Dragons v Titans Round 2, 2023

[BLM01]

JDB not been there is a worry for our defence thru the ruck. Really can’t see us winning this.

Wew have a younger version developing. Have faith. We might surprise.
I am backing us 1st game at home. It may be the last time for the year but we will see

 

[justadragon]

We really need Sloan and Sullivan to have blinders in this game and get the confidence going for the rest of the season.

 

[justadragon]

On the NRL website they are predicting Hunt and Mbye in the halves. Maybe Hook is trying to ease Sullivan into it, but I dont like it, it smacks again of last years selections if it happens.

 

[SnowDragon]

Any new on Tino?
let off? Or a fine?

 

[boro]

Bench this week, Mbye, Woods, Burns, Kerr

 

[Crush]

Team list Tuesday.
Are we full strength?
F Molo? JDB?

 

[Draginzaaar]

Bench this week, Mbye, Woods, Burns, Kerr

That is a bad bad bench.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Yep for about 20min a game , until the opposition get into their groove , then it's all over ..... Looooooooooooong season ahead .......

Yep sad but true

 

[jodragon40]

I analysed the Titans game against a possible wooden spoon participant team in the Tigers. They have matured with Foran now calling the shots and changed what side Fifita plays on, now next to Foran on the edge. I noticed many short passes between the middle of the park and Brimson injecting himself back inside into the edges and ruck areas against tiring forwards. Foran is a big loss for them but JDB is a big loss for us. This game will show us all if the team is still divided and not playing for this coach. The punters have us as favourites but only because we are playing at home. If the Titans 2nd string 5/8 can emulate Foran the Titans will beat us. If we decide to play as a team show some pride in the big red V and contain Fifita and their engine room we can win but that's a big if. The speed in the Titans backline far outweighs our size in my view but they missed 21 tackles and were susceptible to the ball being turned back inside from the centres and being stepped. The stat's show the Titans missed 47 tackles and their completion rate was 75% so if they haven't improved I believe we can get up in a close game. I'm tipping Saints by 4.

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

I analysed the Titans game against a possible wooden spoon participant team in the Tigers. They have matured with Foran now calling the shots and changed what side Fifita plays on, now next to Foran on the edge. I noticed many short passes between the middle of the park and Brimson injecting himself back inside into the edges and ruck areas against tiring forwards. Foran is a big loss for them but JDB is a big loss for us. This game will show us all if the team is still divided and not playing for this coach. The punters have us as favourites but only because we are playing at home. If the Titans 2nd string 5/8 can emulate Foran the Titans will beat us. If we decide to play as a team show some pride in the big red V and contain Fifita and their engine room we can win but that's a big if. The speed in the Titans backline far outweighs our size in my view but they missed 21 tackles and were susceptible to the ball being turned back inside from the centres and being stepped. The stat's show the Titans missed 47 tackles and their completion rate was 75% so if they haven't improved I believe we can get up in a close game. I'm tipping Saints by 4.

Very good analysis

 

[jodragon40]

Very good analysis

It's a bad habit of mine from my coaching days. Drives mmy wife crazy lol

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

I analysed the Titans game against a possible wooden spoon participant team in the Tigers. They have matured with Foran now calling the shots and changed what side Fifita plays on, now next to Foran on the edge. I noticed many short passes between the middle of the park and Brimson injecting himself back inside into the edges and ruck areas against tiring forwards. Foran is a big loss for them but JDB is a big loss for us. This game will show us all if the team is still divided and not playing for this coach. The punters have us as favourites but only because we are playing at home. If the Titans 2nd string 5/8 can emulate Foran the Titans will beat us. If we decide to play as a team show some pride in the big red V and contain Fifita and their engine room we can win but that's a big if. The speed in the Titans backline far outweighs our size in my view but they missed 21 tackles and were susceptible to the ball being turned back inside from the centres and being stepped. The stat's show the Titans missed 47 tackles and their completion rate was 75% so if they haven't improved I believe we can get up in a close game. I'm tipping Saints by 4.

Great analysis, but will the coaching team come up with the right strategies, or will they just focus on set completions?

 

[jodragon40]

Great analysis, but will the coaching team come up with the right strategies, or will they just focus on set completions?

Well we will certainly find out if the new assistant coaches are being listened to by Griffin or Griffin continues to ignore them as he did with the previous assistants who were sacked last season. I believe that he has lost the shed but time will tell.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

There are 2 elements of the game namely attack and defence

If we pick our best attacking side it would get lapped due to its inability to defend and I’m not so sure it would scare to many too 6 teams anyway.

If we pick our best defensive side it would get lapped due to its inability to get out of its own half let alone score and in fact wouldn’t defend that well anyway

The saddest part is few players are capable of holding their current position in both sides and tgat us due to lack of depth and ability.

My all out attacking team where it’s all about offloads, cut outs, chip kicks, eyes up footy and risk taking and mistakes are just part of the natural order of things

Stewart
Rava / Feagai
Lomax / Suli
Sloan
Sullivan
Bird
BMM /Sua
Woods / Kerr
Hunt
Liddle, JDB, Russell, Musgrove

My all out defensive team
Lomax
Rava / Feagai
Feagai / Suli
Bird (a real risk but few choices)
Sullivan
JDB
BMM / Sua
Musgrove / Lawrie
Liddle
Russell, NLT, T Couchman, F Molo

Very sad that that many players are iffy in 1 key respect or the other and that very few if any of them would oust an incumbent in that position in any of the top 6 team.

Id like to add one more element to your 2 OT and thats the most important one its called "HEART".....we havnt had one since 2010.....yes we still name 17 players every week but long gone are the Smiths, Saffys, Youngs, Creaghs,Costigans Coopers, Gasniers Nightingales etc etc....these blokes played with big tickers for 80 mins week in week out....unfortunately today most of our blokes are lucky to be totally committed for 8 mins....sad fact but thats why we are where we are today end of story

 

[Old Timer]

Id like to add one more element to your 2 OT and thats the most important one its called "HEART".....we havnt had one since 2010.....yes we still name 17 players every week but long gone are the Smiths, Saffys, Youngs, Creaghs,Costigans Coopers, Gasniers Nightingales etc etc....these blokes played with big tickers for 80 mins week in week out....unfortunately today most of our blokes are lucky to be totally committed for 8 mins....sad fact but thats why we are where we are today end of story

Yes BSE long gone are the days of props like Billy Wilson playing right wing because he just broke his left arm or blokes like Walsh & Smith having metal plates taken out of their broken arms 2 weeks early to get ready for an important game.

People trying to tell me how “professional” the new breed are have obviously never seen a game from yesteryear when “pride” and “belief” and “loyalty” and “toughness” reined supreme and their skill levels were just as s unbelievable as they are today.

Ken Irvine’s record still stands today for a very good reason and if he had of been allowed to brush the corner post like wingers today who knows how many more he would have scored.

 

[since77]

So today’s the day we discover if Griffin has learnt from 2 seasons of woeful team selections and is going to pick a team that backs the youth coming through or if he sticks with the useless plodders he seems to prefer. If I see Mbye in a starting jersey or Bird at 6 I will scream.

 

[chiefy1]

Titans by at least 30. Dragons should be Spooner favorites by a long way @jeffdragon

 

[dungay dragon]

Titans by at least 30. Dragons should be Spooner favorites by a long way @jeffdragon

By rights , we should be the best prepared team for Round 2
We have had 3 weeks with the sole focus on the Titans
We should be fresh and ready to go
A fast start is whats required , plenty of enthusiasm and hit x hard in defence
Quick service from dummy half , and plenty of clean ball to our backs
JDB is a huge loss , esp mopping up in defence
Foran will be a big loss for them
With all the deserved criticism levelled at this Team there shouldnt be any complacency or extra need for motivation
Time to step up Boys

 

[Dragons4me]

Very good analysis

Agree. Perhaps he can send it to Hook!

 

[Slippery Morris]

I think Titran's will be better prepared as they had a week to get the rust out. Saints I am expecting to be rusty and make more errors than the Titans this game especially with their handling.