Widdop & Benji

[Cagey Mac]

Good points raised here
I believe 6-8th is still likely
I expected last nights loss but our 6/10 performance wasn't pleasing
Benji's kicking game has been too casual and inconsistent but there's more awry than that at the moment

 

[rhino2009]

Well I'm not sure Widdop will even be here!

Well there's still rumours in UK that Widdop has signed for Leeds Rhinos for 2016 ?

 

[God-King Dean]

Lol, not this shit again

 

[The Cobra]

Sign Sandow now!

 

[giboz71]

Our last 6 games we have scored 8, 8, 12, 12, 14, 16. We are officially last in attack now.

There is a problem somewhere, our spine has 3 bona fide internationals, and a hooker that was considered for Origin. Yet our attack for most of the year has been pedestrian and predictable. It's pretty clear these guys can play, but we cannot get out 4 keys guys combining. This is a massive issue.

I'm no statistician, but I haven't heard of a team bone dead last in attack making the semis let alone winning the comp.

And as much as we bag Dino, he's actually on the money about our attack.

 

[hazzbeen]

Our last 6 games we have scored 8, 8, 12, 12, 14, 16. We are officially last in attack now.

There is a problem somewhere, our spine has 3 bona fide internationals, and a hooker that was considered for Origin. Yet our attack for most of the year has been pedestrian and predictable. It's pretty clear these guys can play, but we cannot get out 4 keys guys combining. This is a massive issue.

I'm no statistician, but I haven't heard of a team bone dead last in attack making the semis let alone winning the comp.

And as much as we bag Dino, he's actually on the money about our attack.

Wasn't Mary our attacking coach when Price was around.........?

 

[2217]

dragons halves defense 15 tackles and 7 missed tackles. rabbits halves 38 tackles 3 missed. i reckon our halves have the attacking ability with good possession and field position. however we will not have either if our halves let teams go through them

 

[hardbaby]

I think were getting smashed up front and with line-speed, thats why were struggling.

Most times Benji or Widdop get the ball the defence is on them..

It is noticeable how our line speed has dropped off and that's a combination of attitude and fitness. We were great at the start of the year but very slow yesterday. The collisions were solid but all happening three metres too late. That's the difference between an attacking and defensive kick at the end of the opposition's set.

 

[hardbaby]

85% completion rate! but 23 missed tackles...Widdop goal conversions dropping away big time. I actually think although we lost vS Dogs and Roosters we played better then? This run of losses has to affect spirit and having to make an extra 50 tackles does not help. I see a side way down on confidence, and sorry to say our key guys are not stepping up and leading the team. I no longer see that unified spirit we had earlier in the season??

Exactly. 85% completion and did nothing with it. Again.

 

[hazzbeen]

Exactly. 85% completion and did nothing with it. Again.

Good call.....very ordinary in attack.....

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

There is something not right with the team, I sense a rift perhaps? It's not the same tight knit group we saw at the start if the season?
We had the injury toll a few weeks, but we had full strength team tonight... ..our F&A is now sliding too, and so us our season I fear....

Mate not sure if its a rift or not, I suspect is more their not as tight knit as they were because they know they've slipped out the back door....teams always look upbeat when their winning their share of games,even if you are winning say just 60% to 70%....with us its 6 now in a row and they were probably thinking top 4 now its we are not even going to make the 8

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Exactly. 85% completion and did nothing with it. Again.

The worrying factor for mine was at this stage of the season we could have won last nights game as I thought Souths wer'nt that good and the score flattered them in the end....as for Inglis he really didn't add that much only on brief occasions .....as you said 85% completion and still couldn't convert it to a win....very disappointing

 

[coast_dragons]

Blood if thats the way they think then they are very soft and don't deserve to be in the top 8 let alone the top 4.

Every club goes through a tough spell and I know they haven't stopped trying but its some of the more experienced players who have let the team down badly.

Its seem its the culture of the club as a whole if you try its good enough but looks like another year with no finals football and sorry to say its not a huge surprise.

 

[Forster Dragon]

These guys need to step up and they are not doing it presently.

 

[Emu01]

What really shits me is Jackson Hastings and Jack Bird should both be at the dragons developed and both local juniors playing well elsewhere..I would take those 2 any day over Benji and Widdop and we let both go..

 

[nrlnrl]

Exactly. 85% completion and did nothing with it. Again.

I think the problem is that some teams ( via their coach ) just focus on completion rates without just playing footy at times. Seriously, the robotic approach has to go. I can understand building momentum & pressure, but some teams become so obsessed with completion rates that they miss opportunities that are in front of them & have nothing to show for it, rather than a sensible mix of those tactics.

 

[Cagey Mac]

Harden up lads!

 

[SaintPeter]

I agree with comments re our attack, - problems there with our kicking game, communications, leadership, etc, with Marshal (woeful missed tackle on Walker, at the start and we're down 6 nil) and Widdop.

But just wanted to make another comment. Seems to me that the referees have never had a bigger influence on the game (outcomes) than they do now. I think it was five penalties in a row to South's in the first half ??
Very hard to recover from that, although our boys hung in well and played the strongest they have for the last six weeks.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Just wanted to check, Saints did lose the the current premiers who were unbeatable at the start of the season until injuries hit. Saints were in it till the last 7 mins. If Widdopp kicked the goals it's 12-12 with 7mins to go. Benji's pass was probably the highlight of the game. He made some bad calls which any half can make but that pass not many players if any can do yet he still gets criticised. Give the guy some credit and he does try. Not as if he just runs through the motions waiting for his pay check.

Saints won't be the only team to lose to Souths right? They are more than capable of beating everyone on their day. At the start of the season we would not have had expected 2 points looking at this game and I can't believe people thought Saints would win. They are a quality team on their day and they played really well. They did not play poorly to get those 2 points that is for sure, they were made to work for it. When Adam Reynolds is on his day Souths win easy as that. He is quality and I think up there as one of the best halves in the comp.

The Saints are slowly getting their players back to match fitness as they had 11 or 13 out. They will be better for the run next week. If they beat the Storm which I feel is a huge game they then have the Knights, Titans, Panthers, Tigers. Only 2 more top 8 sides in the Warriors who they have not lost to in a while and Brisbane who are on fire but Saints have a pretty handy record up in Brisbane. Dogs v Sharks at Belmore so If Saints win on Sat night they could be in the 8 depending on for and against.

If Saints win 1 of the 3 games against Storm, Brisbane or Warriors and beat the bottom 8 they get to 30 points. They have had a tough draw and 30 pts is a fantastic achievement. And along the way have beaten some of the top 8 so you never know what may happen if they make the 8 but one thing I know is Benji is a big game player and I think the same for Dugan. They will step up big time. Oh so is Nighty. He always has a huge game when it counts.

This is reminding me of the Nathan Brown days, making the 8 mostly come down to the final rounds in which Saints had to win to make it. Most of the times they usually achieved this I hope this year is one of them.

 

[LatK7]

Just wanted to check, Saints did lose the the current premiers who were unbeatable at the start of the season until injuries hit. Saints were in it till the last 7 mins. If Widdopp kicked the goals it's 12-12 with 7mins to go. Benji's pass was probably the highlight of the game. He made some bad calls which any half can make but that pass not many players if any can do yet he still gets criticised. Give the guy some credit and he does try. Not as if he just runs through the motions waiting for his pay check.

Saints won't be the only team to lose to Souths right? They are more than capable of beating everyone on their day. At the start of the season we would not have had expected 2 points looking at this game and I can't believe people thought Saints would win. They are a quality team on their day and they played really well. They did not play poorly to get those 2 points that is for sure, they were made to work for it. When Adam Reynolds is on his day Souths win easy as that. He is quality and I think up there as one of the best halves in the comp.

The Saints are slowly getting their players back to match fitness as they had 11 or 13 out. They will be better for the run next week. If they beat the Storm which I feel is a huge game they then have the Knights, Titans, Panthers, Tigers. Only 2 more top 8 sides in the Warriors who they have not lost to in a while and Brisbane who are on fire but Saints have a pretty handy record up in Brisbane. Dogs v Sharks at Belmore so If Saints win on Sat night they could be in the 8 depending on for and against.

If Saints win 1 of the 3 games against Storm, Brisbane or Warriors and beat the bottom 8 they get to 30 points. They have had a tough draw and 30 pts is a fantastic achievement. And along the way have beaten some of the top 8 so you never know what may happen if they make the 8 but one thing I know is Benji is a big game player and I think the same for Dugan. They will step up big time. Oh so is Nighty. He always has a huge game when it counts.

This is reminding me of the Nathan Brown days, making the 8 mostly come down to the final rounds in which Saints had to win to make it. Most of the times they usually achieved this I hope this year is one of them.

We haven't won there since 2009.