WHY IS LAFAI AND AITKEN STILL BEING PICKED????

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Aitken is by far the worst centre in the game. Always getting caught out defensively. Hands dipped in butter. He had so much potential but turned into a dud. At least Lafai can defend.

f**k Aitken off, replace him with Lomax, and put Jordan on the wing.

 

[Paddles]

You need to look at that last play again. Saab made a split second decision to come in on aitken's man when Aitken had him covered, but the few seconds before that was the right side in coming over and getting set sat back and slid near their line and did not come up in one line to shut their sideways movement down.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Here's the footage:


For mine Saab was well positioned to cover both a kick and to move up in line. Classic wing positioning. For teams that do not have an Aitken, and/or if the winger was not sitting back, the attack would likely bomb for Graham. I also think it is likely that if Saab doesn't move in there and the centre has another step he gets around Aitken and slides over. Aitken was three men in. There was a set line. He is the centre and senior player on that side. It is his responsibility to organise the outside defenders and he failed again.

 

[Dragsters]

Lomax and Rava ... worth a try ... i mean we are losing anyway and our for and against doenst matter.

This is what I would like to see tested.

Saab & Pereira on the wings...

 

[Dragons 09]

I disagree (in the case of Aitken). He is a genuine stinker.
I also disagree that he was good last game. Watch the last play again. Playing alongside an 18year old debutant who was promoted from Flegg, he left him out to dry. Aitken is marking the 3rd and 4th men in from the wing. When Souths inevitably sent the ball his way he had to sprint to where he should have been, requiring Saab to hold until he was unable to also cover his winger.

I agree mate. Watching the game live at the time, my initial thoughts were "f**king Aitken!" Watching the replay, it expanded to "f**king Aitken and Norman". Sure, the kid has some responsibility, but under the circumstances, he did what 99% of players would have done under the circumstances and as you have said, he had to hold his position because Aitken was so far infield and he also had to stay back a bit to cover a grubber kick......not a lot more he could of done. Add to this, Norman was a "no show", so with all due respect, anyone totally putting the blame on Saab doesn't fully understand defensive positioning structures.....yes Mary, i mean you!

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

I agree mate. Watching the game live at the time, my initial thoughts were "f**king Aitken!" Watching the replay, it expanded to "f**king Aitken and Norman". Sure, the kid has some responsibility, but under the circumstances, he did what 99% of players would have done under the circumstances and as you have said, he had to hold his position because Aitken was so far infield and he also had to stay back a bit to cover a grubber kick......not a lot more he could of done. Add to this, Norman was a "no show", so with all due respect, anyone totally putting the blame on Saab doesn't fully understand defensive positioning structures.....yes Mary, i mean you!
View attachment 31859

In that photo, question for me was...why is Aitken so far away from his player? Then I remembered...it was Aitken.

 

[Dragsters]

You need to look at that last play again. Saab made a split second decision to come in on aitken's man when Aitken had him covered, but the few seconds before that was the right side in coming over and getting set sat back and slid near their line and did not come up in one line to shut their sideways movement down. Thats Dragons footy. That is what cost us the game + the refs blind eye to saab getting his legs taken out from underneath him cause the souths players rushed up and stood still under the ball to make it look like they could not do anything or contest for ther ball. Rightly or wrongly in todays rules that is a penalty..i see it every week

Yep and i defy anyone who has witnessed aitkens defensive strike rate over his career, to not come in off their wing to render their assistance.

Unfortunately for Saab it was one of the few clutch tackles aitken has executed during his career.

What I thought was very poor form, was aitken then berating the young first gamer for his decision.

Unnecessary and delusional...

 

[grouch]

What I thought was very poor form was aitken then berating the young first gamer for his decision.

Unnecessary and delusional...

Aitken has done this to everyone his entire career. He learnt the blame game from the best, I suppose.

 

[Slippery Morris]

So this is where you will truly see if Mary has any clue. Saints are no chance of making the 8. He needs to now start preparing for 2020 and giving the young guys a run. The others had close to 20 round and failed miserably so why persist. Aitken and Lafai especially. I would even give Field a run a 5/8, fullback or half.

Seriously the best game that Saints played in the last couple of months of losses was against the Storm when they had all their big guns out. Latimore, Widdop and Robson should be in reserve grade and maybe give them a run in last game to say goodbye. Lafai and Aitken should be shopped around. Maranta and Pearson should not be re-signed. Hopefully a swap for Ramien as Lomax / Ramien centre pairing will be a huge upgrade. Pearson/Rava and Saab can fight out the wing spot. Sailor should be given a sniff as well at Fullback. He may be the better option than Dufty next season or perhaps give Field a go. PLaying NOrman there where he won't be playing next season at FB is just a waste of time.

But I guarantee Mary will still be picking the same guys that failed just so he can hope to finish 9th and tell the board how close he came to winning and if he had De Belin they would have made the finals. All about saving himself rather than looking for the future. And the sad thing is, the board will agree with his excuses like they always do.

 

[Warabrook saint]

So this is where you will truly see if Mary has any clue. Saints are no chance of making the 8. He needs to now start preparing for 2020 and giving the young guys a run. The others had close to 20 round and failed miserably so why persist. Aitken and Lafai especially. I would even give Field a run a 5/8, fullback or half.

Seriously the best game that Saints played in the last couple of months of losses was against the Storm when they had all their big guns out. Latimore, Widdop and Robson should be in reserve grade and maybe give them a run in last game to say goodbye. Lafai and Aitken should be shopped around. Maranta and Pearson should not be re-signed. Hopefully a swap for Ramien as Lomax / Ramien centre pairing will be a huge upgrade. Pearson/Rava and Saab can fight out the wing spot. Sailor should be given a sniff as well at Fullback. He may be the better option than Dufty next season or perhaps give Field a go. PLaying NOrman there where he won't be playing next season at FB is just a waste of time.

But I guarantee Mary will still be picking the same guys that failed just so he can hope to finish 9th and tell the board how close he came to winning and if he had De Belin they would have made the finals. All about saving himself rather than looking for the future. And the sad thing is, the board will agree with his excuses like they always do.

mary has no clue

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

2016 Lafai played 16 weeks of absolute rubbish before Mary FINALLY had no choice but to drop him for Milne who was killing it in reserve grade. Milne was an instant improvement yet the second Mary had a chance to bring Lafai back he did.
Last couple of years we had Patrick Herbert killing it in reserve grade but couldn't get a look in.
Now we have Lomax and Mary is pushing him to wing, fullback, anywhere but his natural position to protect Lafai and Aitken.
It's beyond comprehension and it drives me fricken bonkers.

I agree regarding Milne...I really rated him and think with the right coach and opportunities he would have gone allright....its no wonder we lose some bright youngsters here....I wonder what some of our players think when they watch the replays of the games they've just played in when they see how inadequate these pair are week in week out

 

[BLM01]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Here's the footage:


For mine Saab was well positioned to cover both a kick and to move up in line. Classic wing positioning. For teams that do not have an Aitken, and/or if the winger was not sitting back, the attack would likely bomb for Graham. I also think it is likely that if Saab doesn't move in there and the centre has another step he gets around Aitken and slides over. Aitken was three men in. There was a set line. He is the centre and senior player on that side. It is his responsibility to organise the outside defenders and he failed again.

Yep agree to disagree. He made a split second decision right at the end to come in instead of staying out. But you are right in the lead up all those players inside did not show enough urgency to come across and he was stranded initially but I was talking about the last incorrect decision he made.
Not blaming the kid he will learn and he had a good debut and deserves to stay there for the moment.
You dont have to explain to me Aitken's infact our failing right side defense over the past 3-4 years.

 

[thebigredv]

15 other coaches in this competition and if any of them are coaching the Dragons, Aitken doesn't get picked and I reckon the good ones would have dropped Norman to Canterbury Cup for his nonchalance and poor attitude.

 

[Forster Dragon]

So this is where you will truly see if Mary has any clue. Saints are no chance of making the 8. He needs to now start preparing for 2020 and giving the young guys a run. The others had close to 20 round and failed miserably so why persist. Aitken and Lafai especially. I would even give Field a run a 5/8, fullback or half.

Seriously the best game that Saints played in the last couple of months of losses was against the Storm when they had all their big guns out. Latimore, Widdop and Robson should be in reserve grade and maybe give them a run in last game to say goodbye. Lafai and Aitken should be shopped around. Maranta and Pearson should not be re-signed. Hopefully a swap for Ramien as Lomax / Ramien centre pairing will be a huge upgrade. Pearson/Rava and Saab can fight out the wing spot. Sailor should be given a sniff as well at Fullback. He may be the better option than Dufty next season or perhaps give Field a go. PLaying NOrman there where he won't be playing next season at FB is just a waste of time.

But I guarantee Mary will still be picking the same guys that failed just so he can hope to finish 9th and tell the board how close he came to winning and if he had De Belin they would have made the finals. All about saving himself rather than looking for the future. And the sad thing is, the board will agree with his excuses like they always do.

The bloody idiot will never learn

 

[j0nesy]

You need to look at that last play again. Saab made a split second decision to come in on aitken's man when Aitken had him covered, but the few seconds before that was the right side in coming over and getting set sat back and slid near their line and did not come up in one line to shut their sideways movement down. Thats Dragons footy. That is what cost us the game + the refs blind eye to saab getting his legs taken out from underneath him cause the souths players rushed up and stood still under the ball to make it look like they could not do anything or contest for ther ball. Rightly or wrongly in todays rules that is a penalty..i see it every week

Similar to how I saw both plays. However, I do think Aitken is partially at fault for the last try. He was slow to slide and allowed room on his outside, while he made the tackle, it looked like he may get beaten and he allowed the offload.

 

[This Year?]

Roosters did the same. Mitchell scored a triple matched up against Aitken last year. I know Mitchell is good (& a grub), but by the end of that game I felt sorry for Euan, he had no idea and no answer.

I was at that game and there was a dad in front of me with his son and it was the son's 1st game. After the try where Mitchell completely embarrassed Flo and Aitmerkin I said to the dad "do you really want your son to endure a lifetime of disappointment?"
I found it very hard not to swear for 80 minutes with kids around.

 

[Old Timer]

Because one was almost a SOO centre and the other won the team pre season award in the toughest pre season yet?
Because they are both internationals?
Because they are continually performing above expectations?
Because one owns a goat and the other a camera and they took both to Terrigal for the team bonding session?

 

[giboz71]

We can dissect's Aitken' defence all we like,

Fact is, his decision making is abhorrent. Mary insists on a compressed, sliding defence (which is part of the problem) and why we often get outflanked.

If you're employing this style of defence, decision making needs to be spot on - the centre either jams in or slides.

He rarely gets it right. But the defensive structure is shit to begin with.

 

[since77]

He rarely gets it right. But the defensive structure is shit to begin with.

And hasn’t been fixed in what, 3 years? Defies belief doesn’t it?l

 

[muzby]

And hasn’t been fixed in what, 3 years? Defies belief doesn’t it?l

 

[Hard Yards]

15 other coaches in this competition and if any of them are coaching the Dragons, Aitken doesn't get picked and I reckon the good ones would have dropped Norman to Canterbury Cup for his nonchalance and poor attitude.

Norman is the player who is seen as being our positional replacement for Widdop next year, a lot of our success in 2020 will depend on his pairing with Hunt. Fine line between success and failure. Widdop is a big loss, he has given cohesion and direction whenever he has taken the field.