What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Dragons v Tigers round 5

Dragon Revival

Juniors
Messages
1,603
Hopefully the Tigers will not announce their new coach until after the ANZ game so their players will not be out to impress their new coach. On form we should more than match their forwards.
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,900
Last time we played them around about this time of the year they towelled us up. These next 2 games will really show if Saints have improved from 2016. If they win both and go onto 5 wins out of 6, I guarantee nobody would have picked that and people will start to take note.
 

JDHD

Juniors
Messages
1,082
Fun little stat: Moses and Brooks have, as of last Sunday, played 50 games together.

They've won 16 of those 50.

#lol
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,350
Wests Tigers v Dragons: Schick Preview
Thu 30 Mar, 2017, 11:00am
By Chris Kennedy, National Correspondent‌‌, ‌‌‌NRL.com
@CKennedy80



image.ashx

Schick Hydro Preview: Wests Tigers v St George Illawarra Dragons
ANZ Stadium
Sunday, 4pm

With just four rounds of footy under our belts it's probably fair to say the Wests Tigers and Dragons are travelling worse and better respectively than most anticipated.

While the Tigers weren't heavily-fancied pre-season favourites, three straight losses (two of those pretty dire) and one sacked coach within four rounds is definitely still below par.

The Dragons meanwhile were widely tipped to be the team that could keep the Knights away from a third straight wooden spoon but Paul McGregor's men have set about making a mockery of those predictions with three powerful wins from four starts, including a couple of big scalps in Penrith and Cronulla.

The Tigers did look an improved team in interim coach Andrew Webster's first game at the helm, running out to a 14-0 lead against the table-topping Storm at Leichhardt last week before getting run down in the second half.

They've lost halfback Luke Brooks to a hamstring strain and while losing your No.7 is never ideal, it may not be the crushing blow it could have been. Brooks has been out of sorts so far this season while his replacement Jack Littlejohn is a specialist half. The Tigers won two out of three games he started at No.7 last year.

Matt Ballin (foot) was a late withdrawal last week after coming back from a knee injury the week before in the Intrust Super Premiership but has been named to make his long-awaited NRL return on the bench this week in place of Jacob Liddle. Jamal Idris (foot) also returns to the top grade side at centre pushing Michael Chee-Kam to the bench.

It's steady as she goes at the Dragons with no changes to their 17. Jai Field, Hame Sele, Luciano Leilua and Taana Milne are in the reserves list.

‌Why Wests Tigers can win: The old 'new coach bounce back' theory is actually a bit of a myth with teams winning roughly one out of three games the week after sacking a head coach but things get a little brighter thereafter with almost 60 per cent of teams winning the second week after showing a head coach the door. The Tigers will be hoping Webster's second week in charge – and a more spirited showing last week following the dire Canberra loss – may spark something in the side. And for all the talk about whether their 'Big Four' will re-sign it's winger David Nofoaluma who has been the standout so far. He produced an absurd 14 tackle busts and popped three offloads against the Storm.

Why Dragons can win: The Dragons are playing a serious power game at the moment. Their relentless forward running (and some powerful backline running from Josh Dugan in particular) has helped the Red V play every match on the front foot bar a possession-starved Round 2 loss to the Eels. They have the most tackle busts (139) and points scored (100) of any team and they are second best for post-contact running metres (i.e. ground gained after meeting the defensive line) behind only the Cowboys.

The history:
Wests Tigers v Dragons: Played 32; Tigers 15; Dragons 17. The last 10 meetings are split 10 apiece although the Dragons are on a five-match losing run at ANZ while the Tigers have won five of their past six there.

What are the odds: An incredible 90 per cent of money placed on this game is on the Dragons, so their price is certain to shorten as we get closer to kick-off. According to Sportsbet, 60 per cent of the bets on winning margin are for St George Illawarra to win by 13+. Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au

Match officials: Referee: Henry Perenara; Assistant Referee: Matt Noyen; Touch judges: Rohan Best and Phil Henderson; Review Official: Ben Galea; Senior RO: Bernard Sutton.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live from 4pm. Fox Sports – Live from 4pm.

NRL.com predicts: We're not writing off the Tigers – if their attack clicks as it did in Round 1 and the first half last week they can challenge any team – but the Dragons' current potency through the middle third has us backing the Red V to get it done by 10 points.

http://www.nrl.com/wests-tigers-v-dragons-schick-preview/tabid/10874/newsid/105179/default.aspx
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,443
Any injuries to Vaughan, Mc Innes or Dugan and that will go out the window.
Also this year we will be up against during the origin rounds because highly likely we will be down 3 players minimum.
Long way to go before your prediction can be locked in.
Yeah I agree with that. Those three players are vital to us winning. I am praying that they all stay fit for the whole season.
 

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
I think we could say if an injury hit most teams' top 3 form players they would struggle.

Or even if we say the top forward, fullback and Hooker were injured how would that team go?!

We are always looking for reasons as to why we would fail or fall short, as if no other team would have the same problem.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
18,057
I think we could say if an injury hit most teams' top 3 form players they would struggle.

Or even if we say the top forward, fullback and Hooker were injured how would that team go?!

We are always looking for reasons as to why we would fail or fall short, as if no other team would have the same problem.
Sorry Milan can't agree with that.
Other clubs bring in wonderfully talented juniors and instil them with confidence and include them as part of the team and those teams benefit and win games.
Look how many clubs have lost key players and they blood their youth and back them.
How did Ponga go, how did Brailey go, how did Trjbojevic go, how did Suli. how did Latrell Mitchell go and so it goes on and we drop Milne lol.
FFS of course we will suffer worse than other teams from injury or SOO because we go back to the hacks who have proven inadequate time and time again.
We bring in Mc Crone, KFFL, Marketo, Matthews & Marketo no comparison.
Storm didn't find Munster they created him, Parramatta didn't find Gutterson they created him so how are we going on that score?
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,443
Geez I would like to put a score on the Tigers. Its the clash of two very different playing styles. I think we need to stick to our gameplan and go through the middle. If we can dominate them early on we could destroy them, they are very suspect in the middle...
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,838
I believe that the Tigers will play one of their better games to date , against the Dragons on Sunday . May not be for their new coach , nor for new contracts , but more so , to have belief in themselves .

We will need to be prepared for this , as they will not be giving anything away , therefore the Dragons must rip into them from the word - GO .

In the next 4 matches , the competitions heavyweights will sorely test the the strengths and weaknesses in our team . If we are to be successful against the top sides , both the forwards and more so our backs , must be able to create a more free flowing attack . This will be our last opportunity to get the balance right .

We need to win this match , and shall , but only if our heads are not in the clouds .

Expect Leson Ah Mau to have a tremendous game in his 100th appearance for the Dragons , well done Mr.Ah Mau !
 
Last edited:

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
Sorry Milan can't agree with that.
Other clubs bring in wonderfully talented juniors and instil them with confidence and include them as part of the team and those teams benefit and win games.
Look how many clubs have lost key players and they blood their youth and back them.
How did Ponga go, how did Brailey go, how did Trjbojevic go, how did Suli. how did Latrell Mitchell go and so it goes on and we drop Milne lol.
FFS of course we will suffer worse than other teams from injury or SOO because we go back to the hacks who have proven inadequate time and time again.
We bring in Mc Crone, KFFL, Marketo, Matthews & Marketo no comparison.
Storm didn't find Munster they created him, Parramatta didn't find Gutterson they created him so how are we going on that score?

Yep so our handling of the situation would be the key change we need to make and bring in youngsters rather than the 'safe' experienced options.

But to the original point of teams struggling without their form players I think they would see a massive drop in form from their best.

For example imagine Melbourne without say smith, Bromwich, slater (they now have Munster though)

Cowboys without Coote, Thurston and Scott.

Sharks without Graham, Maloney and Holmes.

You'd see a big difference in all their performances.

What I'm trying to get at is why are we pointing constantly to the fact we would struggle without our 3 form players? If the time comes so be it, but we can't always go back to that point because we have actually started the season better than most thought we would.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,350
Dragons wary of wounded Tigers

Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno

31 Mar 2017, 4 p.m.
r0_0_3649_2433_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg


WARY: Jason Nightingale Tariq Sims. PICTURE: Adam McLean

THEY’RE at opposite ends of the table, but St George Illawarra remain wary of a wounded Wests Tigers outfit ahead of their round five clash at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

The Tigers sit 16th on the ladder having lost two their opening three games by a combined margin of 74 points. It was a continuation of their awful finish to the 2016 season and enough to see Jason Taylor shown the door after just three rounds.

They showed glimmers of a resurgence under interim coach Andrew Webster against Mebourne last week, leading 14-0 in the 39th minute before being overrun by the Storm in the second half.

With Ivan Cleary strongly tipped to be at the helm by round six, Sunday’s clash may well be Webster’s last clash in charge but Dragons veteran Jason Nightingale has seen enough in his 11 NRL seasons to be wary of a side licking its wounds.

“I think we saw it last week in that first half with what they did to the Melbourne Storm in that first half,” Nightingale said.

“I’m glad we’re not the first team to play them after [Taylor’s sacking] because they did turn up to play on that day.

“We’re still expecting those changes to still be impacting their playing group and inspiring some aggression and a strong start to the game that we saw last week.

“I think that’ll be evident again on the weekend. In those sort of situations you’ve just got to be worried about what you’re doing as a club and I’m confident that if we apply that effort and play a smart style of footy we’ll be able to combat that.”

There were plenty tipping the fate that has befallen the Tigers this season would occur at the Dragons following their limp finish to 2016 but a 3-1 start in the opening four rounds has them sitting comfortably in third spot.

They’ll have the chance to win three straight games for the first time since round nine 2015 on Sunday with Nightingale saying the vibe at the club has been “flipped on its head.”

“It’s completely different [to 2016],” Nightingale said.

“The playing group, the staff and the club as a whole did a lot of soul-searching and looking for ways to improve and we’ve certainly done that as a whole club.

“Part of that is growing our leadership group and making sure we’re driving those philosophies together with all the staff. It does help when we’re all on the same page and that’s showing on the field at the moment.

“There's obviously going to be challenges throughout the year and it’s about maintaining that effort. That’s the biggest key that we’re looking for, that effort, not so much the results.

“We’re going to lose games throughout the year. That’s just the reality of rugby league, it’s how you react to those moments and how resilient you are through a long season.”

Sunday’s clash will pit the league’s current worst defence against its most potent attack with the Tigers the first team to conceded 100 points this season and the Dragons the first to post a ton.

“We’re just playing what we see a bit more,” Nightingale said of the turnaround.

“We’ve probably been a bit guilty in the past of going into structures and not being as fluid and therefore missing opportunities.

“We’ve really honed in on playing every play as we see it rather than setting up for another play because that style wasn’t really working for our attack.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4566538/dragons-wary-of-wounded-tigers/?cs=302
 

Latest posts

Top