Round 1 v Cowboys

[BLM01]

Dufty was huge last year v the Cowboys. They have a huge pack. If we can make them do some more tackling he will run some rings in the last 30 of this match, if given the chance.

Watching Widdop at the back makes me miss DUgan. That's not a great thing. Captain should be holding the ball.

Dufty was huge last year v the Cowboys. They have a huge pack. If we can make them do some more tackling he will run some rings in the last 30 of this match, if given the chance.

Watching Widdop at the back makes me miss DUgan. That's not a great thing. Captain should be holding the ball.

If Dugan's salary matched his worth and fumbles over the try line I would too agree with you re missing him but i have seen enough to say we dont.

 

[True_Believer]

McGregor apologists don’t see the bleeding obvious.

Lol. You just don’t get it do you?

 

[hewi]

I’m depressed and haven’t slept well as I feel it will be a long winter. This is déjà vu all over again. Go back two years, our forwards with Mitch Rein would only make 50 meters a set and we couldn’t get in the zone to be a threat on the last tackle so up went the middle field bomb. When we did get in the opposition 10/20 we didn’t know what to do 12/18 tackles and no points, it was a shambles. Sound familiar? Last night. The same coach who couldn’t fix it then won’t fix it now. Souths will flog us. Sorry, I hope I’m proved wrong but we won’t make the 8.

 

[kit66]

Did Lafai play????

You can't blame last night on Lafai. He got early ball just once but the defence were up to it.
From our three games so far this year it seems like our successful left side attacking raids have been shelved and we persist with getting the ball to Hunt on the right, over and over. In the CS we had opportunities aplenty to go left and Norman kept turning the ball back to the right so many times I was screaming at the telly.
You create some space and get Lafai early ball and he's as dangerous as any centre in the game. Our problem last night wasn't him, wasn't Aitken, wasn't McInnes or any of the forum whipping boys it was our halves not co-ordinating, not reading the game, not setting up any plays and not kicking very well - although Hunt got in some good clearing kicks when needed. That and fatigue and one out running.

The rest of the boys put in a great defensive effort I though against a huge pack who had the luxury training in the same weather conditions and having numerous forward passes let go by the refs.

 

[Life's Good]

I’m not about to write the season off like some here. I don’t think we’ll win the comp either.
For me, last night highlighted/confirmed a couple of things:
1) Widdop should not be fullback. His attacking combination with Hunt is a strength in our game that is now weakened. Norman should be fullback(he’s not a bench player for the money he is being paid).
2) Our bench, with Dufty, was too light. I’m afraid if Dufty isn’t a starter he plays NSW Cup(I’m a Dufty fan BTW). It’s like when Bennett tapped Nighty on the shoulder in 09 for Sailor & said ‘your time will come’. Mary needs to do that with Dufty because our bench, a problem area for 2+ years isn’t any better.

 

[Crush]

Of the other games I’ve watched, Storm, Broncos, Rabbits, Chooks, Sharks, Knights and Cows looked well drilled. Why did we look like a rabble?
Did we actually work on anything this pre season?

Sharks looked well drilled? Seriously? They were so clunky. Go to their forum, there is a thread titled "clunky" it describes how non-well drilled they were.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Mary's selection criteria & bench utilisation

 

[kit66]

Prediction
McGregor sacked round 4 after Dragons 4 losses in a row.
Can anyone else see us winning in the next 3 weeks?

Yeah, Round 3, we get K.Sims back for the Broncos game who'll play well against his former team mates and hopefully we'll move Frizzel back to the right edge. Hunt also likes to play against the Broncs, he'll step up and we'll give them another hiding. Next week though, we're toast. Short turnaround from a bruising and draining encounter in the Townsville heat and humidity to come up against another huge pack, probably without Frizzel as well, could get ugly.
We should beat Newcastle as well, I'm not buying the hype on them yet.

 

[getsmarty]

Yeah, Round 3, we get K.Sims back for the Broncos game who'll play well against his former team mates and hopefully we'll move Frizzel back to the right edge. Hunt also likes to play against the Broncs, he'll step up and we'll give them another hiding. Next week though, we're toast. Short turnaround from a bruising and draining encounter in the Townsville heat and humidity to come up against another huge pack, probably without Frizzel as well, could get ugly.
We should beat Newcastle as well, I'm not buying the hype on them yet.

Sterlo just stated on the footy Show that he doesn't think Widdop will remain at Fullback for the entire season... stated that he was better suited to 5/8 and that we are missing his short kicking game because Norman and hunt cannot produce as good as Widdop. Thaiday said that we look better when dufty comes on....

Over to you McGregor...I bet nothing changes because he is too stubborn.

P.S Fittler confirmed Frizz out for up to 6 weeks.

 

[True_Believer]

You can't blame last night on Lafai. He got early ball just once but the defence were up to it.
From our three games so far this year it seems like our successful left side attacking raids have been shelved and we persist with getting the ball to Hunt on the right, over and over. In the CS we had opportunities aplenty to go left and Norman kept turning the ball back to the right so many times I was screaming at the telly.
You create some space and get Lafai early ball and he's as dangerous as any centre in the game. Our problem last night wasn't him, wasn't Aitken, wasn't McInnes or any of the forum whipping boys it was our halves not co-ordinating, not reading the game, not setting up any plays and not kicking very well - although Hunt got in some good clearing kicks when needed. That and fatigue and one out running.

The rest of the boys put in a great defensive effort I though against a huge pack who had the luxury training in the same weather conditions and having numerous forward passes let go by the refs.

Absolutely spot on. Couldn’t have said it better.

 

[Lovemedragons]

Taumalolo was the difference tonight, nothing more than that.

If we're looking for finger pointing I would be looking in the forwards, not the backs.

For mine Vaughan was really disappointing, for a man of his size his running is almost turned to plodder status, yes he ran 130m but soft very soft. I am a big fan of his so I hope he turns it around soon. I thought Lawrie outshone him tonight.

Ravalawa had a decent debut, lets not forget he was playing park footy for the majority of 2018. His 10 tackle breaks lead me to believe he has got something special, maybe in the dry we will see more of his ability.

Thought Norman was ok, he was always, in attack, looking to create, but alas no-one would really run off him. Work in progress I would say.

Remember too that we had K,SIms out for this game and he would have added some spice when we needed it. Latimore just does what Latimore does, nothing more.

Disappointed with the loss, but there are some sparks there, it wasn't entirely a black out.

We will wait for the presser and McGregors use of the book of excuses 101.

Yes Taumalolo was the difference, he was just about the only player on the field who played as if they belonged in FG. The loss for us was set in stone with the team list published on Tuesday. It is an unbalanced and horrible setup, blending Norman into the side is just too much a challenge for McGregor. Its like watching Theresa May come up with a decent Brexit plan - just clueless! What was his thinking with Dufty on the bench, really what was it?? If it was to throw him in cold (and wet) with 10 to go and a mountain to climb. Was this worth being a forward short on a wet night? And what was the thinking to choosing to disrupt a pretty successful spine by moving 2 good players to fit 1 in, a player new to the club and style, a recipe for maximum disruption rather than finding a more sensible path for Norman to blend in over time (ie centre or bench or reserve grade).Widdop at fullback is scary, he doesn't look comfortable at all. And our wingers are ordinary at best at this stage, which is less of McGregors fault. Souths are going to lap this team if he puts out the same line up.

 

[avocado]

Sharks looked well drilled? Seriously? They were so clunky. Go to their forum, there is a thread titled "clunky" it describes how non-well drilled they were.

Nearly didn’t add them but tbh they were way better than we were.
We looked lost and bereft of ideas.
Late in the first half when Tariq got the ball on the last and attempted a kick. I knew then we were screwed.

It was as if we hadn’t trained with each other at all.

 

[getsmarty]

Late in the first half when Tariq got the ball on the last and attempted a kick. I knew then we were screwed.

It was as if we hadn’t trained with each other at all.

Maybe that's what happens at training LOL

 

[SET2JT]

I thought we controlled the game well in the first half. 2nd half really showed the lack of depth we had in the fowards. Sims and JDB were missied. We looked so tired and couldn't match it with them. Could be the heat in NQld also. Our young winger was out on his feet.

 

[SET2JT]

Also in the first 10 min Aitken dummies and strolls over. Must be listening to you all and he decides to pass for his first time ever.

 

[Life's Good]

Also in the first 10 min Aitken dummies and strolls over. Must be listening to you all and he decides to pass for his first time ever.

Well spotted. I thought the same at the time.

 

[Dragon for life]

I’m not about to write the season off like some here. I don’t think we’ll win the comp either.
For me, last night highlighted/confirmed a couple of things:
1) Widdop should not be fullback. His attacking combination with Hunt is a strength in our game that is now weakened. Norman should be fullback(he’s not a bench player for the money he is being paid).
2) Our bench, with Dufty, was too light. I’m afraid if Dufty isn’t a starter he plays NSW Cup(I’m a Dufty fan BTW). It’s like when Bennett tapped Nighty on the shoulder in 09 for Sailor & said ‘your time will come’. Mary needs to do that with Dufty because our bench, a problem area for 2+ years isn’t any better.

Agree with the dufty comment. If he’s not starting then he’s not playing. Waste of a bench player really. You pretty much need 4 forwards on the bench with one of them being able to fill in in the backline if needed.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Lol. You just don’t get it do you?

Mediocrity? No, I never will.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Norman is hogging the ball at dummy half not sure mcinness is overly wrapped by it

Why does McInnes prefer the blind side on too many occasions?

His decision making is shocking.

 

[True_Believer]

Mediocrity? No, I never will.

What are you doing about it?