Round 11 - Knights vs Tigers @ Campbelltown Stadium

Just a correction from last week guys,

Dane Gagai is listed as playing 100 games but he spent 1 game for the Broncos on the bench and never ran on so the Knights are saying his actual 100th is this week

Personally I think it didn't matter but anyway guess we will celebrate his 100th this week lol
 
Thanks for that! Let's go gags for game 100 against the tiggy tigers. Hopefully it's a better result and all smiles coz jeez that hurt me seeing him hunched over crying!
 
Beauty. Maybe Dane can still get that win for 100 and a great big smile!!!!!!

On a side issue, interesting the thread on Midley email to members and inviting questions has been removed and, surprise surprise, silence has met my question on precisely how much this CLub is in debt to the NRL. Obviously members are like mushrooms with the Club up for sale. Appears the welcoming questions was not genuine.
 
Wests Tigers v Knights: Schick Preview


Wed 18 May, 2016, 12:30pm
By Jack Brady, National Correspondent , NRL.com


If these two teams were to combine their respective scorecards from last week they would have lost 98-4.

The Knights – hosting seven players 20 or younger – were outmatched by the Sharks and thrashed 62-0.

Jason Taylor's men fared a little better.

They lost 36-4 to the Bulldogs.

The loss of Robbie Farah (concussion) midway through the first haf didn't help the Tigers' cause last week and he's been consequentially replaced by club debutant Matt Ballin.

JJ Felise has also been named on the bench with Curtis Sironen (ankle) unavailable.

The Knights have only positives in terms of their 17. Trent Hodkinson (knee), Sam Mataora and Nathan Ross (both hamstring) have all been included at the expense of Cory Denniss and David Bhana.

Watch out Wests Tigers:

This is Hodkinson's last opportunity to show New South Wales coach Laurie Daley exactly why he shouldn't be dropped for Origin I on June 1.

Hodkinson missed the Knights' horror loss last weekend so he'll be at the very least looking to impress Newcastle fans upon his return.

Watch out Knights:

Elijah Taylor will be out to prove he's no one trick pony against the Knights.

One of the best tackling machines in the competition, Taylor will surely get more runs on the board in this one. Against the Bulldogs last week he made 51 metres and 50 tackles.

Key Match-Up: Mitch Moses v Brock Lamb

It was just under three years ago when Brock Lamb's high school All Saints Maitland won the GIO Schoolboys Cup.

Lamb was Man of the Match in All Saints' 35-34 win over Eagle Vale and was handed his nifty $100 cheque by none other than Mitch Moses.

On Saturday they'll face off in the NRL for the first time. Lamb is only two years Moses' junior and isn't exactly out of his depth up against the Tigers' young halves.

The History: Played 22; Wests Tigers 10, Knights 12

The Knights hold the wood over the Tigers in recent years having won five of their past six games against them – including their last three.

The Knights' only win of the year so far has been against the Tigers having emerged 18-16 victors in Round 6.

What are the Odds:

Sportsbet is taking $2 on the Tigers for every $1 on the Knights to win, with the Tigers 13-plus getting plenty of attention.

Kevin Naiqama is the only one punters want to see score the first try, with Jordan Rankin the best backed to score a try at any stage during the match.

Match Officials:

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Assistant Referee: Adam Devcich
Sideline Officials: Clayton Sharpe and Rick MacFarlane

Televised:

Fox Sports 1 – Live Coverage from 2:25pm AEST.

The way we see it:

The Tigers always seem to pop up at the perfect time for Newcastle.

Last year, both their wins over the Tigers saw the Knights end two lengthy losing streaks while it's no secret they won this very fixture a little over a month ago.

The Tigers crumbled against the Bulldogs last week and will be desperate to bounce back, but a huge flogging like Newcastle copped does strange things to a team and an upset could very well be on the cards.

Knights by four points.


http://www.nrl.com/wests-tigers-v-knights-schick-preview/tabid/10874/newsid/96036/default.aspx

 
Barry Toohey – ‏@BarryToohey

Expecting Jake Mamo to return from injury against @WestsTigers for the injured @rossdog4 on Saturday.

1:26 AM - 19 May 2016
 
If Mamo has a big game in him, we should see it this week. He's playing for his future.
 
NRL preview: Round 11

Thu 19th May, 03:06PM

WESTS TIGERS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

Date: Saturday May 21
Gates open: 10.20am
Kick-off: 3.00pm
Venue: Campbelltown Stadium
Broadcast: Fox Sports

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played: 22
Knights: 12
Tigers: 10

SQUADS

Knights

1. Dane Gagai, 2. Nathan Ross, 3. Sione Mata’utia, 4. Pat Mata’utia, 5. Akuila Uate, 6. Brock Lamb, 7. Trent Hodkinson (c), 8. Sam Mataora, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Tariq Sims (c), 12. Jacob Saifiti, 13. Jeremy Smith (c). Interchange: 14. Tyler Randell, 15. Korbin Sims, 16. Jack Stockwell, 17. Mickey Paea, 18. Pauli Pauli, 19. Jack Cogger.

Tigers

1. Justin Hunt, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Tim Simona, 4. Kevin Naiqama, 5. Jordan Rankin, 6. Mitchell Moses, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Dene Halatau, 10. Ava Seumanufagai, 11. Josh Aloiai, 12. Chris Lawrence, 13. Elijah Taylor. Interchange: 14. Tim Grant, 15. Matt Ballin, 16. JJ Felise, 17. Kyle Lovett, 18. Michael Chee Kam.

TALKING POINTS

The pursuit of improvement

“For us it’s about trying to get some consistency in some key areas of the game,” Nathan Brown explained on Tuesday.

While the Knights have had patches of inspiring football this year against the likes of Melbourne and Canberra, they have also had times when they’ve struggled to stay in the contest.

“It’s a part of the game and you have to learn to improve and take it sweetly because learning makes us better as a team and makes me better as a player as well," 19-year-old Sione Mata’utia said on Wednesday.

“I think that’s the only thing we can do to stay tight as a team.”

Top try-scorer is back

Nathan Ross has scored four tries in eight appearances so far this season, but was a late withdrawal from the team last Sunday due to a hamstring injury in the warm up.

He has been named to play again this week, and will undoubtedly be an attacking threat on the left edge as the Knights’ leading try-scorer so far this season.

Ross has also averaged more metres (119) per game than any other Knight this season, and ranks second for linebreaks.
He has undoubtedly made the most of his opportunities in first grade.

Halves combination changes again

With Trent Hodkinson coming back in at halfback, the halves combination for the Knights has changed for the fourth time in 11 games.

With the likes of the Broncos and the Sharks having played the same halves pairing for every game so far this season, it has proved a challenge for the Knights.

Regardless, both Brock Lamb and Hodkinson are capable of providing the creative spark required, and will be hard at work on their combinations at training this week.

“I thought they did really well and both showed they have a great long-term future in the game,” Brown said of Lamb and Jack Cogger’s contribution last week.

“Trent did a rehab run yesterday and as expected it (his knee) was a lot better.

“I would have thought with what he did, things will work out favourably and that he will play.”

THE FINAL SAY

“I know the Tigers playing at Campbelltown are going to be ready for us, so we have to be ready for them as well,” Danny Levi said in a press conference.

“We believe that we can beat them, so we have to go out there and prove it.”


http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2016/05/19/nrl_preview_round_11.html





 
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