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The WTF Awakens. A Dragons Story.

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
Here is my philosophy, Maybe he's trying to use all his subs on his best players and just having the 17th man there for injury cover? Maybe he thinks say giving Graham or Vaughan an extra rest is better than using his rookies.
I think you may be right. I did notice that Mary replaced Vaughan in the first half and then brought him back on before halftime. I actually liked the idea.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
This is not an overreaction because it is the same sort of mismanagement of the bench that led to the team fading its way out of the finals last year. The side has better players this year, so missing the 8, or maybe even the 4, may not happen. But, at this rate, Mary will have key players dead, injured or with heavy legs in August or September when they are needed the most. The very least he can do is play someone like Sele or Lawrie or Host for 20 minutes per game instead of running the Origin and England rep (Graham) into the ground every week.
We were overachieving last year, just as we were in 2015. We also had a bad injury toll in those 2 years. Do you believe that Host or Lawrie would have done a better job than any of our starting forwards? I don't. Maybe Mary is doing the right thing. If I was coaching us, I would want my best players on the field as much as possible. Host's and Lawrie's time will come.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I don’t think so.
We were lucky to get the win against a side that is an absolute rabble.
How is that in any way a good thing?

As the season goes on, against halfway decent teams, McMuppets bench use is going to hurt us, as it almost did today.
I would rather the 2 points in the bag today and then think about next week.
 

The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
We must be the only team in history who leads a comp that we have next to no chance of winning.

Souths, Penrith and Storm would have no fear of us at this point.
The same storm we beat by 20? That storm? Because we beat them. By 20 points.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I’d like us leading the comp in September.
If you can’t see the danger signs at this stage of the year, I’d suggest your not paying attention
I want us leading the comp in September too, probably more than you do. lol I wanted us to win today, bad. I am very happy that we got the 2 points today. That helps us with the goal of leading the comp in September. I bet that if Bennett or Bellamy were coaching us and used the bench the same way and we were leading the comp as we are, all of the Mary bashers would be very quite about the coach's use of the bench.
 

2010Dragons

Bench
Messages
3,929
The bunnies, Penrith and chooks and sharks struggled to win in this round.
Maybe the bottom teams are desperate and putting in a bigger effort and the tops teams like my beloved Dragons just did enough to win today. Some very poor plays today all unforced errors, only 75% completion and the filthy dogs had 86%.
First 10 minutes we were going to put on a cricket score then they all became complacent.
 
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The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
My two cents;
1. Not giving Host a run was silly - should’ve spelled Tyson, probably best from around the 30/35th minute, could’ve had Tyson come on fresher either middle or edge for last 15/20 if needed.
2. Our middle players are not, repeat not, being overworked. Graham has played more games under 40 minutes than he has over 50.
Vaughan averages 51 minutes, has 7 games between 40 & 50.
Jack averages 57 minutes - only 4 games over 60 minutes.
3. Mary doesn’t trust the second teir players, this is a problem. It’s absolutely right to give your best players the most minutes, by a long way. But it may cost us some games. Equally to be fair, if we take our full team into finals matches, we are going to take some serious beating. The problem is much less burnout over a season than it is in game tactics and long term depth building.
P.s - the single biggest contributor to our fade last season was McCrones form going to shit, particularly kicking game. Not player burnout.
 
Messages
2,639
Haha I love this club. We are coming first in the NRL competition and still we like to chuck wobblies at our team, coach, staff, management, and anyone in particular... Surely we are unique in this manner..

And yeah I was yelling at my TV today. But I wouldn't have it any other way..

You use the term 'coach' very loosely.

Straight Shooter
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
If we were outside the 8 and someone said would you be happy to be winning the comp and playing shit? I would take it, we all would take it. Dohhh wait, we are no1?
True Saintisfied, I would take it.
I guess it's just the frustration to see the potential and realising most likely we will meet our day of reckong come semi final time.

Playing shit from May onwards, making the top 4 but then being bundled out in the finals will not being any satisfaction.

Even being minor premiers and then being bundled out will not bring any satisfaction or pride either.

Knowing we can do much better with a more strategic and thinking coach brings pain, not joy.
 

epDragon62

First Grade
Messages
5,054
Strategically. Mary is definitely going down a crazy path of showing no faith in the second tier players.

I can only imagine how the minds of bench dwellers must be churning ...

It will not serve us well over time when we need these players who are being stuffed around.
 

18to87

First Grade
Messages
9,948
Strategically. Mary is definitely going down a crazy path of showing no faith in the second tier players.

I can only imagine how the minds of bench dwellers must be churning ...

It will not serve us well over time when we need these players who are being stuffed around.
Such as vs the Storm in a few weeks.
 

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