Go left, get points.

[boardlumps62]

Who’s our fullback ? Norman ? Lomax ? Duffy ?

Exactly Melbourne just found another one can we borrow one from them

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

Exactly Melbourne just found another one can we borrow one from them

I mean they play the players in there position once again comes down to a coach

 

[giboz71]

The problem is their spacing is all wrong.

For some reason, their opposite attacking players are always on their outside which puts the next defender in 2 minds. Classic example, Saab not staying out on his wing to lose the game against the Bunnies.

It’s happens to Aitken all the time, why is he always sliding to cover ? Why can’t they number up properly?

My guess is that silly sliding defence that Mary and Young employ is to blame.

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

The problem is their spacing is all wrong.

For some reason, their opposite attacking players are always on their outside which puts the next defender in 2 minds. Classic example, Saab not staying out on his wing to lose the game against the Bunnies.

It’s happens to Aitken all the time, why is he always sliding to cover ? Why can’t they number up properly?

My guess is that silly sliding defence that Mary and Young employ is to blame.

Nearly none of the top teams play up and in but also have confidence in there inside and outside defenders

 

[BLM01]

What I think is even funnier or strange that Mary in his press conference indicated that his edges have got to defend better.....like it is something that has just happened or he has realised.
I reckon we can go back to 2015 or 2016 when teams were targeting that right side then...and yet it still remains a problem..so it is not the players as there has been many...its the systems and coaching.
This year to add weight our middle has been soft on the try line and making yards at times except for this game..so that is Dean Young's job...forwards coach.
So why is he not also asked to go eleswhere as should Mary.....if Hornby has
The reasons why have been discussed ad nauseum on these threads.
Those are the questions that need to be asked of Mary and co..by the people that can....but never will. Shame really

 

[watatank]

I think the team convinced themselves a few years ago that being aggressive and rushing infield were the keys to edge defence on the back of the couple of times it sorta kinda worked.

 

[giboz71]

The funny thing is, a compressed defence is meant to plug the middle, which is meant to support our forward oriented power game,

But our middle has been soft all year. So opposition teams find it easy not just to go around us, but straight up the middle as well.

It it any wonder we're coming 14th with the worst defence in the comp?

 

[Slippery Morris]

Funny how Saints had one of the best defensive centres who is retired who could come and probably coach the centres to improve in defence and possible be as good as he was and yet he is not part of the old boys coaching club. Matt Cooper was a freak in defence and I am sure if they asked him to help out he would jump at the chance. I even think Coops could probably still play and be better than Aitken in defence. Give Coops a few sessions in the off season with the blokes that will play in the backline and I am sure he will fix up their deficiencies.

 

[sco22]

Funny how Saints had one of the best defensive centres who is retired who could come and probably coach the centres to improve in defence and possible be as good as he was and yet he is not part of the old boys coaching club. Matt Cooper was a freak in defence and I am sure if they asked him to help out he would jump at the chance. I even think Coops could probably still play and be better than Aitken in defence. Give Coops a few sessions in the off season with the blokes that will play in the backline and I am sure he will fix up their deficiencies.

Slippery to much great thinking there our coaching staff don’t want to be shown up to be pathetic as they have been for the last 5 seasons

 

[boardlumps62]

When we have 3 defenders trying to stop one player ofcourse we have a problem with our defence. When that happens the opposition has a two man overlap plus the referee who just loves penalizing the Dragons when we are struggling on our tryline. When the day comes and we can defend one on one we will improve our defence.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Yep all the Widdop knockers over the past few years probably now realise what he has meant to us. Imagine how he would have gone with a real coach and a quality and consistent halves partner. Over to you Corey........gulp

I'm one of the Widdop knockers. Agree the team looks better with him on the field. Still doesn't explain the predilection for running sideways or the many grubber kicks into the legs of the opposition.

 

[SaintPauli]

I know it makes it easy to reduce it down to one person but it's been the same when Lomax, Maranta, Pearson and Ravalawa have been out there.

It never occured when centres Cooper or Gaznier defended for Dragons.

 

[18to87]

I'm one of the Widdop knockers. Agree the team looks better with him on the field. Still doesn't explain the predilection for running sideways or the many grubber kicks into the legs of the opposition.

Can you imagine how many points a McGregor-led side will produce next year without him? Not many.

 

[Como Connection]

It never occured when centres Cooper or Gaznier defended for Dragons.

Not when Kurt Mann was there.
CC

 

[18to87]

Not when Kurt Mann was there.
CC

Or Lomax last year when given a sense of job/position security.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Can you imagine how many points a McGregor-led side will produce next year without him? Not many.

About as many as this year I'd reckon. Widdop has only played 5 games this year. Next year we will still have our gun centre pairing to anchor our attack. Not much to look forward to really.

 

[thebigredv]

A perfect illustration of our glaring weakness today. The worst right side defense in the game.

15th minute - Hunt runs out of the line, Aitken pulled in, Saab left to cover 15m of tryline. Titans try to Kelly.

37th minute - Saab not keeping a straight line leads to a clean line break for Brimson who runs for 60m before passing to Kelly who is tackled. Following play Proctor try for Titans.

49th minute - Defensive shape of the whole team goes arse over tit as Titans play hot-potato with some unstructured, broken play. Hunt leaves his spot in the line leaving large gap between Kafusi and Aitken. He runs back to defend that spot but Aitken is sucked in again leaving Saab with too much space to defend. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

62nd minute - Aitken gets isolated at marker and falls for dummy as Cartwright goes the blindside. Saab comes in to help Hunt with tackle leaving winger open for miracle ball. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

63rd minute - Early spread from deep in their own half with a decoy runner sees ineffective one-on-one arm grabs by Hunt and Aitken while Saab barely touches anyone. Titans try to Ryley Jacks.

Every try involved some good play from the Titans but also a lack of defensive discipline from the Dragons right edge of Hunt, Aitken and Saab.

20 games gone in the season and they still haven't fixed this combination.

Any other human would have addressed this issue years ago. Instead we have a stubborn coach who wants to live in his own fantasy little world.