Charity Shield 2018

[mickeylane]

I really don't get this 2 Hookers mentality, it's just wrong on so many levels and I've never seen it once benefit a team in any way. Dragon's coaches of the past persisted with that dubious strategy for years and it never helped once that I can recall. And now with less interchanges it makes even less sense.

If your hooker can't play 80 minutes and do his job then get a new one who can. You don't change your 1, 6 or 7 halfway through a game unless you're forced to. Hooker is only a forward in name. Your props, locks and 2nd row are the big dummies, run, tackle, don't think too much, they're interchangeable. The Hooker is different, he is part of your spine, directing and organizing in the most hands on job on the field. Everyone relies on him so much for all the basics and expects him to be in the right place at the right time and unless you have 2 Hookers who play exactly the same game you're going to mess with everyone elses expectations and change the whole structure and dynamics of your game if you swap them out.

Plus it takes a very skillful coach in my opinion to even mess with the prospect.
No two Hookers play the same game, most are completely different, speed, passing, running, kicking, positioning, all different. How can you expect the rest of the team, mid game, to suddenly adjust and Why anyway ? Because your 1st choice needs a rest ? You're losing and you have no faith in your 1st choice hooker but think your 2nd best hooker can suddenly save you ? If your 2nd choice Hooker is such a game breaker why the f**k is he on the bench ?
Makes no sense to me, it's a desperate and disruptive move with no real benefit. Like a bad move from a poor coach.

I’m betting if Mciness takes a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and Widdop will go first receiver w Field taking 5/8 if he’s on the bench .. Robson will not be on the 4 man bench ever!! Will always be a utility player

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I really don't get this 2 Hookers mentality, it's just wrong on so many levels and I've never seen it once benefit a team in any way. Dragon's coaches of the past persisted with that dubious strategy for years and it never helped once that I can recall. And now with less interchanges it makes even less sense.

If your hooker can't play 80 minutes and do his job then get a new one who can. You don't change your 1, 6 or 7 halfway through a game unless you're forced to. Hooker is only a forward in name. Your props, locks and 2nd row are the big dummies, run, tackle, don't think too much, they're interchangeable. The Hooker is different, he is part of your spine, directing and organizing in the most hands on job on the field. Everyone relies on him so much for all the basics and expects him to be in the right place at the right time and unless you have 2 Hookers who play exactly the same game you're going to mess with everyone elses expectations and change the whole structure and dynamics of your game if you swap them out.

Plus it takes a very skillful coach in my opinion to even mess with the prospect.
No two Hookers play the same game, most are completely different, speed, passing, running, kicking, positioning, all different. How can you expect the rest of the team, mid game, to suddenly adjust and Why anyway ? Because your 1st choice needs a rest ? You're losing and you have no faith in your 1st choice hooker but think your 2nd best hooker can suddenly save you ? If your 2nd choice Hooker is such a game breaker why the f**k is he on the bench ?
Makes no sense to me, it's a desperate and disruptive move with no real benefit. Like a bad move from a poor coach.

Didn't you notice McIness' form severely depreciate by season's end last year?

As with the team, he started ok then plummeted badly.

Probably one of the reasons why Souths released him in favour of a '400-year old' Robbie Farrah.

From this, I reckon it's pretty clear that the team desperately needs a utility player capable of playing dummy half so that (if anything) McIness can get some rest.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I’m betting if Mciness takes a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and Widdop will go first receiver w Field taking 5/8 if he’s on the bench .. Robson will not be on the 4 man bench ever!! Will always be a utility player

There's no way Hunt will slot into dummy half. Why would you shift one of the more dominant halves in the competition to hooker, and bring on a rookie to partner a 5/8 who is not an organising first receiver? The whole point of buying Ben Hunt was to be a dominant halfback and free up Widdop to play his natural game. Playing Field in the halves doesn't allow for that.

Robson or Mann on the bench makes the most sense. Robbo is a quality player, you can't say things like "will always be a utility player" when you have hardly seen him play and he is only 19.

 

[mickeylane]

There's no way Hunt will slot into dummy half. Why would you shift one of the more dominant halves in the competition to hooker, and bring on a rookie to partner a 5/8 who is not an organising first receiver? The whole point of buying Ben Hunt was to be a dominant halfback and free up Widdop to play his natural game. Playing Field in the halves doesn't allow for that.

Robson or Mann on the bench makes the most sense. Robbo is a quality player, you can't say things like "will always be a utility player" when you have hardly seen him play and he is only 19.

You guys are hilarious!! Lol!
You honestly think that both MANN and Robson will feature on a bench this year compromising the forward rotation then you've been watching too much A Leage all year !!
I'll guarantee you that if Mciness needs a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and if Ever Dufty is injured WIDDOP will slot into FB! I'm happy to go on record..

 

[BennyV]

You guys are hilarious!! Lol!
You honestly think that both MANN and Robson will feature on a bench this year compromising the forward rotation then you've been watching too much A Leage all year !!
I'll guarantee you that if Mciness needs a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and if Ever Dufty is injured WIDDOP will slot into FB! I'm happy to go on record..

You're also on record stating that Field will start the year at fullback. So, y'know, you're record sucks!!!

 

[Dragsters]

Can’t work out how Leilua has so much support
Still had a long way to go to warrant anything but a bench spot at best

He has support because he has skills that no other forward in the team has.

Anyone suggesting he should start is getting ahead of themselves.

He SHOULD start from the bench and I believe that is where he will best benefit the team for quite a while yet...

 

[Overseas dragon]

If we learned anything from last night's performance then Robson, Lomax, Field and Kerr earnt themselves the opportunity to get some more game time next week.

At this point the team looks to be best serverd with Sims in the prop rotation with Host starting left egde back row and Luc coming on at the back end of each half for impact.


Imo there is little point trialling Latimore and Allgood again as they are known quantities, whereas Kerr showed some real promise and is worth exploring further.

Nene looked better on the left outside Lafai and Flo is the best option on the right wing ouside Mann, who on last nights performance must be first choice right centre based on both his attacking and defensive display.

I would go for 21 next week and I would go with...

1. Dufty
2. Nightingale
3. Mann
4. Lafai
5. McDonald
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
8. Graham
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. Frizz
12. Host
13. De Belin

14. Sims
15. Ah Mau
16. Leilua
17. Aitken
18. Kerr
19. Lomax
20. Robson
21. Field

I think players 17 - 21 are all viable candidates for the final bench spot during the season depending on the opposition...

Your swapping the wingers are you putting nighty back on the left and McDonald on the right .Mary needs a pat on the back for dropping McDonald to Reggie's maybe he's starting to learn

 

[TomRedVRiver]

You guys are hilarious!! Lol!
You honestly think that both MANN and Robson will feature on a bench this year compromising the forward rotation then you've been watching too much A Leage all year !!
I'll guarantee you that if Mciness needs a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and if Ever Dufty is injured WIDDOP will slot into FB! I'm happy to go on record..

I never said both Mann and Robson will feature on the bench, it will be one of them, and so it should be. McInnes will need to alleviate some of the physical pressure so he can continue to be effective in attack.

BennyV is right, your track record is pretty poor mate. First you say Field will be the starting fullback, now if Dufty is injured... Field isn't even second in the pecking order!!

As I said in my previous post, Hunt was bought as a halfback, it would stifle our attack to move him to hooker and bring on a inexperienced 5/8 to partner a player who is not a natural halfback.

 

[RufusRex]

Bench should be 2 props, 1 back rower and a utility of some way/shape/form.

Robson/Field the only real choices as Mann should be starting in either 4 or 5.


Leilua is funny ... to me he looks to be a bloke that comes on fresh and busts a game open. I don't like him yet as a starter. It seemed that playing near80 changed him from the impact role we need to a host style conservative player.

Would be my bench back rower for sure.

 

[Old Timer]

I’m betting if Mciness takes a break Hunt will slot into dummy half and Widdop will go first receiver w Field taking 5/8 if he’s on the bench .. Robson will not be on the 4 man bench ever!! Will always be a utility player

Your getting more idiotic by the post.
Change 3 positions to cover 1 especially when the 1 position you are covering has a specialist just waiting to be selected as always simply outstanding logic from you.
What happened to your Field will be FB because Millward said so theory?

 

[Maxwell]

Read in media that Mary MacNugget said this is the strongest team he has been associated with, heard a similar statement a few years ago that this is the team I wanted and got the coach sacked. whoopee hope Karma is back to do the job again.

 

[TruSaint]

Sorry OT,

Mann on the bench is a no go for me. In the 13, by some margin.

He is way ahead of any other back to fill the centre spot. And yes, I like Aitken, but Mann is ahead of him as well.

He must slot somewhere in the 1-5 role. Too much talent to be a utility on the bench playing at best 15 minutes. Wasted and will leave if he doesn't secure a spot he has earnt.

JUst my 2 cents worth.

 

[Maxwell]

I really don't get this 2 Hookers mentality, it's just wrong on so many levels and I've never seen it once benefit a team in any way. Dragon's coaches of the past persisted with that dubious strategy for years and it never helped once that I can recall. And now with less interchanges it makes even less sense.

If your hooker can't play 80 minutes and do his job then get a new one who can. You don't change your 1, 6 or 7 halfway through a game unless you're forced to. Hooker is only a forward in name. Your props, locks and 2nd row are the big dummies, run, tackle, don't think too much, they're interchangeable. The Hooker is different, he is part of your spine, directing and organizing in the most hands on job on the field. Everyone relies on him so much for all the basics and expects him to be in the right place at the right time and unless you have 2 Hookers who play exactly the same game you're going to mess with everyone elses expectations and change the whole structure and dynamics of your game if you swap them out.

Plus it takes a very skillful coach in my opinion to even mess with the prospect.
No two Hookers play the same game, most are completely different, speed, passing, running, kicking, positioning, all different. How can you expect the rest of the team, mid game, to suddenly adjust and Why anyway ? Because your 1st choice needs a rest ? You're losing and you have no faith in your 1st choice hooker but think your 2nd best hooker can suddenly save you ? If your 2nd choice Hooker is such a game breaker why the f**k is he on the bench ?
Makes no sense to me, it's a desperate and disruptive move with no real benefit. Like a bad move from a poor coach.

Kit66.........The answer is simple , all our coach has to do is get Innes to play like Cameron Smith, don't tackle just run around allways 3rd man in and hold them f**kin down for 20 seconds, so easy then he can play 100 mins if required

 

[hazzbeen]

Sorry OT,

Mann on the bench is a no go for me. In the 13, by some margin.

He is way ahead of any other back to fill the centre spot. And yes, I like Aitken, but Mann is ahead of him as well.

He must slot somewhere in the 1-5 role. Too much talent to be a utility on the bench playing at best 15 minutes. Wasted and will leave if he doesn't secure a spot he has earnt.

JUst my 2 cents worth.

Tru he needs to be starting and if needed he can slot into most positions , but needs to start ....

 

[TruSaint]

Tru he needs to be starting and if needed he can slot into most positions , but needs to start ....

Hazza, 100% a gifted player that was fu....d over by us. he needs a secure spot, and not be swept from FB / winger / centre / Half / etc ... he earnt his position last year.

Lets not forget why we bought him... After 2 poor games at FB he was dropped. ... Yes 2 games.

 

[Old Timer]

Sorry OT,

Mann on the bench is a no go for me. In the 13, by some margin.

He is way ahead of any other back to fill the centre spot. And yes, I like Aitken, but Mann is ahead of him as well.

He must slot somewhere in the 1-5 role. Too much talent to be a utility on the bench playing at best 15 minutes. Wasted and will leave if he doesn't secure a spot he has earnt.

JUst my 2 cents worth.

Tru
I think you mighty have your wires crossed.
I am long on the record saying that Mann gets a starting gig in the run on side.
He would get LW or LC before either Mc Donald, Nighty or Laafai and I also said if Aitken doesn't cut it within 2 rounds the RC if need be.
For mine he is far better left side player and would accommodate him there first if possible but if to get the best team on the park it is RC then so be it.

 

[Como Connection]

Tru
I think you mighty have your wires crossed.
I am long on the record saying that Mann gets a starting gig in the run on side.
He would get LW or LC before either Mc Donald, Nighty or Laafai and I also said if Aitken doesn't cut it within 2 rounds the RC if need be.
For mine he is far better left side player and would accommodate him there first if possible but if to get the best team on the park it is RC then so be it.

Don't understand your point with Mann being a much better left side player.
How did you arrive with this conclusion.
Plays well on either side as far as I'm concerned.
CC

 

[Old Timer]

Don't understand your point with Mann being a much better left side player.
How did you arrive with this conclusion.
Plays well on either side as far as I'm concerned.
CC

He does play well both sides but when he played LW for us he topped the try scoring and when he was at Melbourne he played LC and excelled.
It is fair to say he hasn't played much RHS here but the LHS results are undeniable.

 

[Como Connection]

He does play well both sides but when he played LW for us he topped the try scoring and when he was at Melbourne he played LC and excelled.
It is fair to say he hasn't played much RHS here but the LHS results are undeniable.

Sure however as I said he would do the job either side if the coach gives him a fair go.
Cannot believe he resigned the way he has been treated, the coach better give him a fair go.
CC

 

[Dragsters]

Your swapping the wingers are you putting nighty back on the left and McDonald on the right .Mary needs a pat on the back for dropping McDonald to Reggie's maybe he's starting to learn

No I'm not swapping them again. Flo stays on the right with Mann and Nene on the left with Lafai...