How are we gona beat Saints

[Rodo]

We need to have good discipline and don't give away silly penalties (like we have been doing this year), particularly holding the tackled player down too long, flopping in on top or stealing the ball when more than one in a tackle I know there is a fine line with these and Manly usually gets the raw end of the stick but still we need to adapt to the ref and play to his rules.

DCE needs to improve his goal kicking (or give it to Lyon). He needs to make those pressure kicks out wide.

We need to lock the ball up when tackling them and not allow easy offloads and 2nd phase plays.

Pressuring Soward when he's attacking particularly when he's kicking the ball to try and unsettle him. And have our big forwards running at him in attack to wear him out.

When they are attacking from deep on their side and the dummy half (wingers and centres) is just running it back we need to be quick from marker and cut then down and don't allow easy metres. Then when we're taking it out from deep in our side we need to be a bit more creative and not just have the dummy half try to run it out. Many times last night the Dragons markers were quick to tackle the dummy half and the Bulldogs didn't gain many metres with the first few tackles of each set.

If we can be first to score a try, early in the match then that should unsettle the Dragons and show them we're not going to lie down easily.

The Bulldogs got on top of the Dragons in the 2nd half by playing it tight up the middle and hitting hard in defense. They managed to wear the Dragons down but because of the poor first half couldn't peg the gap back.

 

[Flight]

I cant believe people want to take lessons from the sharks...but i guess they did beat them!

I'd say the key to the saints is either or:

1) Aggression (as per sharkys)m they would expect this.
2) Flair (Don't think this is our play though)
3) Tempo - this is the one I think we should own against them.

They don't seem to handle high tempo very well and I am yet to see a team try to play a full 80mins of higher tempo against them. I think we are fitter than them, hence, should be able to outlast them in this style of play.

Flight

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Start a brawl the first 5 minutes maybe it'll put them of their game.

 

[Jerry1]

Win the first half - they tire badly in the second. a good first half and fitness will win it.

 

[manlyfan76]

TC has the key, he will unlock the Dragons when the time comes.

Yer after the game Chip.

 

[susan]

they are easily the best side in the comp right now.in my opinion a fresh brisbane later in the year after origin and ourselves are the only real chances to beat them.

 

[Brookvale]

anything can happen. Look at the results this weekend.

Is the upcoming game at win just before or after an origin?

The saint will be a tired team later this year as they will have heavy representation.

Either way, if we are focused, stick to dessies game plan and defend our butts off we can beat them.

They have been chokers 29 of the last 30 years!!

 

[susan]

TC has the key, he will unlock the Dragons when the time comes.

in my first year at law school the teacher on our first day gave us a quote in regard to problem solving for future clients which has always stuck with me

"simplicity is OFTEN genius while complication is ALWAYS the first resort of a fool"

Bennet and Gibson are obvious examples of the first part of that quote while my old sparring partner TC is a shining example of the second

 

[Technical Coach]

I love simplicity Susan not at the expense of variety though---they dont have to go hand in hand---asking for more efficient go forward patterns and allowing players to go beyond "corridors of attack" may sound over-complicated but it really is just offering variety.

When Tim Sheens was at the Cowboys the rumour doing the rounds was the players hated his over-complicated methods. I do agree being overly technical can actually cause more harm than good but i think Sheens was ahead of his time---old school players prefer the tough simple approach.

New generation of players brought up on strategy computer games bombarded with player by player video content and stats for all situations are more "data hungry" and probably more open to his coaching that is more about playing smarter and being effective in attack than just a raw tough approach but that can lead to "soft" players so its a balancing act.

Case in point which proves your point Susan---Manly over complicate backline moves too often beyond the skill level or class we have had in the past--- where a simple draw and pass or a more crisp delivery would of resulted in a better result.

I have my views on beating the Dragons---Dessie has used parts of it in 09 back in Wollongong and the Dogs showed that my thoughts are on track but i can see most requests are taking the piss out of me so i'll work it into another message another time if my arrogant nature can handle the taking the piss talk lol.

Ballin T-Rex Matai and Rose offer the key---Buhrer and Watmough working off it also--i would prefer that we had a few more genuine ball playing offloading forwards but that is life.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Don't share your secrets with us coach, save them for gus gould when you interview for the penrith job

 

[Liueli of Brookvale]

Run hard. Tackle hard. Complete sets. Get kicks away. And always.. ALWAYS.. push up. It's that easy.

 

[SwornEagle]

Just watched the Friday night game v Bulldogs.. they were clinical in the 1st half like robots.

The dogs energy level picked up in the 2nd half, bit of complacency set in for Dragons, Ennis started to get under their skin the dogs should have had them.

 

[chrisos]

Is the Saints Game at brooky? if so i am pretty confident we can beat them.

 

[Brookvale]

we will beat them at WIN. they'll have like 8 players out