NRL fans unleash on ‘worst half of football’ this year
The Dragons managed to get the job done against the Bulldogs but fans weren’t happy with both sides’ sloppy performances early.
Adam Lucius and Jasper Bruce
NCA NewsWire
May 9, 20217:38pm
Dragons speedster Matt Dufty scored the only try of a dry first stanza. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Source:Getty Images
The Dragons and Bulldogs played out a dour first half of footy at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium on Sunday and NRL fans were not impressed.
The home side took a 6-0 lead into the sheds, courtesy of a try to fullback Matt Dufty.
Both sides struggled to make the most of their opportunities – the Doggies enjoyed the majority of possession but could not capitalise on their favourable field position.
For their part, the Dragons completed at a horrid 67%, looking a far cry from the side that defeated premiership hopefuls Parramatta just a month ago.
Both sides struggled to hold the footy in the first term, with the Dogs making six errors to the Dragons’ nine.
Pundits took to social media to vent their frustrations, with one fan going as far as to call the opening stanza “the worst half of football in 2021”.
Dragons horror hands and some generous refereeing keeping CB in this. Jeez we need a decent half. Bring back Shifty Sherwin
#NRLDragonsBulldogs
— Lachlan Leeming (@LeemingLachie)
May 9, 2021
This is definitely the worst half of football in 2021
#NRLDragonsBulldogs
— Hablo Frescobar (@ILLERGIC)
May 9, 2021
Matt Dufty looks like scoring. 33 other blokes do not.
#NRLDragonsBulldogs
— Tim Barrow (@TheBarrow)
May 9, 2021
This game could be used as capital punishment
#NRL#NRLDragonsBulldogs
— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen)
May 9, 2021
Frustrated Canterbury coach Trent Barrett could give no guarantees about Kyle Flanagan’s immediate playing future after sensationally hooking the under-performing halfback at halftime in the Bulldogs’ embarrassing 32-12 defeat to St George Illawarra at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Sunday.
Fed-up with another ineffective performance from his young No. 7, Barrett replaced Flanagan with Lachlan Lewis in a bid to get his side going.
Flanagan was given a reprieve midway through the second half when he came back on to replace injured centre Corey Allan, who was stretchered off with a neck injury.
The young half now faces an uncertain future – in the short-term at least – as Barrett looks to get more out of a team anchored at the bottom of the table on the back of a 1-8 start to the season.
“Given where we are on the table we need to make some changes where we see fit (and) what’s in the best interests of the team moving forward,” Barrett said.
“Kyle’s not the only one. There’s 17 blokes in the team and we’ve all got different roles to play.
“He will have to (bounce back) – we all have to.
“If they’re not getting the job done then we’ll have to think about making some changes.
“We’re in a bit of a hole (and) we will sit down and address that during the week.”
Canterbury’s growing injury toll is likely to save Flanagan from the axe for the Magic Round clash with Canberra, but is clear Barrett is fast running out of patience.
The Dragons led 6-0 at halftime and cleared out in the second half for their first win in a month.
Flanagan is only nine games into a three-year deal at Belmore, but there must now be a big question mark over his immediate playing future.
He cut a forlorn figure on the bench as dad and premiership-winning coach Shane watched on helplessly from the stands.
Immortal Andrew Johns said: “One of the halves has to step up and take control.
“In the first half they were rudderless. Trent Barrett must be pulling his hair out.”
Parramatta’s best-ever halfback, Peter Sterling, said of Flanagan’s midgame axing: “It’s some kind of statement from the coach.”
Flanagan’s last-tackle options were again ordinary and he is a constant target in defence.
St George Illawarra cut loose in the second half, posting five tries against a Canterbury side that fell away alarmingly.
Rookie winger Mat Feagai, whose twin brother Max played on the other flank, scored a try on debut but was carried off late with a lower leg injury.
Junior Amone, promoted from the SG Ball team, also grabbed a four-pointer in his first top grade game.
Ben Hunt’s Dragons clicked into gear in the second half. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Source:Getty Images
NOT PRETTY BUT THEY WILL TAKE IT
Fittingly, it was Mother’s Day, because this was a mother of a game for the first hour.
The first half featured players dropping high balls after colliding with teammates, simple first-tackle turnovers, sloppy last-tackle options, wonky kicks and a ridiculous Josh McGuire Captain’s Challenge.
The Dragons wore replica jumpers to recognise St George’s 100-year anniversary and it seemed fans would have to wait another century to see a try, so poor was the execution from both teams.
But off the back of a Canterbury mistake – of course – Jack Bird and Matt Dufty combined to remind us this was an NRL game we were watching after 22 tortuous minutes.
Bird cut back towards the posts and found the ever-present Dufty with an inside ball and a clear passage to the line.
Dufty loves scoring a try at this joint, touching down for his 10th in nine games at the venue.
The game then resumed normal transmission and the mistakes again began flowing from both sides.
Referee Ben Cummins will put lodge a claim for RSI on Monday morning, so often did he have to signal for a knock-on.
The Dragons can offer up the excuse they were missing a number of players.
And to be fair, their second half was much better on the back of fewer mistakes and greater intent.
Dufty, Bird, Ben Hunt and Corey Norman really stepped up to severely embarrass the Dogs.
“I’m happy with the result but it was a scratchy performance,” Dragons coach Anthony Griffin said.
“We did what we needed to do.”
IT’S ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU CRY
Two weeks ago Trent Barrett broke down in tears as his Canterbury side finally won a game.
He could have been forgiven for breaking down again on Sunday, this time in utter frustration.
The Dogs spent plenty of time in the Dragons’ 20m zone in the first half but preferred to pay rent rather than make a purchase, continually turning the ball over through errors or poor last tackle kicks.
They fell away badly in the second half to leave their record standing at 1-8 after nine rounds.
https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/n...r/news-story/cbf3c3a8ed327c0edd5eff67d7fd6bdd
