Round 4 vs Knights

[Dragonsamy]

Dufty to FB is a pure master stroke by our genius coach. Brilliant, visionary stuff.

I just wish I thought of that idea. He could potentially be a weapon and our leading try scorer from FB.

Does anyone know if Dufty’s played FB before?

Mate heard he played a bit in his my his Junior days .
So they tell me

 

[Brutalitops]

The Knights will smash us

Mind explaining how you reach this conclusion?

 

[LINESPEED]

Mind explaining how you reach this conclusion?

This game will test our mental commitment & consistency - as it’s usually been a challenging one, as with the Dogs.

I’m quietly optimistic - as the forced changes on Waterboy are creating opportunity and pressure, which might be creating a new team dynamic via the vigour of youth & all that that brings to the table.

Other teams are awash with youth being given a chance - so perhaps the Conservative One will find the flood irresistible.

Unfortunately that might save him - despite his innate resistance FMD

Graham has changed this club - and I suspect he has the virtual input of a captain coach

 

[blacksafake]

Injury is the only way juniors seem to get a start so it’s a catch 22. You just hope that any injury suffered is not serious but serious enough to give someone else an opportunity.

As Linespeed stated I’ve no doubt Graham has had a positive influence since he’s been here.

 

[possm]

Won’t be easy with them playing at home & the expected selection of Ponga back to fullback. Ponga is deadly down the left edge & it’ll be interesting to see how we defend that.

I have much more confidence having Host and T Sims on our edges and would be even more confident with Lomax and Pearson on the right edge.

I say just pick the first grade players on competence and form; forget about this loyalty rubbish. A tough and fair coach will always gain more respect from players than a coach who has a list of untouchables.

 

[possm]

Injury is the only way juniors seem to get a start so it’s a catch 22. You just hope that any injury suffered is not serious but serious enough to give someone else an opportunity.

As Linespeed stated I’ve no doubt Graham has had a positive influence since he’s been here.

These days with the competition so even, it is very hard to get up in the next round after playing a highly physical match the round before.

We had a hard fought one point win over Brisbane and previous to that two very physical games against the Cowboys and Rabbits. So, it will be up to Mary and the coaching starff to get the players up for the game against Newcastle. I believe it is essention that our edge forwards vigorously challenge the opposition halves and when possible (when he gets up in the line) Ponga. If the line speed is good and they can challenge these three players all game, I believe we will come away with a big win.

I'm looking forward to see how Dufty has progressed during the off-season. With a poor defensive effort from Dufty it won't matter how good our line speed is or how vigorously we attend to Newcastle's key players. There is no doubt in my mind that if Dufty lets the opposition players through with poor defence, heads will drop and a win would be very hard to obtain.

 

[SEAT 1A]

1. Dufty
2/5. Ravalawa/Pereira
3/4. Aitken/Lafai
6/7. Norman/Hunt
8/10. Graham/Vaughan
9. McInnes
11/12. Host/TSims
13. Lawrie

14. Latimore
15. KSims
16. Leilua
17. Robson

I'd add Robson in for Lomax to allow McInnes to stay fresh. Ravalawa to hold the ball like a vice and NTL doesn't have a Jimmy the jet so, Dragons by 12 and no Frizz .

 

[possm]

My preferred team for round 4 against Newcastle is:

1. Dufty - I'm very interested to see how he has progressed.
2. Pereira - has earnt his spot with good reliable performances.
3. Lomax - we need a good defender, good goal kicker.
4. Lafai - he needs to lift his game to maintain his spot.
5. Pearson - he demonstrated speed and good all round skills in CC.
6. Norman.
7. Hunt.
8. Graham.
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Robson - hooker and lock rotation.
15. K Sims - can cover prop or backrow.
16. Kerr/Timm
17. Aitken - can cover backrow and centre.

18. Latimore
19. Leilua

 

[Dragonsamy]

Timm is not ready

 

[George Dragon]

My preferred team for round 4 against Newcastle is:

1. Dufty - I'm very interested to see how he has progressed.
2. Pereira - has earnt his spot with good reliable performances.
3. Lomax - we need a good defender, good goal kicker.
4. Lafai - he needs to lift his game to maintain his spot.
5. Pearson - he demonstrated speed and good all round skills in CC.
6. Norman.
7. Hunt.
8. Kerr - Timm is Kerr is injured.
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Robson - hooker and lock rotation.
15. K Sims - can cover prop or backrow.
16. Timm - he needs exposure to first grade.
17. Aitken - can cover backrow and centre.

18. Latimore
19. Leilua

Big call to drop Graham.
Have you watched Pearsons 3 games in CC because he has been average.

 

[possm]

Big call to drop Graham.
Have you watched Pearsons 3 games in CC because he has been average.

Yep having a bad hair day by the looks of it. Graham is one of my favourites and his passion is a big part of our 17. I will edit update my post, thanks for picking that up.

 

[rednwhites]

My preferred team for round 4 against Newcastle is:

1. Dufty - I'm very interested to see how he has progressed.
2. Pereira - has earnt his spot with good reliable performances.
3. Lomax - we need a good defender, good goal kicker.
4. Lafai - he needs to lift his game to maintain his spot.
5. Pearson - he demonstrated speed and good all round skills in CC.
6. Norman.
7. Hunt.
8. Graham.
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Robson - hooker and lock rotation.
15. K Sims - can cover prop or backrow.
16. Kerr/Timm
17. Aitken - can cover backrow and centre.

18. Latimore
19. Leilua

Graham in for Kerr/Timm and you've got a team that will smash Knights. I like the idea of Aitken on bench.

 

[Dragonslayer]

My preferred team for round 4 against Newcastle is:

1. Dufty - I'm very interested to see how he has progressed.
2. Pereira - has earnt his spot with good reliable performances.
3. Lomax - we need a good defender, good goal kicker.
4. Lafai - he needs to lift his game to maintain his spot.
5. Pearson - he demonstrated speed and good all round skills in CC.
6. Norman.
7. Hunt.
8. Graham.
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Robson - hooker and lock rotation.
15. K Sims - can cover prop or backrow.
16. Kerr/Timm
17. Aitken - can cover backrow and centre.

18. Latimore
19. Leilua

Possm mate, love ya work and I know it's your preferred team but:

Pearson is not up to 1st grade at present, very quick yes, but as I said on another thread had sand between his ears, defense is also questionable.
Robson hasn't shone in CC as yet, made some good runs, but misses plenty of tackles, he's still learning and will be interesting to see if he gets a run during SOO time.
Kerr is injured at present and Timm is progressing well in CC, but like the others needs to work on his defense. Definitely not ready yet.
Also, are you swapping Host and T Sims?

I think the only change to the team that beat Brisbane will be Lomax to wing (unfortunately) at the expense of Rava with Field moving to the bench to cover McGregor's desire for a back on the bench.

 

[possm]

Possm mate, love ya work and I know it's your preferred team but:

Pearson is not up to 1st grade at present, very quick yes, but as I said on another thread had sand between his ears, defense is also questionable.
Robson hasn't shone in CC as yet, made some good runs, but misses plenty of tackles, he's still learning and will be interesting to see if he gets a run during SOO time.
Kerr is injured at present and Timm is progressing well in CC, but like the others needs to work on his defense. Definitely not ready yet.
Also, are you swapping Host and T Sims?

I think the only change to the team that beat Brisbane will be Lomax to wing (unfortunately) at the expense of Rava with Field moving to the bench to cover McGregor's desire for a back on the bench.

Well if true, much of what you have said is a shame. From what I say in the CC this week:
Pearson>Mica
Lomax>Aitken - as a right centre
Robson would add to our 17's skill base
Lomax will suffer outside Aitken
Lattimore is very average whereas Timm is busting to progress

 

[Dragonsamy]

Possm mate, love ya work and I know it's your preferred team but:

Pearson is not up to 1st grade at present, very quick yes, but as I said on another thread had sand between his ears, defense is also questionable.
Robson hasn't shone in CC as yet, made some good runs, but misses plenty of tackles, he's still learning and will be interesting to see if he gets a run during SOO time.
Kerr is injured at present and Timm is progressing well in CC, but like the others needs to work on his defense. Definitely not ready yet.
Also, are you swapping Host and T Sims?

I think the only change to the team that beat Brisbane will be Lomax to wing (unfortunately) at the expense of Rava with Field moving to the bench to cover McGregor's desire for a back on the bench.

Also Frizz may be back.
He running at training.
If not this game the next

 

[Dragonsamy]

Possm mate, love ya work and I know it's your preferred team but:

Pearson is not up to 1st grade at present, very quick yes, but as I said on another thread had sand between his ears, defense is also questionable.
Robson hasn't shone in CC as yet, made some good runs, but misses plenty of tackles, he's still learning and will be interesting to see if he gets a run during SOO time.
Kerr is injured at present and Timm is progressing well in CC, but like the others needs to work on his defense. Definitely not ready yet.
Also, are you swapping Host and T Sims?

I think the only change to the team that beat Brisbane will be Lomax to wing (unfortunately) at the expense of Rava with Field moving to the bench to cover McGregor's desire for a back on the bench.

You have nailed it

 

[rednwhites]

Rava is the player who is not ready for 1st grade and I do wonder whether he ever will be. He can overcome the dropsies, and if that were his only weakness I'd keep him. But as a winger he looks sluggish. More to the point, the opposition will score a billion tries from bombs against us if he is kept in the side. He barely ever looks like catching a thing, let alone in a contest and has a very slight vertical leap.

 

[2218]

1. Dufty
2. Pereira
3. Aitken
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa
6. Norman
7. Hunt
8. Graham
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Field
15. K Sims
16. Frizzell
17. Luilea

 

[LINESPEED]

Possm mate, love ya work and I know it's your preferred team but:

Pearson is not up to 1st grade at present, very quick yes, but as I said on another thread had sand between his ears, defense is also questionable.
Robson hasn't shone in CC as yet, made some good runs, but misses plenty of tackles, he's still learning and will be interesting to see if he gets a run during SOO time.
Kerr is injured at present and Timm is progressing well in CC, but like the others needs to work on his defense. Definitely not ready yet.
Also, are you swapping Host and T Sims?

I think the only change to the team that beat Brisbane will be Lomax to wing (unfortunately) at the expense of Rava with Field moving to the bench to cover McGregor's desire for a back on the bench.

1. Dufty
2. Pereira
3. Aitken
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa
6. Norman
7. Hunt
8. Graham
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Host
13. Lawrie

14. Field
15. K Sims
16. Frizzell
17. Luilea

You have the best team available there ATM
For sure.

But FMD if he sacks one of the Chosen Ones I’ll eat my hat

That’ll be a bridge way too far.

But if it does spectacularly happen I’ll take said hat off to the Waterboy - and even begin to think he has some frizells after all

 

[getsmarty]

Yes he Cam: McInnes ready to step into leadership void for Dragons
Christian NicolussiMarch 30, 2019 — 1.04pm

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He led the Junior Kangaroos and was identified as a future captain by his former club, South Sydney. Now Cameron McInnes is firming to become the new skipper of the injury-hit Dragons.

As Dragons officials and players brace for Gareth Widdop being ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury – scans are expected to confirm the worst on Monday – and with Tyson Frizell unlikely to return for at least another week after having an operation on a lacerated testicle, McInnes appears set to be given the top honour.

Frizell, Widdop, McInnes and James Graham are all part of the Dragons' leadership group. Graham has captained Canterbury, St George Illawarra and England, but plays about 55 minutes in the front row. McInnes punches out 80 minutes, was impressive at dummy-half against the Broncos and has already displayed impressive leadership qualities early in the campaign.

Leading the way: Cameron McInnes scores a slashing try for the Dragons on Thursday night.Credit:NRL Photos

Coach Paul McGregor has been occupied with the shocking injury suffered by Widdop and whether the Englishman will play for the club again before he returns to the Super League at the end of the year. But he has a healthy respect for McInnes, the 24-year-old son of a school principal who has already co-captained the Dragons with Frizell and is locked up long term at the club.

McInnes said he would welcome the extra responsibility, saying: "If I’m made the captain that’s great. Obviously 'Jamma' [James Graham] being the person he is, he inspires all of us, so regardless of who has the 'c' next to their name, Jamma is such a great leader of our team, and my job is to lead by my actions.

"It’s a great honour. Any NRL club it is a great honour to be captain of, but especially a club with a rich of history like St George. I would be very humbled and honoured to get that.

"I was a captain coming through. It’s a role I’ve been comfortable with. I’m quite vocal. If I get that role, I’ll be comfortable with it. If not, nothing really changes."

Kelly Egan was coach of the Junior Kangaroos in 2014 in a side that featured Valentine Holmes, Clint Gutherson, Jack Bird, Ryan Matterson, Matt Lodge, Tevita Pangai jnr and Cameron Munster, but happily embraced McInnes as captain.

"He does all the 1 per centers and all the little things you want people to do well – he does them,'' Egan said.

"I'm not 'Mary' [McGregor], but given what's available down there, it would be a good appointment for them to move forward with. There's no reason Cam couldn't captain there for years. We had a good team, but he was a standout from a leadership perspective."

Widdop flew back to Sydney on Friday afternoon with his right arm in a sling. He dislocated his shoulder late in the game against the Broncos the night before, which was the third time he had suffered the injury in his past five NRL games.

The feeling within the Dragons camp is not good. Frizell's eye-watering injury ruled him out of rounds two and three, and is expected to also ground him for the trek up the M1 Motorway to Newcastle. The Bulldogs in round five is more likely.

The tough opening-round road trip to Townsville followed by two Thursday-night games has given McGregor limited time to prepare his players, which only adds merit to their shock 25-24 win at Suncorp.

Matt Dufty will slot into fullback now Widdop will be out of action.


https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ye...dership-void-for-dragons-20190329-p5193z.html