Team Against Sharks

[coast_dragons]

Its simple Miller injured, Mathews Injured for the SR and C Stanley injured also which is no suprirse for the centres.

Green should be given a go but Price is again playing the safe option which I think is piss weak and shows a lack of faith in him he showed in the 2 games he has played he isn't intimidated.

Last week showed Scott isn't quick enough and doesn't have his head in the right place to be considred for a starting birth, Prior on the other hand totally understandable and still was better than Scott.

Latimore isn't flashy but does the job same as Ah Mau but maybe give Gower or Stockwell a go as Vea is the same as the other two what you call a plodder.

Price is going to live by the sword or die by it but if he keeps taking the safe option then he won't be around next year.

 

[Cagey Mac]

Its simple Miller injured, Mathews Injured for the SR and C Stanley injured also which is no suprirse for the centres.

Green should be given a go but Price is again playing the safe option which I think is piss weak and shows a lack of faith in him he showed in the 2 games he has played he isn't intimidated.

Last week showed Scott isn't quick enough and doesn't have his head in the right place to be considred for a starting birth, Prior on the other hand totally understandable and still was better than Scott.

Latimore isn't flashy but does the job same as Ah Mau but maybe give Gower or Stockwell a go as Vea is the same as the other two what you call a plodder.

Price is going to live by the sword or die by it but if he keeps taking the safe option then he won't be around next year.

Scott didn't play in the centres he played back row, Prior played there but point taken. Oh it it's berth (but they say pedants can't play football)

Latimore has been better than Au Mau who has been better than Gower ever was. Vea may be interesting but Price is on a hiding to nothing by changing the back row and like it or not, with few exceptions, Price has put proven performers on the paddock.
Where Scott has excelled is his one on one tackling ability. Let's see how he fares against J Smith and Gallen. Relishing the prospect of Jackhammer De Belin putting them both on their backs too.

 

[Reyter]

So long as our props get us space the backs should do the job against one of the slower backlines in the NRL. Cronulla have one the best backrows in the game on paper but ours aint all that bad either it will compete.

Props are giving them space and I don't think the backrowers are going bad when they are actually playing in the backrow. Specifically Hornby is struggling in attack and did for all of last year and even before that, Boyd was the main playmaker. Soward isn't a good playmaker but he has other strengths like his broken field running and his kicking. I will be pleasantly surprised if while Fein and King are both out, K. Stanley moves into the halves and Hornby does back to the bench as a utility but I guess they won't do that and will wait until Hornby decides to retire. I don't mean to be too hard on him and I guess if the Dragons had a dominant playmaker at 5/8, Hornby would be a perfect halfback but they don't. Thus, even when the forwards make space, the backline has trouble in troubling the opposition out wide.

 

[MattYg1]

Props are giving them space and I don't think the backrowers are going bad when they are actually playing in the backrow. Specifically Hornby is struggling in attack and did for all of last year and even before that, Boyd was the main playmaker. Soward isn't a good playmaker but he has other strengths like his broken field running and his kicking. I will be pleasantly surprised if while Fein and King are both out, K. Stanley moves into the halves and Hornby does back to the bench as a utility but I guess they won't do that and will wait until Hornby decides to retire. I don't mean to be too hard on him and I guess if the Dragons had a dominant playmaker at 5/8, Hornby would be a perfect halfback but they don't. Thus, even when the forwards make space, the backline has trouble in troubling the opposition out wide.

You've got 106 posts and I am certain at least 104 of them have this notion that Hornby should be dropped to the bench and Stanley into the halves... its not gonna happen...

Besides Hornby has been phenomenal so far this season,

2011 - played 23 games for 3 line breaks(13th) & 2 try assists(equal 20th)
2012 - played 5 games for 2 line breaks(equal 5th) & 2 try assists.(8th)

 

[Reyter]

You've got 106 posts and I am certain at least 104 of them have this notion that Hornby should be dropped to the bench and Stanley into the halves... its not gonna happen...

Which is precisely why I keep mentioning it. I want Hornby and Young to go out with a fairytale ending but ...its not gonna happen...

Thus, I would prefer the tough decisions are taken now so the Dragons have a chance of winning the competition this year.

 

[Godz Illa]

Which is precisely why I keep mentioning it. I want Hornby and Young to go out with a fairytale ending but ...its not gonna happen...

Thus, I would prefer the tough decisions are taken now so the Dragons have a chance of winning the competition this year.

Talk about fairytales... Who are you going to replace Hornby with? He is the best halfback option by far

 

[MattYg1]

Which is precisely why I keep mentioning it. I want Hornby and Young to go out with a fairytale ending but ...its not gonna happen...

Thus, I would prefer the tough decisions are taken now so the Dragons have a chance of winning the competition this year.

You are aware that as far as we know Doust and Price arent members here so your suggestions probably arent going through... I mean Rufus and Dubo have been asking for it for what 4 years now and it hasnt happened

 

[Lovemedragons]

Scott was in the centres at least for the start of last weeks game. Im sure one of the early tries of the Broncos embarrased him in defence yet again. Why do we see 2nd rowers replacing centres at the Dragons?? It is a significant handicap in attack (Scott has no f**king idea how to attack in the centres - or anywhere else for that matter) and in defence they are embarrassed by real centres with speed. Please stop having forwards in the backline! Frank Hyde would be turning in his grave!

 

[Reyter]

You are aware that as far as we know Doust and Price arent members here so your suggestions probably arent going through... I mean Rufus and Dubo have been asking for it for what 4 years now and it hasnt happened

Am I not allowed to state my opinion?

 

[Reyter]

Talk about fairytales... Who are you going to replace Hornby with? He is the best halfback option by far

The best two performances in attack that I can remember the Dragons playing over the last 2 years is against Souths in 2010 and Cowboys last year. In both games K. Stanley was in the halves. Maybe if given a chance he would bomb out and we would all realize Hornby is a better option but if he isn't given a chance, how can anyone tell? As is, I see the Dragons being good all year but not seriously threatening for the title. This is disappointing for me.

 

[MattYg1]

Am I not allowed to state my opinion?

By all means fellow Dragons fan... however if its the focal point of each and every post it can become quite tiresome for the reader...

Besides from a perspective of logic its not going to happen - the Grand Final winning captain and soon to be most capped Dragons player who is in good form and is a leader and is always consistent isnt going to be dropped or benched 5 rounds into the season let alone at all without injury...

Your allowed to voice your opinion no doubt and its been duly noted, its just not going to happen.

 

[Godz Illa]

The best two performances in attack that I can remember the Dragons playing over the last 2 years is against Souths in 2010 and Cowboys last year. In both games K. Stanley was in the halves. Maybe if given a chance he would bomb out and we would all realize Hornby is a better option but if he isn't given a chance, how can anyone tell? As is, I see the Dragons being good all year but not seriously threatening for the title. This is disappointing for me.

What does Hornby have to do with it? He's a halfback, Stanley isn't. Soward isn't. In fact, the only player absent from both games you mentioned (and in no way do I agree that they were the best 2 performances) is Soward.

 

[MattYg1]

What does Hornby have to do with it? He's a halfback, Stanley isn't. Soward isn't. In fact, the only player absent from both games you mentioned (and in no way do I agree that they were the best 2 performances) is Soward.

And werent we raving about Fien's performances more then anybody else in those games... I know threads following the Souths game was all about Fien = X FACTOR!!!

 

[Cagey Mac]

I can't understand the logic in calling for untried players to replace players who are performing well.
Style was going to be the best fullback since Chang
Cam King was suposedly going to be the youngest imortal in history
Ridding ourselves of Hornby, who except for one diabolical game against the dogs has been exemplary with Style who is reading the game pretty well as a centre is curious and frankly as others have said beggars logic.
Style seems to be fitting in well as a centre..yes? Who is going to replace him if we drop or bench our captain? Who would be a better captain?
Young is reliable and yet to play poorly this year. His role is clearly defined and he's doing an inspirational job.
We lost against the dogs and the Broncs because we started too slow and the latter in particular because several forwards had bad cases of dropsy. Scott has had his head elsewhere and hopefully this will change. Hornby is a terrific player, solid as as rock, creative and has the right to his position as the Red V half and captain.

 

[Elias1983]

You have to take into consideration the way bennet played our attack when he was here, it was very structured. It wasn't too flashy and was very simple. The set plays were easier too execute (i.e the sweep play with boyd chiming in) and effective and the grind em down play where you hold the ball and wait for the opposition to make an error. Very simple stuff.


In that regards Hornby did a fantastic job because he did what was required of him and not to mention his defending on the edge of the ruck, he saved dozens of tries by reading the opponents attack and shutting down the play.

Price is trying to change that gradually to take the predictability out of our attack, hornby and the team have to adjust and there is no reason why they won't.

Just needs time.

 

[MattYg1]

well said Elias... and well said Cagey...

regardless of what anybody thinks this is a rebuilding year... be it in adjusting to a new coach,system,chemistry and milking young players to get them ready for full time first grade gigs...

Its going to take time and we probably wont win it all this year to be frank... some people have no patience and just want instant success...

 

[Elias1983]

well said Elias... and well said Cagey...

regardless of what anybody thinks this is a rebuilding year... be it in adjusting to a new coach,system,chemistry and milking young players to get them ready for full time first grade gigs...

Its going to take time and we probably wont win it all this year to be frank... some people have no patience and just want instant success...

Thanks mate.

If Price gets the Dragons into a top 5 positon this year in September, then that is a bloody good effort for his first year.

Top 8 will be good.

If he misses the 8 then he has no excuses for next year.

 

[MattYg1]

Thanks mate.

If Price gets the Dragons into a top 5 positon this year in September, then that is a bloody good effort for his first year.

Top 8 will be good.

If he misses the 8 then he has no excuses for next year.

agreed...

 

[giboz71]

Don't necessarily agree it's a rebuliding year.

On paper (and I stress ON PAPER), we have:

2 Origin Props (Weyman and Merrin)
an Origin backrow (Creagh, Scott and Young)
2 former international halfbacks (Hornby and Fien)
the incumbent Origin 5/8 (Soward)
a former international centre (Cooper)
and 2 international wingers (Nightingale and Morris)

Add to that, 3 of the best young prospects in the game (Style, De Belin and King)

Thats a hell of a lot more cattle to work with than most teams. If we play to our potential, we should easily be a top 4 team. But I suspect team selections and poor form will keep us with the rest of the pack.

And I don't necessarily buy the whole rookie coach thing. Price has been there for a number of years and he learnt from the master. He should be making the right decisions from day one.

Look what Anthony Griffin has done for the Broncos?

 

[Elias1983]

Don't necessarily agree it's a rebuliding year.

On paper (and I stress ON PAPER), we have:

2 Origin Props (Weyman and Merrin)
an Origin backrow (Creagh, Scott and Young)
2 former international halfbacks (Hornby and Fien)
the incumbent Origin 5/8 (Soward)
a former international centre (Cooper)
and 2 international wingers (Nightingale and Morris)

Add to that, 3 of the best young prospects in the game (Style, De Belin and King)

Thats a hell of a lot more cattle to work with than most teams. If we play to our potential, we should easily be a top 4 team. But I suspect team selections and poor form will keep us with the rest of the pack.

And I don't necessarily buy the whole rookie coach thing. Price has been there for a number of years and he learnt from the master. He should be making the right decisions from day one.

Look what Anthony Griffin has done for the Broncos?

Anthony Griffin has a whole state to choose his players from and is benefitting from the systems Wayne bennett put in place.

He is a good coach but he lost i think it was the first 4 out of 5 games in his first year.

Steve Price is not changing much when it comes to defence as he has stated but he is changing the attack.

This is a big change when you consider how we have played the last 3 years, you not only have to change the way you attack you have to change/encourage the players to embrace it. Soward/Hornby and co will need to start running the ball and playing a bit more instinctive footy rather then just following the plan.

This change won't happen over night.