Round 3 vs Sharks

[Inisai Toga]

Some comments had us up there with the best forward pack, great spine and top 4 chance just two weeks ago…we were never at that level imo; maybe assessments need tweaking..?

Must say, three of Cronulla’s tried were top shelf and were wonderfully executed for this time of year. We’ll get better, there are some good signs.

 

[Illusion]

Disgraceful effort. Not enough effort. The team looked like wooden spooners.

Too much one out stuff then crab across field ......

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Ford reminds me of an old Valiant I used to have. Rusty and broken down.

 

[Dragons4me]

After a good night’s sleep and much reflection, I have to say that the Sharks are a good team who recruited very well. The Dragons continue to be a work in progress. The problem is, not much progress has been made since 2012. We have a bloke called Ben Hunt on a million a year who isn’t worth that much. We also have a five eight and fullback who are green and had a rough couple of weeks against 2 top teams. Hopefully they come good soon. We continue to be inconsistent. The only consistency about our team is that we will make a dumb mistake or 2 or 3. It would be nice to see some improvement in this area but it’s the same old shit from this mob. Hook. Pull your finger out and fix this mess already

Good post.
I've re-read my game post rants and woken from my alcohol induced sleep. Shonks played well. Hurts to say. Good luck to the cheats. I still think we're a better team than that. Sin bins kill us. We can't compete with 12 against 13. Moylin was penalised for a head shot tackle but no 10 minute sin bin. Would have made no difference to the final outcome but consistency would be nice. I said that it seems like we've had more disallowed try's than scored. So many "almost" try's. Hunt must play but we need more options in the halves. Like all teams, injuries given the speed and collision of the current game will determine ladder position. It's round 3 and already Sua is playing with a foot injury. Who else? We're still a work in progress.
Rant 2 version over. Still hurts.

 

[epDragon62]

We really do need to improve our execution and take pressure off Hunt. Amone does not appear to be playing with confidence to do what he can do.

My take on last night's performance was admiration for the quality of the Sharks (annoying as it may be), disappointment that our young guns are still a bit green, convinced that we will improve save for injuries and I hope we are copping the worst of the crap ref decisions early in the season and that it won't continue all season.

Lawrie is playing too many minutes and the use of the bench is not so impressive. I'd like to have Woods and Burgess fit and playing to capacity to see how we go but failing that J Hunt and M Molo I feel might need to come into the squad.

 

[BBTB]

Everything went their way and nothing went ours.

There was clearly an attempt to square up the officiating late in the game...

Again the officials, orchestrating the game.
Pathetic to watch....

 

[denis preston]

The way you guys bounce back next week is the most important thing. I thought you were very good last week against the Panthers albeit unlucky. Our passes stuck and we played good footy considering the conditions and would have beat most teams last night. Stick with them...I still think you're a far better team than last year.

I said before a ball was kicked that the Sharks were top 4 as your buys were top shelf and your new coach has served a great apprenticeship. Your halfback even makes your expensive 5/8 look good ( for now ! ) . Dont think ours has been bad but we should now be ready ( and have the cash ) to outlay for 2 very good players to lead and change the structure.

 

[Number of the Beath]

Luciano has signed with the cows.

Yeah - I forgot that.
Plus, we don't do St George juniors at St George-Illawarra.

 

[matPORTS]

In summary - we were poor and that was again compounded alongside some dubious calls from the match officials.

It's too early to be hitting the panic button and we need to persist.

I still think we are very unsettled on who our best starting middle forwards are (and this is not really giving the likes of Sloan, Ramsey and Amone a chance as we're not setting the necessary foundations for our backs to truly shine). I actually think we miss Woods at the moment (he was good in the Charity Shield and in Round 1). de Belin needs to be starting at 13. I'm happy with our edge, albeit Su'a, Birdy and Sims need to take some anti-histamines prior to every game because just sneezing will see them giving up penalties, on report and likely in the bin or sent off !

A 6 and 9 probably need to be on our recruitment radar for 2023 and beyond. I'm happy to keep persisting with Amone (based on my point above), albeit Sullivan will surely have to get a chance at some point. McCullough & Mybe are definitely not our long term solution at 9.

Have adjusted my expectations for the season - we're again probably about a 9-12 finisher at this stage, and thats once we settle on what is ultimately our best 17 injury free. We'd be cannon fodder first week of the finals if we did so happen to sneak in.

 

[currumbinsaint21]

Pitiful... not even mcgregor dished out shit this bad

short memory

 

[st.phil]

Hooks on the phone to Segeyaro this AM I bet

 

[thebigredv]

In summary - we were poor and that was again compounded alongside some dubious calls from the match officials.

It's too early to be hitting the panic button and we need to persist.

I still think we are very unsettled on who our best starting middle forwards are (and this is not really giving the likes of Sloan, Ramsey and Amone a chance as we're not setting the necessary foundations for our backs to truly shine). I actually think we miss Woods at the moment (he was good in the Charity Shield and in Round 1). de Belin needs to be starting at 13. I'm happy with our edge, albeit Su'a, Birdy and Sims need to take some anti-histamines prior to every game because just sneezing will see them giving up penalties, on report and likely in the bin or sent off !

A 6 and 9 probably need to be on our recruitment radar for 2023 and beyond. I'm happy to keep persisting with Amone (based on my point above), albeit Sullivan will surely have to get a chance at some point. McCullough & Mybe are definitely not our long term solution at 9.

Have adjusted my expectations for the season - we're again probably about a 9-12 finisher at this stage, and thats once we settle on what is ultimately our best 17 injury free. We'd be cannon fodder first week of the finals if we did so happen to sneak in.

I see things differently to most. I can't help but look at the grand picture based on empirical knowledge and experience rather than purely what we might be in the future or what the team needs right now.

Your post is correct in assessment of the team imho but when you take the key points:

No need to hit the panic button
We are exactly as bad as we were last year, bottom 8 at best

These seem quite contradictory. It's not about a panic button if we bemoan the coach, the performance, the signings and the non-signings. It's about that hapless feeling of trying to will on your team in a derby and soon realising our side is yards behind another developing team. That is a legitimate concern. The refs played a part but more or less that's as strong as the team gets especially considering injuries/covid will start to take its toll on every side.

I feel like we have waited long enough to see results from this club, and for mine, the show of faith on another 'nice bloke' coach who has yet to reap any results, is a beautiful sentiment and at the same time a really stupid move again by a flagging club. It's screams what standard we are happy to live by.

I have seen enough footy to know at very best the 2022 Dragons will scrape into the eight this year but there is a load of recruitment to do and we are only going to get the late scraps of Bennett, Robinson and Bellamy etc. at best.

 

[Dragon David]

That is where an orchestrator of play comes in. We dont have one. All the good teams have creative halves. We have not had one since Widdop.

And Widdop did have his ups and downs when with us but yes, overall more creative. This is what the Sharks identified that they needed a creative half in Hynes in the spine. They got rid of Chad Townsend who isn't doing too bad at the Cowboys, but he is not as good as Hynes.

If we have quality 7 and 6, then our attack will improve. It's finding the "proper" ones that have eluded us.

 

[SGMax]

Our forwards need to change their approach in defence from making a "hit" to "tackle". Still, Sua's tackle was not a sin bin offence as he attempted to lower the impact.

I have seen so little from Amone since he started in 1st grade last year I am starting to wonder if he is up to it.
This is the reason why you can't have so many rookies in the team at the same time....how many young guys with less than 30 games were in the Sharks team?
The answer is not to add an under prepared Sullivan into the side.
Maybe Amone should consider transitioning to hooker.

We need to control the ball and have reasonable field position to have a chance.
We are not strong enough to fight our way through adversity.

I hope that Hook has completed his quota of good value depth buys.
We need a few top notch talented additions to lead and bring the rest of the team forward.

We also need to understand that there were at least 6 decisions in the 1st half against us by the refs and they have a huge impact and assist the opposition with field position, momentum, and a tired defence.

 

[Dragon David]

Did anyone hear the press Conference after the game ? Did Hook get into his team or was he as mild as always ? I have no accssess to it at the moment can someone shed some light on it ......

Dead panned as usual - same with Hunt. Show some animation you guys and don't beat around the bush as if you are dumb clucks.

Hook basically said that Cronulla played really well and we played poorly - that was obvious. Said he would look at the tackle made by Su'a and agreed after being asked by one of the journalists if he will go over tackling techniques at training with Su'a which he replied he would. Why wasn't that done from last week's sin binning offence?

If this is the way Hook speaks to the players during training and half time he is joking. He should be yelling and screaming like Bellamy would and put them on notice - do you guys want to play footy or what?

The good thing though that Hook raised is that the team did play very poorly - so much more improvement is needed for the team to be consistently good in attack and defence - moreso defence.

 

[st.phil]

Ok we played horrible and displayed the decade long trend of no resilience - drop the bundle etc - outclassed across the park. Gaps in the roster get exposed on wet nights with two or three key mongrels missing (burgess, fui, maguire) + the glaring hooker issue. Hunt looks to be overcalling and our rookies are playing in their shells.

For mine what was most disappointing is Griffin last week went soft on the refs and missed a trick re the inevitable pressure / bounce-back and again was really uninspiring in the post match - he is not conjuring the "follow me" leadership confidence at all

 

[Tiger Shark]

I came in here thinking you'd not be so gratious in defeat but you're making this no fun for me you jerks. haha

Good sportsmanship, sometimes a team just plays better. Last night it was the Sharks. I was expecting a much closer game tbh. Suppose your 5/8th and FB are more of a work in progress.

Lomax is still a freak.

 

[Illusion]

Dead panned as usual - same with Hunt. Show some animation you guys and don't beat around the bush as if you are dumb clucks.

Hook basically said that Cronulla played really well and we played poorly - that was obvious. Said he would look at the tackle made by Su'a and agreed after being asked by one of the journalists if he will go over tackling techniques at training with Su'a which he replied he would. Why wasn't that done from last week's sin binning offence?

If this is the way Hook speaks to the players during training and half time he is joking. He should be yelling and screaming like Bellamy would and put them on notice - do you guys want to play footy or what?

The good thing though that Hook raised is that the team did play very poorly - so much more improvement is needed for the team to be consistently good in attack and defence - moreso defence.

Thanks mate .......

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Dead panned as usual - same with Hunt. Show some animation you guys and don't beat around the bush as if you are dumb clucks.

Hook basically said that Cronulla played really well and we played poorly - that was obvious. Said he would look at the tackle made by Su'a and agreed after being asked by one of the journalists if he will go over tackling techniques at training with Su'a which he replied he would. Why wasn't that done from last week's sin binning offence?

If this is the way Hook speaks to the players during training and half time he is joking. He should be yelling and screaming like Bellamy would and put them on notice - do you guys want to play footy or what?

The good thing though that Hook raised is that the team did play very poorly - so much more improvement is needed for the team to be consistently good in attack and defence - moreso defence.

I don’t take much from what a coach says at press conferences. There’s no need to be animated or go off at anyone to make us supporters feel better. Just look at Master Coach Bennett who would give one word answers. The work was done at training and his teams would come out firing most of the time.

I am not sure what Griffin is doing behind closed doors or at training. It’s early in the season, but it doesn’t look too good. Hope he and the team proves me wrong, because I’m sick of being right.

 

[blacksafake]

Everything went their way and nothing went ours.

There was clearly an attempt to square up the officiating late in the game...

Agree.
Even every bounce of the ball went their way.
Having said that the better side won.