R2 v Dolphins.

[BLM01]

He good mean positional changes tbh

Maybe but I would give Rav a week in Reggiiescyo think about his game last night

 

[Veteran Dragon]

I never thought I could feel worse than the 2023 season but there it is 38-0

 

[Dragon David]

Thanks for some insights The Rev and BSE ( and everyone else).
I have long felt that Blocker Lawrie is the most courageous but one of the least effective props going around. No offloads just lumbering runs gaining a bit of ground. Before this match I posted that I wasn’t happy with Blocker and Luc being included; changing a winning team.

In brief highlights I saw Sloan accelerate through, chip over hammer, race side by side but the ball carved right for hammer on the line. Another was Sloan not driving low for try and hammer knocked ball from his grasp. Why we don’t recruit speed more, I will never know. We won the comp in 2010 with speed galore in the backs. Boyd, Morris, Gaznier, Cooper, Soward wow! Bennet and Bellamy recruit speed. Dolphins this year bought Farnsworth and Averillo. Apparently, Tamale and Finau left in reserve grade are no good for NRL?

Speed and strength are the key elements to win most matches. Speed not only in running the ball and scoring after long breaks etc but speed in executing the attack and defence and having strength to dominate and to show the opposition that we will not cave in. Over powering another team even though that other team has bigger men. As they say the bigger they are the harder they fall.

We play a solid game next so I will say things on that thread instead of this one.

 

[BLM01]

Doing the same thing over and over again and achieving the same result is the epidemy of lunacy...
Let me explain; I don't blame the players for the poor performance, the coaches have a lot to answer for. The game plan was all wrong. Running 4 up the middle then kicking a high ball over and over again only gave the dolphins better field position every set.

When Hunt kicked a 40/20 we gain good position. When Sloan did a chip and chase kick, he almost scored. They gain good field position.

We were down 16 -0 and the players are still playing the same WRONG game plan.

Flanno should have sent out the message to kick down field EARLY and turn their forwards around. Then gain field position then setup a try scoring play. Even on the second tackle...just get the ball down field and bash them in the tackle, force the error.

Bennett had the dolphins playing the EXACT same game plan, but they have faster backs and stronger forwards. They had more intensity to win.

After tackle 2 we were still in our 20 s kick still over breads still would if been picked up and ran back to our half way line on Tackle 1

 

[baggygreen man]

Tamale and Finau

Tamale is a liability in defense, sad, as he is strong in attack. So I can see why Flanno is reluctant to give him a crack at this stage. Not so with Sione Finau who I say is ready for Firsts. Put this kid in the clear and it is shut the gate, much like Sloan. He is wasted in Ressies unlike the Fegais, Max in the centre and Matt at fullback, both look comfortable playing next to each other. Matt is also the captain.

 

[Dragon the chain]

Agree, with all, Flanigan indicated, there might be some changes, although not sure who to target here everyone had their moments
if I have to pick someone, it would be Rava, he may multiple poor errors

I expect very few changes this week.

Frank Molo will be suspended so Sele wil come in if his hammy is OK. Marschke will probably come for Muhlheissen as no. 14. Other than that I expect the other 15 players to remain in the 17.

Remember that Flannigan didn't come out voluntarily and say "there will be changes". He was asked by a reporter if there would be changes and he said something like "that's our best 17 that played tonight (except for Sele) but that wasn't good enough so we might have to make changes." He will keep the same players and create a siege mentality a la Ricky Stuart: "Everyone says the Cowboys are going to beat us by 50. Let's show em."

 

[2010Dragons]

After tackle 2 we were still in our 20 s kick still over breads still would if been picked up and ran back to our half way line on Tackle 1

As Jack Gibsons once said kick to the seagulls in the open spaces.
Both hunt and flanno junior can kick over 85 metres on the fly.
No excuses we were out played by the better team

 

[baggygreen man]

Flanno and Young etc should have made sure that the players' attitudes were positive and wanted to play hard footy which was going to be the case.

Good point. Did that pair say in the dressing room, ''hey guys today we are playing a Bennett coached side that was hammered last week so we need to be up for it big time. Last week was last week, today is a completely different ball game''..

 

[Parko1310]

I expect very few changes this week.

Frank Molo will be suspended so Sele wil come in if his hammy is OK. Marschke will probably come for Muhlheissen as no. 14. Other than that I expect the other 15 players to remain in the 17.

Remember that Flannigan didn't come out voluntarily and say "there will be changes". He was asked by a reporter if there would be changes and he said something like "that's our best 17 that played tonight (except for Sele) but that wasn't good enough so we might have to make changes." He will keep the same players and create a siege mentality a la Ricky Stuart: "Everyone says the Cowboys are going to beat us by 50. Let's show em."

Michael Molo has to be dropped for Villi surely. That way we get a different body shape and type of game into our middle.. plus we shed Molo off our bench

 

[TheRev]

Losing FMolo is gonna hurt.. combined with Sele who is coming off a leg injury and yet to play a game.. and Lawrie who doesnt seem 100%.. gonna be pretty tough.. they might need to think about getting BMM in there also.

 

[Phantom V]

Anyone else think if the Bird no try goes up as try it’s awarded? Turning point

Absolutely, how they didn’t call that a strip is beyond me.

 

[Phantom V]

Thanks for some insights The Rev and BSE ( and everyone else).
I have long felt that Blocker Lawrie is the most courageous but one of the least effective props going around. No offloads just lumbering runs gaining a bit of ground. Before this match I posted that I wasn’t happy with Blocker and Luc being included; changing a winning team.

In brief highlights I saw Sloan accelerate through, chip over hammer, race side by side but the ball carved right for hammer on the line. Another was Sloan not driving low for try and hammer knocked ball from his grasp. Why we don’t recruit speed more, I will never know. We won the comp in 2010 with speed galore in the backs. Boyd, Morris, Gaznier, Cooper, Soward wow! Bennet and Bellamy recruit speed. Dolphins this year bought Farnsworth and Averillo. Apparently, Tamale and Finau left in reserve grade are no good for NRL?

Agree mate. Bird’s defence has been good at centre yet he hasn’t got the speed to create an overlap or trouble opposition defences. I’d be putting Lomax back in and promoting Tamale. Also think Sele needs to come straight in with young Fifita on the bench. Although Flannigan has had a couple of decent games, I’d be using him as our backup dummy half and playing Marschke at 5/8. Not panic stations yet, we were nowhere near our best and were still in the game at half time, we just ran out of petrol.

 

[TheRev]

I just cant see us dropping the 5/8 we trained all pre-season with, because he was average in a game the team was awful in.. for me thats a decision 6 weeks down the track at a minimum. Marschke can have his impact as a 14, I dunno what his defence is like however or how many minutes he could handle..

I am rly nervous about our pack this week though, I dont think RFM or Luciano can be genuine props.. they can cover injury but we are going to need our props to stand up.. I dunno what Sele's fitness will be like.. but there is a good chance the Cows are going to push our fitness well beyond its limits.

 

[Phantom V]

I

Tamale is a liability in defense, sad, as he is strong in attack. So I can see why Flanno is reluctant to give him a crack at this stage. Not so with Sione Finau who I say is ready for Firsts. Put this kid in the clear and it is shut the gate, much like Sloan. He is wasted in Ressies unlike the Fegais, Max in the centre and Matt at fullback, both look comfortable playing next to each other. Matt is also the captain.

I forgot about Finau. I retract my previous post as I’d rather him over Tamale

 

[Slippery Morris]

Last we saw probably the best of the Dragons, this week we saw the worst of the Dragons. I am keen to see how they react from this hammering as it was not good to watch and may be a good kick up the backside. Maybe they read to much about how good they were. It was a poor performance but on the back of a great one so Saints are capable of another good one. Super Coach Bennett getting hammered in round 1 got his troops up for it as expected.

Cowboys are a quality outfit so it will be a huge step up from the Dolphins. Good thing Dean Young will have some good background on some of these players and will help Flanno put in a good game plan.

I hope Flanno does drop some boys just to keep them on their toes.

 

[SEAT 1A]

Wayne did it again.

Showed up with the intensity of a team that flogged the Tig's the week before and regressed to the old way.

Sloan, Lomax and Liddle buy staying conscious had a go.

 

[True_Believer]

Reggies and give him the captaincy. He may want to stay there then. Wont happen as he and Flanagan are joined at the hip. See the Tele pic with them embracing back in their Sharks days.

I don't think this is the case tbh. I think it's due to a dearth of talent in reggies.

After tackle 2 we were still in our 20 s kick still over breads still would if been picked up and ran back to our half way line on Tackle 1

Yeah I don't think it mattered. When you watch it, both wingers and the fullback were back there every kick - essentially because we were still in our half when kicking. No matter where the kick went, there was someone there to make plenty of ground. The fact we were kept in our half pretty much every set made it difficult to for a good kick chase as well. Dolphins pretty much played the perfect game.

 

[Dragon David]

Good point. Did that pair say in the dressing room, ''hey guys today we are playing a Bennett coached side that was hammered last week so we need to be up for it big time. Last week was last week, today is a completely different ball game''..

I don't think he did RedVheartbeat otherwise if he did, we lose by 10 rather than 38.

 

[TruSaint]

Im confident bro.
Saints x 12

Look above to witness an idiot.

Ahh, Saints you've got me speaking to myself.

 

[TheRev]

Look above to witness an idiot.

Ahh, Saints you've got me speaking to myself.

Ah.. but idiots don't have any ability to self-reflect.. I think your crime sir... is being a hopeful Dragons supporter.