Round 7 vs Roosters

[Life's Good]

Not sure if it’s been discussed but I thought Lafai blew a chance early in the first half by not passing to JP about 15mtrs out. Lafai had turned the defence around, they were back peddling & I thought a good ball to JP sees him trample Ikavalu to score but Lafai ended up taking the tackle.
It was one of those situations where you’re screaming for Lafai to unload but the whispers of past criticism got the better of him & he held onto it.

 

[possm]

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.

Mary is grinning all the way to the bank. With his new extension valued at around 500k per year, he is now well over his income budget as a painter.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

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.

Adding both K. Sims and JDB would be an enormous boon (for obvious reasons). Above all other observations in the recent Chooks game, the one thing that worried me the most was the enormous amount of territory their forwards were able to make during each set.

Usually. it was around 70 metres. In return, Saints struggled to gain approximately 40 metres. For a team with (allegedly) the competition’s best forward pack, this is unacceptable.

In conclusion, their forwards simply dominated ours as unpalatable as it is. As fans, we need to acknowledge that while the Dragons “pack” is formidable, it’s not as all conquering as some hope it to be.

An extra prop with some mongrel would be nice.

 

[SGMax]

Adding both K. Sims and JDB would be an enormous boon (for obvious reasons). Above all other observations in the recent Chooks game, the one thing that worried me the most was the enormous amount of territory their forwards were able to make during each set.

Usually. it was around 70 metres. In return, Saints struggled to gain approximately 40 metres. For a team with (allegedly) the competition’s best forward pack, this is unacceptable.

In conclusion, their forwards simply dominated ours as unpalatable as it is. As fans, we need to acknowledge that while the Dragons “pack” is formidable, it’s not as all conquering as some hope it to be.

An extra prop with some mongrel would be nice.

It did appear that way with the Dragons seeming to make less headway through the Roosters defence.
Much of it would be due to the fatigue of so little possession but also starting sets so close to our goal line. Our line speed in defence was not as good as in recent weeks.

Accrding to NRL stats,
https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2019/round-7/roosters-v-dragons/
we were averaging only 2.8m less per set....
Can't wait for our full strength pack to play.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

It did appear that way with the Dragons seeming to make less headway through the Roosters defence.
Much of it would be due to the fatigue of so little possession but also starting sets so close to our goal line. Our line speed in defence was not as good as in recent weeks.

Accrding to NRL stats,
https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2019/round-7/roosters-v-dragons/
we were averaging only 2.8m less per set....
Can't wait for our full strength pack to play.

I’d agree except it appeared the Chooks were able to make easy metres from the “get go”. Of course, referee Cummins absurd “six again” call following a kick on the first set....which, incidentally, came off a Dragons’ player head...didn’t help matters one bit.

 

[getsmarty]

Play of the week: Round 7
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Mon 29 Apr 2019, 09:58 AM

The St George Illawarra Dragons almost completed an impressive comeback against the Sydney Roosters in the annual Anzac Day match, clawing their way back from a 14 point deficit at half time.

Despite the last-minute try to the Roosters spoiling their hopes of a fifth straight victory, both of the Dragons' tries will be featured on highlight reels for months to come. Now it's up to you to choose which was your favourite play of the week.

Option A. After being held scoreless for the opening half of the match, the Dragons came into the final period with a point to prove and their eyes set of crossing the white stripe.

Twenty metres out from the Roosters line, Ben Hunt showed his class by throwing a stunning cutout ball to Euan Aitken who drew in the last defender before offloading to Zac Lomax. With plenty of space down the sideline, Lomax planted the ball in the corner for the Dragons' first points of the match.

Option B. Only a few minutes later, Dragons live-wire Matt Dufty pulled off what could well be the try of the season. Zigging and zagging his way through the Roosters defence from inside his own half, the speedy fullback bamboozled high profile players in a scintillating solo effort which put the Dragons back into the match.

Vote for your favourite below!

Play of the week: Round 7
Vote for your play of the week below

Play of the week: Round 7 Vote for your play of the week below

• A. Zac Lomax
  0%
• B. Matt Dufty
  0%

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/04/29/play-of-the-week-round-72/

 

[getsmarty]

Play of the week: Round 7
Vote for your favourite moment from the Dragons' determined comeback effort against the Sydney Roosters in the traditional Anzac Day match.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/04/29/play-of-the-week-round-7/

 

[The Damo]

Adding both K. Sims and JDB would be an enormous boon (for obvious reasons). Above all other observations in the recent Chooks game, the one thing that worried me the most was the enormous amount of territory their forwards were able to make during each set.

Usually. it was around 70 metres. In return, Saints struggled to gain approximately 40 metres. For a team with (allegedly) the competition’s best forward pack, this is unacceptable.

In conclusion, their forwards simply dominated ours as unpalatable as it is. As fans, we need to acknowledge that while the Dragons “pack” is formidable, it’s not as all conquering as some hope it to be.

An extra prop with some mongrel would be nice.

I think at least part of that was how muchmore They were slowing the ruck. It wasn’t till the 2nd half we started to follow suit and it made a big difference.

 

[True_Believer]

I think at least part of that was how muchmore They were slowing the ruck. It wasn’t till the 2nd half we started to follow suit and it made a big difference.

I've been saying it for a couple of years now, our ruck control is poor. How many times do you see our players laying off to the side, or one out the back/coming back onside when the opposition are playing the ball?

Yes we seem to get picked on in this area by the refs, but my thought is that we don't do it as effectively as other teams. If we haven't got a coach focussing on the ruck, then we need to get one. If we do, then we need to sack him and get another.

 

[denis preston]

As well as our forwards are going at present I think we lack a 17th man to come on and rip in deluxe.The fact that this 17th man will only play 20 -25 mins will enable him to do this ( come on 10 mins before half time , come off after 55mins ? )

 

[Slippery Morris]

It was the best chance to beat the Chooks as they had no Keary playing for them. He was a big loss and Saints did not capitalise.

JP / Rava debacle was aweful and a turning point. JP should have just taken the tackle instead of passed to Rava. Rave was shown the line and he obliged only for them to push him out but what was frustrating was it was early in the tackle count. Rava has a lot to learn. He has size and can find the line but has alot of errors in him for now. Leave Lomax there or bring in Pearson. Rava needs time in Canterbury Cup to learn the basics.

Catching the high ball is the bread and butter of wingers and Fullbacks and I feel Saints Fullback and wingers struggle the most in that area of the game. Moses will have a field day on Sunday. Maybe Lomax to Fullback and Pearson to the wing is an option to try one week. Can't get worse.....

 

[The Damo]

I've been saying it for a couple of years now, our ruck control is poor. How many times do you see our players laying off to the side, or one out the back/coming back onside when the opposition are playing the ball?

Yes we seem to get picked on in this area by the refs, but my thought is that we don't do it as effectively as other teams. If we haven't got a coach focussing on the ruck, then we need to get one. If we do, then we need to sack him and get another.

Yeah I agree with that, we are generally pretty messy and ineffective in the ruck, and when we do push it we do it in a way that gets penalised. Definitely an area that should be worked on.

 

[possm]

As well as our forwards are going at present I think we lack a 17th man to come on and rip in deluxe.The fact that this 17th man will only play 20 -25 mins will enable him to do this ( come on 10 mins before half time , come off after 55mins ? )

Aitken

 

[possm]

It was the best chance to beat the Chooks as they had no Keary playing for them. He was a big loss and Saints did not capitalise.

JP / Rava debacle was aweful and a turning point. JP should have just taken the tackle instead of passed to Rava. Rave was shown the line and he obliged only for them to push him out but what was frustrating was it was early in the tackle count. Rava has a lot to learn. He has size and can find the line but has alot of errors in him for now. Leave Lomax there or bring in Pearson. Rava needs time in Canterbury Cup to learn the basics.

Catching the high ball is the bread and butter of wingers and Fullbacks and I feel Saints Fullback and wingers struggle the most in that area of the game. Moses will have a field day on Sunday. Maybe Lomax to Fullback and Pearson to the wing is an option to try one week. Can't get worse.....

Hornby should be giving them extra training.

 

[Carlton]

Yeah I agree with that, we are generally pretty messy and ineffective in the ruck, and when we do push it we do it in a way that gets penalised. Definitely an area that should be worked on.

I think part of the problem is the player playing the ball is being allowed to step over the mark and pushing between the two markers. We dont seem to be aware of this tactic and how to control the play ball effectively in this situation.

 

[blacksafake]

I think part of the problem is the player playing the ball is being allowed to step over the mark and pushing between the two markers. We dont seem to be aware of this tactic and how to control the play ball effectively in this situation.

Agree Carlton,
Some players such as Burgess,JWH,Mitchell,Bromwich etc are normally allowed to do it & I've noticed when we try to stop it we get penalised for what they call "crowding". It's no coincidence that the dummy half of those particular sides are the most potent out of dummy half.

 

[Frank Facer]

Agree Carlton,
Some players such as Burgess,JWH,Mitchell,Bromwich etc are normally allowed to do it & I've noticed when we try to stop it we get penalised for what they call "crowding". It's no coincidence that the dummy half of those particular sides are the most potent out of dummy half.

Dugan and Inglis do it too and Justin Hodges used to do it a lot.

 

[blacksafake]

Dugan and Inglis do it too and Justin Hodges used to do it a lot.

Inglis was the best but I didn't mention him because he no longer plays.