Round 3 vs Titans

[getsmarty]

Slick Dragons rout Titans in Toowoomba
Author
Joel Gould
Timestamp
Sun 25 Mar 2018, 06:01 PM

Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt put a woeful Gold Coast Titans to the sword in a 54-8 thumping in Toowoomba that has St George Illawarra ensconced as early Telstra Premiership competition leaders.

The Dragons were far from their best and never out of a canter but didn't need to be, and that is the biggest worry for Titans coach Garth Brennan.

Gold Coast five-eighth Kane Elegy dropped the ball from the kick-off and that set the tone for what was to follow from the next set of six, where Widdop and Hunt combined to send a flying Matt Dufty over.

Elgey was all at sea in the defensive line and appeared to have been rocked by his early error.

The Titans hit back through an Ash Taylor short ball to Michael Gordon and the match as in the balance in the 29th minute with the Dragons leading 10-8.

Three minutes later the Dragons took the game away from the Titans with three tries in as many minutes.

The worrying sign for Titans was all three were executed like training drills as the Dragons went through the Gold Coast right-side defence like a hot knife through butter.


Hunt and Widdop linked with ease to send Tim Lafai over. Then Tariq Sims had a wander about on the fifth tackle, Hunt and Lafai chimed in and Dufty did the rest.

A Dufty bust then led to Lafai try. It was as easy as shelling peas and at 26-8 at half-time the game was all but over.

The Titans missed tackles at will and kicked the ball dead from a restart in front of 7,297 fans at the Clive Berghofer Stadium.

It was a designated Titans home game but the sea of red and white in the crowd revealed the majority of the support was not with them.

Jack de Belin was sin-binned early in the second half but the Dragons could have played with 10 men and still beaten the Titans.

Hunt and Widdop combined again to send Nene Macdonald over in the 53rd minute and the Dragons led 32-8.

The Dragons try in the 58th minute was sheer class.

Hunt split the Titans and looked to his right where Widdop was pointing to put through a sneaky chip. Hunt did exactly that, Widdop controlled the ball with his foot, and scored a cracker.

Dragons prop Paul Vaughan chased a Widdop grubber through late on but the massacre was not yet complete.

Widdop booted long, Dufty chased at speed, regathered and scored.

Another Widdop grubber at the death was chased by Lafai and planted with ease and you wondered whether there were really two teams out there.

Dragons centre Tim Lafai. Scott Davis/NRL Photos
Dufty and Lafai both had hat-tricks for their afternoon's work.

The configuration of the regional ground meant that the press box could hear everything Dragons coach Paul McGregor was saying next door. Despite the scoreline he was far from happy with elements of his side's game including the kick-chase and defensive pressure.

Brennan arrived on the Gold Coast to usher in new dawn but from what the Titans dished up in Toowoomba on a sunny Sunday afternoon the nightmares of the past are still lingering well and truly.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/25...-dragons-rout-gold-coast-titans-in-toowoomba/

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons go top of the NRL after disposing of deplorable Titans in Toowoomba
NRL Premiership

• March 25, 2018 6:20pm
• Tony Webeck@tonywebeck
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Matthew Dufty and Tim Lafai both scored hat-tricks as the Dragons demolished the Titans in Toowoomba. Photo: Darren EnglandSource: AAP
EVEN a 12-man Dragons team got the better of the Titans at Toowoomba on Sunday.

Buoyed from the highest-scoring half in Queensland in franchise history, St George Illawarra started the second half at Clive Berghofer Stadium 26-8 to the good but lost lock forward Jack de Belin to the sin bin four minutes in due to a professional foul.

The Dragons defence kept the Titans at bay for two sets and then added a penalty goal and try to Nene Macdonald to extend their lead to 32-8, Gold Coast half Ash Taylor placed on report for an attempted trip on Gareth Widdop in the 51st minute in a disastrous 10-minute period that summed up the entire contest.

Star halves Ben Hunt and Widdop combined for a contender for try of the year shortly after de Belin’s return with Widdop’s right boot laying on tries for Paul Vaughan, Matt Dufty and Tim Lafai as the Dragons embarrassed Gold Coast 54-8, Widdop finishing with a career best five try assists.

Not only was it the biggest score ever by a Dragons team against the Titans, their biggest winning margin against a Gold Coast side and their greatest away win in franchise history, it also saw St George Illawarra move to the top of the Telstra Premiership and give every indication it’s a position they intend to maintain.

The game started with Titans five-eighth Kane Elgey dropping the kick off cold and things only got worse for Gold Coast.

Again the Titans’ middle third was exposed by a hard-running Dragons side that pushed through the centre and then pulled them apart on the edges.

They committed virtually every rugby league sin imaginable including twice kicking out on the full after conceding points to further put their flimsy defence under pressure.

Taylor cited for tripping

Dragons fullback Dufty scored the first of his three tries inside 90 seconds when he ran into a yawning hole on the right edge and outpaced Elgey, Widdop adding the conversion and a penalty goal for an 8-0 lead in as many minutes.

The Titans were actually the next to strike when Ash Taylor laid on a try for Michael Gordon with a gorgeous pass close to the line and when Gordon added a penalty goal the scores were locked at 8-all.

But that was the extent of the Titans resistance.

A second Widdop penalty goal edged St George Illawarra in front and when the Titans continued to commit rugby league suicide — this time kicking out on the full from the kick off — the Dragons went in for the kill.

They scored three tries in the space of three minutes, running roughshod down the Titans’ right edge as centre Tim Lafai scored twice and Dufty scored his second, taking a 26-8 lead into halftime.

Even when the Dragons botched their last tackle play — as they did in the lead-up to Dufty’s second try — they reacted far better than their opposition and easily found space to exploit.

The only show of fight late in the first half from the Titans was Konrad Hurrell reacting to a push from Tariq Sims that saw the Tongan international crash into the back fence but there was little else to be happy with.

Injury was added to insult in the final couple of minutes of the half as both Ryan James and Taylor left for the sheds early for head injury assessments, both returning to start the second half.

They need not have bothered as the Titans were starved of possession — largely of their own doing — and made countless poor reads in defence to make it little more than a physical training run for the Dragons in the second stanza.

Sims terrorised Hurrell every time the Titans centre touched the ball and the Dragons simply monstered their opposition physically in every facet.

The Dragons now have a week to prepare for their next clash with the Knights while Titans coach Garth Brennan will need to explore changes before his side takes on local rivals Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Easter Sunday.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 54 (Matt Dufty 3, Tim Lafai 3, Nene Macdonald, Gareth Widdop, Paul Vaughan tries; Widdop 9 goals) def. GOLD COAST TITANS 8 (Michael Gordon try; Gordon 2 goals) at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba. On report: Ash Taylor (Titans).

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...a/news-story/67de32c249c52302c99063e1d969fcc1

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons destroy Ashley Taylor's Titans

BRADLEY KANARIS/GETTY IMAGES
The unbeaten Dragons scored nine tries to one.


Ashley Taylor has endured a horror homecoming as St George Illawarra destroyed his Gold Coast side in Toowoomba.

The Dragons won 54-8, with Ashley Taylor reported for tripping and twice kicking restarts out on the full in a Clive Berghofer Stadium nightmare on Sunday.

The Toowoomba product was also forced to pass a concussion test at halftime as the unbeaten Dragons scored nine tries to one in the city's first NRL game.

The Titans entered the match with the league's worst defence after missing 82 tackles across the opening two rounds and it didn't improve as their right edge was brutally exposed by the red-hot Dragons.

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They produced the worst possible start when Kane Elgey knocked on from the kick- off, with fullback Matt Dufty crossing inside 90 seconds.

Gold Coast steadied from there though, Taylor's short ball giving Michael Gordon his first try in Titans colours.

They briefly looked the better side as Bryce Cartwright and Konrad Hurrell both spilled the ball with the try-line at their mercy.

But the Titans let the Dragons into the game with back-to-back penalties and Taylor's errant boot as centre Tim Lafai combined with Dufty for three tries in four minutes to close the half.

A professional foul from Jack de Belin and subsequent sin-bin early in the second half should have given the Titans a way back in.

Instead former Titan Nene MacDonald rubbed salt into the wounds with a try in the corner and Ben Hunt combined with halves partner Gareth Widdop to toy with Garth Brennan's side.

The newly-formed duo did as they pleased as the Titans dropped off a staggering 45 tackles and looked lost when the Dragons spread the ball wide.

Both men put in kicks to set up late tries as the Titans defence clocked off, allowing both Dufty and Lafai to notch a hat-trick of tries.

- AAP

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...lawarra-Dragons-destroy-Ashley-Taylors-Titans

 

[dragonssamy61]

Classic ! Noticed him in the teams victory song , basically in front of the camera , you could just see the top of his head . But what stood out was the way he was ' twirling ' his arm about , whereas everyone else was really in to it . Hope that he can get more involved in the aftermatch celebrations , as then I will know that he is one of the boys .

Gareth
The boys love Graham.
He is just a quite guy off the field.
Much more of leader who says do what I do not do what I tell you.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Even if it were true that McInnes throws a lot of forward passes, he's not getting pinged for them.

He pushes the limits, but that's what the good 9s do. It gives his forwards an advantage when they hit the line.

Honestly, if you can't see that McInnes is an upgrade in rein, you've gone beyond blinkers, you're blind.

I reckon you had a moment's reflection after McInnes's error...yet another forward pass...lead to a Gold Coast try yesterday,

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I think you’re being a bit naive - just because McInnes is better at passing, tackling (quality and quantity), kicking, decision making and all-round ball playing doesn’t make him a better #9 than Rein. I mean, I bet the guy has never even had a top knot...

McInness: "better at passing".

Did you swallow your tongue when one of Cameron's forward passes...and again, there were some that went undetected...directly led to a Gold Coast try?

I wonder if you noticed that Rein remained at dummy half despite Peats' presence?

 

[epDragon62]

McInness: "better at passing".

Did you swallow your tongue when one of Cameron's forward passes...and again, there were some that went undetected...directly led to a Gold Coast try?

I wonder if you noticed that Rein remained at dummy half despite Peats' presence?

I think you should quit while you aren’t being flogged like the Tits.

McInnes >>>>>>>>>Rein

 

[Brutalitops]

McInness: "better at passing".

Did you swallow your tongue when one of Cameron's forward passes...and again, there were some that went undetected...directly led to a Gold Coast try?

I wonder if you noticed that Rein remained at dummy half despite Peats' presence?

Jake Friend was pinged for one yesterday, you're not also gonna argue Rein is better than him are you?

McInnes throws no more forward passes than any 9 in the league, certainly far less than Friend. The sheer delusion to still be pretending McInnes isn't an excellent part of our team is beyond words

 

[dragonssamy61]

I think you should quit while you aren’t being flogged like the Tits.

McInnes >>>>>>>>>Rein

Mcinnes being talked about state of origin ><>><>>>>>>>rein can't get a regular starting spot in the team that is wooden spoon favourites.

 

[SBD82]

I reckon you had a moment's reflection after McInnes's error...yet another forward pass...lead to a Gold Coast try yesterday,

Give it up mate. You're making yourself sound pathetic.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

Jake Friend was pinged for one yesterday, you're not also gonna argue Rein is better than him are you?

McInnes throws no more forward passes than any 9 in the league, certainly far less than Friend. The sheer delusion to still be pretending McInnes isn't an excellent part of our team is beyond words

All the 9s are throwing it forward at the moment, don't know why, but they are.
McInnes is just as guilty as everyone else, but he's still bringing more to the team than Rein did over his last two years at the Dragons.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

I think that was the most complete performance we have seen out of the Dragons in the last 3-4 years.
Never took our foot off the gas the whole game, absorbed the pressure when the Titans came back at us, then went on with it for the rest of the game.

Simms, JDB, LAM have all taken thier game to another level so far this year.
Leilua looked good and got some good minutes, Mann going on in the forwards looked great, finally good use of the bench.

I think it may have been Gould who said during the match that JDB is never going to top the tackle count because opposition players will not run at him, he's in danger of smashing someone's belly button through thier spine soon with some of those hits straight in the midriff, brutal hits.

Hunt and Graham have added that extra bit of spice we were missing.
Widdops free running is brilliant.
Dufty is still a bit suspect under the high ball, but all fullbacks are struggling with those floating bombs at the moment, he will get there, and besides, when your speed can do the things his does you can put up with the occasional dropped ball.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I think you should quit while you aren’t being flogged like the Tits.

McInnes >>>>>>>>>Rein

I think you should quit while you aren’t being flogged like the Tits.

McInnes >>>>>>>>>Rein

Give it up mate. You're making yourself sound pathetic.

Nah....

The self flagellation re: McInnes on this forum is too amusing.

 

[macca_saint]

Nah....

The self flagellation re: McInnes on this forum is too amusing.

What do you believe Rein provided that Mcinnes can't perform better?
I can't think of a single aspect of Rein's game that is better aside from possibly his dummy and go.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

What do you believe Rein provided that Mcinnes can't perform better?
I can't think of a single aspect of Rein's game that is better aside from possibly his dummy and go.

It's not that I believe Rein is necessarily "better", rather, I don't believe he's an upgrade that so many maintain.

Rein's 'dummy and go' is light years in front of McInnes though.

 

[Old Timer]

It's not that I believe Rein is necessarily "better", rather, I don't believe he's an upgrade that so many maintain.

Rein's 'dummy and go' is light years in front of McInnes though.

I think picking on 1 forward pass being pinged is a bit harsh as almost all hookers get caught once a game let alone the best hooker in the modern era who could get pinched 4 times a game.
I defended Rein for a long long time and thought his good points (show & go, defence, toughness, minutes played) all outweighed his bad points (forward passes, at your head passes, behind you passes, at you knees passes) and in the end the bad outweighed to good by some margin.
Mc Inness is 1 season & 1 game into his time with us and his service out of dummy half is infinitely better than Rein's and TBH Mc Inness has a lot more football smarts than Rein and will form a great understanding & combination with the halves.
I felt for Rein that he didn't have a great half to work with but the obvious deficiencies in his game are things he has to fix before any good half can link with him.
Just on yesterdays forward pass and not pinged forward pass both times it was to Graham who is the slowest and has shortest legs of all our other forwards, so he stands almost a metre closer to the ruck, so both players need to adjust to accommodate that.

 

[BennyV]

McInness: "better at passing".

Did you swallow your tongue when one of Cameron's forward passes...and again, there were some that went undetected...directly led to a Gold Coast try?

I wonder if you noticed that Rein remained at dummy half despite Peats' presence?

Lol you’ve been waiting a while for Cam to get pinged for throwing a forward pass!

But yes, despite throwing a single forward pass in over a year of first grade he is a significantly superior passer of the ball. The speed with which he clears the ruck allows for much of our forward domination and the accuracy of the passes means that our forwards and halves weren’t stopping to reach up, down or behind themselves to catch it!

Rein has a single attribute that is superior to McInnes and that is speed off the mark. However, this is nullified by his sheer stupidity, as 2/3 times he used it was on the 4th tackle and he’d get dominated, leaving no DH to pass on the 5th and putting all the pressure on whatever half is trying get a kick in!

I could go into detail about specifics of what makes Cam a better attacker, defender, ball player, kicker and all round footballer than the bench hooker from the team we pumped by 46 points, but it would fall on deaf ears. I mean, he threw a forward pass, right?! Worst hooker ever!

 

[Drag Queen]

I reckon you had a moment's reflection after McInnes's error...yet another forward pass...lead to a Gold Coast try yesterday,

I was listening to it on Triple M whilst on the road. Girdler and Tallis called three forward passes from McInnes saying he only got picked up on one. Obviously I was only listening to the radio. Having said that, they also mentioned how well Rein went when he came on. Apparently did a monster tackle and no forward passes. I am of the opinion that McInnes is not an upgrade on Rein.

 

[Drag Queen]

Lol you’ve been waiting a while for Cam to get pinged for throwing a forward pass!

But yes, despite throwing a single forward pass in over a year of first grade he is a significantly superior passer of the ball. The speed with which he clears the ruck allows for much of our forward domination and the accuracy of the passes means that our forwards and halves weren’t stopping to reach up, down or behind themselves to catch it!

Rein has a single attribute that is superior to McInnes and that is speed off the mark. However, this is nullified by his sheer stupidity, as 2/3 times he used it was on the 4th tackle and he’d get dominated, leaving no DH to pass on the 5th and putting all the pressure on whatever half is trying get a kick in!

I could go into detail about specifics of what makes Cam a better attacker, defender, ball player, kicker and all round footballer than the bench hooker from the team we pumped by 46 points, but it would fall on deaf ears. I mean, he threw a forward pass, right?! Worst hooker ever!

Come on Benny. Girds and Tallis saw three forward passes from Cam. No I didn't see the game, and had to listen to them on the radio. I think Tallis said after the third one "Shit, sorry I swore, but he finally got called out for his forward passes. Sorry for swearing guys but finally he's being penalised" Verbatim.

 

[BennyV]

Come on Benny. Girds and Tallis saw three forward passes from Cam. No I didn't see the game, and had to listen to them on the radio. I think Tallis said after the third one "Shit, sorry I swore, but he finally got called out for his forward passes. Sorry for swearing guys but finally he's being penalised" Verbatim.

Well if Girds and Tallis said it, that’s good enough for me!!!

If we were judging hookers on forward passes not picked up by the ref, Cam Smith wouldn’t have made it past his first season!
Instead, we judge hookers on their ability to play the position. And McInnes shits on Rein from a great height. Anyone trying to use forward passes that aren’t penalised as a yardstick is clutching at straws.