The Dragons Team is A Joke

[Willow]

MEDIA RELEASE
9 September 2008
Nightingale to Return for Qualifying Final

St George Bank Dragons fullback Jason Nightingale will this week return from a quadriceps injury for the Third Qualifying Final against the Sea-Eagles at Brookvale Oval this Saturday night.

Nightingale, 21, was a late withdrawal from last weeks match but has recovered to take part in the qualifying final at the expense of Brett Morris.

“I’ve recovered from the injury so it’ll be good to get out there and take part in the finals,” he said. “It’s what you play for all year so I’m looking forward to it.”

The remainder of the squad is the same as last week with the addition of veteran hooker Simon Woolford to an eight-man interchange bench (four to be omitted).

Unavailable Dragons are: Chase Stanley – Ankle (Finals Wk 2), Ricky Thorby – Ribs (season), Justin Poore - Knee (season)

 

[watatank]

Is Soward under an injury cloud or something?

 

[Ribs]

:lol:

Browns mouth wrapped around Dousts c*ck?

Dead set, some of you wankers make me wish I followed someone else.

No wonder Ryles et al. are leaving.

 

[Dragon]

Dead set, some of you wankers make me wish I followed someone else.

No wonder Ryles et al. are leaving.

aww cmon Ribs you've said worse than that about Barrett.

Yeah me talking sh*t about Brown and Doust really made up Ryles' mind. :roll:

 

[MattYg1]

Gotta be a psyhological tactic... a tactic that Nathan Brown has become famous for... how many times has he done this with Gaz...

Soward will be there...

 

[Drain the Dragon]

Referees???

No S Clark as video ref!!! PLEEAASEE!!! NO!!!!

 

[Cagey Mac]

There is some legitimacy to what Brown is doing and while I think it’s wrong and so do most of us, we aren’t getting 400k PA to coach a footy team.
I agree with Ribs; that stupid comments, really only reflect on those making them.

IMO there are several explanations for Rodgers retention in the side posted today
1. With Nightingale in the mix Soward could well be supernumerary and deny ball to our outside backs. This only applies again IMO on a dry track
2. If Sowie was published as our starting 5/8 and defending on the wing, he would be targeted by Menzies and Watmough, who, I’m afraid, would run over the top of him. (actually you can put Mattai in that mix as well)
3. He may pull a last minute switch in order to mitigate point 2 but Sowie’s defence is still vulnerable against one of the best back rows and aggressive ¾ lines in the game

Dell will shore up his side of the field. Nighty will run at Mattai and release Gaz and JMoz. All Rabbitohs supporters believe that Rodgers is a 2 good game, 1 bad game player. Let’s hope this is true.

All this said, I’d be happier with Sowies kicking game and risk his defence but it’s not as black and white as it appears

 

[j0nesy]

I expect Soward will come in for Rogers
playing games is Browny I reckon

I thought the same thing about the Rooster's game.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

It's looking like raining on saturday. Thus Rogers is put in the team.

We all know Soward can't kick in the rain and therefor the team doesn't play great. minus a couple of great games.

 

[Godz Illa]

All this said, I’d be happier with Sowies kicking game and risk his defence but it’s not as black and white as it appears

It is black and white. Soward > Rogers. Why is there any doubt over that?

You're focusing on the perceived defensive advantage Rogers has over Soward, which in my opinion it is so small it is negligible. Soward's technique is fine, and he has the pace to mix it with the fast men out wide.

The attacking advantages Soward has over Rogers are too numerous to mention, but I will point out the vastly superior kicking game which was so sorely lacking on Friday night. For intense, tough semi final-style games your kicking game needs to be very good to excellent. With Rogers we are well below that level.

You mention also Rogers' effectiveness on a dry track (although he has shown a knack for dropping the ball in all kinds of weather). Friday night proved more than "Rogers is useless in the wet". He is also useless when his key teammates (Young, Hornby) are not 100% firing. He's useless when the forward pack is not completely dominating their opponents. He's useless when the defence is a little closer than usual. And of course as mentioned, he struggles to hold a ball.

I've been a supporter of Brownie's for a long time but this decision has me quite flabbergasted. He seems to have prioritised defence over everything else - which also explains the continual selection of Ben Ellis who provides nothing more than a high tackle count. But the Soward thing is more confusing because he's not a sh*t defender.

I'm gonna pray that there is a late change and Rogers is dumped. Pray til I need to buy kneepads.

 

[Godz Illa]

It's looking like raining on saturday. Thus Rogers is put in the team.

We all know Soward can't kick in the rain and therefor the team doesn't play great. minus a couple of great games.

Macarthur I know you're kind of an eccentric (eg you still like Ben Ellis), but that is a very odd comment.

 

[gong_eagle]

Is Creagh still in doubt

 

[St_Rasso]

It's looking like raining on saturday. Thus Rogers is put in the team. We all know Soward can't kick in the rain and therefor the team doesn't play great. minus a couple of great games.

That comment confuses me. Rogers' kicking game last week in the rain was minimal and we struggled as a result to that. The lack of logic behind the kicking plan saw Dean Young kicking on first tackle, forty out with minimal support and a Roosters defence ready for the kick.

Soward regularly dominates games and territory with his kicking game. Rogers has not. Soward may be smaller in defence, but he has pulled off a number of try saving tackles this season. The only time I question his defence is when he is under a kick on the wing. Everyone towers and tramples over him in that situation, (ie. Dragons v Tigers Rnd 22).

Against Manly, we need Soward's short and long kicking game. Without it, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't like our chances. I only wonder, is Jamie back to 100% or is he named on the bench seeing he is in doubt?

 

[grandorient]

I reckon for sure Brownie is playing games. I'll bet you will see Sowie run on the field on Saturday.

GO

 

[Macarthur Saints]

Macarthur I know you're kind of an eccentric (eg you still like Ben Ellis), but that is a very odd comment.

One day Ellis will be a star and everyone will be "why did they let him go":lol:.

I was also the eccentric that said Prior was a legend after his 1st game.

When Soward has a bad game it's either because it's raining or it's windy. At Manly it's highly likely to be both. I hate Rogers but if Soward isn't there who is, Rogers.

Soward was seen getting rubbed down prior to the game last week but didn't come on the field, why is that ?

If he was injured he wouldn't be named on a 4 man bench or be wearing his playing gear. It was wet and i can just presume that it was pointless at him going on anways because of his in-ability to have precision kicks in such torential weather. If Rogers is such a bad player and Soward isn't any good would it be considered to have Rangi Chase and Ben Hornby in the halves?
I can't see any other option.


The alternative is a fine day and Soward hopefully plays..

 

[St_Rasso]

The last time Rangi Chase was in the halves, he chip-kicked straight into the hands of the Bulldogs. I read one of those match previews for Saturday night, according to which Soward stood out in the Round 11 clash, so unless he is in-doubt and going to be a late inclusion, I don't know what benefit they see in Rogers.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

The last time Rangi Chase was in the halves, he chip-kicked straight into the hands of the Bulldogs. I read one of those match previews for Saturday night, according to which Soward stood out in the Round 11 clash, so unless he is in-doubt and going to be a late inclusion, I don't know what benefit they see in Rogers.

I don't think it's any benefit. He is the only other option if Soward is out.

 

[watatank]

Ben Rogers is crap but he's better than Rangi at five eighth.

 

[Godz Illa]

Macarthur, it was an odd comment because Soward has been great in wet weather for us. His kicking game in particular has seen us retain a great record in the wet this year (until the other night, of course). The round 2 clash against the Titans is the perfect example.

 

[SET2JT]

I don't think it's any benefit. He is the only other option if Soward is out.

id put nightingale at 5/8 if sowards out. rodgers suld not be in the team .