As the Newcastle Knights prepare to take on the Cowboys on Saturday night, former player Matthew Johns is perplexed by how the club is using its halves.
The former Knights playmaker, who won two Grand Finals with the club in 1997 and 2001, questioned the way Adam O'Brien used the halves in a disappointing loss to the Canberra Raiders.
Stunned by a 28-12 loss at home, Tyson Gamble, Jack Cogger, and Jackson Hastings found themselves on the field at the same time throughout the game.
However, Johns questioned how 2023 NRL premiership-winner Jack Cogger was used during the game as he was used predominately as a hooker rather than in the halves.
Labelling their halves' situation as confusing, Johns addressed how the three players should be used for the match against the North Queensland Cowboys
“I question how the Knights used Jack Cogger,” Johns said on SEN 1170.
“The Knights played too sideways and pushed the balls on parallel lines. The halves weren't creating space for Kalyn Ponga or any of the young backs.
“Jack Cogger then came on and played dummy half. Why? I don't know. I thought they were going to put Tyson Gamble at 13.
“You've got a bloke there in Jack Cogger who in the 2023 Grand Final, the highest pressure atmosphere when Penrith were down and he made all the difference.
“Surely that deserves a starting jersey. I thought Cogger deserved to start or at the very least, put him in the halves when he comes on.”
