Charity Shield 2024

[Como Connection]

I thought all our young'ns got in and had a real dig. I think Burgess played a lot of the second half and as I mentioned before, a lot of the second string Bunnies out there were in their Grand Final winning KOE Cup side.
I don't think Flanno expected too much from the kids. He'd know already who the standouts are. I re-watched some of the 2nd half again and I'm wondering why everyone is picking Finau for round one, he was hardly sighted whereas Tamale was in everything, really solid defence and bent the line in attack - he could play 1st grade centre or wing tomorrow. The Feagai's meanwhile, over on the right side were terrible. Was Matt meant to be at fullback for a while - please no.

Why not give Tamale go at full back in the second half next week.
CC

 

[justadragon]

I'm hoping for Sloan to remain at FB, he needs more time establishing his game, swapping and changing is going to do no good. I'm willing to accept that if there is no improvement by RD7-8 , then its time to go, if the kid hasnt got it then he hasnt got it. One point of concern is werent we trying to sign him to a new contract ?

 

[denis preston]

I'm hoping for Sloan to remain at FB, he needs more time establishing his game, swapping and changing is going to do no good. I'm willing to accept that if there is no improvement by RD7-8 , then its time to go, if the kid hasnt got it then he hasnt got it. One point of concern is werent we trying to sign him to a new contract ?

We must keep our guns dry on this one and unless there is a massive upgrade in his game , hold off contract talks until late in the season.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

The JBD thing, looked pretty awkward, but I didn’t see an iota of malice.

It was a big first half of D, very enjoyable. I haven’t seen the dragons do that for a long time.

I was just wondering if the same team had played for the full 80, how long could they keep it going for?

Was it the case of squeezing 80 minutes of effort into 40 minutes, or do the boys have the physical ability to match that pristine mindset?

I still think Lomax needs a lot more ball in hand, I can’t see him on the wing forever. Sometimes you have to find a place for talent, even if if upsets your broader thinking.

Kyle is under extraordinary pressure. He can work all day and all night, but he’s there to create opportunities. All the good halves, they are schemers and gifted. Munster at his peak a few years ago, price of admission player.

I am enjoying everyone’s thoughts. New and different angles. Happy to reappraise my understandings of things.

 

[maestro1]

I’d go back and watch Kyle again in the Souths game.

Bloody hell if anyone covered as much ground as he did and as many one percenters it would have only been Eisenhuth. Those two were remarkable in their pressure and non stop shaping our defensive line and defensive efforts.

I thought they set the standard for defensive pressure.

The first 20mins was working the right side of our attack with Hunt, Eisenthuth, Bird , Lomax and Sloan

Kyle was on the left and he suli and Sua kept making making sure along with Liddle that our attack kept shifting middle and right. They had plenty of angled runs from left edge back in field ready for our right side attack. They combined well to make good metres on the left.

Let’s be honest we were absolutely in the drivers seat first 12mins and then out of no where Bird made a dumb drop of the ball in a tackle then JDB jumps up around the head in a tackle. Two of our most experienced totally let Souths back in the game repeated sets.

Then two more straight sets with Rava knock on and Lomax failed intercept.

Despite that shit house 5mins of 4 Dragons mistakes……..we held strong under the posts in defence and then got back down field.

Simple game plan, everyone on the same page and I quite liked our variation of plays middle right considering it was going right no matter what.

The set play to Sloan middle of the field.

The set play to Fafita punching through the line ready for Hunt on his left or Eisenhuth on his right to offload almost came off but hit the ground and Sloan knocked on.

The Hunt taking on the south’s left side defence and we had two un marked outside. The next play Flano might have made his only mistake when he had a clash of heads with Souths player who went off for HIA?

The almost try by eisenhith getting the tap back from Lomax …… the reason that play was so smooth was Kyle setting up his runners with Sua but then chasing after Liddles break and Kyle taking over at dummy half to leave Hubt nice and wide right for a perfect kick.

Watch the next two sets and the chases that Kyle does when we create broken play to support his players. His next super quick play of the ball to earn us a penalty.

Kyle’s work rate was incredible.

Yes…….Some fairly clunky execution of which poor old Birdy was involved in 4 mistakes……arguably not all his but he contributed but it was all right side (not Fanos)

Second 20mins of the first half we tended to attack the middle and a little bit of left edge where Kyle and Sua and Suli made good years…..but maybe only one cut out to Rava over on the wing which he tends to get 3 or 4 opportunities per half generally in a game of footy.

Seemed very deliberate.

Watch the first 5mins of the 2nd qtr.

Watch Flano telling all his players on the left where he wants them……watch him trail Sua twice in a set almost receiving an offload and looking spritely.

.watch Flano take off in pursuit when we spread it right……..his anticipation of our right side break and darting 40m from our left to be in and around the marker was gut running……..then because of that amazing chase he is right there for the Eisenhuth and he chase into the goal and almost scores. Kyle is right next to the right goal post after another 30m run.

Amazing efforts that will lead to opportunities

THIS ^

Kyle's defensive game was a highlight and in attack it was just a little bit of team rust and new game style that will eventually flow more freely. We should have led by 2 tries at halftime. Souths had very few try scoring opportunities in the 1st forty minutes

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

something that probably goes un noticed was Flano drifting in and sending really strong left to right passes to Hunt already in position

How much more time did Hunt have with the footy to nail the kick / bomb for Eisenhuth, Lomax and Bird etc

last season that did not happen with Amone. He just could not send that fast ball left to right and nail it like Flano.

It was a different shape and required JDB to move across slowly to Hunt on the right majority of time.

You probably all notcied JDB had 1/3 of his normal second phase runs where he passes. JDB did alot more metre eaters for a faster play the ball and keep Souths back when we wanted to play on the 5th.

It was Kyle Flano first half pushing across from his edge and being first receiver to leave Ben Hunt almost as 5/8 on our right. Seriously go back and watch what he was doing whole first half.

This took a lot of pressure of Sloan to make big plays on the right and it also meant we moved much faster than a lumbering JDB on the 4th tackle. I cant even remember us doing one sweeping out the back to Sloan attacking raid?

Something we will bring early rounds no doubt but we wanted to control the field position on the right and jam up the Bunnies getting out. Very Melbourne Storm.

We have to execute better but controlling field position via much cleaner attack and sets just looked so much better..............controlling field position also gives us opportunity to play more offensive defence which leads to opposition mistakes and tiredness defending.

More of a top4 team type structures and discipline.

Imagine how many times Ryan Carr was asked by Flano to watch the top 8 teams in the offseason and replicate and innovate......... how we do all the little things before it gets to the 5th tackle to give us the best chance to pin down the opposition. How do we make it harder for the opposition to put pressure on our 5th tackle options? Flano brought a different skill set than Amone and Hunt already looked like he was at ease on the last tackle for a trial game. We pinned Souths many times until we had that 5mins after 12min into the game where the team made 4 mistakes in 5mins. Bird, JDB, Lomax and Rava.

We did this arguably much much better than 2023

 

[Sage63]

something that probably goes un noticed was Flano drifting in and sending really strong left to right passes to Hunt already in position

How much more time did Hunt have with the footy to nail the kick / bomb for Eisenhuth, Lomax and Bird etc

last season that did not happen with Amone. He just could not send that fast ball left to right and nail it like Flano.

It was a different shape and required JDB to move across slowly to Hunt on the right majority of time.

You probably all notcied JDB had 1/3 of his normal second phase runs where he passes. JDB did alot more metre eaters for a faster play the ball and keep Souths back when we wanted to play on the 5th.

It was Kyle Flano first half pushing across from his edge and being first receiver to leave Ben Hunt almost as 5/8 on our right. Seriously go back and watch what he was doing whole first half.

This took a lot of pressure of Sloan to make big plays on the right and it also meant we moved much faster than a lumbering JDB on the 4th tackle. I cant even remember us doing one sweeping out the back to Sloan attacking raid?

Something we will bring early rounds no doubt but we wanted to control the field position on the right and jam up the Bunnies getting out. Very Melbourne Storm.

We have to execute better but controlling field position via much cleaner attack and sets just looked so much better..............controlling field position also gives us opportunity to play more offensive defence which leads to opposition mistakes and tiredness defending.

More of a top4 team type structures and discipline.

Imagine how many times Ryan Carr was asked by Flano to watch the top 8 teams in the offseason and replicate and innovate......... how we do all the little things before it gets to the 5th tackle to give us the best chance to pin down the opposition. How do we make it harder for the opposition to put pressure on our 5th tackle options? Flano brought a different skill set than Amone and Hunt already looked like he was at ease on the last tackle for a trial game. We pinned Souths many times until we had that 5mins after 12min into the game where the team made 4 mistakes in 5mins. Bird, JDB, Lomax and Rava.

We did this arguably much much better than 2023

I wasn't fortunate enough to view that game, but gee, Aunty you make it sound like we have improved tenfold! Am I exaggerating?

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

its definitely time for one coffee in the morning vs two lol

 

[Victoire]

AG you might be a cockeyed optimist, but, in these humid weeks of February, there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Team List vs Dragons:

1 Jahream Bula

2 Charlie Staines

3 Justin Olam

4 Starford To'a

5 Junior Tupou

6 Jayden Sullivan

7 Aidan Sezer

8 Stefano Utoikamanu

9 Api Koroisau

10 David Klemmer

11 Isaiah Papalii

12 Asu Kepaoa

13 Alex Seyfarth

14 Lachlan Galvin

15 Alex Twal

16 Fonua Pole

17 Samuela Fainu

18 Sione Fainu

19 Jake Simpkin

20 Heath Mason

21 Alex Lobb

22 Navren Willett

23 Sione Vaihu

24 Solomon Alaimalo

25 Tony Sukkar

26 Justin Matamua

Coach: Benji Marshall

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

anyone keen to watch the Olam Bird showdown !!!!!!!

 

[TheRev]

I’d go back and watch Kyle again in the Souths game.

Bloody hell if anyone covered as much ground as he did and as many one percenters it would have only been Eisenhuth. Those two were remarkable in their pressure and non stop shaping our defensive line and defensive efforts.

I thought they set the standard for defensive pressure.

The first 20mins was working the right side of our attack with Hunt, Eisenthuth, Bird , Lomax and Sloan

Kyle was on the left and he suli and Sua kept making making sure along with Liddle that our attack kept shifting middle and right. They had plenty of angled runs from left edge back in field ready for our right side attack. They combined well to make good metres on the left.

Let’s be honest we were absolutely in the drivers seat first 12mins and then out of no where Bird made a dumb drop of the ball in a tackle then JDB jumps up around the head in a tackle. Two of our most experienced totally let Souths back in the game repeated sets.

Then two more straight sets with Rava knock on and Lomax failed intercept.

Despite that shit house 5mins of 4 Dragons mistakes……..we held strong under the posts in defence and then got back down field.

Simple game plan, everyone on the same page and I quite liked our variation of plays middle right considering it was going right no matter what.

The set play to Sloan middle of the field.

The set play to Fafita punching through the line ready for Hunt on his left or Eisenhuth on his right to offload almost came off but hit the ground and Sloan knocked on.

The Hunt taking on the south’s left side defence and we had two un marked outside. The next play Flano might have made his only mistake when he had a clash of heads with Souths player who went off for HIA?

The almost try by eisenhith getting the tap back from Lomax …… the reason that play was so smooth was Kyle setting up his runners with Sua but then chasing after Liddles break and Kyle taking over at dummy half to leave Hubt nice and wide right for a perfect kick.

Watch the next two sets and the chases that Kyle does when we create broken play to support his players. His next super quick play of the ball to earn us a penalty.

Kyle’s work rate was incredible.

Yes…….Some fairly clunky execution of which poor old Birdy was involved in 4 mistakes……arguably not all his but he contributed but it was all right side (not Fanos)

Second 20mins of the first half we tended to attack the middle and a little bit of left edge where Kyle and Sua and Suli made good years…..but maybe only one cut out to Rava over on the wing which he tends to get 3 or 4 opportunities per half generally in a game of footy.

Seemed very deliberate.

Watch the first 5mins of the 2nd qtr.

Watch Flano telling all his players on the left where he wants them……watch him trail Sua twice in a set almost receiving an offload and looking spritely.

.watch Flano take off in pursuit when we spread it right……..his anticipation of our right side break and darting 40m from our left to be in and around the marker was gut running……..then because of that amazing chase he is right there for the Eisenhuth and he chase into the goal and almost scores. Kyle is right next to the right goal post after another 30m run.

Amazing efforts that will lead to opportunities

What a great analysis.. much better than the shallow stuff we dish out! I think Kyle is an important cog in our team this year.. even if Marshke does take his spot, I think hes doing lots of minutes at 9.. looks super fit.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Team List vs Dragons:

Thanks Aunty, I will share some of my thoughts if anybody is interested.

I would encourage everyone to get behind the Dragons, sign up and enjoy the ride.

The players and Flanno really appreciate it.

I am really hoping that the coaches will let their hair down and we see some attack!! Flanno can say that now the ferocious D looks almost mastered, let’s use this game to trip the light fandango, have some fun.

Bula.
Too valuable to risk here. GI is coaching him which is outstanding.

Charlie
Factory, but we are persisting. Almost died for the club last year.

Olam
His first game as a Tiger. Who knows what we will get. He probably doesn’t even know either!

Bud
Another risk, will have to make way for Jerome. Must be the unluckiest player in the comp. I’ve got a soft spot for him thanks to his SGI pedigree.

Salad
A sea sponge would be better value after Brooksy. Factory as they get. That’s all we need from him.

24
The Alamo. I’ve seen his highlights, I really like the cut of his jib. NZ rugger. Fingers crossed. His first game of league or something. Welcome to hell on earth!

Benji
We just don’t know. No one likes how he got there, but no one is on the hate. The tiger has bolted, someone has shut the gate!

To be continued…,



Good luck to everyone and let’s see some flair, enterprise, good decisions, speed and none of us can afford any injuries!!