Round 10: St. George Illawarra v Newcastle

[Illusion]

I agree, but thats why im hoping during this bye he has established the spine he wants to run with for the next month or so... they had some time to train and make some adjustments to suit the new game.. but those combinations take time...there is microseconds between a flat pass for a 6pts or yet another knock-on or intercept.. I mean the difference between being competitive or being flogged are those moments... as it was last week tbh, that 12pt turn around at the start of the game.. maybe we would stayed in it for a lot longer.

Glad Newcastle can leak points.. we need early tries to get our confidence back up.. tbf I thought the Cowboys game would be similar.. but we didnt score that early try and tbf I think we were miserable under flanno @ the time.

My friend they can leak points , but they can also score plenty ........

 

[Dragons Chris]

Dragons team:​

1. Clinton Gutherson
2. Setu Tu
3. Moses Suli
4. Valentine Holmes
5. Mathew Feagai
6. Daniel Atkinson
7. Kade Reed
8. Emre Guler
9. Damien Cook
10. Toby Couchman
11. Dylan Egan
12. Ryan Couchman
13. Hamish Stewart
14. Josh Kerr
15. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga
16. Blake Lawrie
17. Jacob Halangahu
18. Kyle Flanagan
19. Tyrell Sloan

 

[Dragons Chris]

Can't say I like it. I'd have Sloan on the wing and Feagai at 19. Something also has to be done about Setu Tu. He has too many mistakes in his game and not enough upside to excuse the mistakes. Also don't like Couchman in the second row. But that's not a big worry. He'll play well anywhere. It's just I think he's better in the middle.

 

[redv13]

I’ll wait and see what team runs out on game day

 

[Justadragon]

Why is Lawrie there and not Sele ?

 

[jodragon40]

I've selected us to win our 1st game of the season. The Knights were very good in their win against the Rabbits but that was a very tough physical game. A 6 day turnaround and we coming off a bye should mean physically we won't be at a disadvantage.

It will come down to our ability to execute, our completion rate and being able to shut down their sweeping plays utilising Ponga he will be their point of attack. Dragons in a close one.

Bet changes to the Knights how is it possible to have Feigai still in the run on team? Especially after the non effort against the Roosters. The house on the Knights targeting him in the air with Young. Goodness gracious

Emre Guler starting prop really? Kerr and Lawrie on the bench again really? Didn't the coach watch the Roosters game? Can't blame him if he didn't. Its a sorry state of affairs and heartbreaking.

 

[Justadragon]

I would have at least had Sloan on the wing, KF at 14 to give Cook a breather

 

[redv13]

Bet changes to the Knights how is it possible to have Feigai still in the run on team? Especially after the non effort against the Roosters. The house on the Knights targeting him in the air with Young. Goodness gracious

Emre Guler starting prop really? Kerr and Lawrie on the bench again really? Didn't the coach watch the Roosters game? Can't blame him if he didn't. Its a sorry state of affairs and heartbreaking.

I think there will be changes to both the backline and starting pack

 

[jodragon40]

I would have at least had Sloan on the wing, KF at 14 to give Cook a breather

Anything would have been better Feigai in my view is no longer a 1st grade player. You can't simply run the same group of players apart from those returning from injury after a 0 - 7 start and having 62 points put on you, obviously I am wrong.

Guler - 7 runs 71m
Kerr - 3 runs 27m
Lawrie - 6 runs 49m

Not one of those players deserved to keep their spots in the 17.

 

[jodragon40]

I think there will be changes to both the backline and starting pack

I hope this is not a gee up

 

[George Sancti]

I wish I could tip the Dragons but I just can't. That backline with Holmes playing the way he is and Gutho declining at an even faster rate than I thought. One option to score tries might be Reed halfback and LKT 5/8 but defence will be a worry and Atkinson deserves a few games with Reed to see what he can bring.

I wish I didn’t keep tipping the Dragons RedV01. But the moment I think about changing, the guilt wins and logic goes missing.

 

[jodragon40]

I wish I didn’t keep tipping the Dragons RedV01. But the moment I think about changing, the guilt wins and logic goes missing.

I just changed my tip I expected some big changes and the nominated team doesn't fill me with any confidence

 

[Justadragon]

Anything would have been better Feigai in my view is no longer a 1st grade player. You can't simply run the same group of players apart from those returning from injury after a 0 - 7 start and having 62 points put on you, obviously I am wrong.

Guler - 7 runs 71m
Kerr - 3 runs 27m
Lawrie - 6 runs 49m

Not one of those players deserved to keep their spots in the 17.

If we are seeing a different version of Flanno here, there can only be the same outcome for the team and the coach.

 

[redv13]

I hope this is not a gee up

Wouldn’t surprise me to see Tuipolotu and/or Sloan to come in.

Sele to come in and start.
Kyle or LKT to help out Cookie.

 

[RedV01]

I would have at least had Sloan on the wing, KF at 14 to give Cook a breather

I know common sense says pick KF to play in the position he was apparently recruited to play but by now, have to get used to not picking him. Don't think having him around is good for team harmony. Flanno obviously pissed a few of them off. He basically insulted all of the first grade and reserve grade teams. If having Kyle around was messing with team unity, I could understand that.

Though Willie Talau will be pissed if he's forced to play KF in the halves in reserve grade. Better have him play 14 in reserve grade.

 

[Justadragon]

The Dragons should be choc full of confidence, the Knights are the only team they have beaten all season

 

[George Sancti]

I just changed my tip I expected some big changes and the nominated team doesn't fill me with any confidence

There’s still four days to reconsider. Saints may yet make your original tip look prophetic.

 

[TheRev]

Sloan is perfect for the extended bench. NSW Cup dont need him, hes out of the club in a few months.. he could play wing in NSW Cup perhaps every few weeks for game time.

Does depend who Dean actually wants in the extended.. but feels like that 5th and 6th persons are luxuries really.. and its more about just rotating blokes around.. we survived with 4 benchies until now.. doesnt need to be perfect.

 

[jodragon40]

There’s still four days to reconsider. Saints may yet make your original tip look prophetic.

Mate what I saw clearly on Anzac Day was:

1. The lack of go forward by our senior forwards, Guler, Kerr, Lawrie and a heavy reliance on our younger forwards, Couchmans, Stewart.

2. The lack of talk and communication between the players.

3. The lack of leadership on the field.

4. Players arguing with each other.

5. Unforced errors, dropped uncontested balls, misreads and missed tackles in defence.

6. A lack of support for the ball carrier in attack and a lack of attacking options and structures.

7. Poor completion rates whilst in possession, the lowest this season.

8. Lack of commitment and effort.

9. I did like what I saw of Reed in attack and his combination with Atkinson but he is trying to learn his trade in a team that is not competitive and has accepted defeat as being an inevitability.

10.I did not like Reeds defensive ability he is in my view a liability in that area of his game.

Hopefully our defensive coach turned into a head coach realises that he needs a minder on his weak side shoulder.

I certainly acknowledge that the refereeing was poor and certainly the 2nd sin bin was not warranted.

Players that I would select first in this weekend team T Couchman that kid never stopped trying. Closely followed by Stewart. Leilua then R Couchman and Cook tried but can't play 80 min.

There needs to be different attacking structures around our edge forwards Leilua in particular is too predictable.

I would have dropped Kerr, Guler and Lawrie in a heartbeat as punishment for their performances. In the backs Feigai and Sloan banished to ressies.

As a coach, new, interim or not it is your responsibility to make and take hard decisions you cant simply keep repeating what has now not worked for the last 11 games.

The only hindrance to making those decisions would be the quality and availability of the alternative players to fill those positions.

If there is no competition for positions then you will ultimately get the same performances and results.

Rant over time for dinner and a cold one or two.

 

[George Sancti]

Mate what I saw clearly on Anzac Day was:

1. The lack of go forward by our senior forwards, Guler, Kerr, Lawrie and a heavy reliance on our younger forwards, Couchmans, Stewart.

2. The lack of talk and communication between the players.

3. The lack of leadership on the field.

4. Players arguing with each other.

5. Unforced errors, dropped uncontested balls, misreads and missed tackles in defence.

6. A lack of support for the ball carrier in attack and a lack of attacking options and structures.

7. Poor completion rates whilst in possession, the lowest this season.

8. Lack of commitment and effort.

9. I did like what I saw of Reed in attack and his combination with Atkinson but he is trying to learn his trade in a team that is not competitive and has accepted defeat as being an inevitability.

10.I did not like Reeds defensive ability he is in my view a liability in that area of his game.

Hopefully our defensive coach turned into a head coach realises that he needs a minder on his weak side shoulder.

I certainly acknowledge that the refereeing was poor and certainly the 2nd sin bin was not warranted.

Players that I would select first in this weekend team T Couchman that kid never stopped trying. Closely followed by Stewart. Leilua then R Couchman and Cook tried but can't play 80 min.

There needs to be different attacking structures around our edge forwards Leilua in particular is too predictable.

I would have dropped Kerr, Guler and Lawrie in a heartbeat as punishment for their performances. In the backs Feigai and Sloan banished to ressies.

As a coach, new, interim or not it is your responsibility to make and take hard decisions you cant simply keep repeating what has now not worked for the last 11 games.

The only hindrance to making those decisions would be the quality and availability of the alternative players to fill those positions.

If there is no competition for positions then you will ultimately get the same performances and results.

Rant over time for dinner and a cold one or two.

It seems that Anzac Day tested everyone’s patience. Hard to imagine it getting much uglier than that.