How do we beat Penrith?

[Drew-Sta]

Do we put Gas on the Cambell side and just run Gas and Thommo at him all day?!

Do we even get Ryles or Sims to range out wide a bit more and have them run at Presto?

Personally I'd love to see us dominate their forwards like we did in our first bout. That would give the boys a big boost in confidence and really give us a platform to work off for the finals.

Any ideas?

 

[Southernsaint]

Send out Lincoln the Angry Ant to terrorise their forwards again, LOL!!

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[StGeorge]

score more points then they do

 

[Hollywood]

Deffinately will be won and lost in the forwards I feel, this is where we must aim up. If we have Ryles and Bailey back, we stand a very good chance of being able to match and beat them.

But we know our Dragons, how will the attitude be?.

Personally, not a good time to strike the Panthers though, wouldn't be surpirsed if we get done next Friday. Panthers are coming good at the right time of the year, could well make the GF again, they are looking ominous for next week, esp at home.

Main thing we have to hope is that 2 below us lose, and then we get another crack, then I think you will see us at our best...........typical though, our boys would do things the hard way.

However it is a big game on Friday, coz I think if we lose it means our path would probably be to play the bulldogs before the grand final, and probably the only team that could stop us on the way to the premiership. I think we could beat the Roosters, Broncos and the Panthers in a sudden death game, but Bulldogs worry me.

Anyway I know it's hypothetical completely....but that's how I see things from here!

 

[Drew-Sta]

I'm the same, I think we can beat the Roosters, Storm, Panthers and probably the Broncos, but the Dogs are very worrysome.

Lincoln the Angry Ant! I reckon that'd be a great new sign for the games too.

I do believe that Gulavao will be their weak spot. We puncture him, and that's the chink in the forward pack we need to win. They don't have the kind of depth/bench they did last year, Waterhouse is no Sattler, no Ross, no Swain, so we knock one of their strike weapons out and bang, I think we take them to town.

Hopefully! :roll:

 

[stubbsie]

Take down the two guys with the afros and run at preston campell

 

[Biglance]

if gasnier plays we win for sure we just have to give the ball to him and cooper all day and theyll be right

 

[Jamesy]

thats if gaz plays. I heard on the radio yesterday that he is the only one that they are worried about playin.

 

[Anonymous]

Injury Update

All players - except Mark Gasnier - are available for selection for this Friday's first qualifying final against the Panthers at Penrith Stadium.

 

[Collateral]

I think we have to go through their fowards and shutdown Gower and Campbell.
When Gower doesnt play or plays crap, the Panthers can lose to anybody.

Not a lot of teams have the ability to match it with the Panthers in the fowards, but the Dragons do. We can overcome their fowards with hard hitting defence just like the past two games against them and then run it through them while they are trying to catch their breath.
Panthers have very good backs...we do too, but I wouldnt seriously challenge them out wide unless Gasnier plays (which I dont think he will).Once we overcome their fowards, we can spread the ball a bit more...Cooper seems to love playing the Panthers.


I dont think Gasnier will play this week, so I would have John Carlaw in the centres...a lot of people on other forums are saying that Ben Creagh should be named at centre. To me, that idea is absolutely insane. We have been playing JC there all year and playing Creagh in the fowards, but when it comes to crunch time people want Ben moved into starting centre and JC to Premier League. JC has the overall experience, as well as this years experience out wide. Keep him there.

Others are saying they want Timmo to start out wide... :| ...He is a foward now and a dodgy defender out wide. Keep him in the middle where there are cover tacklers if his big hits miss. Also gives us a bit more mobility and skills in the middle.

My team would be:

1. Ben Hornby
2. Nathan Blacklock
3. Matt Cooper
4. John Carlaw
5. Reece Simmonds
6. Trent Barrett
7. Matthew Head
8. Brent Kite
9. Mark Riddell
10. Jason Ryles
11. Lance Thompson (tell him to pull his finger out)
12. Shaun Timmins
13. Dean Young

14. Ashton Sims
15. Luke Bailey
16. Michael Henderson
17. Lincoln Withers

18. Ben Creagh
19. Justin Poore

I want Michael Henderson in the team because of the huge impact he has on games...he has more of an impact than Poore and Creagh. Dont be fooled by Creaghs one or two big hits. Hendo does the hard yards non-stop.

If we suffered an injury out wide, I would move Timmins out wide and lets Sims play at Second Row.

 

[formally_known_as_PONGIA]

and when will this novel of urs be out in the book stores for all 2 buy RedDragon?????

 

[Collateral]

You go wait by the phone and DONT MOVE NO MATTER WHAT, until I ring you to tell you that it is availiable for you to buy.

 

[eelsta]

JUST PLAY TO YOUR BRILLIANT BEST right from the start and they wont know what hit them

 

[Drew-Sta]

Cheers eelsta

And I have to agree with Red Dragon, I would like to see Henderson over Creagh.

Gas not playing is a worry, I hope Carlaw is up to the job, but I think he will be.

Lets hope out forwards start to build some momentum!

 

[aussie_londoner]

i think i would take creagh over henderson for his versatility

 

[Chux]

Waterhouse is no Sattler

Your tipping must be special. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Your tipping must be special.

(Drew-boy ran last in the tipping this season.)

 

[Drew-Sta]

Talk about the proverbial egg on face.

Waterhouse had a blinder last night, he stepped up and proved that he has what it takes. Full credit to the Panthers, especially Waterhouse. You'd think after two tries of a similar fashion the Saints defence would realise Gower was gonna throw a short ball to Waterhouse.

Garbs mate, you didn't do to flash in the tipping either my friend.

 

[Chux]

Drew-boy - I wouldnt worry about the tipping, I ran stone motherless too......but if you could do me a favor and tip against Penrith for the next month?;-)

It was one of those games where everyone gets to walk away with something positive.

For you guys, the come back was superb, your second half defence was almost flawless, and all but one of your brand name players got a run together for the first time in a while, hence the combination will only get better next week.......your next oponent will have to be very wary of you.

We got an 'against the odds win' with a side missing a few of our better players, some of our players who have been having a quiet season by thier standards are finding some good form at the sharp end of the season, and we put on as close to the perfect opening 20 minutes of football as you are every likely to see.

As with the Dragons, the mighty Panthers will be much, much harder to beat next week as too.

 

[Drew-Sta]

Thanks Chux, I always say someone's got to lose these things :roll:

And you're right, the Penny's win was morale boosting to say the least, Puletua and Gulavao will be rearing to go next week.

The catalyst to your win was Presto's intercept. If Barrett does his trademark double pump, Cambell would've gone for the intercept and is caught out, Barrett then fires the pass to Sims who goes over unopposed. It was a 12-point turn around.

Sims scores and it's 24-all. He didn't though and you scooted out to a 30-18 lead. From there it was not going to happen.

BTW did that game remind any Saints supporters of the '02 Bronco's semi final? Where is was 20 nil after 18 minutes? Or the Dogs game that same year at the Gong where it was 24 nil at half time and we came back only to lose 28-26?