Bennett impressed by Knights’ heart
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Newcastle may have had to come back from an early 18-point deficit to beat the Warriors, but their ability to recover from a schoolboy error after halftime was just as important for their coach.
Having hauled back the deficit to be 19-12 down at halftime in their NRL clash in Auckland, the Knights put Akuila Uate over the line just after the break but, under no pressure, he dropped the ball as he was putting it down.
Instead of letting their heads drop, the Knights scored within five minutes after a 40m Uate run gave them momentum from which Timana Tahu scored and, from then, the roll of the game was with the visitors.
“The game could have been lost on that play if we’d have lost that bit of belief we had because of what happened on the tryline … but the guy that got us back was Akuila as much as anyone else,” coach Wayne Bennett said.
“We controlled our game again, got back to what we were doing and then we started to get the tries again.”
The victory puts Newcastle level with the Warriors in ninth place and keeps their NRL playoff hopes alive.
Bennett said he expected “everybody in Newcastle had turned their TVs off” after falling behind to tries from Nathan Friend, Shaun Johnson and Ben Matulino, but he had confidence the team could get into the game.
“When they didn’t have the run of the game they looked like any other football team. We just had to get that momentum,” he said.
“Coming into halftime we were in control of the game and it didn’t stop in the second half.”
Tries to Uate and Kevin Naiqama, both of which were converted from the sideline by Tyrone Roberts, got them back to 19-12 by halftime, and converted tries by Tahu and Dane Gagai sealed the victory in the second half.
Warriors coach Brian McClennan said it was a hard loss to explain, but said the team lost its way when Matulino, Feleti Mateo and Russell Packer went to the interchange bench.
“It’s an area we’ve been working on, but it also happened when we had less ball. In the first 15 minutes we had the majority of the possession.
“Why we flattened out we’ll have to investigate further.”
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (6) | Page 1 of Comments
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July 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am
Clueless Bluey said | July 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am | Report comment
Could it be that you take off your best props and attacking weapon (Mateo) at the same time. Surely Matulino can play 30 -35min stint in the first half and look to develop him into an 80 min player. Stop chopping and changing Mateo from starting and coming off the bench and just make him an 80 min player you muppet (Bluey) because the whole attack is at another level when he’s on.
July 22nd 2012 @ 10:58am
Spiritfree said | July 22nd 2012 @ 10:58am | Report comment
You’re right. But that’s not all.
The Knights had worked out how to shut Hurrell down and did it very successfully. He was marked out of the game, but still has to learn that if that’s happening, then, hey! Pass the ball! Pronto! How many times did Tupou touch it? Less than five, I reckon.
Why end a set of six with a kick to your opponents when no-one is really chasing to get the ball? Forcing another set so that at the end of it you can give the ball back again? Outsde of the first 15 minutes the Warriors showed more inventiveness in the last 30 seconds of the Broncos match, when they were desperately trying to score, than they did in the whole of the rest of this match. And yet they have two of the most creative players in the NRL in Maloney and Johnson – along with many others besides. Please, guys, you have the talent. You know it and we know it. So please, use it? Show us what you’re made of! Give your opponents some headaches, don’t just go through the motions. Thanks.
Hats off to the Knights. You’d done your homework and weren’t going to give up, even after that Uate drop ball no try,
July 22nd 2012 @ 11:18am
ScottWoodward.me said | July 22nd 2012 @ 11:18am | Report comment
What a wonderful coach Wayne Bennett is!
If you change the 2 coaches around, NZ would have won by 20+.
July 22nd 2012 @ 12:55pm
oikee said | July 22nd 2012 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
Crunch time next weekend, if they lose to Manly in Perth, pack your holiday bags.
The Broncos will be joining you i think. Don’t set the bar too high, the fall is alot easier i have found.
July 23rd 2012 @ 1:31pm
Pot Stirrer said | July 23rd 2012 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
Amazing what a difference it makes to a team when they realise the coach isnt going anywhere and if they dont put in the level of effort he requires on a consitent basis they are the ones who will have to find a new club.
July 27th 2012 @ 1:32am
Droppa said | July 27th 2012 @ 1:32am | Report comment
Bennetts full of it “i’m here to put in place systems that will make this club strong year after year” Thats why the Dragons are out of the 8 while Bennet steals player after player…..at Brisbane Bennett was supercoach with 16 internationals in the side,bit different now aint it.