Round 17 v Eels at home

[thebigredv]

Just enough of a hint to player signings to subdue us and keep us hoping, when we clearly have signed no one.
He speaks alright but that's all it is, talk.
Meanwhile most other clubs signing players of the right fit left, right and centre.

 

[Jim Dragons]

I like your comments Jim. My concerns revolve around the coaching. With a player like LPK, if you watch reels of him through the lower grades, he is at his best when he gets a head of steam up. For some reason, he receives the ball standing very flat. That's literally nullifying his biggest strength. Crazy. The try he scored was a classic example. Came onto the ball. He's a big lad. I wish we could develop a better style of play in every aspect of the game. We're behind other teams in so many facets of play. Defensively, we're as poor as. DeBelin, our best forward, turns up every week, and we let him go. Anyways, as you pointed out, we have a talented blend of juniors coming through. The fact that they have all played together is a bonus. Hopefully we'll get there soon. Trying to be patient. I'll be watching the reggie's too. Go Dragons!!!

Likewise I agree with your comment on LPT taking the ball flat. Maybe it's just something that has found its way into his game - but agree that the coaching staff need to spot it soon. I have a similar feeling about Sloan since he got dropped the past couple of seasons. Confidence gone... and all of a sudden he has lost the one thing that made him great (or at least got him selected in FG)... squeezing thru the tightest of gaps and hence using his speed once in the back field. I wonder if both players would benefit from watching their highlight reels looking for the technical chink that got them their starts but is missing in their current game.
As for the defence we have two defensive teams, Team A moves up and hits hard in the middle - on the days we play that team it builds confidence it our attack and kick chase. The other defensive team (Team B) is the worst passive defenders in the league. NO go forward in defence just let teams run 50-60M in defensive sets and can't get any dominance on the ground. That team really struggles to defend any penalties, errors or restarts. Unfortunately both defensive teams play in the same numbers - one is capable of beating Bris and Melb, and defends small leads until the death (I know l saw it happen). The other struggles against sides like the Tigers or Rorters (probably the side that you have seen too much of). l feel sorry for the coaches because if the two teams wore different numbers on their jerseys - we would all spot where the changes are needed and help out. Still l am sure that the coaches don't select Team B deliberately and would of course be better coaches if they only played Team A.
Alas it aint that easy. But l get you point - that is what the coaches get paid the big dollars for.

As for JDB it is a real shame that he is moving on and hopefully we all give him the send off he deserves over the next few weeks (and of course at WIN). Lets just hope that it turns out for the better for us and I can never say l wish any player leaving for another team "well" but l am sure a huge percentage of true Dragons respect him heaps.