Round 16: Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs

What is your prediction for this game ??

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 16 57.1%
  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 10 35.7%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Bulldogs 1-12

    Votes: 2 7.1%
  • Bulldogs 13+

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    28
  • Poll closed .
Apologies if it's already been asked and answered but is there any chance of Dan Saifiti making an appearance this week?
Initially said it was 4-6 weeks
 
Apologies if it's already been asked and answered but is there any chance of Dan Saifiti making an appearance this week?
Initially said it was 4-6 weeks
They said he is running and pain free but they haven't named him in the 21, so he can't play. I suppose he needs to get some fitness back after a month in a moonboot.
 
We only named 22/23 ( I think because of Denver flights teams could name 23 this week)
Could that leave the door a jar for Felise or d Saifiti?
 
Vacant understand picking Ross and Buhrer on extended bench when not named in reserves, if not fully fit why risk it, surely a fully fit player is better option, miss this week means two weeks additional recovery time. Haven't heard any mention of possible injuries to rep players, Ponga, Griff and Esee assume all ok so hoping none of extended bench required.
 
Watson living the dream, set to record half century


Newcastle Knights
Wed 27 Jun 2018, 02:52 PM



From the time he appeared on NRL's Footy Show as a kid and declared he wanted to play for the nib Newcastle Knights, Connor Watson is living out his dream.

This week the 22-year-old had to be reminded that he'll clock up his 50th NRL match against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday.

The Knights half admits the mini milestone snuck up on him.

"I forgot about it, it's pretty cool," Watson laughed.

"It has gone fast, really fast; I always wanted to play one game as a kid but to be playing my 50th is pretty special.

"You get caught up in the day to day; you go to training, get through it all, go home and then you come back the next day and do it all again, so you don't really sit back and look at it too much."

In just a short period, Watson has packed a lot into his football career.

t all started at the Sydney Roosters for the five-eighth: he got a taste of finals footy and is now in the red and blue playing a prominent part in Newcastle's starting 13.

"I had no idea my career would pan out like this, I was just stoked to get my first game and fulfil my dream," Watson commented.

"I always wanted to do this as a kid since I first started playing footy as a five-year-old and it's worked out."

Coming from the Roosters, where most of the playing roster had a healthy run of NRL games under their belts, Watson is getting into seasoned territory with the Knights.

"Back at the Roosters you had all the 200 gamers and all the boys had played over 100 games," he said.

"Probably myself, Latrell (Mitchell) and Joey Manu were sort of the only ones who were really fresh into our career, but it is a bit of a different way to look at it up here.

"I'm still only young and still only early into my career and the majority of the side is."

And the young half has had to get used to a plethora of changes throughout the season.

"There's been a lot of chopping and changing all year and I was injured for a bit there and also the change in the back row a few times. Myself, Barney (Mitch Barnett), Sione (Mata'utia) and SKD (Shaun Kenny-Dowall) are starting to really combine and play some footy which we're capable of doing," Watson stated.

"It was a hard thing trying to build those combinations, it was taking a little bit of time, but I think we've got there."

As the Bulldogs battle salary cap and injury woes, this weekend becomes a must win for the Knights which have been searching for their next win.

Watson will be up against newbie Lachlan Lewis, who makes his NRL debut on Saturday, but it's someone he's had a rivalry with before.

"I played touch against him when he was 12 years old, he was playing for Queensland and I was playing for NSW so met him then when he was a young kid," said Watson.

"I versed him all through the 20s, he was at Canberra when I played him, so he was a good player.

"He's probably really looking forward to this weekend and making his NRL debut, so he'll only be ripping in which will make it so much harder for us."

"The Bulldogs are a good team in their own right, they haven't had things go their way this year, but we really need to turn out, play hard and compete and play the footy that we know we're capable of."


https://www.newcastleknights.com.au...-living-the-dream-set-to-record-half-century/
 
That would mean picking between Yates or Buhrer assuming you want/need Levi, Heighinton,Lillyman, think I would take a fully fit robust Yates over a recovering maybe not quite fit Buhrer
 
If Buhrer is fit than he comes in for Stone and the bench remains th same. Buhrer helps sure up an edge plus he offers some playing balling options down that edge plus he does not need to play 80 with Yates and Griffin able to cover lock and Guerra can move to the edge.
 
Cogger is the guy with the most on the line this week.
If he wants to play firstgrade next year he has to impress his new coach and outplay 2 of his main rivals for a spot.
This game could make or break his career.
If he has a big game in him we should see it this week.
 
Cogger is the guy with the most on the line this week.
If he wants to play firstgrade next year he has to impress his new coach and outplay 2 of his main rivals for a spot.
This game could make or break his career.
If he has a big game in him we should see it this week.

You think they will play 1 - 17?

No changes?

Lamb doesn't come in?
 
Pasami Saulo and Nick Meaney were cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Do any of these blokes come into the 17.

Jamie Buhrer
Nathan Ross
Brock Lamb
 
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The choice between Ross and Sio will probably come down to who trains best - or Brown might go for experience and flick Denniss.
 
The choice between Ross and Sio will probably come down to who trains best - or Brown might go for experience and flick Denniss.

Chance for all three really

Jamie for Yates
Lamb for Cogger (Do you play a half that's signed with another club or the half you are trying to keep?)
Ross for Sio/Denniss
 
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