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Eels game.

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
5,967
Funny thing is mate, Cam was paying so well early in the year. I even said last year " let him run from d/h a bit more ".. he did and was doing so well keeping the defence on edge. He was still making 40-50 tackles, but also had the running game. That stopped circa Origin. I can only put it down to coaching.
Mate the whole team sadly on current form you can put that down to coaching as well......or lack of it
 

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
Dragons need to play smarter not harder
Local Sport
r0_0_3320_2619_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

SIMPLE FIX: Dragons hooker Cam McInnes says his side's recent wobbles come down to smarts not attitude. Picture: NRL Photos Gregg Porteous

ST GEORGE Illawarra hooker Cameron McInnes admits the Dragons have an issue between the ears, but he insists it has nothing to do with attitude.

The Dragons have gone 1-4 coming out of the representative period, prompting many to question their mindset as they battle to stay in the top four.

One of the Dragons most consistent performers this season, McInnes said he’s never had cause to question his side’s head space, saying their recent wobbles come down to smarts not commitment.

“Attitude is a pretty vague term,” McInnes said.

“I don’t read too much into the media but I know some people have said that our attitude, or bloke’s attitude out of Origin, has been questionable.

“Look at the stats of how many tackles players are making and their runs, they’re not different to the start of the year the result’s just different. Once the results become different, everybody starts to ask what’s wrong with this guy or that guy.

“In terms of desire I think, as a team, it’s as strong as ever. It’s just we’re not playing as clinically as we were at the start of the season.

“Looking at stats, we’ve been making almost a hundred more tackles than the other team and that comes down to completion rates and poor finishes to our sets and things like that.

“For me, that’s not attitude or desire, we’re just not being as smart with the footy and not being as ruthless.”

The 24-year-old had the same take when asked if their was any mental fatigue biting on his side with just four games remaining in the regular season.

“I wouldn’t say we’re mentally fatigued. For me, I’m working hard to turn it around and I’m excited to come in every day and I think all the boys are,” McInnes said.

“The club’s great in knowing when to rest us and when to drive us so there’s no excuses in that regard.

“When losses come everyone’s quick to look for reasons why, but it’s pretty clear on the field the reasons why. It’s not hard to fix.

“Footy’s a momentum game and a momentum sport. Once that stops a little bit, you’ve got to really dig in and work hard to find it again and that’s what we’ve been doing.

“We’ve got talent across the board. You can’t have as much talent as we do, and as good a work ethic, and not find [form] again.”

The Dragons run home, starting with Saturday’s clash with Parramatta, will see them play sides out of finals contention. It’s a scenario that’s tripped them up before, but McInnes said being out of the top eight race doesn’t make any side more less dangerous.

“I don’t think it matters at all,” he said.

“Every game in the NRL’s a hard one so we’re not concerned about that. At the start of the year we were playing all top-eight teams and we were knocking most of them off so we’re not concerned with who we play.

“We know it’s in us and if we just keep working hard and working smarter with the footy we’ll be fine.”

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5578959/dragons-need-to-play-smarter-not-harder/?cs=302
That title should read : Dragons need a smarter coach



Sorry getsmarty, I know I did the same thing in JA:wink:.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
Its important to give him a send off I agree but its also kind of important to try and win the competition? I think we should select the strongest possible team.
 

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
Its important to give him a send off I agree but its also kind of important to try and win the competition? I think we should select the strongest possible team.

Mate he only gets a send off if he actually comes back from the injury. It was bulging discs in his neck I believe they said during the week? - lots of careers have been stopped because of that, though he said he was lucky it was only minor.

Think it’d be great if we can lock a top 4 spot before R25 and have the opportunity to see him once more at least.

Or he just comes back and plays as if nothing ever happened.
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
BIG RED V 25 SLIPPERYS 18 GO THE BIG RED V ......FEELING CONFIDENT AT LEAST WE HAVE 2 WINGERS THIS WEEK WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF SPEED ...
 

dragonssamy61

First Grade
Messages
5,549
Samy what happens if Nene and Pereira have blinders next couple of weeks? Does Nighty get back into the starting side?

Crush
To me nene is our most important winger as he get our set of to a better start.
Also the best finisher of the 3.
You could keep nene on nighty wing and JP on the other.
Buy knowing Mary he will drop JP.
I would have nene in the center and you can play both JP and nighty.
But at the moment nighty is getting shooting pain and numbnessdown both sides.
So I wouldn't play him till he over it.
Its like a pinched nerve.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Crush
To me nene is our most important winger as he get our set of to a better start.
Also the best finisher of the 3.
You could keep nene on nighty wing and JP on the other.
Buy knowing Mary he will drop JP.
I would have nene in the center and you can play both JP and nighty.
But at the moment nighty is getting shooting pain and numbnessdown both sides.
So I wouldn't play him till he over it.
Its like a pinched nerve.
So what about:
Wingers JP and Macdonald
Centres Lomax and Herbert

Now we have size, great footwork, lots more speed, good defence and great skills with the ball.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Crush
To me nene is our most important winger as he get our set of to a better start.
Also the best finisher of the 3.
You could keep nene on nighty wing and JP on the other.
Buy knowing Mary he will drop JP.
I would have nene in the center and you can play both JP and nighty.
But at the moment nighty is getting shooting pain and numbnessdown both sides.
So I wouldn't play him till he over it.
Its like a pinched nerve.

100% Correct...we have missed Nene's kick return starts ..big body, gives the forwards a rest.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
So what about:
Wingers JP and Macdonald
Centres Lomax and Herbert

Now we have size, great footwork, lots more speed, good defence and great skills with the ball.
Yeah not gonna happen.
If we were to mix it up and try something I'd like to see
Wingers Herbert and JP
Centres Macdonald and Aitken
 

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