Dragons lacking pace

[Drain the Dragon]

Hornby won't be dropped. Soward won't be dropped. Dropped for who????
We're in a rebuilding phase with a coach new to 1st grade.
The signs are there that we can progress, but chances are we may have to tolerate one or two more like last Friday night before they hit the right note...

 

[gypsy]

Hornby won't be dropped. Soward won't be dropped. Dropped for who????
We're in a rebuilding phase with a coach new to 1st grade.
The signs are there that we can progress, but chances are we may have to tolerate one or two more like last Friday night before they hit the right note...

We aren't in a rebuilding phase. Cooper, Nightingale, Morris, Hornby, Young, Weyman etc have a lot of experience. When a few of them go, yes you can call that rebuilding.
We have one of the most experienced rosters in the comp though.

 

[TheRev]

Yep its more of a black-hole we are in... Saints should have come out of 2010 looking to recruit the next generation, but because of Bennett leaving, we got thrown into the well in terms of our ability to recruit players (without paying overs).

Sorry I know its pessimistic, but I knew 2011 was going to be hard, 2012 harder again, and without a new halfback to start building around, 2013 isnt going to be much better for us either, its just going to be a period to grin and bare.

The only real young talent coming through is De Belin, Merrin, maybe Rein, but there are a lot of big holes being left by our experienced players, especially is Sowie isnt killing it. There is also Kyle/Cummins/King, but they are just maybes at this stage.

 

[sco22]

The Rev is absolutely right in 2010 the dragons should have made hard decisions. They let certain players go that could have been the cornerstone of defence J Smith playing well with the sharks J Staffy. And kept players as you see today just not up to playing should had retired after the GF.

Looking for a halfback?????? looking for a Centre Looking for a Second Rower the dragons they never really go after players at the high end of the player market. Yes in the old days they lost a player they would go and replace the same or better. I heard that if Sowie gets his RU contract he is going. Coach Price is close to the players which makes it very difficult to coach.

We all seen the best of the dragons 2009 they did not believe they could achieve anything. 2010 they believe 2011 started to fall apart. And now we are nothing like we were, it will be a long time before the dragons reach any heights for a while. Your seeing the roller coaster ride now, come from the dead ANZAC Day and not interested in FNQ. Who will turn up at CU Stadium Monday night Panthers might have their first win Thats S***

 

[TheRev]

Yep im keen to get building on the future, but its sort of like a jigsaw with lots of key pieces missing atm, noteably a playmaker (halfback), centre & backrower or 2. Im trying not to think about Sowie leaving, hopefully its not the case cause hes the man we rely heavily on his skills with the boot.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

We aren't in a rebuilding phase. Cooper, Nightingale, Morris, Hornby, Young, Weyman etc have a lot of experience. When a few of them go, yes you can call that rebuilding.
We have one of the most experienced rosters in the comp though.

Agree on the experience in the roster.

But in 2012 and in contrast to 2011, we have:
A new coach
A new assistant coach
A new NYC coach
A new football manager
A new sprint coach
A new feeder club
We've just lost arguably the best coach in the history of the game
We've just lost arguably the best strength and conditioning team in the NRL
We've lost 2 internationals in Boyd and Gasnier
We've got several new players to the squad including Vidot, Miller, Latimore, and rookies in De Belin, King and Green being brought into the 17.

If that's not rebuilding then tell me what is.....

 

[gypsy]

Good point. We have had a large turnover. rebuilding is when a heap of senior players go though. we have loads of experience. even Kemp and Goodwin in reggies have experience.
The core playing and leadership groups remain, the coach has been along for ride and been at the club a very long time.
Not rebuilding yet. just the result of a salary cap. You'll see in 3 years what rebuilding is.

 

[jenninga]

Agree on the experience in the roster.

But in 2012 and in contrast to 2011, we have:
A new coach
A new assistant coach
A new NYC coach
A new football manager
A new sprint coach
A new feeder club
We've just lost arguably the best coach in the history of the game
We've just lost arguably the best strength and conditioning team in the NRL
We've lost 2 internationals in Boyd and Gasnier
We've got several new players to the squad including Vidot, Miller, Latimore, and rookies in De Belin, King and Green being brought into the 17.

If that's not rebuilding then tell me what is.....

Call it a transition,teams cannot rebuild with getout clauses in contracts and salary cap restrictions these days.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

OK transition, rebuilding, restructure, whatever. The point I was trying to make earlier is that people are calling for our halves to be dropped, etc. without paying any regard to the massive changes that have occurred over the past 6-12 months within the football club itself.

I think our advantage during this period is for the senior members of the squad to stick together for as long as it takes to manage a transition to the new breed coming through. This may involve some pain for supporters who want instant and on-going success but is necessary given our new structure at the helm and the changes the club has only just made.

 

[gypsy]

OK transition, rebuilding, restructure, whatever. The point I was trying to make earlier is that people are calling for our halves to be dropped, etc. without paying any regard to the massive changes that have occurred over the past 6-12 months within the football club itself.

I think our advantage during this period is for the senior members of the squad to stick together for as long as it takes to manage a transition to the new breed coming through. This may involve some pain for supporters who want instant and on-going success but is necessary given our new structure at the helm and the changes the club has only just made.

Agree totally.

Staggering retirements will help. Young this year, Hornby next year,.Cooper after that etc.
Can't have them all go at once or it'll be 1990s West Indies cricket all over again.

 

[Minh]

Agree totally.

Staggering retirements will help. Young this year, Hornby next year,.Cooper after that etc.
Can't have them all go at once or it'll be 1990s West Indies cricket all over again.

Good comparison with the once proud West Indies team.

 

[gypsy]

Good comparison with the once proud West Indies team.

Such a great side weren't they Minh? Just all went at once and it was Lara v the world.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

The Aussie cricket side is also dealing with this exact same issue at the moment. People want Hussey and Ponting gone but there aren't any obvious replacements for them either.

 

[Cagey Mac]

Originally Posted by love my saints
Pace is not the issue, 3 things that need addressing ASAP, ball control (already mentioned), discipline (already mentioned), and the one that no one seems to be bringing up, is support play!!! When the boys support eachother, we rip shit up, then we play these games where we make breaks but no support players are there!!! These are the games we get raped, that sh!t really pisses me off, look at Melbourne, half break, 2 or 3 players ther in support for the ball carrier to pop a pass, we just don't have that!!!

Hear Hear

+1

 

[Stdavid]

How did we get on to cricket? Stupid game, ask anyone who has the Slack Caps as their national team! By the way, I wasn't saying Hornby should be dropped.

 

[Stdavid]

I am a huge fan of Hornby. At least he has been ruining to line sometimes, unlike his halves partner. Gaz and Moltzen certainly didn't help things for this season, hopefully lessons will be learned in recruitment. I do think if if there are some good prospects in Toyota Cup they should be given a chance in first grade. What's the harm in giving guys like Young a rest for a few games.