Round 13 - Dolphins

[Dragon Blood]

Ref's decide more results than players or coaches do.
One ten minute spell of dubious penalties, restarts and the odd BS sin-binning will cook any team that's on the receiving end.
Having said that... our defence around the ruck is as soft as Sorbent, we run sideways a lot and we're too slow. And dumb.
Sooooo dumb.

I have said it many many many times on here, a multimillion-dollar sport is currently being run by a Greek and a Lebo and is too much like watching fake WWE wrestling.

The game isn't like it was when I played in the Red V

 

[Dragonssupporter]

A few things i noticed tonight, and a lot mentioned by previous members-
We are the dumbest team playing. The number of stupid mistakes we make is whats killing us-unfortunately you cant coach dumb out of a player. DeBelins tackle which he got sin binned for-he'd already been warned, and paid no attention. They've been cracking down on this but as usual, our guys don't seem to notice. Plus having your captain sin binned is an absolute no no. Kicking out on the full from a dropout-dumb dumb dumb
Sloan and Amone should spend the week learning how to tackle-great attack may be fantastic but this isn't reggies. You have to be able to tackle as well. Watching Amone let Millford go straight past with a tiny arm grab was a disgrace.
DeBelin making a great bust then getting the ball stripped-utterly unbelievable. Sullivan breaking right through then losing the ball. Two times we had great momentum then lost it due to lack of concentration.
How the hell did Mbye get on and stuff up 5th tackle options once again.
Our one off run by our players is just so 1960 its ridiculous. We get nowhere yet we do it week in ,week out. Run single players for 5 tackles then kick it directly to the opposition.Luckily it didnt happen all match.
However i did see better play then i've seen all season in regard to our young guys at least giving it a go. They need to learn rapidly, but at least theyre trying. I was at least impressed with Amones attempts and we tried to the very end.Without the stupid mistakes i think we might have won. We couldnt have played like we did tonight under Hook , so thank god for one small mercy

 

[Cupper]

A few things i noticed tonight, and a lot mentioned by previous members-
We are the dumbest team playing. The number of stupid mistakes we make is whats killing us-unfortunately you cant coach dumb out of a player. DeBelins tackle which he got sin binned for-he'd already been warned, and paid no attention. They've been cracking down on this but as usual, our guys don't seem to notice. Plus having your captain sin binned is an absolute no no. Kicking out on the full from a dropout-dumb dumb dumb
Sloan and Amone should spend the week learning how to tackle-great attack may be fantastic but this isn't reggies. You have to be able to tackle as well. Watching Amone let Millford go straight past with a tiny arm grab was a disgrace.
DeBelin making a great bust then getting the ball stripped-utterly unbelievable. Sullivan breaking right through then losing the ball. Two times we had great momentum then lost it due to lack of concentration.
How the hell did Mbye get on and stuff up 5th tackle options once again.
Our one off run by our players is just so 1960 its ridiculous. We get nowhere yet we do it week in ,week out. Run single players for 5 tackles then kick it directly to the opposition.Luckily it didnt happen all match.
However i did see better play then i've seen all season in regard to our young guys at least giving it a go. They need to learn rapidly, but at least theyre trying. I was at least impressed with Amones attempts and we tried to the very end.Without the stupid mistakes i think we might have won. We couldnt have played like we did tonight under Hook , so thank god for one small mercy

JDB has done that tackle or very similar probably 50 times this year including about 5 times tonight- so I forgive him for not knowing the ref and bunker would all of a sudden have an issue with it…..an issue which went away as he did 2 more after the sin bin.

 

[Hills Dragon]

Ref's decide more results than players or coaches do.
One ten minute spell of dubious penalties, restarts and the odd BS sin-binning will cook any team that's on the receiving end.
Having said that... our defence around the ruck is as soft as Sorbent, we run sideways a lot and we're too slow. And dumb.
Sooooo dumb.

Sooooooooo dumb.

 

[qld redvee]

its so obvious we need size on the bench why not give lui tosa a go at least from reports he runs hard

bmm to reserves replace by sua ( he would have made a difference tonight)
and can we please devise a game plan where we dont keep kicking back to opposition full back on every kick

and can we get explanations why the ref stops blowing 6 agains against us in the second half - its not like we have suddenly learnt what not to do

 

[rasaint]

OK the side tried very hard tonight. Ben Hunt is a world class half back and we missed him badly tonight.

Of the ‘kids’ only Sullivan looks a good player. Sloan floats quickly over the field and cleans up in goal kick chase situations with his speed. Tick. Thereafter, his kick returns ( more pushed backwards) are terrible, he has made a few good breaks and a try with speed so far; but as much as I cheer him on, I doubt he will do much. Ramsey so much better. Probably Stewart also.

Amone will make an occasional strong run and good sneaky kick behind the line but again won’t do much. Lateral defence is a struggle for him.

Lomax always has been pedestrian and has nothing remarkable about him. Michael Molo has a go but no impact. Feagai brothers not really making the grade after years of expectation as the future.

Im not a supporter who gets a ‘dislike ‘ of a player. I have watched footy for decades and say well done to anyone who makes it to the NRL. That said I believe we don’t have the ‘cattle ‘ up front or speed and dash out wide save Suli and Rava ( even then can be dodgy).

With genuine best wishes we do need to move on Sloan, Amone, Feagai bros, Lomax, in backs. Forwards take your pick but please try and keep Sua a marvellous player. My heart sunk when Sua was reported out Tonight. Liddle is good. Hunt is our best back and Sua best forward.

A big clean out needed. Not because the players mentioned are terrible but just so unremarkable. If it’s Ryles next coach I hope he ends the tolerance for unremarkables of any age.

 

[Dragonssupporter]

JDB has done that tackle or very similar probably 50 times this year including about 5 times tonight- so I forgive him for not knowing the ref and bunker would all of a sudden have an issue with it…..an issue which went away as he did 2 more after the sin bin.

I know what you mean and for me that sin bin and penalty was just ridiculous. However the players now know, third man in down low will get you penalised. Its dangerous if it goes wrong, so i don't blame them for trying to stamp it out of the game. It always seems to be the Dragons that are on the end of these clamp downs, but surely for once we can learn and just don't do it.Don't give the refs reasons to penalise us. These guys need to relearn tackling and do it successfully

 

[Gourley's Socks]

The moment Nikorima escaped without penalty, it was obvious the fix was in. When JDB was sin-binned, any lingering doubt vanished.

From that point on, we were never going to win. So I watched solely with interest as to how the young guys would go. And it was a bit of a mixed bag.

Thought Amone tried to make up for his lack of possession over the past 18 months by over-playing his hand enormously tonight. I like Sloan but my god I wish he'd actually sprint on his kick returns. Liddle continues to show how misguided Hook's Mbye love affair was.

We've played just as badly with our full compliment of seasoned veterans last year: Hunt, AMac, Moose, etc. So I'm not too displeased as the kids will be better for the run.

Unfortunately the spectacle of the contest was ruined in the first 30 minutes.

 

[Parko1310]

The way I look at what the squad needs going forward is at the very least 2 new props. One of them a real front row leader, the other a really solid front rower, around the 450-500k front-rower. We desperately need a second rower as well, and a winger. We get this, and we've got a very good side all of a sudden

 

[Parko1310]

Carr clearly not pleased with refereeing after watching the press conference

 

[Bin Chicken]

The way I look at what the squad needs going forward is at the very least 2 new props. One of them a real front row leader, the other a really solid front rower, around the 450-500k front-rower. We desperately need a second rower as well, and a winger. We get this, and we've got a very good side all of a sudden

Chuck in a fullback and 5/8 too…..goal kicker too

 

[qld redvee]

The way I look at what the squad needs going forward is at the very least 2 new props. One of them a real front row leader, the other a really solid front rower, around the 450-500k front-rower. We desperately need a second rower as well, and a winger. We get this, and we've got a very good side all of a sudden

Parko, we definitely need new blood however we only have 4 spots for next year so we also have to try and move on some players so we can get a better rebuild guys like bmm and paul turner need to be let go in my opinion

 

[Parko1310]

Chuck in a fullback and 5/8 too…..goal kicker too

Sloan was dreadful, but the shit parts of his game are easily fixable. I really don't know if he has it or not at this stage, I'm just hoping he does and that's all we can do. I'm prepared to give him a full season of NRL this year, maybe next year too before I definitively make up my mind on him. He's got the talent, but what does he want to do with it? He can't keep doing what he's doing. In terms of a five-eighth I think we're okay, Sullivan to go there with Hunt at half. Amone is talented, but we don't even know if he can play beyond this year. Move him to 14. That brings me to another position - hooker. We need another one. Either a similar player to Liddle to play 14, or a better player to start at 9 with Liddle at 14. Either option will do fine for this team

 

[Parko1310]

Parko, we definitely need new blood however we only have 4 spots for next year so we also have to try and move on some players so we can get a better rebuild guys like bmm and paul turner need to be let go in my opinion

Agree, Turner a waste of space. BMM I'm prepared to keep until his deal's done. I'd be looking to move on Bird if I'm honest. Burns, Fuimaono, Lui-Toso and Mbye (all off contract) can hit the road. I'm not opposed to keeping Mbye (don't shoot me) as backup if AND ONLY IF we're in an injury/suspension crisis. In that situation he's useful, and worth no more than 175k. Moga I'd keep. Young guys love him and he does a much better job filling in then what he's given credit for. Obviously the roster holes I've pointed out are going to take more than an off-season to fix, this is a long-term project. But let's a t least move on some of the players taking up much needed cap space.

 

[qld redvee]

Agree, Turner a waste of space. BMM I'm prepared to keep until his deal's done. I'd be looking to move on Bird if I'm honest. Burns, Fuimaono, Lui-Toso and Mbye (all off contract) can hit the road. I'm not opposed to keeping Mbye (don't shoot me) as backup if AND ONLY IF we're in an injury/suspension crisis. In that situation he's useful, and worth no more than 175k. Moga I'd keep. Young guys love him and he does a much better job filling in then what he's given credit for. Obviously the roster holes I've pointed out are going to take more than an off-season to fix, this is a long-term project. But let's a t least move on some of the players taking up much needed cap space.

definitely need 2 years to get the roster in a better shape. this is where we need a bloody good recruitment manager that can work with pathways to ensure we get a penrith type system going -- i reckon nathan brown would be a great fit for it

 

[Draginzaaar]

Well that game is basically is how our whole season has been, actually the score flattered us because I didnt think the Dolphins played that well, we were just worse, looked gassed early, no go forward very poor in defence and of course no attacking plays. Its too late for Carr to change anything, and that can be seen. Why we cant get early ball to our outside backs has always been a mystery to me, we are just hopeless at it. I think its best that we accept the fact the spoon is coming our way, we just suck it up and enjoy the embarrassment, like I hope the players do. As for our new coach , well there needs to be an axe taken to this side in the off season and who ever gets punted including the juniors then so be it. I just didnt see enough out of any of them to suggest they may be our future, just my view but hey they have the rest of the season to prove me wrong and I hope they do. Special mention to Liddle, just about the only one that can hold his head high.

Who is our fitness guy? He needs to go. They were gassed before JDB was sin binned.

 

[Draginzaaar]

Refs sure are trigger-happy when it comes to Dragons sin-bins. Something definitely suspect going on imo. Just like the Cowboys ... the game is in the balance some dragons indiscretion gets binned while worst offences get overlooked rest of the game.

I thought the positive way we started we might have had the measure of the Dolphins tonight ... but the Dolphins home-ground script demanded some intervention to derail the dragons cue the ridiculous sin-bin and about 7 consecutive 6 agains in the same period.

I thought JDB was going to be penalised when he went in low as 3rd in, but didn't. Wasn't surprised he was penalised one minute later for the same thing,. He was warned and did the same again.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

how does the ref AND bunker miss the high shot on bird's try??

 

[Draginzaaar]

JDB has done that tackle or very similar probably 50 times this year including about 5 times tonight- so I forgive him for not knowing the ref and bunker would all of a sudden have an issue with it…..an issue which went away as he did 2 more after the sin bin.

No, I notice those tackles and he normally does it right. Hit high and slide down. Tonight he didn't.

 

[Draginzaaar]

I know what you mean and for me that sin bin and penalty was just ridiculous. However the players now know, third man in down low will get you penalised. Its dangerous if it goes wrong, so i don't blame them for trying to stamp it out of the game. It always seems to be the Dragons that are on the end of these clamp downs, but surely for once we can learn and just don't do it.Don't give the refs reasons to penalise us. These guys need to relearn tackling and do it successfully

We did a head high tackle in the first defensive set. Dumb.