Tigers Post-Mortem

[TheRev]

- Defensively we were very solid, the tries they scored were quite lucky (and one off a knocked on air swing).
- We were back in our groove and looking like champions, but I dont like how we keep giving the ball back early in the tackle count for low % plays. Even if we do nothing with it for another 3-4 tackles, its a lot more pressure for the opposition.
- Benji completely choked, lucky for him his teammates stood up
- Nothing in the game, just 1 pass/tackle goes differently and we win it.
- Rein really gave us some spark out of dummy half, not sure it was Feins fault at all when he was on, but there was no structure to our attack.
- Ref really needed to blow some penalties, though at least he was consistently "not blowing" them.
- Tigers were chronic with holding the arm/leg of the tackled player, luckily the ref wasnt biting.
- Nightingale was legendary
- Hope to god that we live to fight again next week, I think "guaranteed" sudden-death is just what we need.

 

[St_Bondi]

Love your optimism Rev ... However, we're gone. Even if we live to fight another day through the other results, that'll be it for us. The second half was abysmal. No structure (which is our strength) and too many missed tackles. The pussycats are the media and NRL marketer's favourites. They will WIN the comp.

Anyway, we ARE still the PREMIERS until 2 October. It's been a good season but our time is up.

On a side note, if that fool Checin is a first grade referee then the game is in bad shape. He was lucky to be on the sidelines let alone in the middle.

 

[Minh]

We may not get a second bite, Nightingale as always top game. Given a second chance I would not write us off yet but we played to win tonight and lost, that second half was plain ugly.

 

[Das Hassler]

Here's your problem...being very very good at what you do i.e. the EXACT same thing game after game after game could only work for so long and sooner or later the other coaches were going to pick your lock...Strategically you have been a stationary target for the likes of Sheens for a while now..it was quite something to see the self belief just flow out of the dragons after the first Tigers try of the second half....Bennett is at the top of his craft but he's had nothing more to offer you guys for a while now
oh..BTW...you DID NOT lose that game..the Tigers WON it
Sleep well fellas
"oh when the saints..go marching ......? "

 

[j0nesy]

We lost that game pure and simple, it was there to be won. We've been doing the same thing for a couple of months now. We get to lead and then suddenly the team goes in to hyper defensive mode. The backline starts playing too deep, and the kickers are getting the ball 20 meters behind the advantage line and the forwards look to hold on to the ball rather than get over the ad-line. Heck even our kick offs fall on the 15 meter line. Then when the opposition gets to a narrow lead the team panics and starts trying to force miracle balls early or crazy kicks eary in the tackle count. Did we complete a set in the 2nd half? Perhaps 2.

 

[rasaint]

I said in another post please pick Cuthbo if he is fit and let Jon Green sit in the stands. He is an honest toiler but Cuthbo is creative and has that flair and off load.

 

[ghostface]

.you DID NOT lose that game..the Tigers WON it
Sleep well fellas
"oh when the saints..go marching ......? "

Mate take a moment to take your dick out of your hand and read what you've just written. Dragons lost the game and Tigers Won.... Which means we DID lose the game. Two teams playing a game of Semi final rugby league one winner one loser.

 

[nrlnrl]

Here's your problem...being very very good at what you do i.e. the EXACT same thing game after game after game could only work for so long and sooner or later the other coaches were going to pick your lock...Strategically you have been a stationary target for the likes of Sheens for a while now..it was quite something to see the self belief just flow out of the dragons after the first Tigers try of the second half....Bennett is at the top of his craft but he's had nothing more to offer you guys for a while now
oh..BTW...you DID NOT lose that game..the Tigers WON it
Sleep well fellas
"oh when the saints..go marching ......? "

say hi to Zorba

 

[nrlnrl]

I said in another post please pick Cuthbo if he is fit and let Jon Green sit in the stands. He is an honest toiler but Cuthbo is creative and has that flair and off load.

yep, need to score points to beat Tigers - not shut up shop. The 2010 Dragons would've finished off the game, but 2011 version haven't got that desire because they've already won a title.

 

[Das Hassler]

Mate take a moment to take your dick out of your hand and read what you've just written. Dragons lost the game and Tigers Won.... Which means we DID lose the game. Two teams playing a game of Semi final rugby league one winner one loser.

relax pal...that was just for the benefit of a couple of old red'n white through and through friends here with more than a little (perhaps slightly dented) superiority complex LOL
For the benefit of niceness..Tigers and the Dragons will always be intense and look forward to the next one

ahh BTW (to the guy two floors up)....i'd rather support the Taliban than Manly ....jeezus.

 

[andrew057]

yep, need to score points to beat Tigers - not shut up shop. The 2010 Dragons would've finished off the game, but 2011 version haven't got that desire because they've already won a title.

If you think desire is the only thing the Dragons are lacking your sadly mistaken.

 

[Bring back choc]

Coopers pass out on full on tackle 1 or 2 was turning point. Whenever we got an attacking chance we did not show premiership winning qualities. We did not build pressure. We went for miracle play. We went for stupid play.

It was that simple. At 14-12, coopers pass was a disgrace. We lost any chance there and then.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I said in another post please pick Cuthbo if he is fit and let Jon Green sit in the stands. He is an honest toiler but Cuthbo is creative and has that flair and off load.

Cuthbo has to be injured surely......why Bennett keeps peristing with Green is totaly beyond me......he is an honest toiler but thats all he will ever be.
IF we get another chance my option would be Stanley and Cuthbo rather than Prior and Green.....

 

[LatK7]

Left side, second man play. Turns out other teams watch our games. They persisted with it, but it never looked like it was on.

 

[dragon-83]

On that second half performance they dont deserve a second chance

 

[Digeze]

On a side note, if that fool Checin is a first grade referee then the game is in bad shape. He was lucky to be on the sidelines let alone in the middle.

Agree with this. When i saw Matt Checcin was out on the field i said to my mate next to me "You have got to be kidding, there is no way Checcin is a semi-final calibre ref". We usually find a reason to dislike a lot of refs but Checcin makes it so easy.

 

[super_coach]

The Drags were killing it attacking down their right edge, than they gave it away and went back to the old faithful second man play down the left edge. Price next year must think long and hard about playing Tim Moltzen in the halves, they need a player who at least knows what side he has the numbers on--pretty simple stuff for most playmakers

 

[Breathingfire]

Here's your problem...being very very good at what you do i.e. the EXACT same thing game after game after game could only work for so long and sooner or later the other coaches were going to pick your lock...Strategically you have been a stationary target for the likes of Sheens for a while now..it was quite something to see the self belief just flow out of the dragons after the first Tigers try of the second half....Bennett is at the top of his craft but he's had nothing more to offer you guys for a while now

Unfortunately I agree with this statement. I am not turning on Bennett or the team and it is not sour grapes but I think there are some pretty significant problems with the current set up at the Dragons. A new approach is needed if we are to rise to the top again. A 5/8th or half back that can take on the line and create options for his outside men would be a start. The attack has been atrocious this season. In just about every game we have played over the last three years we have had enough ball and field position to just about win all of them, but our attack has sadly let us down time and time again (yes we won a premiership, but I think a strength has become a weakness). Good sides take advantage of possession and field position and we continually fail to do so. Time for Stanley to have a crack in the halves me thinks. I also think we are one or two good hard forwards short in the pack. Oh well, what can you do from the lounge chair?!!

 

[STG-Dragon]

Unfortunately I agree with this statement. I am not turning on Bennett or the team and it is not sour grapes but I think there are some pretty significant problems with the current set up at the Dragons. A new approach is needed if we are to rise to the top again. A 5/8th or half back that can take on the line and create options for his outside men would be a start. The attack has been atrocious this season. In just about every game we have played over the last three years we have had enough ball and field position to just about win all of them, but our attack has sadly let us down time and time again (yes we won a premiership, but I think a strength has become a weakness). Good sides take advantage of possession and field position and we continually fail to do so. Time for Stanley to have a crack in the halves me thinks. I also think we are one or two good hard forwards short in the pack. Oh well, what can you do from the lounge chair?!!

Agreed! I really think Hornby needs to move on he's been great but he's only going to damage his legacy by staying. I would like to see Soward go to halfback seriously he plays like one anyway and Stanley at 5/8.

 

[madunit]

I think the big issue for the Dragons was the complete lack of communication and understanding of the set plays.

Thats something I've not seen them falter at in a long while.

That play when Soward shaped to kick so Nightingale sped up to challenge for it, before Soward passed to Boyd who kicked for an offside nightingale who was then stuck in no mans land.

What was that about?

And then the other side, Coopers quick passing through the hands to where Morris should have been, but he was a good 2-3 metres behind Cooper. Why was he so far back when the whole line was moving forward on a play they've run a million times with great success?

Both sides were guilty of infringements in the luck, I can't say either side got the rub of the green there, and thankfully the ref was oblivious to all of them. Tigers were hanging on too long and dragons were laying on the ball carrier too long. Argue all you want, but in all honesty, the refs were fairly consistent in that area.

And for what its worth, who knows why, but Benji was clearly attempting a kick at the start and you do see the ball rotation change after it knicks his foot, so as much as you may not like it, it was a fair try.