Cows game

[blacksafake]

Seriously why would L plate pick Nene when everyone knows he’s 10,000 to 1to play. Unless of course the idiot gets him needled up just so he can get on the park

 

[KogarahWarrior]

Hey Boys,

If either Pereira or Herbert gets selected and you want to know how they play,


<-- This one's pretty long so I wouldn't watch the whole thing

 

[getsmarty]

MATCH PREVIEW


Cowboys v Dragons: Hess, O'Neill called up to face unchanged Red V
Author
NRL.com
Timestamp
Tue 17 Jul 2018, 04:01 PM

A massive danger game for the Dragons after their ordinary performance in last week's shock home loss to the Wests Tigers.

It's hard to put a finger on exactly why the Dragons aren't humming along as smoothly as they were in the first half of the season but last week showed they might be having a few late-season wobbles.

Maybe they peaked too early, maybe it's the rigours of the Origin period or maybe the competition has simply caught up. Whatever it is, the Dragons need to re-focus and re-energise or will soon find themselves out of the top four.

The Cowboys were right in the game last week against Canberra but it became obvious one team had more to play for over the final 20 minutes and the Raiders ran away with it.

If they can put it together for 80 minutes this is a very winnable game for the Cows.


Buy Tickets
Key match-up: If the Dragons boast the best back-row in the NRL, the Cowboys don't rank far behind - at least on paper. The Cows haven't got the wins this season but back-rowers Gavin Cooper, Jason Taumalolo and Coen Hess should be relishing their clash with NSW Origin trio Tyson Frizell, Tariq Sims and Jack de Belin.

For the Cowboys to win: Johnathan Thurston is a student of the game and will let his teammates know the Dragons aren't playing like a top-four team and might be starting to second-guess themselves. The Cows must have one killer 80-minute performance in them this season. This could be the week.

For the Dragons to win: They're not playing badly but they're not playing well, and that's not going to cut it at this end of the season. They know they have all the tools and a formula for success, but the Dragons need to rediscover the ruthlessness that had many pundits thinking they were a lock for the minor premiership.

Cowboys Stat Attack: North Queensland have had the wood over St George Illawarra in recent times, with the Dragons winless in Townsville since 2005 and Kane Linnett scoring six tries in his past seven games against the Red V.

Dragons Stat Attack: One of the keys to St George Illawarra's success in 2018 has been a simple one – they've simply had the ball more than any other team. The Dragons lead the league in possession percentage but an ordinary 66% completion rate against the Tigers cost them dearly last week. Hold onto the ball and they should be good enough to get the win.

And another thing: Offensive execution will be a major focus for both teams after poor handling and carelessness contributed largely to their respective losses last week. The Cowboys completed 25/35 against the Raiders, while the Dragons were worse with just 23/35 (66 per cent). That was a big drop on the previous week's 28/31 (90 per cent) against Melbourne.

North Queensland Cowboys v St George Illawarra Dragons, Saturday 7.35pm at 1300Smiles Stadium

Cowboys: 1 Lachlan Coote, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Enari Tuala, 4 Kane Linnett, 5 Justin O'Neill, 6 Te Maire Martin, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 John Asiata, 9 Jake Granville, 10 Scott Bolton, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo

Interchange: 14 Ben Hampton, 15 Shaun Fensom, 16 Francis Molo, 17 Corey Jensen

Reserves: 18 Jake Clifford, 19 Ethan Lowe, 20 Mitchell Dunn, 21 Antonio Winterstein

Justin O'Neill replaces Antonio Winterstein on the wing, while Coen Hess starts for Shane Wright with Francis Molo joining the interchange.

Dragons: 1 Matt Dufty, 2 Nene Macdonald, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jason Nightingale, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Ben Hunt, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Paul Vaughan, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack de Belin

Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Kurt Mann, 16 Leeson Ah Mau, 17 Luciano Leilua

Reserves: 18 Patrick Herbert, 19 Blake Lawrie, 20 Jai Field, 21 Jordan Pereira

No changes for St George Illawarra.

Head-to-head: Played 29; Cowboys 15 wins, Dragons 14 wins
Previous result: Dragons won 28-22 at WIN Stadium in round 7, 2017
Points per game: Cowboys 16.2; Dragons 24.5
Points conceded per game: Cowboys 21.4; Dragons 18
Televised: Live on Fox League

Petero Civoniceva's prediction: The Cowboys had a shocker in Canberra last week. It was a very un-Cowboy like performance and with nothing left to play for it's hard to see them taking down the Dragons. The Red V have too much at stake as they look to cement a spot in the top four and they will have too many attacking weapons.

TIP: Dragons by 10


https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/17...st-george-illawarra-dragons-round-19-preview/

 

[getsmarty]

‘Predictable’: Michael Ennis explains how the Dragons can get their mojo back
Dragons

• July 17, 2018 10:38am
• Simon Brunsdon@simonbrunsdon
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Dejected Paul Vaughan of the Dragons after losing to Wests Tigers.Source: AAP
MICHAEL Ennis says St George Illawarra has become “predictable” and explained what the Dragons need to do to rediscover their mojo.

A loss to bottom-eight outfit Wests Tigers on Sunday raised plenty of questions over the club that was leading the competition only a few weeks ago.

The Red V have slipped to third on the NRL ladder, sitting behind South Sydney on points and Melbourne on percentage after 18 rounds.

The club has been guilty of starting a season red hot and then falling away in the back half in previous years.

Ennis can see some worrying signs for Paul McGregor’s men.

“I think there are some concerns there,” he told Fox Sports.

“I’m by no means writing them off, they’ve had a wonderful start to the season. But if you think back to their Round 10 game against South Sydney, they were blown off the park that day.

“Then if it wasn’t for the Aaron Woods penalty they get beaten by the Dogs. They led them by eight or 10 points with a few minutes to go.

“They were flogged in Melbourne, they had 50 points put on them down there, and they got a real lesson yesterday (from the Tigers) from some veterans.”

Ennis believes he knows the reason why the Dragons can be hot and cold.

He says their forwards need to rediscover the physicality they showed earlier in the season, and the halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt need to learn to better manage games.

“The form of Hunt and Widdop, their combination has been superb, I think heading into yesterday’s game they had come up with 30 try assists between them,” Ennis said.

“But their game management yesterday was tested, and the veterans Marshall and Farah outshone them and owned the back end of the game in particular.

“For me Widdop and Hunt roll the dice too much, they try to come up with the big play.

“It came off once yesterday (Sunday), a chip and chase came off and it was spectacular, but in other parts of the game they get it wrong.


“They sort of hope with their kicking game rather than build pressure.

“Their game that they built at the start of the year was aggressive through their forward pack, then they were allowed to move the ball to their likes of (Matt) Dufty and (Euan) Aiken.

“At the moment we’re seeing a lot of forwards ball playing in the middle third of the field and it’s become predictable.

I think they need to get back to that physicality through the middle, led by Jack de Belin and Cameron McInnes with that line speed, then you play through the scrum lines with (Tyson) Frizell and (Tariq) Sims.

“There’s a bit of work to do.”


https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...k/news-story/57668a61d49e1b0ac78749271f40d78d

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

“A lot of thier forwards ball playing in the middle of the field”

Someone’s told JDB he’s a halfback again.

 

[LINESPEED]

Seriously why would L plate pick Nene when everyone knows he’s 10,000 to 1to play. Unless of course the idiot gets him needled up just so he can get on the park

You know sometimes I think the Establishment (and current backline incumbents) are shit scared of a junior back getting on the field & scoring half a dozen tries and becoming undroppable,

thus

...upsetting the meticulous order in Mary's universe

...exposing the cosy farce that was Lafai's long term retention

... shining a light on the idiocy of Nighty's extension

...challenging the persistence with a centre with suspect defence and inability to pass or set up a winger (but I was irretrievably spoilt by the Gasniers, where No 3 was a sacred number to this Club)

...questioning the credentials of a winger who coasts (albeit in a culture that doesn't DEMAND excellence) and who I think doesn't trouble the statisticians on line breaks or catching bombs, nor does he retrieve field position from the back with the requisite speed, or then hit up with real intent and venom.

Have reserve backs in a club ever been accorded less opportunity in the history of the NRL?

Happened once this year by sheer chance - and we got a matchwinner by all reports

I think someone on the Forum mentioned the word 'conspiracy' ...
If so, it's an act of unconscionable bastardry

But I'm no cynic ...

 

[Crush]

Mick Ennis nailed it.

 

[MilanDragon]

I think Herbert/pereira or Field come in this week. Straight to the starting line up makes me thing Herbert or possibly JP.

I believe we’re better with Mann on the bench and actually playing that role in the middle. I would never have thought it would work but reality is we were winning games at that poin in the season.

 

[MilanDragon]

Mick Ennis nailed it.

Yea. I think another thing is we are tired. Was interesting watching the NRL podcast yesterday.. Kimmorely believes we’re tired and the players need a rest. Toovey doesn’t think the same and says this lull is to be expected and because our players have big game experience now through SoO it’ll help us come finals.

I do feel we’re looking a little tired, hopefully we can hear the Cows and Roosters. Then start testing players. My idea would be one forward a week until finals. Rather than a bunch of them in one week. Frizz has had a rest already, I’d give one to JDB in a few weeks, then Vaughan. Maybe Sims and graham.. but they shouldn’t really need much of a rest.

 

[The Damo]

I think Herbert/pereira or Field come in this week. Straight to the starting line up makes me thing Herbert or possibly JP.

I believe we’re better with Mann on the bench and actually playing that role in the middle. I would never have thought it would work but reality is we were winning games at that poin in the season.

Yeah our best performances all came with Mann playing that bench role in the middle of the game. If we could just get that right wing sorted with Herbert, lomax, pereira, have Mann rotate with Jack and use Luc for a short impact stint then we’d be looking at our best team I think.

 

[Crush]

Yea. I think another thing is we are tired. Was interesting watching the NRL podcast yesterday.. Kimmorely believes we’re tired and the players need a rest. Toovey doesn’t think the same and says this lull is to be expected and because our players have big game experience now through SoO it’ll help us come finals.

I do feel we’re looking a little tired, hopefully we can hear the Cows and Roosters. Then start testing players. My idea would be one forward a week until finals. Rather than a bunch of them in one week. Frizz has had a rest already, I’d give one to JDB in a few weeks, then Vaughan. Maybe Sims and graham.. but they shouldn’t really need much of a rest.

Mary wont rest anyone.
Look at the team he has selected this week. He even has Macdonald on the wing starting.
Against the cows is the perfect opportunity to rest players. If we lose so be it but come out strong against Roosters and get back on track.
But no. We will lose to cows at full strength and then go into the Roosters game waaaaaay down on confidence.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

He training there but so has herbert

What does training on the wing for the Dragons entail lately?
"Now you stand over there and wait until we have 5 forwards bash it up the middle, then chase the kick"

 

[MilanDragon]

What does training on the wing for the Dragons entail lately?
"Now you stand over there and wait until we have 5 forwards bash it up the middle, then chase the kick"

Thought I saw a pic of Nene with a moon boot on yesterday. Surely just cloak and dagger stuff? Dunno why the need for it..

 

[SEAT 1A]

Against the cows is the perfect opportunity to rest players. If we lose so be it but come out strong against Roosters and get back on track.

And NZ after the Roosters and the team went toe to toe with MEL for 60 minutes, Cows are no MEL.

On the other hand, ball control went out the window in the first 20 minutes against the Tigers and Frizz and Vaughan had strong games.

 

[dragonssamy61]

What does training on the wing for the Dragons entail lately?
"Now you stand over there and wait until we have 5 forwards bash it up the middle, then chase the kick"

If you want to know come a look for yourself.
Every week there is one day open for the public.
But it is in Wollongong

 

[The Damo]

N

Mary wont rest anyone.
Look at the team he has selected this week. He even has Macdonald on the wing starting.
Against the cows is the perfect opportunity to rest players. If we lose so be it but come out strong against Roosters and get back on track.
But no. We will lose to cows at full strength and then go into the Roosters game waaaaaay down on confidence.

Nah, we’ll beat the cows like an Indonesian abattoir worker.
We should rest Debelin this week though - then Sims when Host is right to play again.
Hunt I could see the case for a rest too, but he might be better off playing himself back into form. Just needs to chill out a bit I think, trying a bit to hard to make things happen.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

If you want to know come a look for yourself.
Every week there is one day open for the public.
But it is in Wollongong

Blah, I don't go that far for my holidays, I try not to leave Kogarah if I can help it.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

If you want to know come a look for yourself.
Every week there is one day open for the public.
But it is in Wollongong

Mind you, if they had a training session straight after the Tigers game I would have made the effort, I would have had a few things to say though, and may not have lasted long before the police arrived.

I've calmed down a fair bit now though.

 

[getsmarty]

TEAM LISTS


Behind enemy lines: Round 19
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Wed 18 Jul 2018, 07:09 AM

The North Queensland Cowboys have named their squad to face the St George Illawarra Dragons at 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville on Saturday, July 21.

Although the Cowboys were beaten by the Canberra Raiders last weekend, the team changes remain at a minimum.

Coen Hess will start in the back row and Francis Molo comes into the 17 at the expense of Shane Wright.

Justin O'Neill also returns for the Cowboys, with Antonio Winterstein shifting to the reserves as a result.

North Queensland squad for Round 19 v Dragons

1. Lachlan Coote
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Enari Tuala
4. Kane Linnett
5. Justin O'Neill
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Johnathan Thurston (C)
8. John Asiata
9. Jake Granville
10. Scott Bolton
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Coen Hess
13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange:
14. Ben Hampton
15. Shaun Fensom
16. Francis Molo
17. Corey Jensen
18. Jake Clifford
19. Ethan Lowe
20. Mitchell Dunn
21. Antonio Winterstein


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/07/18/behind-enemy-lines-round-19/

 

[Dragonslayer]

Thought I saw a pic of Nene with a moon boot on yesterday. Surely just cloak and dagger stuff? Dunno why the need for it..

McGregor is just trying to fool Green. Which back will they play?
Meaning Green has to prepare for 4+ scenarios.
Its like grade 5 stuff but I understand the thinking.