Round 8 vs Roosters

[The Damo]

So did Mary out-coach Robinson today?

Must have. That blade cuts both ways.

 

[SBD82]

So did Mary out-coach Robinson today?

I'd say yes.

The roosters look overcoached. They are always playing for the next tackle. Not dissimilar to the way we played in 2016.

Mary seems to have thrown out the structures. Whether that's an admission by him that he doesn't have the talent to coach structured football terribly wall, or because he has recognised that he has a team that plays better off the cuff I don't know.

Regardless he gets credit. Even recognising your own limitations is a skill, and one that he hasn't shown before.

 

[The Damo]

That was bloody epic! Great defence, even under major fatigue and the short turnaround. Even with more errors than usual and parts of our attack not clicking we beat the most expensive roster in the league 4 tries to 1. We keep winning in different styles of games with fdifferent types of pressure and that’s what makes me more hopeful this year.
Also, I might be alone, but that was a try “For the ball to be grounded, pressure must be applied by the player’s fingers, hand, wrist, forearm or torso so as to create a reasonable influence on the plane of the ball...” his finger never left the ball till after it was grounded, and it created an influence on the plane of the ball. Fair try and screw em anyway.

 

[Dragon Revival]

The team is performing well. Lafai has been improving steadily. No shirkers or weak links.

 

[Frank Facer]

Great win by the boys today !!!

Trouble looms ahead however.

James Graham is simply not making enough metres to justify a starting role. I know we had a short turn around after the Warriors game however in my view LAM should start.

Forwards coach needs to tell Vaughan and JDB to run hard and straight with minimal footwork.

Their first action now seems to be to slow down before the defensive line to step.

Flo had perhaps his best game of the season in the air defending bombs. His lack of speed is a serious problem in both attack and defence. It will cost the team a big game soon.

Full marks to Tariq Sims, he unsettled Cronk with tremendous venom in defence. All the forwards defended well, but we need better go forward.

We need more output from Latimore and Graham.

Dufty made a good tackle to stop Tedesco 1 on 1, however he needs to commit to the high ball and his fellow backs needs to better screen him.

Didn't feel Hunt kicked well today however his general game was very good today.

Team will need to improve if we are to make top 4. The contenders will start to crank up their form as the season progresses.

Good post

 

[Frank Facer]

Great win by the boys today !!!

Trouble looms ahead however.

James Graham is simply not making enough metres to justify a starting role. I know we had a short turn around after the Warriors game however in my view LAM should start.

Forwards coach needs to tell Vaughan and JDB to run hard and straight with minimal footwork.

Their first action now seems to be to slow down before the defensive line to step.

Flo had perhaps his best game of the season in the air defending bombs. His lack of speed is a serious problem in both attack and defence. It will cost the team a big game soon.

Full marks to Tariq Sims, he unsettled Cronk with tremendous venom in defence. All the forwards defended well, but we need better go forward.

We need more output from Latimore and Graham.

Dufty made a good tackle to stop Tedesco 1 on 1, however he needs to commit to the high ball and his fellow backs needs to better screen him.

Didn't feel Hunt kicked well today however his general game was very good today.

Team will need to improve if we are to make top 4. The contenders will start to crank up their form as the season progresses.

I will add to that and say that we look to lack speed on our right hand side and Lafai still looks too slow. If we had more speed in those positions, we would look a lot more formidable.

 

[Frank Facer]

Great win by the boys today !!!

Trouble looms ahead however.

James Graham is simply not making enough metres to justify a starting role. I know we had a short turn around after the Warriors game however in my view LAM should start.

Forwards coach needs to tell Vaughan and JDB to run hard and straight with minimal footwork.

Their first action now seems to be to slow down before the defensive line to step.

I would be moving Frizell to prop and dropping Graham to the bench. I would be playing Host in Frizell's position and dropping Latimore out of the 17. I will say that Latimore went OK today.

 

[Frank Facer]

That was bloody epic! Great defence, even under major fatigue and the short turnaround. Even with more errors than usual and parts of our attack not clicking we beat the most expensive roster in the league 4 tries to 1. We keep winning in different styles of games with fdifferent types of pressure and that’s what makes me more hopeful this year.
Also, I might be alone, but that was a try “For the ball to be grounded, pressure must be applied by the player’s fingers, hand, wrist, forearm or torso so as to create a reasonable influence on the plane of the ball...” his finger never left the ball till after it was grounded, and it created an influence on the plane of the ball. Fair try and screw em anyway.

I didn't believe that it was a try. He lost control of the ball. When they awarded the try, I said "Bullshit". If a decision like that cost us a game I would have been blowing up big time.

 

[Frank Facer]

Seriously we turned around from game over in N

Never one to step in say something

Seriously! Yes there are a few facets of their game need to improve! But harsh on criticism of players who have got us sitting on top of the table!

Yes we are on top of the ladder, but there is certainly still room for improvement. I think we are still improving too.

 

[muzby]

Yes we are on top of the ladder, but there is certainly still room for improvement. I think we are still improving too.

 

[The Damo]

I didn't believe that it was a try. He lost control of the ball. When they awarded the try, I said "Bullshit". If a decision like that cost us a game I would have been blowing up big time.

‘‘Twas a try, control don’t matter. If control mattered you wouldn’t be able to score with your torso. it never separated from his finger before touching down.

 

[Life's Good]

So did Mary out-coach Robinson today?

Id day yes but look at it from the angle of we looked undercoached(go out & play what’s in front of you)whereas the Roosters were over coached(Robinson put the loss squarely on his shoulders talking about structure).
The acid test is next week though.

 

[Frank Facer]

So today was a season defining game and a test case for Mary. We won.
The 6 in a row were not acknowledged by some regulars on here. With every excuse rolled out.
We lost last week and knives were out for the team and coach. (warriors on fire last week by the way)
Proud of the Dragons, and I still see room for improvement...but the players are playing for themselves and the coach..
Great too see a full house at Alliance... great game and great event..

Yeah, we have now won 7 out of 8 games and according to many on this site, the only game we lost, it was the coaches fault, but none of the games we won, were because of our coach. lol

I predicted that we would go well at the beginning of the season, because we now have better cattle than in years gone by.

 

[avocado]

I didn't believe that it was a try. He lost control of the ball. When they awarded the try, I said "Bullshit". If a decision like that cost us a game I would have been blowing up big time.

I remember back in 2010 we had a dodgy video ref call go our way.
Then one today.
That's two in eight years.

 

[Frank Facer]

‘‘Twas a try, control don’t matter. If control mattered you wouldn’t be able to score with your torso. it never separated from his finger before touching down.

I think if a players loses control of the ball, they should have to regain control to score. I thought Nene's try was a knock on everyday of the week.

I don't think that one should be able to score with their torso either. I think that rule should definitely be changed.

I also think if the ball comes off a players head, it should be considered a knock on too. If I was a coach I would even train for a move to head the ball close to the line. It could probably work too. It would catch opposition teams off guard and would be hard to defend against. I would call the move the Ford.

 

[Frank Facer]

I'd say yes.

The roosters look overcoached. They are always playing for the next tackle. Not dissimilar to the way we played in 2016.

Mary seems to have thrown out the structures. Whether that's an admission by him that he doesn't have the talent to coach structured football terribly wall, or because he has recognised that he has a team that plays better off the cuff I don't know.

Regardless he gets credit. Even recognising your own limitations is a skill, and one that he hasn't shown before.

We may not be playing to a restrictive structure, but we are still playing to a structure and aren't playing add lib footy. It looks like Mary has given Hunt and Widdop a licence to play what they see and I think that is a good coaching.

 

[SBD82]

I would be moving Frizell to prop and dropping Graham to the bench. I would be playing Host in Frizell's position and dropping Latimore out of the 17. I will say that Latimore went OK today.

I've seen you say this a couple of times now, I can't agree.

Friz has played in the middle before, and while he did a job for us, it limited the impact that he provides in games. I think friz will eventually end up in the middle, but I would be waiting until he slows down before making the move.

A more important focus should be developing friz and hunt's combination. At the moment he isn't reading where Hunt needs him. I'm frustrated that this hasn't developed as yet, but it's still early for the combo.

 

[SBD82]

We may not be playing to a restrictive structure, but we are still playing to a structure and aren't playing add lib footy. It looks like Mary has given Hunt and Widdop a licence to play what they see and I think that is a good coaching.

I think we agree but are phrasing it differently. When I refer to structures I'm talking about making it to key points on the field to set for a play.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons prove their worth in Anzac Day grind

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

REAL DEAL: The Dragons notched their best win of the season against the Roosters on Wednesday. Picture: AAP

Are the Dragons the real deal yet? A 7-1 start to the year, top of the table after eight rounds… it certainly appears that way.

In fact, after their 24-8 win in another gripping Anzac Day clash, the more appropriate question may well be – are the Roosters?

It was in the corresponding clash last year that the wheels fell off for the Dragons after a 6-1 start, identical to the ledger they took into this year’s fixture.

Had they lost on Wednesday, the sense of deja vu would’ve been immense, particularly as they face the exact same follow-up task next weekend – hosting Melbourne at Kogarah.

The similarities weren’t lost on coach Paul McGregor, who admitted his side will take more than a mere two competition points out of the win.

“I know if we’d have lost people would’ve come at us because we were in the same position last year,” McGregor said.

“For a mental state, it’s good for the guys to go away and have four days [off] on a win because history has shown we’ve been in the same position.

“At the same time last year we lost this game in extra time and we got blown off the park against Melbourne. Then we lost against Cronulla in the last couple of minutes and a lot of negativity came in.

“We’ve got to prove ourselves every week and we understand that, but we’re a different football team this year. We couldn’t manage a win last year on the back of a five-day turn and we’ve got two in the first eight weeks of footy.

“We played all afternoon on the back foot so to win with a score like that, four tries to one, was pleasing. Some individuals came up with special moments and certainly as a group the way they defended together was gritty.

“We’ve got to prove it next week to, it’s not just this week and it’s not just last week. We need to forget about the past, and look at what we’re going to do in he future.”

The Dragons got off to a dream start when Nene Macdonald crossed in the opening set of the match, but were left chasing their tails for rest of the opening stanza.

The Roosters had a mountain of possession and field position – one raid saw them hammer the Dragons line for six straight sets – but had just a 19th-minute penalty goal to show for it at the half.

Having fought most of the first 40 off their back, Ben Hunt’s four-pointer in the shadows of halftime was worth a lot more than that.

Gareth Widdop converted for a 10-point cushion at the break despite having just 46 per cent of the footy.

It left the question as to whether they could hold on after such a buffeting, particularly when Tim Lafai fumbled his side’s first touch of the second half metres from his own try-line.

It left the door wide open for the tricolours to hit back, but the Dragons were again good enough to repel them and counterpunch through Tariq Sims at the other end. Widdop’s conversion gave his side an 18-2 lead.

The Roosters finally broke through when Latrell Mitchell went ridiculously close to the dead-ball-line in reeling in a Luke Keary grubber.

His conversion bounced through off the upright to again make it a 10-point ball-game with half an hour to play.

It looked as if the Roosters were coming home with the wind behind them only for Macdonald to post his second try in controversial circumstances.

Macdonald had made a habit of making the impossible look possible this season, but it looked as if he’d have this one taken off him despite referee Ashley Klein sending it upstairs as a try.

Replays showed he’d barely kept a finger in the ball, but it proved the fingernail in the Roosters coffin, with bunker official Jared Maxwell sending it back as a try.

Widdop converted for a 16-point buffer his side were good enough to hold to the end and seal their seventh win of the season.


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...-prove-their-worth-in-anzac-day-grind/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons prove premiership credentials with 24-8 Anzac Day win over Sydney Roosters

• Dragon's Den
  
  
  
  Try time: Dragons halfback Ben Hunt crosses for St George Illawarra's second try against the Roosters. Picture: John Veage
• 
  
• Semi-finals aren’t played in April. Nor can premierships be won.
  
  But St George Illawarra may have proven once and for all they are the real deal in 2018.
  
  In front of an Anzac Day record crowd of more than 41,000 the Dragons showed their premiership credentials, downing the Sydney Roosters 24-8 at Allianz Stadium.
  
  The red V will remain top of the NRL table after eight rounds. They have lost just once so far this season and given their fans reason to believe.
  
  Their halves, Ben Hunt and Gareth Widdop, appear the best pairing in the competition right now. Their forward pack – agile, mobile, hostile – is the envy of most clubs.
  
  The Dragons exploded out of the blocks, scoring with the final play of the first set of the match. Under pressure attempting to kick on halfway, Hunt decided to run the ball and made a break.
  
  The ball ended up with Widdop who kicked high across field for Nene Macdonald. Blake Ferguson could only get his fingertips to the ball as it dropped over his shoulder, allowing Macdonald to scoop up the loose ball and touch down in the corner.
  
  The match then went into a pattern for much of the half with the Roosters attacking and the Dragons defending desperately. Doggedly. Bravely.
  
  The first set of the game!#TelstraPremiership#NRLDragonsRoosters#NRLpic.twitter.com/FZpjZph6Qy
  
  — NRL (@NRL) April 25, 2018
  They could have lost Cameron McInnes to the sin bin after the hooker took out Luke Keary chasing through a Cooper Cronk kick, 10 metres out from St George Illawarra’s goalline.
  
  Referee Ashley Klein chose not to use the sin bin but the Roosters set up camp in front of the Dragons’ posts. For five sets the red V turned them away before the Tricolours eventually conceded defeat and opted to take a penalty goal.
  
  The reaction of the Dragons’ players told the story. Jack de Belin in particular was pumped up. It was a win for the Dragons. The Roosters couldn’t break them, and the Dragons knew it.
  
  As St George Illawarra continued to soak up everything the Roosters could throw at them, the threat for Trent Robinson’s side was that the Dragons would make them pay.
  
  That they did. Jason Nightingale scooped up a loose Roosters’ pass 20 metres out from his own line and streaked away down field. The counter attack was on.
  
  Eventually the ball landed in the hands of Hunt whose lightning step off his right foot was enough to beat the over-committed Boyd Cordner on the inside having got outside Keary, allowing the Queensland State of Origin No.7-elect to slide over.
  
  Blind side! #NRLDragonsRoosters 12-2 at Half-Time. #TelstraPremiership#NRLpic.twitter.com/HSiuU6zjGT
  
  — NRL (@NRL) April 25, 2018
  The Dragons took a 12-2 lead to the break but it would take them less than six minutes of the second half to extend it.
  
  Tariq Sims, who had smashed Cronk in a fearsome tackle minutes earlier, ran a strong line for Widdop to put him through a narrow gap to score out wide.
  
  Short ball from @garethwiddop to @tariq_sims! #NRLDragonsRoosters 18-2 after 47 minutes. #TelstraPremiership#NRLpic.twitter.com/zgTjckBmIV
  
  — NRL (@NRL) April 25, 2018
  The Roosters hit back five minutes later. A James Tedesco offload allowed Keary to kick in behind the Dragons’ line for Latrell Mitchell to touch down – just – inside the dead ball line.
  
  The Dragons were challenged. The Roosters went close again shortly after, only for Ferguson to have been ruled to have knocked on.
  
  But in a sign how this St George Illawarra has matured, they started to enjoy their own spell of possession and field position and were eventually rewarded in dubious circumstances.
  
  Macdonald appeared to have scored in the left corner after a slick backline move only for video replays to show the winger had lost control of the ball after a desperate Cronk tackle nudged the ball free.
  
  Macdonald has a double! #NRLDragonsRoosters 24-8 with 10 minutes remaining. #TelstraPremiership#NRLpic.twitter.com/p8q7qjfIVk
  
  — NRL (@NRL) April 25, 2018
  But video referee Jared Maxwell ruled Macdonald had grounded the ball despite only having a finger still on it, saying there was insufficient evidence to overturn the live decision of try.
  
  The Dragons were deserving of their luck. They were the better side for most of the afternoon and earned their two points.
  
  After backing up from what was essentially a three-day turnaround from their loss in New Zealand on Friday night, the Dragons now enjoy a 12-day break before they welcome Melbourne to Kogarah.
  
  Who is brave enough to say the Saints won’t keep marching?
  
  Leader Scoreboard
  
  St George Illawarra Dragons 24 (Nene Macdonald two, Ben Hunt, Tariq Sims tries. Gareth Widdop four goals)
  
  defeated
  
  Sydney Roosters 8 (Latrell Mitchell try. Latrell Mitchell two goals)
  
  at Allianz Stadium
  
  Crowd: 41,142
  
  Leader man of the match: Ben Hunt (Dragons)
  
  Dragons’ next three: Storm (home – Kogarah), Rabbitohs (away – ANZ Stadium), Raiders (home – Mudgee)

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/...als-with-anzac-day-win-over-roosters/?cs=3833