Round 1 Games

[George Sancti]

From the games played so far, I have enjoyed seeing the need for increased endurance than what has been required in recent years. I also feel that teams will be able to carry a couple of smaller players who are only fair in defence, provided they can provide good support play for the entire game.

 

[Gareth67]

If the dogs have a mountain to climb then we are scaling Mt Everest.

McGregors dragons minus frizell and cam would be definite wooden Spooners in this year's comp. Let's see what Griffin can muster. Anyway you look at it, feels like more pain coming for us. Yes we have some young exciting backs but still no bodies able to lay a platform.

I think that the bodies are there thebigredv in the shape of Vaughan , Kerr , Simms and Paamausilii, they need the heart , fire and brimstone injected into them - a big ask I realize , however until they find it as you say we will be a in for a high climb .

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I thought with the losses of players Penrith would go down a notch, they look even better. I can see them building into a very formidable side considering how many chances they blew. In saying that the Cowboys, Bulldogs, and even Titans with all their new signings look like they may help us avoid the spoon.

 

[Dragon David]

I thought with the losses of players Penrith would go down a notch, they look even better. I can see them building into a very formidable side considering how many chances they blew. In saying that the Cowboys, Bulldogs, and even Titans with all their new signings look like they may help us avoid the spoon.

Even after 6 games, you can see which teams will be in the top 8 already. I'm not giving up on us winning on Sunday and we will be in the top 8 when we do.

 

[Maddragon99]

Even after 6 games, you can see which teams will be in the top 8 already. I'm not giving up on us winning on Sunday and we will be in the top 8 when we do.

Ground Hog Day continues in the NRL

Roosters & Storm will take 2 top 4 spots, Penrith & Parra will be up there somewhere. Souths, Canberra, Newcastle will be competitive Warriors improving.

Critical we come away with a win on Sunday to make a statement.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Ground Hog Day continues in the NRL

Roosters & Storm will take 2 top 4 spots, Penrith & Parra will be up there somewhere. Souths, Canberra, Newcastle will be competitive Warriors improving.

Critical we come away with a win on Sunday to make a statement.

Penrith, Melbourne, Roosters, Storm and Canberra will fight for a heavily contested top 4. Parra, Knights should be in the 8 leaving 1 spot for mine. Warriors, and Tigers I feel have the best chance. Let’s just hope we beat the sharks and go from there. Injuries can change everything though. An injury to Nathan Cleary, Pap, Tedesco etc could change the whole top 8.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Saabs have always been overrated.
In truth, l was never keen on him with us.
Hope he finds his level, just not against us.

He has all the physical attributes to be a really good player but he played rubbish the other night and most of his games for us. Makes me smile hearing how he demanded selection for us last season when in all honesty JP would have done a better job for Manly last night.

 

[redv13]

He has all the physical attributes to be a really good player but he played rubbish the other night and most of his games for us. Makes me smile hearing how he demanded selection for us last season when in all honesty JP would have done a better job for Manly last night.

Loved watching Saab have a shocker. Just deserts buddy boy

 

[LINESPEED]

Frizell signed with the knights well in avance of Mary being sacked and Griffin being announced as our new coach. He had had enough and his wife was very uneasy with the way Mary and our Board was handling the De Belin affair.

For me it was not just losing Frizell, the painful part is that the Club did not replace him like for like. I doubt Kerr will ever rise to the level that Frizell is at.

And yes, the Newcastle coaching staff seems to have listen to Frizell and added a few more strings to his bow.

Couldn’t help but feel happy for Brownie’s joy at some sensible offseason recruiting:

“ I still remember getting the call from Peter O’Sullivan saying we are a chance of getting this bloke and I didn’t really believe him, I nearly fell off my chair because they don’t come along every day,” he said.

“He’s a world-class player isn’t he. I said before - we were fortunate to get Addin.

“Recruitment is the key to any successful club. If you don’t recruit well, you don’t do well. Being able to get a player of Addin’s talent and skill was very important. He plays a very important position.”

.... And as Ennis has so adroitly put it,
they recruited the “fear factor” into their pack

That ‘fear’ was integral to our DNA in our heyday
Possm

But what can we say of our current lazy Board’s DNA?
Easy:
DO NOT ACT
in our Club’s best interests

All the best to our players today
... just leave nothing on the paddock fellas.

Simple stuff.

.... make us proud on our walk up the hill to Carlton

 

[Drakon]

Penrith, Melbourne, Roosters, Storm and Canberra will fight for a heavily contested top 4. Parra, Knights should be in the 8 leaving 1 spot for mine. Warriors, and Tigers I feel have the best chance. Let’s just hope we beat the sharks and go from there. Injuries can change everything though. An injury to Nathan Cleary, Pap, Tedesco etc could change the whole top 8.

Hey FCD, I'm thinking you forgot Souths. I think they'll definitely be in the 8. Far too much depth for even injuries to trouble them too much to make it in. I agree with your other definites. To get in the 8, I think there's two spots to be contested.

Edited: From one spot to be contested to two spots

 

[possm]

I thought with the losses of players Penrith would go down a notch, they look even better. I can see them building into a very formidable side considering how many chances they blew. In saying that the Cowboys, Bulldogs, and even Titans with all their new signings look like they may help us avoid the spoon.

Penrith are currently in the position that St George Illawarra should be in. They have a majority of local juniors who have come up through the ranks and used to playing combinations they formed in previous seasons.

I have faith that we will again arrive in that place, despite our useless Board and our useless recruitment staff. The only problem we have is that there seems to be a shortage of really good forwards coming through in our junior ranks.

So, why not use 2021 to bring on our young backs and then 2022 to recruit forwards to take us through until pathways begins to supply junior forwards. I'd really like Wishart to occupy the utility bench spot playing in tandem with Brittain in reserve grade as part of his development in 2021. He needs to continue with the development of his 'Cook' like' attack while at the same time, substantially improve his defensive skills. Doing this off the bench against men is a step in the right direction.

 

[Dragon David]

Penrith, Melbourne, Roosters, Storm and Canberra will fight for a heavily contested top 4. Parra, Knights should be in the 8 leaving 1 spot for mine. Warriors, and Tigers I feel have the best chance. Let’s just hope we beat the sharks and go from there. Injuries can change everything though. An injury to Nathan Cleary, Pap, Tedesco etc could change the whole top 8.

You could be right FCD. The season has just started and we still have just over 6 months of footy to go. A lot of water will flow under the bridge and with the current way the guys have to play because of the new rules, energy will be sapped quite a lot and this can increase the chance of injuries with poor timing in tackles etc. Should the "big" clubs lose a Keary, Tedesco, Cleary, Munster, Pap, Mitchell, etc. through some major injury, the depth of the club could be stretched and the outcome at the end a different story.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Hey FCD, I'm thinking you forgot Souths. I think they'll definitely be in the 8. Far too much depth for even injuries to trouble them too much. I agree with your other definites. To get in the 8, I think there's only one spot to be contested.

I did forget South’s for some reason. I actually wrote Melbourne twice must have had a brain fart but yes those five teams will fight out the top 4 with Parra also a good shot. There is a huge fight for that last spot maybe two in the 8.

 

[BLM01]

Hey FCD, I'm thinking you forgot Souths. I think they'll definitely be in the 8. Far too much depth for even injuries to trouble them too much. I agree with your other definites. To get in the 8, I think there's only one spot to be contested.

I disagree. Not that they wont make the 8..they will, but if they lose Mitchell to injury for me they cant win the comp without him.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Hudson Young is a good player, easily replaces Bateman.

 

[possm]

Raiders 24, Tigers 6 with 11min to go.

 

[Dragsters]

Hudson Young is a good player, easily replaces Bateman.

He is and they still have CHN and Horsborough to come back.

Worth our recruitment team keeping an eye on that situation me thinks...

 

[possm]

Raiders 24, Tigers 12.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

He is and they still have CHN and Horsborough to come back.

Worth our recruitment team keeping an eye on that situation me thinks...

Yeah good point, id even take Horsburgh the big angry ginger.

 

[Dragon David]

I'd like to add something on this thread, however, I'm leaving it until the final game of the round. A better picture will be presented particularly where we will be heading after the game.

The Round 1 games are over and it is fair to say that the winning sides (excepting Cronulla who will be taken over by Souths in the table in a few weeks) will be there at the end of the season.

We showed more enthusiasm with a bit more toughness but when you make so many errors and lose possession so often, you're not going to win the games. When the Sharks hit 14 nil with their lucky bounces for their tries, the conditions didn't suit us and we couldn't get on the scoreboard in the first half which if we did might have got us ahead of them in the second half after we put on the 12 points.

We cannot afford to continue to do what we have been with our mistakes and not completing our sets against the better teams as we will get smashed.

The worst scenario is us going into the last game fighting to avoid getting the wooden spoon and going by the way some other teams played in Round 1, there are several contenders.