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  1. #1
    Super Moderator TITAN PETE's Avatar
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    Default Round 8 BULLDOGS V KNIGHTS

    BULLDOGS V KNIGHTS - SAT 26 APR, 7:30PM (LOCAL), ANZ STADIUM

    Bulldogs
    1 Sam Perrett
    2 Corey Thompson
    3 Josh Morris
    4 Tim Lafai
    5 Mitch Brown
    6 Josh Reynolds
    7 Trent Hodkinson
    8 Aiden Tolman
    9 Michael Ennis (c)
    10 James Graham
    11 Josh Jackson
    12 Tony Williams
    13 Dale Finucane

    Interchange
    14 Greg Eastwood
    17 David Klemmer
    22 Tim Browne
    24 Sam Kasiano
    19 Moses Mbye
    20 Pat O'Hanlon

    Coach: Des Hasler


    Knights
    1 Darius Boyd
    2 James McManus
    3 Dane Gagai
    4 Joey Leilua
    5 Jake Mamo
    6 Jarrod Mullen
    7 Tyrone Roberts
    8 Kade Snowden
    9 Kurt Gidley (c)
    10 Zane Tetevano
    11 Beau Scott
    12 Chris Houston
    13 Jeremy Smith

    Interchange
    14 Adam Clydsdale
    15 Korbin Sims
    16 Adam Cuthbertson
    17 Robbie Rochow

    Coach: Wayne Bennett
    Last edited by TITAN PETE; 23-04-14 at 08:49 AM.
    #itaintweaktospeak

  2. #2
    Super Moderator TITAN PETE's Avatar
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    Bulldogs v Knights preview
    By Matt Encarnacion, Western Sydney Correspondent
    NRL.com
    3:30pm Wed 23rd April, 2014




    Bulldogs v Knights
    ANZ Stadium
    Saturday, 7.30pm (AEST)

    We all know how much Bulldogs coach Des Hasler detests the spotlight, but Canterbury-Bankstown fans must be enjoying the view on top of this wacky NRL universe. And so they should – it's not every day you have the rugby league's version of Michael Jordan coming up big in the clutch for you (although that has occurred twice in the past fortnight).

    But if the Bulldogs truly want to join the modern elite, if they want to be recognised as a genuine contender, they'll have to exorcise the demons of 2013. And that means exacting some revenge on a Newcastle team that pulled their pants down three times last year – including the 22-6 semi-final loss that ended their premiership hopes.

    The blue-and-whites were out in their droves last Friday, wearing South Sydney's biggest gut punches before the little bloke in their No. 7 once again threw a haymaker to deliver a famous 15-14 knockout victory.

    It was their third straight one-point victory of the season, and Trent Hodkinson's second consecutive game-winner, which earns him the title of the biggest clutch player of the season. But the comeback story of the year has some decent big men in the blue-and-white corner too, not least the superhuman efforts of James Graham and Aiden Tolman.

    On the other hand, Newcastle were handed a beat-down of their own on the same night, taught a heavy 32-6 lesson by Brisbane on their own turf.

    Nothing clicked at all for the Novocastrians last week. They had more possession, more possession in opposition territory, made more offloads, missed fewer tackles, forced more line drop-outs, and received more penalties. But they lost it all where it counts – on the scoreboard – and in 14th spot, they need a win to keep within distance of the competition pacesetters.

    Coach Wayne Bennett regains prop Kade Snowden from a concussion rest, but has lost the suspended Willie Mason. The Bulldogs are unchanged.

    Watch Out Bulldogs: The two blokes who gave the Bulldogs the most headaches last season, centres Dane Gagai and Joey Leilua, have broken more than 60 tackles between them this year and have established themselves as Newcastle's main strike weapons.

    Five-eighth Josh Reynolds is playing some hot football right now, but he's also missed a team-high 16 tackles. Target acquired.


    Watch Out Knights: The 'Berries are doing it all on defence right now – conceding a league-low 13 points a game. In fact, they're the only team not to give up 100 points in total so far this season and the best of the four teams with five wins to their name. They're also scoring at a rate of 22 points a game, so it's safe to assume Newcastle need more than the 16 points they're putting up every week.

    Plays To Watch: The overlapping Darius Boyd is still Wayne Bennett's go-to play, but judging by the amount of times Robbie Rochow (23) and Beau Scott (21) have been tackled inside the opposition red zone, the Kangaroos winger is opting for the direct line often and early.

    On the flipside, the Bulldogs found plenty of success on their right edge with Tim Lafai and Corey Thompson making plenty of metres down that channel against South Sydney last Friday. It looks their most likely avenue to the try line.

    Where It Will Be Won: Need we say it? Newcastle's Tyrone Roberts is converting at a strike rate of 75 per cent, and Gidley isn't that much better. And then there's the guy with ice in his veins, Trent Hodkinson, who's missed just three attempts all year. We just can't afford not to tell you that Bulldogs games are being decided by the boot these days.

    The History: Played 41; Newcastle 20, Canterbury-Bankstown 20, drawn 1. Bragging rights go on the line, at least until another possible re-match in the post-season, with the two sides locked at 20 wins apiece.

    Recent history points to the Knights gaining the overall advantage, having won their past three clashes – all last season. In fact, the Novocastrians have had the Bulldogs' number since 2010, winning four of their past five and six of their past eight.


    What Are The Odds: Finally, the punters are getting behind a favourite! It's all one-way traffic in this one with Sportsbet.com.au, with 10 times the money coming for the Bulldogs at $1.47. The Knights are almost friendless at $2.70.

    Match Officials: Referees – Henry Perenara & Alan Shortall; Sideline Officials – Dan Eastwood & Dave Ryan; Video Referees – Bernard Sutton & Andrew Dunemann.

    Televised: Fox Sports 1 – Live 7.30pm (AEST).

    The Way We See It: We like Newcastle's chances of a top-eight finish this year. In fact, before season kickoff, we pencilled them in as top four elite. And while we stick by them to be there in September, we're bigger Michael Jordan fans than Newcastle ones. Bulldogs, not by one, but by seven.
    #itaintweaktospeak

  3. #3
    Super Moderator TITAN PETE's Avatar
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    Another top game of footy with the Dogs winning 16-12
    #itaintweaktospeak

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by TITAN PETE View Post
    Another top game of footy with the Dogs winning 16-12
    Are you serious? Maybe I am fatigued after watching 3 games but I thought that was one of the worst games of the year and in fact looked like Hasler had stolen Cartwright's game plan. Plenty of ball but no idea how to score.

  5. #5
    Super Moderator TITAN PETE's Avatar
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    It might have been the 3rd best game of the day but I love a tight game that goes down to the wire, love the frustration of both Ennis & Gidley at different times in the match , it wasn't a edge of your seat type game but I enjoyed it more than the Cows running riot previous
    #itaintweaktospeak

  6. #6
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    Loss tempered by McKinnon's presence
    By Dan Walsh
    NRL.com
    7:05am Sun 27th April, 2014



    Stop for a second and think of what you were doing at age 16. Behaving yourself, steering well clear of the opposite sex and certainly not wearing a puka shell necklace.

    "Mum was still cuddling me at 16 mate," grins Knights prop Kade Snowden when you put the question to him.

    But for Snowden's grandfather Bryant, 16 was the age he stole his brother's birth certificate, enlisted in the Australian army and went off to fight in the Korean War, honouring his father who was taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese during World War II.

    Snowden's great grandfather was stationed in Nagasaki on the city's most horrific day, August 9, 1945, when the US dropped a nuclear bomb that killed more than 60,000, three days after a suspected 150,000 lost their lives in a similar attack in Hiroshima.

    He survived the blast, and Bryant later stole away to follow his father into battle and saw action just a few months after his 16th birthday before being found out and sent home.

    "Pop served in Korea, he had to steal his older brother's birth certificate so he could go because he was only 16," says Snowden, barrel-chest swelling with pride as he does so.

    "They didn't know about it, so off he went.

    "It was a really courageous thing to just to go to the Army, and at 16 is something you can't really contemplate in this day and age."

    It's an incredible story and one Snowden is all too happy to draw on for some added motivation as the NRL joins the nation in Anzac commemorations this weekend.

    "That was really special listening to the Last Post today," Snowden said. "I love it every time I hear it.

    "It gives me tingles and to hear it before a game it really gets you going, and I definitely had Pop in mind before the game.

    "It's a special day for both me and my family, we're all very proud of that history and it really is close to my heart."

    There was no shortage of heart about the Knights' performance without veteran forwards Willie Mason and Jeremy Smith, with Snowden leading from the front as their big men went toe-to-toe with the formidable Bulldogs pack.

    While the Novocastrians were pipped in the last 10 minutes by a side that have made late wins an art form of late, Snowden said the presence of injured forward Alex McKinnon in the sheds before the game made the loss easier to stomach.

    "To see 'Macca' today, that puts [the loss] into perspective straight away," says Snowden.

    "He's the strongest bloke I've ever met, and to see him really making the most of everything and smiling is incredible.

    "It was a massive surprise to see him here, no one knew he was coming, and he's the only motivation you need.
    #itaintweaktospeak


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