Auckland Nines squad

[Carlton]

Host, Simms and Thompson looked good and showed a bit of heart. On that showing JDB is not up to it, has limited speed, no offload, doesn't back up, doesn't run aggressively and was off the ball in defence. At one stage they put a short kick off in and JDB ran through, he was in perfect position to take it but wasn't even looking for the ball and over ran it.

 

[possm]

Defence was embarrassing, JDB was lazy - wouldn't see Friz give up a chase, so was McInnes. Havilli not a first grader, nor is Nona, FFS!!!
Lelulia, Milne, McDonald not 9's players and looked ordinary but promising.

We're an absolute Mess in D and A.

We have to make room for Field and Dufty on this early form, hope they do this well in the trials with 13/13.

Going to be a long year.

Yep on the form seen today, we will need to extend Dugan as a right centre, and bring Field into the side as Widdop's partner in the halves.

In the forwards, JDB, Leilua and Havilli are not up to FG standard right now. So after seeing todays effort, my round one team would be:
1. Dufty
2. Mann
3. Dugan
4. Milne - I would have to be convinced about Lafai
5. Nightingale
6. Field - Because Hunt will be 7 in 2018
7. Widdop
8. Vaughan
9. McInnes
10. Packer
11. Thompson
12. Frizell
13. Sims

14. Mosoe - if fit
15. Host
16. Ah Mau / Kerr - will watch him in the trials
17. Aitkin - Versatile

 

[RPG437]

Fair dinkum have we ever even won one of these 9's games??
I didn't see the games myself but the comments on this thread tells me all I need to know!
Playing hit it up and/or 1 pass wide boring crap in 9's when there is all the extra space is a farce and a disgrace and really embarrassing. I don't think they know the meaning of the word (embarrassed).
Maybe let them get on the piss before game 3 loosen up a bit!!

 

[saints4ever]

It's quite simple.
We can't play nines because we can't attack. Both coaches since the 9s started have been duds.
Hopefully McGregor gets sacked andwe get a real coach that gets the boys playing enterprising, expansive and free flowing football

 

[KiamaSaint]

It will be no better next year... with our new coach

 

[Old Timer]

Game 2 coming up. Low expectations - please surprise me.

How did that go for you.

 

[Dragon66]

OT - when you expect very little, the disappointment when they fail to deliver is never quite as bad.

The problem, of course, is everything I've seen and read is a rerun of the last couple of years so it gives little reason for optimism. Like just about everybody else I can see no reason to expect any change in our clubs performance until our coaching setup is revamped. That means McGregor and his team have to go. They are the problem, not the quality of the playing roster.

 

[Old Timer]

OT - when you expect very little, the disappointment when they fail to deliver is never quite as bad.

The problem, of course, is everything I've seen and read is a rerun of the last couple of years so it gives little reason for optimism. Like just about everybody else I can see no reason to expect any change in our clubs performance until our coaching setup is revamped. That means McGregor and his team have to go. They are the problem, not the quality of the playing roster.

Yes low expectations do help but with all the hype and statements of what we have to look forward to, it still hurts when this is what is trotted out.
Re the roster I firmly believe Dragon supporters are blindly optimistic and overstate the quality of what we have.
We basically buy who we buy because others are happy to let them go and when we get them we always talk them up as if the other teams were stupid to let them go.
Fancy us thinking that other coaches are dumb when their offloads end up with Mary.
Any chance of that player biting his former club on the arse is lost immediately when we get them.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

It's quite simple.
We can't play nines because we can't attack. Both coaches since the 9s started have been duds.
Hopefully McGregor gets sacked andwe get a real coach that gets the boys playing enterprising, expansive and free flowing football

From memory we won a few nines games under Price but nothing under Mary. We've never gone past the first round.

Unfortunately its looking a lot like last year. A few people said wait till we get Widdop and Marshall back but it made no difference. The attack remained crap. A smart board would have a coach replacement strategy in place right now.

 

[Saints Forever]

Nines play is make believe league

I would not get too hung up about losing these types of games

Of greater concern is our "coaching staff" have not taught big Luc the fundamentals of tackling

If he is to play FG this year he has got to urgently improve his tackling technique

 

[Forster Dragon]

COACHING STAFF???????????????

 

[Dragsters]

From memory we won a few nines games under Price but nothing under Mary. We've never gone past the first round.

Unfortunately its looking a lot like last year. A few people said wait till we get Widdop and Marshall back but it made no difference. The attack remained crap. A smart board would have a coach replacement strategy in place right now.

Tru dat.

I think, from memory, that the few 9's games we have ever won, have all been game 3.

The odd consolation win is the only joy I can remember from this carnival.

 

[Dragsters]

Nines play is make believe league

I would not get too hung up about losing these types of games

Of greater concern is our "coaching staff" have not taught big Luc the fundamentals of tackling

If he is to play FG this year he has got to urgently improve his tackling technique

Totally agree with your first 3 statements but again in the second half try, he made the tackle prior to the miss that lead to the try!

There was no-one else there.

Our defensive line was woeful, as was our effort without the ball.

My biggest concern of all is the defensive cavern behind the play the ball.

Mcinnes needs to work on his defensive reads.

He looks promising with the ball from dummy half though, which is something that I haven't said about our 9 for... it seems like ever!

 

[getsmarty]

Same old. Slow passing out wide, slow play the balls and no one backing up. Dufty was quiet but Field was impressive. Herbert limped off though.

thanks Oz...sounds like it may be a long year.

 

[gitano]

1. Leilua not first grade quality

2. Milne should be fighting for a bench backrow spot or developing in the cutters

3. Mcdonald is slow and seems to overestimate his ability. Cutters.

4. Field is sharp.

5. Not sure about Dufty yet.

 

[Gareth67]

Can only repeat what has already been said , disappointed with the overall effort , did expect more in attack . The boys played as a rabble , as if they had only just met today and had not decided who would be directing them around the park .

Of course it was great to see both Field and Duffy showing glimpses of what they can do and Simms continuing on his form of last season .
But the biggest worry , is that the players are going onto the field , as if they have no idea whatsoever about a game plan or what is expected of them . Unbelievable ! When you consider that we are speaking about a 1st grade team .

This all comes back to one factor and there is no need to mention any longer what that is,

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

There was one thing I was really curious about today. Did anyone else notice that Taane Milne looked like he was playing as a back rower. He was never on the flank and he was only used for hit-ups.
Maybe I was just imagining things so I wanted some second opinions.

 

[dragonssamy61]

There was one thing I was really curious about today. Did anyone else notice that Taane Milne looked like he was playing as a back rower. He was never on the flank and he was only used for hit-ups.
Maybe I was just imagining things so I wanted some second opinions.

BlackDuck
I think that was all any of the players did hit ups only.
Unfortunately didn't see much else.
Except when field or dufty had the ball.
Attack was the same old same old.
But it is nines .
I will wait to see what we attempt to do in the trails before I can say more.
But not good so far

 

[denis preston]

Whilst all the pressure is heaped on Mary you gotta say that Hornby & Young deserve the same. I'll be doing cartwheels when Hasler & his staff is announced as coming because these three amigos don't have a clue !

 

[BrissyRedV]

Today highlights what many already know. The team as whole looked like a rabble, with a lack of structures and barely drilled. One out running as per last season with no one looking to offload and little support play. All coaching issues. Some individual pieces of brilliance gave some hope, but you cannot rely on this continually in the 13 a side game which is basically what has been asked of the team for the past 3 seasons because the players are getting no help from the coaching team.