13-05-2025
Update: South Newcastle postpones Kurri Kurri clash
Update: South Newcastle has postponed Saturday's game against Kurri Kurri Bulldog until Saturday, May 17.
Kurri Kurri welcomes back key recruits Mitch Garbutt, Connagh Takairangi and Kye Hopwood for their round four clash against South Newcastle at Townson Oval on Saturday.
Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer said the Bulldogs would be at full strength after having the bye over the Anzac Day weekend.
"Mitch should get a clearance on Tuesday. Kye Hopwood got the plaster off his arm on Monday and should be right," Stringer said.
"Connagh Takairangi had his foot in the boot and he'll be right to play.
"We'll have the full complement of players. We play South Newcastle at Merewether. They had a two-point loss against Maitland and it will be a tough game."
Takairangi and Garbutt both missed the 34-6 round two loss against Lakes United, while Hopwood will be lining up for his first game since joining the Bulldogs.
Garbutt lasted just 20 minutes in the Bulldogs drought-breaking win against Northern Hawks in round one. Takairangi who played the rest of the match after coming on to replace Garbutt was among the team's best.
"We were a bit short on troops against Lakes. We had a few out injured and I gave a couple of local kids a run, we competed very well in the first half," he said.
"It was like 10-6 at half-time, and then we completed at just 60 per cent in the second half and gave them too much cheap footy.
"I think we had 10 penalties for the game, so when you hand over so much footy to them our defence broke and they scored four late tries against us."
Stringer said going forward the team needed to adopt its game to maximise the strength of their forward pack.
"We've got to play teams down the middle and move them from either side of the goal posts," he said. "We've got to pass the footy a lot more rather than just one-out runs."
"The halve are very good, and the forwards are all good with the football as well. They are skilful. We need to move the ball and play eyes up football."
Update: South Newcastle has postponed Saturday's game against Kurri Kurri Bulldog until Saturday, May 17.
Kurri Kurri welcomes back key recruits Mitch Garbutt, Connagh Takairangi and Kye Hopwood for their round four clash against South Newcastle at Townson Oval on Saturday.
Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer said the Bulldogs would be at full strength after having the bye over the Anzac Day weekend.
"Mitch should get a clearance on Tuesday. Kye Hopwood got the plaster off his arm on Monday and should be right," Stringer said.
"Connagh Takairangi had his foot in the boot and he'll be right to play.
"We'll have the full complement of players. We play South Newcastle at Merewether. They had a two-point loss against Maitland and it will be a tough game."
Takairangi and Garbutt both missed the 34-6 round two loss against Lakes United, while Hopwood will be lining up for his first game since joining the Bulldogs.
Garbutt lasted just 20 minutes in the Bulldogs drought-breaking win against Northern Hawks in round one. Takairangi who played the rest of the match after coming on to replace Garbutt was among the team's best.
"We were a bit short on troops against Lakes. We had a few out injured and I gave a couple of local kids a run, we competed very well in the first half," he said.
"It was like 10-6 at half-time, and then we completed at just 60 per cent in the second half and gave them too much cheap footy.
"I think we had 10 penalties for the game, so when you hand over so much footy to them our defence broke and they scored four late tries against us."
Stringer said going forward the team needed to adopt its game to maximise the strength of their forward pack.
"We've got to play teams down the middle and move them from either side of the goal posts," he said. "We've got to pass the footy a lot more rather than just one-out runs."
"The halve are very good, and the forwards are all good with the football as well. They are skilful. We need to move the ball and play eyes up football."
Update: South Newcastle has postponed Saturday's game against Kurri Kurri Bulldog until Saturday, May 17.
Kurri Kurri welcomes back key recruits Mitch Garbutt, Connagh Takairangi and Kye Hopwood for their round four clash against South Newcastle at Townson Oval on Saturday.
Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer said the Bulldogs would be at full strength after having the bye over the Anzac Day weekend.
"Mitch should get a clearance on Tuesday. Kye Hopwood got the plaster off his arm on Monday and should be right," Stringer said.
"Connagh Takairangi had his foot in the boot and he'll be right to play.
"We'll have the full complement of players. We play South Newcastle at Merewether. They had a two-point loss against Maitland and it will be a tough game."
Takairangi and Garbutt both missed the 34-6 round two loss against Lakes United, while Hopwood will be lining up for his first game since joining the Bulldogs.
Garbutt lasted just 20 minutes in the Bulldogs drought-breaking win against Northern Hawks in round one. Takairangi who played the rest of the match after coming on to replace Garbutt was among the team's best.
"We were a bit short on troops against Lakes. We had a few out injured and I gave a couple of local kids a run, we competed very well in the first half," he said.
"It was like 10-6 at half-time, and then we completed at just 60 per cent in the second half and gave them too much cheap footy.
"I think we had 10 penalties for the game, so when you hand over so much footy to them our defence broke and they scored four late tries against us."
Stringer said going forward the team needed to adopt its game to maximise the strength of their forward pack.
"We've got to play teams down the middle and move them from either side of the goal posts," he said. "We've got to pass the footy a lot more rather than just one-out runs."
"The halve are very good, and the forwards are all good with the football as well. They are skilful. We need to move the ball and play eyes up football."
Update: South Newcastle has postponed Saturday's game against Kurri Kurri Bulldog until Saturday, May 17.
Kurri Kurri welcomes back key recruits Mitch Garbutt, Connagh Takairangi and Kye Hopwood for their round four clash against South Newcastle at Townson Oval on Saturday.
Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer said the Bulldogs would be at full strength after having the bye over the Anzac Day weekend.
"Mitch should get a clearance on Tuesday. Kye Hopwood got the plaster off his arm on Monday and should be right," Stringer said.
"Connagh Takairangi had his foot in the boot and he'll be right to play.
"We'll have the full complement of players. We play South Newcastle at Merewether. They had a two-point loss against Maitland and it will be a tough game."
Takairangi and Garbutt both missed the 34-6 round two loss against Lakes United, while Hopwood will be lining up for his first game since joining the Bulldogs.
Garbutt lasted just 20 minutes in the Bulldogs drought-breaking win against Northern Hawks in round one. Takairangi who played the rest of the match after coming on to replace Garbutt was among the team's best.
"We were a bit short on troops against Lakes. We had a few out injured and I gave a couple of local kids a run, we competed very well in the first half," he said.
"It was like 10-6 at half-time, and then we completed at just 60 per cent in the second half and gave them too much cheap footy.
"I think we had 10 penalties for the game, so when you hand over so much footy to them our defence broke and they scored four late tries against us."
Stringer said going forward the team needed to adopt its game to maximise the strength of their forward pack.
"We've got to play teams down the middle and move them from either side of the goal posts," he said. "We've got to pass the footy a lot more rather than just one-out runs."
"The halve are very good, and the forwards are all good with the football as well. They are skilful. We need to move the ball and play eyes up football."
