Hagan Seeks Honest Day's Work From Desperate Knights

Central Coast Herald

Saturday August 2, 2003

NEWCASTLE Knights coach Michael Hagan will implore his players to get their hands dirty against Manly at EnergyAustralia Stadium tomorrow if they are to dig their way out of their rut.

After three straight losses, the ninth-placed Knights must beat their old rivals to stay in touch with the play-off contenders just six weeks out from the finals.

The return of internationals Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus, Ben Kennedy and Adam MacDougall should help the 2001 premiers reverse their flagging fortunes.

After the disaster against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown last Sunday, Hagan said the Knights had to get back to basics and could take nothing for granted against the Sea Eagles, who upset the Broncos in Brisbane last Saturday.

Hagan said Kennedy, who has been troubled by a torn calf muscle for the past three weeks, completed Thursday's session without incident and was expected to play his first game since incurring a four-game suspension in Origin II.

``It won't come down to big plays as such but getting in the trenches with them and working hard," Hagan said.

``They played to their absolute potential against Brisbane last week. They're a bit like the Tigers in that Sharpy [Manly coach Peter Sharp] has got them doing all the simple things very, very well."

Winger Craig Hall (ankle and knee) and bench forwards Matt Jobson (calf) and Andrew Price (quadriceps) must pass fitness tests at Newcastle's final training session this morning.

Josh Smith, Reegan Tanner and Matt Kennedy are on standby and have trained with the team this week.

Hagan gave Johns, Buderus and several other players the first half of the week off to freshen up, and he noticed a lift in intensity and enthusiasm at their first training run together on Thursday.

``There was some improvement there, and that comes with the type of characters that were there. But we still have to get some work done as a group," he said.

``Hopefully we'll see some more improvement at training [today] and in the game on Sunday, but it's a matter of us getting back to our weekly routine and hopefully playing with the same group of people on a regular basis."

Sharp has dropped back-rower Glenn Stewart, who was named on a five-man bench earlier in the week, back to Premier League and does not expect any late changes.

Centre Ben MacDougall (hamstring) was in doubt earlier in the week, but Sharp said the one-time Knight was looking forward to the game against older brother Adam.

``We had a good win in Brisbane last week and have backed that up with a good week at training," Sharp said.

In other games tomorrow, the Rabbitohs host the Bulldogs and the Panthers travel to WIN Stadium to play the Dragons.