Round 18 v Roosters

[matPORTS]

Today basically showed us where we might end up this season... and that is that we are probably going to land somewhere between 7th & 12th (my feeling is we will just be missing out - can't see us beating the very echelon of the comp even on our best day at the moment).

Today also showed us (the thing we keep talking about) that we need a couple of big boppers for 2025 and beyond. Looks at the Roosters props rotation ! We are far from being at that level (both from our recruitment and in terms of getting the team upskilled to the same level). Yes, it's frustrating !!

We need to ensure that Toby Couchman is a Dragon for life (and quite possibly is his twin brother as well if the bloodline is anything to go off). This kid is going to be something very special.

 

[coastiedragon]

Hunt and Lawrie have to go.

In that game Lomax looked like he has moved on.

Anyone criticising Sloan needs to reassess, worked all game, took all the high balls aimed at him, defended including taking JWH on the line. I saw a poster criticising him for not locking up the ball when Collins scored but, they didnt mention the fact Lawrie should have wrapped up Collins before he even got to the line. Could Sloan have done more there, yes, but it is unfair to blame him for the try.

I also dont understand the desire to move on BMM, as an impact forward he is very good.

Mate it's his job to catch high balls and do anything possible to stop a try he is last line defence, he needs more size I would prefer to loose a bit of speed than watch him get owned every time he runs the ball.

 

[since77]

Floated in and out of watching the game.
Leaving aside the obvious that one star studded side was up against a side in a rebuilding year.
Was I correct in my observations that the ruck seemed to have 2 different sets of rules? One for the star studded side and one for the other?
Looked to me that the Salary Cap stretching Rorters were allowed to lay all over the Dragons while the Dragons were pinged incessantly everytime they they didn't get up immediately......
It really looks like the refs are making up the rules as they go sometimes.

p.s. obviously the best roster won. But the game is getting very frustrating to watch with the ruck looking like a lucky dip.

 

[TruSaint]

Today basically showed us where we might end up this season... and that is that we are probably going to land somewhere between 7th & 12th (my feeling is we will just be missing out - can't see us beating the very echelon of the comp even on our best day at the moment).

Today also showed us (the thing we keep talking about) that we need a couple of big boppers for 2025 and beyond. Looks at the Roosters props rotation ! We are far from being at that level (both from our recruitment and in terms of getting the team upskilled to the same level). Yes, it's frustrating !!

We need to ensure that Toby Couchman is a Dragon for life (and quite possibly is his twin brother as well if the bloodline is anything to go off). This kid is going to be something very special.

Im glad you mentioned T Couchman. In a badly beaten side, he was very effective. Good player.

 

[Illusion]

This is not a good look .......

 

[56to66]

Just like the Six again rule, the salary cap is a joke.
There should be a top 30 players rating system and a rewards for home grown talent.
The ladder would look totally different, with the Sydney Rorters getting multiple wooden spoons!
How About paying Jack De Belin whatever and not be counted!

 

[Dribble&Yarn]

Anyone who takes away Sloan was the issue today is off their head

 

[RedVee]

Made a last minute decision to go to the game - not with the expectation of a win but mostly just to check out Allianz. Arrived late, left early but the stadium is great.

And Hunt is even shitter live than on TV.

Agree the ground is great. The performance very uninspiring.

 

[carltonsouth79]

I am so bitterly disappointed and fed up with this game now. You just cannot beat a team filled with quality players. When you add up the value of the Roosters players and add up the value of the Dragons players you can't tell me that we pay for example $900K for Sloan as compared to what the Roosters pay for Tedesco which is what he is probably getting and Sloan is getting what? $500K. Then you have the Roosters centres (and if they had Manu and Suaalii playing today instead of Jennings and whoever, the score would have reached 60 again) who in comparison we had Suli and Matt Feagaii - no comparison, then the forwards and by crikey how do the Roosters maintain that they are within the salary cap?

The Roosters will win this years grand final. They have the players and incentives. The Panthers are not as good as last year and I don't think the Storm will be strong enough. If the Roosters do win, I'm out of here.

And next game they will have Sualihi and then Manu back in. The force is strong with them….

 

[slippery5]

Ok 2 things that I've been frustrated with are
1. Liddle, although has the odd good run from dummy half, does not engage the defence one iota!!! & I cannot see anything good about Brown...Waste of replacement.
2. Sloan comes diagonally forward off his goal line rather then track directly sideways to cover the kick in goal, this restricts the ground he can cover & would get to the ball before the attacking player rather then ALWAYS chasing backwards when the opposition have a head start....

 

[since77]

Im glad you mentioned T Couchman. In a badly beaten side, he was very effective. Good player.

Agree. I didn't see all of the game but he looked like the only forward who actually was........going forward. He looks a real goer. Hopefully his brother is just as good.
And I just don't understand why Lawrie is in first grade.

 

[saintmar]

Anyone who takes away Sloan was the issue today is off their head

Agree actually defused the high balls well and defended stronger
Positional play in defence is still a work in progress and in attack he needs to sniff around the ruck more
Over to you coaching staff

 

[SAP58]

To change tact isn’t it refreshing listening to Voss & Ennis commentate on the Newcastle v Canberra game rather than the rubbish commentators we had to put up with in our game (until I turned the sound down).

 

[rasaint]

I am not sad and not happy. Roosters just stockpile internationals and have a fab roster. I thought the Roosters would win comfortably and they won easily. No use whinging about their roster as one way or another top class players come to their club and it is what it is. The games best centre imo didn’t even play for them today.

Dont be surprised if we still jag a couple of wins in the next few weeks who knows.

 

[56to66]

I am not sad and not happy. Roosters just stockpile internationals and have a fab roster. I thought the Roosters would win comfortably and they won easily. No use whinging about their roster as one way or another top class players come to their club and it is what it is. The games best centre imo didn’t even play for them today.

Dont be surprised if we still jag a couple of wins in the next few weeks who knows.

How does that fab roster keep those internationals. Spew Cap!

 

[GC Dragon]

Anyone who takes away Sloan was the issue today is off their head

Totally agree . Forwards totally dominated , No line speed in defense and a pair of halves that couldn't lead a horse to water is far more the issue .

 

[Number of the Beath]

At least we won't have Hunt playing next week.

As someone who was fortunate enough to have watched the likes of Billy Smith, Ross Strudwick, Mark Shulman & Steve Morris play for us in the number 7, I'm almost happy not to watch us at all with that (C) Hunt killing us by pretending to be an elite half-back.
How many times has he been schooled by rookie halves? And they don't outrun or outmuscle him - they out-think him.
He seemingly has no ability to read a game or adapt or ad-lib. Every weapon in his under-equipped arsenal is either from the same well-thumbed playbook that everyone sees coming or it's a low-percentage Hail Mary play that either comes off and looks miraculous or more often backfires and is disastrous.
We've been stuck with this since 2018 and his continued presence makes a rebuild impossible.
There's just one solution - Punt the (C)Hunt!

 

[Number of the Beath]

Expect no changes to the side. Flanno had a nothing response to the performance.

There'll be a change - he'll bring Bird back.

 

[jeffdragon]

As someone who was fortunate enough to have watched the likes of Billy Smith, Ross Strudwick, Mark Shulman & Steve Morris play for us in the number 7, I'm almost happy not to watch us at all with that (C) Hunt killing us by pretending to be an elite half-back.
How many times has he been schooled by rookie halves? And they don't outrun or outmuscle him - they out-think him.
He seemingly has no ability to read a game or adapt or ad-lib. Every weapon in his under-equipped arsenal is either from the same well-thumbed playbook that everyone sees coming or it's a low-percentage Hail Mary play that either comes off and looks miraculous or more often backfires and is disastrous.
We've been stuck with this since 2018 and his continued presence makes a rebuild impossible.
There's just one solution - Punt the (C)Hunt!

Yes like grubber down 24.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Unfortunately...sorry fortunately didn't get to see the game today......got the result when I got home...read the comments on here and it didn't surprise with both the result and Hunts apparent performance.....I knew before today his involvement would be one of I'm into Qld Origin camp next week