PRE-GAME DISCUSSION: Dragons v Manly [Round 3, 2021]

[Clint]

Win #6 coming up! Lomax and hunt will have a field day with our left edge of Parker and Garrick

Not to mention Ravalawa

 

[mickqld]

F**k me dead how many more chances are we going to give this sh*ta*se f***ed tortoise backline. No other team would keep Walker at fullback and slowarse Parker, Suli and Garrick after the sh**soup performances so far. Let alone the failed Croker, Gosiewski experiments. This just defies belief that a premiership winning coach is now so bereft of ideas that he sticks with failed plodders week after week. I f***ing give up watching this flogging a deadhorse s**t.

 

[mickqld]

I can’t believe there’s people here that think he’ll make an adequate back rower

I can't believe anyone would think he makes an adequate 1st grader. He's not and take his mate Garrick with him back to Blacktown reggies.

 

[Nordburg]

I can't believe anyone would think he makes an adequate 1st grader. He's not and take his mate Garrick with him back to Blacktown reggies.

Yes that’s probably more to the point

 

[court83]

The only thing I can think of is Tom must be nearly ready to come back.. if he has another 2-3 weeks out, you'd HAVE to shift Walker and try another option... If Tom was back next week then I guess ide understand naming Walker at 1 again this week to avoid having 2-3 players chopping at changing the fullback position..

Crap team tho.. think we can win this game, but dragons are our bogey team and I bet hunt has the game of his life and carves us to pieces

 

[Hotspur2014]

F**k me dead how many more chances are we going to give this sh*ta*se f***ed tortoise backline. No other team would keep Walker at fullback and slowarse Parker, Suli and Garrick after the sh**soup performances so far. Let alone the failed Croker, Gosiewski experiments. This just defies belief that a premiership winning coach is now so bereft of ideas that he sticks with failed plodders week after week. I f***ing give up watching this flogging a deadhorse s**t.

Sadly Des has totally lost the plot !!

 

[Fibro Eagle]

It seems odd that three props and no backrowers have been named on the bench unless Aloiai (or Paseka?) is to be used in backrow rotation. If there is no rain, it is likely to be a fast high scoring game, in which case, selecting Boyle serves no purpose. Sipley, with his offload is a much better attacking option, plus he played well in his last outing for Blacktown. Will there be smoke & mirrors before game time? It's hardly worth speculating - we'll learn soon enough at 5pm Friday

More likely Des will use Parker there with Morgan dropping off and Funa , Harper or Toipuloto coming onto the bench , maybe ..

 

[TimmyQ]

A few observations - rushing back Tom makes zero sense. He'd be largely ineffective if he knew he was coming back too early just out of desperation to get a W. His first game or 2 are always ordinary and a bit tentative after a hammy ping anyways so it's false logic. He won't/shouldn't be rushed. I endured the first half again of the Bunnies game. Garrick's problem is he runs far too upright for an athletic, tall but relatively slight winger. Hayne and that Cow bloke when they went to NFL were trained to run with a lower centre of gravity to avoid being pushed back 10 metres in every tackle. Playing a kid like Schuster who has silky hands and a lovely kicking game who clearly is our future in the halves getting bashed in the middle as a forward ffs is a joke. How's his morale gonna be doing that stuff week in week out when the guy should be setting up tries and adding X factor to our attack. It's like taking a lamborghini to a car meet in West Sydney for fricking burnouts.. I just don't get a lot of stuff going on atm.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

A few observations - rushing back Tom makes zero sense. He'd be largely ineffective if he knew he was coming back too early just out of desperation to get a W. His first game or 2 are always ordinary and a bit tentative after a hammy ping anyways so it's false logic. He won't/shouldn't be rushed. I endured the first half again of the Bunnies game. Garrick's problem is he runs far too upright for an athletic, tall but relatively slight winger. Hayne and that Cow bloke when they went to NFL were trained to run with a lower centre of gravity to avoid being pushed back 10 metres in every tackle. Playing a kid like Schuster who has silky hands and a lovely kicking game who clearly is our future in the halves getting bashed in the middle as a forward ffs is a joke. How's his morale gonna be doing that stuff week in week out when the guy should be setting up tries and adding X factor to our attack. It's like taking a lamborghini to a car meet in West Sydney for fricking burnouts.. I just don't get a lot of stuff going on atm.

Schuster will be happy just playing. He will get his chance to shine and he is with us until 2024. He can add an extra dimension to our attack and can take pressure off Foz with short kicks. I think he will go well there, he is a big kid he can handle it. Would be nice to see him switch to 5/8 for a play or 2. Provided we even train for it lol

 

[47MVEagle]

I wonder if Des has Schuster starting at 2nd row as cover for Foran in case he gets injured during the game?

Rather than having him on the bench as well as Cust, starting him in a position he's played before & did well at last week means plenty of game time/experience for him as well as freeing up a bench spot.

Just a thought, as a few people have mentioned Foran is possibly carrying an injury.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

We are no chance.
Braydon Williame at 17 for the dragons.

Hex may be our only chance

 

[40 nil]

His first game or 2 are always ordinary and a bit tentative after a hammy ping anyways so it's false logic.

I agree that Turbo shouldn't be rushed back. However, in his first two returns from hamstring injuries in 2019, he played starring roles in big wins over the Warriors in Rd 3 & Saints in Rd 14. In contrast, his return from hamstring injury in the Rd 19 loss to the Titans in 2020 was possibly his worst ever NRL performance.

 

[Shoe1]

I agree that Turbo shouldn't be rushed back. However, in his first two returns from hamstring injuries in 2019, he played starring roles in big wins over the Warriors in Rd 3 & Saints in Rd 14. In contrast, his return from hamstring injury in the Rd 19 loss to the Titans in 2020 was possibly his worst ever NRL performance.

Soo 66% postive, 33% negative

 

[Brookie Bob]

Hex may be our only chance

I wonder if Dragons fans refer to him as 'Hex'?

 

[Snake]

I am pretty convinced that Parker will be moved to second row with Walker to centre and Harper to fullback. Schu on the bench. It won't surprise me to see the team named differently, but Des will shuffle things at the last moment.

I am hoping that Garrick has been dropped. It is time, and I sense that even Des is about ready to pull the trigger and bring in Tuipulotu (I'd love to see Koula, but he'll want size over speed I suspect).

Anyone have any bold predictions about what we will see at 4:30? @Snake anything to tip?

Walker will play 1 again.

 

[Wombat64]

Wow! *ing Groundhog Day again with this * team list

Zero Chance. Dragons 20+

 

[40 nil]

Soo 66% postive, 33% negative

Another way to analyse would be on relative performances - first 2 return games 8/10 & third game 3/10. Total differential 16:3. In those first two comebacks (after 5 weeks & then 10 weeks), he was right on top his game. In his third hammie comeback after 13 weeks, he was completely out of sorts & suffered (I think) a soft tissue shoulder injury. He sprinted okay though in running down a Titans centre.

Hopefully, all will go well next time

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

I wonder if Dragons fans refer to him as 'Hex'?

Hopefully they will after Friday!

 

[SeaEagle21]

I agree that Turbo shouldn't be rushed back. However, in his first two returns from hamstring injuries in 2019, he played starring roles in big wins over the Warriors in Rd 3 & Saints in Rd 14. In contrast, his return from hamstring injury in the Rd 19 loss to the Titans in 2020 was possibly his worst ever NRL performance.

I wonder how his confidence will be in his hamstrings when he returns?... just feel that hoping for a miraculous turn around when Tom comes back is wishful thinking considering the number of setbacks he has had recently.

 

[Mitch]

Walker will play 1 again.

Tuipulotu any chance of coming in as a Garrick replacement or does the 1-17 look reasonably set, mate?