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Round 11 vs Canberra

T

The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
Dennis Papaioannou said:
Well that's a compelling argument.
BUT, his 7 tries could also totally support FF's argument.
I can think of at least 2 occasions where he should have passed the ball to the "slowest winger in the game" and hogged it.
Luckily he scored to add to his tally.
What were he stats today? Hardly sighted and totally outplayed.
Stats are great but they don't always tell the whole story.
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Indeed they don’t, but some are very hard to argue with. Like being the top try scorer in your position pretty handily refutes an accusation of being a handicap in attack.
I totally agree his passing needs improvement, that’s fair. But a handicap?
I can also recall 1 pass he gave to nighty that most wingers would’ve scored off, and another that the top 6-10 wingers would’ve taken and scored off.
 
Dennis Papaioannou

Dennis Papaioannou

Bench
Messages
2,866
The Damo said:
Indeed they don’t, but some are very hard to argue with. Like being the top try scorer in your position pretty handily refutes an accusation of being a handicap in attack.
I totally agree his passing needs improvement, that’s fair. But a handicap?
I can also recall 1 pass he gave to nighty that most wingers would’ve scored off, and another that the top 6-10 wingers would’ve taken and scored off.
Click to expand...
I just think our right side is unbalanced - for me its not an Aitkin or Nightingale issue.
It's a McGregor issue.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,410
Dragons stay top of the ladder with win over Raiders
Local Sport
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MATCH-WINNER: Some individual brilliance from Matt Dufty saw the Dragons defeat Canberra 25-18 in Mudgee on Sunday. Picture: AAP

NEVER in doubt. At least that's how Dragons coach Paul McGregor felt during his side's 25-18 win over Canberra in Mudgee on Saturday.

It may have been a different story for red v fans who were probably a little more nervous with the scores locked at 18-all with 11 minutes to play.

Even after livewire fullback Matt Dufty produced arguably the best individual try of the season for a 24-18 lead, memories of a golden-point loss to the Raiders last season may well have tempered the joy.

The fact that loss proved one of the final nails in their side's playoffs coffin may also have been in the back of their minds, even when Gareth Widdop nailed a field goal for a seven-point buffer four minutes from time.

He saw enough from his side last year to share those misgivings but, in marked contrast to last season, McGregor said he always felt confident his side would get home.

"The sign of a good side is winning when you're not at your best and we did enough today to win which is very pleasing," McGregor said.

"We were thinking the correct state of mind with our execution at times was a little bit off. We were happy to get the two points, certainly we'll take a lot of today and move forward into a really tough game next week against Penrith.

"We bounced back after a loss for the second time this year so that's pretty important. I thought the control the boys had at different stages when we got some good field position was very good.

"I never thought we'd lose the game, but it was challenging at times when we continued to give the opposition opportunity through ourselves a little bit."

The belief his side is never out of a game isn't entirely misplaced when you can bank on the individual brilliance of players like Dufty, whose scintillating effort all but sealed the win.

Dufty also had a hand in a brilliant team try to Widdop, kicking ahead for his captain for his captain's 48th minute try, shrugging off some early errors, including the one that opened the door for Nick Cotric's third-minute four-pointer.

"He came up with a few errors but it was great to see he didn't go into becoming quiet,” McGregor said.

"For a young bloke that's really pleasing because he's still learning his craft at fullback. Sometimes when you're a young guy, in the week to week rigours of the NRL, when you come up with a couple of errors you can go quiet, but I think Duft really grew and got us back in the game through sheer brilliance.

“[He had] a couple of errors, a couple of tries, so it was a mixed day, but he certainly brings a point of difference with that speed.”

Jack de Belin and Joey Leilua traded tries in the first half after Cotric's opener, with two penalty goals to Widdop seeing the scores level at 10 apiece at halftime.

The Dragons led 18-12 after Widdop's try before the Raiders leveled up through another long-range effort to Jordan Rapana. It gave them a sniff before Dufty's solo show sealed the deal.



https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5415974/dufty-sees-off-raiders-in-mudgee-road-war/?cs=302
 
B

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
6,323
Old Timer said:
My take aways from today's game and it is a given about bench selection, bench rotation and Nighty.
  1. Mudgee is the nicest ground to play on after KJO as the playing surface was fantastic.
  2. We have more individual brilliance this year than the past 6 years (take a bow Mr Dufty and to a lesser degree Mr Hunt).
  3. The individual brilliance makes us look much better than we are and for many still masks the underlying and very obvious deficiencies in our side.
  4. Without individual brilliance we would have probably lost 1 if not 2 other games and at some point IMO it will catch up with us big time.
  5. 10 metres out from the opposition is the worst position on the field for us and we play poorly when there, which is a lot.
  6. Graham looking flogged (I think he came to us with an underlying problem) brings very little to us in attack and is stifling it when he plays 2nd receiver. Yes I know his defence etc all helps but he must be managed better and kept out of the attacking plays as much as possible and I think his on field value next year is now very questionable.
  7. Up until a couple of weeks ago I thought that I got it wrong about Sims and that he is actually an 80 minute player but I don't think he can sustain it for the season without him getting flogged as well. He will be much better and effective for longer if the bench rotation gives him a bit of a break.
  8. If our discipline is as bad against the good sides as it was today we are in for some serious problems and a few floggings.
  9. No doubt last year we probably lose todays game so that is a positive but against good quality opposition we wouldn't have been allowed the freedom to come back so the win has to be put into the correct context.
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I agree with all your points OT particularly James Graham he looks absolutely busted at the moment and has been imo for a few weeks now....he copped a good tackle first up yesterday and it really rocked him .Im sure hes not 100% because he looks stifled right from the start of our recent games and I dont think theres a good offload in him at present...theres no doubt of his toughness and determination but hes not the player he used to be...now whether thats because of his surgery or current injury or just father time catching up with him quickly Im not sure, but Im with you I doubt we will get two years out if him.....I love the guy but theres something not right there atm
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,410
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DRAGONS


McGregor likes the way his players are bouncing back
Author
Chris Kennedy
Timestamp
Sun 20 May 2018, 05:45 PM

Dragons coach Paul McGregor says the most important part of Sunday's 25-18 win over Canberra in Mudgee wasn't banking wins ahead of a tough Origin period, or winning while down on form, but simply hitting back after a loss for the second time this year.

The Dragons were frustrated into a 20-12 by an impressive Warriors outfit in round seven and bounced back with a crucial and convincing Anzac Day win over the Roosters.

Last week the Red V was shut down by an energetic South Sydney pack and again hit back, this time teaching Canberra a lesson in how to close out a tight game.

"The sign of a good side is winning when you're not at your best and we did enough today to win which is very pleasing," McGregor said.

"We were thinking the correct state of mind with our execution at times was a little bit off. We were happy to get the two points, certainly we'll take a lot of today and move forward into a really tough game next week against Penrith.

"We bounced back after a loss for the second time this year so that's pretty important. I thought the control the boys had at different stages when we got some good field position was very good.

"I never thought we'd lose the game, but it was challenging at times when we continued to give the opposition opportunity through ourselves a little bit."

Match highlights: Dragons v Raiders - Round 11, 2018

With the entire Dragons starting forward pack outside James Graham in with a genuine shot of making Brad Fittler's Blues team for the Holden State of Origin opener, McGregor knows wins now are crucial.

"We know what we've got coming," McGregor said.

"I don't know how many but next week we play another quality team [in Penrith] the week before the [NSW] team get picked.

"So I'm sure all the players in my shed will be really keen to go out there and play at their best next week in front of what will be a good crowd, in front of the selectors and Freddie, and to give themselves every opportunity to make that Blues jumper.

"One would think Benny [Hunt] is a shoo-in for Queensland, but we'll worry about Origin when it comes up to be honest and when we know a bit more about it.

"But we're certainly putting things in place with our young guys."


https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/05/20...-likes-the-way-his-players-are-bouncing-back/
 
Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,840
getsmarty said:
Click to expand...

My gad ! Now there all doing that bluudy arm twirling - it's like its an infectious disease that has worked its way through the whole mob . Someone must have a few roles of gaffa tape to wrap around their arms and strap them to the side of their bodies .
 
giboz71

giboz71

First Grade
Messages
9,745
Statistically, most sides attack left utilising right to left passing. It’s how Nighty got 16 tries last year.

Stands to reason that right side defences leak the most tries.

We definitely need to improve in this area and having the slowest winger in the comp doesn’t help but we are not the worst team by any means.

And we are still Number 1 in defence after 11 rounds.
 
Lovemedragons

Lovemedragons

Juniors
Messages
1,481
blacksafake said:
What do you expect from Klein
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Klein is a bloody show pony, he looks to make his own impact by picking out ambiguos penalties (ie Frizell yesterday) which can change momentum yet misses the bloody obvious calls here, I am really cranky about how he and all the other referees, touch judges, bunker, time keepers missed this blatant fail. they have been so pedantic about quick taps till now, rarely allowing them and here they do and they get it bloody wrong. Freakin inexcusable Klein.
 
Lovemedragons

Lovemedragons

Juniors
Messages
1,481
giboz71 said:
Statistically, most sides attack left utilising right to left passing. It’s how Nighty got 16 tries last year.

Stands to reason that right side defences leak the most tries.

We definitely need to improve in this area and having the slowest winger in the comp doesn’t help but we are not the worst team by any means.

And we are still Number 1 in defence after 11 rounds.
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this makes a lot of good sense.
 
mickeylane

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,992
Frank Facer said:
In the last few weeks, I thought you did say that Aitken would be picked for NSW.
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I did and would like to stand by it but im also thinking what Fittler would be thinking after watching Roberts on the weekend...speed is a terrible aphrodisiac for coaches - we all know what Fittler thinks of Mitchell - people forget MCG is a very slippery pitch and there wont be more than 30 points scored if that -so the players to take in are the ones that are safe and low in errors... Aitken has handled GI twice so far in club games and has showed that can do the job...i think SOO I team is different to SOO II team -honetly different venues will play a difference...
 
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