DRAGONS: Was it a sporting fluke?

[Jubileeboy]

That, and a few thousand volts

scum

 

[bottle]

Sweet to see the pain still lingers after all this time.

 

[Ulysseus]

I watched the GF the other night actually to kill some time.
f**k that was a magnificent football team, the Roosters had their chances but even when they could make 60m in a set there was just no way through for them.
Even when Creagh had the ball stripped from him twice for no penalty putting them in prime attacking position - along with the other first half errors - they just couldn't score enough points, typified by Hornby making "that catch".
It might be a forgotten fact - unless you peruse the stats - that Saints made more errors than the Roosters over the 80 minutes - but Soward managed to kick the goals that mattered from the touchline in the driving rain, Carney couldn't buy a kick, Pearce couldn't tackle, JWH played like a bitch, Lopini knocked up badly, Prior had his concord moment, Saffy took it into the line with chicken blood in his nostrils and Nightingale was able to land a one two punch to essentially open the floodgates for 26 points to be scored in about 20 minuntes and end the contest, the game went for another 10 minutes after Fien's try but as a contest it ended with Nightingales second.

Unfortunately time stands still for no one and if you play by the rules the salary cap breaks the team up.

 

[God-King Dean]

If only Stuart put the entire Dragons team (minus Qlders & NZers) in 2011 Origin team, NSW would have 3 in a row now. Shame.

 

[Danish]

I watched the GF the other night actually to kill some time.
f**k that was a magnificent football team, the Roosters had their chances but even when they could make 60m in a set there was just no way through for them.
Even when Creagh had the ball stripped from him twice for no penalty putting them in prime attacking position - along with the other first half errors - they just couldn't score enough points, typified by Hornby making "that catch".
It might be a forgotten fact - unless you peruse the stats - that Saints made more errors than the Roosters over the 80 minutes - but Soward managed to kick the goals that mattered from the touchline in the driving rain, Carney couldn't buy a kick, Pearce couldn't tackle, JWH played like a bitch, Lopini knocked up badly, Prior had his concord moment, Saffy took it into the line with chicken blood in his nostrils and Nightingale was able to land a one two punch to essentially open the floodgates for 26 points to be scored in about 20 minuntes and end the contest, the game went for another 10 minutes after Fien's try but as a contest it ended with Nightingales second.

Unfortunately time stands still for no one and if you play by the rules the salary cap breaks the team up.

That game was over by half time. We were up, but with all the ball and territory we had in the 1st half we should have been up by 3-4 tries... but there was no getting through that line.

The dragons of that era used to make a living off their goal line defence. I seem to recall a stat in 2009 or 2010 showing that Saints conceded the most metres of any team.... but still conceded the least points. Its like they deliberately let teams get close so they could choke them out.

The biggest shame (not really, as I hate the dragons :lol about how that team broke up is that it really wasn't even the salaary cap that did it. Bennett leaving ripped the heart out of the squad. Had he stayed on another 3 years he could have created a side to rival Manly and Melbourne over the last 5 years

 

[God-King Dean]

That game was over by half time. We were up, but with all the ball and territory we had in the 1st half we should have been up by 3-4 tries... but there was no getting through that line.

The dragons of that era used to make a living off their goal line defence. I seem to recall a stat in 2009 or 2010 showing that Saints conceded the most metres of any team.... but still conceded the least points. Its like they deliberately let teams get close so they could choke them out.

The biggest shame (not really, as I hate the dragons :lol about how that team broke up is that it really wasn't even the salaary cap that did it. Bennett leaving ripped the heart out of the squad. Had he stayed on another 3 years he could have created a side to rival Manly and Melbourne over the last 5 years

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/634818/peter-doust-defends-wayne-bennett-contract-decision/

ST George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust has reacted to an intensified scramble for Wayne Bennett's signature by insisting he has few regrets about turning down the supercoach's original request for a five-year deal.

......

."He said he wanted five and I said 'no, five's too long'," Doust said of talks that took place in 2008.

 

[some11]

Yeah, they fluked brick wall defence for 20 out of 27 games.

 

[Radical Rat]

I watched the GF the other night actually to kill some time.
f**k that was a magnificent football team, the Roosters had their chances but even when they could make 60m in a set there was just no way through for them.
Even when Creagh had the ball stripped from him twice for no penalty putting them in prime attacking position - along with the other first half errors - they just couldn't score enough points, typified by Hornby making "that catch".
It might be a forgotten fact - unless you peruse the stats - that Saints made more errors than the Roosters over the 80 minutes - but Soward managed to kick the goals that mattered from the touchline in the driving rain, Carney couldn't buy a kick, Pearce couldn't tackle, JWH played like a bitch, Lopini knocked up badly, Prior had his concord moment, Saffy took it into the line with chicken blood in his nostrils and Nightingale was able to land a one two punch to essentially open the floodgates for 26 points to be scored in about 20 minuntes and end the contest, the game went for another 10 minutes after Fien's try but as a contest it ended with Nightingales second.

Unfortunately time stands still for no one and if you play by the rules the salary cap breaks the team up.

The salary cap didn't really break up anything. Gasnier and his back ended contract did that alone. Shame he walked out 2 seconds later.

And who did you lose anyway? Jeremy Smith was a big one. Costigan meh, Saffy meh.

 

[Danish]

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/634818/peter-doust-defends-wayne-bennett-contract-decision/

ST George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust has reacted to an intensified scramble for Wayne Bennett's signature by insisting he has few regrets about turning down the supercoach's original request for a five-year deal.

......

."He said he wanted five and I said 'no, five's too long'," Doust said of talks that took place in 2008.

He is a smart guy that Doust

 

[Jason Maher]

The salary cap didn't really break up anything. Gasnier and his back ended contract did that alone. Shame he walked out 2 seconds later.

And who did you lose anyway? Jeremy Smith was a big one. Costigan meh, Saffy meh.

Were you born that stupid or did you have to practice?

 

[LESStar58]

Can someone who is NOT a biased Dragons fan answer this question for me. I have always held the view that the St. George stand alone premierships do not count as part of the St. George-ILLAWARRA premiership count.

The Dragons are a joint venture just like Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles. Western Suburbs and Balmain premerships are, to my knowledge, not included as part of the joint venture's tally of one and Steve Menzies' Northern Eagles apperances are not included as appearances for Manly so in a round about sort of way he's not a "one club man".

Based on this what is the current premiership count of the joint venture between the Dragons and Steelers formed in 1999? My uncle tries to justify that it was a takeover as oppossed to a merger.

 

[LESStar58]

Also, Morris was out.

 

[Pugzley]

I'm sure there were plenty of Saints fans passing out.. too much celebratory booze will do that to you.

That, and a few thousand volts

 

[bmwpower]

That game was over by half time. We were up, but with all the ball and territory we had in the 1st half we should have been up by 3-4 tries... but there was no getting through that line.

The dragons of that era used to make a living off their goal line defence. I seem to recall a stat in 2009 or 2010 showing that Saints conceded the most metres of any team.... but still conceded the least points. Its like they deliberately let teams get close so they could choke them out.

The biggest shame (not really, as I hate the dragons :lol about how that team broke up is that it really wasn't even the salaary cap that did it. Bennett leaving ripped the heart out of the squad. Had he stayed on another 3 years he could have created a side to rival Manly and Melbourne over the last 5 years

Would of gone back to back had we beat the broncos in week 2 of the finals in 2011. All the stats were against us in that game and still took it to golden point. Next up would of been Manly at ANZ, who stuggled to score against us in a round during origin period, and than the warriors in the GF, who we beat twice during the regular season