09 :: R12 Fri :: Dragons 38 Panthers 10 @ WIN Wollongong

[Timmah]

Dragons side officially announced, it's in the original post.

 

[mxlegend99]

Panthers will be missing:

Petero Civoniceva - QLD
Michael Jennings - NSW
Luke Lewis - NSW (i'm confident he will replace either Stewart or Gallen)
Michael Gordon - Ankle Injury

We also have two blokes who are in doubt between Trent Waterhouse and Brad Tighe. So unfortunately neither team will be close to full strength for this match, with both blokes being without plenty of key players.

Looking at the players that each team does have available, Dragons definitely look like they have the edge over the Panthers. Especially in the backline.

 

[Timmah]

Yup - despite the players missing it's still a pretty solid lineup. They've got good depth.

 

[thommo4pm]

Panthers will be missing:

Petero Civoniceva - QLD
Michael Jennings - NSW
Luke Lewis - NSW (i'm confident he will replace either Stewart or Gallen)
Michael Gordon - Ankle Injury

We also have two blokes who are in doubt between Trent Waterhouse and Brad Tighe. So unfortunately neither team will be close to full strength for this match, with both blokes being without plenty of key players.

Looking at the players that each team does have available, Dragons definitely look like they have the edge over the Panthers. Especially in the backline.

We are without:
Weyman - NSW
Poore - NSW
Creagh - NSW
Boyd - QLD

Prior - Injured
J Smith - Injured

That's our starting pack all gone for this weeks match.

Certainly evens the playing field.
Jennings & Lewis are huge losses for you guys also....and Peteor probably goes without saying.

Our starting pack is still reasonably strong, both Saffy & Hunt are quality props who would both be in the 17 at full strength.
All 3 of our back rowers will most likely go the full 80 in their positions....looking forward to seeing Dean Young back in the backrow.

Not too excited about Chase Stanley marking Pritchard though, but he will have Beau Scott with him there.

Agree, our backs look to have a little more strength to it than what the Penrith side does.

 

[Kiki]

i am really worried about this game. the panthers are in awes form and we are missing a huge chunk of our pack. now Prior is our injured too. sigh

 

[thommo4pm]

i am really worried about this game. the panthers are in awes form and we are missing a huge chunk of our pack. now Prior is our injured too. sigh

I still think our starting pack is quite good Kiki, it's just our bench that has me a little worried, but Paea coming from the bench gives us a fair bit of impact from the bench.
Our backs look too strong for them, with the likes of Hornby/Soward/Morris/Cooper/Nighty all still there.

 

[petetheileet]

gna do it very tough...

form pack of the comp...

totally wiped out!!!!

if we hang onto the ball and make decent meters or halves and backs should be able to score some points

damn we need j smith back fast!!

 

[murraymob]

i am hoping tab makes dragons heavy favourites.Penrith have been traveling well .If we can stay close after 20 minutes it will be a game.But if the dragons get a start they will win big

 

[thommo4pm]

gna do it very tough...

form pack of the comp...

totally wiped out!!!!

if we hang onto the ball and make decent meters or halves and backs should be able to score some points

damn we need j smith back fast!!

What a massive difference he would make if he was available.
You could put Scott back to the centres and have J Smith in the backrow with Costigan and Young.
Sadly he is still 2-3 weeks away.

The break will be good for him though, as he has played a lot of footy the last few years, and he will be fresh for us when it matters at the business end of the season.

 

[mxlegend99]

The player in bold is my pick for who is better or in better form:

1. Jarrod Sammut vs Jason Nightingale
2. Brad Tighe vs Brett Morris
3. Geoff Daniela vs Chase Stanley
4. Maurice Blair vs Matt Cooper
5. Shane Elford vs Wendell Sailor
6. Wade Graham vs Jamie Soward
7. Luke Walsh vs Ben Hornby
8. Tim Grant vs Jarrod Saffy
9. Paul Aiton vs Luke Priddis
10. Frank Puletua vs Dan Hunt
11. Trent Waterhouse vs Dean Young
12. Frank Pritchard vs Beau Scott
13. Nathan Smith vs Neville Costigan

Bench:
Lachlan Coote vs Matt Head
Gavin Cooper vs Mickey Paea
Joseph Paulo vs Michael Lett
Matt Bell vs Jon Green

Those are honest opinions, but possibly influenced by bias in some cases. At any rate, the teams are actually fairly close on paper.

 

[thommo4pm]

I actually think Dan Hunt has been sensational for us in the last month.
I'd probably say he is going better than Puletua.

Beau Scott has been one of our best all season, well and truly in career best form.
The others I probably agree with you on.

 

[thommo4pm]

Also, I'd expect one of Merrin or Emmett to play in place of Michael Lett.
Emmett covers quite a few positions for us, Merrin has been sensational for us all year in the U/20's and is one of the main reasons our U/20's are equal 1st.

 

[mxlegend99]

I must admit I hadn't seen enough of either Saffy or Hunt to compare them fairly.

I know Scott has been great, but Pritchard has been great also. Probably a couple which deserved to be considered even.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

I must admit I hadn't seen enough of either Saffy or Hunt to compare them fairly.

I know Scott has been great, but Pritchard has been great also. Probably a couple which deserved to be considered even.

Saffy has been injured for 3 weeks. Prior to that he was in brilliant form, covered for Weyman while on suspension, as well as Poore being out with injury very well, we lost no punch in go forward or brutality in defense. How he returns from injury is unknown, but if he continues his form we won't lose much there.

Hunt is different, up until 3 or 4 weeks ago he was dropping the ball at least 3 times in a game, even with relatively small minutes. The last month or so he has cut that out, and has always been solid in defence.

Our pack is still reasonably solid, with the exception of Paea our bench really lacks any punch. Thankfully many in our pack can all play big minutes. Young and Scott are 80 minute players, Costigan is evolving that way as well 60-70 minutes. Saffy is a good 60 minute player and Hunt is probably 50.

Panthers best chance of winning is to expose us up the middle and try and wear out the new big boppers, but I think we have the structure and depth to get away with this one. It'll be close either way

 

[Sleep]

Hunt has been really good for the Dragons of late. I think he pulled out a MOM not all too long ago.

This is the most talkback I've seen on a Panthers upcoming game prior to a game in ages. Good to see the fans getting excited again.

Sucks that both teams are without their best players because this would of been an awesome game with both at full strength. Dragons and Panthers are both in form and look pretty good so far this year.

I'll be the only Panthers supporter standing on the hill amongst the Dragons fan screaming for them. Should make for an interesting night.

 

[thommo4pm]

Hunt has been really good for the Dragons of late. I think he pulled out a MOM not all too long ago.

This is the most talkback I've seen on a Panthers upcoming game prior to a game in ages. Good to see the fans getting excited again.

Sucks that both teams are without their best players because this would of been an awesome game with both at full strength. Dragons and Panthers are both in form and look pretty good so far this year.

I'll be the only Panthers supporter standing on the hill amongst the Dragons fan screaming for them. Should make for an interesting night.

haha good luck with that on the hill.
You'll be safe down there with us Dragons fans though, I don't know too many Dragons fans who dislike the Panthers.

 

[Sleep]

I live in Wollongong and I'm on the hill for every other game the Dragons play down here. Good bunch of folk who'll give it to you all within the spirit of the game. Can't remember any trouble or anyone going over the top at any game.

 

[thommo4pm]

haha and I live in Penrith and support the Dragons.

How is the weather down there today?
The weather reports aren't looking too promising for Friday night.
I'm hoping the ground isn't too wet for the match.

 

[Sleep]

It's been grey and gloomy all day. Drizzling on and off. Sadly the same is predicted for Thursday, Friday.

Yesterday was a beautiful day and would of been perfect. Fingers crossed they've got it wrong and tomorrow it clears up and come Friday it's clear skies.

 

[pantherz9103]

Very annoyed that Lewis can't be named because he's a shadow player for NSW. Stupid rule. Just goes to show that the people in charge don't give a sh*t about club footy around this time of year.

I think we'll probably go down here but if the rain keeps up it will probably be close so who knows. Both sides have proven they can defend very well so it may be a low scoring game.