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Brown stands by comments after record loss

3 minute read

Warriors coach Nathan Brown insists his side can fire back from their mauling at the hands of Melbourne but stood by his assessment of individual performances.

Knights coach NATHAN BROWN.
Knights coach NATHAN BROWN. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Nathan Brown admits it will take more than a bounce back win for his players to overcome their record defeat at the hands of Melbourne, but stands by the comments he made after their Anzac Day humiliation.

Brown said some of his players looked for the "easiest way out" and gave up in the second half, in which they conceded 54 points in a 70-10 drubbing.

Facing a quick turnaround for their clash with Canberra on Saturday, Brown's made a number of personnel changes, some injury or suspension enforced, in an effort to find the form that resulted in three wins in a row earlier this season.

"We can't ignore what happened and some individuals certainly need to be addressed with what happened, and the group need to understand that second half was not where anyone wants to be as a sporting club or business," he said.

"There was obviously some younger players that had some really, really difficult days. You just want them to learn from it.

"Obviously it's a bad experience but you want them to actually get some good out of it, and some good out of is there's obviously things I got wrong understanding that what impact is I suppose not only on them but on the team."

One player to pay the price is Edward Kosi, the 23-year-old omitted after a woeful showing on Monday when he was targeted by the Storm's playmakers with their kicks.

"I'd be lying if I said he wasn't disappointed, knocked around a little bit," Brown said of the winger.

"But this is a part of I suppose Ed's journey of being an NRL player.

"Not too many of us play NRL and don't have some sort of performances where we get a kick up the backside of the coaches."

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will miss Saturday's clash with the Raiders after collecting the knee of Nelson Asofa-Solomona and being concussed.

Josh Curran (knee) and Aaron Pene (suspension) will also make way as Rocco Berry and Viliami Vailea start on the wings and Bayley Sironen moves into the starting side.

Jack Murchie and Eliesa Katoa make the bench to complete the Warriors' changes.

Wary of a struggling Canberra, who have lost four consecutive games, Brown said his side are capable of playing the winning football that has them sitting just outside the eight.

"We come off three wins and a tight loss to the Roosters, and so we don't want to forget that we were doing OK and tracking OK" he said.

"We certainly weren't by no means tearing up the trees but we were certainly making some progress and we can't forget that neither."

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