Dusty wrote: ↑July 12, 2020, 9:56 am
No to Peats...
I am happy with the 9 being shared with Havili and Starling (under the circumstances). As posted by others I think we can turn the Hodgson loss into a positive. Hodgo was overplaying his hand, kicking the ball away on the 3rd/4th tackle when we were rolling and limiting our halves time with the ball. Time for George to play both sides and own it... Jack to play ruthless running footy. We can still make the 8.
A prop or two brought in and Bateman back asap would help too.
Yep, I certainly hope the playing group doesn't finish the season with the same negativity a number of people are expressing here.
Ricky Stuart absolutely nailed it in the presser. That was the best game we've played this season. 3 tries apiece and every single one of Melbourne's points came off the back of a bad refereeing decision or an ounce of luck. Whereas we had 2 tries disallowed and got screwed over all night by the officials.
This is a hellova football team. With Hodgo out, I'm looking forward to a bunch of them stepping up and giving it everything they have.
Yeah I was way more shattered after other losses this year than that one. Most of what I saw, I liked. Honestly if Smelliot doesn't have a 1 in 10 000 bad luck drop on his runaway try then we win that game.
I'd been hoping to see us look more dangerous in attack, I'd been hoping to see a defence without a clear weakness to target, I'd been hoping maybe our smaller size would allow us to run some good line speed revved up for longer. 5 linebreaks to 1 vs a very good team and I saw all those things.
It wasn't actually a bad performance. It lacked probably an ounce of luck (Elliot, maybe some refs just blow try there...) and a smidge of polish/confidence (CNK and Cotric literally gave them a try for free. Killer vs Storm). But every essential improvement had been made.
I thought Melbourne defended very well on the edges to keep us out. We threw a lot at them and they really stood up in that aspect.
We also basically shut them out, other than a poor decision by CNK early and the other two tries off the back of the worst video ref call of the year and that 90 metre job against the run of play.
I'm with Stuart. I don't give a **** about what anyone says about our chances. I think Starling and Havili give us a good dummy half combo that will throw a few teams out. I think Wighton and Williams are champing at the bit to take control of this team. I also think our forwards have played their best two games of the season this past fortnight.
Losing Guler, Sia and Hors sucks. We need more depth. But I also think this team will never give up.
james.fethers wrote: ↑July 12, 2020, 3:07 pm
NRL.com reporting Kaide Ellis has been released ‘to immediately secure a regular NRL role at another club’.
I hope not.
We shouldn’t be panic buying for this season.
Use it to develop what we have and find the long term solution for the edge/middle forwards.
Preferably a long term front row partner for Papalii.
I hope not.
We shouldn’t be panic buying for this season.
Use it to develop what we have and find the long term solution for the edge/middle forwards.
Preferably a long term front row partner for Papalii.
Jacob Saifiti or Ese e’se
Sent from my iPhone using The Greenhouse
2020: 1. Nicol-Klokstad 2. Cotric 3. Croker (c) 4 Leilua 5. Scott 6. Wighton 7. G. Williams 8. Papalii 9. Hodgson (c) 10. Sutton 11. J. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Tapine ----
14. Simmonson 15. Soliola 16. Guler 17. Horsburgh
Surely someone has spoken to Vaughan. It is not a happy camp at the Dragons. If his attitude is adjusted I think he’s the perfect partner next to Papa.
Peter wrote:Surely someone has spoken to Vaughan. It is not a happy camp at the Dragons. If his attitude is adjusted I think he’s the perfect partner next to Papa.
Peter wrote:Surely someone has spoken to Vaughan. It is not a happy camp at the Dragons. If his attitude is adjusted I think he’s the perfect partner next to Papa.
My understanding was both parties felt quite aggrieved (and i think both have cases) and were more than happy to move on... a lot of reconsiliation would need to occur for talks to even begin.
Ennis suggested in a Fox article that the club should chase Billy Walters. I know it's only his thoughts but there always seems a bit more to it when the commentator is connected to the club.
I'd prefer a prop but I suppose a solid hooker could allow Havili to play in the middle.
I haven't seen much of Walters - and he's 26 years-old - but his four games this year look okay on paper. Anyone got an opinion on him?
Yep, CHN is about as good a one-for-one replacement for Bateman as we’ll get, I reckon. Not saying they’re the same level, just that he’s what I imagine the best option looks like.
NZ is always a chance for Kiwi players but we’re the best side with the greatest chance of making him look good. Also proven to be a good place to get out of the spotlight. Surely, no one would choose the Dragons if there was another option.
FROG wrote: ↑July 13, 2020, 9:31 pm
Id be wrapped if we signed isaiah papalii and chn. I reckon we are covered with havili and starling at hooker
Agree.
You look for players that will be part of a longer term strategy.
See that’s the tricky thing. Next year the only hole in our roster is Bateman. A replacement for him or his elite level role is not coming mid season (bar potentially CHN).
If you were Papalli, there isn’t a spot for you next year when our roster is fit. We have great quality depth without injuries, so we would t be that attractive. It’s the ne t level down that may co e to us, the nsw cup level players.
FROG wrote: ↑July 13, 2020, 9:31 pm
Id be wrapped if we signed isaiah papalii and chn. I reckon we are covered with havili and starling at hooker
Agree.
You look for players that will be part of a longer term strategy.
See that’s the tricky thing. Next year the only hole in our roster is Bateman. A replacement for him or his elite level role is not coming mid season (bar potentially CHN).
If you were Papalli, there isn’t a spot for you next year when our roster is fit. We have great quality depth without injuries, so we would t be that attractive. It’s the ne t level down that may co e to us, the nsw cup level players.
Papallii competing with our existing middles, makes us better by virtue of the fact we have higher level competition among the squad.
Also, Sia cannot possibly continue to be relied on with his age..
It's basically an insurance policy for the future.
FROG wrote: ↑July 13, 2020, 9:31 pm
Id be wrapped if we signed isaiah papalii and chn. I reckon we are covered with havili and starling at hooker
Agree.
You look for players that will be part of a longer term strategy.
See that’s the tricky thing. Next year the only hole in our roster is Bateman. A replacement for him or his elite level role is not coming mid season (bar potentially CHN).
If you were Papalli, there isn’t a spot for you next year when our roster is fit. We have great quality depth without injuries, so we would t be that attractive. It’s the ne t level down that may co e to us, the nsw cup level players.
Papallii competing with our existing middles, makes us better by virtue of the fact we have higher level competition among the squad.
Also, Sia cannot possibly continue to be relied on with his age..
It's basically an insurance policy for the future.
Ipapa would be battling Sia and Lui for that last bench spot. You can add Young to that list should we sign CHN
FROG wrote: ↑July 13, 2020, 9:31 pm
Id be wrapped if we signed isaiah papalii and chn. I reckon we are covered with havili and starling at hooker
Agree.
You look for players that will be part of a longer term strategy.
See that’s the tricky thing. Next year the only hole in our roster is Bateman. A replacement for him or his elite level role is not coming mid season (bar potentially CHN).
If you were Papalli, there isn’t a spot for you next year when our roster is fit. We have great quality depth without injuries, so we would t be that attractive. It’s the ne t level down that may co e to us, the nsw cup level players.
Papallii competing with our existing middles, makes us better by virtue of the fact we have higher level competition among the squad.
Also, Sia cannot possibly continue to be relied on with his age..
It's basically an insurance policy for the future.
This is my thinking as well. Sia may have 1 additional year in him at best. Papalii is an extremely promising middle who has played for the kiwis despite being in his early 20s. His best years are no doubt ahead of him. If you got chn id love to use him as a strike weapon off the bench