The Brisbane Broncos have flagged some major concerns for the Knights after downing the finals-bound side 35-22 today at Suncorp Stadium.
Missing out on finals football now for back-to-back seasons, the Broncos notched their seventh win of the season in a fitting farewell to captain Alex Glenn in his final NRL game.
Playmaker Anthony Milford, who will join South Sydney next season, gave Broncos fans one final display of attacking spark as he steered his side to a big win, finishing the match with one try, one assist, three line-breaks and 234 run metres.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s win will leave Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien asking plenty of questions of his side as they get set for finals football next week after having locked in the seventh spot on the ladder.
Newcastle opted this week to rest the likes of Tyson Frizell, Jayden Brailey, Mitch Barnett and Jacob Saifiti, but still took to the field with a strong line-up that featured halves pairing Mitchell Pearce and Jake Clifford, and superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga.
Following a disastrous first half, which resulted in O’Brien only leaving Pearce and Ponga on the field for just five minutes in the second half, the Knights were hit with some stinging criticism from rugby league great Michael Ennis during the match
“18-4 at half-time, it could quite easily be in the high 20s, almost 30,” former NRL star Michael Ennis told Fox League during the half-time break.
“Brisbane has had a number of chances. They’re really causing Newcastle’s right edge some real concerns.
“Adam O’Brien would be really concerned, their attack is nowhere near where it needs to be.
“They need to start playing some decent footy with the ball. Their attack is mundane, very slow and pedestrian.”
Cooper Cronk added: “The number one thing is, fix that right edge-defence.”
“Kurt Mann is getting turned inside out by the likes of Tesi Niu and Herbie Farnworth.”
The Knights will be sweating on scans to veteran prop David Klemmer who left the field with a rib injury and did not return.
In other injury news, superstar Bronco Payne Haas required a Medicab to take him from the field with an ankle issue during the first half, while hooker Jake Turpin broke his jaw.
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