'Ton of effort': O'Brien backs injury-hit Knights to rebound

On face value, Newcastle’s 34-14 loss to Cronulla at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday looked a lot like their 20-4 defeat by Wests Tigers at the same ground seven days earlier. 

The out-of-sorts Knights had trouble holding the ball, struggled to score points until the game was gone, and never really looked like pulling back a double-figure deficit. 

But in explaining his feelings at the post-match media conference, coach Adam O’Brien scratched below the surface, dug a little deeper, and hopes Newcastle supporters can do likewise and stick with their team as they navigate their way out of a rut. 

“Look, last week our game was riddled with play-one errors, and clearly we had a lot of errors again today,” O’Brien said. 

“... I thought we had 15 out of 10 moments of effort to try and turn them away, but it took its toll, clearly, and obviously our depth is being tested at the moment. 

“We’ve got five injuries in the same positional group, they’re all forwards, so that takes its toll on your depth, and we’ve got some young guys that will be better going through it. 

“It doesn’t feel great at the moment but we just lost the middle third of the field across the front part of the second half, it took its toll, and I thought they had to work hard for a fair few of their tries and they got a couple of things went their way. 

“I feel disappointed. I always want to win. We always want to win, and we hate especially losing here, but I don’t feel like we’ve let anybody down in terms of how hard we’re trying.” 

O’Brien had an ally in Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon. 

“A fair bit went our way early, which set the game up nicely for us, but I also felt they jumped us on energy, so we’ve got a bit of work to do there,” Fitzgibbon said. 

“To be honest, the scoreline flattered us today. 

“I know we looked potent with the ball but in the actual contest and the physical stakes, they were up and about, and I’m sure when they get a few players back and a few things go their way, they’ll be a handful. 

“I thought we were really connected and really clear on our plan and executed our plan well, when we had to. I was really happy with that. But the contest stuff, the harder, simple stuff, I thought they were stronger than the scoreline suggested.” 

Rotating big men Addin Fonua-Blake, Oregon Kaufusi, Toby Rudolf and Tom Hazelton, the Sharks out-muscled a Newcastle team missing injured middle forwards Jacob Saifiti, Adam Elliott, Jack Hetherington and back-rower Dylan Lucas.

“When Daniel [Saifiti] left us [to join the Dolphins] at the start of the year, we knew that had to happen for the club, and we were going to be relatively OK, as long as Jacob was around,” O'Brien said. 

“If he wasn’t, Adam Elliott was going to be around, and if he wasn’t, Jack Hetherington was going to be around. 

“Then you’ve got a guy like Dylan Lucas as well, so that’s what hurts, all five are out, so we don’t match up in terms of size or experience through the middle. 

“That’s going to sound like an excuse, and people who don’t like me or whatever, they’re all going to say that’s what it is, but I’m just trying to give people a level of understanding, that there’s a ton of effort going in there from these young blokes. 

“And it’s the situation that we’re in, and we’ll fight our way out of it.” 

After a tough afternoon against Wests Tigers a week earlier, Knights winger Greg Marzhew bounced back to his block-busting best with a try, a try assist for Fletcher Sharpe, 14 tackle breaks and 197 metres from 21 runs.

O’Brien also highlighted the efforts of Sharpe, back-rower Thomas Cant, prop Leo Thompson, and halfback Tyson Gamble in his first appearance since a brief stint in a Witzer Pre-Season Challenge game against Parramatta on February 14. 

“That’s why I don’t feel like I did last week ... While the scoreboard won’t suggest it, individuals would certainly suggest it,” O’Brien said. 

“... Long-term, we’ll be a better footy team and footy club for these young guys getting experience. It just doesn’t feel great now, but I know our educated fans will stick with us and we’ll come out the other side. 

“We have been in this situation a few times and we’ve fought our way out.”