DRAGONS team vs panthers

[dragondonar1]

I went to the zoo today and saw two apes that were passing fruit to each other maybe we can sign them up. They will do a better job than what our halves are doing and all they need are banannas as payment. Ill also pick up and goose to coach our side.....

 

[nrlnrl]

He should have began by picking a better team weeks ago. He has himself to blame for the mess we are in and we all have to put up with it.

exactly, he's a stubborn guy who has made dumb selections & won't budge easily from them regardless of the impact on the team

The wooden spoon would force him to be sacked

 

[nrlnrl]

I went to the zoo today and saw two apes that were passing fruit to each other maybe we can sign them up. They will do something better job than what our halves are doing and all they need are banannas as payment. Ill also pick up and goose to coach our side.

don't worry about the goose, he won't get the job as our coach - he's not a good bloke

 

[Minh]

1 does anyone have a link to the coach's press conference
2 The coach may feel he has to pick the same players each week as they may be in his mind the only people still on his side..lol

It sounds absurd for a coach to do that but maybe just maybe these current players are his only comfort zone poor bugger. It looks like automatic selection on auto pilot even.

 

[TheRev]

o The loss puts us closer to Price's sacking, jagging the odd win only prolongs it

o We played better football today, mostly through Penrith's errors, but we had some better lines, Cam King looked good.. we kicked well early..

o Were stifled by Chase Stanley @6 (surprise!), that 1 position costs us a minimum of 6 pts a game & momentum..., ive been through a number of options we have that have potential, Price is a stubborn bastard though with his selections, he has virtually ridden us into the ground again this year with his blinkers on.

o Said it many times again that Green doesnt have anything in his game that is worth developing, I can handle youthful errors, but its wasted development time, Chase should be there @ Right Centre and blood some other more promising positions instead... you can only have 1-2 kids in a side at a time.

o Runciman wasnt overly tested but showed about 50x the ability of Green already in 1 attacking movement, this is why you test kids and see how they handle it.. you see how much life it bought the team? How many ppl on here swear black and blue that none of our kids should get a shot.

o Be interested to see the halves partnership tomorrow for the Cutters, really hoping he experiments with Harry/Quinlan or something similar, either way one of them will get a go soon but only because Price will be forced to finally acknowledge soon that Chase is not the man to lead our attack.

o Forwards went pretty well all over (JDB/Stockwell) & Creagh/Fritz tried hard atleast, though when the commentators commented that Weyman vs Mossy was a battle of the heavyweights.. I thought that was a great example of our season, young hard aggressive man vs small ageing man getting bowled over at every clash.... even worse Mossy is going to St Helens next year.. what a waste.

 

[dragonv]

But who is the better team? Who do you put in the halves? 6/8/10 weeks ago or even next game? There are no valid options for the 2 key positions on the field. Drinkwater was even tried off the bench and to be honest, for that game he blended into the grass. Didn't have any impact at all.

We have to be realistic, there are a number of positions across the park that need to be looked at. But honestly, we don't have the depth to fill them so we are playing guys out of position to fill the gaps.

And as for seeing improvement, I think no matter who was picked week in week out we wouldn't see too much improvement in the team if any at all.

Siejka could have been chosen tonight and he wasn't. Why not? Why was he acquired? There is no logic there. Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year and mentioned as a player who would get a run this year. He couldn't manage Soward and we all know what happened with Kyle. At present the halves should be Siejka and Drinkwater/ Quinlan and they should be playing for their careers rather than a hooker and centre who are winding theirs up.

 

[Willow]

Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year

Where did Price ever suggest that Drinkwater was a solution?

Genuine question because I can't recall when he said this. Perhaps you could point us all to the source or link.

and mentioned as a player who would get a run this year.

Drinkwater did get a run.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

Steve Price said the usual stuff... When asked by a Reporter what do they do now... the answer was "well that's simple Mick ...keep working hard"

It begs the question - at what?

In answer to Dezzidec's question as to what to do now, we are of course paying the Price today for all the mistakes made over the last 2 seasons i.e. in terms of not giving young talent more opportunities and earlier, instead sticking to the same poor performing and aging side.

Now we can't answer the questions as to who is an alternative ...because we don't know ...because new blood was not tried!

Runciman's debut performance (should've probably been months ago) shows what can be unearthed, when you give someone a go. Whether they are ready or not, is a luxury we have not earned, and is therefore arrogant.

We are desperate.

Not to make the 8 - but to learn.

In interview, it was Ben Creagh who finally admitted that "we are not learning from our mistakes"...

...that is a habit that has become a cultural/attitude problem that comes from the Coach.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

Siejka could have been chosen tonight and he wasn't. Why not? Why was he acquired? There is no logic there. Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year and mentioned as a player who would get a run this year. He couldn't manage Soward and we all know what happened with Kyle. At present the halves should be Siejka and Drinkwater/ Quinlan and they should be playing for their careers rather than a hooker and centre who are winding theirs up.

Well said.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

That'll do me,I have followed the dragons for over 40 yrs & this side is close to the worst.I have given price the benefit of the doubt but not anymore he must fall on his sword he has shown that he has no clue whatsoever.You can get by with a player out of position but he continues with playing 3 or 4 every week as well as picking players who are not of NRL standard.I suggest we all flood doust with emails.I have emailed him in the past & he has always replied so he must see them so if we all do it he will get sick of it.

I have been following the Dragons for 55 years and I also have to agree that this is the one of the worst put together and drilled sides I have seen...I bleed Red and White but its a very sad day when I was showing more interest in watching the British Lions play in the Union that was on at the corresponding time on another channel......It was a long time ago that I stopped giving Price the benefit of the doubt......it was fairly easy to work out almost from the start that he just hasn't got what it takes....the opposition know it, a lot on here know it, and dare I say probably most of the players do by now...and that'll do me as well...

 

[mickeylane]

It will only get worse over next few weeks ie: Playing Roosters etc to the point where will be playing for the wooden spoon w Parra.......the squad is inadequate except for 5-6 players!! we need at least another half and 2 forwards to ensure some sort of success in 2014.....we need to also get rid of at least 8 players from curent squad.....all this though as long as management sack the coach at the end of the year ..

You have someone that has no idea....surely the 12 month extension to his contract was only to quell the continuing swirling rumours of his tenure and was a move to not de stabilize the team during 2013...the management were resigned to needing more time to find the right coach after the Bellamy failure...and im sure wont mind paying Price out of the last 12 mnths of his $250K contract once the right coach has been identified (Sheens, Tony Smith, Daley)....

I am certain if the club wanted Price they would have offered him a further 2 years min not a 12 mnth contract.....everyone please remember hes the lowest paid coach in the league at $250K!!

 

[dragonv]

Where did Price ever suggest that Drinkwater was a solution?

Genuine question because I can't recall when he said this. Perhaps you could point us all to the source or link.
Drinkwater did get a run.

Actually someone posted a article from earlier in the year with Price mentioning our options for halfback and put his faith in Kyle and mentioned Drinkwater as another young bloke who could play a part or something of that nature. http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=422514

His action was to sign Drinkwater and when desperate measures were needed he didn't follow through with his faith and commitment in a player he recruited. I would have at least liked to see him persist with DW for a few games and see if he could step up. I don't think that is too much to ask. We got beaten by a team with Luke Walsh at HB for the second time in a matter of weeks. Says it all really.

 

[64 Dragon]

We made Luke Walsh look like Joey Johns, Cooper Cronk and JT all rolled into one.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

I have been following the Dragons for 55 years and I also have to agree that this is the one of the worst put together and drilled sides I have seen... ...and that'll do me as well...

I know it gets a bit dross when older (over 40) men compare this side to previous ones in their life-time of supporting Dragons.

But seriously, the current side is the worst I've known since 1974.

What makes it sooo bad, is they were the best side I ever knew, just two years ago.

It did not have to come to this.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

It will only get worse over next few weeks ie: Playing Roosters etc to the point where will be playing for the wooden spoon w Parra.......the squad is inadequate except for 5-6 players!! we need at least another half and 2 forwards to ensure some sort of success in 2014.....we need to also get rid of at least 8 players from curent squad.....all this though as long as management sack the coach at the end of the year ..

You have someone that has no idea....surely the 12 month extension to his contract was only to quell the continuing swirling rumours of his tenure and was a move to not de stabilize the team during 2013...the management were resigned to needing more time to find the right coach after the Bellamy failure...and im sure wont mind paying Price out of the last 12 mnths of his $250K contract once the right coach has been identified (Sheens, Tony Smith, Daley)....

I am certain if the club wanted Price they would have offered him a further 2 years min not a 12 mnth contract.....everyone please remember hes the lowest paid coach in the league at $250K!!

Sounds about right..that must be why we're getting the lowest results....still there must be some truth in the saying, you get what you pay for.

 

[dragonv]

What makes it sooo bad, is they were the best side I ever knew, just two years ago.

It did not have to come to this.

Spot on. There is really no excuse. Lulls are not a must or necessary for success. With a couple more victories we'd be in the 8. Shows how poor the competition has been.

My wife knows very little about rugby league but even she grimmaces when she sees the 2013 Dragons run around and comments how 'boring' we look. @012 they battled hard despite the coach but in 2013 they are like a nightmare repeating.

 

[Elias1983]

Nah that's it for me. I'm not giving price the benefit anymore, he has no idea. Our team are not inspired bu him and just look lost. Embarrassing, just embarrassing.

 

[Willow]

Actually someone posted a article from earlier in the year with Price mentioning our options for halfback and put his faith in Kyle and mentioned Drinkwater as another young bloke who could play a part or something of that nature. http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=422514

His action was to sign Drinkwater and when desperate measures were needed he didn't follow through with his faith and commitment in a player he recruited. I would have at least liked to see him persist with DW for a few games and see if he could step up. I don't think that is too much to ask. We got beaten by a team with Luke Walsh at HB for the second time in a matter of weeks. Says it all really.

You're placing your faith in a quote made in 2012 which on closer inspection doesn't come close to backing up your claim of "Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year."

''We have got a number of potential halves there in Jamie Soward, Nathan Fien, Kyle Stanley and a young guy from Manly, Josh Drinkwater, and I just made the decision that I felt comfortable with the players we have got in that area at the moment,'' Price said.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

You're placing your faith in a quote made in 2012 which on closer inspection doesn't come close to backing up your claim of "Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year."

''We have got a number of potential halves there in Jamie Soward, Nathan Fien, Kyle Stanley and a young guy from Manly, Josh Drinkwater, and I just made the decision that I felt comfortable with the players we have got in that area at the moment,'' Price said.

Willow, I don't think the quote in context changes the valid point that is being made.

Steve Price persists for soooo long with selection strategies that clearly are not working, yet he doesn't give a young bloke a go, even once! Steve Price HAS to do it, just to be thorough.

The consequences in taking the risk and it not working are now minor.

There is nothing to lose now.... and only insight to be gained.

Like I said - towing the "he's not ready" line is something he has not earned the right to say, and therefore arrogant. It is how he will ultimately lose respect from the players - starting with juniors.

Just how I see it.

 

[dragonv]

You're placing your faith in a quote made in 2012 which on closer inspection doesn't come close to backing up your claim of "Price opted for Drinkwater at the beginning of the year."

''We have got a number of potential halves there in Jamie Soward, Nathan Fien, Kyle Stanley and a young guy from Manly, Josh Drinkwater, and I just made the decision that I felt comfortable with the players we have got in that area at the moment,'' Price said.

He opted for him on the player market. You interpreted it your own way. I am not going to argue semantics with you willow.

Price was 'comfortable' with his options and since then he has managed to mismanage Jamie and persist with the impossible in Nathan Fien whilst trying to sign Rangi and desperate attempts for others if rumors are correct. He needed depth when Kyle went down, turned his nose up at Drinkwater and couldn't handle Soward. Now he won't have depth again next year if injuries hit because he's failed to give anyone with a future a go in the halves.

The quote only confirms what I said that DW was considered part of the solution to our halves. Now he sits with Harry Siejka in the dug out scratching his head.