Round 4 V Newcastle

[ruthless dragon]

I have only this to say....Ruthless Dragons...finally.

 

[Crush]

I hope all the “experts” continue to dismiss us. No pressure from the outside and the team can focus on themselves and continue to serve more shit sandwiches for the media to swallow

To be fair I think we all wrote dragons off before the season had kicked off. Well not all of us actually, there were plenty on here who stood firm and said we’d be competitive but many, including me, thought we would definitely struggle and be bottom 4.
I don’t blame the critics for putting us in their bottom 4 before the season started but if they still have us as a bottom 4 team then they are off the mark. We are a different team this year. A huge attitude change.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Any wonder when Matty Johns is the face of their league.

Yeah not the best face to look at is it

 

[TruSaint]

To be fair I think we all wrote dragons off before the season had kicked off. Well not all of us actually, there were plenty on here who stood firm and said we’d be competitive but many, including me, thought we would definitely struggle and be bottom 4.
I don’t blame the critics for putting us in their bottom 4 before the season started but if they still have us as a bottom 4 team then they are off the mark. We are a different team this year. A huge attitude change.

I had us as bottom four.
Im not sure if we get in the 8, but we will be closer to the 8 than the bottom 4. From what i have seen thus far.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

To be fair I think we all wrote dragons off before the season had kicked off. Well not all of us actually, there were plenty on here who stood firm and said we’d be competitive but many, including me, thought we would definitely struggle and be bottom 4.
I don’t blame the critics for putting us in their bottom 4 before the season started but if they still have us as a bottom 4 team then they are off the mark. We are a different team this year. A huge attitude change.

Yes Crush definate focus and attitude shift it appears....we will know a bit more when we play some of the more fancied teams

 

[Dorsai]

I watched the game on Kayo, and it continues to amaze me that the continual bias that comes out of the mouths of these commentators does not get them spoken to by at least someone. Had I not seen the vision as well as the audio, I would have sworn that Newcastle was playing like champions and were in from by 20 all day.

It is just sickening.

The ref had a blinder though. Literally. Blind. No way that was forward off the fingers. As has been mentioned, it travels backwards into the hands of Lomax. Again, commentators calling that forward, yet the no try to Newcastle as back. Obviously they know better because thats the Dragons and we cant have them winning.

Lastly, that goal. Notice we did not get a replay of that. Not from the front or the rear. They knew they stuffed up. If the bunker can rule a no try after the fact (after its been awarded and the goal is being lined up), surely they can rule on the goal. But again, That would not have helped Newcastle.

This inconsistency is just laughable.

 

[HenryTatana]

In short yes, I would be happy for Dufty to remain at fullback and Ramsey to gain more first grade experience on the wing. I am not against Dufty, I am more for the best for the team as a whole. I was a big support of the Dufty in place of Dugan when Dufty first was pushing for selection in first grade.

To me, Dufty has not the character to match it with the best fullbacks in the competition. He has the attacking flair and gaining a sense on when to be there to backup a break, but that is about it. To cover his problems he does not position himself to be in the frame to take a big hit and so, most high balls he took last night were not taken under pressure. I did not notice any defensive work that saved a try and to be honest, his passing game fell away with a few mis-directed passes.

I'd say that Griffin and his staff are more qualified than me to judge Dufty's suitablility for the first grade fullback spot, so I will defer that judgement to them. To me they are doing a super job in transforming each player and the team as a whole and I am very happy with that.

It is quite possible that the likes of Sloan and Schiller will also stake a claim for the fullback job while applying pressure from reserve grade; it is all a matter of timing.

My mind turns back to the loss of our former young hooker (Robson). The thinking was that McInnes is an 80min hooker and captain of our club so, no room for Robson who like all aspiring young reserve grade players, had designs on playing first grade.

Now even with McCullough doing such a great job, there is still a place in our squad for a bright young hooker who could stand in for McCullough in times of injury or when we want to introduce a change in style during a game. Brittain is not the player and Wishart is still too young and inexperienced.

McInnes was only our long term hooker while Mary was coach. Both the Dragons coach and the Sharks coach do not see him as their first choice hooker.

McGuire has hooking experience. Problem solved.

 

[SBD82]

I watched the game on Kayo, and it continues to amaze me that the continual bias that comes out of the mouths of these commentators does not get them spoken to by at least someone. Had I not seen the vision as well as the audio, I would have sworn that Newcastle was playing like champions and were in from by 20 all day.

It is just sickening.

The ref had a blinder though. Literally. Blind. No way that was forward off the fingers. As has been mentioned, it travels backwards into the hands of Lomax. Again, commentators calling that forward, yet the no try to Newcastle as back. Obviously they know better because thats the Dragons and we cant have them winning.

Lastly, that goal. Notice we did not get a replay of that. Not from the front or the rear. They knew they stuffed up. If the bunker can rule a no try after the fact (after its been awarded and the goal is being lined up), surely they can rule on the goal. But again, That would not have helped Newcastle.

This inconsistency is just laughable.

To be fair, Lomax missed one last week that was awarded.

Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Dragon David]

I watched the game on Kayo, and it continues to amaze me that the continual bias that comes out of the mouths of these commentators does not get them spoken to by at least someone. Had I not seen the vision as well as the audio, I would have sworn that Newcastle was playing like champions and were in from by 20 all day.

It is just sickening.

The ref had a blinder though. Literally. Blind. No way that was forward off the fingers. As has been mentioned, it travels backwards into the hands of Lomax. Again, commentators calling that forward, yet the no try to Newcastle as back. Obviously they know better because thats the Dragons and we cant have them winning.

Lastly, that goal. Notice we did not get a replay of that. Not from the front or the rear. They knew they stuffed up. If the bunker can rule a no try after the fact (after its been awarded and the goal is being lined up), surely they can rule on the goal. But again, That would not have helped Newcastle.

This inconsistency is just laughable.

It looked like a goal to me. Just scraped in the right upright is what I saw. My brother and I were amazed that it wasn't awarded and why there was no replay puzzled us as well.

 

[TruSaint]

It looked like a goal to me. Just scraped in the right upright is what I saw. My brother and I were amazed that it wasn't awarded and why there was no replay puzzled us as well.

TBH, I don't know either way.
The TV angle i saw said yes.

Im just glad the decision didn't cost us the game.

 

[TruSaint]

To be fair, Lomax missed one last week that was awarded.

Swings and roundabouts.

Agreed.

 

[Inisai Toga]

McGuire has hooking experience. Problem solved.

Yeh, but how many has he won against the feed?

 

[slippery5]

I had us as bottom four.
Im not sure if we get in the 8, but we will be closer to the 8 than the bottom 4. From what i have seen thus far.

I agree, I also said Lawrie is a plodder, he is proving me wrong & gets extra bonus points for not being scared of taking the hit ups after his confrontation with Klemmer.
However, I also was not worried about loosing Frizz. as I thought Fui showed enough mongrel without given quality game time by you know who to fill his shoes,I was also happy to let Cam go, as I think he needs more to his game then line speed in defence. Something McCullough has given us, is direction.

 

[slippery5]

I wonder how Frizell feels about going to a stronger club who will compete in semi finals footy??

 

[Overseas dragon]

I agree with you mate. I thought Sim’s first try came off a forward pass. I also thought the Newcastle pass wasn’t forward. The team did very well to overcome the bad calls. Last year, we would’ve lost that game by 20. The team this year appears to be working hard no matter what they’re up against. Well done Hook and the team

If anybody watched the parra v tigers game if Gutherson wasn't offside then I'm going to Specsavers tomorrow .hope it doesn't happen next week ...GO THE BIG RED. VVVV

 

[Saints Forever]

If anybody watched the parra v tigers game if Gutherson wasn't offside then I'm going to Specsavers tomorrow .hope it doesn't happen next week ...GO THE BIG RED. VVVV

Agreed, clearly offside

Funny how the weaker sides always get the poor ref calls

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

If anybody watched the parra v tigers game if Gutherson wasn't offside then I'm going to Specsavers tomorrow .hope it doesn't happen next week ...GO THE BIG RED. VVVV

100 percent. And the parra players were laughing about it too. f**k these refs

 

[George Sancti]

I wonder how Frizell feels about going to a stronger club who will compete in semi finals footy??

I actually feel sorry for Tyson Frizell. He left the Dragons because he wanted to be at a club with a better coaching regime that would give him a shot at winning a premiership. From what I have seen, his current coach does not handle pressure well and I believe the Dragon's game tactics have generally been superior to those adopted by Newcastle.

 

[Inisai Toga]

I actually feel sorry for Tyson Frizell. He left the Dragons because he wanted to be at a club with a better coaching regime that would give him a shot at winning a premiership. From what I have seen, his current coach does not handle pressure well and I believe the Dragon's game tactics have generally been superior to those adopted by Newcastle.

I actually felt sorry for him the last few years playing with us. When he burst onto the Origin scene and additional big games since he always played well. We used him so poorly! I didn’t think his leaving would impact us because of the way we used him, despite him always busting his gut in the Red V. I think Griffin would have used his talents and his power a lot differently. Still wish him all the best.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Great post Slippery, especially on Tariq. And some said make him Capt - he might lift.

Thanks mate, Sims should be capt in my opinion ahead of McCullough but it does not seem to bother him as we saw on Sunday. What a champion.