ben hornby = useless

[redvwhite]

I will be very interested in Price's selections next week against Parra, who will be very hard to beat. Maybe.

Don't expect much. Price is elated with the team. Read his comments post match?

I am pleased with the effort of the team but not with Price's selections. Didn't think the Soward attempt was that bad a choice. In such a tight match u could put the loss down to many incidents. I think we could have won if that final kickoff didn't go so deep...

 

[hardbaby]

Hunt played his guts out today!

Agreed. I thought Hunt was outstanding. The forwards tried their arses off today. Actually the team as a whole, played well. I am proud of their performance. We were beaten by a better, bigger, tougher side. Look at Burgess and Luke. They monstered us all game. We just don't have players of that calibre. We are a borderline Top 8 side.

Re Hornby, I said two years ago that we needed to move him into hooker. I stand by that despite the fact that in Rein, King and Fien we are/should be strong in that department. It's a bit like Gidley (pre-injury) in Origin. He is the Captain. He will not be dropped. So if we are going to pick him, we need to pick him in an appropriate position. And that is not halfback. It's as hooker, off the bench.

Re Price, I don't believe he is to blame. I was stoked with the success of the Dragons under Bennett. He did an outstanding job but he created a formula and coached the creativity out of our side. It wasn't that long ago that guys like Hunt, Merrin, Young and Creagh were great ball players. I haven't seen much of that for a long time. Hornby was a great support player. Where is that?

No offloads, no support, no second phase play, no belief and at the moment, no winning culture. But I believe Price inherited this problem. It took a couple of years for Bennett to turn the team around. I am prepared to give Price a couple of years to do the same.

 

[DragonBuck]

For what it's worth, the game was won and lost on Jamie's shot for goal from 45 metres out. What we should have done was keep the pressure on and kick for touch. If we don't score a try, kick the field goal then. One point is as good as two. The pressure would have been back on them. We didn't really get close enough after that.

All this is said in hindsight, obviously.

I will be very interested in Price's selections next week against Parra, who will be very hard to beat. Maybe.

I'm thinking along the same lines here. For the life of me I couldn't understand why we attempted that penalty goal. It was a tuff kick and I really felt that we had them in a bit of trouble. The disappointing part for me was that instead of learning from that mistake we went drop goal happy and put heaps of pressure on ourselves instead of having a look and playing what was in front of us. The same thing happened last year in the game at Parra.

I know it has been said a thousand times in here but we really do lack halves with any sort of vision. We were successfull in '10 playing to a strict game plan but this season when the new coach decides to alter things a bit we are stuffed.

 

[64 Dragon]

Hardbaby, you are right. Not one offload from us all day. But we were in the match all day. We played almost mistake free footy for the first half hour then slowly fell apart.

Burgess's try came from very poor tryline defence. Marketo, the smallest forward ever, was left to stop big Sam on his own after a bad read from Young who went the wrong way. Their other two tries came from kicks, which are lotteries.

Very close but, but no cigar!

 

[giboz71]

I'm also frustrated with the recruitment strategy. Since we won the GF, we have lost Smith, Costigan, Saffy, Boyd, Gasnier. Jon Green, Cuthbo and Alex McKinnon have also moved on. I'm guessing that's at least $1.5m in salary cap right there (with Scott and Young going next year).

My question is, how have these players been replaced? The most recent recruits, Latimore, Vea, Miller, Matthews, Ah Mau, C Stanley, Kemp, these guys are hardly on the paddock apart from Latimore. And most of these guys are fringe first grade players at best. And its not like we're turning to youth. De belin, King, Marketo, Stockwell, and Cummins have had very few opportunities as well. They are only playing now due to origin, suspension and injuries.

So....if we persist with recruiting fringe first grade who never get a run, but at the same time not really giving our juniors a fair crack...what exactly are we doing?

We got beaten today by a 21 year old rookie halfback playing his first season after recovering from a knee reconstruction. If only we showed the same confidence and foresight with our young players.

 

[Jubileeboy]

actually you can.

an inglis or a slater would have been mindful of their position on the field. kneel down with a leg outstretched and simply touch the ball so we have a penalty from half way.

instead.... he attempts to catch it in the field of play and because he is so close to the dead ball line, stumbles around... SLOWLY returns the ball with no urgency.

I dont fault him for missing a field goal. everyone can miss those and shit happens.

however...off a kickoff where the players are set in anticipation of receiving the ball in the most critical of situations, a senior player is meant to handle it well.

either the ball is going long ie make a play for the penalty or its not going long...in which case you have all the time in the world to get your body behind the ball, keep your feet and run out hard.

he did none of the above. we got pinned down and with good field position they got on top.

so yes... we are allowed to criticise him on that if not for his average input during regular time.

Ok..this nuffy ^^ starts at halfback next week ?

 

[redvwhite]

I don't feel to criticize Hornby and look for faults in his game is warranted. He was a quality player for yonks. He just is no longer our best option at halfback and just because that is his specialty is no reason to keep picking him there. We must look to the future and with more than half a season left the time is now. We can't rely on recruiting any current fg halfbacks so we have to create until Clune/smith are ready.

 

[blacklock]

Ok..this nuffy ^^ starts at halfback next week ?

we're fans not lemmings. we're allowed to be critical of our team. what part of that quote do you disagree with genius?

 

[Minh]

For the first time ever.. I agree. Hornby is finished. Young is finished. And copper not far off. Kyle Stanley at centre is embarrassing. Boy o boy.
Talk about the most important 2 points of the year!!!!

F@$k!!!!!!

Cooper was outstanding today.:?

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Any one remember this?

I think the man deserves some respect from some so called Dragons supporters

http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=87111640

 

[TheRev]

Its not Hornbys Fault, yeah he made a few errors,but hes also looking after the interests of the entire team, so give his some credit.

Im getting sick of sounding like a broken record, ive asked for Vidot/Kyle to be moved, Vidot in particular he loses us game after game by giving away the ball metres from our tryline.

 

[blacklock]

Any one remember this?

I think the man deserves some respect from some so called Dragons supporters

http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=87111640

having criticisms of a player doesnt mean we dont respect him for his achievements or contributions. theres a balance. you cant be totally critical, but on the other hand...we cant gloss over a really poor performance.

anyway its beating a dead horse now. on to next week. lets hope things turn around.

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

having criticisms of a player doesnt mean we dont respect him for his achievements or contributions. theres a balance. you cant be totally critical, but on the other hand...we cant gloss over a really poor performance.

anyway its beating a dead horse now. on to next week. lets hope things turn around.

hmmm a title like "ben hornby = useless" suggests otherwise.

 

[Dragonsforever]

Vidot is becoming worse every week....

 

[64 Dragon]

Vidot is becoming worse every week....

Someone teach him how to hang onto the ball, TIGHTLY!

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I'm also frustrated with the recruitment strategy. Since we won the GF, we have lost Smith, Costigan, Saffy, Boyd, Gasnier. Jon Green, Cuthbo and Alex McKinnon have also moved on. I'm guessing that's at least $1.5m in salary cap right there (with Scott and Young going next year).

My question is, how have these players been replaced? The most recent recruits, Latimore, Vea, Miller, Matthews, Ah Mau, C Stanley, Kemp, these guys are hardly on the paddock apart from Latimore. And most of these guys are fringe first grade players at best. And its not like we're turning to youth. De belin, King, Marketo, Stockwell, and Cummins have had very few opportunities as well. They are only playing now due to origin, suspension and injuries.

so...if we persist with recruiting fringe first grade who never get a run, but at the same time not really giving our juniors a fair crack...what exactly are we doing?

We got beaten today by a 21 year old rookie halfback playing his first season after recovering from a knee reconstruction. If only we showed the same confidence and foresight with our young players.

Mate you make a lot of good points........your observations imo are very close to the money...especially if we persist with recruiting fringe first graders who never get a run, but at the same time not really giving our juniors a fair crack...what exactly are we doing?

 

[Bring back choc]

Mate you make a lot of good points........your observations imo are very close to the money...especially if we persist with recruiting fringe first graders who never get a run, but at the same time not really giving our juniors a fair crack...what exactly are we doing?

It finally seems like the penny is dropping on these forums.

Gypsy and godz are a tad slow so will take them a few more losses to understand.

 

[Breathingfire]

Poor Benny...maybe he likes playing football and does not want to stand down. Maybe he is happy with how he playing. Maybe he wants the income for his family. So many variables you know...

Bit hard to put the blame squarely on his shoulders.

 

[blacklock]

hmmm a title like "ben hornby = useless" suggests otherwise.

well youre reading into it the wrong way then. a player can do good things and bad things. theyre not mutually exclusive. the title is in reference to his performance today and recent performance.

i praised him when he came up with major plays that won us the grand final (catching a bomb in greasy conditions at a crucial time in the gf). thats not then to say because he made some great plays previously that they should protect him from criticism in perpetuity.

i respect his contributions....but we are here and now. we want to see our team do well in the future and not simply rest on past achievements. thats all. in any case... still time in the season to get momentum.

starting this thread wasnt an attempt to start some massive debate amongst fans lol after all we will stick together come finals time! its just an outlet of frustration when our team did the small things wrong which total up to a loss and not getting 2 points. i dont ever want us going back to the days where we "prayed" our for and against was good enough and results went our way to allow us into the top 8. its matches like todays that we have to win to avoid drifting back.

 

[moik]

blahblahblah
cant strategically put his foot over the line before the kickoff when the kick is going long...blahblahblah

Watch it again dickhead. He had to backpedal about 10 metres to take the ball.