‘We can’t blame anyone but ourselves’ says frustrated York Knights coach

[Total Rugby League]

MARK APPLEGARTH said York Knights could only blame themselves for a fourth straight defeat. His side went down 30-20 at Bradford Bulls after being level...

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[Expatknight]

Having listened to Mash in his post match interview it would appear there is no new blood coming in this season. I like Mash but I am sick of hearing, well done to whoever the opposition is that just beat us, they were the better team etc etc , Last night we were definitely second best, even though the scoreboard shows we matched Bradford for tries scored that isn’t really how the game was. Our discipline is poor, there were too many basic errors, kicking out on the full, failing to find touch, dropping the ball when no one is near you, that is basic stuff we should be nailing. At the start of the season we looked like we belonged in Super League, recently we look like a good Championship side competing in Super League, I know we have had injuries and lost some influential players, but so have other teams, but they are still getting the basics right. There are a couple of players out there who don’t look like Super League players and others who have really stepped up, the effort is there, generally, but we don’t seem to have the resilience that we prided ourselves on. In this league you cannot afford to carry passengers. Poor discipline and poor execution costs you the game. On a positive note it was good to see Liam Harris and Jordy Thompson back, Dave Nofoaluma, is a great asset , but has happened to Ata ?

 

 

[HaxbyKnight]

Agree entirely with the above post, would just add to the list our inability to break teams down when they have a player missing, and our goal line defence, which is poor. We have limited resources compared to the other teams, but, we have, arguably the best full back in SL, yet we are not playing him there. As for Ata, if he doesn't play in his proper position, he may as well not play at all in my opinion. 

 

[YCK1]

36 minutes ago, Expatknight said:

Having listened to Mash in his post match interview it would appear there is no new blood coming in this season. I like Mash but I am sick of hearing, well done to whoever the opposition is that just beat us, they were the better team etc etc , Last night we were definitely second best, even though the scoreboard shows we matched Bradford for tries scored that isn’t really how the game was. Our discipline is poor, there were too many basic errors, kicking out on the full, failing to find touch, dropping the ball when no one is near you, that is basic stuff we should be nailing. At the start of the season we looked like we belonged in Super League, recently we look like a good Championship side competing in Super League, I know we have had injuries and lost some influential players, but so have other teams, but they are still getting the basics right. There are a couple of players out there who don’t look like Super League players and others who have really stepped up, the effort is there, generally, but we don’t seem to have the resilience that we prided ourselves on. In this league you cannot afford to carry passengers. Poor discipline and poor execution costs you the game. On a positive note it was good to see Liam Harris and Jordy Thompson back, Dave Nofoaluma, is a great asset , but has happened to Ata ?

 

 

What has happened to Ata?!

He's playing as a forward! He isn't forward.  

Our last really good performance was Toulouse. Ata was at halves. I personally thought he really start to settle into Super League at this point. St Helens, Wigan away great team performances - Ata at halfs. Wakefield at home felt like we should of won Ata at Halves. Match winner vs KR.

He had a poor game away at Huddersfield and steady one vs Leigh. He did take a couple games after his injury to get going.  

Since we've moved him around- We looked poor against Cas who went down to 12, Catlans were there for taking and last night against 12 again for 10 minutes we created nothing. 

Ata & Hunter should of been halves the last 5 games before last night they looked like their partnership was building. 

For me Ata & Liam is our best partnership. 

But bringing him on as forward then having him, Hunter, Harris,  Inman & Balmforth on at the same time is silly. No balance or no idea who is going to make the play. 

I generally think its unfair calling him out when he's playing a position he shouldn't be. Start him in his position or don't play him.

Same with Toa too. Full back. 

P.s. I do agree with the post though. Too many basic errors as a team.

 

Edited June 6 by YCK1

[AB Knight]

I’m out of the loop these days but from what I’ve seen:

Toa is one of the safest, strongest fullbacks in the league. No way would he have been outjumped for that Bulls try near the end. Why on earth is he wasted at centre? Come on Applegarth, in Mash we trust etc but this, in my opinion, is the biggest playing mistake since it was decided to let the best fullback in the Championship go to Sheffield.
 

Dagger - I’m loathe to criticise players but let’s be honest, he had a good game against Hunslet back in 2018 and put in a good tackle away at Toulouse to come up with the ball/try (2024?). Other than that…….
 

Ata and Harris in the halves. It worked for 1 of our 3 SL victories. It worked in 2025. If that’s not an option, then Ata and Hunter in the halves, that worked for the other 2 of our 3 SL victories. Our last winnable game for 4 matches really isn’t the time to be experimenting.
 

 

[Expatknight]

1 hour ago, YCK1 said:

What has happened to Ata?!

He's playing as a forward! He isn't forward.  

Our last really good performance was Toulouse. Ata was at halves. I personally thought he really start to settle into Super League at this point. St Helens, Wigan away great team performances - Ata at halfs. Wakefield at home felt like we should of won Ata at Halves. Match winner vs KR.

He had a poor game away at Huddersfield and steady one vs Leigh. He did take a couple games after his injury to get going.  

Since we've moved him around- We looked poor against Cas who went down to 12, Catlans were there for taking and last night against 12 again for 10 minutes we created nothing. 

Ata & Hunter should of been halves the last 5 games before last night they looked like their partnership was building. 

For me Ata & Liam is our best partnership. 

But bringing him on as forward then having him, Hunter, Harris,  Inman & Balmforth on at the same time is silly. No balance or no idea who is going to make the play. 

I generally think its unfair calling him out when he's playing a position he shouldn't be. Start him in his position or don't play him.

Same with Toa too. Full back. 

P.s. I do agree with the post though. Too many basic errors as a team.

 

I agree with what you say, I wasn’t calling Ata out, it was a rhetorical question, the guy is a game winner when played in his proper position but itis ludicrous to play him as a forward as you rightly say, he becomes anonymous, hence why I said what has happened to Ata. In all honesty if things continue as they are I can see us getting a real hiding at HKR which won’t do the confidence of the guys any good, it is hard to take getting beaten week in week out when you flog your guts out. Something needs to change, a start would be putting Toa at Full back, pairing Liam and Ata up again and maybe playing Field at centre alongside Wood.

As winning becomes a habit, so does losing. I really think the bones of a good team are there, and the commitment, on the whole, can’t be questioned, itis the execution. Frustration brings with it penalties usually, which in turn brings more frustration. How much longer Clint will put up with us being gallant losers I don’t know, but I do know he is a winner and wants a winning team out there as we all do, something has to give.

[Nearenough]

another tough watch.

once again we played our best full back as a centre (he seems only partly fit so thats maybe the reason hes not being played in his proper place....if thats the case its not like we are short of options id sooner he sat out till he was sound than playing at half #### in the wrong position)

once again we played our 6th best full back at full back (our 3rd best is injured but the rest of the alternatives are all sound as far as i know)

once again we did not play our best available half back pairing (hingano/harris)

once again we lost to a team we were more than capable of beating

keep following the same path you will keep getting to the same place.