Round 15 - v Manly

[since77]

Yeah can't see them challenging now for a spot in the finals. Manly game was a must win IMO.
The rollercoaster will keep rocking for the rest of the year - we'll probably knock off a big scalp before the end of the year but then lose to the Titans.
I'd love to be pleasantly surprised but can't see it happening. Now watch they'll win the next two and get my hopes up again......

 

[True_Believer]

Yeah can't see them challenging now for a spot in the finals. Manly game was a must win IMO.
The rollercoaster will keep rocking for the rest of the year - we'll probably knock off a big scalp before the end of the year but then lose to the Titans.
I'd love to be pleasantly surprised but can't see it happening. Now watch they'll win the next two and get my hopes up again......

I mean there's 10 games left and we are only 1 game out of the 8 with the bottom end of the 8 a bit hit and miss. It's definitely possible. Even if we don't make the 8 but win at least half of the remaining 10, I think we've done pretty well with the team we've got and where we've come from.

 

[Slippery Morris]

If Saints can end up with 26pts then it is a pass for me. That is only 3 more wins and 2 byes. Not bad for a team that has brought in no marquee signings or signed players that were not wanted from their previous clubs the last few years. The Tigers/Dogs & Titans have Crichton, Kikau, Burton, Api, Salmon (all Panthers players), Pangai Jnr, Papalii, Fafita, Mahoney, Tracey, Palasai, Foran, Bateman, Olam etc. The amount of roster changes for these teams compared to Saints is massive over the last few years. If Anything Saints picked up a lot of their unwanted players that is how bad the recruitment is at Saints and Saints may end up ahead of the 3 or at least 2 of them. Saints have even lost quality juniors on the way or their best the last few years and this year in Lomax, with Robson, Frizzell, McInness, Bostock, Jackson Ford who are absolutely killing it. If Saints had those 5 instead of McCullough, Bird, Maguire, Brown, Burgess, Musgrove, etc the team would be in a far better place than they are now.

26 points will not get them top 8 but will possibly be around 9th-12th which is a pass for me. Anything from 12th and up is a pass.

If Saints lose every game from here it will not be a pass mark surely. How can anyone be happy if they lose the last 9 or so games? That is crazy. Last year was one of the worst seasons ever and only 2 wins less than what they are now. That is a pretty low bar and if your happy with that then don't blame the board for accepting mediocrity because that is mediocrity right there.

I think everyone from the coach up will be in trouble if they lose every game from here that is for sure. They will certainly be put under immense pressure for 2025 you would hope.

 

[JamesRustle]

If Saints lose every game from here it will not be a pass mark surely. How can anyone be happy if they lose the last 9 or so games? That is crazy. Last year was one of the worst seasons ever and only 2 wins less than what they are now. That is a pretty low bar and if your happy with that then don't blame the board for accepting mediocrity because that is mediocrity right there.

I think everyone from the coach up will be in trouble if they lose every game from here that is for sure. They will certainly be put under immense pressure for 2025 you would hope.

I heard Vaughny and Normie are organising a bbq this bye weekend and have invited all the Dragons, except Hunty...

 

[Parko1310]

I mean there's 10 games left and we are only 1 game out of the 8 with the bottom end of the 8 a bit hit and miss. It's definitely possible. Even if we don't make the 8 but win at least half of the remaining 10, I think we've done pretty well with the team we've got and where we've come from.

We're out of finals contention, Manly was must win. They failed to get up for what was the biggest game of our season so far. Piss poor effort

 

[Harry Bath]

Yeah can't see them challenging now for a spot in the finals. Manly game was a must win IMO.
The rollercoaster will keep rocking for the rest of the year - we'll probably knock off a big scalp before the end of the year but then lose to the Titans.
I'd love to be pleasantly surprised but can't see it happening. Now watch they'll win the next two and get my hopes up again......

Agree 100%, That Manly game was the Dragons last chance to make the 8 this year the draw from now gets very tough

 

[Harry Bath]

I mean there's 10 games left and we are only 1 game out of the 8 with the bottom end of the 8 a bit hit and miss. It's definitely possible. Even if we don't make the 8 but win at least half of the remaining 10, I think we've done pretty well with the team we've got and where we've come from.

Honestly which of the remaining games are any chance of winning, Dolphins(H),Roosters (A),Broncos (A),Panthers (H),Storm (A),Bullgrubs(H),Titans (H),Sharks (H)Eels (A),Raiders (H).
of these we pay 7 of the current top 8 and Broncos currently 9th I cant see winning any of those games then there is Eels away doubtful, the only possible win is Titans at Home but that is after potentially another 6 losses in a row the moral will be way down.

 

[True_Believer]

We're out of finals contention, Manly was must win. They failed to get up for what was the biggest game of our season so far. Piss poor effort

Can we genuinely not make the 8?

 

[True_Believer]

Agree 100%, That Manly game was the Dragons last chance to make the 8 this year the draw from now gets very tough

If, in the post after this one, you suggest we will struggle to win 9 of the remaining 10 games, what difference would beating Manly have made?

 

[TheRev]

The draw is awful from here.. I think/hope we will jag some some wins, but it will be as heavy underdogs in basically every game.

There are probably 3-4 games we let go this season (and this happens to every team), but ultimately our chances of Top8 went then... and we seem to need losses to get us gee'd up for a bit performance.. but anyway im still pleased there are rosters far better than ours sitting lower on the table.

 

[Parko1310]

Can we genuinely not make the 8?

No but we just lost the opportunity going into the bye to go two wins clear of Manly, go ahead of the dogs (when you factor in the bye), go ahead of the raiders, go ahead of the cowboys, go ahead of the broncos. We now sit behind all those mentioned instead, no longer have that 2 game buffer over Manly and play Roosters, storm, penrith, sharks in our run home. They blew a really big game. Not only blew it, didn't even bother to show up

 

[SAP58]

The draw is awful from here.. I think/hope we will jag some some wins, but it will be as heavy underdogs in basically every game.

There are probably 3-4 games we let go this season (and this happens to every team), but ultimately our chances of Top8 went then... and we seem to need losses to get us gee'd up for a bit performance.. but anyway im still pleased there are rosters far better than ours sitting lower on the table.

Totally agree, last weekend was a massive loss going into the bye & a tough run in. I think Flanno will learn a lot about a number of players until the end of the year. Their passion & ability & does he want them with the club going forward. If I was playing in the club I would be giving 120% & show the coach he deserves a position next year. If that happens there will be a few upsets, don’t forget all the so experts picked us as wooden spooners - they are very quiet at the moment. We were NEVER going to get the wooden spoon with our squad as far as m concerned. I will win a few bets from mates at the end of the year.

 

[TheRev]

Totally agree, last weekend was a massive loss going into the bye & a tough run in. I think Flanno will learn a lot about a number of players until the end of the year. Their passion & ability & does he want them with the club going forward. If I was playing in the club I would be giving 120% & show the coach he deserves a position next year. If that happens there will be a few upsets, don’t forget all the so experts picked us as wooden spooners - they are very quiet at the moment. We were NEVER going to get the wooden spoon with our squad as far as m concerned. I will win a few bets from mates at the end of the year.

100%, and although we back Flanno to get it right most of the time, this was his first year back after a layoff.. I have no doubt he has probably found a lot of habits from his cronulla days havent worked with this roster... and how he can do it better in 2025.. he also knows his players now.. which he can work with.. which he cant.. the pros and cons of BHunt.... tbf he was keen to move guys like Bird and Nu Brown on despite being old buddies.. he also knows who is useful amongst Dragons management/administration and who is useless.. and he has also has a 2nd pre-season ahead to get the team fitter, and guys like Leilua and RFM missed last years.... I think Flanno will be a lot more dialled in for 2025.. plus hopefully that roster keeps ticking up.

 

[Jersey No 14]

Glass half full.
- we’ve had a above expectation season
Glass half empty
- we’ve got some players who need to held accountable for their average performances
While others - can hold their head up high.

 

[justadragon]

The Dragons have always had a history of blowing games which they really needed to win. Especially in the last 14 years, those habits are hard to break with shitty head coaches, Flannagan has had less than 1year to get a team together to combat what 14 years of self harm has done to this once mighty club. Without a proper leader and game manager I’m thinking we have gone about as far as we are going to go this season. I am hoping to at least see some qualities that will be ingrained into the playing group and our juniors for the future.

 

[shiloh dc]

We have a 50% chance of being outside the 8 and a 50% chance of not being in the 8.

 

[since77]

The Dragons have always had a history of blowing games which they really needed to win. Especially in the last 14 years, those habits are hard to break with shitty head coaches, Flannagan has had less than 1year to get a team together to combat what 14 years of self harm has done to this once mighty club. Without a proper leader and game manager I’m thinking we have gone about as far as we are going to go this season. I am hoping to at least see some qualities that will be ingrained into the playing group and our juniors for the future.

Self harm! That's actually a really good way of describing it. Flanno has had a pretty hard job to come in and try and undo 12 years or so of complete neglect. Was never going to happen overnight.
I have my GF tickets planned for 2026 or 2027.

 

[Phantom V]

100%, and although we back Flanno to get it right most of the time, this was his first year back after a layoff.. I have no doubt he has probably found a lot of habits from his cronulla days havent worked with this roster... and how he can do it better in 2025.. he also knows his players now.. which he can work with.. which he cant.. the pros and cons of BHunt.... tbf he was keen to move guys like Bird and Nu Brown on despite being old buddies.. he also knows who is useful amongst Dragons management/administration and who is useless.. and he has also has a 2nd pre-season ahead to get the team fitter, and guys like Leilua and RFM missed last years.... I think Flanno will be a lot more dialled in for 2025.. plus hopefully that roster keeps ticking up.

I don’t envy Flanno’s position at all. I’m sure if there were more players available on the open market, our squad next year would look vastly different to what it is now.
Also it’s not like we have the luxury of next man up like the Panthers etc.
It might explain some of our lacklustre performances as some players know they’ll get a free pass next week.

 

[Number of the Beath]

I notice that Annesley has admitted to the egregious error in allowing Manly's obstruction try last week. As a result, on-field ref Peter Gough has been "demoted" to the Bunker & bunker flunky Chris Butler has been "demoted" to on-field referee this weekend. You couldn't make this stuff up.
What kind of punishment is this? It's just jobsharing.
Why weren't they stood down? Does this suggest that there is a dearth of quality referees (der) or that the NRL doesn't want to mess up their select cache of hand-picked match-fixers?

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I don’t envy Flanno’s position at all. I’m sure if there were more players available on the open market, our squad next year would look vastly different to what it is now.
Also it’s not like we have the luxury of next man up like the Panthers etc.
It might explain some of our lacklustre performances as some players know they’ll get a free pass next week.

Unfortunately free passes have been the norm since the Bennett years...what's that 14 years on.....unbelievable how far this once proud club steeped in tradition and one that everyone at one time wanted to play for has fallen...bloody sad to be honest