Finals Football - The Path to the Wooden Spoon

[Qapm]

2 minutes from the spoon dont you mean ... those golden point wins .. if they were golden point losses we are equal last right now.

Very good point but I don't do Mary "85 minutes" Math.

Very good point though. Gives me hope for next week's game.

 

[Pro Dragons]

Does anyone know the dimensions of the Wooden Spoon?

Just need to make sure it fits into our trophy cabinet. Also where do we keep it in Wollongong or at Kogarah ?

Keep it at McGregor's house.

 

[RedV Resurgence]

Anyone remember the words to the Dragons winning song? Haven't 't heard it for so long.

 

[redVinme]

Good post, mate.
You are bang on about it all.
Would love to see 16 people with a single large white back red letter banner, saying....

SACK McGREGOR NOW !

..... at then next game.

Each letter 1.800mm (6ft) x 900mm (3ft)
High / wide.

Or a giant one saying:
480
mins
til
finals

 

[Walpole]

I'm hoping for the round 25 match they have the spoon displayed on the sideline like it's the Challenge Cup or Giltinan Shield, preferably mounted in a fresh dog turd. Give the team something to play for...

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

I'm hoping for the round 25 match they have the spoon displayed on the sideline like it's the Challenge Cup or Giltinan Shield, preferably mounted in a fresh dog turd. Give the team something to play for...

Your a hard but fair person, Walpole.

 

[Paddles]

We are now truly in contention for the spoon.

We have 14 points (-112), the Titans have 10 (-187). We play the Titans twice in the last five rounds. It's not inconceivable that they would beat us twice. If that happens we're on 14 each, but we'd likely have a slightly better differential.

The other games for SGI are Sharks, Roosters (likely losses, maybe big ones) and Tigers (half a chance).
The other games for the Titans are Storm (likely big loss), Eels and Knights (half a chance in each).
If we lose on the weekend, these games will let us know just how low we can go!

We might just be playing at an empty Gold Coast stadium on 7 September trying to snatch the spoon from some hapless Titan butterfingers.

 

[Brutalitops]

While I think the Dragons are in a disgraceful spot right now, I think people underestimate just how purely f**ked the Titans are at the moment.

We can't win games, but shit at least we were kind of IN those games against Souths and Storm until right at the final hurdle.

Again no excuses here, merely pointing to the gulf that still exists between the Dragons and Titans. I'm not worried about coming up against them honestly. We'll still come 14th though, maybe 13th if we are lucky

 

[Dracarys]

If we lose on the weekend then i'll be doing my bit by sending a wooden spoon personally addressed to Mary McGregor. If he gets 1,000 or so by season's end then he should do the right thing and fall on his spoon (I mean sword)

 

[Paddles]

While I think the Dragons are in a disgraceful spot right now, I think people underestimate just how purely f**ked the Titans are at the moment.

We can't win games, but shit at least we were kind of IN those games against Souths and Storm until right at the final hurdle.

Again no excuses here, merely pointing to the gulf that still exists between the Dragons and Titans. I'm not worried about coming up against them honestly. We'll still come 14th though, maybe 13th if we are lucky

Yeah fair point. Maybe. I haven't seen a full Titans game in a while.

But we do have a knack of adjusting how garbage we can be so we are just a bit worse than other teams. E.g. we hung in v the Storm and Souths, then were never in it (except on the scoreboard) against a pretty poor Parra. Our clutch games to make the 8 in previous years (was it v Canterbury in 2017?) we can't get up for. And I'm not sure the mentality has changed.

We have been really bad for a really long time. 2 wins from the last 13, 6 from 20 this year, and if you add in the end of last year (a string of 7 losses before our win/loss in the finals) we have won 7 of the last 28 games. Was Brennan even that bad?

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Yeah fair point. Maybe. I haven't seen a full Titans game in a while.

But we do have a knack of adjusting how garbage we can be so we are just a bit worse than other teams. E.g. we hung in v the Storm and Souths, then were never in it (except on the scoreboard) against a pretty poor Parra. Our clutch games to make the 8 in previous years (was it v Canterbury in 2017?) we can't get up for. And I'm not sure the mentality has changed.

We have been really bad for a really long time. 2 wins from the last 13, 6 from 20 this year, and if you add in the end of last year (a string of 7 losses before our win/loss in the finals) we have won 7 of the last 28 games. Was Brennan even that bad?

I don't think we adjust our garbage up. Its the same bog standard game plan every week. 5 up the middle then kick. And repeat. And repeat. Mix it up with a failed drop kick for comedy relief but thats about the extent of the variation.

What we do have is a knack for dragging teams down to our level of play, at which point we can jag an occasional win with a field goal. Melbourne, wabbits, eels all played garbage against us. Garbage is the default game plan of the Titans, that might disrupt our strategy.

 

[Qapm]

I'm glad that James Graham got a win today against the Titans but the laws of the universe remain and both water and McGregor coached teams will find their natural level. In this case the level seems to be 14th or 15th on the ladder with sporadic chances of a wooden spoon.

1: Bulldogs are giving McGregor a run for his money in a battle for the 14th position. Currently, the differential is working against them so Rounds 23 (vs Eels) and 24 (vs Cowboys) are key. If they can get wins here they should move the Dragons down to 15.

2: Dragons to win in rounds Rounds 22 (vs Sharks) and 23 (vs Roosters)? Go ahead and take that nice $3.16 bet at the TAB for Round 22 if you think so.

3: Cowboys and maybe Knights will keep things interesting. Punters have to consider the usual McGregor magic mentioned in #2 above versus the Cowboys and the Knights battling next week to see who will contest 13 and 14 on the ladder with the Dragons. If Cowboys win then they'll have some confidence going up against some demoralized Panthers while the same holds true for the Knights in Round 23 against the Tigers. THIS IS WHERE THE EXCITEMENT IS!! Mary McGregor delivers as Dragons fans will be keep on the edge of their seats until the final round as their team can wind up anywhere from 13th to Spoon.

 

[Qapm]

Time to resurrect this thread.

Current odds are $.2.20 for Titans win against $1.65 for Dragons.

Titans have confirmed the Spoon this season but the question on which team actually deserves the Spoon is still open.

Dragons lose this game and I'll use Mary Logic to say the real 16th belongs to the Dragons' organization.

Updated Qapm predictions:

Warriors, Bulldogs & Cowboys: Doesn't matter. 15th is confirmed.

Titans Win.

Mary retains coaching position into 2020. Mary wins.

Johnston remains CEO into 2020. Johnston wins.

WIN Corp is still able to siphon money from fans in various ways. WIN wins!

Dragons fans lose.

 

[grouch]

Some blockbuster clashes coming up im round 25.

The oldest rivalry in the comp, Bunnies & Roosters, in front of a big crowd on Thursday night. 2nd v 4th. Two professional, successful clubs who are both in form yet again and primed for a finals run. Will be huge.

Tigers v Sharks on Sunday. Leichhardt is already sold out! A winner takes all battle for the final spot in the top 8. Cronulla have overcome an injury-riddled season to still be in contention, while the unfancied Tigers are reaping the benefits of a great new coach.

Then, there's the Titans v Dragons 15th v 16th cripple fight in front of 3000 people on Saturday night. Its where we belong tbh

 

[hewi]

Some blockbuster clashes coming up im round 25.

The oldest rivalry in the comp, Bunnies & Roosters, in front of a big crowd on Thursday night. 2nd v 4th. Two professional, successful clubs who are both in form yet again and primed for a finals run. Will be huge.

Tigers v Sharks on Sunday. Leichhardt is already sold out! A winner takes all battle for the final spot in the top 8. Cronulla have overcome an injury-riddled season to still be in contention, while the unfancied Tigers are reaping the benefits of a great new coach.

Then, there's the Titans v Dragons 15th c 16th cripple fight in front of 3000 people on Saturday night. Its where we belong tbh

Go Tigers, go Bunnies, 3000 you kidding more like 300.

 

[Qapm]

Call this week's game what you want, my choice is the Battle of the Bad.

Resurrecting this thread to remind anyone and everyone that spoon was a real possibility this season. Only a once in a millennium club implosion at the Titans saved the Dragons this year.

Fans have been miles ahead of club management this year but, after the Tigers game, if anyone there in club land is thinking of continuing on the same path in 2020, they need to be shown the door along with McGregor.