Despite last week’s loss, nib Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown said the team has moved on from the disappointment and are ready to take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Belmore this Sunday.
Brown believes they can draw from some good performance played this year.
“At Shark Park we went down 19-18, we went to Brookie (Brookvale Oval) and went down18-16 and they’re in the top four, we went to Kogarah and went down 32-28 and they were in the top eight,” Brown commented.
“We created some good expectations which the players earned and we’ll just keep educating the players and working our way through it.”
After returning to the NRL side last weekend, Trent Hodkinson remains in the halves.
“The key for Hokko and for us as a Club is what he can deliver,” explained Brown.
“If we get Hokko kicking the ball well, organising the team well, defending solidly, then that’s what we have to expect him to do.
“Hokko is aware of what a good solid game for him is and if he does that, we should all be happy with that.”
It will be a match against Hodkinson's former Club the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
“He had a lot of good memories there and Canterbury is where he made his real name as a player,” he said.
“He played in Origin, played in a number of grand finals and I’m sure the place has good memories for him.
“He is up against some of his old team mates and his old coach as well so I’m sure he’ll come back and make a good account of himself.”
Being the last game at Belmore for Josh Reynolds as a Bulldog, Brown knows the five-eighth will come out firing.
“What a great competitor he has been for the Bulldogs and I’m sure he’s one of those players that when he is not there, people will realise what he brought to the team,” Brown stated.
“He is certainly not your classic golden style five-eighth but he is a great competitor."
Meanwhile, Knights fullback Nathan Ross, who had his contract extended until 2020, expects a big game against the Bulldogs.
“The Bulldogs are going to come out firing because it is Josh Reynolds’ last game at Belmore so they’re going to have a lot to play for but we’ve got a lot to play for as well,” Ross commented.
