Knights in crisis - where to from here?

Just what is wrong with the Newcastle Knights?

Nine weeks ago they were sailing along at the top of the table as the NRL's remaining undefeated side amidst a four-game winning streak which had people asking questions about their premiership credentials.

Fast forward nine weeks and they have managed just one more victory and have slipped to 14th on the competition ladder after suffering a 44-22 hammering at the hands of Canberra.

The question disgruntled fans were asking as they filed out of Hunter Stadium was just what exactly would a top-four team such as the Roosters or the Storm do?

It's a frightening thought.

The most disappointing aspect about the loss wasn't the fact they lost, but the way they lost. They were never in the hunt in a performance coach Rick Stone described as lethargic.

"You still expect more at home," he said.

So the question is - what's wrong? Did the four-game winning streak paper over the cracks in the club? How do they fix it?

For 10 years the Knights have been in a "rebuilding phase" and while the old saying rings true that Rome wasn't built in a day, the Knights have shown no real signs of improvement.

Mastercoach Wayne Bennett couldn't fix the club and said it would take another five years before they were a premiership threat. That seems a conservative estimate.

There has been the occasional flash of brilliance, but they have been few and far between and the fans are voting with their feet.

Their home crowd attendance has dropped 7,000 from round four to round 13.

They've had enough and what is surprising is that it's taken them this long.

Skipper Kurt Gidley said the players spoke about the importance of the Raiders game at training during the week, yet still managed to turn up with a lethargic attitude.

"I don't think any 17 of us would accept that (performance); we let our fans down and we let ourselves down for sure," he said.

"To come out and start the game … for our coach to say we were lethargic starting the game at home is a fairly big disappointment."

Just a few weeks ago Andrew Johns told radio Triple M that club legend Danny Buderus had challenged the players at training to do better and they didn't respond.

That in itself is indicative of the crisis the club now finds themselves in. If a club legend can't motivate the players, how is the coach meant to?

And if both of them can't, who can?