Round 1 Titans v Dragons

[Chris M]

In that case, I would have said Monte Carlo is a better option but forgot Europe has no money anymore. Macau or Hong Kong would be other options closer to home. Didn't the AFL take a games to Hong Kong and Shanghai?

Europe still has enough money for their rugby clubs to outbid NRL clubs. Though the difference is way less than it used to be.

 

[GCRV]

In that case, I would have said Monte Carlo is a better option but forgot Europe has no money anymore. Macau or Hong Kong would be other options closer to home. Didn't the AFL take a games to Hong Kong and Shanghai?

Europe and Asia would also have fields to match the size of NRL fields. But whatever. Either it'll take off in USA and be good for the game or fizzle out and be nothing. NRL will pull the plug before they start losing significant money if it fizzles out.

 

[jodragon40]

Well, is it the old coach in me or what? 12 of my selected 13 in the run on team I managed to select. The proviso was injury or suspension and Leilua was out and in another forum on fb well I picked the starting 13. It would appear that I have the same train of thought as our new coach

 

[Chris M]

Dragons team:​

1. Tyrell Sloan
2. Zac Lomax
3. Moses Suli
4. Jack Bird
5. Mikaele Ravalawa
6. Kyle Flanagan
7. Ben Hunt
8. Francis Molo
9. Jacob Liddle
10. Blake Lawrie
11. Tom Eisenhuth
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Jack de Belin
14. Connor Muhleisen
15. Michael Molo
16. Viliami Fifita
17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
18. Ben Murdoch-Masila

Say hello to the new boss, same as the old. Could he have been any more conservative in his selections?

 

[Chris M]

Well, is it the old coach in me or what? 12 of my selected 13 in the run on team I managed to select. The proviso was injury or suspension and Leilua was out and in another forum on fb well I picked the starting 13. It would appear that I have the same train of thought as our new coach

I can't remember what I thought but no way I thought he'd be this conservative. M. Molo in front of either Couchman? That'll do me.

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

Well, is it the old coach in me or what? 12 of my selected 13 in the run on team I managed to select. The proviso was injury or suspension and Leilua was out and in another forum on fb well I picked the starting 13. It would appear that I have the same train of thought as our new coach

Well it is the same starting 13 as the 2 trials so not so hard.
I doubt it will be the run on side.

 

[Edward]

Dragons team:​

1. Tyrell Sloan
2. Zac Lomax
3. Moses Suli
4. Jack Bird
5. Mikaele Ravalawa
6. Kyle Flanagan
7. Ben Hunt
8. Francis Molo
9. Jacob Liddle
10. Blake Lawrie
11. Tom Eisenhuth
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Jack de Belin
14. Connor Muhleisen
15. Michael Molo
16. Viliami Fifita
17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
18. Ben Murdoch-Masila

Say hello to the new boss, same as the old. Could he have been any more conservative in his selections?

Tipping Gold Coast to thrash this team. It gives me no plesure to say that. We thought the backs were slow last year? Flanno says, "Hold my beer."

 

[Morgan]

Dragons team:​

1. Tyrell Sloan
2. Zac Lomax
3. Moses Suli
4. Jack Bird
5. Mikaele Ravalawa
6. Kyle Flanagan
7. Ben Hunt
8. Francis Molo
9. Jacob Liddle
10. Blake Lawrie
11. Tom Eisenhuth
12. Jaydn Su’A
13. Jack de Belin
14. Connor Muhleisen
15. Michael Molo
16. Viliami Fifita
17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
18. Ben Murdoch-Masila

Say hello to the new boss, same as the old. Could he have been any more conservative in his selections?

You don't think the entire universe doesn't know the game plan is to run hard and wear Titans down? And Des won't have a plan for it?

 

[jodragon40]

It's $7.80 a beer at CBus stadium. Looks like I'll be filling the plastic cup with my tears

 

[jodragon40]

Well it is the same starting 13 as the 2 trials so not so hard.
I doubt it will be the run on side.

I'm happy to see Fifita there on the bench and I mentioned elsewhere because of Liddle hammy we had to run with a 2nd specialist dummy half. I can't see us matching their backline speed especially if we allow them to be rolling through the ruck giving their backs the room to move before 1st contact. A plus for us is that 2 of their strike players will be missing in Fifita and Campbell. I watched them train and gee they have a big prop rotation. Very quick out wide when the ball got out there. I'll be there wearing my big red v jersey proudly amongst the light blue.

 

[Dave03]

M.Molo has easily outplayed the couchman twins in the trials. That's a no brainier decision rewarding form. Ditto with Eisenhuth. Fifita adds size from the bench & is on debut. RFM adds a bit of experience & can cover edges if required.

Apart from Marschke there's no one unlucky to miss out.

 

[Dave03]

Yes they have speed out wide but they have to handle our power out wide. It'll be a good clash of different strategies. I wonder if Dessie will get his forwards to ball play which was a trademark of his previous teams.

If we're smart we kick early to turn their big forwards around & then play through our edges. Basically play to our strengths.

 

[jodragon40]

Yes they have speed out wide but they have to handle our power out wide. It'll be a good clash of different strategies. I wonder if Dessie will get his forwards to ball play which was a trademark of his previous teams.

If we're smart we kick early to turn their big forwards around & then play through our edges. Basically play to our strengths.

Agree. I'm also hoping that our higher fitness levels hold us in good stead. Problem with early kicks is that their wingers are quick, their fullback is unknown to me, they moved Brimson into the centres which surprises me but im not the coach. The good news weather wise is that we had a big southerly change come through the Gold Coast last night which reduced the stifling humidity its been around 90% - 100% for weeks. On Saturday night still south westerly winds 21C and a chance of showers with humidity around 71%. All that is in our favour. Hoping for a good competition

 

[Chris M]

M.Molo has easily outplayed the couchman twins in the trials. That's a no brainier decision rewarding form. Ditto with Eisenhuth. Fifita adds size from the bench & is on debut. RFM adds a bit of experience & can cover edges if required.

Apart from Marschke there's no one unlucky to miss out.

Disagree. Molo had much more time. Couchmans only got a chance when Hunt and Liddle went off. Flanagan had the team running around like a headless chicken. Even then Couchmans took the ball forward powerfully.

 

[Dave03]

Disagree. Molo had much more time. Couchmans only got a chance when Hunt and Liddle went off. Flanagan had the team running around like a headless chicken. Even then Couchmans took the ball forward powerfully.

Couchmans missed tackles & made errors, I like the couchmans but they didn't play better than mick molo. If they played better, flanno would've picked them ahead of m.molo. Flanno has more incentive to pick the couchmans as they're part of our future than m.molo.

 

[Chris M]

Couchmans missed tackles & made errors, I like the couchmans but they didn't play better than mick molo. If they played better, flanno would've picked them ahead of m.molo. Flanno has more incentive to pick the couchmans as they're part of our future than m.molo.

It's no knock on M. Molo. I'd also pick at least one of the Couchmans before Eisenhuth and Fifita as well. One made a mistake in one of those 50-50 things where the tackler punched the ball out but was deemed to be going for a tackle. And the other dropped a half-chance offload where it was hard but probably should have been taken. The strong carries when the team was on the back foot and Flanagan and Connor were giving the team no direction at all more than made up for those mistakes if I was deciding. And as you say, they are the future. At least of this forward pack. I expect we'll still be talking about both 10 years from now.

 

[jodragon40]

It's no knock on M. Molo. I'd also pick at least one of the Couchmans before Eisenhuth and Fifita as well. One made a mistake in one of those 50-50 things where the tackler punched the ball out but was deemed to be going for a tackle. And the other dropped a half-chance offload where it was hard but probably should have been taken. The strong carries when the team was on the back foot and Flanagan and Connor were giving the team no direction at all more than made up for those mistakes if I was deciding. And as you say, they are the future. At least of this forward pack. I expect we'll still be talking about both 10 years from now.

Eisenhuth has to start his defensive stat's indicates that he will help take the sting out of the Titans backrowers. Avg 22 tackles a game with limited time and really doesn't miss any. So 1st 20 min he will be a positive in my view. Even when Leilua is available next week.

 

[Chris M]

Eisenhuth has to start his defensive stat's indicates that he will help take the sting out of the Titans backrowers. Avg 22 tackles a game with limited time and really doesn't miss any. So 1st 20 min he will be a positive in my view. Even when Leilua is available next week.

I think we need more in attack. Specially because their backrowers might be faster than anyone but Sloan in our 17.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

I picked the starting 13.

Well done. But are they in their best positions. Lomax is a specialist centre, not a winger. Bird should be in Ressies, but Flanagan and he are buddies from their Sharks days, so it is jobs for the boys, ala Hook. If the disloyal sook plays on Zacs side he better give him plenty of ball, otherwise we are gonna have an unhappy Zac Lomax on our roster.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Apart from Marschke there's no one unlucky to miss out.

The Mule just does not spark our attack. In a foot race he and Macca would dead heat. They'd also tie in creativity.