Round 3 v Warriors

[redv13]

So, our first team list, and a few surprises sprung. It will be interesting to see what 'impact' certain people gave had in the selection and 'personal' training of players.

Firstly, the back 5 look good to me. I hope its given a few games to gel. Given its only a 2 or 3 week mini-preseason, I wonder how these combinations have had time to understand each others game, mmmm I wonder!
Halves, as expected.
Now looking at JG at lock, perplexing at first glance, however, wasn't there a recently retired lock from another club almost in the same mold as JG? In any case I feel this move is for him to avoid the first hit up scenario where he seems to obtain most of his concussions, and playing slightly one off the main ruck he can use his 'offload' more effectively.
Lastly, Aitken on the bench, my only explanation would be he's been training in the forwards and could be used as JG's interchange for an impact through tired forwards, but thats about it.

Friday when 2 drop out will tell us more i believe, who out of Merrin, Clune, Ford and Host will be the first 2 dropped?

Ford and Host first 2 gone

 

[jeffdragon]

Aitken/Lafai I don't think there has been a game since 2016 that one of them haven't played in.

George can you explain why Aitken is in the 17 and why Mex is not and Luke is not even in the 21.

 

[Overseas dragon]

George can you explain why Aitken is in the 17 and why Mex is not and Luke is not even in the 21.

Mmmmmmmmary

 

[Dragons2020]

Loan Aitken to the warriors for the game

 

[BLM01]

I just think we were very close to being much better and we missed the chance to do it.

I would have rolled the dice and started Fui at 13, Kerr to start, binned Aitken and Graham and played Host or Ford and Luke or Britain and maybe swapped Korbin for Merrin.

Yes..maybe..You know Graham is never going to be dropped out of 17..especially not now as his last year.for sure..so we have to work around that for starters
KSIMS now is on his last chance to prove he should b there.
Brittain for Aitken I could of lived with

 

[BLM01]

George can you explain why Aitken is in the 17 and why Mex is not and Luke is not even in the 21.

Poor @George Dragon ..he is not the coach you know
But keep those questions firing!
Suppose it cant hurt...you might just get more sense that way.
If he answers each question...would you believe him?

 

[George Dragon]

George can you explain why Aitken is in the 17 and why Mex is not and Luke is not even in the 21.

Sorry mate cant help you on that one.
Who know what goes through Marys head, most times the players don't even know.

 

[Dragon set in stone.]

Sorry mate cant help you on that one.
Who know what goes through Marys head, most times the players don't even know.

I know what goes through his head ."AIR"

 

[Old Timer]

Hi OT.
Don't worry, I think I have read every word you have posted since the lockdown. But two things have kept me from posting-
1. My Thai wife and stepdaughter are now with me so I have been on homeschooling duties during the lockdown.
2. I hoped we wouldn't get back on the field this year - it would have been the best way to endure Mary's continuing tenure. I have really enjoyed my weekends without the inevitable depressive episode following a Mary-inspired loss and then the Trump-like Press Conference. BTW, can you tell me which idiot came first, Trump or Mary?

But now for better or worse we are back on! Reckon we have been given a chance with a better draw, yet I understand that we could still be 0-4 after the June holiday weekend.

I loved your detailed appraisal in response to me. I have certainly witnessed some garbage dropped on you in the 4 years since I signed up which really angers me because when you provide detailed analysis of this kind I learn so much. You are spot on with Graham. His selection didn't bother me because I regarded it as inevitable. It really shows the flaw in sticking to a leader who is past it. You have analysed why his selection complicates the bench rotation strategy which Mary has failed so consistently.

I expected that Luke would be on hand for Cam's first game back but when he wasn't I was initially pleased because I assumed Mary would pick him automatically because he was in the squad. We do have to hope that McInnes has caught up to his team mates on fitness and strength during the lockdown.

I certainly understand your comments on Lomax. But I am probably in the minority on the Forum in thinking that Dufty has not proved himself without value. Despite the limitations he has shown I believe there has been enough upside for Dufty to be given a run of another four or five games. By then he should have established himself or be deemed never to be first picked again. If the latter is the case Zac can play fullback for the rest of the season. When I think of how Zac plugged the Aitken gap so adequately back in the last three games of 2018 it seems extraordinary that he has been rarely been back there since. So I am regarding his selection there as positive, though 15 months late.

I hope we can find some enjoyment in the next 18 rounds!

Many thanks for the kind words & thoughts

Great news you have your family with you and home schooling is a certainly new world all of its own having just done some with the beloved grandson.

For all my critical analysis I too hope that we get some relief and see some improvements in performance at both team & personal level.

This will be difficult because career coach is so blinkered and risk-averse.

The point that really pisses me off is his total lack of ability to make the harsh / tough decisions that are required and in fact separate the good coaches from the chaff.

When you couple that with the less than plausible excuses that are offered up in poorly communicated & unintelligent press conferences and delivered with the grinning features of a smug know it all makes it incredibly difficult to find the strength to back up week after week.

So if it is like that for us I pity so many of the players who are stuck with it 7 days per week.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Many thanks for the kind words & thoughts

Great news you have your family with you and home schooling is a certainly new world all of its own having just done some with the beloved grandson.

For all my critical analysis I too hope that we get some relief and see some improvements in performance at both team & personal level.

This will be difficult because career coach is so blinkered and risk-averse.

The point that really pisses me off is his total lack of ability to make the harsh / tough decisions that are required and in fact separate the good coaches from the chaff.

When you couple that with the less than plausible excuses that are offered up in poorly communicated & unintelligent press conferences and delivered with the grinning features of a smug know it all makes it incredibly difficult to find the strength to back up week after week.

So if it is like that for us I pity so many of the players who are stuck with it 7 days per week.

Narcissist v Ego.......the former cannot handle anyone with an opinion other than his own, those with ambition outside of the view are distanced or ignored.

Narcissist v Echoist.....the former will choice these over anyone else, basically the followers who are "nice" to them and obey without question.

 

[jeffdragon]

Poor @George Dragon ..he is not the coach you know
But keep those questions firing!
Suppose it cant hurt...you might just get more sense that way.
If he answers each question...would you believe him?

He is in the know a lot more than most of us.

 

[slippery5]

Wrong
Saab is in our top 30

Yep, meant Ramsey

 

[thebigredv]

I'd say this game is as close as it comes to unlosable in the modern game but then again we are the Dragons, and we also did throw away 4 out of 4 comp points so far this season...

Dragons should win comfortably. Any other result is not acceptable.

 

[SnowDragon]

Mate I brought this up last year about moving Aiken to the backrow or lock that is assuming Mary wants him in the team somewhere ... He wouldnt be playing if I had a choice but if he has to be there backrow or lock might suit better .... doesnt need to read much in defence ,more head on tackles , he cant pass as is, so all he has to do is tuck the ball under his wing and run straight and hard ..... for me he shouldnt be there at all ....

ha ha... that may have been the comment that made me consider it last year!
I like Aitken, and gave him plenty of benefit of the doubt before giving up on his passing and positional play... definitely worth testing

 

[Dragon Revival]

I can not help but think that the selection of this team has been influenced by Flanagan especially with Korbin Sims at prop and Zac Lomax at centre and the non-inclusion of Luke. I believe that Aitken will get replaced by one of the other three reserves.

 

[Crush]

Yes..maybe..You know Graham is never going to be dropped out of 17..especially not now as his last year.for sure..so we have to work around that for starters
KSIMS now is on his last chance to prove he should b there.
Brittain for Aitken I could of lived with

I'm still not understanding the K SIMS on his last chance stuff. The guy is coming back from multiple injuries, to me he has an impact whenever he plays but the guy keeps getting screwed around with injury.
I reckon he will have a good season, I'm a fan.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Corbin Sims is a good player but gives away stupid penalties and gets injured. Hopefully he will play well this year and reduce his drawbacks.

 

[Old Timer]

I'm still not understanding the K SIMS on his last chance stuff. The guy is coming back from multiple injuries, to me he has an impact whenever he plays but the guy keeps getting screwed around with injury.
I reckon he will have a good season, I'm a fan.

K Sims is with us for a very good reason as is evidenced by the Broncos up and coming young forward pack.

Good coaches see the real potential in the best younger players and seek to realise it and move the "I was actually quite overrated" players on.

Unfortunately our coach still thinks these guys that have been moved on by the good coaches still have potential long after it should have been realised and so therefore thinks he is getting a bargain.

I was always surprised that Bryce Cartwright didn't end up playing in the big red v because he fitted the mould perfectly for us.

 

[Crush]

K Sims is with us for a very good reason as is evidenced by the Broncos up and coming young forward pack.

Good coaches see the real potential in the best younger players and seek to realise it and move the "I was actually quite overrated" players on.

Unfortunately our coach still thinks these guys that have been moved on by the good coaches still have potential long after it should have been realised and so therefore thinks he is getting a bargain.

I was always surprised that Bryce Cartwright didn't end up playing in the big red v because he fitted the mould perfectly for us.

So NOT a fan, OK.

 

[BLM01]

I'm still not understanding the K SIMS on his last chance stuff. The guy is coming back from multiple injuries, to me he has an impact whenever he plays but the guy keeps getting screwed around with injury.
I reckon he will have a good season, I'm a fan.

You have just answered your own question. Injuries shorten careers and if he cant perform now or this year early on I am afraid there are no more excuses.
I have seen impact from him in 1 game for us where he scored atry from close range. And I will give him credit he takes the ball up pretty hard..but
The rest is mediocre including his lateral movement in defence..he has been caught out dropping off on several occasions
He has been on the fringe (bench) of 1st grade for too long (Newc, Brisb and now us) ...cant keep carrying them especially injury riddled ones.