Round 5 Vs Cowboys

[RedVee]

Dean Young is defence coach.

LKT was playing with a bad shoulder at the end of last season due to our injury toll. His defence fell right away accordingly. Previous to that it wasn’t great - like many young halves - but was better than those last games.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

What a shit team. Reed should be playing and Sloan should be fullback. Flanno wants to be sacked I’m convinced

I have no idea what the club's plan is for Reed, whether they genuinely think he isn't ready, or they're playing favourites, or they've reverted to Mary era thinking and prefer veterans. Out of interest I looked at the age when a few other notable players debutted. Brad Fittler - 17. Geoff Toovey - 18. Luke Brooks - 18. Kyle Flanagan - 19. If Reed is our best halfback, he should be in the side.

 

[Number of the Beath]

Stupid team "selection" yet again.
Worse than Hook at his absolute worst.
We are no longer the Red V.
We are the Ctrl + V.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

Wasn’t Beau Scott tasked with protecting Jamie Soward? Why can’t Sua play a similar role to Reed? Or even Stewart or Couchmen on the other side. There is a way for him to play and be somewhat protected.

 

[Dragonssupporter]

I thought maybe Flanno would read the room and know changes have to be made but it seems to me like hes sticking to the status quo just like Mary did when he refused to drop Tim Lafai and others despite their appalling play. I just cant believe we keep seeing the same thing over and over again. Either everyone on here and in the press believing we need changes is right and Flanno is wrong or the other way around-seems like were all wrong. I guess we'll find out this Saturday but what happens if we lose again? The need to force changes will become apparent. This isnt a look after your mates game anymore-its a professional sport with big money involved. I cant see the board sitting back and accepting this much longer

 

[Dribble&Yarn]

What a weird team list - why bring Sloan in for one game if you’re just going to drop him anyway? Don’t get me wrong - really happy to see Fale in the team, but he’s been playing on the left in NSW cup, surely he should’ve come in for CT?

It’s been shown without question that we can’t carry all 3 of Guler, Blocka and Kerr (max 1 of these imo). Obviously it’s a little harder with Rouchman out, but come on Halangahu has to play this week, LPT as well ideally (assuming he’s actually good to go)

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I suspect Reed will get 20mins or so at the back end of the game - depending

will be fascinating to see how LKT grabs this opportunity

 

[UDGE]

I suspect Reed will get 20mins or so at the back end of the game - depending

will be fascinating to see how LKT grabs this opportunity

Let’s hope he can grab something Auntie G . Hopefully they’ve been running plays at him non stop since Sunday and for the rest of the week. If he doesn’t learn how to tackle by Saturday there’s going to be a lot of people (for lack of a better word) on this forum that will have egg on their face. I’m excited to think Reed might get a a go but I’m also very nervous about him not being ready getting belted and losing his confidence or even worse suffer another knock or an injury.

 

[Number of the Beath]

A half needs a good forward pack to be fully effective.
There's nothing wrong with a half serving an apprenticeship in the lower grades until his body and football brain are up for the transition to Firsts.
This year is clearly a write-off. I don't think we should risk Reed's health and confidence by giving him the responsibility of carrying this pack of useless, cud-chewing chumps on his young shoulders.
Plus, that would make him Flanno's fourth halfback in two and a bit years. Doesn't say much for Flanno's game management or player management, now does it?

 

[Old Timer]

I suspect Reed will get 20mins or so at the back end of the game - depending

will be fascinating to see how LKT grabs this opportunity

The problem with Reed getting 20 at the end of the game is we have to be winning by plenty which is highly unlikely.

If we are well beaten by then, then our forwards have been flogged so you would risk him being injured.

If you are going to play him imo he has to start.

Forwards are fresh and we compete best in the 1st 20 minutes or so.

You keep him in the game until he shows the 1st sign of stress or injury then replace him.

I dare say that if he played the 1st 20-30 against the Titans with DA @ 6 we probably score 1 if not 2 more tries with the amount of ball and position we had.

 

[twinkletoes]

Funny that Flanno says he is managing Reed's career pathway when it's very unlikely he'll be around...unless he starts winning matches.

 

[Old Timer]

Funny that Flanno says he is managing Reed's career pathway when it's very unlikely he'll be around...unless he starts winning matches.

Reed like others is simply collateral damage whilst SF manages KF's career pathway.

 

[since77]

The problem with Reed getting 20 at the end of the game is we have to be winning by plenty which is highly unlikely.

If we are well beaten by then, then our forwards have been flogged so you would risk him being injured.

If you are going to play him imo he has to start.

Forwards are fresh and we compete best in the 1st 20 minutes or so.

You keep him in the game until he shows the 1st sign of stress or injury then replace him.

I dare say that if he played the 1st 20-30 against the Titans with DA @ 6 we probably score 1 if not 2 more tries with the amount of ball and position we had.

While I believe it's best for Reed's long term development and welfare to spend some time in reserve grade playing against men before we throw him to the wolves you do make a good point here. The Titans were there to be taken in the first half. I agree that a combo of Reed and Atkinson would have scored at least three tries in that first half with all that possession and we probably skip away to a big half time lead.
Food for thought.....

 

[Inisai Toga]

The problem with Reed getting 20 at the end of the game is we have to be winning by plenty which is highly unlikely.

If we are well beaten by then, then our forwards have been flogged so you would risk him being injured.

If you are going to play him imo he has to start.

Forwards are fresh and we compete best in the 1st 20 minutes or so.

You keep him in the game until he shows the 1st sign of stress or injury then replace him.

I dare say that if he played the 1st 20-30 against the Titans with DA @ 6 we probably score 1 if not 2 more tries with the amount of ball and position we had.

I’d argue that there’s parody in that example with the way Liddle has been used over the past 12 months. Get him on and win the game earlier! Way too long to introduce one of your main attacking players imo.

 

[John moz]

Dragons Army will show up at kogarah in numbers and if the result isn't a win look out for a reaction after the game and all weeks after for change with in the clubs Board .

 

[Flinstone]

I’d argue that there parody in that example with the way Liddle has been used over the past 12 months. Get him on and win the game earlier. Way to long to introduce you one of your main attacking players imo.

Flano likes Cook to soak up the first 30min sting out of the game and bring Liddle on as impact.
I know Liddle is only like 1.5 games in but is he bringing much impact.
Why not start him and use Cook to give Liddle a rest.

 

[chowiesplatterpoo2]

Wasn’t Beau Scott tasked with protecting Jamie Soward? Why can’t Sua play a similar role to Reed? Or even Stewart or Couchmen on the other side. There is a way for him to play and be somewhat protected.

In fairness, the game has changed a lot since that time, now it seems the game is almost twice as fast. This practice is still relevant but I feel it is now much more difficult to orchestrate...

 

[Rob-Dragon]

While I believe it's best for Reed's long term development and welfare to spend some time in reserve grade playing against men before we throw him to the wolves you do make a good point here. The Titans were there to be taken in the first half. I agree that a combo of Reed and Atkinson would have scored at least three tries in that first half with all that possession and we probably skip away to a big half time lead.
Food for thought.....

I find myself agreeing with you again Since77. You would think a combination of Reed at #7 (his natural position), lets Atkinson slide to #6 (his natural position) would see a much better attacking threat. This lets Atkinson run with the ball which I think is his main attribute (he's got a decent boot as well). We're still left with the slowest fullback and left winger in competition however.

 

[possm]

It is very clear to me that our Dragons have many problems to address; however, the standout problem is the lack of creativity, game management, and speed in the halves.

I believe a Reed / Atkinson halves pairing would solve this problem.

 

[Old Timer]

Flano likes Cook to soak up the first 30min sting out of the game and bring Liddle on as impact.
I know Liddle is only like 1.5 games in but is he bringing much impact.
Why not start him and use Cook to give Liddle a rest.

We extended Liddle for a couple of years and of late possibly thinking about a 1 year extension for Cook,

Liddle is no rookie needing to be eased into games, he is in fact a seasoned 1st grader and due to the nature of his extension he is rightfully seen as our future.

Cook is mid 30's and his contract is now up and we are pondering a possible extension so obviously he is not seen as our long term future.

That being the case their roles need to be reversed with the long term hooker Liddle playing the longer minutes and the older hooker to fill in when he has a rest.

Premiership Winning coach thinks that having them on at the same time is giving us a better result and that clearly is not the case.

He tries to save a bench rotation due to the ineffective bench he keeps picking.

Time to interchange the hookers and have JH take up the position of either Cake, Kerr or Gueler with Sele going to the front row and Hamish to always start at 13.