Top 30 for 2023

Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
Now Tristan Sailor is having a blinder
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I missed the last few minutes of the first half? What did he do? I'm not sure why he never got a chance with the Dragons. Griffin promised him a chance if he trained hard, he trained hard, never got a chance. Not as if Dufty was having blinders each week at the time. Strange.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Chris M said:
I missed the last few minutes of the first half? What did he do? I'm not sure why he never got a chance with the Dragons. Griffin promised him a chance if he trained hard, he trained hard, never got a chance. Not as if Dufty was having blinders each week at the time. Strange.
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Very involved looks hungry. Of course Hook would let him go wasn't he another one who fell foul of the law and was subsequently cleared last year
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Poor Connor Mulheisen just can't get a look in. Another the coach just doesn't like.

Conner MulheisenSt George Illawarra Dragons, Most Debated Position: Hooker​

Anthony Griffin catered for the retirement of Andrew McCullough with the addition of Jacob Liddle for 2023. Yet doubts remain around the No.9’s ability to get through the weekly grind of NRL action. Since making his debut in 2016, Liddle has made more than 10 appearances in a season three times while reaching the 20-game mark just once.

He has scored 12 tries throughout his career while he has also recorded four assists which all came during his 2021 campaign. It’s clear that if the Dragons need creativity out of the ruck, Liddle won't be the man to provide it. It stands to reason that opportunities will be presented to young hopefuls at some point to possibly force their way into the side with Jayden Sullivan and Haele Finau the next cabs off the rank.
 
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jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
RedV01 said:
Poor Connor Mulheisen just can't get a look in. Another the coach just doesn't like.

View attachment 248St George Illawarra Dragons, Most Debated Position: Hooker​

Anthony Griffin catered for the retirement of Andrew McCullough with the addition of Jacob Liddle for 2023. Yet doubts remain around the No.9’s ability to get through the weekly grind of NRL action. Since making his debut in 2016, Liddle has made more than 10 appearances in a season three times while reaching the 20-game mark just once.

He has scored 12 tries throughout his career while he has also recorded four assists which all came during his 2021 campaign. It’s clear that if the Dragons need creativity out of the ruck, Liddle won't be the man to provide it. It stands to reason that opportunities will be presented to young hopefuls at some point to possibly force their way into the side with Jayden Sullivan and Haele Finau the next cabs off the rank.
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A hookers no. 1 job is to in attack provide quick, clean, crisp passes to set up the next attacking structure. 2 bonuses in that position is if the hooker has a kicking game and speed off the mark. That speed is important for a 10m sprint. The flow on affect of that is having the ability to dart out of dummy half causes doubt in the minds of even the best teams defensive structures, it bends the straight line. In defence it's important that the hooker has a good tackling technique and is able to miss no more than 3 tackles a game, everyone misses tackles especially in that position because they are tackling players much larger than them. What I saw of Liddle was a slightly quicker version of what we had in the ageing McCullough but not good enough to cause concern in the opposition.
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
A hookers no. 1 job is to in attack provide quick, clean, crisp passes to set up the next attacking structure. 2 bonuses in that position is if the hooker has a kicking game and speed off the mark. That speed is important for a 10m sprint. The flow on affect of that is having the ability to dart out of dummy half causes doubt in the minds of even the best teams defensive structures, it bends the straight line. In defence it's important that the hooker has a good tackling technique and is able to miss no more than 3 tackles a game, everyone misses tackles especially in that position because they are tackling players much larger than them. What I saw of Liddle was a slightly quicker version of what we had in the ageing McCullough but not good enough to cause concern in the opposition.
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  • Clean, crisp passes from dummy half. Mulheisen = Yes, Liddle = No
  • Kicking game. Mulheisen = Yes, Liddle = Yes
  • Speed off the mark. Mulheisen = Yes, Liddle = No
  • Tackling machine. Mulheisen = Yes, Liddle = Yes
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
More shifting deck chairs on the Titanic. Hook demonstrating how he is really on top of the problems the team is facing. Notably a slow backline, worst hooker in the competition, only one good second rower, one, possibly 2 first grade standard front rowers. And Lawrie and F. Molo only first grade standard. Not likely to trouble rep teams this year.

Shock Lomax switch to fix key Dragons issue plaguing Red V success​

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin is considering a shock switch for gun centre Zac Lomax, moving him from the right to the left side of the field. The plan is a result of the Red V’s shocking defensive record on the left side of the field, conceding 48 tries in 2022 — the second most in the NRL.

Meanwhile, the Dragons’ right side defence only conceded 28 tries, while only 12 of those came through the sideline where Lomax and Mikaele Ravalawa defended, equalling the Panthers as the most efficient in the competition. Lomax featured on the left in his side’s 30-18 loss against St Helens, and also closed out the 2022 season playing away from his natural right side.

While Griffin is yet to confirm his centres will swap sides full time, he was impressed with both Lomax and Moses Suli’s performances. “Zac finished the year on the left last year and they both can play either side, so we just wanted to have a look at that and see what it looked like,” Griffin told reporters. “We knew they were only going to play half a game and I thought they were both strong so we will see how we go.”
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
I'm a stat's man and yes those stat's are correct But as a coach you have to analyse the reasons that this was happening. If you analyse South's most of their tries comes from the sweeping left shift from the centre of the park therefore Johnson scores far more tries than South's right winger, Penrith is another team that attacks the same way. But back to us one glaring reason I would suggest that this happened and its not a light bulb moment is the combinations which is extremely important. Now Rav and Lomax have played seasons together and have that combination both in attack and defence whereas duh Suli and Fegai wouldn't have recognised each other walking down the same street. If this is what genius problem solving is all that is required of a 1st grade coach I might wonder down the highway and knock on the boards door and say pick me pick me. If this is the answer we'll in my view it just creates the same problem with the new combinations. Or am I missing something here?
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
jodragon40 said:
I'm a stat's man and yes those stat's are correct But as a coach you have to analyse the reasons that this was happening. If you analyse South's most of their tries comes from the sweeping left shift from the centre of the park therefore Johnson scores far more tries than South's right winger, Penrith is another team that attacks the same way. But back to us one glaring reason I would suggest that this happened and its not a light bulb moment is the combinations which is extremely important. Now Rav and Lomax have played seasons together and have that combination both in attack and defence whereas duh Suli and Fegai wouldn't have recognised each other walking down the same street. If this is what genius problem solving is all that is required of a 1st grade coach I might wonder down the highway and knock on the boards door and say pick me pick me. If this is the answer we'll in my view it just creates the same problem with the new combinations. Or am I missing something here?
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You would have my support, for whatever that's worth.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
I'm a stat's man and yes those stat's are correct But as a coach you have to analyse the reasons that this was happening. If you analyse South's most of their tries comes from the sweeping left shift from the centre of the park therefore Johnson scores far more tries than South's right winger, Penrith is another team that attacks the same way. But back to us one glaring reason I would suggest that this happened and its not a light bulb moment is the combinations which is extremely important. Now Rav and Lomax have played seasons together and have that combination both in attack and defence whereas duh Suli and Fegai wouldn't have recognised each other walking down the same street. If this is what genius problem solving is all that is required of a 1st grade coach I might wonder down the highway and knock on the boards door and say pick me pick me. If this is the answer we'll in my view it just creates the same problem with the new combinations. Or am I missing something here?
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I don't think you are missing anything. But what would I know?o_O
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Still no word on the at least 3, possibly 5 (replacements for Amone and Ramsey) players to come into the top 30. Griffin is such a joke at this point. He is probably thinking something like, "I'm keeping the rest of the competition guessing🧐."
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:
Bird training at 5/8
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Just chundered on my corn flakes. How is this bloke worth 700K. How did he get an extension and in which universe is he a play maker. If a chook without a head is a playmaker then so is he. We have picked up Maori half/5/8 Paul Turner for two seasons. Anyone heard of him?
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
RedVHeartbeat said:
Just chundered on my corn flakes. How is this bloke worth 700K. How did he get an extension and in which universe is he a play maker. If a chook without a head is a playmaker then so is he. We have picked up Maori half/5/8 Paul Turner for two seasons. Anyone heard of him?
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He has been playing QLD Cup for the Tweed Heads Seagulls played 7 games in a couple of seasons for the Titans. He is a utility back so can play anywhere in the backline. Funnily enough his coach at Tweed is now our assistant coach, just saying
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
He has been playing QLD Cup for the Tweed Heads Seagulls played 7 games in a couple of seasons for the Titans. He is a utility back so can play anywhere in the backline. Funnily enough his coach at Tweed is now our assistant coach, just saying
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I saw it mentioned by someone, are they paying players like these 30% more than they could get anywhere else under the provision the coaches take 15%? It makes sense with what is happening.
 
Morgan

Morgan

SGI NSW Cup
Just have a look at the gains for 2023:
  • Jacob Liddle (Wests Tigers, 2023): Wooden spooners didn't want him and he wasn't in their regular first grade team last year.
  • Nick Lui-Toso (2023): QLD Cup journeyman.
  • Michael Molo (2024): He was of course signed last year but as above.
  • Ben Murdoch-Masila (New Zealand Warriors, 2024): 31 year-old journeyman the second last placed team no longer wanted.
  • Zane Musgrove (Wests Tigers, 2024): Another the wooden spooners didn't want.
  • Paul Turner (Gold Coast Titans, 2024): Who?
 
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