Round 4: Newcastle Knights vs Penrith Panthers

What is your prediction for this game

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 6 30.0%

  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Panthers 1-12

    Votes: 7 35.0%

  • Panthers 13+

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
Penrith are still very much an unknown. They've supposed to have been premiership contenders for at least the last 3 seasons now. They, like Canberra are a side on the up but have yet to prove their heavyweight worth because they can be up & down all throughout the season. They might not turn up & if we're on our game with Levi & the Saifitis rolling forward we might beat them, but that won't mean we are any good.

For me, a real test of worth would be if we don't get destroyed by the perennial contenders like Melbourne, North Queensland, Brisbane & compete with them all game. Penrith might be heavyweights this year, but based on their last few years they still have a while to go before they should be considered a premiership contender.
 
I look at Penrith and am not blown away by their team on paper. I know that sounds silly, but they do have flaws, and their play makers resemble that of the Tigers more than that of the Storm, but the media seems more interested in hyping two young halves who, so far this year, look pretty standard

Imo Cartwright at 5/8th was the key to their late run last year

That being said, I still think they will kick our ***
 
I think penrith will be too good for us. They have too much speed on us.

They have alot to prove this season and before seasons start I was thinking them and canberra are the 2 teams too watch out for this season.

I dont think we will get flogged but will lose by like 28-12 or something similar. In the game for large portions but lacking experience to close it out. Hope to be proved wrong haha.
 
Kenny Powers said:
I look at Penrith and am not blown away by their team on paper. I know that sounds silly, but they do have flaws, and their play makers resemble that of the Tigers more than that of the Storm, but the media seems more interested in hyping two young halves who, so far this year, look pretty standard

Imo Cartwright at 5/8th was the key to their late run last year

That being said, I still think they will kick our ***
Click to expand...
Nathan Cleary should've been Rookie of the Year last year. Without his direction at half Penrith don't go close that year. Slow start perhaps but a real quality young player.

Agree with TMM, though. He hasn't properly dominated a FG game yet but he's pretty promising.
 
Three teams we played so far won't make the 8. First real test. If there is the same amount of errors/penalties as last week we'll cop a hiding
 
I am really worried that this could be the game where the bubble bursts! We have been competitive and the effort has been fantastic, but the silly errors remain, as would be expected with such a young group. It is a long season and I am not sure if the younger guys are going to be able to bring that level of intensity week in and week out! I hope I am wrong, but just saying!
 
It is clear the squad is much closer this year and are playing for each other. There appears to be a real good vibe at the club at the moment and each time they run out, they are putting in for each other. Unfortunately the execution hasn't been good enough in all three games, we scraped home for the win against the Titans, lost the next two that we could have won if we executed better.

In all three games we came up against sides that also didn't execute well themselves and that kept the games close. If any of those three teams came out and were on form, we would have been done easily based on our performance.

I'm sure the boys will compete for the 80 this week. I can't see them chucking in the towel at any point. But what I can see is a continuation of poor execution that gifts Penrith field position and if Penrith are on song, we will get hammered.

If we can come out and finish our sets, get good field position, get good attacking sets in with repeat sets and genuine scoring chances then I think we can win the game.
 
It's a young squad.
2 steps forward and 1 step back is something we can expect over the season.
Having said that, I think they are actually building every week so far, and see no reason they won't play even better this week.
But if they don't, they don't - regroup for next week.
 
I reckon they probably will tear us apart too, but can just as easily see us scoring first & holding out, coming on top at the end. Not confident yet in Penrith's ability to turn up every week.
 
Billy said:
It's a young squad.
2 steps forward and 1 step back is something we can expect over the season.
Having said that, I think they are actually building every week so far, and see no reason they won't play even better this week.
But if they don't, they don't - regroup for next week.
Click to expand...

They could easily play better than they did in the first three rounds but still get soundly beaten. If we compete better, complete more sets but still drop too much ball etc. Penrith could still give us a touch up, but technically we have played better. It's just Penrith turned up better than our first three opponents.
 
Panthers v Knights: Schick Preview


Wed 22 Mar, 2017, 9:00am
By Alicia Newton‌, National Correspondent‌‌, ‌‌‌NRL.com


Schick Hydro Preview: Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights
Pepper Stadium
Friday, 6.00pm

Either way you decide to view the Round 4 clash between the Panthers and Knights, the reality is both sides have only managed one win to begin 2017 and find themselves next to each other in the bottom eight of the Telstra Premiership ladder.

Despite one club being labelled premiership favourites and the other predicted to receive their third successive wooden spoon, this contest shapes as nothing but a danger game for the Panthers, with Anthony Griffin's side expected to win and win easy according to the bookies.

As we've seen in Round 3 with tipsters having a shocking week, the task of expectation is not always an easy thing to overcome, and predicted one-sided affairs don't always work out the way in which you think.

Nathan Brown's outfit have shown vast improvement to last season in their three matches so far, including a solid showing in New Zealand and putting up a strong fight in their six-point defeat to the Rabbitohs last weekend.

In fact, when you consider the Knights averaged only 12 points per game in 2016, to have now doubled it at 24.6 – the third best in the competition so far – it is safe to say the Novocastrians are indeed on the rise.

Some costly errors in pivotal stages are proving the difference for the Knights with many of the inexperienced sides still learning how to convert good performances into victories.

The Panthers were unlucky against the Roosters in a high quality game of football that should prepare them well for what the Knights throw at them defensively after only conceding 16 points in the last two fixtures.

Former New South Wales forward Trent Merrin is starting to benefit from match fitness after playing a season-high 76 minutes against the Tri-colours while the form of centre Tyrone Peachey to start the season has left former Kiwi international Peta Hiku without a spot in the Panthers backline.

The left edge of the Knights is firing with seven tries between Peter Mata'utia and Nathan Ross, however the right side is struggling in defence, conceding eight tries down that edge. Maroons outside back Dane Gagai will have his hands full with the in-form Peachey and will need a huge game if the Knights are to have any chance.

In team news, the Panthers welcome back Bryce Cartwright from an ankle injury in a case of perfect timing with fellow forward James Fisher-Harris sidelined with a fractured eye socket.

For the visitors, Josh Starling escaped suspension for dangerous contact on Rabbitohs back-rower Kyle Turner with an early guilty plea and takes his place in the starting No.10 jersey, with veteran Anthony Tupou named in the reserves again for the Knights.

It is new territory for Knights coach Nathan Brown being able to name back-to-back unchanged line-ups in the last fortnight despite the club's injury toll now up to eight players missing.

Why the Panthers can win:

Their forward pack should be too strong for the Knights.

After a sluggish start against the Dragons in their season-opener, the Panthers have been moving forward on the back of possession, and points have come off the back of that momentum – something the Knights lack, having not yet gone over the 1500 metre mark yet this season.

Why the Knights can win:

They've shown in 2017 they're in every contest, only losing their two games by a try or less and they'll head to Penrith having won five of their last eight at Pepper Stadium.

It was no secret the Knights struggled to score points last season, but their defence is also on the improve having missed only 70 tackles (23 per game) in comparison with the Panthers' 105 (35 per game) in the opening three rounds.

The history: Played 43; Panthers 17; Knights 23; Drawn 3

Recent history suggests Anthony Griffin's outfit have been in control in previous seasons, winning four of the last five, however the Knights were dominant against the Panthers for a number of years during the Andrew Johns era and maintain a strong record overall.

Only recently have the Panthers managed to peg their home ground advantage back.

What are the odds:

Sportsbet has actually taken more individual bets on Newcastle in the head-to-head market, but they've been smaller bets in comparison to those on Penrith. In fact, there are four times as many dollars invested on the Panthers overall. Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au

Match officials:

Referee: Henry Perenara; Assistant Referee: Gavin Reynolds; Touch judges: Rohan Best and Phil Henderson; Review Officials: Jared Maxwell and Luke Patten.

Televised:

Fox League – Live from 6.00pm AEDT.

NRL.com predicts:

You just get the feeling if the Panthers show up, they'll do enough to beat the Knights as there is too much talent in their line-up.

The Knights have shown they're leaving nothing in the tank and going into games with nothing to lose, so you shouldn't completely write them off either with a decent record at Pepper Stadium.

Despite the Knights' efforts, we get the feeling the Panthers will control the middle and have too much in attack when it counts and will notch up their first win at home for the year.

Panthers by 13+.


http://www.nrl.com/panthers-v-knights-schick-preview/tabid/10874/newsid/104903/default.aspx
 
Rossdog takes the focus off try-scoring


Wed 22 Mar, 2017, 6:00am
By Chris Kennedy, National Correspondent‌‌, ‌‌‌NRL.com


Popular Knights winger Nathan Ross may have "failed" his pre-season goal of starting at fullback or centre, but he wants to use the skills gained in an off-season training in those positions to make himself a more complete winger.

Speaking to NRL.com after his brave effort to play through a nasty ankle injury in a narrow loss against the Rabbitohs, Ross was upbeat about his development as a player despite falling short in his bid to change roles heading into season 2017.

"This year I've actually taken my focus of try-scoring away," Ross said.

"If the situation arises obviously I know how to finish them."

It's no understatement – Ross's Round 16 try against the Dragons last year was among the most stunning finishes you'll ever see while the 28-year-old has already crossed four times in two games to kick off his 2017 campaign.

"For me, more so with the way the team's going and the way the club culture is going, you'll be seeing me do a lot more selfless acts," he said.

"I'll still be getting those hard carries but if I'm on a two-on-one situation I'll be making a smart decision. Sometimes I might be taking the ball myself and other times it will be draw and pass."

‌Ross is unafraid to say he fell short of his pre-season goal of starting the year in a new position but can put a positive spin on the situation.

"Two of my goals in the pre-season were to start at fullback or start in the centres.

"I missed out on both of them but I learned a lot doing pre-season in both those positions," he said.

"One of my biggest philosophies is setting goals and learning to fail successfully.

"Even though I didn't get the nod in those two positions I've learned a lot from those positions and so now when I'm on the wing and in a situation I know what ball a centre might want back or I know what fullback might need me to run with him. It's all about evolving."

It's the same kind of selflessness and team-first mentality that saw Ross play through serious pain and discomfort – and risk of further injury – when he stayed on the park after suffering a nasty-looking ankle injury against the Rabbitohs on Saturday.

Asked if he was still targeting a positional switch given plenty of the club's other fullback options – such as Brendan Elliott, Dane Gagai and Pete Mata'utia – are also proficient in the wing and/or centre positions, Ross quickly said he was keen to keep building the combinations that have now started to develop this year.

"My combination with Pete Mata'utia, I couldn't feel any more comfortable than being out on the field with Trent [Hodkinson], Pete and Sione [Mata'utia]," he said.

"That edge, I've got tremendous confidence in them and I wouldn't want to move from where I am because we all have tremendous confidence in each other and we all complement each other in our games."


http://www.nrl.com/rossdog-takes-the-focus-off-try-scoring/tabid/10874/newsid/104846/default.aspx
 
Unfortunately I can't see us containing Penrith like we have our other opponents, if they get on a roll it'll be a blowout.

This game i think will be a real showing of where we are at as a squad, if we start better and stay better we might be in with a chance to nab a win.


Fts - Barnett
Lts - Tamou
Motm - Barnett
Knights 18
Panthers 16

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I wonder if Ole 'enry would get the message if our players run out on the field with Gridiron helmets on.


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