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Round 13 vs Roosters

G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Dufty makes Clune pitch
Dragons Den
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Adam Clune is hoping to return against the Roosters. Picture: NRL Imagery

IT rebooted his side's season and Dragons coach Paul McGregor looks likely to revert to the same formula next week with the anticipated return of halfback Adam Clune from concussion against the Roosters next week.

Clune left the park early against Cronulla in round 11 and didn't return after failing an HIA. With a five-day turnaround into Thursday's clash against the Rabbitohs, the call was made to sit him out. McGregor said Clune is likely to be recalled, fitness pending, which wold see Ben Hunt revert back to dummy-half after playing in the No. 7 on Thursday.

Clune certainly has fullback Matt Dufty's vote, with livewire fullback crediting his longtime junior teammate for his own form resurgence through the middle stretch of the season.

"Hopefully he's back, I thought he was doing a great job for us since coming into first grade, he's grown every week," Dufty said.

"I've know Cluney since year six and we've played a lot of footy together, we now each others' game inside out. I love playing with Cluney, he loves playing with me, and I just feel a lot more comfortable when he's on the field with me.

"Its not taking anything away from Hunty and Normy, I love playing with them to, but the amount of games I've played with Cluney... it's hard to take that combination away when it's available.

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6859057/dufty-makes-clune-pitch/?cs=3713
 
Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,815
It's Sunday, so time for a punt on this weeks team:

1. Dufty
2. JP
3. Norman
4. Lomax
5. Sailor
6. Sullivan
7. Clune
8. Kerr
9. Hunt
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Tariq
13. McInnes

14. Fuimaono
15. Lawrie
16. Host
17. Ford
 
Coreyzz

Coreyzz

Juniors
Messages
298
Anyone know if Williame is fit to play this week?

I heard he was going to be out for 6 weeks after getting injured in the Bulldogs game in round 4.

However i haven't heard anything since and the club has not posted any further updates. This club really is hopeless.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,965
Dragonslayer said:
It's Sunday, so time for a punt on this weeks team:

1. Dufty
2. JP
3. Norman
4. Lomax
5. Sailor
6. Sullivan
7. Clune
8. Kerr
9. Hunt
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Tariq
13. McInnes

14. Fuimaono
15. Lawrie
16. Host
17. Ford
Click to expand...

One prop on the bench and 3 backrowers? I'd rather Lawrie and Host drop off the bench and Blacker and Ellis join Ford and Fuimaono. We are not going to win the comp this year so it is more important we prepare Blacker and Elis for first grade in the 2021 season.
 
mickeylane

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,992
Dragonslayer said:
It's Sunday, so time for a punt on this weeks team:

1. Dufty
2. JP
3. Norman
4. Lomax
5. Sailor
6. Sullivan
7. Clune
8. Kerr
9. Hunt
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. Tariq
13. McInnes

14. Fuimaono
15. Lawrie
16. Host
17. Ford
Click to expand...
I think your spot on except Williame on the wing
 
Dragonslayer

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,815
possm said:
One prop on the bench and 3 backrowers? I'd rather Lawrie and Host drop off the bench and Blacker and Ellis join Ford and Fuimaono. We are not going to win the comp this year so it is more important we prepare Blacker and Elis for first grade in the 2021 season.
Click to expand...

Maybe Ellis for Host is a good option.
They won't drop Lawrie.
 
qld redvee

qld redvee

Juniors
Messages
1,506
we need more go forward off the bench I would drop Fuimaona as he has lost a bit of tenacity in the last couple of games bring kaide ellis in ( he has to perform to earn a contract )
And I would really like to know the reason that Norman is a koala - surely the selection committee cant be all saying that norman is performing well EVERY game ???? Wasnt there a comment a few weeks ago that players had to perform and changes would be made if a suitable replacement was available . then Norman could have been replaced by sailor even hunt to 5/8 to see if that helped his game ...
I just hope that the comment posted elsewhere that Sullivan was being seriously looked at has legs we need to cull the deadwood / non performers and not just a token change that supercoach loves to do
Merrin needs to run straigh and hard no dancing lawrie not given the ball after the 3rd tackle where he just goes to ground . what we need is a better defensive effort
 
Forbes Creek Dragons

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Dragsters said:
I so hope this is true...
Click to expand...
So do I but against the Rorters? Maybe I’d go with Sailor this week. But Norman has to go. The fact Mary had to tinker with what was a combination in Hunt at 9 Cam at 13 etc says to me Norman isn’t seen as a dominant half. In any other team the only player that would change would be the replacement for Clune which would be NIL for the 6 which is Sailor or Sullivan.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Paul McGregor feeling the heat as rumours of ‘unrest’ at Dragons return
NRL Premiership
mark_st_john.jpg

d188bc7881f3fadd3f62baaeff0a09cf

Dragons coach Paul McGregor is again under pressure.Source: AAP
St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor is again under pressure after a two-game losing streak, with Phil Rothfield reporting rumours of unrest at the club.

After a mid-season revival that saw them win four from six games, the Dragons have now lost their last two and four of their last six and Rothfield believes their finals hopes are over.

“A couple of sides were very disappointing and I’ve put the red felt pen through them for the year and one of them is the Dragons,” Rothfield told The Big Sports Breakfast.


“I think St George are gone and I was hoping the Dragons and the Tigers would be banging hard on the door for the finals, but you look at their form over the weekend and you have got to have serious doubts.”

McGregor survived the axe earlier this season after he lost his first four games and there were suggestions he had lost the dressing room.

Rothfield revealed the murmurs of unrest in the Dragons ranks have returned after the 32-24 Round 12 loss to the Rabbitohs.

“I got a couple of calls over the weekend about unrest at the Dragons,” Rothfield said.

“Paul McGregor cops it whenever the Dragons’ form is down and a club that doesn’t win football games they are never happy places to be around.

“I am just hearing stories of unrest and there and suggestions that Mary (McGregor) is losing the players again.

“They led 16-0 so he hadn’t lost them there for that first 20 minutes, but the way they capitulated and folded was very, very disappointing.

“But these are the stories I am hearing and I don’t like reporting these sort of stories, but the people who are telling me have got good connections to the club.”

McGregor faces an uphill battle to retain his job at the club beyond 2020 and Rothfield believes it will come down to how the players respond in the last two months of the season.

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Dragons player look dejected after the Rabbitohs loss.Source: Getty Images
“I think it is a story that we are going to have to keep a very close eye on in the run home to the finals over the next eight weeks because this decision was the biggest talking point earlier in the year and then they knuckled down,” Rothfield said.

“The thing with this side is you play Hunt at hooker and he was going great. You take him out of there and he goes back to halfback and the skipper goes to hooker.

“I just don’t know why there is all this chopping and changing going on.”

It doesn’t get any easier for the Dragons who next face the Roosters on Thursday night before coming up against the Eels in Round 14.



https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...d/news-story/f989953ce9abf0885f25bcbf9219b8b4
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
r13_preview_1-dragons-v-roosters.jpg


MATCH PREVIEW


NRL.com preview: Round 13 v Sydney Roosters
Author
NRL.com
Timestamp
Mon 3 Aug 2020, 04:14 PM

The Dragons, back on Struggle St after successive losses to the Sharks and Rabbitohs, will be desperate to arrest their return to irrelevancy against an injury-hit Roosters line-up suddenly unable to find top gear.

St George Illawarra had won four of six, losing only to last season's grand finalists, to sneak into the fringe of the top eight conversation but all that good work is in danger of evaporating after they failed to make early leads count against both Cronulla and Souths.

The Roosters, meanwhile, have failed to flatter against strugglers the Warriors and Gold Coast as they grapple with an injury crisis that saw them take the field in Round 12 without skipper Boyd Cordner, Brett and Josh Morris, Angus Crichton and Daniel Tupou in addition to long-term absentees Victor Radley, Sam Verrills and Billy Smith.

The back-to-back premiers have done well to stay in touch with the top three during their injury crisis but the pressure will be intense until the cavalry arrives.


Match: Dragons v Roosters

Round 13 - Thursday 6th August

7:50pm

Home Team

Dragons

11th Position


Away Team

Roosters

4th Position

Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Match broadcasters:

  • Nine Network
  • Kayo
  • Foxtel
  • Live Pass
Fan Information
The Rundown
Team news
Dragons: In-form centre Euan Aitken is expected to play despite leaving the field with a hamstring injury against the Rabbitohs. If Aitken was ruled out, Brayden Wiliame could replace him with the 27-year-old nearing a return from a calf problem. Lock Trent Merrin and halfback Adam Clune are expected to be available after head knocks. Clune's potential inclusion may mean Ben Hunt reverts to hooker and Cam McInnes to lock.

Roosters: Captain Boyd Cordner should return after two weeks off following a head knock. Centre Josh Morris (calf) and his winger brother Brett (back) could both return after missing one match. Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves had a calf niggle against the Titans but the Roosters have confirmed he's available.

Key match-up
Matt Dufty v James Tedesco: The Dragons custodian has been his team's best over the past two months and will have to continue to provide the attacking spark if St George Illawarra are to have a chance against the Roosters. Another double against the Rabbitohs gave Dufty 10 tries for the season, good for fourth on the 2020 try-scoring table. Tedesco has been relatively subdued in the past fortnight and every quiet outing takes the NRL's premier No.1 a step closer to another massive game. He has just four tries for the season and hasn't crossed since his hat-trick against the Bulldogs in Round 5.

Stat Attack
Centre Zac Lomax, Matt Dufty's partner in crime, has been a revelation in 2020 but a rare poor game against Souths saw him ascend to No.1 in errors with 22. If he can't hold on to the ball the Roosters won't need an invitation to punish the Dragons.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/202...tken-hamstrung-cordner-morris-twins-a-chance/
 
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