Father Ted
First Grade
- Messages
- 5,531
Dragons switch back to Bennett regime to save season
SAM HALL
28 May, 2012 12:00 AM
St George Illawarra have reverted to a key plank of the Wayne Bennett regime to revive their attack this season.Almost halfway into the 26-week regular competition, Dragons coach Steve Price has done an about-face on one of his big decisions during the off-season: to switch the on-field positions of playmakers Jamie Soward and Ben Hornby.
Th e backflip was evident in the Dragons' "ugly" 14-12 victory over Parramatta on Saturday night, with Price returning to Bennett's premiership-winning formula and posting his first win in four matches
Under former coach Bennett, Hornby's control of the left edge anchored the Dragons attack between 2009 and 2011, establishing a potent try-scoring combination through the likes of Ben Creagh, Matt Cooper and Brett Morris.
Soward, meanwhile, caused damage to opposition teams on the right side of the field largely through brilliant creativity and finesse with the boot.In defence, Bennett's formula meant Soward could count on the strength of Beau Scott inside him on the right side.
It was virtually an unstoppable force devised by the seven-time premiership winner. But until last weekend's loss to the Rabbitohs, that trademark structure had been altered by Price, with Soward and Hornby swapping sides in defence (Soward staying left, Hornby right) and becoming more integrated in attack.
Soward said the decision to revert back was simply about building momentum."We've just got to keep building. It's a crucial time of the year, it's through Origin, and we've just got to try and get as many wins as we can," he told the Mercury.
"Ben's been playing good and he's been getting me the ball when I need it ... He switched back to the left last week, which was good, and defensively he gets a bit of a break."
In theory, changes to Bennett's offensive blueprint were supposed to remove an element of predictability in the Dragons attack after teams became accustomed to the way St George Illawarra moved the ball.
At the beginning of the season, Hornby said of the changes: "We want to play more together, me and Sowie, as opposed to playing left and right.
"We want to play to each other and switch sides, but I'll be predominantly on the right. We think that might be more effective for us. Time will tell."It's not the first time Price has made changes to his attack during the season, appointing Brett Morris to Kyle Stanley's pre-season fullback post after two games and swapping utility Beau Scott between centre and the second row.
Another change evident in Saturday's Kogarah stoush was swapping wingers Daniel Vidot (now right) and Jason Nightingale (now left).With the Dragons sitting in 10th (6-6) after Saturday's Parramatta match, Soward said a loss against the league's bottom-placed side would have dealt a massive blow to their season.
The Dragons showed desperation in the dying stages of the game, trailing 12-10 before centre Kyle Stanley crossed in the 77th minute."It was a disappointing first half. We've set ourselves standards here over the last three-and-a-half, four years, and to dish that up in the first half was disappointing," Soward said.
"I never really felt we were out of the game. Even at 12-4, we knew that our defence would hold up - we just needed to get some completions.
"It took a special play from Jason and Brett to get us that try and get us back in the game. I felt that we had something coming in the end but we just had to make it happen."We got out of jail."
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/dragons-switch-back-to-bennett-regime-to-save-season/2570337.aspx?storypage=0
SAM HALL
28 May, 2012 12:00 AM
St George Illawarra have reverted to a key plank of the Wayne Bennett regime to revive their attack this season.Almost halfway into the 26-week regular competition, Dragons coach Steve Price has done an about-face on one of his big decisions during the off-season: to switch the on-field positions of playmakers Jamie Soward and Ben Hornby.
Th e backflip was evident in the Dragons' "ugly" 14-12 victory over Parramatta on Saturday night, with Price returning to Bennett's premiership-winning formula and posting his first win in four matches
Under former coach Bennett, Hornby's control of the left edge anchored the Dragons attack between 2009 and 2011, establishing a potent try-scoring combination through the likes of Ben Creagh, Matt Cooper and Brett Morris.
Soward, meanwhile, caused damage to opposition teams on the right side of the field largely through brilliant creativity and finesse with the boot.In defence, Bennett's formula meant Soward could count on the strength of Beau Scott inside him on the right side.
It was virtually an unstoppable force devised by the seven-time premiership winner. But until last weekend's loss to the Rabbitohs, that trademark structure had been altered by Price, with Soward and Hornby swapping sides in defence (Soward staying left, Hornby right) and becoming more integrated in attack.
Soward said the decision to revert back was simply about building momentum."We've just got to keep building. It's a crucial time of the year, it's through Origin, and we've just got to try and get as many wins as we can," he told the Mercury.
"Ben's been playing good and he's been getting me the ball when I need it ... He switched back to the left last week, which was good, and defensively he gets a bit of a break."
In theory, changes to Bennett's offensive blueprint were supposed to remove an element of predictability in the Dragons attack after teams became accustomed to the way St George Illawarra moved the ball.
At the beginning of the season, Hornby said of the changes: "We want to play more together, me and Sowie, as opposed to playing left and right.
"We want to play to each other and switch sides, but I'll be predominantly on the right. We think that might be more effective for us. Time will tell."It's not the first time Price has made changes to his attack during the season, appointing Brett Morris to Kyle Stanley's pre-season fullback post after two games and swapping utility Beau Scott between centre and the second row.
Another change evident in Saturday's Kogarah stoush was swapping wingers Daniel Vidot (now right) and Jason Nightingale (now left).With the Dragons sitting in 10th (6-6) after Saturday's Parramatta match, Soward said a loss against the league's bottom-placed side would have dealt a massive blow to their season.
The Dragons showed desperation in the dying stages of the game, trailing 12-10 before centre Kyle Stanley crossed in the 77th minute."It was a disappointing first half. We've set ourselves standards here over the last three-and-a-half, four years, and to dish that up in the first half was disappointing," Soward said.
"I never really felt we were out of the game. Even at 12-4, we knew that our defence would hold up - we just needed to get some completions.
"It took a special play from Jason and Brett to get us that try and get us back in the game. I felt that we had something coming in the end but we just had to make it happen."We got out of jail."
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/dragons-switch-back-to-bennett-regime-to-save-season/2570337.aspx?storypage=0
