i agree with every word.
PREVIEW NOTES
The Wests Tigers should target Ben Hornby and Mathew Head this Sunday.
Not because they are weak links; rather they are the two Dragons who could run amok given the latitude to do so.
Hornby and Head are consistently the most influential players in building the Dragons attacking platform.
Statistics show Hornby is the best of any fullback at positional play, while Head is ranked second among halfbacks at finding open space with kicks in general play (see tables).
Hornby, the dumped NSW custodian, is a brilliant kick returner because he catches more opposition kicks on the full almost one in every two than any other rival.
It means the Dragons frequently start their set on the front foot, so the Tigers need to respond with a good kick chase.
Its not an area the Tigers handle well: they allow more kick return metres on average per game (145) than any other side.
Head, meanwhile, is the master of closing out a set.
He has a deft short kicking game but he is also a pinpoint long kicker, having found open space 45 times this year from 67 kicks. Thats a kick accuracy of 67 per cent, a figure only bettered by Brett Kimmorley.
In between the efforts of Hornby and Head, the Dragons are so dangerous because they are incredibly adaptable.
If they start a set on a roll, they will continue to chase cheap metres up the middle led by Lance Thompson.
But if the Tigers dominate a set defensively, they cant afford to switch off because the Dragons will go wide and create on the edges.
Their go-to men are Matt Cooper and Mark Gasnier, who is back this week.
Cooper, in particular, is highly potent running an outside in angle.
He will position himself outside his marker then in an instant angle back infield as he is taking a pass, hoping the defender is watching the ball rather than him.
Cooper did it against the Cowboys three weeks ago and scored, leaving Paul Bowman looking over his shoulder.
So Shane Elford, the man expected to mark Cooper this week, must stay alert.
The Tigers are not big yardage gainers.
Their pack is relatively small, which is why they are ranked 13th in hit-up metres, so they will rely on John Skandalis and Anthony Laffranchi.
The Dragons should target halfback Scott Prince.
Assuming he backs up from Origin II, Prince has a poor kick accuracy (just 34 per cent).
Its largely a by-product of the Tigers lack of go-forward, which puts pressure on Prince to come up with a good kick result in the face of advancing defenders.
Its vital the Tigers buy themselves time by kicking away from Hornby. If they dont, the Dragons might be able to clock off early.
PREVIEW NOTES
The Wests Tigers should target Ben Hornby and Mathew Head this Sunday.
Not because they are weak links; rather they are the two Dragons who could run amok given the latitude to do so.
Hornby and Head are consistently the most influential players in building the Dragons attacking platform.
Statistics show Hornby is the best of any fullback at positional play, while Head is ranked second among halfbacks at finding open space with kicks in general play (see tables).
Hornby, the dumped NSW custodian, is a brilliant kick returner because he catches more opposition kicks on the full almost one in every two than any other rival.
It means the Dragons frequently start their set on the front foot, so the Tigers need to respond with a good kick chase.
Its not an area the Tigers handle well: they allow more kick return metres on average per game (145) than any other side.
Head, meanwhile, is the master of closing out a set.
He has a deft short kicking game but he is also a pinpoint long kicker, having found open space 45 times this year from 67 kicks. Thats a kick accuracy of 67 per cent, a figure only bettered by Brett Kimmorley.
In between the efforts of Hornby and Head, the Dragons are so dangerous because they are incredibly adaptable.
If they start a set on a roll, they will continue to chase cheap metres up the middle led by Lance Thompson.
But if the Tigers dominate a set defensively, they cant afford to switch off because the Dragons will go wide and create on the edges.
Their go-to men are Matt Cooper and Mark Gasnier, who is back this week.
Cooper, in particular, is highly potent running an outside in angle.
He will position himself outside his marker then in an instant angle back infield as he is taking a pass, hoping the defender is watching the ball rather than him.
Cooper did it against the Cowboys three weeks ago and scored, leaving Paul Bowman looking over his shoulder.
So Shane Elford, the man expected to mark Cooper this week, must stay alert.
The Tigers are not big yardage gainers.
Their pack is relatively small, which is why they are ranked 13th in hit-up metres, so they will rely on John Skandalis and Anthony Laffranchi.
The Dragons should target halfback Scott Prince.
Assuming he backs up from Origin II, Prince has a poor kick accuracy (just 34 per cent).
Its largely a by-product of the Tigers lack of go-forward, which puts pressure on Prince to come up with a good kick result in the face of advancing defenders.
Its vital the Tigers buy themselves time by kicking away from Hornby. If they dont, the Dragons might be able to clock off early.
