Round 18 vs Raiders

[gitano]

White-line fever they call it.

That isn't what that saying means.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Our pack is pathetic. We once had:-
De Belin
Thompson
Frizell
Vaughan
Mc Innes
Ah Mau
Bench
Tariq Sims
Latimore
Merrin
Leilua

A sad demise.

 

[Inisai Toga]

Do not disagree the players are at a disadvantage. Very true. I am just finding it hard now to believe that some of them, especially the ones on big money, couldn't have risen above it once or twice here or there. If we go by their word they always have faith in the coach - that's what the fans get told.

We invest our time watching these players and every game, with the exception of the captain, they stop playing, they get dejected and they allow the other 17 human beings to trample all over them. That's what I've witnessed pretty much ever since JDB and T Sims weren't folding players in half anymore. Soft and insipid.

Yep the coaching isn't at all sufficient but it seems to transcend that.

For the reason you outline here is why those ‘go to the players type stories’ are rubbish and have no validity whatsoever! the trouble is some of those players you mention rely on the toughness of others to shine. Take them away and it’s a straw man; never understood why forwards don’t get more man on the match mentions.

Interesting also that the focus on our back line positions get so much discussion when we’re losing it mainly in the forwards, both in attack and defence. Canberra recognised it and went straight through us. I personally do see effort, but believe unfortunately that we’re comparable to a ‘good reserve grade side‘ at best.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

That isn't what that saying means.

Really? We have a f***ing genius in here.

 

[redVinme]

Our pack is pathetic. We once had:-
De Belin
Thompson
Frizell
Vaughan
Mc Innes
Ah Mau
Bench
Tariq Sims
Latimore
Merrin
Leilua

A sad demise.

I agreed until I saw latimore and Merrin

 

[thebigredv]

For the reason you outline here is why those ‘go to the players type stories’ are rubbish and have no validity whatsoever! the trouble is some of those players you mention rely on the toughness of others to shine. Take them away and it’s a straw man; never understood why forwards don’t get more man on the match mentions.

Interesting also that the focus on our back line positions get so much discussion when we’re losing it mainly in the forwards, both in attack and defence. Canberra recognised it and went straight through us. I personally do see effort, but believe unfortunately that we’re comparable to a ‘good reserve grade side‘ at best.

Very true. Griffin has already identified the forwards as the weak spot. Get that right with recruitment, retention and coaching and we will see the best of our backs.

McGregor had us with some awesome forwards at one point but it didn't seem he knew how to manage or strategise with them. Eg. Burn out and one up plays relentlessly.

I've seen the guys trying too. They do end up looking like reserve graders and easy beats each week.

 

[SEAT 1A]

Raiders legend Mal Meninga was asked what he would grade Saturday’s performance from the Red V.

“Not a very high one, probably an F for fail,” Meninga said.

I know we are tripe however, if the Red V was a F what rating would he give BNE.

Granted, Gold Coast with some momentum beat the broncs.

BNE -326 with three wins V Dragons - 58 and six wins. Pull the other one Mal.

 

[KogarahWarrior]

White-line fever they call it.

Oh, Norman definitely has some white-line fever alright

 

[Mjab]

Except for a few of our players, Craig Bellamy would have Buckleys getting us to the finals with this squad. Absolute rubbish and the players would not be in demand by any other club I reckon. They lack so much and just have no heart.

Their confidence drops whenever they feel the pressure.

Both our attacking and defensive skills are poor.

Can anyone honestly say that even with Griffin as coach we will be competitive enough to win more games than we lose?

Sure I agree

a lot players have clocked out

prob hard in the bubble TBH as well

trying to stay positive that Hook can have a clean out , change a lot of shit at the club and bring thru juniors , that Peanut could never do

peanut couldn’t even teach Turnstile to pass FFS after years
That’s what we have been up against

not expecting miracles next year but hopeful of some pleasant surprises

 

[Mjab]

They've been disgracing it on a regular basis since 2011.

Not as much as Mary in the coaches polo

 

[possm]

Sure I agree

a lot players have clocked out

prob hard in the bubble TBH as well

trying to stay positive that Hook can have a clean out , change a lot of shit at the club and bring thru juniors , that Peanut could never do

peanut couldn’t even teach Turnstile to pass FFS after years
That’s what we have been up against

not expecting miracles next year but hopeful of some pleasant surprises

Cooper said he would be happy to work with the outside backs. They surely could use some help; especially with their defence. Mary never took him up on the offer.

 

[denis preston]

Cooper said he would be happy to work with the outside backs. They surely could use some help; especially with their defence. Mary never took him up on the offer.

In fairness you don't want ex players teaching various positional structures.That is what the coaching staff are paid for. If the assistant coaches fail to implement these improvements then the coach suggests to the CEO to move them on , just like Hornby deserved to and Young should have.
The last 5 years really has come home to roost but it is amazing what a new coach that is professional , experienced and proven successful ( admittedly not the top prize but far better than we have had for 9 years ) can do in a short space of time.The degree of that improvement will be the retention and player signings in the off season. In some ways Griffin doesn't have to do a lot as he is starting from a very low point. He may be thinking it is like shelling peas.

 

[Inisai Toga]

Where I did feel we were a “bit unlucky” on Sat was that we were light on against one of the biggest pack in the comp to start with, before: Host pulling out in warm up; Ford crook with flu but forced to play; Brittain and Kerr smashing heads and taken off. On top of that we had Ellis making his debut and Vaughan back from a month layoff. These combined circumstances realistically killed any chance of a reasonable second half performance taken into account our habit of second half fades.