Dragons need to learn to play 80 minutes of football.

[2010Dragons]

Dragons started slow against the chooks on Anzac Day and played better in the second half.
Roll forward 10 days to parra game today....
Dragons play well constructed football in the first 36 mins of football before allowing a soft try before half time and then played crap football in the second half. Too many mistakes, basic school boy, park footy errors. Dumb penalties and looked totally exhausted in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Most of the players just don’t look fit or capable of playing 80 minutes of football.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons started slow against the chooks on Anzac Day and played better in the second half.
Roll forward 10 days to parra game today....
Dragons play well constructed football in the first 36 mins of football before allowing a soft try before half time and then played crap football in the second half. Too many mistakes, basic school boy, park footy errors. Dumb penalties and looked totally exhausted in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Most of the players just don’t look fit or capable of playing 80 minutes of football.

Might happen after 2021 when McGregor goes.

 

[Maxwell]

If they moved up in a straight line and a bit quicker, Parra didn’t too us , roosters do it they get up quick and get into your backline out wide stopping us from moving ball wide, turn you back inside. We move sideways ,q and when your defending on the try line , you can’t afford to move sideways with big forwards coming at you and we do this.Mary has no friggin idea , we just move up of defensive line where the ball is . No idea

 

[redandwhite4evr]

If they moved up in a straight line and a bit quicker, Parra didn’t too us , roosters do it they get up quick and get into your backline out wide stopping us from moving ball wide, turn you back inside. We move sideways ,q and when your defending on the try line , you can’t afford to move sideways with big forwards coming at you and we do this.Mary has no friggin idea , we just move up of defensive line where the ball is . No idea

Things this SGI team lacks:-
1. A good Head coach- this problem will not go away while the current Board is locked into rewarding old boys with long service leave jobs.
2. Height where it matters- We have some tall timber coming thru with Lomax and Saab but right now Pereira and Dufty, in particular, are vulnerable to the taller Fergusons, Tupous et al and opposition coaches are targeting them with accurate bombs and we are resorting to illegal blocks to survive.
3. Quality (speed, hard hitting defense, aggressive, penetrative running, ability to offload etc) off the interchange bench. Latimore's flailing arms as Gutherson sailed past him at marker for his long range individual try said it all.
4. High performance staff who can develop key position players to do what is required. As I watched Dufty making three tackles in a row at marker immediately before Gutherson's try, the thought went thru my head, I hope he has an arrangement that when he is up in the line , the nearest winger drops back in the event of a kick or line break. The answer to that question is now obviously NO. It should be automatic in a full back's mind that they cannot stay at marker for three plays and not be spotted as out of position. Obviously, this point hasn't been drilled into Dufty's mind.
5. A full back who can tackle. Some players- like Dufty- just don't have the body type that can fill out- like Billy Slater did after starting out as a skinny kid. You need size and strength to defend effectively- particularly near the try line. I'm of the opinion that Dufty's best position will turn out to be half back- he has electric speed off the mark, vision, a good passing game and being closer to the play will enable forwards to help him out with defensive responsibilities.

So, among other recruits, a priority has to be a tall full back who can tackle- Gutherson??

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Pretty much with what has been written above, we (as Dragons’ fans) have to take our medicine and accept 2019 is a complete write off due to the following (in no particular order):

1. McGregor’s inabilities coaching at NRL level.
2. inadequate offseason recruitment.
3. injuries.
4. the Widdop situation.
5. the JDB situation.
6. the club (i.e. the Board) run amateurish ly on several levels.

I’d like to look forward to 2020 with a degree of optimism but not with the status quo in charge.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Pretty much with what has been written above, we (as Dragons’ fans) have to take our medicine and accept 2019 is a complete write off due to the following (in no particular order):

1. McGregor’s inabilities coaching at NRL level.
2. inadequate offseason recruitment.
3. injuries.
4. the Widdop situation.
5. the JDB situation.
6. the club (i.e. the Board) run amateurish ly on several levels.

I’d like to look forward to 2020 with a degree of optimism but not with the status quo in charge.

Too pessimistic. We had most of this last year and still made the finals. OK, we don't have JdB this year, but he was playing busted most of last year anyway. I didnt think recruitment was too bad, K Sims would be a fair swap for Leeson if he wasn't injured, Ravalawa has promise, and Norman is a better clutch player than Widdop.

I don't think much of MacGregor as coach, but he does seem to learn one new thing each year. This year it appears to be not to get the side to peak too early. Also, and for the first time in a long time the team is able to score tries from their own 25. We'll see how it goes but I am mot writing them off yet.

Board is still useless though.

 

[Dragonslayer]

We need to learn to play 80 minutes of football over 1 game not 4.

Unfortunately, the ebb and flow of games is never in balance for us and I think this ultimately comes down to player selection, especially the bench and in particular this obsession with carrying a back. We have been branded with the "power" game tag, yet carry a lightweight just in case a back gets hurt. Madness! The other point here is the continued selection of "safe" players and little thought to how a youngster may bring the energy and enthusiam we lack during the ebb and flows of a game. Instead we rely on plod or out-of-form players who "maybe" will do somwthing at sometime.

We have a very good team, let down constantly by obsessive nepotism.

 

[SET2JT]

Tough to play 100% of the game when you have 30% of your players out with injuries.

 

[hazzbeen]

Things this SGI team lacks:-
1. A good Head coach- this problem will not go away while the current Board is locked into rewarding old boys with long service leave jobs.
2. Height where it matters- We have some tall timber coming thru with Lomax and Saab but right now Pereira and Dufty, in particular, are vulnerable to the taller Fergusons, Tupous et al and opposition coaches are targeting them with accurate bombs and we are resorting to illegal blocks to survive.
3. Quality (speed, hard hitting defense, aggressive, penetrative running, ability to offload etc) off the interchange bench. Latimore's flailing arms as Gutherson sailed past him at marker for his long range individual try said it all.
4. High performance staff who can develop key position players to do what is required. As I watched Dufty making three tackles in a row at marker immediately before Gutherson's try, the thought went thru my head, I hope he has an arrangement that when he is up in the line , the nearest winger drops back in the event of a kick or line break. The answer to that question is now obviously NO. It should be automatic in a full back's mind that they cannot stay at marker for three plays and not be spotted as out of position. Obviously, this point hasn't been drilled into Dufty's mind.
5. A full back who can tackle. Some players- like Dufty- just don't have the body type that can fill out- like Billy Slater did after starting out as a skinny kid. You need size and strength to defend effectively- particularly near the try line. I'm of the opinion that Dufty's best position will turn out to be half back- he has electric speed off the mark, vision, a good passing game and being closer to the play will enable forwards to help him out with defensive responsibilities.

So, among other recruits, a priority has to be a tall full back who can tackle- Gutherson??

Things this SGI team lacks:-
1. A good Head coach- this problem will not go away while the current Board is locked into rewarding old boys with long service leave jobs.
2. Height where it matters- We have some tall timber coming thru with Lomax and Saab but right now Pereira and Dufty, in particular, are vulnerable to the taller Fergusons, Tupous et al and opposition coaches are targeting them with accurate bombs and we are resorting to illegal blocks to survive.
3. Quality (speed, hard hitting defense, aggressive, penetrative running, ability to offload etc) off the interchange bench. Latimore's flailing arms as Gutherson sailed past him at marker for his long range individual try said it all.
4. High performance staff who can develop key position players to do what is required. As I watched Dufty making three tackles in a row at marker immediately before Gutherson's try, the thought went thru my head, I hope he has an arrangement that when he is up in the line , the nearest winger drops back in the event of a kick or line break. The answer to that question is now obviously NO. It should be automatic in a full back's mind that they cannot stay at marker for three plays and not be spotted as out of position. Obviously, this point hasn't been drilled into Dufty's mind.
5. A full back who can tackle. Some players- like Dufty- just don't have the body type that can fill out- like Billy Slater did after starting out as a skinny kid. You need size and strength to defend effectively- particularly near the try line. I'm of the opinion that Dufty's best position will turn out to be half back- he has electric speed off the mark, vision, a good passing game and being closer to the play will enable forwards to help him out with defensive responsibilities.

So, among other recruits, a priority has to be a tall full back who can tackle- Gutherson??

Well said , was thinking the same when Dufty was in the line , if they put a kick through no one home . As it turned out they didn't need to kick . Surely when your fullback is in the front line someone should be aware of it ... Dumb .....

 

[LINESPEED]

Well said , was thinking the same when Dufty was in the line , if they put a kick through no one home . As it turned out they didn't need to kick . Surely when your fullback is in the front line someone should be aware of it ... Dumb .....

I just can’t get enthusiastic about Cam as captain as he seems to lack an organisational & motivational onfield presence IMO
Reece should now be sharing his minutes to guard against fatigue & offer the team variety in attack as a 4th bench forward.

Might just help us get those 80 mins?

Kindergarten stuff really

 

[hazzbeen]

I just can’t get enthusiastic about Cam as captain as he seems to lack an organisational & motivational onfield presence IMO
Reece should now be sharing his minutes to guard against fatigue & offer the team variety in attack as a 4th bench forward.

Might just help us get those 80 mins?

Kindergarten stuff really

Said the same about Cam ... At this stage doesn't command authority ....

 

[2010Dragons]

I’ll bump this thread again because this is the reason we lost again.

Our mini bus doesn’t know how to fix the problem.

 

[dragon thomo]

I have to say that i am not a fan of McGregors but i feel that the defensive lapses we are having is the loss of DeBellin. He is our corner stone to our ruck defence with his work rate and hard hitting.
Every top team has one and if they lose that player for a considerable time it does take a toll.
I am confident if we can get DeBellin back or in the worst case get a worker like Merrin to work the ruck we can turn the season around.

 

[18to87]

I have to say that i am not a fan of McGregors but i feel that the defensive lapses we are having is the loss of DeBellin. He is our corner stone to our ruck defence with his work rate and hard hitting.
Every top team has one and if they lose that player for a considerable time it does take a toll.
I am confident if we can get DeBellin back or in the worst case get a worker like Merrin to work the ruck we can turn the season around.

While JDB and healthy Sims brothers will help, Mary is also responsible for the combinations on the field and putting poor defenders next to each other. Now Lomax wasn't perfect in his 50 minutes, but the right side vs both Parra and the Warriors was much better overall with him at centre. Hunt also looked far better in defence before Lomax went off. However, a defensive combination of Hunt, Host, Aitken and Rava is reserve grade level and targeted accordingly. Even Kearney knew it.

 

[Belta]

What a devastating collapse the last two weeks have been. I accept the injury excuse but really believe this group of players have reached a new low in their self belief and confidence. Having all but set themselves up in the first halves to take the points they come out very negative and nervous and inevitably collapse in a heap. Their inability to play for the full 80 minutes, IMO is a bad sign and I’m I struggling to see how this group will turn this negativity around.

The defensive reads of our backline can only be described as diabolical (and no doubt disheartening to our forwards - who themselves are weakened and mostly injured).

So early I know but I’m bracing myself for the disappointment of watching them miss finals this year.

Yours sincerely,
Mister glass half empty.

 

[getsmarty]

I have to say that i am not a fan of McGregors but i feel that the defensive lapses we are having is the loss of DeBellin. He is our corner stone to our ruck defence with his work rate and hard hitting.
Every top team has one and if they lose that player for a considerable time it does take a toll.
I am confident if we can get DeBellin back or in the worst case get a worker like Merrin to work the ruck we can turn the season around.

Can't agree...all sides need to contend with injuries. The Sharks have a "Rookie Coach " with 7 1st grade players missing and they were still able to grind out there usual wins ..because they play to their strengths and structure....McGregor has had 5 years to get it right....For mine he has run out of excuses....Time to produce,,which in reality we all know he is not capable of....And that is no reflection on him as a person...seems like a good bloke, just out of his depth as a 1st grade coach.

 

[Hardcore Dragon]

Tough to play 100% of the game when you have 30% of your players out with injuries.

And a coach functioning at less than 50% mental capacity.

XXX

 

[kit66]

I'm sure I heard someone say we only used one interchange in the first half. If that's true then you've only one person to blame for our woeful second half.
One change in the first half causing fatigue and 7 in the second half causing disruption and inconsistency.
Mary's rotations in the last 3 weeks has been nothing short of the work of a complete amateur.
Two of our three bench forwards - Lats and Host get game time of 12 and 24 minutes respectively and you wonder why our intensity drops in the second half.

 

[Carlton]

Things this SGI team lacks:-
1. A good Head coach- this problem will not go away while the current Board is locked into rewarding old boys with long service leave jobs.
2. Height where it matters- We have some tall timber coming thru with Lomax and Saab but right now Pereira and Dufty, in particular, are vulnerable to the taller Fergusons, Tupous et al and opposition coaches are targeting them with accurate bombs and we are resorting to illegal blocks to survive.
3. Quality (speed, hard hitting defense, aggressive, penetrative running, ability to offload etc) off the interchange bench. Latimore's flailing arms as Gutherson sailed past him at marker for his long range individual try said it all.
4. High performance staff who can develop key position players to do what is required. As I watched Dufty making three tackles in a row at marker immediately before Gutherson's try, the thought went thru my head, I hope he has an arrangement that when he is up in the line , the nearest winger drops back in the event of a kick or line break. The answer to that question is now obviously NO. It should be automatic in a full back's mind that they cannot stay at marker for three plays and not be spotted as out of position. Obviously, this point hasn't been drilled into Dufty's mind.
5. A full back who can tackle. Some players- like Dufty- just don't have the body type that can fill out- like Billy Slater did after starting out as a skinny kid. You need size and strength to defend effectively- particularly near the try line. I'm of the opinion that Dufty's best position will turn out to be half back- he has electric speed off the mark, vision, a good passing game and being closer to the play will enable forwards to help him out with defensive responsibilities.

So, among other recruits, a priority has to be a tall full back who can tackle- Gutherson??

Agree with alot of what you say, some not so much but one I really disagree with is your analysis of Guthersons try from dummy half. It was due to Dufty standing at first marker and looking around giving directions to everyone else and not paying attention.

 

[possm]

I've noticed that Dufty is often out of position when we are close to our line. Markers close to our line should be our middle forwards and agile ones at that. I could live with Lawrie and McInnes standing as markers close to our line.

On the fatigue issue, the consensus is correct, bench management is the major cause and the power game plan is a contributor. We need to:

• Sack Mary and appoint a credible coach.
• Drop Rava, Aitken, Host and Latimore to CC.
• Promote Pearson, Lomax, Ford, Timm and Kerr to first grade.
• Warn Dufty and Pereira to lift their game or face time in CC.
• Prepare Saab for first grade starting in July - personal coach.

The end result will look like this:
1. Dufty
2. Pereira - Saab after June 30 if things do not go well.
3. Lomax
4. Lafai
5. Pearson - Saab after June 30 if things do not go well.
6. Field
7. Hunt
8. Kerr
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Frizell
13. Lawrie

14. Graham
15. Timm
16. Leilua
17. Ford