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Opinion
In back-to-back weeks, the Newcastle Knights have played in front of their home crowd on consecutive Sunday afternoons and suffered consecutive slaughterings.
Last Sunday was a 39-2 loss to Parramatta and this Sunday was 50-2 loss to Melbourne. In the last two weeks, we have scored only four points – all from penalty goals – and conceded 89 points.
We have scored 92 points after eight rounds and 46 of them were scored in Rounds 1 and 2, which we won and six losses in a row is horrendous. Jake Clifford kicking the ball out on the full to begin the game set the tone for the match.
Melbourne Storm are the elite team of the competition and there’s no point denying that. However, we let them roll over us. If you allow Melbourne to destroy your team, they will do so and show no mercy.
I have been a fan for more than 20 years. I have seen them win premierships, I have seen them when Brian Smith did his damage, I have seen them in the Nathan Tinkler disaster and I have seen them in the rebuild with Nathan Brown.
A score like this from Brian Smith to Nathan Brown would easily be understandable but this is 2022 and after two back-to-back seasons of making the finals then this, this is unacceptable. I have never been more disgusted and I know other Knights fans who share my rage.
Us fans can’t accept this at all and I think a problem we’ve had is accepting mediocrity.
I can see what Adam OBrien is doing: he’s trying to build on the winning culture Newcastle once had. Last year, we showed signs of that, and this year, after winning our first two and building on the progress of last year, we have totally flunked.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Next week, we are facing North Queensland and they won’t take it easy. We need to enter there with the aim to win, not just play but win, otherwise they will destroy us. I love my team and I will always do so but that is unacceptable.
In the press conference, O’Brien and Kalyn Ponga both mentioned how they want to fight out of the rut they’re currently in. After the last two weeks, they really need to bring everything they’ve got, otherwise, not only will we not make the finals, we could get the wooden spoon and now we’re currently last, the Knights have to prove to us fans that they’re better than the team who struggled all those years.
I don’t think sacking AOB is the right option because it will set us back. We proved we can make the finals under his coaching and we have made more finals with him than with Wayne Bennett or any other coach we have had since Michael Hagan. Observe:
2007-2009: Brian Smith – zero finals
2009-2011: Rick Stone – two finals (2009 was mostly built on by Brian Smith so technically only one)
2012-2014: Wayne Bennett – made the finals once
2015: Rick Stone and Danny Buderus – wooden spoon
2016-2019: Nathan Brown – zero finals
2020-2022: Adam O’Brien – two finals and counting
I don’t want us to get rid of AOB, it would be a bad move but if so, the only two people who I can think of are either Shane Flanagan or Shaun Wane. Shaun Wane turned Wigan into a powerhouse team.
So, Roarers, what do you think? What changes do Newcastle need to make?
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