A hard run home.

[Veteran Dragon]

After our bye round the long run home looks to be somewhat challenging. If we have a high percentage of wins against the lesser sides and against the Panthers and Broncos who will be weakened by SOO we can make the 8. The challenge will be to be play consistently well every week and not to lose any games by big a margin as for and against can determine the 8. Go the mighty Dragons!

The long run home.
Bulldogs
Panthers, Origin week
Tigers
Sea Eagles
Dolphins
Roosters
Broncos, Origin week
Panthers
Storm
Bulldogs
Titans
Sharks
Eels
Raiders

 

[Dragon David]

After our bye round the long run home looks to be somewhat challenging. If we have a high percentage of wins against the lesser sides and against the Panthers and Broncos who will be weakened by SOO we can make the 8. The challenge will be to be play consistently well every week and not to lose any games by big a margin as for and against can determine the 8. Go the mighty Dragons!

The long run home.
Bulldogs
Panthers, Origin week
Tigers
Sea Eagles
Dolphins
Roosters
Broncos, Origin week
Panthers
Storm
Bulldogs
Titans
Sharks
Eels
Raiders

Yes these upcoming games will be challenging for sure, but to me every one has been and will be such. High completions, few mistakes, good game plans, resilience in defence and great attack etc. could see us winning at least half of the remaining games and as you say Veteran Dragon, we need to be consistently playing well.

It starts this coming Thursday night.

 

[jeffdragon]

When we play the Panthers and Broncs during origin no Hunt and Maybe Sua and Lomax that's going to make those two even tougher.

 

[since77]

My expectations are that we are going to continue to chart near the 50% mark. Might get a big scalp and definitely have a disappointing loss to a lower placed team along the way.
Would so love to beat Melbourne for once.
I predict the rollercoaster to continue all the way to the finish.
The coming Bulldogs game is a big one. If we win I think we are a smokey for pinching 8th spot. If we lose I reckon we finish 9th or 10th.

 

[Victoire]

I think even Flanno admitted that making the top 8 this year is not the goal, it's about progressing towards a long term view. So imo maintaining the 50% win loss record would be a great result.

Having said that, making the 8 would be bloody nice! Cronulla, Penrith, Brisbane & the Roosters and probably the Dolphins look like a locked in top 5 to me. So the games we play against the teams fighting for those last 3 spots are the crucial ones - they're your good old 4 point games. Bulldogs first up. Always love beating the Dogs but its even more important this week

 

[kit66]

Does anyone really think we'll make the 8 ? All I was hoping for this year was a big improvement in ......everything, commitment, attack, defence, recruitment, playing style, management, you name it. I just wanted us to go from basket case to competitive and to build and build for the next couple of years into a force to be reckoned with.
Is that too much to ask ?
As for our run to the finals, if we can win 6 or 7 of the next 14 games I'll be happy, anything else will be cream, if we beat the Panthers or even better Storm there will definitely be cream.
People expecting SOO games to be winnable need to factor in us losing Hunt and possibly Lomax and Su'a so no great advantage to us. Would FMolo be a smokey - if he puts in a few more big performances you never know ?
Realistically a 10th-12th finish is likely given our f/a (which I expect to grow somewhat), any lower I'll be really disappointed any higher I'll be ecstatic.
The games I really want us to win are against the Dogs as our record against them is getting a bit lopsided in their favour, plus I really, really hate them and of course the Storm.

 

[st.phil]

Is it just me or did the Knights and Sharks get soft draws two years in a row?

 

[since77]

Does anyone really think we'll make the 8 ? All I was hoping for this year was a big improvement in ......everything, commitment, attack, defence, recruitment, playing style, management, you name it. I just wanted us to go from basket case to competitive and to build and build for the next couple of years into a force to be reckoned with.
Is that too much to ask ?
As for our run to the finals, if we can win 6 or 7 of the next 14 games I'll be happy, anything else will be cream, if we beat the Panthers or even better Storm there will definitely be cream.
People expecting SOO games to be winnable need to factor in us losing Hunt and possibly Lomax and Su'a so no great advantage to us. Would FMolo be a smokey - if he puts in a few more big performances you never know ?
Realistically a 10th-12th finish is likely given our f/a (which I expect to grow somewhat), any lower I'll be really disappointed any higher I'll be ecstatic.
The games I really want us to win are against the Dogs as our record against them is getting a bit lopsided in their favour, plus I really, really hate them and of course the Storm.

Just had a look at the ladder for the first time this year. Was surprised our for and against isn't as bad as I thought it would be. -56 is still not great, but I thought it would be a lot worse considering a few of the floggings we've had.
I think there's only two vulnerable teams left in the 8 - Canberra & Newcastle. So two spots up for grabs IMO. Raiders, Knights, Dragons, Bulldogs, Manly, Cowboys, Warriors fighting for 2 spots.
My hope for this year was noticeable improvement and to be at least still in the running for finals by the last round or two. I think we've improved but our best and worst is way too far apart. If we can continue at 50% then pinching 8th spot is a possibility as long as our F & A doesn't get worse.
Must win the games against teams below us on the ladder and try to jag a win or two during Origin against weakened teams.
If we can pinch 8th spot, Flanno has done wonders in his first year. My gut feel is we might go close but falter towards the end.

 

[Mojo]

I think we can make the 8. We've played absolutely hideous footy in a couple of games but, overall, we've improved dramatically in both defence and attack IMO. I think some players who cop a lot of criticism are in fact very good - specifically, Kyle and Liddle. Our spine is quite capable of being very good IMO. I think that as Kyle and Hunt really start to get it together and Sloan really gets his eye-in in terms of reading the play and being on the spot when a line break occurs, and the team generally starts to regain its self-belief, we will show that we are a competitive squad. There's definitely a good footy team already in this squad and much better to come.

 

[Draginzaaar]

If we win one more it will be more than last year. Confidence will come into it and we will improve even more

 

[Draginzaaar]

Does anyone really think we'll make the 8 ? All I was hoping for this year was a big improvement in ......everything, commitment, attack, defence, recruitment, playing style, management, you name it. I just wanted us to go from basket case to competitive and to build and build for the next couple of years into a force to be reckoned with.
Is that too much to ask ?
As for our run to the finals, if we can win 6 or 7 of the next 14 games I'll be happy, anything else will be cream, if we beat the Panthers or even better Storm there will definitely be cream.
People expecting SOO games to be winnable need to factor in us losing Hunt and possibly Lomax and Su'a so no great advantage to us. Would FMolo be a smokey - if he puts in a few more big performances you never know ?
Realistically a 10th-12th finish is likely given our f/a (which I expect to grow somewhat), any lower I'll be really disappointed any higher I'll be ecstatic.
The games I really want us to win are against the Dogs as our record against them is getting a bit lopsided in their favour, plus I really, really hate them and of course the Storm.

I just want to shove it up the wankers who said we'd get the Spoon. Stuff them.

 

[Draginzaaar]

Is it just me or did the Knights and Sharks get soft draws two years in a row?

Knights have beaten the Storm and Dolphins and lost to the Roosters by 2. Easy draw?

 

[Dragon David]

Horses for courses. Some teams have the wood over others and vice versa. This year some of the better teams are losing to teams below them on the ladder. The Dragons still have lots of improvement and if they can play consistently good footy for the remainder of the comp they should win at least 50% of those games.

Got to keep the faith.

 

[sammymills]

One thing which we have been extremely lucky (blessed) with so far is injury. Looking at these big sides a lot of their key players dropping like flies and we have flown under the radar. If we can stay consistently fit i think we can upset a fair few teams.

 

[Hound of Dracula]

Shhhhhhhh!
Don't jinx us SammyMills

 

[TheRev]

Yep the draw turns much harder after this weekend.. which is why those early wins were so important.... so 5 wins is a great base.. and if we can scrap a few more I'll be even happier, but I think we have shown potential players that we are a team on the rise.. and hopefully there are a few signings to come on top of Frankie and Sua as a result, even better if we can grab O'Sullivan to assist in the rebuild.

Rly not sure how things pan out from here.. and of course this assumes our spine stays healthy... Origin will also be a big ask with likely 3 of our best players out.

 

[steerlerbab]

To make it to top 8 we probably need 30 points that is we have to have around 9 wins from now

So playing against teams that are at our level or lower, we have to beat Bulldogs twice, Tigers, titans. Eels and Raiders. Then we have to pick two wins from top teams and finally fix our for and against.

 

[TruSaint]

To make it to top 8 we probably need 30 points that is we have to have around 9 wins from now

So playing against teams that are at our level or lower, we have to beat Bulldogs twice, Tigers, titans. Eels and Raiders. Then we have to pick two wins from top teams and finally fix our for and against.

Starts Thu.
Beat the Dogs, and who the hell knows. I think we will just miss out on finals footy, but am pleased with the way we are going.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

To make it to top 8 we probably need 30 points that is we have to have around 9 wins from now

So playing against teams that are at our level or lower, we have to beat Bulldogs twice, Tigers, titans. Eels and Raiders. Then we have to pick two wins from top teams and finally fix our for and against.

30 points seems reasonable to make the 8, so we do need 18 more points. It's possible you may have forgotten that we still have 2 byes to go, so there are 4 of those points. Based on that, we only need 7 more wins. That looks a more achievable outcome.

 

[sammymills]

30 points seems reasonable to make the 8, so we do need 18 more points. It's possible you may have forgotten that we still have 2 byes to go, so there are 4 of those points. Based on that, we only need 7 more wins. That looks a more achievable outcome.

Dont do it your starting to make me dream