Game vs Parra

[j0nesy]

I love how some fans want to completely change the team for round 3 after a heavy loss round 2.
Dufty
Mann
Milne
Dugan
Macdonald
Field
Widdop.
So after that team loses 50 nil to sharks what next? Drop all those guys and bring in the under 20s team?

Crush, I think the frustration for us fans is seeing the same mistakes this season that we're made last season. We were given a glimmer of hope last week. But in all honesty Mary has just papered a couple of old cracks. For me these are the issues:

1. We are really poorly coached. We run 1 out with no ball runners. Our attack is flat and slow and doesn't change the angle of attack. We regularly waste the first tackle or two of a set with one out runs.

2. We lack a decent half back. Yes, I know we have signed Hunt for next year but Mccrone is not the answer. We need to give the young guys a go. There is not future in Mccrone. Mann should have been given a good go today and Field should have been given a better go last week.

3. There are couple of backs that are really struggling. Lafai hasn't shown a lot and Milne shows a lot of promise. Again give our young blokes a run.

4. Abysmal use of the interchange bench. Packer played long minutes, was having a shocker and looked tired and Mann was barely used despite our half back playing a shocker.

Not good to watch tonight. I wouldn't be expecting 16.5k to the next home game after that performance.

 

[Glenn01]

Apart from the kicking, McCrone wasn't that bad. Hopelessly devoid of creativity but not the only Dragons half guilty of that.

 

[j0nesy]

yeah. So geniuses, whose job is it to be creative? WhyTF is McCrone charged with kicking? Compare Parras halves (both) with ours. Last week was an aberration on the back of a hopelessly dominant forward pack. This week business as usual. Widdop must go! He won't be picked up by another NRL team but maybe the an ESL team is willing to pay out a significant % of his salary for the reminder of the year. Mann or Field or Nona to take over.

He setup a try, scored a try and saved a couple with good defence. It was Mccrone's job as much as Widdop's and Mccrone had a shocker tonight.

You're way off the mark. I think you're letting your hatred of Widdop, and frustration at the team's performance, get the better of you. Yes, Widdop was very poor last year. But try to be objective, he played well tonight.

 

[thebigredv]

Players are allowed to have average games here or there but I just think, without the knowhow from the coach and the pressure, players are satisfied with having a solid game here or there. This was never our culture. I do miss Bennett a lot on days like these. He was never one for wholesale changes but you always knew his team was well prepared, and had belief. The team has a had a lot of grit of late but just no confidence, always second guessing and that was back in all its glory today.

 

[Old Timer]

Things that haven't altered
1. Bad use of bench
2. No variety in attack
3. Slow backline
4. Bad defensive reads by the centres
5. If the forwards don't dominate we lose
6. Obvious that better quality players are left out of the side.
7. Mc Gregor will persevers regardless of outcomes.

 

[thebigredv]

Apart from the kicking, McCrone wasn't that bad. Hopelessly devoid of creativity but not the only Dragons half guilty of that.

What were you watching??? Hang on, are you Glenn McGregor?

 

[Simon]

have you two:
A: Lost your minds?
B: Been smokin up with the trippy old dude?
C: Have absolutely no idea WTF you are raving about?

The job of a playmaker is to be creative with the ball. Sure Widdop hid behind McCrone who had a shocker but how much creativity with the ball did you see from Widdop? And now compare it to Norman and Gutherson?


Creativity? Holly Makarov, we agree. So whose job is it to be creative? I would also like Mann to be given a chance at 6 but I wouldn't drop McCrone. McCrones's kicking was shocking but why do you think he has been charged with the kicking?

Haven't lost my mind, thought he played with good energy and intent.

There are two types of halves, ones that create for others and are good organisers and then there are your running, supporting ones that take advantage from offloads, fast play the balls, etc. Thurston fits both these types, but not many others do. We signed Widdop as a running, supporting half, not an organiser in your Cronk mould. Just because we don't have a player that compliments Widdop as an organiser doesn't mean he should change his game which can be successful if we let him play to his strengths. If you have a square it won't necessarily fit into a circle.

I agree that Widdop didn't have a good year last season, but he's started better this year playing the style that made him successful. He isn't an organiser and we shouldn't try turning him into something he's not. McCrone needs to step up and be that organiser until Hunt gets here next year.

 

[JDHD]

We bought into our own hype just like Penrith last week and we got burned by a side who turned up to play. Not much else to say.

 

[Old Timer]

Haven't lost my mind, thought he played with good energy and intent.

There are two types of halves, ones that create for others and are good organisers and then there are your running, supporting ones that take advantage from offloads, fast play the balls, etc. Thurston fits both these types, but not many others do. We signed Widdop as a running, supporting half, not an organiser in your Cronk mould. Just because we don't have a player that compliments Widdop as an organiser doesn't mean he should change his game which can be successful if we let him play to his strengths. If you have a square it won't necessarily fit into a circle.

I agree that Widdop didn't have a good year last season, but he's started better this year playing the style that made him successful. He isn't an organiser and we shouldn't try turning him into something he's not. McCrone needs to step up and be that organiser until Hunt gets here next year.

Simon
A good and thoughtful post.
Mc Crone can't step up and therein lies the problem.
We need a cheeky, jinky, light stepping speedster in the halves who has a good head for reading the game as it happens in real time.
We are so regimented and robotic and we believe that if we just keep prosecuting our preconceived game plan ultimately it will work.
Trouble is too many loyalists in the camp who refuse to go away from it.

 

[Gareth67]

All in all , a huge disappointment , although not entirely unexpected . But most certainly not by that score line , 10, perhaps 12 points .
Some have mentioned that there were too many players that had an off day ? But we are playing with the big boys now , so commitment is required each and every week .

Being beaten by a better team is acceptable , as long as you put everything into the contest . However saying , not to worry as we will turn it all around next week , does not inspire much confidence .

Still early days , but there is one aspect that stands out like dog's bollocks , there is no spark in the halves ,to ignite any sort of attack on a regular basis .

 

[thebigredv]

All in all , a huge disappointment , although not entirely unexpected . But most certainly not that score line , 10 perhaps 12 points .
Some have mentioned that there were too many players that had an off day ? But we are playing with the big boys now , so commitment is required each and every week .

Being beaten by a better team is acceptable , as long as you put everything into the contest . However saying , not to worry as we will turn it all around next week , does not inspire much confidence .

Still early days , but there one aspect that stands out like dog's bollocks , there is no spark in the halves to , ignite any sort of attack on a regular basis .

Summed it up nicely mate.

 

[Simon]

Simon
A good and thoughtful post.
Mc Crone can't step up and therein lies the problem.
We need a cheeky, jinky, light stepping speedster in the halves who has a good head for reading the game as it happens in real time.
We are so regimented and robotic and we believe that if we just keep prosecuting our preconceived game plan ultimately it will work.
Trouble is too many loyalists in the camp who refuse to go away from it.

I agree with you regarding McCrone. He's to inconsistent, but I don't think we have another option in the club. Field and Mann both look like similar players to Widdop and we'd just be repeating the Benji / Widdop problem of the past two years.

At least with McCrone at half it's allowing Widdop more freedom to run and play his style of footy. We've already signed Hunt for next season, so I doubt we can go to market for a top line organising half. Hutchinson going down before the start of the year has really hurt us for this season. I'd say we need to hope McCrone steps up as I think our season needs him to. If he can even find his 2011/12 form I think it would help.

 

[Hills Dragon]

With respect of course I'm going to blame the coach for tonight and the last 3 years.
Selections: abysmal week I need week out. Example Lafai Mc Crone Aiken LAM.
Attack: Rubbish for the past 3 to 5 years.
Defence: up 5 Michael and planting your feet, sliding on your own line....basic 101 don't do so.
Need I say more?????

I think you're being extremely harsh on Ah Mau. He was one of our best tonight, and had his best game in a long time.

 

[Old Timer]

Simon
I rate our team as dumb re football smarts.
Mc Fookknuckle keeps a rigid game plan because we don't know how to play ad lib footy.
You are correct in that 1 player (Filed or Mann) will not fix it but 2 or 3 players IMO will allow us to play intuitive, ad lib footy.
If you have Dufty, Field, Mann in the team they will all follow each other in attack and we will benefit from that and get on a roll.
If you only have 1 player then it always makes it hard when the rest are plodders in speed and brain power.
The good teams have individuals that make breaks and 2 or 3 other individuals that back it up and keep it all going at a fast and furious rate.
We just don't seem to have the willpower to even contemplate such action.

 

[Glenn01]

He setup a try, scored a try and saved a couple with good defence. It was Mccrone's job as much as Widdop's and Mccrone had a shocker tonight.

Set up a try? I must admit, I tuned out after Rara**** (whatever the f**k the women beaters name is) 4th. Any tries after that were meaningless.

You're way off the mark. I think you're letting your hatred of Widdop, and frustration at the team's performance, get the better of you. Yes, Widdop was very poor last year. But try to be objective, he played well tonight.

I don't hate Widdop a bit. Not at all. You tell me, whose f**king job is it to be creative??????? You know, like the enemies half back and budget 5/8 were?

Yes, Widdop was very poor last year.

Holly Makarov! Stop the presses! fully expect BrissyRedV, the trippy old dude and other to lose their minds over that!

Haven't lost my mind, thought he played with good energy and intent.

There are two types of halves, ones that create for others and are good organisers and then there are your running, supporting ones that take advantage from offloads, fast play the balls, etc. Thurston fits both these types, but not many others do. We signed Widdop as a running, supporting half, not an organiser in your Cronk mould. Just because we don't have a player that compliments Widdop as an organiser doesn't mean he should change his game which can be successful if we let him play to his strengths. If you have a square it won't necessarily fit into a circle.

I agree that Widdop didn't have a good year last season, but he's started better this year playing the style that made him successful. He isn't an organiser and we shouldn't try turning him into something he's not. McCrone needs to step up and be that organiser until Hunt gets here next year.

Oh, okay........ Now it all makes sense! Now I finally understand. I am for sure a clueless idiot, not BrissyRedV, or I have been smoking that which the trippy old dude smokes daily. Widdop is not a playmaker, despite the current and former coach referring to him as a "marquee playmaker", Widdop is a running half. That's great. I don't suppose you could tell me the games where he has displayed that ability over the last 3 (yes 3!!!!!) f**king nightmarish years? You know, like other running 5/8s such as Morgan or Milford (who are probably both on less than Widdop for now) display on a regular basis.

 

[emu62]

yeah. So geniuses, whose job is it to be creative? WhyTF is McCrone charged with kicking?

Being creative, I believe thats McWrecker"s job ,dont need to be a genius to work that out
Didnt know McCrone was charged with anything, Maybe he could be charged with having a bad game, not sure how many weeks he would get for that though

 

[Glenn01]

Being creative, I believe thats McWrecker"s job ,dont need to be a genius to work that out
Didnt know McCrone was charged with anything, Maybe he could be charged with having a bad game, not sure how many weeks he would get for that though

Oh, ok. Got it now. McIdiot has told Widdop: "Don't even try to be creative. That is my job." And as for McCrone, it was just by chance that he was calling for the ball every kick and the dummy half was passing him the ball for every kick because our marquee playmaker has shown for 3 years and 2 rounds he is a really great long and short kicker..........

 

[This Year?]

Very disappointed. I feel like if we hung in there and played with more patience, discipline and didn't drop the ball a million times with our right side not defending like a paper bag, we might have actually given ourselves a chance of winning,

Now I'm dreading next week against the premiers and will be praying all week we don't f**k that game up too.

 

[ricky_and_martin]

When good teams play well we wont be able to go with them, we simply do not have the players nor the coach to do so. Look at the Sharks this week, if both teams play their top football the Sharks win just because they have a better team. We need a massive overhaul, from coach to some of the deadwood in our team.

 

[Country Dragon]

yeah. So geniuses, whose job is it to be creative? WhyTF is McCrone charged with kicking? Compare Parras halves (both) with ours. Last week was an aberration on the back of a hopelessly dominant forward pack. This week business as usual. Widdop must go! He won't be picked up by another NRL team but maybe the an ESL team is willing to pay out a significant % of his salary for the reminder of the year. Mann or Field or Nona to take over.

That's enough Vas!