Your team v's Titans Rd1

[perverse]

Wouldn't it be nice if our defence improved to the point that we're not totally shitting ourselves when the other team is in our 20?

I stopped shitting myself a long time ago, i just assume they'll score if they're anywhere near our try line.

 

[Spot On]

It was such a sure thing I started betting it on. Easy money.

 

[Burwood]

It wasn't even a case of them being in our 20m. I lost count of the number of times last year where we'd give away a cheap penalty when trying to pin them down on their own try line and they'd march 70-80m upfield to score. Pretty much any repeat set last year seemed to result in points against us.

 

[Apey]

Wouldn't it be nice if our defence improved to the point that we're not totally shitting ourselves when the other team is in our 20?

after years of abuse it'd take a while to earn that kind of trust back.

 

[macavity]

It wasn't even a case of them being in our 20m. I lost count of the number of times last year where we'd give away a cheap penalty when trying to pin them down on their own try line and they'd march 70-80m upfield to score. Pretty much any repeat set last year seemed to result in points against us.

This. So so this.

 

[The Showstopper]

No Houston means less chance of daft penalties. Love to know how many points his ridiculous penalties cost us. I think the enthusiasm of our youth will mean penalties. I also see points in us I did not see last year.

 

[Swarzey]

Defence is an attitude. Don't really care that they made the finals, the Dragons last year had a dogshit side that had the right attitude when it came to defence. Incredible commitment and every player took on accountability; we showed the same attitude in 2013 and it helped us remain competitive that year against competition heavyweights. By all reports, the fact Brown has dropped players who seemed guarantee starters six months ago, allowed a talented backrower to walk away without concern, throwing caution to the wind and injection plenty of youth, there seems to have been a significant cultural shift at the club over the off season. Suddenly players can't slouch, the talent that we may think many have should shine through because it has to in order for them to remain in the side.

If that Dragons side can make the finals, then there's no excuse that we can't and it's as simple as that.

Personally I hope we don't waste as many opportunities as we did last year. For 20 minutes week in and week out we looked like a f**king heavyweight steamrolling up the field with the likes of Korbin and Snowy belting out 10-15, sometimes 20m carries and someone like Randell scooting out of hooker to get just as many. Unfortunately when your halves aren't even good enough to be called mediocre you run into the demoralising reality that you're not converting the effort into points or dropouts. I saw points in us, I saw enough to win games against the top teams, most teams really but never believed it when we had such terrible halves running the show; a terrible spine overall really. Going back to attitude, maybe in these games we had the right attitude, it was just sapped away by incompetent f**ks like Roberts, Carlos and Gidley.

 

[macavity]

Roberts will either single handedly win the Tits the game, or be so woeful he hands it to us. Who knows.

 

[Swarzey]

Pretty much.

I wouldn't be surprised if he plays his one and only good game for the year in the first round.

 

[The Showstopper]

There will be defensive mistakes to be sure and this Titans game does not mean much in the long term. I am not packing the tent if we lose. We should learn by now early form means little as we finished last after the leading comp into round 5 last year. I also rate this side stronger than last year cos we have some genuine weapons in the making. Pauli and the Safitis make us look bloody enormous compared to last year.

I think we will win a close one. Probably 20-18 or thereabouts. We aren't going to blow teams away. We need to stay in the fight and throw our biggest punches in the last quarter of the game and back our youth and fitness to bring it home. Hodko and Mullo really should be looking for distance from Mullo into the corners and Hokko putting in the short kicks and bombs for pressure on their line.

 

[K-Man]

There are lots of interesting elements to look out for which is exciting with all the debuts and how different the spine looks etc.

For me one of the biggest will be seeing what comes of this whole Mullen being a runner not a ballplayer idea. I'm not totally convinced about it. Sounds good in theory, but I've always seen him as a fast runner more than brilliant runner. He's not overly elusive or light on his feet, it's more that when in open space he's got some speed.

I just hope we're not building him up to be our Blake Austin, because he's not. If he suddenly doesn't even take a fair share of the long kicking duties because he's "not the playmaker anymore" then I think that's just a waste of his talents.

I don't see why Hodkinson and Mullen can't equally share the playmaking responsibilities, that's already a huge upgrade on what Mullen's had to deal with in the past. He can go from all responsibility to shared responsibility. Does such an experienced player really need to have all real responsibility removed from his shoulders just to play well? If so then I think that says a lot more about Jarrod than it does about the players he's had to work with over the years and the excuses he's been afforded.

Time will tell.

 

[Spot On]

There are lots of interesting elements to look out for which is exciting with all the debuts and how different the spine looks etc.

For me one of the biggest will be seeing what comes of this whole Mullen being a runner not a ballplayer idea. I'm not totally convinced about it. Sounds good in theory, but I've always seen him as a fast runner more than brilliant runner. He's not overly elusive or light on his feet, it's more that when in open space he's got some speed.

I just hope we're not building him up to be our Blake Austin, because he's not. If he suddenly doesn't even take a fair share of the long kicking duties because he's "not the playmaker anymore" then I think that's just a waste of his talents.

I don't see why Hodkinson and Mullen can't equally share the playmaking responsibilities, that's already a huge upgrade on what Mullen's had to deal with in the past. He can go from all responsibility to shared responsibility. Does such an experienced player really need to have all real responsibility removed from his shoulders just to play well? If so then I think that says a lot more about Jarrod than it does about the players he's had to work with over the years and the excuses he's been afforded.

Time will tell.

Exactly.

That said, he does need to add another bow to his game and having a dart here and there, WITH SOME FREAKIN SUPPORT PLAYERS WITH him EITHER SIDE, may offer a different point of attack for us. But generally he is not a dynamic runner of the ball.

 

[slotmachine]

This might be the only game this year we start favourites.

 

[Jono078]

This might be the only game this year we start favourites.

Except were not, we're even right now :lol:

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Defence is an attitude. Don't really care that they made the finals, the Dragons last year had a dogshit side that had the right attitude when it came to defence. Incredible commitment and every player took on accountability; we showed the same attitude in 2013 and it helped us remain competitive that year against competition heavyweights. By all reports, the fact Brown has dropped players who seemed guarantee starters six months ago, allowed a talented backrower to walk away without concern, throwing caution to the wind and injection plenty of youth, there seems to have been a significant cultural shift at the club over the off season. Suddenly players can't slouch, the talent that we may think many have should shine through because it has to in order for them to remain in the side.

If that Dragons side can make the finals, then there's no excuse that we can't and it's as simple as that.

Personally I hope we don't waste as many opportunities as we did last year. For 20 minutes week in and week out we looked like a f**king heavyweight steamrolling up the field with the likes of Korbin and Snowy belting out 10-15, sometimes 20m carries and someone like Randell scooting out of hooker to get just as many. Unfortunately when your halves aren't even good enough to be called mediocre you run into the demoralising reality that you're not converting the effort into points or dropouts. I saw points in us, I saw enough to win games against the top teams, most teams really but never believed it when we had such terrible halves running the show; a terrible spine overall really. Going back to attitude, maybe in these games we had the right attitude, it was just sapped away by incompetent f**ks like Roberts, Carlos and Gidley.

Too right. There were so many games last year where we would have an awesome 20-30minute period. Then it all fell to shit. That tells me that the talent was there but attitude wasnt.

 

[The Showstopper]

Mullo ripping yards on the edges or on a slack middle defender with Feeney off his shoulder will make for better viewing. If today's side stays the same for weeks to follow it only means a better squad cos the ones in waiting will need to rip in to be any chance rather than waiting for injury to get a start. I just want to see a very kinetic and purposeful attacking line.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Mullos long kicking game has always been his best asset, even more so than his running game. When on song there is no player better at getting yardage out of our own end with the boot

I'd like to see that more today. Turning around the Titans all game, making them work it out from the corners. It's going to be hot and humid out there today, plenty of handling errors

 

[Burns]

Do we have a match day thread this year, or will we use this thread?

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I wasn't impressed with Hodko's kicking game in the trial. Hope it improves so he can take pressure of Mullen.

 

[Zoidberg]

Do we have a match day thread this year, or will we use this thread?

Can anyone make one or only admin?