Get 'em Onside

Newcastle Herald

Thursday July 24, 2008

ROBERT DILLON RUGBY LEAGUE

KNIGHTS coach Brian Smith

admitted yesterday that Newcastles

season was in danger of unravelling

unless his players could win the

respect of referees with a squeaky

clean approach.

Smith said adverse penalty counts

were killing his team and the only

solution was to start doing whatever

took to comply with the NRLs on-

eld officials.

After 17 games this season,

Newcastle have conceded the most

penalties (130) of any team in the

competition.

They have also had the fewest

penalties (92) awarded in their

favour.

We cant survive on that sort of

differential, Smith said. Its killing

us . . . from our point of view, weve

got to turn it around, and that has

to start happening [against South

Sydney] this weekend.

We cant afford to wait one more

day, one more minute, or one more

second.

The crippling situation prompted

Knights chief executive Steve

Burraston to speak out this

week, and he was fined $5000

by NRL management for alleging

that the whistleblowers have a

preconceived idea that were an

undisciplined club.

Smith had discussions yesterday

with referees boss Robert Finch

and said they agreed to disagree

about Newcastles treatment from

the on-field officials.

Continued Page 84

Get 'em onside: Knights coach hatches scheme to win over referees

From Page 88

But the coach said his players were well aware that they could not afford to keep finishing on the wrong side of the penalty ledger if they hoped to reach the play-offs.

"It's not like we're talking about some obscure stat," he said. "The number of tries scored as a result of penalties is virtually the main cause of tries conceded for every club."

Smith said the Knights would be working overtime at training this week on minimising breaches likely to incur the wrath of referees.

He was hopeful the emphasis on discipline would start to pay dividends in Sunday's crucial match against the Rabbitohs at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

"We want to be the squeaky-clean kids this weekend," Smith said.

"That's our attitude to the game. We've got to do absolutely everything to stay onside with the refs.

"Our No.1 goal this week is reducing the number of penalties we concede to an absolute minimum. We just can't afford to keep going like we have been."

Smith said the Knights had identified two main problem areas that needed remedial attention.

"The two things are not getting back [in defence] to the referee as opposed to getting back 10 metres," he said.

"We're almost always back 10 metres, but that doesn't count.

"What counts is getting back to where the referee is.

"We're going to practise today, and every day this week, getting back with the ref, repeatedly.

"The other thing, which is specific to some individuals, is being square at marker.

"A lot of other teams are hardly ever square at marker, but they are usually passive and backing away.

"They're not as aggressive as we are, so we need to be more mindful of being square if we're going to be aggressive.

"If we're not square, then we have to fade back to the defensive line.

"That might be a bit technical, but that's what we need to do. They're the two big items for us this week."

Smith said he had no answer for the lack of penalties Newcastle received when in possession.

"There's not a thing we can do to get more penalties and Robert Finch confirmed that for me today," he said.

"That's out of our control. We're just in the lap of the gods. But if we can at least limit the penalties we're giving away, that's a start."

Three points out of the top eight with seven games remaining, the Knights have reached the make-or-break point of their campaign.

As well as their ongoing battle with the referees, they have injuries to deal with this week.

International forward Steve Simpson (ankle) could not train yesterday, and five-eighth Jarrod Mullen (hip) ran only lightly.

Skipper Danny Buderus (knee) and veteran centre Adam MacDougall (calf) both trained and are expected to be cleared to play on Sunday.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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