Dragons team round 8

[Willow]

Depending on injuries etc, this is the team list for round 8:

NRL
v Melbourne Storm
7.30pm Saturday 29 April
Olympic Park
Coach: Nathan Brown
1. Ben HORNBY
2. Wes NAIQAMA
3. Mark GASNIER
4. Matt COOPER
5. Colin BEST
6. Trent BARRETT (c)
7. Mathew HEAD
8. Justin POORE
9. Dean YOUNG
10. Jason RYLES
11. Ben CREAGH
12. Ashton SIMS
13. Shaun TIMMINS
14. Michael HENDERSON
15. Matt BICKERSTAFF
16. Lee TE MAARI
17. Aaron GORRELL
18. Luke BAILEY

Premier League
v Balmain Tigers
3.30pm Saturday 29 April
Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Steven Price
1. Clint GREENSHIELDS
2. Josh MORRIS
3. Brett MORRIS
4. Beau RYAN
5. Reece SIMMONDS
6. Chris SHEPPARD (c)
7. Reece BLAYNEY
8. Charlie LEAENO
9. George NDAIRA
10. Chris HOUSTON (c)
11. Tom HABERECHT
12. Danny WICKS
13. James JIMENEZ
14. Jamie DUNNING
15. Willie TUPOU
16. Bryson GOODWIN
17. Jamie KEITH
18. Beau MUNDINE

Jersey Flegg
v Bye
Coach: Corey Pearson

 

[God-King Dean]

LOL, we really should make the team AFTER we see their performance.

 

[Willow]

Apparently its a requirement for the Big League programme.

 

[gregstar]

4 days time, without quentin & possibly banana, against a team we can't seem to find a way to beat anymore.

to be honest, i'd simply like us to be competitive.

i'm expecting a comfortable loss & won't really be dissappointed with it.

 

[Trenno]

Wes, Head and Ryles are all in doubt for the weekend.

 

[Willow]

Dragons 22 Roosters 12

ST GEORGE Illawarra coach Nathan Brown was last night counting the cost of a brutal Anzac Day win over the Roosters, revealing that halfback Mathew Head had sparked the Dragons' victory while carrying a knee injury.

Head, who teased and tested the Roosters all afternoon in the 22-12 win, played much of the game with a fresh knock to his troublesome knee - just two matches into his comeback from a reconstruction.

Having returned only last weekend against Manly after sitting out most of last season with a knee injury, Head suffered damage to his reconstructed right knee at training on Monday, and almost sat out the entire second half yesterday as the joint deteriorated.

"It was just one of those things," Head said. "I had it strapped. It was OK but I had that break [at half-time] and it was hard to keep the knee moving. It's pulled up pretty sore. At half-time I was struggling a bit. I didn't get tackled in the second half. I just steered the boys around."

In a game that bled courage, it was fitting that the match-winner showed the most.

The Dragons lost prop Jason Ryles to a recurrence of his hand injury just 15 minutes in, while injuries to hooker Aaron Gorrell (hip) and Wes Naiqama (ankle) added to their woes. Naiqama was put on report for a high shot on Sam Perrett but was not charged.

For Head, agony replaced ecstasy afterwards as he confirmed he was in doubt to back up his match-winning exploits against the Storm on Saturday.

"The early turnaround's going to be tough," Head said. "I want to play. I'll be doing as much as a I can to play. I'm just not sure."

Taking a slender two-point lead into half-time after enjoying the vast majority of possession, the loss of Head could have spelt the end for the Dragons.

Brown praised the halfback's heroics, saying: "He played with a dinner suit on in that second half. But he was keen to stay out there, and we were happy to have him out there.

"He's never lacking any courage. It's never been a problem - him playing with injury. His value when he's not a hundred per cent fit is still good for the team. He's a smart player, and he feeds people when they need to be fed."

While his right leg was a problem for the Dragons, his left was anything but yesterday as he tormented the Roosters with a sublime kicking display. It began on the first set when the 23-year-old put a well-weighted kick into the in-goal, which Roosters winger Perrett could not escape.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/dragons-celebrate-with-a-sore-head/2006/04/25/1145861348423.html

 

[Collateral]

I'd like to see Wes, Ryles and Head all rested this week if possible. We saw the results last year with Head what happens if you push a key player to play when he is no ready.

6. Barrett
7. Hornby

Greeny at fullback and Reece to the Wing.

I thought Sheppard was woeful attacking wise out of dummy half as he was very one dimensional. If Gorrell is also out we need a specialist hooker there.

Maari was very good for us defensively and is also a good player in attack so he should stay on the bench. Wouldnt mind giving Houston, Haberacht, Wicks or Leaeno a run in FG to replace Ryles.

Unfortunantly it looks like Inglis and Cronk will be availiable to play for Melbourne so they will be pretty close to full strength despite missing Slater.

A LOT of work needs to be done with our defence this week as we are being exploited with inside balls and reverse plays around the ruck and fowards.

 

[Dakink]

Reece :-0

 

[Godz Illa]

Wes & Ryles are both out. If Head and Gorrell are fit then I see no reason not to play them. Young back into the starting side, Reece to wing, and if Henderson has recovered he can replace Ryles. We're playing musical chairs every week.

Cronk appears to be out for the Storm. So we got that going for us, which is nice.

 

[Willow]

[SIZE=+1]Naiqama, Ryles and Cronk all sidelined[/SIZE]
Written by: NRL media
26/04/2006

Cooper Cronk has failed a fitness test on his injured right shoulder raising concerns Melbourne may be forced to take on St George Illawarra without a genuine halfback on Saturday night. Cronk suffered an AC strain in the Storm's huge win over Newcastle last weekend, playing a leading hand in several of the team's nine tries.

The rookie halfback will be tested again on Friday before being ruled out of the clash. Fullback Greg Inglis is likely to recover from his knee injury and play after he completed about 80 per cent of his fitness test today.

St George Illawarra has paid a heavy price for its 22-12 NRL victory over Sydney Roosters, with prop Jason Ryles and winger Wes Naiqama both sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Scans this morning confirmed Ryles re-broke his hand, ruling him out of Australia's Test match against New Zealand on May 5.

Naiqama will also be sidelined for up to six weeks with an ankle injury, while Mathew Head (knee) and Aaron Gorrell (hip) are expected to be fit for Saturday's match against Melbourne.

http://www.jubileeavenue.com.au/news.asp?num=10432

 

[Hutty1986]

Scott Hill has also been dropped to PL for the Storm

If Heady's right, I don't see why we can't win this game

 

[Southernsaint]

When was the last time we won in Melbourne?? Feels like it was the 1999 minor semi...

 

[Nugby]

God I wish we knew for certain if Inglis would be fit or not. If Cronk and Inglis were injured, Turner would slot to fullback, which would normally mean that Geyer goes to the wing, but this would leave them with no halves. I think we'd be looking at Chris Walker playing onto the wing, and some combination of Hill and Geyer in the halves(?). I have no idea who they have playing for either North Sydney, Norths or whoever else they'd have at their disposal to shunt Hill this weekend if they don't want him to play 12 games. It's a bad combination of injuries for Melbourne, and will hopefully play into our hands.

Go Reecey! :lol:

 

[Willow]

When was the last time we won in Melbourne?? Feels like it was the 1999 minor semi...

I don't think ever won at Olympic Park. I think you're right, the last time Saints beat Melbourne in Melbourne was in 1999. We're due.

 

[Drew-Sta]

I'd prefer to rest Head and, although he was terrible from dummy half, give Sheppard a run.

If we push Head and he gets injured worse, we could be left with no halves at all for the SOO period, and that's not good. Even if Sheppard just kicks and feeds the ball to Baz, I'd prefer to have Head for the future rather than push him in a tough Melbourne encounter. I know he'd be great for us, but I would hate to see him sitting on the sidelines for the next 6 weeks recovering again.

Haberacht is a one of the guys I used to go to school with! I hope he can get a run in FG this year.

I'd love to see Reece get another run also. We're very fortunate to have a PL side that has so much FG experience!

 

[Hutty1986]

We can just bomb Chris "I'm sh*t" Walker" all night, we should be fine

 

[Trenno]

That is a good plan. Chris Walker would be too distracted from home videos of "Sally" to notice Barretts bombs.