Round 17 vs Melbourne

[BennyV]

Could it be that the coaching staff recognise that the young players aren't ready to bring through? That they are taking longer to come up to speed than anticipated? We talk about bringing the young players through but there's no suggestions on how to do it. How should it have been done?

I dont know, I'm not getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to coach and manage a roster. If they aren't ready, get them out of the Top 30 and get kids who are ready.

Yeah, we had 5 regular first graders out, but Storm had 9 of their starting line up and none of their depth options looked like they missed a beat. Same has happened for many teams.

 

[Old Timer]

So in reality, only Host looks ready. The others still need a lot of work. The step up between ISP and NRL is huge so giving these guys this much game time might make them realise they need to put in more to be considered for a bench spot.

In all honesty they should have been better prepared by now and we have missed golden opportunities to prepare them or cull them where necessary.
Any notion that any of them had enough game time under their belts this year to prepare them is ridiculous but Nighty being in the team all year was important evidently.
Mann should have been in the run on team game 1, Nighty captain in reggies and a bench spot available every week so 3 or 4 players could be rotated and getting significant playing time.

 

[getsmarty]

Match Highlights: Storm v Dragons - Round 17, 2018
A fast-finishing Melbourne Storm have overcome St George Illawarra 52-30 at AAMI Park, extending the Dragons’ winless run in Melbourne to 15 consecutive matches.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/07/05/match-highlights-storm-v-dragons---round-17-2018/

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Some solid straw-clutching going on here!

There were a few good things to come from the game. Mann showed proper ticker, Dufty continues to impress in attack (although defensively was very poor tonight), and Widdop really took the leader role for most of the game.

But really, we were basically perfect for 65 minutes with Storm consistently inviting us into the game with error after error, and not only could we not close it out, but we completely capitulated. The bench selection and rotation proved to be a joke, our tactics for bringing youth through to first grade proved to be a joke, and most of all, f**k Melbourne.

Leilua is NOT a long minute player, he is impact only.
Nightingale, bless him, is NOT a utility or interchange player.
Robson is NOT a running forward only.
Sitting on the bench for 75 minutes is NOT giving youngsters exposure to first grade.

McGregor's man management comes to the test - he's got a lot of bruised egos and dropped confidence that he'll need to rebuild.

On a completely unrelated topic, I mentioned in another thread how Cowboys have gone to extreme (and detrimental) lengths to keep the players and playing style that was so successful in 2015. Crazy to think they could be going into 2019 and beyond with a spine of Kalyn Ponga, Jahrome Hughes, Michael Morgan and Brandon Smith had they made better retention decisions. Ponga was a monstrous f**k up, Hughes and Smith werent far behind. Storm have brilliant forward planning.

Of all the valid points here, it's possibly the fifth paragraph that's the most pertinent.

That is, young player's hubris psychologically damaged tonight.

This is the risk one takes worn a park footy standard coach.

 

[getsmarty]

MATCH REPORT


Storm outscore Dragons in 14-try thriller
Author
Andrew Marmont
Timestamp
Thu 5 Jul 2018, 09:52 PM

Melbourne's young playmakers Jahrome Hughes, Brodie Croft and Ryley Jacks turned on the razzle-dazzle in the absence of Storm's Origin stars to outpoint the Dragons in a 52-30 thriller at AAMI Park on Thursday night.

However, despite all their good work in having a say in most of the Storm's nine tries, the South Sydney Rabbitohs now sit on top of the Telstra Premiership ladder - by way of a bye - after the Dragons suffered only their fourth loss of the year.

With Cameron Munster and Billy Slater in the Maroons camp, Hughes stood up with a dynamic performance that included a try, 209 running metres, and an error-free display at fullback.

A total of 14 tries were scored in a frenetic display of football, with the Dragons leading 30-28 with 20 minutes to play.

But the Storm kicked clear with four tries in the last stanza to run out comfortable winners.

During the week, Storm coach Craig Bellamy admitted his team would have to "grind out a win", but they instead turned on the entertainment big-time in a high-scoring game against the competition leaders.


Hughes gobbled up every kick that came his way at fullback - moved there by Bellamy at the 11th hour after naming him at halfback - and kicked intelligently along the ground.

Croft, whose last NRL game was back in round five before being sent to the Intrust Super Cup, produced a super all-round attacking game. Jacks also played a solid match creating many plays.

Storm half Brodie Croft. Mark Dadswell/NRL Photos
In a windy and warm night, with the temperature hovering around 20 degrees at kick-off, both sides settled into a frenzied display of football.

Curtis Scott scored the Storm's first off a pinpoint Jacks kick, and the Dragons hit back quickly a few minutes later through Kurt Mann, who finished off a classy move down the right-hand side.

Croft then burst up the field in a weaving run, stepping both James Graham and Matt Dufty to score his side's second try and bring a 12-6 lead.

Gareth Widdop hit a perfect cut-out pass to Nene Macdonald, who managed an acrobatic try in the corner to level the scores by swapping the ball from his left to his right hand before grounding.

The Storm grabbed another one of their own through Cheyse Blair, with the centre going in untouched after some quick passing.

Dragons centre Euan Aitken scored down the right edge but the Storm finished the half with the lead through a special Ryan Hoffman try.

Dragons winger Nene Macdonald. Mark Dadswell/NRL Photos
The 34-year-old dummied his way on a 45-metre dash that left Dragons fullback Matt Dufty clutching at air.

Ten minutes after the break, St George Illawarra got on the score sheet again after an inside run by Luciano Leilua, who scored his first NRL try.

Hughes put the Storm ahead after a rampaging Nelson Asofa-Solomona run, with the fullback overcoming three defenders to push the Storm ahead with just over 20 minutes to go.

The Dragons weren't done though and scored a simple scrum base try to Mann - his second against his old club. Just like that, the Dragons were ahead, 30-28.

But quick tries to Hughes, Blair, Jacks and Suliasi Vunivalu in the final 15 minutes proved too much for the Dragons. It was their 15th consecutive loss to Storm in the Victorian capital

Nene's incredible finish

News & Notes: Dragons second-rower Jacob Host dislocated his right shoulder in the 5th minute and did not return…Hame Sele penalised for a lifting tackle in the 29th minute and could attract match review committee interest… St George Illawarra have not won in Melbourne since 1999… the Dragons have lost four of their past five games away from home...and now host the Wests Tigers at Jubilee Oval at Kogarah next weekend.. Storm travels to Lottoland to face Manly.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/07/05/storm-outscore-dragons-in-14-try-thriller/

 

[True_Believer]

In all honesty they should have been better prepared by now and we have missed golden opportunities to prepare them or cull them where necessary.
Any notion that any of them had enough game time under their belts this year to prepare them is ridiculous but Nighty being in the team all year was important evidently.
Mann should have been in the run on team game 1, Nighty captain in reggies and a bench spot available every week so 3 or 4 players could be rotated and getting significant playing time.

As I've said before, there's no way we could have prepared all of them for this game. IF we had've stuck with 2 only from the start of the season and rotated them we would have been better off. But you can't give 6 players enough time across 16 rounds to prepare them for a full game in Melbourne against the Storm. Or any team for that matter.

 

[ouryears]

Unfortunately the last 15 is not going to reflect how great and close this game truly was.

If both teams are full strength I believe we win this one.

How the heck can you determine that?

 

[Old Timer]

We really needed some bigger bodies tonight so Kerr & Allgood must be seriously bad players not to get a look in.
I know Allgood was 1 year only but I think Kerr has a year to go maybe so maybe he should be cut adrift.

 

[epDragon62]

On Foxtel the one of the commentators said that Bellamy instructed his team to target Nightingale and Leulua at the halftime interval.

An example of Bellamy’s astute coaching. He saw the weakness and exploited it beautifully.

Yet, take Smith out and we probably would’ve won, even with Host sidelined.

 

[ouryears]

Appearantly some idiot, when missing four regular forwards and throwing a bunch of young guys on there, thought it would be a fantastic idea to go into the game with an old winger and a reserve hooker on the bench.
For the life of me I can’t think who it was though?

It was CRUSH and DAMOS mate

 

[2010]

I saw someone posted earlier that with our forwards out for SOO it was going to be a big ask. Teams are not so badly affected if the backs were not on the field.
Mary has once again shown that his use of the bench is useless.
Nightingale is not a forward and to have him on for 70 plus minutes is not being fair to him.
Fox did say that Bellamy at half time told his players to attack Nightingale and Luc. That played out very well for the Storm.
I wish Duffy would not let a bomb bounce. He has a bad habit of doing that. He was caught out in no mans land and tries resulted.
Although we played ok for 65 minutes the last 15 were terrible.
Let’s regroup and get back on track for the next game.
I might just drop over to the sack McGregr thread to vent my frustrations with the use of the bench.

 

[Old Timer]

As I've said before, there's no way we could have prepared all of them for this game. IF we had've stuck with 2 only from the start of the season and rotated them we would have been better off. But you can't give 6 players enough time across 16 rounds to prepare them for a full game in Melbourne against the Storm. Or any team for that matter.

The correct preparation / blooding could have started last year and we played busted players instead.
Now this year too many fell in love with Latimore as well and he has occupied a 1st grade spot all year just like Nighty.
He could have been rotated up and down as well which would have given another younger player some important 1st grade time.
When the full pack is in Lats looks OK and people talk him up but if he is really as good as some think he is, then tonight was the night he should have made a statement.
Unfortunately the statement that he did make is, that without the rep players he is just a plodder, which is what he always was but it got lost amongst all the outstanding work the main forwards have done.

 

[Mickthedragon]

Just got home from work and watched the replay. What a strange game with defence non existent at times.
Some great tries by us but Bellamy definately out coached Mary. Nightingale has to go, its a waste having him there but at least we had some good signs in attack.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Because I'm sure you're all desperately awaiting - and salivating - what my observations are, I thought I'd jot down a few.

These aren't mind blowingly complex and probably have already been mentioned.

In no particular order;

1. Saints ' well documented, infamous "underbelly" is alive and thriving as demonstrated by how awful the side plays away from home, Yes, the Dragons were missing many vital players but so were the Storm.

2. replacing a second rower (Host) with a winger (Nightingale) demonstrated once again that McGregor makes the most rudimentary lack of judgment errors not befitting s first grade coach.

Does anyone recall ex Saintx coach, Brian Smitb, making a horrendous error of judgement by replacing Jason Stevens (a prop) with Jeff Hardy (utility) in the 1993 grand final m?

3. MacDonald simply cannot break the line with his usual ineffective kick returns.

4. despite his heroics, Dufty's defence is substandard for any genuine first grade fullback.

5. Smith is s Porsche while McInnes is a VW in comparison.

The Storm won tonight simply due its captain controlling the ruck. Every thing McInnes did (comparatively) to Smith was in slow motion.

And there were his piss poor defensive efforts, particularly in middle third of the field.

6. tonight's result really confirmed each NRL competition is really a marathon. Not only is there a chance of peaking too early - not to mention overachieving - I think Saints will struggle to keep pace of the other top tier level sides once the whips are cracking.

 

[blacksafake]

Of course it had to be tonight to see Croft finally perform.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

How many of those teams were leading the comp after 16 rounds? The stat by itself means nothing - you need context around it.

I don't think leading the comp after 16 rounds is relevant. What it does show that so called premiership contenders that concede 50 points have a soft underbelly.

 

[possm]

Firstly, I'm not going to bag any player, I think they all played to their limits. There were zero passengers.

Take-aways are:
1. Game was always going to be difficult to win when we lost Host after 5 mins and I really think Graham was concussed for most of the game.
2. Storm attack centred through where Host would have been defending.
3. Great character to stay in the game for basically 70 mins
4. Nighty made 40 tackles, he'd be lucky to make 40 for a season on the wing. Huge effort, but sometimes effort doesn't equal requirement.
5. LAM will be a huge loss for us next year. Best Dragon out there. 27 tackles 0 missed and 141m ran.
6. Our much talked about plan for back-up, misfired. You simply can't expect player with 5 min from the bench to make the required leap. They tried and credit to them for that, but in reality they were let down. Compare to Bellamy and the Storm .
7. Cameron Smith, as much as a *^%$ he is, he really knows how to control a game.
8. Missed tackled were the most I've seen from the Dragons for a long time (45)
9. Luciano needs a lot more fitness, but I thought his game improved after he scored his maiden try.
10. Widdop's a great goal kicker when on-song
11. I think we now know why Sele is unsigned for next year (atm).

As I said no complaints to our players. Nothing more they could have done under the circumstances. It would have been interesting to see the score line if Host hadn't got injured.
Let's all swallow the bitter pill, and move on to the next round when we should be at full strength again, hopefully!

We just have too many young forwards in our squad of 30 who just aren't up to first grade standard. Keep a few and let the rest go. By some first grade standard props.

Our right edge is still a major problem. Atkin to bench and when he is fit, Lomax to right centre. Dufty needs to position himself better in defence.

 

[gitano]

Took one small piece of enjoyment out. Would have went unnoticed by many. One of the Storms last trys, Blair goes the cheap shot elbow to Aitken on the way through. Aitken pushes, the Storm continue to celebrate. Then Blair walks back, minding his own business and you just see an elbow connect with his head. It's not the 2 points, but sometimes a get square is enjoyable

 

[possm]

I don't think leading the comp after 16 rounds is relevant. What it does show that so called premiership contenders that concede 50 points have a soft underbelly.

Be fair, that was not our first grade team tonight! Melbourne, Penrith and South Sydney seem to have better depth then we do. If our youngsters aren't up to it, sometimes it's better to let some go and buy ready made first graders.

 

[slippery5]

Again dont like bagging players but i can see why Nichols took 29 years to play NRL...for a halfback he hid for 80 minutes! Shit himself royally!
instead of taking the game by the scruff of the neck he decided to hide for 80 minutes...zero contribution!!
should have played Field - at least the f**ker can attack! anyhow just need to bounce back next week ..

And his defence is no worse than Nichols, alarm bells rang for me when Mary commented before the game on Nichols, saying "his defence has really improved this year" Obvious that has been his weakness in getting a 1st grade start, which showed tonight. Would have been better putting Widdop at 7 Mann at 6 & Nighty to the wing.