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Feb 7 trial match v Newcastle

blacksafake

blacksafake

Coach
Messages
11,339
HenryTatana said:
Re Sloan, are you kidding? I thought he was average. Let a couple of bombs bounce, still doesn't hit the line with gusto and with two instances for him to score, didn't fill me with any confidence about taking those opportunities. The first he could've gone for the line, as any winger would, but hesitated (saw this last year). The second, he did score, but the put down looked iffy. As a winger, he has pace but lacks the finishing skills of a top class winger. The only tries he scores are ones where there is clean air and space where he can plant the ball down with minimum contact. He does not have the bravery and acrobatic skills to take on the line and dive for the corner.
Click to expand...

Can’t really disagree.
His passing & palming were improvements though but you’re right he does really lack the finishing in traffic.
 
M

matPORTS

Juniors
Messages
750
First post-game reflection of the season. Dusting off my own cobwebs, much the same as the team. Tried to focus mainly on stuff that will affect the top grade squad as the season rolls on...

Reid was the obvious standout. All the wraps coming through, both in the media and amongst the punters on socials. Enormous talent. Could lead the team around for 10+ years.

We have to be respectful of time and his age. But he must play first grade sooner rather than later. Might be a bit of a defensive liability right now - but so was Sowie throughout his whole career. Would need to defend him two in and have a couple of the enforcers protect him out on the edge until he puts some more beef on.

LPT - 120kg of muscle. Looks fit & athletic. Getting plenty of post contact metres. Has got to be pushing for a permanent spot in the props rotation this season.

Kerr was good on his return. Albeit overplayed his hand a couple of times, most notably off the first hit up of the game.

Couchmans coming back from injuries last season and will be good for the run. There is a reason why de Belin was freely sent on his way (we don't need three of the same type of player in the squad).

Sloan - oh this continues to be a pain point doesn't it. Doesn't get much post contact metres, and cover defence still leaves much to be desired. He has tried his guts out. The club has given him every opportunity. Speed & being the top meat pie maker in the club ain't going to be enough going forward. This is a shame, because being able to put full trust in him would open up options around Gutho being able to play a different role (which also might have impact on the eventual outcome of our 2026 season as well). We will continue to monitor this...
 
Illusion

Illusion

Bench
Messages
3,736
matPORTS said:
First post-game reflection of the season. Dusting off my own cobwebs, much the same as the team. Tried to focus mainly on stuff that will affect the top grade squad as the season rolls on...

Reid was the obvious standout. All the wraps coming through, both in the media and amongst the punters on socials. Enormous talent. Could lead the team around for 10+ years.

We have to be respectful of time and his age. But he must play first grade sooner rather than later. Might be a bit of a defensive liability right now - but so was Sowie throughout his whole career. Would need to defend him two in and have a couple of the enforcers protect him out on the edge until he puts some more beef on.

LPT - 120kg of muscle. Looks fit & athletic. Getting plenty of post contact metres. Has got to be pushing for a permanent spot in the props rotation this season.

Kerr was good on his return. Albeit overplayed his hand a couple of times, most notably off the first hit up of the game.

Couchmans coming back from injuries last season and will be good for the run. There is a reason why de Belin was freely sent on his way (we don't need three of the same type of player in the squad).

Sloan - oh this continues to be a pain point doesn't it. Doesn't get much post contact metres, and cover defence still leaves much to be desired. He has tried his guts out. The club has given him every opportunity. Speed & being the top meat pie maker in the club ain't going to be enough going forward. This is a shame, because being able to put full trust in him would open up options around Gutho being able to play a different role (which also might have impact on the eventual outcome of our 2026 season as well). We will continue to monitor this...
Click to expand...
This ........
Reid was the obvious standout. All the wraps coming through, both in the media and amongst the punters on socials. Enormous talent. Could lead the team around for 10+ years.

We have to be respectful of time and his age. But he must play first grade sooner rather than later. Might be a bit of a defensive liability right now - but so was Sowie throughout his whole career. Would need to defend him two in and have a couple of the enforcers protect him out on the edge until he puts some more beef on.
 
SAP58

SAP58

Juniors
Messages
2,258
Ronnie Dobbs said:
He needs time to develop physically and he also needs better props in front of him, but he has it all.
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He is bigger than he was 12 mths ago & will fill out more in the next 12mths. He is a special talent & in 12mths will be a similar size as others who can mix it with the bigger boys. He has the ticker & ability to succeed even if he is on the smaller size.
 
JamesRustle

JamesRustle

First Grade
Messages
9,870
Dragonsdiehard said:
I hardly recognised Blake Lawrie...anybody know how much weight he dropped?
If that's any indication of squad fitness, we have to do better than 15th, don't we? We gassed out too easy, too often last season.
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Lawrie is probably on ozempic to lose the weight. I doubt he has put the effort in that would lead to dropping kilos and hardening his mental focus.
 
since77

since77

Bench
Messages
2,901
Black Panther said:
Probably a good tactical move by Flanagan to give Reed ago against terrible opposition in his first outing. He played quite well, but is small and will get dominated against quality teams.
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What an idiotic statement and a hilariously dumb way to try and twist a coaches intentions in the first trial game of the year. Maybe stick to naming random players on other threads - you're better at that than making intelligent football observations.
 
John moz

John moz

Juniors
Messages
1,437
Sloan and Lawrie 2 players against jersey flegg and nsw players last night still couldn't perform .
They haven't shown any improvement the last 2 years in the nrl and this season will be the last for both players.
The club tried to move them on to other clubs and superleague with no takers.
Sloan isn't interested at all so frustrating to watch him play.
Kade Reed is the future so much energy and brings to the team direction that we have been lacking for years under Hunt and Kyle.
 
J

jeffdragon

Bench
Messages
4,654
since77 said:
What an idiotic statement and a hilariously dumb way to try and twist a coaches intentions in the first trial game of the year. Maybe stick to naming random players on other threads - you're better at that than making intelligent football observations.
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We had about 10 out they had 6.
The rest were nearly all seasoned first graders for them.
We had no direction when he went off but it returned after he came back on.
 
Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
9,222
possm said:
I've been banging on about Reed for a few years now.

The team will go better with Holms, Suilio, and Gotho in the side. We don't need Lawrie, Sloane. I'm not sure that LKT has improved, and I was not impressed with O'Neil.

It was great to get the win. It was also great to see how good Reed is at 7. Next game, we will have an opportunity to see Atkinson and Flanagan in the halves. But for me, Flanagan would go better at 14.
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That you have possum , but it was soooo good to see the kid in action on the Tele .He will undoubtedly become the Dragons resident No. 7 in the next couple of years and I would like to see him paired with our newcomer Atkinson , he has played at 5/8th and as said Reed to be our new half back , I believe that would make an awesome combination.
 
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S

Spazer

Juniors
Messages
512
Some good things early in the first half in our tackles we were peeling off 3-2-1 and doing a good job slowing the ruck down, which didn't last long as we went back to falling off tackles and laying around the ruck (probably due to fatigue), but good to see a change in our defensive structures even if it didn't last long. We really need to control possession as that was what killed us last season.

Hame Sele and CT had some strong carries. I liked Setu he looks like a tackle buster and also hits hard. Fale was a bit quiet but looked good in the reed try. Sloan def has some strong upper body strength but I was disappointed with how many uncontested bombs he took that game, same old unfortunately, but should be pushing for that right wing spot.

Second half was much better once possession evened out. Love the late footwork from loko. Lawrie also had one strong run that led to the sloan try but other than that was average and still gives away ruck infringements.

Also was interesting seeing flano throw reed out in the last 10 mins to see how he takes control of the lead we had, he handled it well with a repeat set that led to a try.

Even though we won it wasn't a strong performance by us. Knights just couldn't turn possession into points.

E: forgot to mention but I thought coutts looked ok in his short stint.
 
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