Round 22 v Canberra

[RedVHeartbeat]

Happy Birthday

Just blew out the candles Eric.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Lomax and Amone in particular are being forced to curtail their skills in order to accommodate Hunt doing so much himself.

Yes these two probably have the most natural skills in the team. We do see these skills but very occasionally because of what you said re Hunt at overplaying his hand because the coach gives him carte blanche..

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

If Sullivan blows it, fine, go ahead with the big money offer to Hunt.

Hunt's extension is a done deal is my read. Not yours? I hope you are correct and I am wrong. Then again I want Muhleisen to step into hooker or we may lose him if he has to hang around in Ressies until Ben retires. So to preference which of Sully and Muhl we hold onto is just a toss of the coin.

 

[Chris M]

Hunt's extension is a done deal is my read. Not yours? I hope you are correct and I am wrong. Then again I want Muhleisen to step into hooker or we may lose him if he has to hang around in Ressies until Ben retires. So to preference which of Sully and Muhl we hold onto is just a toss of the coin.

I think you're right, hope you're wrong. Not going to concede until it's officially announced in 10 days to 2 weeks.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Guys what role does Shane Flanagan have here. His commentary is analytical and informative. In short he knows what he is talking about. He has identified several flaws in the Dragons makeup.. specially in the first three tackles when bringing the pill out of our end . Flanno talks like a coach that is itching to coach again.

 

[Eric]

Hunt's extension is a done deal is my read. Not yours? I hope you are correct and I am wrong. Then again I want Muhleisen to step into hooker or we may lose him if he has to hang around in Ressies until Ben retires. So to preference which of Sully and Muhl we hold onto is just a toss of the coin.

Muhleisen is a better option than Macca but I don't think anyone believes he's going to be a superstar. Can reply on him to make 40 tackles a game, provide good service out of dummy and a few good darts out of dummy half. Keeping the big forwards from the opposition wary. Sullivan on the other hand has gotten huge praise not only from Dragons fans but from media people. So I'd prefer to keep Sullivan.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Notice when JDB is off the paddock that the opposition makes more and easier metres up the middle. I see it every game. The man is so vital to us. Buzz Rothfield blow it out your nose.. implying Jack is overpaid.

 

[Eric]

Guys what role does Shane Flanagan have here. His commentary is analytical and informative. In short he knows what he is talking about. He has identified several flaws in the Dragons makeup.. specially in the first three tackles when bringing the pill out of our end . Flanno talks like a coach that is itching to coach again.

Personally I'd love for him to be appointed head coach with Barrett one assistant.

 

[Eric]

Notice when JDB is off the paddock that the opposition makes more and easier metres up the middle. I see it every game. The man is so vital to us. Buzz Rothfield blow it out your nose.. implying Jack is overpaid.

IMO except the 2 years he was out, JDB has been our most important player over a number of years. I think if you look at the winning % with and without him, that will be conformed. I don't know it's true, I just think it might be.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

So I'd prefer to keep Sullivan.

Be good to keep both. One a specialist half the other a specialist hooker. If as you say Sullivan has big wraps on him then he must be better than from the little I have seen of him. I must admit I have seen more of Muhl. Like what I see. Actually neither will be a superstar but I feel the hooker will provide the most worth for our club.

 

[GCRV]

Be good to keep both. One a specialist half the other a specialist hooker. If as you say Sullivan has big wraps on him then he must be better than the little I have seen of him. I must admit I have seen more of Muhl. Like what I see. Actually neither will be a superstar but I feel the hooker will provide the most worth for our club.

I think it's too early to make a determination on whether Sullivan will be a superstar. Thurston was a bench player and was unwanted by the Bulldogs until he was about 23 and locked down a starting position at the Cowboys.

 

[jodragon40]

Since he became favourite for the Dally M, I think he's gone "above and beyond" a few times in search of personal glory.

Just the feeling I get though generally it's as you say.

I disagree. A cpt leads, he has led. It's not his fault that our coach and our retention and recruitment teams can't build a decent team around him. There is no doubt in my mind that he has been playing to the coaches instructions

 

[RedV01]

I disagree. A cpt leads, he has led. It's not his fault that our coach and our retention and recruitment teams can't build a decent team around him. There is no doubt in my mind that he has been playing to the coaches instructions

I understand a captain leading by example but do you remember Paul Gallen in SOO some years ago? When he was (C). He used to take 2 hit ups every set. It was ridiculous. Attacking the QLD try line, he wouldn't fail take the 1st and 4th hit up.

Hunt isn't that bad but is sometimes playing along those lines, IMO.

 

[Chris M]

I understand a captain leading by example but do you remember Paul Gallen in SOO some years ago? When he was (C). He used to take 2 hit ups every set. It was ridiculous. Attacking the QLD try line, he wouldn't fail take the 1st and 4th hit up.

Hunt isn't that bad but is sometimes playing along those lines, IMO.

I disagree. A cpt leads, he has led. It's not his fault that our coach and our retention and recruitment teams can't build a decent team around him. There is no doubt in my mind that he has been playing to the coaches instructions

Probably a combination of:

• Hunt following coaches orders.
• Hunt leading by example.
• Hunt playing for his own glory.

IMO the last of those is the least. Because he's gotten better at delegating in the second half of the season.

 

[Chris M]

Not sure I agree with those saying the Feagai's lack pace. Grap a squiz at our last play with Mat running onto that long pass from Hunt, veering infield and into a yawning gap which left the defense standing. Feel, tho he lacked vision and any chance of a match winning late try when he opted to go to ground instead of kicking infield and hoping a chasing Dragon could latch onto it.

I actually thought the opposite to you. If Feagai were really quick he would have left cover defenders behind and been one on one with the fullback. There was also the first half event which led to a try for Canberra when Hopoate, not a noted speedster, easily ran around Feagai to go on a 50m run which was ended by Hunt who kicked the ball.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

Shane Flanagan was scathing over our lack of attacking structure. How correct he is. How often does our attack fall flat due to either, us getting too bunched or the ball player looking like a headless chook. However all is not lost and hopefully our new attack coach will see this. I refer to the two times we actually resembled a quality attacking footy team, with that pair of long cut outs thrown by Junior and Ben, one which led to a vital try and the other that may have won us the game.

 

[jodragon40]

Not sure I agree with those saying the Feagai's lack pace. Grap a squiz at our last play with Mat running onto that long pass from Hunt, veering infield and into a yawning gap which left the defense standing. Feel, tho he lacked vision and any chance of a match winning late try when he opted to go to ground instead of kicking infield and hoping a chasing Dragon could latch onto it.

Back in the day a wingers job was to stay on the line and score. Nowdays it's completely different the better teams have those wingers who are called upon to hit the ball up from kick returns and get involved. Unfortunately for us we don't currently have those types of wingers. Moga and Feigai are big enough bodies but both lack that speed and more importantly willingness to get involved enough in my view.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

I actually thought the opposite to you. If Feagai were really quick he would have left cover defenders behind and been one on one with the fullback. There was also the first half event which led to a try for Canberra when Hopoate, not a noted speedster, easily ran around Feagai to go on a 50m run which was ended by Hunt who kicked the ball.

I saw his first 30 metres as super quick leaving the defense standing. But as I alluded to he lacked vision and skill, slowing down allowing the defence to catch him. He had three options, either take on the fullback, a 'hail mary' or the cross field kick. He chose none of them. This is the kinda thing a good attack coach will pinpoint as a lack of skill and try to rectify it. Trent Barrett was a skillful player, so he may be just the person we need to put some real life into our attack.

 

[jodragon40]

Shane Flanagan was scathing over our lack of attacking structure. How correct is he. How often does our attack fall flat due to either, us getting too bunched or the ball player looking like a headless chook. However all is not lost and hopefully our new attack coach will see this. I refer to the two times we actually resembled a quality attacking footy team, with that pair of long cut outs thrown by Junior and Ben, one which led to a vital try and the other that may have won us the game.

My personal view is one of the reasons we are bunched is because we are tanked, you get tanked for a number of reasons such as lack of possession, lack of ball control, completion rates, the status of the overall game. Every player should know their roles and positions on the field in attacking structures but structures only work if those involved are able to fulfil their individual roles. If that makes any sense.

 

[RedV01]

My personal view is one of the reasons we are bunched is because we are tanked, you get tanked for a number of reasons such as lack of possession, lack of ball control, completion rates, the status of the overall game. Every player should know their roles and positions on the field in attacking structures but structures only work if those involved are able to fulfil their individual roles. If that makes any sense.

Makes sense. Maybe also the trainer/conditioner/high performance manager or whatever they are calling it these days hasn't done his job?