Non Penrith games

[age.s]

Roosters went out in straight sets last year too. Why is that different?

That is all you have to go for until the season plays out

Robinson has more than a few runs on the board to be fair.

 

[age.s]

Anyway, I don't think that we can assume Hooks time at the Dragons will look the same as ours.

For one, the squad is in a completely different place. Here he came in part way through a rebuild that covered the entire strategic direction of the club. The squad was talented, but inexperienced and faltered in big games against the big clubs, something that continued into last season with our worst performances being our 3 finals matches. The Dragons squad is a lot more balanced experience wise and his role will be a more balanced one as a result. Their squad isn't a poor one, they've just got a justifiable stigma as a basket case because they've had a joke of a coach for an obscene amount of time.

Most importantly, he should have a much more stable back office. For all the good Gould did for us, there's no question he was difficult to work with and certainly appeared to be undermining the coach. Hook won't have that with Doust. The Dragon's back their coaches, back them well past the point of absurdity. I think Mary was the worst coach to ever survive that long at a club. Assuming Hook gets even close to that level of support (not a certainty tbf) his stability as an authority figure will probably be a lot better too.

In b4 Hook gets a 2 year contract extension in May and then goes and loses all games through to September.

 

[martielang]

He hasn't beaten a top 4 side for 2021 yet though. Panthers. Storm. Souths are pretty much certainly in the top 4.

Roosters, Raiders and possibly Titans will be fighting for that 4th spot.

Eels aren't a top 4 side this season. Eels have a couple of wins due to luck with opposition injuries and a soft draw. Their win over Storm is the exception. Broncos were smashing them in Round 1 before injuries piled up and forced a reshuffle. Eels belong on 6th or 7th.

Dragons look like the Panthers of old. Will beat the shit teams most weeks. But I don't see them matching the top 3 sides atleast. The fight for the last top 4 spot is a bit weaker though with the Roosters injuries opening things up.

Dragons fans will rightfully be happy for the first year. But eventually they'll want to be a title contender and not just happy scraping into finals and going out in the second week.

Shocked to see the goal posts move yet again when talking about the great mans achievements thus far.

No ones matching the top 3 sides, especially a team with a halves pairing of Clune & Norman. He's doing a good job, people got to stop acting like a scorned ex-lover.

 

[franklin2323]

Robinson has more than a few runs on the board to be fair.

You won't get an argument from me Arthur is the worst coach in the comp

BUT both were top 4 last year both went out in straight sets and are unlikely to be top 4 this year

 

[chrisD]

In b4 Hook gets a 2 year contract extension in May and then goes and loses all games through to September.

He seems to make it a full year before his limitations start to take hold and mould a club. Hopefully the Dragons extend him after the first and they end up in another Mary situation where they can't afford to can him as the club becomes erratic and directionless.

 

[MugaB]

He seems to make it a full year before his limitations start to take hold and mould a club. Hopefully the Dragons extend him after the first and they end up in another Mary situation where they can't afford to can him as the club becomes erratic and directionless.

History often seldom repeats itself, Hook maybe better for his past failings, as a man manager, but as a coach he knows his shít. Best thing he did was get support around Hunt and Norman, McCullough was on his way out up at red hill, Hook was smart enough to bring him to a familiar spine

 

[chrisD]

History often seldom repeats itself, Hook maybe better for his past failings, as a man manager, but as a coach he knows his shít. Best thing he did was get support around Hunt and Norman, McCullough was on his way out up at red hill, Hook was smart enough to bring him to a familiar spine

He knows nothing but a basic bash em up mantra and how to get a team's fitness up to elite levels. A useful improvement for the Dragons, for now.

 

[Blade23]

. My source is rock solid like Katoa's rig.

Whatever helps you sleep.

He may have learnt some things from his time here but I know he's (currently) very well liked at the Dragons.

Even without the inside word, he seems to have more than a few former players wanting to play for him at the Dragons.

He always does well with the young blokes and the plodders. The guys with attacking flair and egos get frustrated at times.
He deserves his credit and good luck to him. Except when they play us.
I am sure he has learned from past his mistakes. Every coach in the NRL right now has had run-ins with players. There is not one past or present that hasn't had issues. I am sure he is doing a few things differently. He won't have to put up with Gould interfering each week.

I am happy he is getting wraps after that disgraceful hatchet job from a certain journo while he was applying for the job.

He is not going to win a premiership with them, but he will get them back on track and make them competitive each week. Dragons fans should be happy with that after a few frustrating years.

 

[Pomoz]

Hook has got the Dragons playing like the Panthers from a few years ago. Tough, fit, energetic and playing simple football. He is proving quite a few people wrong.

................I am sure he is doing a few things differently. He won't have to put up with Gould interfering each week..........

Ahh, so Gould did interfere with Hook's coaching. Was it from the start, or once he realised Hook's game plans were, shall we say, rather limited? There were times when we were we in the red zone for repeated sets and couldn't score. In fact, I think we wouldn't have scored if the other team left the field. We would have given away a penalty instead.....

That's not opinion either, we were statistically the worst team in the NRL in the red zone for a while. Still, it doesn't excuse interfering and it didn't seem to improve our attack whatever Gus did on the side.

 

[Munky]

That's not opinion either, we were statistically the worst team in the NRL in the red zone for a while. Still, it doesn't excuse interfering and it didn't seem to improve our attack whatever Gus on the side.

The good ol days when Cleary would get tackled on the fifth tackle everytime leading to a wasted set.

 

[franklin2323]

Hook has got the Dragons playing like the Panthers from a few years ago. Tough, fit, energetic and playing simple football. He is proving quite a few people wrong.

Ahh, so Gould did interfere with Hook's coaching. Was it from the start, or once he realised Hook's game plans were, shall we say, rather limited? There were times when we were we in the red zone for repeated sets and couldn't score. In fact, I think we wouldn't have scored if the other team left the field. We would have given away a penalty instead.....

That's not opinion either, we were statistically the worst team in the NRL in the red zone for a while. Still, it doesn't excuse interfering and it didn't seem to improve our attack whatever Gus did on the side.

Regardless of how limited it was. It is the coaches job to coach. Front office to do front office work

 

[mxlegend99]

Regardless of how limited it was. It is the coaches job to coach. Front office to do front office work

The coach needs to work with his colleagues though. Hook wanted nothing to do with his when he was here. He didn't want input from anyone or to work with anyone. Although he looks to have accepted help from Elliott and Soward at Dragons so perhaps he has grown as a coach. But then again when he started here he seemed fine working with Gus too.

If our coaching staff weren't such a great team there's no way we would be where we are now. Ivan has a great coaching staff around him all working towards the same goal and our players are 100% on board.

 

[Blade23]

Hook has got the Dragons playing like the Panthers from a few years ago. Tough, fit, energetic and playing simple football. He is proving quite a few people wrong.

Ahh, so Gould did interfere with Hook's coaching. Was it from the start, or once he realised Hook's game plans were, shall we say, rather limited? There were times when we were we in the red zone for repeated sets and couldn't score. In fact, I think we wouldn't have scored if the other team left the field. We would have given away a penalty instead.....

That's not opinion either, we were statistically the worst team in the NRL in the red zone for a while. Still, it doesn't excuse interfering and it didn't seem to improve our attack whatever Gus on the side.

After he realised Hook's game plans were simple enough to write on the back of a postage stamp. 'Maintain the aggression'
'Don't kick on the last in the opposition 20, 'we don't what to concede a 7 tackle set'.

You need to understand the madness as to why things didn't work out between them.

He would often ask Hook 'what is the game plan this week'? Unimpressed Gould would offer his own strategies or plans. There were problems with this. Notwithstanding who is actually coach!
Hook wouldn't really listen to advice and even if he did take on some of Gould's ideas, many times later in the week Gould would come up with a thought bubble or a new game plan. Sometimes a day before a match!
Then when we fell behind on Hook's game plan the players would do their own thing (sometimes) for a comeback win. Chaotic.

The last year Hook was here I have been told it was like watching the 2 old characters from The Muppets Statler and Waldorf. The trial loss to the Bulldogs was the beginning of the end. By mid-year, there weren't speaking. Verbally. All orders came through electronically. Yes, those emails Hook claims to have and wanted to expose.

The players were going to Ciraldo and by-passing Hook. Gould stopped helping and sat back. Hook, as MX rightly said, cut himself off from his staff. There was no way back.

I am sure he has learned from his past mistakes. He gets on well with young players but doesn't trust the younger coaches. He treated Ciraldo poorly. He likes to be surrounded by experienced people he can preferably control. Elliott and Gentle suit that.
If he listens to them and others he will go ok.

 

[Blade23]

Roosters went out in straight sets last year too. Why is that different?

My 2 cents on that.
The Roosters were 0-2 last year in a shortened season. They couldn't afford to start slow after the re-start. Robinson usually starts them slow and has them firing after Origin.
Last year after the re-start he had them coming out of the blocks to make up ground. By the end of the season, they were buggered.

 

[The_Frog]

After he realised Hook's game plans were simple enough to write on the back of a postage stamp. 'Maintain the aggression'
'Don't kick on the last in the opposition 20, 'we don't what to concede a 7 tackle set'.

Isn't it amazing how far you can go in the world's premier competition in the sport, just by sticking to the basics.

 

[WestyLife]

Isn't it amazing how far you can go in the world's premier competition in the sport, just by sticking to the basics.

It's why the bottom 4 are so bad.

 

[Smug Panther]

After he realised Hook's game plans were simple enough to write on the back of a postage stamp. 'Maintain the aggression'
'Don't kick on the last in the opposition 20, 'we don't what to concede a 7 tackle set'.

You need to understand the madness as to why things didn't work out between them.

He would often ask Hook 'what is the game plan this week'? Unimpressed Gould would offer his own strategies or plans. There were problems with this. Notwithstanding who is actually coach!
Hook wouldn't really listen to advice and even if he did take on some of Gould's ideas, many times later in the week Gould would come up with a thought bubble or a new game plan. Sometimes a day before a match!
Then when we fell behind on Hook's game plan the players would do their own thing (sometimes) for a comeback win. Chaotic.

The last year Hook was here I have been told it was like watching the 2 old characters from The Muppets Statler and Waldorf. The trial loss to the Bulldogs was the beginning of the end. By mid-year, there weren't speaking. Verbally. All orders came through electronically. Yes, those emails Hook claims to have and wanted to expose.

The players were going to Ciraldo and by-passing Hook. Gould stopped helping and sat back. Hook, as MX rightly said, cut himself off from his staff. There was no way back.

I am sure he has learned from his past mistakes. He gets on well with young players but doesn't trust the younger coaches. He treated Ciraldo poorly. He likes to be surrounded by experienced people he can preferably control. Elliott and Gentle suit that.
If he listens to them and others he will go ok.

What's most amazing is how Gus gave him a job in the first place

 

[Original Name]

What's most amazing is how Gus gave him a job in the first place

Look at how tough our players are now. That's what Hook drilled into them over and over. Yes, we would have liked something more than run hard tackle hard kick deep but playing tough can get you pretty far. Enough to get you into the finals if you some decent players on paper. Now it's a freaking exhausting thing to do week in week out relying on dominating every pack to win purely through aggression, good luck maintaining the intensity throughout an entire year but it's a good mentality to build upon, especially for young players who have to learn to play tough week in week out for as much as possible.

 

[MugaB]

Look at how tough our players are now. That's what Hook drilled into them over and over. Yes, we would have liked something more than run hard tackle hard kick deep but playing tough can get you pretty far. Enough to get you into the finals if you some decent players on paper. Now it's a freaking exhausting thing to do week in week out relying on dominating every pack to win purely through aggression, good luck maintaining the intensity throughout an entire year but it's a good mentality to build upon, especially for young players who have to learn to play tough week in week out for as much as possible.

Geez imagine IC taking over dragons in a few years or bennett returning, giffdawg would really get the shíts

 

[mxlegend99]

Look at how tough our players are now. That's what Hook drilled into them over and over. Yes, we would have liked something more than run hard tackle hard kick deep but playing tough can get you pretty far. Enough to get you into the finals if you some decent players on paper. Now it's a freaking exhausting thing to do week in week out relying on dominating every pack to win purely through aggression, good luck maintaining the intensity throughout an entire year but it's a good mentality to build upon, especially for young players who have to learn to play tough week in week out for as much as possible.

You're pushing it a bit to think Hook is the reason they play with this intensity. We were anything but tough under him.

How many tough games did we ever play at high intensity under Hook for 80 minutes? Most our games didn't even start until we were down 14 nil. He was responsible for keeping us fit. But they were very lazy and ill disciplined only playing when they needed to play.

In 2017 for example. His last full year as coach.

Panthers missed more tackles than any other team, had more ineffective tackles then any other team, were top 5 worst offenders for penalties conceded and errors also.

In 2018 we also led the missed tackle count and made the most handling errors, were the most penalised team but since he was sacked mid season i thought it fairer to use his last full season.