Round 16 Game vs Newcastle

[getsmarty]

Knight coach wary of Dragons backlash

Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno

23 Jun 2017, 3:30 p.m.

WARY: Nathan Brown. Picture: Simon De Peak

ST GEORGE Illawarra have dropped five of their last seven games, but Newcastle coach Nathan Brown isn’t buying talk that the Dragons are a fading force in the NRL this season.

The Dragons were a fixture in the top four, winning six of their first eight, before hitting the skids in a round nine loss to Melbourne in Wollongong. They’ve since managed wins against the lowly Warriors and Tigers but have struggled to recapture top form coming of their round 12 bye.

They’ll head into Sunday’s clash with the Knights at Kogarah on the back of two straight defeats to the Bulldogs and Eels but Brown rejected suggestions they’re on a downward slide.

“Everyone’s probably looking at the fact they’ve lost a couple in a row,” Brown said.

“I think Parramatta probably hustled and bustled them to victory. If you look at the tries they got, it was probably though the really great defence and reactionary stuff from Parramatta.

“In the last week or two I don’t think the [Dragons] defence has fallen away, I just think they’ve made a fair few more errors than what they have in the first 10 weeks of the competition when they were one of the form sides.”

They were comments almost a carbon copy of Dragon coach Paul McGregor’s in the wake of his side’s performances in the past fortnight.

Having played 172 games for the Dragons, and coached the joint-venture between 2003 to 2008, Brown is well aware of the scrutiny his mate McGregor faces at the helm of his former club.

“I’ve been in this game a long time and the Dragons have always copped their share of flack,” Brown said.

“I think last year we all sat back and thought ‘where are they heading? but they’ve made some good recruitment decisions and Mary’s made a few changes in the way he’s approached things.

“What we’ve seen is a side that’s got a forward pack up there with most in the competition. On the back of the forward pack, we’ve seen how good a player [Dragons skipper] Gareth Widdop is.

“For a couple of years his form probably wasn’t where we had seen him play in the past, but I think we’ve seen him really shine and be one of the form players of the competition this year.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4748693/brown-wary-of-dragons-bounce-back-factor/?cs=3713

 

[getsmarty]

NRL, NYC Team Updates: Round 16 v Newcastle Knights
Sat 24th June, 02:00PM
A A

2017 NRL - Grant Trouville NRL Photos

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has trimmed his squad to 19 ahead of the Dragons' Round 16 clash against the Newcastle Knights at UOW Jubilee Oval, Kogarah.

Jack de Belin's one-game suspension sees Tariq Sims shift to lock and Tyson Frizell named in the back row.

Will Matthews is the other player who didn't make the cut for Sunday afternoon's game.

Updated Public Transport for Sunday

NRL Squad for Round 16 v Newcastle Knights:

1. Josh Dugan
2. Nene Macdonald
3. Kurt Mann
4. Tim Lafai
5. Jason Nightingale
6. Gareth Widdop (c)
7. Josh McCrone
8. Russell Packer
9. Cameron McInnes
10. Paul Vaughan
19. Tyson Frizell
12. Joel Thompson
11. Tariq Sims
Interchange:
14. Jacob Host
15. Leeson Ah Mau
16. Hame Sele
17. Taane Milne
20. Blake Lawrie
21. Euan Aitken
22. Matt Dufty

NYC Squad for Round 16 v Newcastle Knights:

1. Steven Marsters
2. Dylan Morris
3. Matheson Johns
4. Zac Lomax
5. Jason Gillard
6. Tristan Sailor
7. Jackson Willis
8. Matt Sheppard
9. Cooper Purcell
10. TJ Uele
11. Stuart Mason
12. Jackson Ford
13. Joe Lovodua
Interchange:
14. Tom Angel
16. Trent Peoples
17. Brayden Gallagher
18. Max Bailey
19. Jack Cross
20. Josh Dowel
21. Dane Francis

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/06/24/nrl_nyc_team_updates.af_news.html

 

[getsmarty]

Updated Public Transport for Round 16 v Knights
Sat 24th June, 11:00AM
A A

Competition - NRL Premiership. Date - August 13th 2016. Teams - St Illawarra Dragons v Cronulla Sharks. at - UOW Stadium, Kograh. Pic Grant Trouville @ NRL Photos.

Heading to the game this Sunday?

The Dragons have been informed by Transport NSW that there is track work occurring on the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line this weekend (Saturday, 24 June - 2am, Monday, 26 June).

Buses will replace trains between Cronulla and Central and also between Waterfall and Central.

The following bus services will be running:

1T4: Cronulla, then all stations to Caringbah, then Central and return

1AT4: Kirrawee, then all stations to Miranda, then Central and return

2T4: Waterfall, then all stations to Sutherland, then Central and return

3T4: Oatley, then all stations to Hurstville, then express to Central and return

3AT4: Hurstville to Central and return

4T4: Sutherland, then Jannali, Como, Central and return

5T4: Kogarah, then Rockdale, Central and return

6T4: Cronulla, then all stations to Sutherland, then Hurstville, then all stations to Rockdale, then Sydenham, Central and return

7T4: Hurstville, then all stations to Sydenham (except Tempe), then Central and return

8T4: Sutherland, then Oatley and return

9T4: Sydenham, then Tempe and return

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/06/24/updated_public_trans.af_news.html

 

[Gareth67]

All the stars are aligning for a good performance from the Dragons in this match . Very close to our best available team ( with a few exceptions which I won't go into now ) , bothe the Duges and Frizell back to add some starch to our defence and some polish to the attack .

A 2pm. start , which will allow an extra hour for ' drinks ' at the Taj Mahal and everything to prove that we are still capable of being a semi-finalist , nothing but a victory and a strong showing , will suffice in this game - Dragons by 20 .

 

[dragonssamy61]

No trains between Cronulla and city tomorrow that makes it hard.
But still try to get there all three grades.
U20s
3 v 4 at 9 .45
Should be a great day

 

[Crush]

Don't worry he'll be in the squad come game day, I can feel it in my bones.

No Will Mathews mate!

 

[Old Timer]

No Will Mathews mate!

Only because Frizz is playing if not he would have been in.

 

[2010]

I would be happy for a win, but we need it to be
a resounding win to get back on track. The top eight is becoming crowded, one loss can really hurt us now.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I would be happy for a win, but we need it to be
a resounding win to get back on track. The top eight is becoming crowded, one loss can really hurt us now.

I agree especially now the Roosters and Donkeys have recorded wins this round.....for and against important as well

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

No trains between Cronulla and city tomorrow that makes it hard.
But still try to get there all three grades.
U20s
3 v 4 at 9 .45
Should be a great day

Enjoy mate....get us a win

 

[blacksafake]

Only because Frizz is playing if not he would have been in.

Exactly & I'm torn on this as I would have liked to see Friz given a rest. If ever there was a game where you could rest anyone then this is it.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons boosted by return of NSW stars

Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno

24 Jun 2017, 2 p.m.

CLEARED: Dragons forward Tyson Frizell will back up from the Blues game two defeat for his club on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

ST GEORGE Illawarra will be boosted by the return of Origin stars Tyson Frizell and Josh Dugan, with coach Paul McGregor confirming both are certain starters for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle at Kogarah.

Both were among the Blues best in a last gasp loss to Queensland in game two on Wednesday night, with Frizell requiring a pain-killing injection to a niggling rib injury to make it onto the park.

He finished the match on the bench but McGregor confident both of his stars are fit to take the field.

“It’s the first time we’ve caught up with them today [Saturday]. They’ve got some bumps and bruises as you’d expect but they’re right to play,” McGregor said.

“I think it was just the rotation Laurie [Daley] was using, [Frizell] played 55 minutes straight there and he moved from the back-row to the middle and they pushed Boyd [Cordner] and Wade Graham to the edges.

“I think that’s just the plan they had similar to game one. Certainly if he was needed Tyson was ready to go back on. He’s pulled up as you do after Origin games, a little bit mentally fatigued as much as physically.

“They’ve had a couple of days off now and they’re looking forward to Sunday.”

McGregor was without the pair in a last-start 24-10 loss to Parramatta and welcomed their return as his side looks to break a run of two straight losses.

“They are important players to our football team,” McGregor said.

“They’re both current Australian [Test] players and it’s important they bring back that tough mental approach to a club game and lift other players around them as much as the players that are fresh need to.

“We’ve lost two games which is never great and the next one’s always important. Certainly we’ve looked to clear the mind and freshen the legs a bit this week.

“I think in the last few weeks we’ve gone away from a few little basics in the game. There were some good things to come out of the last two games, it’s just about some deficiencies that the opposition don’t control, we do.”

The Knights have won just two games this season but McGregor believes they are a superior side to the one that collected the wooden spoon in 2016.

“They’ve been in their games, in most of them they’ve been really competitive,”McGregor said.

“They’ve won a couple of games and they’ve held good teams to tight contests and they’re playing a decent brand of footy.

“They’re enthusiastic, they’ve got a lot of energy so we need to make sure we nullify that through our effort, our commitment and certainly our resolve.

“It’s an NRL game it’s going to be tough, they all are, and it’ll be no different on Sunday.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4750428/frizell-a-certain-starter-for-dragons/?cs=3713

 

[Coffs dragon]

I just have this sick feeling that Browny's refreshed Knights are going to do a number on our tired looking team today. I really hope I'm proven wrong, but I suspect they may blow us away with speed out wide.

 

[ALSGI]

I just have this sick feeling that Browny's refreshed Knights are going to do a number on our tired looking team today. I really hope I'm proven wrong, but I suspect they may blow us away with speed out wide.

Agree Coffs, I said it early on in the week and and still can't shake it. On our current form Browny will have them primed, add the Alex McKinnon cup and they have absolutely everything to play for on the perfect stage at KJO.
The biggest worry for me is Mary said "there were some good things that come out of the last two weeks" - really, like what ? Appart from Mann, Host, Sele and Vaughan playing well - what the f**k was good about the last two weeks??? I would have sacked KFFL and McCrone and dropped Nene and Lafai to reggies.
Gee I hope I'm so wrong here as a month ago I thought we'd threaten the minor premiership.
Nothing but a very dominant win here would be good enough to reignite the season and keep us in the top 8.
Hope to see us both wrong mate and will be cheering the Great RedV.

 

[Crush]

Agree Coffs, I said it early on in the week and and still can't shake it. On our current form Browny will have them primed, add the Alex McKinnon cup and they have absolutely everything to play for on the perfect stage at KJO.
The biggest worry for me is Mary said "there were some good things that come out of the last two weeks" - really, like what ? Appart from Mann, Host, Sele and Vaughan playing well - what the f**k was good about the last two weeks??? I would have sacked KFFL and McCrone and dropped Nene and Lafai to reggies.
Gee I hope I'm so wrong here as a month ago I thought we'd threaten the minor premiership.
Nothing but a very dominant win here would be good enough to reignite the season and keep us in the top 8.
Hope to see us both wrong mate and will be cheering the Great RedV.

Knights always start well. They tend to score the first try so I won't be surprised if we are behind at half time.
I just think though that we will be too good for them in the end and the second rowers will have a day out. I hope that Sims has a big game.

 

[MilanDragon]

I noticed with the reduced squad yesterday, Dufty and Aitken are still on there. Possibility of one of them coming into the 17?

 

[ALSGI]

Looking at the highlights from this weekend so far and last couple of weeks makes me very envious.
When will be the next time the Dragons score a long range try or a shorter range try on pure speed? Speed is the Plan B and C that most other clubs have that can turn a game that we dont have.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Agree Coffs, I said it early on in the week and and still can't shake it. On our current form Browny will have them primed, add the Alex McKinnon cup and they have absolutely everything to play for on the perfect stage at KJO.
The biggest worry for me is Mary said "there were some good things that come out of the last two weeks" - really, like what ? Appart from Mann, Host, Sele and Vaughan playing well - what the f**k was good about the last two weeks??? I would have sacked KFFL and McCrone and dropped Nene and Lafai to reggies.
Gee I hope I'm so wrong here as a month ago I thought we'd threaten the minor premiership.
Nothing but a very dominant win here would be good enough to reignite the season and keep us in the top 8.
Hope to see us both wrong mate and will be cheering the Great RedV.

I remember Mary talking about positives after the charity shield debacle. Against all expectations the team played like champions next game and smashed Penrith. Hopefully this is the same turn of events.

 

[Crush]

Looking at the highlights from this weekend so far and last couple of weeks makes me very envious.
When will be the next time the Dragons score a long range try or a shorter range try on pure speed? Speed is the Plan B and C that most other clubs have that can turn a game that we dont have.

I have thought the same thing this weekend. When cotric scored a 90 meter try yesterday from nothing I thought nobody in dragons scores that try.

 

[Crush]

IMO today they should play basic boring complete your sets type footy. Don't get dragged into a flashy style of play like the knights want.
To beat the top teams dragons need to chance their arm and throw the miracle flick passes and chip kicks etc because just completing sets and kicking to cnr wont win the game.
To beat the knights though just keep it simple and the defense will open up and there will be meat pies on offer.