Inside Shane's Brain!!

[hook hook]

How anyone rationalises that if Val kicks 1 more goal no one is ripping into Flanno staggers me.

We should have won irrespective of Val’s missed goals 2 of which were sideline attempts.

What about if Gutho, Sua, JDB had of made 1 more crucial tackle would that have not saved 18 points?

What about when we were 12 points up would not 1 field goal have forced Souths to score 3 times and probably broken their resolve?

We should have won in a canter and that is firmly on the head of the coaching staff and senior players and a 1 point win would deserve as much criticism as the 1 point loss.

Agree that we played shit in the last 20 or so and there was some brain explosions from senior players (mainly cook)… but we were the better side, as evidenced by the statistics.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Fifita, Ennis, Prior, Graham, Lewis and Gallen. Townsend and Maloney. You can't coach what you aint got.

Ouch!

 

[Old Timer]

Agree that we played shit in the last 20 or so and there was some brain explosions from senior players (mainly cook)… but we were the better side, as evidenced by the statistics.

We yet again failed to win which is evidenced in the league ladder so in the end we weren’t the better side they were because they engineered a way to win whilst we engineered yet another way to lose.

 

[Sloan Ranger]

Agree that we played shit in the last 20 or so and there was some brain explosions from senior players (mainly cook)… but we were the better side, as evidenced by the statistics.

It's the 'Critical Errors at Critical Times' statistic that we excel at. Not all errors are equal.

 

[Old Timer]

Harsh but you are reaching for best practice, I understand.

There’s so many variables that pop up during a game.

12 in front stinking hot day, players fatigued and 20 to go and we failed to even think about a field goal to push Souths to score 3 times to even draw level.

We seem to be paranoid about giving up a 7 tackle set as against securing a knockout blow.

Simple game management and a willingness to seize the moment was all that was needed.

 

[Sloan Ranger]

The players lost control of the match, the coach lost control of the press conference. Deuce. The coach rang the player to apologise. I guess that means all the players need to do is ring the coach and apologise!

 

[matPORTS]

The more and more time passes, the more and more red & white flavoured kool aid I'm starting to drink...

As some long time posters have been alluding to for a while now - I'm really worried about the fact that we simply don't have the players we need. We keep entering into new seasons well short in key positions compared to even those clubs whom will compete in the same realm as us (positions 7 down to about 14 on the ladder). Our recruitment has been nothing short of p**s poor for years now.

We continuously seem hesitant in wanting to promote our juniors, and even when we do, its usually a short cameo off the bench with 5-10mins left in the game. So far, there has been little change in this notion since Flanno came onboard (even yesterday - Parramatta had a tonne of seasoned first grade experience running around in NSW Cup while some young players got a run up top... they may feel pain now but this will pay off for them in future years).

I'm not sure how much longer we can "take the pain" without some "pain killers" - that being giving our juniors a run over a crop of players who either have one foot out the door already or are at least standing close to the door either ready to scoot out at the first opportunity or be pushed out.

We've had 14 full seasons since the 2010 premiership - we've played finals three times since, in 2011 (5th), 2015 (7th), 2018 (7th) ... and even in each of those seasons there are plenty of arguments as to why we should have finished higher than we did.

We still need a massive cleanout.

So far, of the players we recruited for this year, the only ones I'd be happy to consider a contract extension for (possibly seeing out the rest of their careers at the Dragons) would be Gutho and Val Holmes as we will still need solid heads around the group for another handful of years yet (my mind is very much subject to change here).

Of our current forward pack - the Couchman brothers, Liddle and Stewart can hang around. Other than that, I'd be releasing everyone else, locking up pretty much all of our current NSW Cup forward pack (with the exception of Michael Molo), and throwing the salary cap at a Lindsay Smith (2027 and beyond) + another seasoned first grade edge back rower (maybe a Nikora or Talakai to take advantage of the inevitable Sharks salary cap squeeze).

Additionally, LKT and Glover - continue to hone your long kicking game skills and the halves positions will be yours to keep within another two years. Benny Rumble, Hayden Buchanan, Cody Ramsey (if he can press on with his health issues) - spots are available for each of you in the backs if you continue to hone your games in the right direction.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

The more and more time passes, the more and more red & white flavoured kool aid I'm starting to drink...

As some long time posters have been alluding to for a while now - I'm really worried about the fact that we simply don't have the players we need. We keep entering into new seasons well short in key positions compared to even those clubs whom will compete in the same realm as us (positions 7 down to about 14 on the ladder). Our recruitment has been nothing short of p**s poor for years now.

We continuously seem hesitant in wanting to promote our juniors, and even when we do, its usually a short cameo off the bench with 5-10mins left in the game. So far, there has been little change in this notion since Flanno came onboard (even yesterday - Parramatta had a tonne of seasoned first grade experience running around in NSW Cup while some young players got a run up top... they may feel pain now but this will pay off for them in future years).

I'm not sure how much longer we can "take the pain" without some "pain killers" - that being giving our juniors a run over a crop of players who either have one foot out the door already or are at least standing close to the door either ready to scoot out at the first opportunity or be pushed out.

We've had 14 full seasons since the 2010 premiership - we've played finals three times since, in 2011 (5th), 2015 (7th), 2018 (7th) ... and even in each of those seasons there are plenty of arguments as to why we should have finished higher than we did.

We still need a massive cleanout.

So far, of the players we recruited for this year, the only ones I'd be happy to consider a contract extension for (possibly seeing out the rest of their careers at the Dragons) would be Gutho and Val Holmes as we will still need solid heads around the group for another handful of years yet (my mind is very much subject to change here).

Of our current forward pack - the Couchman brothers, Liddle and Stewart can hang around. Other than that, I'd be releasing everyone else, locking up pretty much all of our current NSW Cup forward pack (with the exception of Michael Molo), and throwing the salary cap at a Lindsay Smith (2027 and beyond) + another seasoned first grade edge back rower (maybe a Nikora or Talakai to take advantage of the inevitable Sharks salary cap squeeze).

Additionally, LKT and Glover - continue to hone your long kicking game skills and the halves positions will be yours to keep within another two years. Benny Rumble, Hayden Buchanan, Cody Ramsey (if he can press on with his health issues) - spots are available for each of you in the backs if you continue to hone your games in the right direction.

A lot to unpack there, thanks for your trouble to illustrate deeper insights.

 

[Jubilee]

In short, it is all about youth recruitment, development and retention bcs the open market for established players is just a sh*tshow for us.

At least we aren't paying Dylan Brown $13m for ten years.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

My limit for Dylan, I think he’s 700 max.

Flanno will be hanging around.

He has to thread the recruitment needle.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Ive been trying to find you some reasonable possible players for next year.

A couple I've been looking at are Kobe Hetherington at the Bronco's and to see if you can get Starling out of Canberra. I think they are fair players depending on price. Maybe the ship has left port with regards to Starling after last weekend.

But as night follows day, the evil rut of injuries is yet to set in across the comp.

I think that's a danger to the knights say, investing a heap in only a few players. You have to hope they aren't one of the three or four of the top 17 who will be rubbed out at some point.

All things being equal maybe the simple mastery of Reynolds could have got you across the line last weekend. I was thinking about him too but heaven knows what is keeping him together this year.

That eels fullback, he's got the makings, but they've wrapped him up. Even if you move him about. Special player with a big future.

The news after round two is that the eight is still a bit of a dogs breakfast with only a few standouts.

Im pretty sure flanno will be looking to get in some genuine game breakers next year. You could make a dash for Galvin, but he's not a game breaker or marquee. The rumor is $1m each season for the rest of eternity, but cooler heads like mine are prepared to let him go.

Youve got junior Amone to force his way back in next year i guess. If Taylan May and to a lessor extent, Mam are allowed back in, pretty much all bets are off.

Its pretty much going to take Vlandys and Abdo to be victims of serious crimes themselves before they walk the walk.

 

[Crush]

Ive been trying to find you some reasonable possible players for next year.

A couple I've been looking at are Kobe Hetherington at the Bronco's and to see if you can get Starling out of Canberra. I think they are fair players depending on price. Maybe the ship has left port with regards to Starling after last weekend.

But as night follows day, the evil rut of injuries is yet to set in across the comp.

I think that's a danger to the knights say, investing a heap in only a few players. You have to hope they aren't one of the three or four of the top 17 who will be rubbed out at some point.

All things being equal maybe the simple mastery of Reynolds could have got you across the line last weekend. I was thinking about him too but heaven knows what is keeping him together this year.

That eels fullback, he's got the makings, but they've wrapped him up. Even if you move him about. Special player with a big future.

The news after round two is that the eight is still a bit of a dogs breakfast with only a few standouts.

Im pretty sure flanno will be looking to get in some genuine game breakers next year. You could make a dash for Galvin, but he's not a game breaker or marquee. The rumor is $1m each season for the rest of eternity, but cooler heads like mine are prepared to let him go.

Youve got junior Amone to force his way back in next year i guess. If Taylan May and to a lessor extent, Mam are allowed back in, pretty much all bets are off.

Its pretty much going to take Vlandys and Abdo to be victims of serious crimes themselves before they walk the walk.

Bizarre post, especially last two paragraphs.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Bizarre post, especially last two paragraphs.

Thank you.

 

[Jubilee]

Bizarre post, especially last two paragraphs.

I imagine it can get confusing for SilverdalePhantom, switching back and forth between the dragons and tigers forums.