Round 5 v Souths

[Kolum Kid]

Glass half full?! Have you been watching us lately?!
Not only is the glass half empty, but there's a crack in the bottom and the contents are rapidly leaking out. Mind you, the stuff that was in the glass tasted like $hit and was pretty hard to swallow anyway.

Humour, the best medicine. This would have to be one of the best quotes I've seen for a long time. Bring on South's.

 

[baggygreen man]

because he has had plenty of "no impact" matches throughout his career.

.. and I suppose other props have not. All players have ebbs and flows over their careers. Props need good distribution to make an impact. Like I say take a squizz at his metres when he had a competent distributor/ dummy half . Take 2020 for instance. Note the drop off in '21 from poor distribution. I only saw last weeks extended hilites so unsure why Lawrie only had three carries when his average per game this year would be say 13 and career 15+. Of course your overall impact across a career depends on minutes played.

 

[Illusion]

Praise one week, then throw them on the has been/not upto it heap the next. That i can never get my head around!

The problem is there are not many games in the 11 years to as you say to Praise ..... Lets go back in time when Price took over then Mary how many happy days were there , not many ..... I blame the board for their lack of foresight and bad decisions ...... Hook 2 wins in the last 12 games ...... I was happy with the 2 wins but what about the rest ...... If your happy , good for you , but I'm not and will continue to give it to them until I see consistent improvement ......

 

[Dragon David]

I think you are missing the point, if you listen to the last redvpodcast you may get what the members are complaining about. I think collectively everyone on here wants to see the dragons do well, but over the last 12 years we havent seen too much of the good one week bad the next, its just been bad bad bad bad worse etc. I cant remember the date exactly but a dragons side got boo'ed of the field at half time and even worse at full time, cant remember if it was Win or Kog, it was embarrassing, did I like to see that ,,,no,,,,did they deserve it,, probably. Please remember that this organisation players, staff, board etc are on a lot of money to perform and its a results driven sport. I get your point of view though.

How each of us feel and remark on where we are heading and why things are not going so well are all opinions which everyone here has a right to raise on the forum. Being supporters of this club we all want to see the team doing well and winning games - consistently, not a game here and a game there and then loss after loss.

We will be playing round 5 against the Bunnies who were beaten by the Panthers reasonably convincingly last Friday. If we lose, then we will be 1 win and 4 losses in a row. We then play the Knights which we might be able to win against and then the Roosters, a likely loss. So that leaves us with 2 wins, 5 losses after 7 rounds. If you continue with this weekly analysis, to me there just aren't too many games that I can see us winning unless there is some sort of miracle and the team just completely gels and just win game after game. Is this possible? Probably not but we can only hope so.

I'm just not convinced that the club as a whole is on top of all of this and someone needs to be accountable for the recent poor results in first and reserve grades.

 

[SBD82]

I wonder how most of the forum would take to their wifes/girlfriends being as critical of their performances as you guys are of the dragons performances.

If the wifes and girlfriends took the forum approach. Majority of you would be divorced within days.

Unbelievable.....its a 4 games into the year!

If I applied as much effort to my relationship as the Dragons have applied on the footy field in the last 10 years, I would fully expect to be served papers.

 

[TruSaint]

If I applied as much effort to my relationship as the Dragons have applied on the footy field in the last 10 years, I would fully expect to be served papers.

 

[justadragon]

How each of us feel and remark on where we are heading and why things are not going so well are all opinions which everyone here has a right to raise on the forum. Being supporters of this club we all want to see the team doing well and winning games - consistently, not a game here and a game there and then loss after loss.

We will be playing round 5 against the Bunnies who were beaten by the Panthers reasonably convincingly last Friday. If we lose, then we will be 1 win and 4 losses in a row. We then play the Knights which we might be able to win against and then the Roosters, a likely loss. So that leaves us with 2 wins, 5 losses after 7 rounds. If you continue with this weekly analysis, to me there just aren't too many games that I can see us winning unless there is some sort of miracle and the team just completely gels and just win game after game. Is this possible? Probably not but we can only hope so.

I'm just not convinced that the club as a whole is on top of all of this and someone needs to be accountable for the recent poor results in first and reserve grades.

Well put DD, I for one am hoping for the best on Saturday, a lot of people are basing their call on the CS, we had a nearly full strength team, they were missing quite a few players and we also played the way we trained in the off season with players in their set positions. I think the wet track maybe will assist us but then again I think back to the Sharks game. I'm praying that I see the team we hope for get named just before kickoff. Go the Dragons )

 

[Kiwi Dragon supporter]

What does

Well put DD, I for one am hoping for the best on Saturday, a lot of people are basing their call on the CS, we had a nearly full strength team, they were missing quite a few players and we also played the way we trained in the off season with players in their set positions. I think the wet track maybe will assist us but then again I think back to the Sharks game. I'm praying that I see the team we hope for get named just before kickoff. Go the Dragons )

It's good to be optimistic, but in reality is top four a possibility?, Probably not. Top eight? at this stage unlikely, bottom four? Could be.. Would love to see the first option.

 

[slippery5]

.. and I suppose other props have not. All players have ebbs and flows over their careers. Props need good distribution to make an impact. Like I say take a squizz at his metres when he had a competent distributor/ dummy half . Take 2020 for instance. Note the drop off in '21 from poor distribution. I only saw last weeks extended hilites so unsure why Lawrie only had three carries when his average per game this year would be say 13 and career 15+. Of course your overall impact across a career depends on minutes played.

Todays props in premiership contender teams are fast & mobile, look at the speed of Storm, Panthers, Eels, & even Titans etc, they all get to the defensive line before they have a chance to project too far forward. F. Molo brings it McGuire/ DeBelin if they were rotated as middle forwards, Coric & M.Molo also show great speed & mobility.

We are getting left behind, persevering with good guys who bring other thing to a team other than whats needed to compete at the next level.

When Lawrie was coming through the reggies he was competing with Lachlan Timm for a 1st grade spot, the latter being always praised by Mark Carrol during commentary. Lawrie seems to fit into the mould of Latimore, who was "important " for team building only.

 

[Trifili13]

If Lawrie was at another club and Dragon's signed him for next year, would us fans be jumping for joy or bagging the club for signing another average player with no great impact?
I for one would not be jumping for joy.

 

[Dragon David]

Well put DD, I for one am hoping for the best on Saturday, a lot of people are basing their call on the CS, we had a nearly full strength team, they were missing quite a few players and we also played the way we trained in the off season with players in their set positions. I think the wet track maybe will assist us but then again I think back to the Sharks game. I'm praying that I see the team we hope for get named just before kickoff. Go the Dragons )

We need to not get penalised too much and all our players on the field for 80 minutes - no sin bins please. This is a must win. If Hook sticks to the 1-17as per team list, he better pray they get us a win otherwise, serious questions will again be asked about his and his staff's coaching skills.

 

[justadragon]

We need to not get penalised too much and all our players on the field for 80 minutes - no sin bins please. This is a must win. If Hook sticks to the 1-17as per team list, he better pray they get us a win otherwise, serious questions will again be asked about his and his staff's coaching skills.

Totally agree, but you and I both know that if they get beaten he will have a reason to justify it and it wont be team selection.

 

[RedVDave]

W

Would/Will be handy

Fui also adds some much needed aggression. I know he's in hot water at the moment but Burgess needs to be in the team for mine.

 

[thebigredv]

Wasn't Poasa signed by Mary and Co prior to Hook getting the job?

Nah it was late 2020, Hook's first signing.

Either these guys are dud signings or are not coached well. I realise they are cheapies but we need these type of forwards putting pressure on the first grade players not languishing in a reserve grade team.

 

[Dragon David]

Fui also adds some much needed aggression. I know he's in hot water at the moment but Burgess needs to be in the team for mine.

Burgess won't be in the starting 17. He has a case to answer and his position in the 17 will have to wait until he is cleared.

 

[kit66]

Not so bold prediction,
Souths 21+

Can't see any other outcome. The refs are going to crack down on the wrestle this week and you know what that means - penalize the shit out of teams like Dragons, Tigers. doggies and let Storm, Penrith, Roosters wrestle their opponents into submission unmolested by the whistle same as every other week.

 

[itsme]

The problem is there are not many games in the 11 years to as you say to Praise ..... Lets go back in time when Price took over then Mary how many happy days were there , not many ..... I blame the board for their lack of foresight and bad decisions ...... Hook 2 wins in the last 12 games ...... I was happy with the 2 wins but what about the rest ...... If your happy , good for you , but I'm not and will continue to give it to them until I see consistent improvement ......

Like Bobby Brown once said...Its your prerogative, you can do what you want to do.

 

[itsme]

I cant say I agree with you itsme, the forum is designed so members can voice their opinions, frustrations, call it what you want. I have also seen the forum praise and support players for their efforts. Yes I think we still have a lot to play for in RD 5, but with the decisions being made do I think we will be competitive, maybe not. The majority of criticism here is also directed at the coach and some of the decisions he has made, a record of 2 -13 beating the same team twice(warriors) suggests we havent made too many right decisions or really played with pride. I really believe that most members on this forum would be more than happy to have a team that competes every game rather than just exist, a slow improvement over a few seasons would with an opportunity for a top 4 position would make me very happy and maybe a chance at a GF. Dont forget we have had this organisation being a rabble for 12 years, all I ask is for pride in the jersey, competitiveness and a professional club with a plan, top to bottom.

Collectively as a group, yes we are most certainly expecting more from our club as a group....no arguments here. Can they have done things better over the years...absolutely.

As far as the coach goes, i certainly aint going to judge him 4 games in. He would have strategies and plans in place. The rookies and how he handles them, no doubt at the top of that list.

Im happy to watch it play out rather than call for his head so soon. Managing these kids is vital, and how we handle their development will influence our future. The coaching staff cannot stuff this up. So in a nutshell im reserving judgement for the moment and will trust and support hooks approach.

Hook has the best gauge on them, their personalities and how they react to situations. I think we need a little patience (i know, we have been patient for years). Handled right, this crops development could bring us the success we have been waiting for.

My opinion and i am happy to reasses this later in the year.

 

[Illusion]

Like Bobby Brown once said...Its your prerogative, you can do what you want to do.

Will do and Im happy that your happy with the team ......

 

[justadragon]

Collectively as a group, yes we are most certainly expecting more from our club as a group....no arguments here. Can they have done things better over the years...absolutely.

As far as the coach goes, i certainly aint going to judge him 4 games in. He would have strategies and plans in place. The rookies and how he handles them, no doubt at the top of that list.

Im happy to watch it play out rather than call for his head so soon. Managing these kids is vital, and how we handle their development will influence our future. The coaching staff cannot stuff this up. So in a nutshell im reserving judgement for the moment and will trust and support hooks approach.

Hook has the best gauge on them, their personalities and how they react to situations. I think we need a little patience (i know, we have been patient for years). Handled right, this crops development could bring us the success we have been waiting for.

My opinion and i am happy to reasses this later in the year.

I am not judging Hook on just 4 games, im also looking at last year as well where he was consistently picking players who were absolutely not performing, where he could have given the youngsters a go allowing them to gain valuable NRL experience, what value did Sloan get out going to ressies on the weekend and get flogged by 40 pts, he got sent to the sin bin thats what he got, what value did Amone get playing the last 14 min of a side that had already been flogged. If you want say Hook knows best so be it, but for me and a lot of other experts on the media it made no sense, I think one referral was insanity.