This seems to be the Dragons major issue
Line speed is the quickest way to see if a team has turned up to play.
It is a simple formula for beginning to improve consistency if you apply it EVERY match. A simple, single and consistent defence message for the first 20 minutes.
From years of watching the Dragons you could pick the mental attitude of the team for the day in the first few minutes from this factor alone.
'Line speed in your face' - and numbers in the tackle in the opening salvos. Easy to coach? Explosive 10m bursts are draining, but the the NRL is now all about speed and survival of the fittest.
For a coach it has to be the easiest thing to train, instil and insist upon on game day. And for a nervous player not quite focussed it is the quickest and easiest way to psyche yourself up and get the adrenaline pumping.
From the stands it's SO obvious that we are in for a thumping when half the team are leaden footed and waiting for the opposition from the outset.
And uniform line speed stifles the opposition in every possible way.
When off their game the Dragons always let the opposition run to them, rather than moving up quickly as a line in the face of the opposition, denying them their moves and time to think - and forcing errors with REAL intent in the tackle.
I remember Dad telling me that the Dragons of the 50's & 60's deliberately gave the opposition the ball for the first 20 minutes or so and belted the hell out of them , softened them up - and got on top. THEN they would attack. That was a consistent GAME PLAN
And of course they had the cattle to do it! But so do we now. Another thing the Dragons of old did was BACK UP THE BALL CARRIER CONSISTENTLY on EVERY play. There seems to be an assumption with the current coaching across the NRL that a charging forward won't break the line in the first 4 tackles, because there's rarely anyone allocated to back the runner up. Surely this is where the lightweight, superfit speedsters should play a role? So, LINESPEED, INTENT, BACK YOUR MATE guys.
Line speed is the quickest way to see if a team has turned up to play.
It is a simple formula for beginning to improve consistency if you apply it EVERY match. A simple, single and consistent defence message for the first 20 minutes.
From years of watching the Dragons you could pick the mental attitude of the team for the day in the first few minutes from this factor alone.
'Line speed in your face' - and numbers in the tackle in the opening salvos. Easy to coach? Explosive 10m bursts are draining, but the the NRL is now all about speed and survival of the fittest.
For a coach it has to be the easiest thing to train, instil and insist upon on game day. And for a nervous player not quite focussed it is the quickest and easiest way to psyche yourself up and get the adrenaline pumping.
From the stands it's SO obvious that we are in for a thumping when half the team are leaden footed and waiting for the opposition from the outset.
And uniform line speed stifles the opposition in every possible way.
When off their game the Dragons always let the opposition run to them, rather than moving up quickly as a line in the face of the opposition, denying them their moves and time to think - and forcing errors with REAL intent in the tackle.
I remember Dad telling me that the Dragons of the 50's & 60's deliberately gave the opposition the ball for the first 20 minutes or so and belted the hell out of them , softened them up - and got on top. THEN they would attack. That was a consistent GAME PLAN
And of course they had the cattle to do it! But so do we now. Another thing the Dragons of old did was BACK UP THE BALL CARRIER CONSISTENTLY on EVERY play. There seems to be an assumption with the current coaching across the NRL that a charging forward won't break the line in the first 4 tackles, because there's rarely anyone allocated to back the runner up. Surely this is where the lightweight, superfit speedsters should play a role? So, LINESPEED, INTENT, BACK YOUR MATE guys.
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