NRL Round 8 - Knights Vs Panthers - 2:00pm Sunday, 26st April - McDonald Jones Stadium

Just checking the player stats from last weeks game. Jsaf had a very average game compared to his previous games. Trey and the other forwards had decent games. This is test for Saf to maintain that high level. Maybe coach needs to manage his minutes better.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0396.png
    IMG_0396.png
    925.9 KB · Views: 27
  1. Fletcher Sharpe
  2. Dominic Young
  3. Dane Gagai
  4. Fletcher Hunt
  5. James Schiller
  6. Sandon Smith
  7. Dylan Brown
  8. Jacob Saifiti
  9. Phoenix Crossland
  10. Trey Mooney
  11. Francis Manuleleua
  12. Jermaine McEwen
  13. Mat Croker
  14. Harrison Graham
  15. Pasami Saulo
  16. Cody Hopwood
  17. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
  18. Asu Kepaoa
  19. Kyle McCarthy
  20. Peter Hola
  21. Lachlan Crouch
  22. Wilson De Courcey
 
But yeah apart from injury duty, we have 2 80min backrowers. I don't wanna manufacture pleasure positions. But can he be a Spencer Leniu Type prop for us? Big impact either side of half time? Or a few mins @ lock / right 2nd row?
I have a feeling Mcewen might be the one who grows into that bench Spencer role. He looks so much bigger and stronger this season (his legs in particular), I think he might quite literally grow into that kind of role. He already looks like he loves bashing blokes, kinda heading towards being similar physically to spencer?
 
So Schiller this year.
Last year, I thought the worst part of his game was his really bad ball security. He struggled really hard in every tackle, trying for tackle breaks, and far too often his struggling resulted in him losing control of the ball and gifting the opposition good field position, because it often happened when he was doing a kick return.
Anyway, he isn't doing that in reserve grade this year.
I don't know if that makes him a better or worse player - fewer tackle breaks, but also few few lost balls so far this year.
 
I realise the best position option for kick offs is f/b as they don’t have to chase after the ball to make tackles but better option is needed, is his kicks weaker due to that injury that seems to worry him from time to time.
Surely a bigger kicker, Crossland?, could be a better option with adjustment to defence line
 
Can we get the kick offs' right? Sharpe was constantly landing the ball before the goal line with rooster's first tackle commonly at the 20 metre line. Last tackle kick was typically 30 metres from knights line coming with the pressure that this allowed the roosters to be apply to the knights back three.
Knights can't afford the give the Panthers such a leg up to the set as they gave the roosters.
 
Hate to say it, but I can’t help but be nervous about Schiller after last year. Sounds like he’s been going great in NSW Cup though, which is good.

I rewatched that 2023 finals match vs Canberra a while ago and he was like blimin Brett Mullins in that game! So hoping he brings that form … doesn’t need to do anything crazy, he’s naturally a great finisher, so focus on that.
 
I think it was Ponga that would usually do the kick offs. We know Sandon has a week boot. Brown should start practicing. But the only think I can think of with Sharpe is his injury. Hopefully the coach has addressed the issue for this week.
 
Hate to say it, but I can’t help but be nervous about Schiller after last year. Sounds like he’s been going great in NSW Cup though, which is good.

I rewatched that 2023 finals match vs Canberra a while ago and he was like blimin Brett Mullins in that game! So hoping he brings that form … doesn’t need to do anything crazy, he’s naturally a great finisher, so focus on that.
I think Schiller really lost a lot of confidence and he certainly wasn’t the only one last year. Even KP said he was low on confidence and wondering if he was actually any good.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Schiller, like a lot of guys do a lot better this year with a coach that has faith in them and allows them to play freely knowing errors happen sometimes.
 
I’m confident he will come in and do a job. We will miss Marzs yardage runs. But Schiller better in the air. I hope they try some attacking air kicks for Hunt and Schiller up against Alimoti and To’o.
Som of Schillers tris in Cup have been absolute screamers from catching bombs on the try line. He has reall benefited from that focus of training in pre season
 
Schiller has been playing in the right in cup but I'm sure he has been watching Manuleulua's ability to put his winger away with a nicely timed pass. I'm betting we see it for the first time in firsts this week.
 
Back
Top