ANZAC Day Dragons Roosters Round 8

[Objective View]

1. Good atmosphere. Thought Dragons supporters outnumbered Roosters fans, as usual.
2. Exciting game but not a terribly high standard.
3. Roosters were somewhat lucky but same could be said of Dragons if they had won in the end, I guess.
4. Blaming the refs is a fiction.
5. Golden point is an intellectually numbing practice (as is the semi finals concept).
6. In no way do Dragons make a dent in semi finals.
7. Roosters cannot win title.
8. Given Easts roster, Robbo is the weak link. I'd go so far as to say the Roosters would do better with Mary (and I consider him a dud).
9. Tight win to Roosters was worst possible outcome. The Apologists will be galvanised and there are no points to show for it.
10. Woof, woof Pearce.

Straight Shooter

 

[dino2170]

1. Good atmosphere. Thought Dragons supporters outnumbered Roosters fans, as usual.
2. Exciting game but not a terribly high standard.
3. Roosters were somewhat lucky but same could be said of Dragons if they had won in the end, I guess.
4. Blaming the refs is a fiction.
5. Golden point is an intellectually numbing practice (as is the semi finals concept).
6. In no way do Dragons make a dent in semi finals.
7. Roosters cannot win title.
8. Given Easts roster, Robbo is the weak link. I'd go so far as to say the Roosters would do better with Mary (and I consider him a dud).
9. Tight win to Roosters was worst possible outcome. The Apologists will be galvanised and there are no points to show for it.
10. Woof, woof Pearce.

Straight Shooter

I do agree with most points above but I take umbrage on point 6. How did you assess we are not worthy of the semis. Do you suggest we do not have the players or coach to contest the semis?

I think we do not have a good coach, half, winger, centre and now five eighth. Is this what you mean?

 

[Objective View]

I do agree with most points above but I take umbrage on point 6. How did you assess we are not worthy of the semis. Do you suggest we do not have the players or coach to contest the semis?

I think we do not have a good coach, half, winger, centre and now five eighth. Is this what you mean?

I think we should make the semis from here (unless wheels fall off like 2015) but we won't make an impact, thanks to Mary.

Straight Shooter

 

[blacksafake]

I'm amazed at the lack of credit/respect given to the team after the game yesterday.All i've heard on the radio & read this morning was how tough the roosters were & how brilliant Pearce was with his SOO like performance , because he finally kicked a field goal after missing his last 18 attempts.No mention of Widdop going off or Duges missing a crucial part of the game.FFS Pearce should be charged with reckless contact on Duges.

 

[Coffs dragon]

The more I watch Cam McInnes play the more impressed I am.....he is one tough little bugger and a very consistent dummy half. He is a great buy along with Vaughan that gives our forwards some real punch.
Mitch Rein had a couple of good games per season, whilst Cam delivers each and every week.

 

[BennyV]

The more I watch Cam McInnes play the more impressed I am.....he is one tough little bugger and a very consistent dummy half. He is a great buy along with Vaughan that gives our forwards some real punch.
Mitch Rein had a couple of good games per season, whilst Cam delivers each and every week.

I thought Cam was a bit quiet yesterday. Still a beast in defence though.

He and McCrone are the guys who need to step it up while Widdop is recovering.

 

[possm]

We have to win next week against the Storm because if we lose, no matter what the excuse, we will run the risk of a repeat of 2015. It was a very hard and bruising game so I hope our forwards can recover in time.

Mann to five-eighth and Field on the bench. McInnes should be instructed to use Lafai as first receiver on the left occasionally, later on in the tackle count when in the opposition half.

 

[hewi]

I think it will be Milne to the bench.

 

[SEAT 1A]

One moment when we could have scored. Mann's wayward pass to Lafia, which went to ground. Had a overlap and a try in the corner.

The lads can hold their heads high, great comeback and never tossed the towel in after Widdop went off. Nene's try and Duges kick was a ripper.

Didn't get the rub of the green some 50/50's however, the second late hit on JDB wasn't misjudgement and penalty which could have produced two points in a tight game.

 

[Dragons 09]

I thought Cam was a bit quiet yesterday. Still a beast in defence though.

He and McCrone are the guys who need to step it up while Widdop is recovering.

I totally agree Benny.

Love what Cam has brought to the team even though i openly admit i was not sold on him early on purely based on what i saw of him at the Rabbits. He has certainly proved me wrong and happy to admit it.

But we need to see him take the next step now. He has obviously been under instructions to keep it simple, provide fast direct service and tackle his ass off. He has done this in an exemplary manner. But yesterday, as i mentioned on another thread, he had 4 runs for 21 metres........it's time to see a bit more from him in this area of his game.

Now that Widdop will be missing for at least a few weeks, Mary needs to release the shackles and encourage him to run more and even do a bit of 5th tackle kicking from dummy half when the right opportunity presents itself in order to help out the halves, whoever they may be.

We got lost a couple times yesterday and i recall Sele and Friz both kicking on the last play option, a quick scoot from dummy half or a timely kick from Cam will help to alleviate those moments of dis organisation. I think it was him that provided the kick that led to Nene's try (albeit a lucky deflection) so he is at least confident enough to give it a go, i just think Mary needs to ensure him that he has a license to do more of it over the coming weeks and hopefully as a result his game will go to the next level.

 

[ruthless dragon]

I think we should make the semis from here (unless wheels fall off like 2015) but we won't make an impact, thanks to Mary.

Straight Shooter

Solid contenders for 2017 with or without Mary, its the team dopy the team

 

[OzDragon]

1. Good atmosphere. Thought Dragons supporters outnumbered Roosters fans, as usual.
2. Exciting game but not a terribly high standard.
3. Roosters were somewhat lucky but same could be said of Dragons if they had won in the end, I guess.
4. Blaming the refs is a fiction.
5. Golden point is an intellectually numbing practice (as is the semi finals concept).
6. In no way do Dragons make a dent in semi finals.
7. Roosters cannot win title.
8. Given Easts roster, Robbo is the weak link. I'd go so far as to say the Roosters would do better with Mary (and I consider him a dud).
9. Tight win to Roosters was worst possible outcome. The Apologists will be galvanised and there are no points to show for it.
10. Woof, woof Pearce.

Straight Shooter

Take away number 6 and I fully agree

 

[kit66]

I thought we started slower than we have for weeks, maybe the 9 day turn around and we never seem to win on Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays. With Widdop on the field 2nd half I have no doubt we close out that game and get the 2 points. Roosters were very lucky with penalties in the right place at the right time and lucky Kane Evans didn't cost them 2 or 3 penalties with his late shots. Proud of the effort from the boys though, the battle up front was brutal and I worry about the short turnaround before facing another tough pack ( followed by another 5 day turnaround I think ). A full strength Roosters was a good test that I think we handled really well and even with the loss we'll go into the Storm game in Woolongong reasonably confident.

 

[SGMax]

There was a scrum late in the second half. If the ball had been picked up and brought around to the left hand side blind side, we had an overlap and probably would have scored. Such is footy!

If its the scrum in the 76 min, the Dragons had no-one on the short side and the Roosters had only one.
Would have needed a crafty half to spot that and run over there with some support....but he was off injured.

Also agree with Blacksafake (#183) about the tap back in the first half....clearly going backwards and makes the contact with the defender irrelevant. A definite try not awarded.

Noticed that the refs were quick to come down on anything around shoulder high from the Dragons and in particular Packer. Dragons were targeted high constantly in the second half and Roosters were not penalised.

Mccrones kick in GP was perfect enough as if the Dragons had been chasing, Ferguson would have had to play at it.

I think once our halves get sorted, we should take advantage of McInnes playing 80mins and have 4 forwards on the bench. It may help the team maintain intensity in the second half.
Was hoping for more impact and speed in the runs from Simms.
Would like Simms to get back to 2nd row and we definitely need another prop anyway...hoping Kerr can step up.

 

[possm]

If its the scrum in the 76 min, the Dragons had no-one on the short side and the Roosters had only one.
Would have needed a crafty half to spot that and run over there with some support....but he was off injured.

Also agree with Blacksafake (#183) about the tap back in the first half....clearly going backwards and makes the contact with the defender irrelevant. A definite try not awarded.

Noticed that the refs were quick to come down on anything around shoulder high from the Dragons and in particular Packer. Dragons were targeted high constantly in the second half and Roosters were not penalised.

Mccrones kick in GP was perfect enough as if the Dragons had been chasing, Ferguson would have had to play at it.

I think once our halves get sorted, we should take advantage of McInnes playing 80mins and have 4 forwards on the bench. It may help the team maintain intensity in the second half.
Was hoping for more impact and speed in the runs from Simms.
Would like Simms to get back to 2nd row and we definitely need another prop anyway...hoping Kerr can step up.

Right on the money! 4 forwards on the bench add Kerr and have Sims backing up the back row. Might be just what our forwards need.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Right on the money! 4 forwards on the bench add Kerr and have Sims backing up the back row. Might be just what our forwards need.

Kerr isn't ready for 1st grade yet Possm. 2018 will be his time.

Now Leilua has been gaining fitness and match time and doing the things we expect him to be doing, he had some good metres, offloads and defense was sound. He would be the next one after Host, then young Laurie then Kerr.

 

[j0nesy]

I thought we won the forward battle but the Roosters got a lot of penalties to get them out of their own end. Not convinced that they were all warranted. Cordner was excellent for the Roosters and Pearce stepped up in the second half where Mccrone didn't. We struggled without Widdop and then when Dugan went off I thought we'd lose by 10, yet we hung in there. Credit to the boys.

We will struggle against the Storm without Widdop. Agree with the comments calling for McInness to be given more responsibility. Big test for Mann while, Widdop is out, who is playing for a contract extension .