Not easy Steve, not easy but was it all that unexpected? We're back to back wooden spooners, coming off 8 straight losses, were without 5 or 6 of our starting 17 and already lacking depth against a team who were pretty much at full strength at home who'd just beaten the (depleted) premiers away from home. We've had more change at our club these past 10 months than any other club in the NRL and we have the most inexperienced squads up against one of the most experienced. The way I saw it we were good the first half except for a few errors which allowed the Dragons field position etc. We then lost the middle when the bench came on, a very inexperienced bench in comparison to the Dragons who had plenty coming off theirs. The 2nd half showed how to lose focus and momentum quickly and without a real general in the halves who could take some sort of control we lost the plot completely. Disappointing yet again but not unexpected due to the squad we have and the players unavailable right now. I did think Matamua showed some more good signs that first half and other guys were solid but nothing good out of the last 40 minutes.When Richo rode into town on his horse he slammed his fist on the desk and proclaimed he wouldn't talk to fans who weren't members. Maybe he should take a different approach and thank every member who continues to support this crap. Maybe also he could empathise with those that decided to no longer financially support this crap.
If I wasn't doing the podcast I wouldn't be watching another game this year.
My one word is "control". We didn't have that player in the halves who can control the situation. When the momentum began to go the Dragons way we needed someone to take control and help us get it back by doing the basic stuff well, maintaining our discipline, kicking, kick chase, completing etc. Instead we lost control of all that.
I think the ability to maintain control over what you do on the footy field comes down to footy IQ, that ability to make the right choices and execute well under pressure. Our halves last night had some good moments first half but when it got tough they didn’t know how to deal with it, understandable given their inexperience.
mate we are a sinking ship of deadwood… only a matter of time now before it’s on the sea’s bed.@avocadoontoast I get the feeling that Richo is applying the blow torch to the roster and there is unrest within the squad ,for many the easy money is coming to an end .Unfortunately when this happens things go from bad to worse until the deadwood is removed .
my one word is INEVITABLE. I think most of us felt like a loss like this had been coming and expected it may happen against the Cowboys, but they kept finding a way to get themselves back in the game. Much to @russtutty63 previous point with the experience we have missing atm especially in the forwards, after Sullivan was binned we simply don't have the players available in the squad atm to get that momentum back once its completely gone. I think we knew before this game our squad needs upgrading but the only thing this game highlighted to me is that Stefano isnt the guy to be spending 800k on.
@tigersteve I have not been to a game this season but thought a GA next week looked good ..after last night no way . We decided to renew membership this season on the back of the administration's overhaul, and thought things would pick up a little never expecting miracles . I have said from day one Benji was never going to succeed with the assistants he was given (Morris aside), the coaching staff have been apart of the terrible culture and mediocrity that this club has been for a decade .
How does culture change when the individuals that have driven the culture are now coaches of that organisation ,the crap about employing old boys is a failed exercise these guys are the culture we are all seeing .The only way we will continue supporting the club through memberships is if Richo removes the reserves graders and employs PROFESSIONAL assistants, will give Benji another season as I think there is a good coach there but he needs help .
The best signing the club has made in a decade needs to get the flame thrower out and burn the footy dept down over to you Richo!
agree with pretty much everything you say here @snake
Im in Sydney next weekend and, as always, have planned my time around the game. But no way I'm going. I'd had it at the end of last season. The changed got me interested again but I can't keep investing in a team that makes the same mistakes over and over and over.
Not easy Steve, not easy but was it all that unexpected? We're back to back wooden spooners, coming off 8 straight losses, were without 5 or 6 of our starting 17 and already lacking depth against a team who were pretty much at full strength at home who'd just beaten the (depleted) premiers away from home. We've had more change at our club these past 10 months than any other club in the NRL and we have the most inexperienced squads up against one of the most experienced. The way I saw it we were good the first half except for a few errors which allowed the Dragons field position etc. We then lost the middle when the bench came on, a very inexperienced bench in comparison to the Dragons who had plenty coming off theirs. The 2nd half showed how to lose focus and momentum quickly and without a real general in the halves who could take some sort of control we lost the plot completely. Disappointing yet again but not unexpected due to the squad we have and the players unavailable right now. I did think Matamua showed some more good signs that first half and other guys were solid but nothing good out of the last 40 minutes.When Richo rode into town on his horse he slammed his fist on the desk and proclaimed he wouldn't talk to fans who weren't members. Maybe he should take a different approach and thank every member who continues to support this crap. Maybe also he could empathise with those that decided to no longer financially support this crap.
If I wasn't doing the podcast I wouldn't be watching another game this year.
good logical, rational and calm post mate. You make sense. Sadly I can't be rational anymore. 12 years of ineptitude mate and we are told to ride it out again. To what end? The Stefano saga is the litmus test imo as to whether we are 'turning a corner.' The new admin is in place. New coach. New attitude. But our marquee prop walks. If he does, it shows we haven't yet begun our 13th rebuild. Just really really sick of it mate. As we all are
Not easy Steve, not easy but was it all that unexpected? We're back to back wooden spooners, coming off 8 straight losses, were without 5 or 6 of our starting 17 and already lacking depth against a team who were pretty much at full strength at home who'd just beaten the (depleted) premiers away from home. We've had more change at our club these past 10 months than any other club in the NRL and we have the most inexperienced squads up against one of the most experienced. The way I saw it we were good the first half except for a few errors which allowed the Dragons field position etc. We then lost the middle when the bench came on, a very inexperienced bench in comparison to the Dragons who had plenty coming off theirs. The 2nd half showed how to lose focus and momentum quickly and without a real general in the halves who could take some sort of control we lost the plot completely. Disappointing yet again but not unexpected due to the squad we have and the players unavailable right now. I did think Matamua showed some more good signs that first half and other guys were solid but nothing good out of the last 40 minutes.When Richo rode into town on his horse he slammed his fist on the desk and proclaimed he wouldn't talk to fans who weren't members. Maybe he should take a different approach and thank every member who continues to support this crap. Maybe also he could empathise with those that decided to no longer financially support this crap.
If I wasn't doing the podcast I wouldn't be watching another game this year.
As Steve said, good rational analysis and I agree with it. Not an excuse but Dragons are a very powerful team, just continuously massive players storming into us. Nothing fancy just massive human running hard, quick play the ball and then the next. once the massive forwards are done they throw it to Suli to do the same. it was relentless......
....but, in the first half i actually think the Tigers had the right strategy and plan to counter this and I think they had actually worked towards beating them. Once we had the ball we were moving their big guys around, offloads, spreads, and it looked good, it looked effective and we were obviously leading at half time.
For me, what happened last night was simply the volume of screw ups, be it brain dead penalties, simple dropped balls, into touch etc simply gave the Dargons so much ball that it reached critical mass and their big units simply could run through us all night, and we were exhausted which exacerbated the mistakes etc. A death spiral.
I ve been quite effected by last nights game as I can see all of us have been and I dont actually know where Benji can start to fix the problem. But with a little thought, my first reaction is that he has to simply start by cutting out the main offenders of the stupidity. How realistic or practical is that?
The easy one is Sullivan. Just stupid and for me what is worse is his attitude. We were down 44-14, he had just returned from the sin bin and he is mouthing off at the opposition like a moron. This to me demonstrates he doesnt have the temperament or attitude for a professional player. Never to be picked again.....hurry up with that hamstring Latu.
Slightly harder
Naden. Long history of stupidity and costing us games. Strangely well behaved last night in his brief time on the field, even at the end when he was clearly baited he held it together, but his long history makes it hard for me to pick him.......except....he is clearly the second best centre in the club and third is a LONG way behind.
Getting harder
Seyfarth - Can be relied on to give away 3-4 stupid penalties a game and potential a sin bin. On the face of it an easy one to drop, except he was the only forward to run 100m last night and genuinely is busting a gut.
Really getter more difficult
Pole - Gives away 3-4 stupid penalties or repeat sets a game. Regularly one of our best forwards
I think its easier said than done to simply drop the worst offenders, particularly if you then start looking at dropping players for performace/effort as well and look at our injured suspended list.
Looking for postives..................
Parking will be easier at Leichhardt next week.
One word
Masochism
I keep turning up for this pain to give me pleasure!
I also hope we rescind our offer to Stef. He was the worst forward on the field last night. He’s pathetic.
I agree he was pathetic but I lay the blame squarely at the club. Yep, he should be trying his guts out and that tanking effort speaks to his character in some way but he's now yet another in the long list of talented players who put on our jersey and we can't get the best out of them. They lose heart, get sick of the ineptitude surrounding them, give up and then leave. Cant blame them and I can't blame Stefano either
Im not sure if Stef helps in our rebuild or is a detriment to it. He was the worst forward on the field last night.
I think he’ll be decent at a good club, but he’ll never be a good player here. He doesn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t either. If I were the young guys I’d be looking for an exit anyway I can. If Galvin extends he’s an idiot.
There seems to be a whole lot of raw emotion around here at the moment.All very understandable but hardly very rational.People are looking for scapegoats but I really believe at this point we have to dispassionately observe what’s at play and accept it as part of the process.We’ve been a compromised squad for some time but the building blocks have been put in place.We do have a very promising spine for 2025 and there is obviously going to be a good deal of overhaul.Squealing like stuck pigs,hand wringing and bleating is not to anyone’s benefit.People are delusional if they ever thought this was going to be a breeze.Get used to the fact that while we’re without key personnel and sending out debutants,what happened last night is more than likely to happen again.Call me crazy but we’re half a season into this and I still see reason for optimism.It’s imperative we see out Benji’s vision without changing course midstream as we’ve been so prone to doing.
There seems to be a whole lot of raw emotion around here at the moment.All very understandable but hardly very rational.People are looking for scapegoats but I really believe at this point we have to dispassionately observe what’s at play and accept it as part of the process.We’ve been a compromised squad for some time but the building blocks have been put in place.We do have a very promising spine for 2025 and there is obviously going to be a good deal of overhaul.Squealing like stuck pigs,hand wringing and bleating is not to anyone’s benefit.People are delusional if they ever thought this was going to be a breeze.Get used to the fact that while we’re without key personnel and sending out debutants,what happened last night is more than likely to happen again.Call me crazy but we’re half a season into this and I still see reason for optimism.It’s imperative we see out Benji’s vision without changing course midstream as we’ve been so prone to doing.
Problem is that this well written and argued post could have been posted 8th June 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.,......
Naden, Sullivan, Seyfarth, twal, papalli, kepaoa, tupou. These are players that seem to have low footy iq. They need to be replaced in the top 30.
@tiger5150 100%. 13 years of continuous decline. Still the worst roster in football, a losing culture and a coach with no coaching experience. Not sure how it could get worse, but I also see no way it will improve.
