Round 13 v The Stone Poneys

[BLM01]

I really think Milford has been wrapped up and on his way to fill 5/8 and I reckon Moses Mbye will end up being the FB for next 2 years...basically a totally ball-playing 1,6,7 spine with immense experience...Sloan will be ready in 2 yrs time at 21yo... I can't see Hook playing Sloan or Ramsay at FB in 2022 and i also cant see Hook going into 2022 without an experienced 6...I dont know where that leaves Bud and Amone and he will be thinking of the Hunt/Milford combination from past days...

Na can’t see those 2 M & Ms in our back spine positions.that would be awful
But on last night I was still actually disappointed with our defence
I thought it was soft at times and allowEd them to get many easy offloads and Lodge had spiders on him
And I get concerned when we defend down our line
whilst we defend okay mostly we tend to not be able to gain field position back
We either give repeat sets away or get trapped in goal or drop or can’t clean up the ball trying to defend the six tackle kick or hot potato passathon
it’s just so frustrating for me

but yes we were good in attack so that’s a positive on what we have seen recently

 

[Ghostface Killah]

Putting 52 on the Broncos at Kogarah. Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Number of the Beath]

I didn't get to see the game on Thursday but I just watched a 1 hour highlight on Fox. As good as a win and 50 points are, conceding 24 against the Broncos still rings alarm bells as they have absolutely nothing in attack. Dufty will get a lot of headlines for his performance but his only contribution is with ball in hand - his positioning and commitment in defense is negligible and defense is at least 50% of the game, so you can see what Hook is thinking in moving him on. However, it'd be nice to know who the replacement is. Hynes would have been a real asset, but we sat on our hands. I honestly don't want the "solution" to be Milford - after his performances in recent seasons his morale would be in the toilet and I don't know if Hook can resuscitate him. Caleb Aekins, Tex Hoy and Nick Meaney are all off contract full-backs and if Dufty's defensive shortcomings make him B List and unsuitable for us then these three are C List cos they do nothing near what Dufty does with ball in hand. Interesting times ahead.
As for last night - Bird was superb in the back row, Kerr was strong, Rava scored his regulation impossible try - as did Ramsey who looks to have a hold on the other wing. Hunt steered us around the park well and it was good to see JdB back.

 

[kit66]

All the talk about Dufty well IMO Bird in the back row had more influence on the outcome of the game than Dufty did.

80 minutes, running great lines, doing the tough stuff, creating room for the backs, stiffened the defence’s attitude (yes did miss a couple of tackles) but he was more than uplifting in the hardest aspect of the game.

If Bird didn’t play so well IMO we would have found it a lot tougher.

But that's kind of the idea, the forwards lay the platform and make room and time for the clever guys to weave their magic and Dufty is capable of some awesome magic.
Bird was influential and did his job as did others and I thought JDB had a great game slotting seamlessly into the team after a long absence and showed how much we've missed having a ball playing lock - his linking passes were crucial to the win, all perfectly timed. Dufty is the cream on the cake when others do their job.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

Well, I have finally come down a bit from celebrating putting 50 points on the donkeys. I know how to hold a grudge, even if it has been nearly 30 years. What was that tune again Alfie, something about "The Broncs can't play....." Stick that up your jumper Alfie!

 

[Willow]

I didn't get to see the game on Thursday but I just watched a 1 hour highlight on Fox. As good as a win and 50 points are, conceding 24 against the Broncos still rings alarm bells as they have absolutely nothing in attack. Dufty will get a lot of headlines for his performance but his only contribution is with ball in hand - his positioning and commitment in defense is negligible and defense is at least 50% of the game, so you can see what Hook is thinking in moving him on. However, it'd be nice to know who the replacement is. Hynes would have been a real asset, but we sat on our hands. I honestly don't want the "solution" to be Milford - after his performances in recent seasons his morale would be in the toilet and I don't know if Hook can resuscitate him. Caleb Aekins, Tex Hoy and Nick Meaney are all off contract full-backs and if Dufty's defensive shortcomings make him B List and unsuitable for us then these three are C List cos they do nothing near what Dufty does with ball in hand. Interesting times ahead.
As for last night - Bird was superb in the back row, Kerr was strong, Rava scored his regulation impossible try - as did Ramsey who looks to have a hold on the other wing. Hunt steered us around the park well and it was good to see JdB back.

I may have missed these defensive lapses from Dufty. Perhaps you can point them out.

I agree we let in points but I think this was because of some poor goal line choices by other players.

Dufty actually saved a try when he held up a Brisbane player over the line. That made the highlights package as well, along with the multiple tries he scored or set up.

3 - M Dufty
2 - J Bird
1 - B Hunt

 

[Number of the Beath]

I didn't specifically refer to any lapses by Dufty last night - I was talking about his career overall, where there have been many. I have also seen Dufty make a brilliant tackle on Jake Trbojevic where he rolled him onto his back and prevented him from scoring. The thing is, watching Dufty is like digging for diamonds. When you're digging you see an awful lot of rocks but not many diamonds.
Personally, I'd like to see him stay - possibly at 5/8. But he's not and I have no say as to whether he stays or goes, so we "trust the process" and move on.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

F

Agree OT plus I know it was only minor but JDB as the link also gave the spine room which we’ve been lacking. Vaughan was also offloading before the line which is a bonus.

Ford also produced a number of offloads, I really wish we could find a way to incorporate him into our game plans.

 

[BLM01]

F

Ford also produced a number of offloads, I really wish we could find a way to incorporate him into our game plans.

The week before against the Tigers I thought he showed something
I was a bit disappointed in his game the other night he threw a couple of offloads that didn’t need to be done and nearly cost possession
Didn’t have much impact in attack except trying to ball play, Certainly not convinced with him yet

 

[Willow]

I didn't specifically refer to any lapses by Dufty last night - I was talking about his career overall, where there have been many. I have also seen Dufty make a brilliant tackle on Jake Trbojevic where he rolled him onto his back and prevented him from scoring. The thing is, watching Dufty is like digging for diamonds. When you're digging you see an awful lot of rocks but not many diamonds.
Personally, I'd like to see him stay - possibly at 5/8. But he's not and I have no say as to whether he stays or goes, so we "trust the process" and move on.

Sorry, your wording suggested otherwise. Thanks for the clarification.

Interestingly, the Broncos second try was due to Jack Bird coming inside to a decoy runner, leaving Corey Norman facing two attackers. It was actually a well worked try but it didn't stop people blaming Norman for 'missing' a tackle and Dufty for not being able stop a forward a full speed 5m from the line. It was actually Bird's misread and falling for the dummy run that led to the try, but sometimes folks only see the last couple of seconds and make up their mind. IMO this happens a lot and the wrong players cop the blame.

Totally agree that Dufty looks like a five-eighth.

 

[Lovemedragons]

I'm watching fox and can I just say there is an absolute vendetta against DeBelin from this media organisation. No celebration for a rep player back in the game for two years. No hoo-hah whatsoever. Ready to pounce on him for the lead up to that last Broncos try. Ready to criticise his every mistep.

Atrocious.

Just following orders from above

 

[Lovemedragons]

That was all Rava, not many blokes would score that.

And Dufty knew that so he lobbed it straight to him. Great combo.

 

[Lovemedragons]

Yes Johnno , Griffin will - must have a quick rethink about his decision , no shame in admitting you have made a mistake .

Besides after tonight’s performance he will be snapped up very quickly and he will undoubtedly come back to bite us on the posterior big time .

Lol.
I think our board have a fetish for being bitten on the bum.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

And Dufty knew that so he lobbed it straight to him. Great combo.

An even better combo is the Lomax/Rava one that will develop for years to come.

 

[BLM01]

Lol.
I think our board have a fetish for being bitten on the bum.

Disagree. Thats is what the media would have you believe.
Lets just see when the dust settles or better still he keeps performing at the same level against canberra and manly in the near future.
Then eyes will light up

 

[rasaint]

As usual good post by Willow. Dufty wasn’t to blame for the two trys that big Robati scored for the Broncos. Dufty nearly stopped the second and saved a 3rd later on getting under the ball. Dufty doesn’t only beat lower teams ‘who don’t tackle him’ as apparently an unnamed senior dragons official cynically stated. Even against the 13 on 12 Storm he skipped past defenders and fired a beaut pass to Rava for a try.

Bird is a great addition and let’s hope his knee holds up; but he makes defensive mistakes And ball security a bit dodgy at times.

BTW Brayden Williame has been plagued with a chronic calf tear with us ( somewhat like Turbo’s hamstring). When fit he is a good NRL centre. I’ve been saying that in posts since his arrival but the calf problem has kept him off the park. That’s why Hook has been putting him on the bench. Could anyone tell me when Lomax powered through 4 tackles to score? Even powered through one?

Dufty is a flying machine with the speed to chime in and his passing is sublime.

 

[BLM01]

As usual good post by Willow. Dufty wasn’t to blame for the two trys that big Robati scored for the Broncos. Dufty nearly stopped the second and saved a 3rd later on getting under the ball. Dufty doesn’t only beat lower teams ‘who don’t tackle him’ as apparently an unnamed senior dragons official cynically stated. Even against the 13 on 12 Storm he skipped past defenders and fired a beaut pass to Rava for a try.

Bird is a great addition and let’s hope his knee holds up; but he makes defensive mistakes And ball security a bit dodgy at times.

BTW Brayden Williame has been plagued with a chronic calf tear with us ( somewhat like Turbo’s hamstring). When fit he is a good NRL centre. I’ve been saying that in posts since his arrival but the calf problem has kept him off the park. That’s why Hook has been putting him on the bench. Could anyone tell me when Lomax powered through 4 tackles to score? Even powered through one?

Dufty is a flying machine with the speed to chime in and his passing is sublime.

Every thing you say is spot on regards to Duftys attacking game and what happened on Thursday night... but

 

[Spazer]

Could anyone tell me when Lomax powered through 4 tackles to score? Even powered through one?

I think it was against newcastle last year he went through 3 or 4 guys with no room to score close to the line. It was only one time though, with his upper body strength he should be doing it a lot more.

 

[Evil Emperor Zurg]

I may have missed these defensive lapses from Dufty. Perhaps you can point them out.

I agree we let in points but I think this was because of some poor goal line choices by other players.

Dufty actually saved a try when he held up a Brisbane player over the line. That made the highlights package as well, along with the multiple tries he scored or set up.

3 - M Dufty
2 - J Bird
1 - B Hunt

Why on earth was he defending where he was for the broncos first try? Dumb mistake. Turbo wouldn’t do that

Other than that he had a great game. But these games are too rare.
As others have pointed out, his lack of urgency in defence is a real concern.
Maybe this is the reason behind us letting him go. There must be a good reason. If this is the case then I say let him go.

Having said all of this, I agree with your 3, 2, 1. But Isaako should be in there somewhere.

 

[This Year?]

It was glorious. I'm kicking myself for not going to the game.