Pre-Game Dragons v Manly [Round 22, 2023]

[Sheikheagle]

I have been a fan but Woods was terrible in the second half slapping at the ball instead of tackling. We were as loose as a goose up the middle when that started.

I think he was gassed he looked like he was playing OZTAG or touch footy.

 

[Thewestisbest]

To be completely fair , not only to Woods but all of the forwards , there was virtually no rotation as there was only Matterson on the bench , they were all completely *ed and once the roll on , and the mass of penalties / 6 agains started , they were pushing * up hill.

Woods in his first stint was pretty good, he’s not meant to be able to play 60 minutes in a game and when he had to , it showed.

I get most on here hate him , but the bias and one side of a story being pedalled by the haters is tiring.

Obviously the coaching staff see the other side , as he keeps getting picked.

Woods was good in his first stint, and the lack of bench rotation really took its toll in the last twenty minutes. Aaron needs to play like he did in the first half every game because what he dished up in the last few weeks wasn't even NSW Cup standard, and certainly not worthy of first grade selection.

 

[Thewestisbest]

Can someone who is au fait with modern RL tactics inform me what is the role of a lock? I'm old school, so I can't get out of my head the images of Beaver, Coote, Clyde etc. yet we have a defensive draft horse, in Jurbo, playing lock.
Is a lock no longer the link between the forwards and the backs? Is he no longer fast, able to break tackles and cover defend?
If Jurbo is a good lock why is he always picked as a prop in representative teams?
I would have thought, within our current roster, the most suitable locks would be Burbo (injured), Bully or Madison.

Jake should not be playing at lock.

 

[mickqld]

To be completely fair , not only to Woods but all of the forwards , there was virtually no rotation as there was only Matterson on the bench , they were all completely *ed and once the roll on , and the mass of penalties / 6 agains started , they were pushing * up hill.

Woods in his first stint was pretty good, he’s not meant to be able to play 60 minutes in a game and when he had to , it showed.

I get most on here hate him , but the bias and one side of a story being pedalled by the haters is tiring.

Obviously the coaching staff see the other side , as he keeps getting picked.

Have to agree. It is what it is and that's what we have to play with so no point bagging these guys. They're out there doing their best for Manly so they need our support. Yes I'd rather have a lineup of Fisher-Harris, AFB, Flegler, Leniu etc but we don't. They held on with a lot of guts yesterday when we all thought it was going to be a flogging. Hopefully whoever runs out next week can do it for DCE and not throw up one of those dogsh*t performances that we've all seen especially against sh*t garbage teams like the goons.

 

[mickqld]

Can someone who is au fait with modern RL tactics inform me what is the role of a lock? I'm old school, so I can't get out of my head the images of Beaver, Coote, Clyde etc. yet we have a defensive draft horse, in Jurbo, playing lock.
Is a lock no longer the link between the forwards and the backs? Is he no longer fast, able to break tackles and cover defend?
If Jurbo is a good lock why is he always picked as a prop in representative teams?
I would have thought, within our current roster, the most suitable locks would be Burbo (injured), Bully or Madison.

I'd like to see Dean Matterson at lock and Jurbo to 10.

01. Reuben Garrick
02. Jason Saab
03. Brad Parker
04. Tolutau Koula
05. Christian Tuipulotu
06. Josh Schuster
07. Daly Cherry-Evans (C)
08. Matthew Lodge
09. Lachlan Croker
10. Jake Trbojevic
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Kelma Tuilagi
13. Dean Matterson

14. Jake Arthur
15. Ethan Bullemor
16. Toafofoa Sipley
17. Sean Keppi

 

[eagle66]

I'd like to see Dean Matterson at lock and Jurbo to 10.

01. Reuben Garrick
02. Jason Saab
03. Brad Parker
04. Tolutau Koula
05. Christian Tuipulotu
06. Josh Schuster
07. Daly Cherry-Evans (C)
08. Matthew Lodge
09. Lachlan Croker
10. Jake Trbojevic
11. Haumole Olakau'atu
12. Kelma Tuilagi
13. Dean Matterson

14. Jake Arthur
15. Ethan Bullemor
16. Toafofoa Sipley
17. Sean Keppi

Like it. If we had a better hooker, I would have even considered Croker at 13

 

[grassy]

I hope we demolish the dragoons. Nothing would make me happier.

 

[Oligarch]

WIN stadium seems cursed for us. A bit like the bus the dragons use for their away trips

 

[mickqld]

WIN stadium seems cursed for us. A bit like the bus the dragons use for their away trips

Surely not this time. Everything to play for while the Drogoons are cooked. Lose this and it'll go Chernobyl in here.

 

[Waz13]

Surely not this time. Everything to play for while the Drogoons are cooked. Lose this and it'll go Chernobyl in here.

For so many reasons we just need to win this game. If we do it will set up a very big clash with Easts the following Friday.

I always thought we were a show against the Sharks. My neighbor is a die hard sharks member and he said to me in the morning “ manly will win today, bank on it”. Biggest bogey team for them we are he reckons. Unfortunately roles reverse this weekend in the Gong. Sts will be well up for spoiling dces 300th as well.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Surely not this time. Everything to play for while the Drogoons are cooked. Lose this and it'll go Chernobyl in here.

Yeah I think there’s lots of reasons for the team to turn up this week , I’m expecting this to be a win.

 

[Oligarch]

Yeah I think there’s lots of reasons for the team to turn up this week , I’m expecting this to be a win.

Hope so, but good lord our record their, 3 wins since 1990, and only 1 win in the 2000s……need to get the shaman out

 

[Eagle 1]

Just read on NRL News, Keppie is an outside chance to play on Sat. Never knew he got injured, nothing mentioned on our injury report list ?

 

[Ryan]

I'd take Jake back to prop, Schuster to lock, then I'd actually like to see Weekes in at 6.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Hope so, but good lord our record their, 3 wins since 1990, and only 1 win in the 2000s……need to get the shaman out

Yea I agree , but they have an awful lot to play for so I don’t think motivation will be an issue.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I'd take Jake back to prop, Schuster to lock, then I'd actually like to see Weekes in at 6.

Honestly, couldn’t do any worse than the Shoe

 

[mickqld]

I'd take Jake back to prop, Schuster to lock, then I'd actually like to see Weekes in at 6.

Perhaps Matterson at 6 instead. I think Weekes was shellshocked after the Panthers mauling and never recovered.

 

[Pete W]

I'd take Jake back to prop, Schuster to lock, then I'd actually like to see Weekes in at 6.

With our middles decimated (Paseka, Aloiai, Keppie) and Jake not really able to gain momentum, couldn't think of anything worse in this game than giving up another middle spot to Schuster. This would equate to 0 go-forward. As it is, we will most likely require huge efforts from Woods and Condon/Boyle just to supplement Lodge, Sipley and Bullemor

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

From the injury report big Nella is effectively gone for 2023.

What rotten luck

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

If we can't beat Dragons - even away - then we don't deserve to play finals this year, and the Sharks win was a false dawn. Lets hope we can emulate the 1st half of that game as we were outstanding, and mentally recover from the 2nd half of last weekend in time to keep our season alive.

Grand Final for us again this weekend.

PS anyone watch the Cronulla Presser after that game? Fitzgibbon whinging about the Refs calls (obv from the 1st half) - maybe he had given up and turned off the telly at half-time.....