some sort of leadership

[country_dragon]

ok, so the game was.... terrible. But let's get some positive thinking going on here.
Mitch Rein was great.... yes, he panics sometimes when he passes - but he was trying his guts out.
Same thing with Prior (i am sure there is a game where he has NOT dropped the ball) - but he also tries his guts out.
The list goes on - but a team of (great) players will never beat a great team.

Clearly (IMHO) what is needed is leadership. Ben Creagh - great player that he is - i feel is lacking the intestinal fortitude to lead the team around - or maybe he just doesn't have the leadership respect of the players?

I remember one thing Wayne Bennett said about Ben Hornby.... that it was not that he was a very great player, but he could follow instructions to the letter and get others around him to do the same. I know it didn't (in the latter part of his career) work out that way all the time - but you get my point.

Ok, everybody is calling for Price's head - and that is understandable, as someone will take the fall for one of the greatest supporter based teams in the league going backwards. However, there must be something else going on in-so-far as the chain of command is concerned.

I don't think that the dragons can get rid of Price, especially since they have just renewed his contract - but is it time to be honest with the press and supporters and just say this season is shot as far as the finals are concerned - and start a building phase with the new and/or young players into something that actually plays as a team?

Losing Soward was sad - Cooper and Hunt are missed, not too sure about Beale, but certainly Kyle Stanley would have been the half back by now if he wasn't cactus (again...).

The other irony of course, is that we do have the two best Wingers in the game (australia's best and NZ best) but no one can get the ball to them !

Green is not a centre - and prior - well, prior is prior.

 

[saint.nick]

Green is not even a first grade player. Plain and simple.

 

[What's Up]

Hit the nail on the head there. Good post.

 

[nrlnrl]

Green is not even a first grade player. Plain and simple.

He looks so far out of his depth, must never be in first grade for the Dragons again. The solution for this year is to move Stanley to centre & give Quinlan & Siejka a go in the halves.

The coach let his personal clash with Soward cloud his judgement & force him to leave. The club is full of "good blokes" - one impersonating a coach & another given the captaincy. The problem is they won't take it away from Creagh because that would be admitting a mistake, Nightingale would've been a better option & then have Merrin as next in line.

Also, With Jeremy Smith & Beau Scott gone there's no-one with that bit of mongrel or controlled aggression. Seriously, is there anyone who puts fear into the opposition with the ball or in defence ? Our recruiting missed out on covering for that & should've gone for someone like Wade Graham. He would've been ideal to fill that role & also be captain.

 

[TheRev]

Green is not even a first grade player. Plain and simple.

Hes not even a cutters player, which is why his continual selection is so ridiculous and makes me question whether Price has an open mind to selections.

Chase is the right centre for 2013, and Farrell/Beale in 2014.

 

[hardbaby]

Our under belly is really soft. Again. Have they learned nothing from the Bennett years? A team of Priors, Creaghs and Hunts will be trounced unless you have some hard heads in there.

I'm pretty sure we will get Sam Williams. A Williams-Widdop halves combo will make this a different team. But christ we need some forwards.

 

[FlameThrower]

...and goal line defense, how many tries with opposition players just falling over the line.....

 

[Dragon Blood]

"We need to have a good look at ourselves," Price said.

"I think the bye has come at a good time.

"The boys get away and clear their heads and get back to training and strip it back and get back to basics and simplify it.

"I told the boys we are going through a bit of a difficult time.

"It's all about hanging tough now and supporting each other."


That'll do me

 

[FlameThrower]

Players have stopped listening, there's no self belief and now instead of can we win, is how much will we lose by! Soulless bunch with next to zero on field talk I saw tonight at the game.....those roosters fans just jumping on the bandwagon on ya, next time take the rebel price sticker off the jersey u bought last week.....

 

[Dezziedc]

Excellent post

ok, so the game was.... terrible. But let's get some positive thinking going on here.
Mitch Rein was great.... yes, he panics sometimes when he passes - but he was trying his guts out.
Same thing with Prior (i am sure there is a game where he has NOT dropped the ball) - but he also tries his guts out.
The list goes on - but a team of (great) players will never beat a great team.

As you said, most players are trying. They are pretty much putting in a massive effort week in week out. Discipline is hurting us at key times and we are killing ourselves with some basic footy concepts - eg forward passes. And this can be put down to lack of confidence - any team that loses consistently gets used to that, and it is difficult to get out of that mentality.

Clearly (IMHO) what is needed is leadership. Ben Creagh - great player that he is - i feel is lacking the intestinal fortitude to lead the team around - or maybe he just doesn't have the leadership respect of the players?

I remember one thing Wayne Bennett said about Ben Hornby.... that it was not that he was a very great player, but he could follow instructions to the letter and get others around him to do the same. I know it didn't (in the latter part of his career) work out that way all the time - but you get my point.

I agree. Creagh is not a captain. I don't think he has the command of the team. You need someone who the players will listen to and respect in the heat of battle and who will put their body on the line for their captain. I think the players respect him, but he just doesn't come across as a commanding player on the field who demands the attention of the team. With regards to Hornby, he was that - and he called the shots on the field as well - something else we lack. Our halves don't steer the team or control the game. So we lack leadership in both areas - and to me, THIS is the biggest reason we are failing this year. The problem is, I don't believe we have any valid options to fill that void.

Ok, everybody is calling for Price's head - and that is understandable, as someone will take the fall for one of the greatest supporter based teams in the league going backwards. However, there must be something else going on in-so-far as the chain of command is concerned.

I don't think that the dragons can get rid of Price, especially since they have just renewed his contract - but is it time to be honest with the press and supporters and just say this season is shot as far as the finals are concerned - and start a building phase with the new and/or young players into something that actually plays as a team?

Agree about calling the season. But I think we are seeing some of the younger players coming through now. And that is a good thing. Some of the young players are being brought through - and I believe Price is trying to bring them through in positions they are comfortable in. By all accounts the NRL is a massive step up from the Cutters so bringing these younger players through out of position would be asking for trouble. I hope he continues to play some of these guys over the following weeks.

Losing Soward was sad - Cooper and Hunt are missed, not too sure about Beale, but certainly Kyle Stanley would have been the half back by now if he wasn't cactus (again...).

Losing Soward, to me, was not a result of personality clash. I think it was a result of Sowards game style not tieing in with Prices attacking game plan. Now I'm sure you will say he doesn't have a game plan. And it might appear that way - but I think that is because we don't have 2 genuine halves who can execute. Sowards only real value in the team this year was his kicking - and that is great. But I think the reason Stanley was put in was due to his running game. Price wants the halves to threaten and attack the line. Soward seemingly refused to do that. Hence the reason he was dropped. You will notice that both Fein and Stanley take on the line - this indicates to me that Price is looking for halves to create uncertainty and opportunities through taking on that line.

And yes, maybe Kyle would have been the other half to partner Soward, and that may have worked. But unfortunately that was not to be. Soward needed to adjust to the structure and I don't think he could or even wanted to.

The other irony of course, is that we do have the two best Wingers in the game (australia's best and NZ best) but no one can get the ball to them !

Green is not a centre - and prior - well, prior is prior.

Again, the halves. Get 2 genuine halves in the team and I really think things will start to improve. The current 2 are not creating enough opportunities to allow the ball to get to the edges.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

Let's clarify something here concerning 'effort' or 'trying' and 'giving your best'

Firstly, it is a prerequisite to putting a Red V Jumper on. You don't congratulate it week in week out as if it is some sort of added extra. It is assumed. It's a given ...i.e. that you give 100% each and every time.

ALWAYS highlighting and applauding their effort, ....is like paying an employee a weekly bonus for showing up to work.

For an effective leader i.e one who commands respect, the only appropriate time it is necessary to congratulate someone's effort is if some wretched bad luck has been the difference between winning and losing, and players need consolation, because they are so devastated (because of their passion) by a loss. Then remind them of their great effort.

This has not been the case for dragon's losses. TV commentators are now describing how bad our game is. And I don't see anyone r e a l l y hurting, let alone overly bothered.

Leader's set the standards that others follow. You see it in Steve Price mimicking first Wayne Bennet, but now Peter Doust -especially in speech. And now player's towing the line of Steve Price.

Bottom line - there is some-one or something seriously wrong at the Dragons.

And the mismanagement of the situation is enormous.

Slapping each other on the back for effort and wishing them all well on a week's break only continues the mismanagement.

And so let's stop avoiding that by clapping their effort.

 

[Gomarchin]

The club needs a complete overhaul from Doust down. It will never happen - this clown has complete control of the board so will have the job as long as he wants it.

What a sad day. It's not Price's fault it's Doust that should be blamed. He appointed the inexperienced coach - a mistake he made with Brown in 2003 and again in 2012. Enough is enough.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

...and to add something else concerning how delusional dragon's leadership currently is....

All the positive spin about being 'just 2wins outside of the top eight' (Peter Doust), I believe has mucked with their heads.

Hello... 4 pts outside of the eights means you lilely will need need to win 5 or 6 games in a row to make that up. It's not "...win a couple of games to turn your season around - that's how it is in this NRL" clap-trap talk that more than one player has recntly trotted out recently in interview.

But, that's just how motivating positive spin is.

Really, it's a subtle form of lying..

 

[ggould]

Nothing will change unless you make it change!! Price if you keep going with the same team you pick every week especially the halves you get the same result!! So change the bloody team around until such time as something works for god sake!!! Bring in Harry S you bought him so use him!! Move Stanley back to the centre with Runciman give Quinlan a shot at the 6!! Get some mongrel back into the forwards!! Change something please!!! Most important just STOP will the talk don't want to hear it anymore it boring painful and useless!!! JUST DO IT at least be seen to be trying something different!!!x

 

[possm]

Players have stopped listening, QUOTE]

Now your on the money. Bennett commanded respect by demonstrating leadership and knowledge. Price has been banging on about the same basic plan that the players no long believe in. Soward was brave enough to let Price know and was shown the door for it.

Dice Price and Oust Doust and then watch the Dragons breath fire again.

 

[nontime111]

das GOLD Gouldie! Williams and Quinlan or Cummins halves next year if Stlye cant get back up, or even Rein Quinlan for this year with Harry S as Half......yep, u never know unless you PHYSICALLY in the REAL WORLD have a go, Price lives in his head in theory land and it is teh opposite to how a football team should be picked, your in form, get in there!! hes blinded by the big names...and its killing us