have Crouch in front of Cant, Hola (still don't know why we signed him), Jones, ESL etc

 

[Frank McWilliams]

I think Manu has put himself fwd to replace Cant in 17 when McEwen returns, more explosive and gives us some aggression to pack, Cant is basic good footballer but lacks firepower.

 

[KriKri]

At full strength Jsaf, Mooney, Crokes, Frizz and Hopwood are clearly the 5 middles.

After that Saulo is still better than crouch but is at his ceiling, I'd have Crouch in front of Cant, Hola (still don't know why we signed him), Jones, ESL etc

Am I crazy in thinking the comments about us having no forward depth are a bit out of line. To me that’s a very competitive and mobile prop rotation. Add niukore into the mix for next year and there’s going to be a couple of talented players missing out every week.

 

[Beatell]

Our forwards aimed up nicely, our back 7 let us down with poor plays, looked not connected and dropped balls/running into the sideline. Im on neither side if the Sharpe/Smith debate but geez they need to find some connection and style with whatever combo we have as the last 5-6 weeks has been poor. They really are wasting an opportunity to push deep into the finals atm. We have a good enough team to at least play prelims imo.

 

[Grandpa Joe]

Am I crazy in thinking the comments about us having no forward depth are a bit out of line. To me that’s a very competitive and mobile prop rotation. Add niukore into the mix for next year and there’s going to be a couple of talented players missing out every week.

If we sign Frizz again does Nikura make our 17 if all fit his been p!$$ poor for the wahs.

 

[Billy]

A lot will change in the pre-season.
It's a world cup year and a lot of the older guys won't start pre-season till after Christmas, and a lot of guys like Manuleleua, Crouch, Hopwood, Cant, ESL will get 6 weeks start on them.

 

[Les Misérables]

If we sign Frizz again does Nikura make our 17 if all fit his been p!$$ poor for the wahs.

Was a desperate signing by POS. He'd missed out on 3 or 4 primary targets and must've felt that Niukore was the last of the decent middles. He'd have to be regretting that right now, particularly given the reported pricing, unsure if it was explicitly stated or not but it was inferred to be decent coin by contrast to the 700k odd the Broncs paid for Barney.

We can only hope that Niukore has thrown the cue in the rack for this season and is preserving his body. But it doesnt look good rn

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Our forwards aimed up nicely, our back 7 let us down with poor plays, looked not connected and dropped balls/running into the sideline. Im on neither side if the Sharpe/Smith debate but geez they need to find some connection and style with whatever combo we have as the last 5-6 weeks has been poor. They really are wasting an opportunity to push deep into the finals atm. We have a good enough team to at least play prelims imo.

Aside from the first quarter of the game the forwards got worked by the Sharks boys, what were you watching lol. For like the entire second half we were making 25 metres a set unless the backs made a clean break and every middle except Mooney & Croker was flat out making 4 metres per carry. We scored one try for every 3 tackles in their red zone, if you maintained that for a whole season your team would have easily the greatest red zone attack in NRL history, and that's in a game where the ball was covered in soap all night. You swap spines/backlines and Cronulla wins 40-4.

 

[BlackbuttOG]

Our forwards aimed up nicely, our back 7 let us down with poor plays, looked not connected and dropped balls/running into the sideline. Im on neither side if the Sharpe/Smith debate but geez they need to find some connection and style with whatever combo we have as the last 5-6 weeks has been poor. They really are wasting an opportunity to push deep into the finals atm. We have a good enough team to at least play prelims imo.

Brown and Sharpe have been a bit light on running the ball with their knee issues. When Sharpe does run it is often premeditated for yardage. The best halves at running the ball do so when they have threatening shape outside them whereas Sharpe seems to be thinking if the boys are in shape I must pass. If he dummies and runs straighter Ponga can still use that shape next play, hopefully off a quicker play the ball and we become less predictable.

Easy to say from the lounge chair

 

[Macca89]

In the Sharks and Knights game, William Kennedy opened the scoring for Cronulla. Newcastle felt Ronaldo Mulitalo had denied winger Dominic Young a fair contest for the ball from a Braydon Trindall kick, despite barely leaving the ground himself.

The NRL felt that was the right call, as Mulitalo kept his eyes on the ball throughout, never looked at Young, and had both arms ready to catch, meaning it was a genuine contest, not an illegal "disruptor" play.


May as well start practicing keeping their eye on the ball and take out oppositions backs with this ruling

 

[CornChippy]

In the Sharks and Knights game, William Kennedy opened the scoring for Cronulla. Newcastle felt Ronaldo Mulitalo had denied winger Dominic Young a fair contest for the ball from a Braydon Trindall kick, despite barely leaving the ground himself.

The NRL felt that was the right call, as Mulitalo kept his eyes on the ball throughout, never looked at Young, and had both arms ready to catch, meaning it was a genuine contest, not an illegal "disruptor" play.


May as well start practicing keeping their eye on the ball and take out oppositions backs with this ruling

Reminds me of when that Storms player took out Crossy a few weeks ago without penalty.