Season Halfway Report Card

[Doug2234]

Dont know if this is good all bad (bad by everyone getting ahead of themselves a bit) - Link here

Round 13 marks the halfway point of the NRL season, so foxsports.com.au issues its mid-season report card on each team in the premierships. We've pulled no punches.
St George Illawarra
Where they sit: 1st. A new coach plus new players equals a new club. The Wayne Bennett revolution is in full-swing at the Dragons, with the old culture of wasted potential seemingly a distant memory. A solid pack and an almost impenetrable defensive line has seen the Dragons installed as competition favourites.

Standout performer: Michael Weyman. An inconsistent hot-head with Canberra, Weyman is now regarded as one of the hardest runners in the NRL. This time last year, even he would have laughed off suggestions he would be playing Origin in 2009. But his work alongside fellow New South Wales forward Justin Poore has been the cornerstone of the Dragons' great start to 2009.
Sore point: Matthew Head. With the Dragons playing so well, it's hard to find much to be disappointed about. But the creative instincts of Head are not being harnessed in the grandstand. With captain Ben Hornby playing well at halfback, Head is at a loose end. Bennett is aware of Head's ability, but the coach is at odds to tinker with a winning team.

What they must do: Show some flair. The only concern for the Dragons is their lack of spark in attack. Their defence is the tightest in the competition, but they don't have the potency going forward to match that of Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys and Newcastle Knights. There are signs of improvement, however, having scored 25 tries in their past six matches after crossing the line just 17 times in their first six.

Predicted finish: 1st.

 

[hornbyslilhottie24]

Predicted finish - 1st
does that mean premiers or minor??

:|

 

[Doug2234]

i was just thinking the same thing.

Im assuming Minor

 

[dragonfan1]

That's pretty cool. I know the nrl.com one is due next week so we can compare and not just look from one source.

 

[watatank]

Sore point: Matthew Head. With the Dragons playing so well, it's hard to find much to be disappointed about. But the creative instincts of Head are not being harnessed in the grandstand. With captain Ben Hornby playing well at halfback, Head is at a loose end. Bennett is aware of Head's ability, but the coach is at odds to tinker with a winning team.

I don't get that. Head's creative instincts are being harnessed at dummy half, what games is this guy watching?

 

[Godz Illa]

Yep, silly comment. A more accurate sore point would have been Luke Priddis.

 

[_snafu_]

Luke Priddis should be harnessed to the grandstand.

 

[MattYg1]

So in other words we need to get flashy in attack and score more points or else they will finish 1st????

Who is this tool...

 

[Godz Illa]

Luke Priddis should be harnessed to the grandstand.

bahaha

Harsh but har-larious

 

[redvscotty]

haha yeah BAD article.

 

[Slippery Morris]

NExt weeks game against the Cowboys will be a cracker as will Mondays game. 2 Big games ahead. If they can win both they then have a bye which will put them on 24pts and it is only round 16. Minor premiers would surely be a huge possibility if they get to 24pts by round 16.

Mat Head has been great off the bench and for Benny to keep him their he definately see's something he likes. Strange how Saints only play 2 Big forwards off the bench. Nobody else does.

 

[watatank]

NExt weeks game against the Cowboys will be a cracker as will Mondays game. 2 Big games ahead. If they can win both they then have a bye which will put them on 24pts and it is only round 16. Minor premiers would surely be a huge possibility if they get to 24pts by round 16.

Mat Head has been great off the bench and for Benny to keep him their he definately see's something he likes. Strange how Saints only play 2 Big forwards off the bench. Nobody else does.

Yeah I think we are blessed with an extremely versatile squad.

 

[W.B.2.S.O.S]

Predicted finish - 1st
does that mean premiers or minor??

:|

13 is the halfway mark
so if you double it you get 26, so they are predicting that we get the minor premiership, but from then its anyones premiership.

 

[big pat]

go you saintsssssssssssssss

 

[Slippery Morris]

With the Bronco's losing tonight, if the Dragons win on Monday they not only stay on top of the ladder but go 2 points clear of 2nd and they have not had a bye yet. How good is that.

 

[W.B.2.S.O.S]

With the Bronco's losing tonight, if the Dragons win on Monday they not only stay on top of the ladder but go 2 points clear of 2nd and they have not had a bye yet. How good is that.

very good.
compared to the saints of old, thats very very very very very..... very good:lol:

 

[nathanbrown'sghost]

With the Bronco's losing tonight, if the Dragons win on Monday they not only stay on top of the ladder but go 2 points clear of 2nd and they have not had a bye yet. How good is that.

yeah other teams have done the Dragons a few favours by losing matches they were expected to win. I'd love to see that continue.

 

[dragonfan1]

Be good to get the minor premiership. It would be the first for St George Illawarra and that 100k would be nice for the players for their hard work.

 

[Slippery Morris]

They did come equal first 1 year from memory but lost on for and against to the Eels.

Winning the minor premiership will be great and the good thing about that guarantees then a 2nd chance in the playoffs if the lose game 1. They play the team that finishes 8 if they win at home. Hopefully Kogarah or is WIN where the Dragons have a better record. That will also be the Sunday Arvo game. A packed house at Kogarah. How good would that be. The NRL will try and push the game to Homebush so the journalists can get their articles out as per the Pre dogs game and change the dates. Hope DOusts stands his ground again.

As the coaches and players say, we should look at each game as it comes and not too far forward.

 

[leswins]

So in other words we need to get flashy in attack and score more points or else they will finish 1st????

Who is this tool...

i agree. im old enough 2 have known some of the players from BATHS BABES 1977 and they based their game on tackling the other team out of the game plus the occasional bit of flair in attack. sounds boring but its amazing how many points you can score after the other team has no answers 2 your defence. look at our last few games? its a 1/2 way report card! by the end of the season our attack will be as good as our defence. The saints are marching in!!!!!!!