Round 7 vs Roosters

[West coast dragon]

Refs can really screw you day.
Yesterdays game was hampered by unnecessary penalties, particularly first half. Second half less penalties and we were on the edge of our seats.

There’s something about Cummins but! He’s arrogant too I noticed yesterday we was running from a long way from the play when he gave penalties might be nothing but I expected him to be a bit closer to the play

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Robinson was the difference yesterday. He worked out our weakness and devised a plan accordingly. Mary did not do anything by the looks of it; probably celebrating his extension instead.

We had no line speed in the first half, giving the Rooster's forwards plenty of time to wind up and their halves plenty of time to weave their magic. Easts were standing deep and hitting the advantage line at speed. On the other hand we were standing flat in attack and I believe Easts had to be offside because on many occasion they were in our face and we hardly made ground at all. To make things worse Norman and Hunt were kicking high rather then long giving the Roosters plenty of good field position.

The one sided refereeing surely got to our boys and the lack of possession was really difficult for them to overcome. Just the same too many mistakes at vital times and thus the result.

Spot on Possm

I wonder if Mary has short arms/deep pockets syndrome and doesn't want to pay a $10k fine as he just keeps shtum every week despite his team getting the rough end of the pineapple. While I am desperate to see him replaced for a whole range of reasons and poor team selections (principally but not exclusively Ravalawa and Aitken) and some embarrassing and basic errors contributed to our loss yesterday, I am also outraged that we continue to cop downright wrong or at least questionable decisions week after week.

There are now at least four no tries that have been called against us in the last few weeks for adjudged but highly doubtful forward passes. Even the biased Fox commentators have been forced to admit that touch judges just don't seem to understand that as long as the ball is projected backwards out of the hand, it constitutes a fair pass- despite where it ends up. I remember the mystified looks on the faces of Norman and Dufty after at least two of those decisions.

The blatant forward pass to Burgess from which he scored and the strip on Ravalawa (against the Broncs?) which also led directly to a try were two other howlers going against us in close games.

Yesterday we had Lomax being taken out in the air and a try resulted- no penalty- not even a review of the contest. A few minutes later, Lomax, with his confidence probably shattered, didn't even jump for yet another bomb as the Roosters were swarming all over him- another try nearly ensued.

Everyone talks about slowing the ruck as the cardinal sin in strangling the game, but I believe poor policing of the 10 metres is equally culpable. I keep hearing about fast moving defences but Usain Bolt couldn';t cover what should be about a 15metre gap between attacker and receiver in the games I'm watching.. You can see defensive players standing in front of the referee continually and flying up without being penalised. The Dragons, particularly in the first half,had multiple defenders in their faces, were not able to create second phase plays and our metre gains were terrible. Not a single off side call I can recall against the Roosters.

 

[Wittenberg]

I get the frustration with our bench. Rava has good aspects to his game and will develop but given the fact that our back three were already failing against Cronk’s aerial attack it seemed dangerous putting him on but Hunt’s injury forced Mary’s hand. Latimore is Latimore. He gives 100% but possesses only 75% ability to match his effort. Admire him though. JDB’s night out, Sim’s injury and Mary’s poor use of the bench have put him in a place that exposes him. Too often he is left on the paddock for too long and often at the wrong time. Again Sims breaking his arm has created this as Graham’s age is being exposed as he is called upon to go harder and longer than he can. He seems to need a longer turn around time and the result is that Latts is left on when the game is in the balance. Where is Kerr? Injured? He has not been on the horizon. Algood is simply another Latts, probably weaker. Is anybody else ready for the top grade?
I hear numerous calls for Field but can we have another small player in our backline who would need to be saved from one on one defence? Dufty, Field and Hunt in the backs at the one time would be savoury for any opposition. But I agree Rava has to go off the bench. Mind you if Mary only puts our last interchange on the field with only 5 or 10 minutes to go, Field might be worth a throw of the dice.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Exactly my sentiments
We’d win that game if Jai was there
That kid’s copped such a raw deal

My take is that we should’ve won that game well despite the errors:
1. Lafai just needed another determined half stride & he was over, considering his size & momentum. He seemed to curl up & submit
2. We score under the post in a legitimate challenge for the ball, but have a 12 point turnaround as Zac is knocked off the ball by a Rooster in the air with his shoulder into Zac!
3 Aitkens’ forward pass picked up when 2 Rorters’ ones weren’t.( NB & FFS Don’t throw a pass if it’s going to go forward)

So the score could’ve been 18-0 with 37% possession with a bit of luck (even with some poor first half linespeed)

Anyway that’s after rewatching 30 mins of the first half
A few ifs yes

But the missus is calling
And she who must be obeyed ....

I agree..on your post....and the bit about your missus lol

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Mary is still the coach: Ravalawa will survive, as will Latimore.

As will Aitken

 

[LINESPEED]

I get the frustration with our bench. Rava has good aspects to his game and will develop but given the fact that our back three were already failing against Cronk’s aerial attack it seemed dangerous putting him on but Hunt’s injury forced Mary’s hand. Latimore is Latimore. He gives 100% but possesses only 75% ability to match his effort. Admire him though. JDB’s night out, Sim’s injury and Mary’s poor use of the bench have put him in a place that exposes him. Too often he is left on the paddock for too long and often at the wrong time. Again Sims breaking his arm has created this as Graham’s age is being exposed as he is called upon to go harder and longer than he can. He seems to need a longer turn around time and the result is that Latts is left on when the game is in the balance. Where is Kerr? Injured? He has not been on the horizon. Algood is simply another Latts, probably weaker. Is anybody else ready for the top grade?
I hear numerous calls for Field but can we have another small player in our backline who would need to be saved from one on one defence? Dufty, Field and Hunt in the backs at the one time would be savoury for any opposition. But I agree Rava has to go off the bench. Mind you if Mary only puts our last interchange on the field with only 5 or 10 minutes to go, Field might be worth a throw of the dice.

I think there’s a bit of performance anxiety re size on this forum?

Lol

 

[SGMax]

A bit late but some observations:
* Can't be too critical of the players after the lack of possession in the first half.
* Can't recall seeing two teams both so exhausted ....except for the NQ game in the heat and humidity.
* Was I the only one to suspect that Radley hit Frizell with a shoulder charge early in the game (13m20s). Tyson went down in a heap and looked to the refs once he got up with disbelief. Would have loved a replay and a different angle on it.
* Refs seem to have us in their sights every week now, looking for reasons to rule against us and being lenient on our opponents. I can't believe that this is just my biased outlook. Amything marginal by us is called yet forward passes and our players being held down in tackles seem to be tolerated.
* I like Pereira's effort and he has good agression when getting tackled but he doesn't back himself in the open. He didn't need to pass to Ravs at all after finding space he needed to step back inside and would have run away from the two inside defenders who were forwards.
* Luciano needs to accept that he is best suited to prop....can be one of the best with all his skills.
* Ravalawa is very strong but he also looks too heavy. Get him on a diet and his speed off the mark will improve.
* All players need to prcatice securing the ball with both hands, especially Dufty.
* Dufty adds a lot in attack but he seems to make at least a couple of handling errors every week.
* I cant see how the refs allowed Lomax to be belted in the back in mid air just because they had a hand in the air reaching for the ball. He was still taken out!
* A little surprised at how much wrestle the Roosters employed and were allowed to get away with.
* Commentary on Fox definitely better than Nine. Disappointed with the bias and attitude from Andrew Johns and a couple of others on Nine.

 

[Crush]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

 

[giboz71]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

It’s a poor attempt to try and put the mock on the Roosters by declaring them the best.

Much like Bellamy did to us last year by declaring us the benchmark.

Unlike Mary, Bellamy’s mock actually worked.

 

[Old Timer]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

It gave me the total shits as he was busily laying foundations to build excuses on.

 

[Crush]

It’s a poor attempt to try and put the mock on the Roosters by declaring them the best.

Much like Bellamy did to us last year by declaring us the benchmark.

Unlike Mary, Bellamy’s mock actually worked.

He really is an idiot.
Asked about Ravalawa moved to the bench he says he's a young man and needs a rest. WTF? Isn't he like 21 years old? Does Kaylan Ponga need a rest?
Brodie Croft need a break? Nathan Cleary back to the bench next week?
Young man only in Dragons world....

 

[possm]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

I'd go for the best teem on the day.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

Just shows what a bullshit artist he is.
Spinning things so he always has an out.
Can rationalize just about any result.

 

[TruSaint]

It’s a poor attempt to try and put the mock on the Roosters by declaring them the best.

Much like Bellamy did to us last year by declaring us the benchmark.

Unlike Mary, Bellamy’s mock actually worked.

Here's the difference.

When Bellyache called us the "benchmark", as at that time we were in terms of ladder position. Yes, it was tongue in cheek, and all that. But it time relevant.

What Mary did take the Chooks to a new stratosphere. " Best team in the world "... , as opposed to current Premiers, contenders, etc..... Childish response after a loss.

Fact is they didn't play like the best team in the world, and sit equal on the ladder with Mel and soon Canberra. We lost that game in the first 40. The " Greatest team in the world" held on.

With Keary playing, he would have called them invisibles.

 

[FlameThrower]

Did McGregor constantly referring to Roosters as the best team in the world annoy anyone else?
Whats with the best in the WORLD stuff? Just say the best team in the NRL if you really want to.
Rugby League isn't a world game Paul.

Clumsy attempt by Mary, reining premiers or current benchmark is all he had to say.
I also would like him to challenge refs on questionable calls like other coaches do.
IE - ‘i’ll be asking refs boss on Monday to explain XYZ”. At least we put the refs on notice instead of rolling over and not saying a word.

 

[possm]

Here's the difference.

When Bellyache called us the "benchmark", as at that time we were in terms of ladder position. Yes, it was tongue in cheek, and all that. But it time relevant.

What Mary did take the Chooks to a new stratosphere. " Best team in the world "... , as opposed to current Premiers, contenders, etc..... Childish response after a loss.

Fact is they didn't play like the best team in the world, and sit equal on the ladder with Mel and soon Canberra. We lost that game in the first 40. The " Greatest team in the world" held on.

With Keary playing, he would have called them invisibles.

So many ifs in that game. We had our chances to win many times over but fell short for various reasons. Main thing is we lost a winnable game.

 

[Belta]

Clumsy attempt by Mary, reining premiers or current benchmark is all he had to say.
I also would like him to challenge refs on questionable calls like other coaches do.
IE - ‘i’ll be asking refs boss on Monday to explain XYZ”. At least we put the refs on notice instead of rolling over and not saying a word.

I don’t know why but Mary reminds me of one of those rotating clown heads that you see at the carnival. The ones you put ping pong balls in thier mouths. He’s like a . grinning clown head. Embarrassing really.

 

[LINESPEED]

I don’t know why but Mary reminds me of one of those rotating clown heads that you see at the carnival. The ones you put ping pong balls in thier mouths. He’s like a . grinning clown head. Embarrassing really.

Yeah - go figure how he fits Bruce Gordon’s business model


Too much lead in the air down Illawarra way

 

[dragon thomo]

If we get DeBelin ans K Simms back i believe we can beat anybody. We defenitely got issues with our backline but a side that has Vauhen Graham Frizzel T Simms K Simms DeBelin Laurie Host Luciano and McInnes in the forwards can win.
Timms in time should also knock on the door.

 

[blacksafake]

If we get DeBelin ans K Simms back i believe we can beat anybody. We defenitely got issues with our backline but a side that has Vauhen Graham Frizzel T Simms K Simms DeBelin Laurie Host Luciano and McInnes in the forwards can win.
Timms in time should also knock on the door.

Hey DT you’re forgetting Latimore

But seriously you’re right, De Belin & Korbin are a massive in. Korbin we know will be back & if Jack comes back in a healthy mental state it won’t hurt.