GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
It's true but you think Souths fans aren't saying on their forum, "If we had Mitchell, Murray, Wighton, we would have killed them." Same for Parramatta fans in regard to Moses.
Round 7 Dragons vs Manly (Thur)
- Thread starter RedV01
- Start date
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
I know he only came on after fatigue was an issue for both teams but I thought Sione Finau ran hard, was more of a handful for Manly than Feagai. I know Sloan scored that runaway try which was good and as you should expect for a winger but which Dragons haven't been able to expect for a winger for a long time but apart from that, I thought Finau was better than Sloan as well. At least when doing the hard carries out of our territory which is a very big part of a wingers game these days. Anyway, not sure how long CT is out for but hamstrings usually take a while while Feagai is going to be out for a while so Finau will get his chance now.
jodragon40
Staff
Two things I'd like to say:
1. I picked Manly to beat us - WRONG
2. At the start of the season I said T Couchman was too small to be a bookend- WRONG.
I very rarely highlighted an individual player in my post match speeches. I left that to the rest of the team who voted for their man of the match.
To an old coaches eyes, that kid punches well above his weight and is by far our most consistent forward. He will, injuries apart, be the reason we may well make the 8 this season and beyond.
He is the epitome of a ball playing prop, not the turn your back and offload type, but a run to the the line with a good sense of timing. He is a sweet passer of the pill to a support player, initiating 2nd phase attacking football from the middle of the park, which is unusual, that task usually falls to your edge forwards.
Let us not forget this kid is 21 yrs old, still growing into his body, and is a 2nd rower, playing prop, because we just couldn't attract a good one from outside the club.
That makes him versatile, quicker and more evasive than most other props running around. As long as his body can absorb those high impact contacts that come with playing prop he will be a permanent fixture in that jersey.
His stat's this season , 6 games, avg 14 runs a game, for a total of 767m, avg 128m per game. That's places him 5th statistically for that position.
I say that the future is looking very bright in our engine room, moving into the next few seasons that should see our club once again become a competitive top 8 team.
We have the coach, we are nurturing our youngsters giving them time to develop their skillsets, we are building a new culture, and discipline within our club which makes me excited to look forwards into the future.
1. I picked Manly to beat us - WRONG
2. At the start of the season I said T Couchman was too small to be a bookend- WRONG.
I very rarely highlighted an individual player in my post match speeches. I left that to the rest of the team who voted for their man of the match.
To an old coaches eyes, that kid punches well above his weight and is by far our most consistent forward. He will, injuries apart, be the reason we may well make the 8 this season and beyond.
He is the epitome of a ball playing prop, not the turn your back and offload type, but a run to the the line with a good sense of timing. He is a sweet passer of the pill to a support player, initiating 2nd phase attacking football from the middle of the park, which is unusual, that task usually falls to your edge forwards.
Let us not forget this kid is 21 yrs old, still growing into his body, and is a 2nd rower, playing prop, because we just couldn't attract a good one from outside the club.
That makes him versatile, quicker and more evasive than most other props running around. As long as his body can absorb those high impact contacts that come with playing prop he will be a permanent fixture in that jersey.
His stat's this season , 6 games, avg 14 runs a game, for a total of 767m, avg 128m per game. That's places him 5th statistically for that position.
I say that the future is looking very bright in our engine room, moving into the next few seasons that should see our club once again become a competitive top 8 team.
We have the coach, we are nurturing our youngsters giving them time to develop their skillsets, we are building a new culture, and discipline within our club which makes me excited to look forwards into the future.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
I was wondering if this bloke is getting any attention from Origin selectors.
jodragon40
Staff
We will find out in the next few weeks. I would have him in the camp at least
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Ditto Jo. I was worried he was gonna be pummeled. Wrong again. I agree with every word you wrote about him. He needs an upgrade end of season to lift his wage above its fairly paltry $400K.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
That last play when Brooks almost almost gave us all a heart attack before he was called back, Gutho just watched the bomb bounce. He also went missing in action in both of their earlier tries down the edge, both enhanced by his opposite number, Hopoates timely injection to make the extra man. Gutho is an inspirational player with his cred and experience but he is rather slow and no Nureyev on his feet.
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Illusion
SGI NSW Cup
Said before Finau should be the first winger picked even though Sloan had his best game for us yesterday ....... Finau is fast strong doesn't get pushed back in tackles ........ Just my thinking out loud should have one of the wing spots then the others can fight it out .......
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Does Hopoate play like that every week. If so then put him in a Blue jumper.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Finau is a specialist winger and a very good one, Sloan is still on training wheels by comparison. Sloans kick returns are no longer weak, his extra bulk and attitude has seen to that. Finau is a more solid man so expect him to make more pcms.
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RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
We need him more. I think he is our only forward to run 100m + in every game. Su'a may have done it too.
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Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Helped by some very poor defence from the Dragons backs.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
I thought the offside Manly prop was standing in his way.
jodragon40
Staff
Su'a last night but usually JDB as well
jodragon40
Staff
I always told my players actions speak louder than words. I watched him take the 1st hit up and he got smashed. For a kid to come back from that shows maturity beyond his age, mental toughness beyond his experience. He and his brother will end up being the mainstays of our pack for years to come hopefully.
George Sancti
SGI Junior League
I am pleased with the progress and contributions being made by Kyle Fanagan and Lachlan Ilias in the halves. Both give very good service to our outside backs, are good defenders and their kicking games are improving. Whilst neither will ever provide the attack of a Slippery Morris, they do take on the defence sufficiently so as not to be predictable. If they continue to improve, I can see Saints outscoring the opposition more times than not.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Iām still suspect on the both of them. Anytime they have to play out of structure they look garbage 90% of the time.
The real test will be the 2nd half of the season when teams have figured out how to defend our shape and we have to have bits of individual brilliance or play outside the structure from the halves.
What I will commend is the young forwards + JDB.
Shane Flanagan in another world has us with a 5-1 record if not for a few cockups in 1 point losses
Things are looking up
The real test will be the 2nd half of the season when teams have figured out how to defend our shape and we have to have bits of individual brilliance or play outside the structure from the halves.
What I will commend is the young forwards + JDB.
Shane Flanagan in another world has us with a 5-1 record if not for a few cockups in 1 point losses
Things are looking up
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
I think Kyle/Ilias are a workable combination currently, I do agree they aren't dreamboats.. but for a workman like roster that we are.. if they can make their tackles, and Ilias made plenty yesterday.. and they sent their best runners his way.. and have a 6/10 kicking game.. I think we can work with that for 12mths atleast until Atkinson comes (we really wanted him for 2025.. would have been a completely different team).
If points dry up in time, maybe we can consider LKT.. but im not sure he improves us in 2025.. but now hes extended, im more open to it... yesterday was the first time I saw a team handling us well defensively.. Manly were off their line very quickly and shutting down Val.. probably 'too' quickly, but all the good teams get away with that.. thats what I was watching today with the dogs, they were almost moving up as a line and making a tackle before 2 passes had been thrown.. if they are on side and not leaving early.. thats phenomenal.. thats the sort of stuff that we will not handle..
If points dry up in time, maybe we can consider LKT.. but im not sure he improves us in 2025.. but now hes extended, im more open to it... yesterday was the first time I saw a team handling us well defensively.. Manly were off their line very quickly and shutting down Val.. probably 'too' quickly, but all the good teams get away with that.. thats what I was watching today with the dogs, they were almost moving up as a line and making a tackle before 2 passes had been thrown.. if they are on side and not leaving early.. thats phenomenal.. thats the sort of stuff that we will not handle..
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jodragon40
Staff
Now that was a player, Slippery, loved watching him, and both his boys as well. Great servants of the Dragons.
jodragon40
Staff
As a very astute commentator said today, " Flanagan has squeezed every ounce of talent out of his squad". We have what we have the thing in the last 2 games that impressed me was his one on one tackling. As I have said consistently if your engine room isn't moving forwards your play makers just don't have the time and space to execute. Are our halves in the top tier? No they are not but if they continue to improve their combinations and we achieve consistency then we are a good chance of playing semi finals football this season