Panthers next.

[JubileeJeffro]

Just watched the replay as I don't have pay tv to watch live. I do follow the game via the forum posts and expected the worst. My observations after watching are
1. Kerr won't be missed next year
2. A lot of unnecessary criticism of Billy Burns even though he did make a few mistakes late in the game- fitness?
3.Sullivan offers more than Anyone at 5/8
4.We need an alternative goal kicker
5.Fergai needs to be coached to stay on his winger- he let in 2 tonight
6.Other than the knockon decision I thought we got a pretty fair go from the ref whoever he was.
Kicking someone when they are down won't improve the situation. Patience and hope that a real coach for once might just make being a dragon supporter pleasant again.

Are you Billy Burns?

 

[Dragons4me]

Agree, as Sloan tried to run it into touch. I am baffled as once he stepped that Panther as tho he was invisible then accelerated in a flash and was away, why was he recalled as the ball had been spilled backwards, so play on?

He'll learn from that. How many times do you see players in that situation just keep running and put the ball down for theatrics. If nothing else, I'm sure the coaching staff will mention it. Just another example of how when your down, very little goes your way, ever.

 

[Dragons4me]

The Dragons deserved a far better result for the effort the boys put in - more so after such a dramatic week , they played a far better game than most would had imagined.

As said by many , Carr has definitely improved his charges. It’s good to see a bit of spirit in the Big Red V , as for the knock back/ knock on decision , it’s a damn shame , but the reining premiers will always get the nod over the lesser lights of the competition when it comes to decisions such as that .

This!!!

 

[jeffdragon]

Just watched the replay as I don't have pay tv to watch live. I do follow the game via the forum posts and expected the worst. My observations after watching are
1. Kerr won't be missed next year
2. A lot of unnecessary criticism of Billy Burns even though he did make a few mistakes late in the game- fitness?
3.Sullivan offers more than Anyone at 5/8
4.We need an alternative goal kicker
5.Fergai needs to be coached to stay on his winger- he let in 2 tonight
6.Other than the knockon decision I thought we got a pretty fair go from the ref whoever he was.
Kicking someone when they are down won't improve the situation. Patience and hope that a real coach for once might just make being a dragon supporter pleasant again.

Been patient for 12 years.

 

[jeffdragon]

Ive read quite a few people on here who are talking about next year like weve lost this one already. I cant see why we cant move forward from here and start playing properly. Just requires some people to lose their positions and realise nothing is guaranteed. The stupid errors cant be allowed to go on with no repercussions. In any job youd be out the next day.
But im hopeful we can still turn this year around if we start playing like we mean it

The season is over.
No hope of making it up the ladder.
We couldn't bt the lesser teams.
Look at our draw.
Can you honestly see us bt any decent team.

 

[gregstar]

I disagree.

We are timing our run to perfection.
I'm pretty sure we'll all be marking this game down as the one which turned our season around.
We showed fight worthy of premiership winners.

We're back baby.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

We won't make the eight, but I'm confident we still have the capability to ruin some other poor sides season.

 

[Slippery Morris]

If Billy Burns does not drop the ball the last 30 or so seconds of the 1st half, Saints go in at the break with a 12-6 lead. Then the knock back/ on incident occurs which if ruled correctly may have put Saints up 18-6 with 13mins to go.

Those 2 crucial moments ruined what would have been a really good night for the Saints as I don't see that anyone would have expected them to win. Probably one of the best wins for a very loooooong time.

The boys put in a great effort and played their guts out. It was just unfortunate for those 2 moments. I can feel a good win coming sooner rather than later and maybe a few to follow after that. Saints showed on the day they can beat anyone as they nearly beat a full strength Panthers. They only need to make a few more tweeks such as putting players on that are not a liability like Burns. Carr is doing a good job so far and I love how he is not afraid to bring up refs in his press conference. About time a Saints coach stands up to this rubbish. No other club has consistently been penalised so poorly like Saints have.

I just don't get how Burns gets chance after chance to play FG when others don't. He has a minimum of 3 errors in him a game and most at crucial times. Definitely not a FG. Perfect for ESL or KOE. What has Couchman done to not get picked ahead of him?

 

[Lovemedragons]

If Billy Burns does not drop the ball the last 30 or so seconds of the 1st half, Saints go in at the break with a 12-6 lead. Then the knock back/ on incident occurs which if ruled correctly may have put Saints up 18-6 with 13mins to go.

Those 2 crucial moments ruined what would have been a really good night for the Saints as I don't see that anyone would have expected them to win. Probably one of the best wins for a very loooooong time.

The boys put in a great effort and played their guts out. It was just unfortunate for those 2 moments. I can feel a good win coming sooner rather than later and maybe a few to follow after that. Saints showed on the day they can beat anyone as they nearly beat a full strength Panthers. They only need to make a few more tweeks such as putting players on that are not a liability like Burns. Carr is doing a good job so far and I love how he is not afraid to bring up refs in his press conference. About time a Saints coach stands up to this rubbish. No other club has consistently been penalised so poorly like Saints have.

I just don't get how Burns gets chance after chance to play FG when others don't. He has a minimum of 3 errors in him a game and most at crucial times. Definitely not a FG. Perfect for ESL or KOE. What has Couchman done to not get picked ahead of him?

On Burns i have said it before on here, he seduces you with some nice touches but he simply does not have the fundamentals in place for NRL on a regular basis. The new coach overplayed this one and it hurt the team, no reason for Couchman to be relegated for Burns.

 

[RedVee_8]

That was the Griffin game plan, flat back line and compressed defense. Dont work for us so Ryan Carr change the game plan with at least the deeper back line..

Inherited from Mary, who copied it and the prop as first receiver from Haslers dogs.

Someone has to stand up for this kid.
Seems, initially Sloan was put off by the touchie calling a knock on as he did attempt to run the ball into touch before getting the go ahead by the ref.
Confusion galore for the kid to take in. Then had the ref not stuffed up his call the kid probably had the match winner as he had left Cogger for dead with a brilliant step then blinding acceleration as he set sail for the line. That is the upside of Sloan, reason we have to persevere with him, whether it is at fullback or elsewhere.

Someone needs to take him aside and tell him, no matter what - you play each play out until the ref blows the whistle. Don’t stop for anything else

Ive read quite a few people on here who are talking about next year like weve lost this one already. I cant see why we cant move forward from here and start playing properly. Just requires some people to lose their positions and realise nothing is guaranteed. The stupid errors cant be allowed to go on with no repercussions. In any job youd be out the next day.
But im hopeful we can still turn this year around if we start playing like we mean it

At least dumb mistakes can be learnt from. Not much can be done if you are too slow or too short.

 

[I'm Hornby]

Our attack is still moderate even with Hunt. For someone that is almost eulogized by the media why is he unable to win us close games. He brings little structure, dominates the ball yet leaves quality like Lomax to starve of possession, throws too many hospital passes..need I go on.

I agree on his short comings and my thoughts are that Hunt thrives when he has a good halves partner who can take some of the pressure off him and can bring some structure to the attack. Unfortunately Hunt only had one good five eighth in Widdop in his first season at the club and since then he has had Norman, Amone and Sullivan.

The way I see it Hunt is the only one bringing something to the attack currently and if we get rid of him, we will be well and truely out on our ass.

 

[St_Bondi]

I agree on his short comings and my thoughts are that Hunt thrives when he has a good halves partner who can take some of the pressure off him and can bring some structure to the attack. Unfortunately Hunt only had one good five eighth in Widdop in his first season at the club and since then he has had Norman, Amone and Sullivan.

The way I see it Hunt is the only one bringing something to the attack currently and if we get rid of him, we will be well and truely out on our ass.

Norman and Amone were and are rubbish but Sullivan has been good when given the opportunity and will only get better regardless of whether Ben sticks around or not.

 

[justadragon]

Are you Billy Burns?

Every Burns error just about cost us a try !!! There were others in Ressies that could have done a way better job !!!

 

[I'm Hornby]

Norman and Amone were and are rubbish but Sullivan has been good when given the opportunity and will only get better regardless of whether Ben sticks around or not.

Great, I hope that's true. I'm not seeing Sullivan live up to the hype currently though and he certainly isn't ready to be our halfback at the expense of Hunt.

 

[hewi]

So the NRL has just come out and admitted that Feagai didn’t knock on and it was play on and the ref should not have called it back. WE WERE ROBBED YOU INCOMPETENT PRICKS.

 

[Lovemedragons]

Great, I hope that's true. I'm not seeing Sullivan live up to the hype currently though and he certainly isn't ready to be our halfback at the expense of Hunt.

Sullivan is one of our brighter hopes, he has not been managed well so far but he showed on Sunday he is a first grader that will get better with more game time.

 

[I'm Hornby]

Sullivan is one of our brighter hopes, he has not been managed well so far but he showed on Sunday he is a first grader that will get better with more game time.

Time will tell mate, he wouldn't be the first or last overrated junior who turns in to a flop.

 

[Kolum Kid]

Are you Billy Burns?

Definitely not.
I agree he dropped balls at end of each half hence my ?? about fitness. 80 mins played, 118 mts, 37 tackles, 3 missed.
Maybe less minutes might be the answer. Maybe he should be made to carry a ball around for the next fortnight a la Bennett.
Ps. I'm not the coach either

 

[justadragon]

Definitely not.
I agree he dropped balls at end of each half hence my ?? about fitness. 80 mins played, 118 mts, 37 tackles, 3 missed.
Maybe less minutes might be the answer. Maybe he should be made to carry a ball around for the next fortnight a la Bennett.
Ps. I'm not the coach either

I agree with you KK, those stats dont look too bad on face value, BUT , the errors he had were real costly errors, I would just about say him and Feagei probably cost us the game.

 

[baggygreen man]

It’s good to see a bit of spirit back in the Big Red V

Isn't it just.. brings a extra beat to my old heart.