Charity Shield 2019

[Saint_JimmyG]

Yes to have had someone like JWH or Klemmer to put one on Sam Burgess' witchipoo nose

People here talk about Saints having the competition’s best forward pack. Whilst I don’t necessarily disagree with that idea, fans must accept the difference between the best pack and the fourth top ranked bunch of forwards is minuscule.

 

[possm]

I agree the CS is all about early club bragging rights but the game itself illustrated a number of flaws which could ultimately produce a long, unhappy season.

The are (in no particular order):

1. the absence of experienced wingers.

2. continuing issues at right centre (Lafai is safe as far as I’m concerned).

3. moving Widdop away from five-eighth is fraught with danger -the only attacking fluency occurred when he teamed up with Hunt.

4. Norman is massively overrated and from what I’ve seen so far, refuses to take the line on (he’s also a poor defender as evidenced by Souths’ first try). Why Millward recruited such an erratic player that Saints DOESN’T need is bewildering.

5.once again, McGregor cannot utilise his bench effectively, and the fact he refused to use some players (Kerr, Timms, Field and Robson) clearly shows that unless injury strikes, his top 17 is already preordained.

Side note: as there’s nothing which can be done from club or playing perspective it’s not really a point, however, JDB’s likely omission for the year is going to be costly. As I’ve mentioned beforehand, Jacob Host was always going to be McGregor’s first choice but he simply lacks any genuine “agro” to make a startling spot his own. Blake Lawrie would be my preferenc but that severely reduces impact from the bench. It would be great to replace that quality with a “like for like” individual but who would that be? Kerr? Timm? Unfortunately, because of the coach, none of us know whether they can take the necessary step up in class during a challenging time.

After watching last nights game, I'd go for K Sims on the right edge or at lock. Maybe Frizell and K Sims can switch from time to time.

So this leaves us short a prop in the rotation. I would go for a rotation of:
Vaughan
James
Kerr
Timm
From what we currently have available. If a good prop becomes available on the market, then sign him with the money from De Belin's salary.

I'd be offering Robson the 9 spot and letting go McInnes. Mary won't go that way and unfortunately, we may be about to lose our brightest young talent in the same fashion as we did with Jack Bird. I hope Millward can convince Robson to extend and McInnes to move to the Eels.

 

[epDragon62]

Aitken and Lafai are our best centres as I've said all along.

Lomax needs to work on his positioning and defence on the wing to cling onto a first grade spot.

Dufty is a no point selection on the bench. Robson is class.

Lomax’s Performances at centre last year and Aitken’s ineptitude make that statement laughable.

 

[Warabrook saint]

People here talk about Saints having the competition’s best forward pack. Whilst I don’t necessarily disagree with that idea, fans must accept the difference between the best pack and the fourth top ranked bunch of forwards is minuscule.

A couple of big units with REAL mongrel in our side

 

[Crush]

Not to mention giving away an avoidable penalty in the first set after the resumption of play. This is a poorly coached side.

Five consecutive CS losses under McGregor should put any contract extension discussions on an indefinite hold.

Of course, we all know that it won’t.

Lol.
Charity Shield losses. Yeah that will dent his chances of a contract extension.....

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Lol.
Charity Shield losses. Yeah that will dent his chances of a contract extension.....

It’s not so much the CS losses compared to how McGregor ill prepares the side each pre season.

That’s the point.

 

[Warabrook saint]

Yes Jimmy,

he was a fringe Bronco winger behind Oates and Isaako, both of whom would have walked into our team as wingers in 2018 and 2019.

however, he is much faster and right now we need a sharp finisher.

Jordan will try his heart out all season.

Unfortunately, we need someone better.

Nene Macdonald looks like a superstar to me right about now.

I'm dreading the thought what Nene McDonald will do in round 1

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

BTW, the James Graham knock on in. the first few minutes ...did anyone else scratch their heads at that decision? The ball came off JG to another player behind him.

Souths scored in the next set.

 

[hazzbeen]

Lol.
Charity Shield losses. Yeah that will dent his chances of a contract extension.....

Mate I know its only the Charity Shield trial game , but its the same Sh*t every year with this coach . We will start the season again firing , he will earn himself another 3 year contract then the wheels will fall off , as it did last year and the year before . He looked good because of one game at the end beating the Bronco's , that win then everyone forgets how close we were at another bad and similar year to the year before ..Same game plan same issues nothing changes except he has a better roster . And further more he actually thinks he's a good coach . I have seen no indication that his coaching has changed since he has taken over , so yea your right its only a trial game and was hoping I would see something that would show he is changing his ways .

 

[Miller was a legend]

Mate I know its only the Charity Shield trial game , but its the same Sh*t every year with this coach . We will start the season again firing , he will earn himself another 3 year contract then the wheels will fall off , as it did last year and the year before . He looked good because of one game at the end beating the Bronco's , that win then everyone forgets how close we were at another bad and similar year to the year before ..Same game plan same issues nothing changes except he has a better roster . And further more he actually thinks he's a good coach . I have seen no indication that his coaching has changed since he has taken over , so yea your right its only a trial game and was hoping I would see something that would show he is changing his ways .

Only need to go back and watch the cuts to Mary in the coaches box against the Bronco’s. It was like WTF where did this come from. By the coach!

 

[Crush]

Mate I know its only the Charity Shield trial game , but its the same Sh*t every year with this coach . We will start the season again firing , he will earn himself another 3 year contract then the wheels will fall off , as it did last year and the year before . He looked good because of one game at the end beating the Bronco's , that win then everyone forgets how close we were at another bad and similar year to the year before ..Same game plan same issues nothing changes except he has a better roster . And further more he actually thinks he's a good coach . I have seen no indication that his coaching has changed since he has taken over , so yea your right its only a trial game and was hoping I would see something that would show he is changing his ways .

Hazz by all means ask for change because of the way dragons finish the seasons below your expectations but I can't see how the Charity Shield has anything to do with it?
The Charity Shield has nothing to do with our late season fade outs.

 

[Crush]

It’s not so much the CS losses compared to how McGregor ill prepares the side each pre season.

That’s the point.

I don't understand. We start seasons very strongly under McGregor. I think thats credit to our off season preparation. Where the wheels fall off is late in the season because McGregor doesn't use his bench properly or rest players during the origin period or mix up his game plans.
Pre season is his only strength.

 

[giboz71]

I don't understand. We start seasons very strongly under McGregor. I think thats credit to our off season preparation. Where the wheels fall off is late in the season because McGregor doesn't use his bench properly or rest players during the origin period or mix up his game plans.
Pre season is his only strength.

And if he’s using the same formula as previous pre seasons, were in the middle of getting flogged at training now so we are always flat this game.

It’s why we’ve lost the past 5 or 6 of these games.

I agree, he needs to use the bench properly to keep everyone fresh throughout the year, but this game doesn’t mean much in the grander scheme of things.

 

[Red V for life]

I have no idea what the best make-up of the team is on the basis of the trials.

The spine worries me. Mary has so many options now(Hunt/Widdop/Norman/Dufty/Field), I have no confidence he will use them effectively.

I will say I don’t like Hunt into hooker with McInnes/Widdop/Norman staying on. The only thing it does is save an interchange. If McInnes is not dummy half, he’s on the bench. I’m also not a fan of a Dufty cameo.

Out wide, Lafai has earned a start. Anyone else can consider themselves lucky on trial form.

In the middle, i’ll feel a little better when Korbin Sims is available in Round 3.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

How do you figure that? Mary left his near top side out on the field for the entire game whereas Bennett took his top side of with 25 minutes to go. However it is a trial and possession dictated the flow of the game which swung all game. I wouldn’t read too much in the result. It’s early days!

I don't read too much into it because we consistently get done in the Charity Shield.
My comment is more about the coaching philosophy and culture.
"It's only the Charity Shield"
If the coach has that attitude then why would the players give a stuff?
That's what I mean by pride in the jumper.
Bennett exploited our deficiencies because he is not only a good man manager, he is also an astute technician as a coach.
We were obviously not prepared to go out and win that game. It meant a lot more to Souths than it did to us.
Very sad

 

[gitano]

Lomax’s Performances at centre last year and Aitken’s ineptitude make that statement laughable.

Wrong.

 

[possm]

The side still requires a utility player. How do you feel about Field being on the bench?

Mary has indicated that Dufty is the utility in 2019.

 

[possm]

A couple of big units with REAL mongrel in our side

Millward MESS

 

[possm]

I don't understand. We start seasons very strongly under McGregor. I think thats credit to our off season preparation. Where the wheels fall off is late in the season because McGregor doesn't use his bench properly or rest players during the origin period or mix up his game plans.
Pre season is his only strength.

Works them extremely hard during the off-season and then goes for light ball work one or two weeks prior to round 1. The boys were knocked prior to taking to the field last night. Probably no ball work or work on combinations prior to the game. Next two weeks attacking and defensive formation will be drilled and SGI will look a different team against the Cowboys in round 1.

 

[Como Connection]

Ball work not required as they never pass it based on last night's effort.
CC