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As the Knights prepare for a re-match against the Cronulla Sharks this Sunday, coach Nathan Brown assures the team is in a much better position than their previous encounter at Hunter Stadium. 

“What happened earlier in the year, I feel we are a better team than what we were then,” he said on Tuesday.

“We are doing certain parts of the game better than what we were doing earlier in the year. 

“With the last few weeks, we have to build off that.

“We can’t really worry about what happened earlier in the year.

“As long as we can keep building on what we are doing and see where that takes us.” 

He explained the key for players is remaining fixed on working on the individual parts of their games they need to improve. 

“Our guys have competed two weeks in a row with Canberra, who we feel will finish in the bottom half of the eight, and Melbourne, who is definitely going to finish in the top half of the eight,” he said.

“Putting ourselves in situations to win the game and making the opposition have to play well to beat us, it certainly shows we are heading in the right direction.”

The ability to retain the same personnel on the field is something the Sharks have harnessed this season and a luxury that has evaded the Knights.

“I don’t think Cronulla is playing any worse and is still playing very good footy. They still have the same guys playing which has probably helped with their flow and consistency," he said.

“They have kept using the same 18 or 19 players all year and that has helped their cause. They are a club that has been building this roster for around six years now so have a lot of consistency.

“They have a of of players who are very mature and have played a lot of football, and at a high level.

Improvements on the field for the Knights have coincided with dedication and effort on the training paddock.

“Training is definitely getting better and our sessions out on the field are a little more consistent and the intensity is getting better,” he said. 

“As has been the case most weeks the guys energy, effort and happiness to be at training has been good.

“Their is a willingness to want to stay around and do extra things to work on their own parts of their game is improving.

“There are certainly some good signs there and hopefully at the back end of the year we can keep gradually improving and finish the year off consistently.”