Round 11 v Sharks

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I’d also be concerned that Cody Ramsay will not be fit to play against the Sharks. He coped an ankle injury and looked like he had his whole foot/ankle taped to his boot to keep him out there. He certainly appeared in some discomfort.

He does look busted. Pereira is back and we really need him. We might need to consider using Merrin’s money for an outside back.

 

[I see Dragons]

Signing Mcguire was a DUMB move, he has an offence history longer than his ink encrusted arm and getting longer. Playing old style football gets you new style beaten! Wonder why the cowpats were glad to be rid of him?

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

My side for this weekend if Wiliame is back
1.Ramsey
2.JP
3.Wiliame
4.Bird
5.Feagai
6.Norman
7.Hunt
8.Alvaro
9.Macca
10.Vaughan
11.Burns
12.Kerr
13.Lawrie
14.Faumausili
14.Ellis
15.Ford
16.Amone
There are teams with better reserve grade sides but let’s just let the ball sing like we did vs Melbourne and see what happens.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Signing Mcguire was a DUMB move, he has an offence history longer than his ink encrusted arm and getting longer. Playing old style football gets you new style beaten! Wonder why the cowpats were glad to be rid of him?

View attachment 48557

We are just resting him up for the finals.

 

[RedVDave]

My side for this weekend if Wiliame is back
1.Ramsey
2.JP
3.Wiliame
4.Bird
5.Feagai
6.Norman
7.Hunt
8.Alvaro
9.Macca
10.Vaughan
11.Burns
12.Kerr
13.Lawrie
14.Faumausili
14.Ellis
15.Ford
16.Amone
There are teams with better reserve grade sides but let’s just let the ball sing like we did vs Melbourne and see what happens.

Good call I forgot all about Williame if he's back I agree slot him straight into the centres need as much experience as possible.

 

[Smurf]

My side for this weekend if Wiliame is back
1.Ramsey
2.JP
3.Wiliame
4.Bird
5.Feagai
6.Norman
7.Hunt
8.Alvaro
9.Macca
10.Vaughan
11.Burns
12.Kerr
13.Lawrie
14.Faumausili
14.Ellis
15.Ford
16.Amone
There are teams with better reserve grade sides but let’s just let the ball sing like we did vs Melbourne and see what happens.

Solid team considering what we have to play with

My only smokie is Sloane

 

[redVinme]

Who plays hooker if Macca is out?

 

[RedVDave]

Who plays hooker if Macca is out?

I think he'll be okay but to answer your question I'd say Wishart.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Who plays hooker if Macca is out?

If Macca is out I would play Wishart but drop Amone for Clune who could play some minutes there.

 

[thebigredv]

Half the game plan is already written. Don't tackle near the head. Chances are there will be 3 or 4 of these per match for a while and of these one or two will result in sin bins. So as long is it is the opposition that transgresses, you go a long way to winning under new measures.

If our team rolls over as meekly as they have for the judiciary, we will be soundly beaten. Interested to see the the team, hope we get loads of young blokes in with a zest for winning and make it hard for Sharks to do their homework. Rava, Lomax and Dufty's absence might make it a bridge too far.

 

[Dragonslayer]

New game plan:

Run with the ball at neck level. If they want to wrap up the ball they run a risk mmmm

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

New game plan:

Run with the ball at neck level. If they want to wrap up the ball they run a risk mmmm

Excellent suggestion. That'll stuff'em.

 

[Crush]

New game plan:

Run with the ball at neck level. If they want to wrap up the ball they run a risk mmmm

You say that jokingly no doubt but get ready for the game to be unbearably like soccer for a while with constant stoppages as players roll around on the ground until they get the penalty they think they deserve. It’ll be coached too.
Then sometime next season they’ll bring in an overnight rule that those milking penalties will be a send off and SGI will be the hardest hit team as usual.

 

[Number of the Beath]

Half the game plan is already written. Don't tackle near the head.

Or, in Sims & McGuire's case, don't tackle around the legs either.

For the last 20 years I've said that if there was no Dragons I would not watch rugby league. It's getting harder to stick to that vow. Constant, ill-advised, knee-jerk rule changes which always seem to advantage the same teams (or perhaps they're just smarter and better at exploiting them) have contributed to the spoiling of the game, along with the incessant contract talk. I've become convinced that they focus on this stuff because the game itself has become over-officiated, over-coached (to a forensic degree) and sterile. It barely resembles the game I grew up watching in the (very) late 60s/70s/80s and it's not a better product in my opinion. It's just like a demolition derby now. It was in some ways a less sophisticated game ( punches thrown, coat-hangers etc ) but the skills on display were sublime. Now you have teams with barely a player capable of kicking a field goal from 20m.

 

[thebigredv]

Or, in Sims & McGuire's case, don't tackle around the legs either.

For the last 20 years I've said that if there was no Dragons I would not watch rugby league. It's getting harder to stick to that vow. Constant, ill-advised, knee-jerk rule changes which always seem to advantage the same teams (or perhaps they're just smarter and better at exploiting them) have contributed to the spoiling of the game, along with the incessant contract talk. I've become convinced that they focus on this stuff because the game itself has become over-officiated, over-coached (to a forensic degree) and sterile. It barely resembles the game I grew up watching in the (very) late 60s/70s/80s and it's not a better product in my opinion. It's just like a demolition derby now. It was in some ways a less sophisticated game ( punches thrown, coat-hangers etc ) but the skills on display were sublime. Now you have teams with barely a player capable of kicking a field goal from 20m.

The current rules, although I appreciate the intention, will make the game untenable. If it doesn't quite resemble the game from the good old days now, in a matter of mere months from now it will be unrecognisable beyond belief. There will be some adjustments by players and coaches in days to come, but accidents are going to cost grand finals, origin series or otherwise great contests.

I will be honest. I am ok with some changes to keep up with the times, although not my preference, its justifiable. It's lost its character for sure but its still entertaining for mine. However... throw in blatant inconsistency and favouring, and I feel insulted to the point of tears. I am someone who knew every player in every squad growing up, who simulated every game with my footy in the front yard. Since then my club has been taken, cheapened and treated like garbage. Magic round showed the beauty of the red and white fans stretched far and wide in this land, the game collects big time on this image. And within 13 minutes those fans had the spectacle ruined. The last couple years the club were its own worst enemy, employing him whom will remain nameless, and now it seems the NRL are coming in for the kill. What's left to love.

 

[FlameThrower]

1. Norman
2. Ramsey
3. Bird
4. Feagai
5. Pereira
6. Amone
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. McCulloch
10. Vaughn
11. Kerr
12. Ford
13. Faamasili

14. Clune
15. Burns
16. Alvaro
17. Ellis

Compare that squad to a ‘decimated’ Roosters side and do the maths...

 

[FlameThrower]

1. Norman
2. Ramsey
3. Bird
4. Feagai
5. Pereira
6. Amone
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. McCulloch
10. Vaughn
11. Kerr
12. Ford
13. Faamasili

14. Clune
15. Burns
16. Alvaro
17. Ellis

Compare that squad to a ‘decimated’ Roosters side and do the maths...

New game plan:

Run with the ball at neck level. If they want to wrap up the ball they run a risk mmmm

and no short kick off.

 

[Dragon David]

I have been so negative in my recent posts on different threads but after Fui got sent off, that was the last straw and I could not bear to watch the game after that and have remained really peaved off. We had Buckleys chance of winning with 12 men for most of the game. I did switch the TV on again and the reality set in when the Storm were throwing the ball around and running circles around our players with ease.

The Storm's win against us should not be lauded given our predicament throughout the game and I only wish that we had the chance of us having 13 against 13 all game to truly see if we are any force but to no avail.

The game against the Sharks could be testy and now that the new rules are in place for the remaining rounds, how many of our players will be left standing and the same goes for other teams' players? How many more suspensions, sin bins and will there be any decent players left, will anything bad happen to the Panthers, Eels, Storm, Roosters and Bunnies? If anything bad does happen to these 5 teams, the coaches will be up in arms and the the NRL will bend the rules to suit them no doubt.

If this happens, rugby league will be dead as far as I am concerned.

 

[Maddragon99]

1 Ramsey
2 Sloan
3 Bird
4 Max Feagai
5 JP
6 Norman
7 Hunt
8 Laurie
9 McCullough
10 Vaughan
11 Burns
12 Ford
13 Kerr

14 Alvaro
15 Faamausili
16 Ellis
17 Amone

I think we should be able to handle Cronulla. But any more injuries or suspensions & we’ll be in deep trouble.

 

[thebigredv]

How many more suspensions, sin bins and will there be any decent players left, will anything bad happen to the Panthers, Eels, Storm, Roosters and Bunnies? If anything bad does happen to these 5 teams, the coaches will be up in arms and the the NRL will bend the rules to suit them no doubt.

Mate, I'm in the same boat in which I am just about ready to give up on this game. Maybe a week where we benefit from some stray head highs and it will help with the anger issues. I don't know, I am hanging out for something. That's what being a Dragons fan has become of late, waiting around fo rthe tides to change.

In regards to the 5 teams... this is already happening. Do you think it is a coincidence that Bellamy, Robinson and Bennett all came out in support of pal V'landys move to come down hard on this? Is it little wonder that each of their teams benefitted from the ruling? You know it is and yet you start to doubt it just a little...why? Because of the deafening silence in the media that does not touch on favouritism. They don't want a bar of it. Graham, admittedly with Dragons allegiance, mentioned Kaufusi's hit on Norman...met with complete silence. Whether it is because there are fingers in pies or so as not to dirty the image of the game, it does little to address why we have a chasm in the game that is becoming gigantic. It will get even worse as the inconsistencies play out and the exemptions are applied to star players. This is a directive coming from the Roosters. Mark my words. Now Robinson is on TV saying all teams must adjust to the way Tedesco runs. Sorry, I don't think so.