Second pre-season trial - Knights Vs Bulldogs - 6:00pm Saturday, 14th February - McDonald Jones Stadium

Don’t recall anything happening but Jones didn’t seem on for long, injured?
Was very ordinary game, Dogs played hard and strong but we let them do so, lacked cohesion and filled with misunderstanding on plays. Brown Knights man of the match but not great, very disjointed effort and expect quite a few changes for Vegas, especially Ponga and Sharpe
 
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feeling a dose of optimism this morning.

Hopefully with our “top” players and combinations a few of those things don’t really happen - leading to a more competitive score/performance

Few poor defensive reads from De Courcey, made a few solid runs though.

Rocks and diamonds from Hunt, which seems his NRL level average. Some good moments followed by drop ball. Does look like he’s built up a little, he’s not getting absolutely dominated in every tackle now.

McCarthy will be better for the run and a number of things to work on. There was one moment he was getting pressure and tried the catch and pass, just wasn’t on, at all. Experience to know Young wasn’t there and to just take the tackle. Don’t think he’s up to NRL at this point in time.

Cant had a brilliant game last week. Him not being ready for Brown to go to the line and offload the ball to him, summed up his and our collective performance yesterday. Nobody really seemed on the same page.

Perhaps my biggest concern was the lack of spark.
Brown and Smith seemed unable to conjure much. Whether that comes from Arthur at hooker and/or Ponga/Sharpe providing threats, or our forwards getting some go forward.
Thought Frizz and Safs were decent. Some good carries. Very curious to see Mooney today and how he does with a decent squad around him.

Think we put this down to a “trial” and hopefully in 10 weeks time we are all glad we didn’t read too much into “that trial against the bulldogs”.
 
Ok, wow.

First up, I am heartened by obvious physical development of Hunt, Esl and McEwen. Very positive.

But Brown on the right? He was one of our best, but why? Because he is our chief playmaker? Can do that on the left. Where he is most comfortable. To be in best position to kick? Maybe the best theory, but nullify all his best traits to use one of his lesser ones? I am truly miffed. I've never felt like this as a Knights fan. With a new coaching regime and a playmaker locked in for ten years, to use him like this truly worries me. I expected some teething problems for sure, but this feels like we are facing months of hard work to bed this in and it just may never work. It was a trial, it may not be the final plan, but I won't be getting out of ths foetal position for two weeks now until I see where he lines up in Vegas.
 
Welcome home Owey, I’ve saved you a spot on the couch.

There isn’t actually a reason why Brown can’t line up on the left and make a fair contribution to the general play kicking. If there’s a law against it, no one told JT or Joey Johns.

AFAIK they trained most of the pre-season with Sandon and Brown on the opposite sides to where they lined up in the trial. Why? Can only hope it’s some 11th dimensional chess thing where he just wants them to be ready to do that if we need it because I otherwise don’t get it. I feel like it’s just squandering a chance to bed the combo they worked on in pre-season in before games actually matter.

“Months of hard work to bed this in and it just may never work” so perfectly captures my confusion and frustration. I buy into a team being able to transition one player to a new spine role if everyone else’s role is comfortable and well-defined. Really not sure about every player in the spine learning a new position/role at the same time…
 
1. Ponga
2. Sharpe
3. Gags
4. Braddy
5. Dom
6. Dylbro (left)
7. Smith (right)
8. Saf
9. Pheens
10. Trey
11. Macca
12. Dyl
13. Cant/Croker/Jones
14. Arthur
15. Frizz
16. ESL
17. Crouch
18. Gamble
19. Frank Manu
20. Hunt

Probs the team I'd take to Vegas.

Only good thing is we didn't miss many tackles. We dropped the ball too much. Clearly shows they didn't work too much on the combos they run out yesterday, hopefully it was just Holbrook keeping cards close to chest and just giving the boys match fitness.
 
Brad tighe said:
I don’t think we look that bad. I mean a few defensive lapses. Couple of caught balls we would’ve scored a couple.
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Agree. Its literally a trial, players avoiding injury, coach testing new systems, Brown's first game.

Not bothered by any of that. If it persists meaningfully into the early rounds then, sure, that's more of a concern. But I reckon Holbrook is still in beta testing mode and understandably so
 
Hopefully all will be available for Vegas, my selection:-
1 Ponga
2 Young
3 Gags/Sharpe
4 Best
5 Sharpe/Marzhew
6 Brown
7 Smith
8 Saf
9 Crossland
10 Mooney
11 Lucas
12 Jones
13 Frizell
14 Gamble
15 Croker
16 Crouch
17 Saulo
18 McEwen
19 ESL/Manuleau. 20 Hunt. 21 Cant. 22 Arthur
Jones and Croker ahead of McEwen, ESL and Manuleau for experience. Could have Arthur for Gamble and Hunt and Cant cover a few positions.
 
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