Opinion
It was the upset of the season thus far with the Newcastle Knights falling to North Queensland Cowboys 32-20.
Us fans were waiting for the game with excitement ready to see our team take the field, but sadly the first half says it all.
Down 26-0 with a shocking amount of errors, questionable defence and missed opportunities. The Knights didn’t come to play 100 per cent until the second half.
The second half saw them pushing through and making what could have been their biggest comeback ever, but sadly the game was out of reach and they fell 32-20.
While I am pleased with their second-half effort, their first-half shocker really made it hard for them. It reminded me of Easter Sunday last year when we went down to Gold Coast 38-14. At the break they were down 22-0 and played horribly.
We bombed two tries (one under the post) and gifted them three due to errors (all which were converted). Now let’s say we didn’t bomb those tries or gift them, we would have won 24-20 but sadly, it doesn’t work that way.
What happened the next week? We faced Parramatta who were coming off a big win at their debut BankWest Stadium encounter 51-6 over Wests. With so many writing us off, we won 28-14. We won six in a row and I think that loss to Gold Coast really taught them a lesson.
The second half of last year saw our team become lazy and the history books tell us all how well that went.
Am I saying the same could happen next week? No, I can’t predict the future but this lose if anything it should light a fire in them and if it does, it could lead to massive positive change.
As a fan, I believe we have a top-four side on paper but what’s on paper and on the field are two different things. We have a coach who believes in us as a top-four side and crazy fans who are passionate about our team.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
This week wasn’t our week but next week is anyone’s game. Changing the topic here, think like if you’re aiming to win a drag race. You won’t win the race only in first gear, you’ll need to floor it and be more of a turbo lover than Rob Halford.
Next week, Newcastle will be taking on Manly. A tough test for our team but a doable one. Manly may not have Tommy Turbo, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be easy beats. Des Hasler has really turned them around and will make them a competitive team.
As fans, we cheer for our Knights whether we win, lose or draw. We celebrate our wins and we accept our loses. For the players, you don’t play for a paycheque, you play for your team, your club, your town and most importantly, your fans. We’re all in this together.
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