Rnd 13: vs Sharks

[j0nesy]

Poor call on Dugan - again. It's crazy to shift your best player from one of the most important positions on the field to cover a perceived gap. Deadset just give the young block Runciman a go.

 

[TruSaint]

Poor call on Dugan - again. It's crazy to shift your best player from one of the most important positions on the field to cover a perceived gap. Deadset just give the young block Runciman a go.

+1

 

[Puff2010]

Im totally confused. Not sure what the coaching staff are thinking or the logic (if any) behind the team selection. Sharks have nothing to lose and most likely wont

 

[sharknows]

Gallen said on radio this morning that he was still a chance to line up.
If he plays, they win.

That would be the only possible way the Sharks could get away with this one. I predict we'll play Benji back into form.......Let's just hope both teams show immense improvement and provide a spectacle worthy of the local derby.

 

[Minh]

You know things are bleak when two bottom teams are fearing facing each other.....and a quiet confidence inside that your team may just win this week.

 

[Datramp]

Sharks still have a fair bit of class in that side.

Gardner before he injured his knee was tearing it up from FB. Gordon can play and their back row is pretty strong too - heighngton, lewis and Graham are all competitors. Given the sharks also always rise when they play us I dont think victory is assured. Would be a new low if we lose to that team though

 

[possm]

Poor call on Dugan - again. It's crazy to shift your best player from one of the most important positions on the field to cover a perceived gap. Deadset just give the young block Runciman a go.

I'd love to see Runciman selected however, his form in the Cutters has not been good of late. If Mary wanted him in the team and wanted Thompson in the forwards, the why not put Mata'Utia at right centre and Ruciman on the left wing.

 

[Minh]

I feel Saints will win this one.

 

[GT0007]

I don't think mary is trying to stamp his mark on the team, I think he's just trying to fill some gaps in the team due to injury.

Firstly, you have Peter on the wing. Who do you put with him? You could say Charly or you could say Quinlan. Firstly, Quinlan is too small to be either a winger or centre, so that rules him out. Secondly, putting Charly in the centres on the same side as Peter makes for 2 virtually inexperienced first grade players defending together. It's an easy target for the opposition. Hell, if I was the opposition coach playing against that I'd have a couple of my big boys standing wide running at those 2 all night. Same with Quinlan, target him at centre or wing and it would be easy meters.

Putting Dugan at centre at least allows for some first grade experience and reasonably good defense in that combination - as it is new there will still be issues to iron out but at least you have a head start experience wise on any of the other combos. You might be risking injury, but it is a better combination than any other one available.

Secondly, given his results at the start of the year (and with the agreement of a lot of posters in this forum) Quinlan should be given as much opportunity in FG as possible. It makes sense to bring him in at fullback as that is where he has performed earlier in the year with great success. Even Mary said in the presser that he was disappointed with Quinlans performance against the rabbits and he needs to put in more. One bad game against a massive side does not immediately rule him out of the side.

In an ideal world we would have BMoz on the wing, Farrel in centre and Dugan at fullback. But we don't and I think this is a reasonable combination until we at least get BMoz back on the park.

Well it actually does.

First of all you need players who are contracted to the NRL - part of the NRL salary cap. I doubt we have any of the 20s that fall into that category and there are probably a fair amount of NSW cup players that don't qualify either.

Secondly, everybody is calling for their heads but nobody has offered up a full set of replacements for the forwards. We have a couple of possibilities in the Cutters but not a whole bunch of them. And even then, by all accounts it doesn't seem like they are performing either.

Thirdly, if the players in the cutters aren't performing, why would you promote them to FG? You want them putting pressure on the FG team, not getting in by default. That doesn't do anybody any good. If I had the attitude of the FG forwards and I got dropped for an existing Cutters player I wouldn't be concerned at all. It would be like a 1 or 2 week holiday before I got slotted back in again - by default.

There are no genuine replacements in the current squad to take up the positions. So it's not like Mary has options - he just needs to try to change the attitudes of this team and work with what he has.

Thanks for maintaining some logic and Sanity in the room Dez while I've been busy

 

[GT0007]

I think Possum has the right mix.

As Dezzie said QUINLAN is too small to be a winger or a centre. He should be in the Cutters he just isnt that good of a player to be pushing DUGAN out of position. I dont see QUINLAN as a first grader . Thompson at centre is a good call he has a lot more experience in that position than DUGAN ,we have plenty of second rowers to fill his spotin the pack.

I was one who thought Thompson was one of our better options to cover centre but he was pretty poor and looked like a fish out of water. I agree with Dezziac that if you gonna sack Quinlan for one average game u better bring out the broom cos not many of them have played a good game this year and after one game u want to sack Quinlan? I personally don't think he's a fullback even tho that's where he plays but he is hardly responsible for us losing the last 7/8 as he's only played in 2 of them. Harrison's attempt of tackle at marker last week was probably the worst I've ever seen and consistent with his lack of interest. As far as Dugan getting more work at centre, I don't think ppl realize how much energy is used tracking the ball at fullback.

The reason we lost against Souths was very poor ball control, one dimensinal attack and all backed up by poor ref decisions. Why would we run at Souths forwards one out? We don't have to pass the ball just have options and decoys

 

[GT0007]

I said to a couple people they are playing quinlan at fullback

They replied "whos quinlan"

Thought it sums it up quite well.

No offence but that's just a dumb comment and most likely not a Dragons supporter or not a serious one at least. Besides playing at 6 games 5/8 and a game at fullback last year he played the 1st 4 games at fullback this year and a game at half. What does it even matter though? Everyone has to have their 1st game in FG at some point and the fact that some ppl who don't follow the club very well don't know him is irrelevant

 

[BennyV]

I'd love to see Runciman selected however, his form in the Cutters has not been good of late. If Mary wanted him in the team and wanted Thompson in the forwards, the why not put Mata'Utia at right centre and Ruciman on the left wing.

A right centre playing at right centre? And a left side player on the left wing? All to allow our best fullback to play fullback?

What is this shit? Doesnt sound like Dragons footy at all...

 

[Dezziedc]

Would be interesting to mic Creagh up and see what his communication is like on the field.

I couldn't imagine him saying anything on the field like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSz5dg3CLg8

 

[watatank]

I don't think mary is trying to stamp his mark on the team, I think he's just trying to fill some gaps in the team due to injury.

Firstly, you have Peter on the wing. Who do you put with him? You could say Charly or you could say Quinlan. Firstly, Quinlan is too small to be either a winger or centre, so that rules him out. Secondly, putting Charly in the centres on the same side as Peter makes for 2 virtually inexperienced first grade players defending together. It's an easy target for the opposition. Hell, if I was the opposition coach playing against that I'd have a couple of my big boys standing wide running at those 2 all night. Same with Quinlan, target him at centre or wing and it would be easy meters.

Putting Dugan at centre at least allows for some first grade experience and reasonably good defense in that combination - as it is new there will still be issues to iron out but at least you have a head start experience wise on any of the other combos. You might be risking injury, but it is a better combination than any other one available.

Secondly, given his results at the start of the year (and with the agreement of a lot of posters in this forum) Quinlan should be given as much opportunity in FG as possible. It makes sense to bring him in at fullback as that is where he has performed earlier in the year with great success. Even Mary said in the presser that he was disappointed with Quinlans performance against the rabbits and he needs to put in more. One bad game against a massive side does not immediately rule him out of the side.

In an ideal world we would have BMoz on the wing, Farrel in centre and Dugan at fullback. But we don't and I think this is a reasonable combination until we at least get BMoz back on the park.

Any combination with Dugan available and not at fullback is not a reasonable combination. Quinlan is an ok backup but he's not good enough to justify moving Dugan. If Dugan was ever to be moved it should be for someone that is too good to leave out. Say if we had the next Tedesco for instance. If you look at the Broncos talked about moving Lockyer to the halves for years before they actually did it, and they only did so after a young Karmichael Hunt came into the team. That's the kind of situation where we would think about moving Dugan, not an injury to a winger FFS.

 

[friend10]

Quinlan size don't matter, what about bowen and preston cambell soup

 

[Dezziedc]

That's fine watatank. Your opinion. I disagree with you.

 

[Dezziedc]

Quinlan size don't matter, what about bowen and preston cambell soup

I think it does in the case of wing/centre. With the size of the players filling those roles these days, I think quinlan would struggle to contain them or to break through.

As a fullback or a half - yes. But any other position on the field and his size comes into play. Even fullback these days are becoming much bigger.

 

[watatank]

You're wrong about Runciman and Matautia defending next to each other btw. If Runciman came into the team, he would be defending next to Beale. Matautia would be defending next to Nightingale.

 

[Dezziedc]

You're wrong about Runciman and Matautia defending next to each other btw. If Runciman came into the team, he would be defending next to Beale. Matautia would be defending next to Nightingale.

Yes you are right. They would be opposite sides of the park. There must be some other reason that Charly hasn't been brought into the team. As possm suggests it is potentially his form.

 

[possm]

You're wrong about Runciman and Matautia defending next to each other btw. If Runciman came into the team, he would be defending next to Beale. Matautia would be defending next to Nightingale.

Exactly! And this is the only way they should go if they want Thompson in the backrow. It is the only choice a good head coach would make.

Look Quinlan tries his heart out but he is no Dugan. At the back Dugan has been our trump card and so there is no good reason to move him.

You know if the Board is considering Daley for head coach and McGregor as assistant coach, I could see the reason why McGregor is selecting Dugan at right centre.