Your Round 1 Team?

[DogsOfWar1704]

Wouldn’t want Hayward on the bench to cover hooker when he can be in nsw playing 80minutes developing as a halfback

 

[AlzzBulldog]

Wouldn’t want Hayward on the bench to cover hooker when he can be in nsw playing 80minutes developing as a halfback

We have Turpin

 

[Kennelnator]

We have Turpin

Does Turpin add anything in attack from dummy half?

Long time since I've seen him last play

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Does Turpin add anything in attack from dummy half?

Long time since I've seen him last play

Fuck no

 

[Cook]

Does Turpin add anything in attack from dummy half?

Long time since I've seen him last play

Not really, more a defensive hooker. All has to do though is offer crisp service and give Reed a breather.

 

[Dingo]

I reckon we should try Skelton in the forwards.

Could go alright. Would be better than Okonbur trying to play there.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

I’ve seen several mentions of Blake Wilson being a fullback normally, yet according to his games for Sunshine Coast Falcons, he played only 4 games in the position, with 8 on the wing and 2 off the bench. Unless you’re all talking before 2021?

Interesting looking at the team mates he had in his time on the SC. Warbrick, Sua Fa’alogo and several other Storm players. This was when they were a feeder club for Storm obviously, but it’s interesting that they didn’t give him a contract and he signed with us.

Eta: Just realised he played games for us in reggies too, but it was even less appearances at fb, with him playing 8 at wing, 2 at fb and 1 at second row.

 

[dawso047]

1. Crighton
2. Addo Carr
3. Xerri
4. Tracey
5. Kiraz
6. Burton
7. Sexton
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Hughes
11. Kikau
12. Preston
13. Curran
14. Salmon
15. Morrin
16. Faamasuali
17. Patolo
I know Patolo hasn't played much for a while but Sutton is out and Knight scares me with his middling form. Didn't like what I saw from Mann, so Salmon for utility who's ability to be a dominant as a middle forward is too slight to be a starter at lock.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

1: Critta
2: JAC
3: Tracey
4: Xerri
5: Kiraz
6: Burton
7: Sexton
8: Maximus
9: Reed (Sigh)
10: Hughes
11: Kikau
12: Preston
13: Weak Gutted Dog

14: Curran
15: Mann
16: The ex Dolphin
17: Anyone but Knight

Hi Ciro! Seriously though I don’t think we could name a better team at this stage. Plenty of skill and experience in that team. Anyone but Knight I’d go with Morrin.

 

[B-Train]

Does Turpin add anything in attack from dummy half?

Long time since I've seen him last play

No.. But he provides good service and makes a million tackles without missing many. Whereas Mahoney has ordinary service, overdoes it in attack and misses too many tackles...

 

[ElMagicElMasri]

CC dropping Knight after his shocker and (hopefully) doing the same to Taffee is the only thing getting me through to next Tuesday

 

[maroondog72]

Losing

Just thought I'd throw this out there
Cogger is better than all our options at 7.
Meaney is a better FB option than Taaffe.
Funny how we can improve alot in some areas, but go backwards in others.
Can't wait until Oniell and others are ready for NRL.

Losing cogger really disappointed me when it happened we got him at the worst time for him and for us , I am glad to see him kicking on .

 

[maroondog72]

No.. But he provides good service and makes a million tackles without missing many. Whereas Mahoney has ordinary service, overdoes it in attack and misses too many tackles...

I really questioned the Turpin signing when we got him, not so much now, we can’t keep playing Mahoney for 80 mins the way he’s going.

 

[Waldo]

1. Crichton
2. Addo Carr
3. Xerri
4. Kiraz
5. Skelton
6. Burton
7. Sexton
8. King
9. Mahoney
10. Hughes
11. Kikau
12. Preston
13. Curran

14. Salmon
15. Morrin
16. Tetevano
17. Kautoga

 

[Dogtime]

Tracey
Kiraz
Chricton
Burton
Ado carr
Hutchison
Sexton
Curran
Kikau
Preston
King
Mahoney
Hughes

Mann
Kitouga
Faamausilli
Patolo/Salmon/anyone else

I would have Sexton and Hutcho in halves. They both crap overall but all I want them to do is pass the ball to either burton or critta,each side of the ruck.

Thats where our main attacking weapons are. Between Jac/critta/kikau on 1 side and burton/preston/kiraz on the other, we have 2 major attacking options.

Give them room and opportunity to move, we dont need the 2 shit halves to get in our superstars way.. also frees up Burton to just run the ball and not think about anything else.

It sounds disrespectful to the max calling our halves...if they are Sexton and Hutch....shit and crap.
But in reality you are onto something.
When Hasler came in 2012 he first assessed every players playing
ability, then put reliable workmanlike halves together and concentrated his attack elsewhere.
He settled on Josh Reynolds and Kris Keating as our halves, and because he knew they were both not the creative types he devised a forwards led attacking style allowing our most potent weapon Barba to play FB and thereby rove around the forwards looking for offloads.
It was also Grahams first year and with Eastwood and Frankie and Kas, there was enough creativity in the forwards to offset the halves shortcomings.
Fast forward to 2024, do we have an abundance of ball playing forwards? NO! Only Salmon, Curran and Mann are ball players. And they can't all be on the field. The rest of the forwards are ball runners and hardly offload. So our attacking coaches must devise attacking structures centred on our backs. We have an abundance of pace and size and need to ensure they get as much ball as possible.
It's temping to make sure we can get Crighton, Burton, Tracey, Kiraz, JAC and Skelton off the bench being involved as much as possible. I want us to look different to other teams. Only by being different will we be dangerous and hard to contain.

 

[KiwiDog7]

No.. But he provides good service and makes a million tackles without missing many. Whereas Mahoney has ordinary service, overdoes it in attack and misses too many tackles...

Mahoney being stripped of captaincy makes it easier for Ciro to heavily reduce his minutes or drop him if he has another 2023 like season

Someone needs to tell the bro he isn’t Cameron Smith, just get the ball out quicker and maybe have a dart once in a while but quit overplaying your hand

 

[Hound Dog]

It sounds disrespectful to the max calling our halves...if they are Sexton and Hutch....shit and crap.
But in reality you are onto something.
When Hasler came in 2012 he first assessed every players playing
ability, then put reliable workmanlike halves together and concentrated his attack elsewhere.
He settled on Josh Reynolds and Kris Keating as our halves, and because he knew they were both not the creative types he devised a forwards led attacking style allowing our most potent weapon Barba to play FB and thereby rove around the forwards looking for offloads.
It was also Grahams first year and with Eastwood and Frankie and Kas, there was enough creativity in the forwards to offset the halves shortcomings.
Fast forward to 2024, do we have an abundance of ball playing forwards? NO! Only Salmon, Curran and Mann are ball players. And they can't all be on the field. The rest of the forwards are ball runners and hardly offload. So our attacking coaches must devise attacking structures centred on our backs. We have an abundance of pace and size and need to ensure they get as much ball as possible.
It's temping to make sure we can get Crighton, Burton, Tracey, Kiraz, JAC and Skelton off the bench being involved as much as possible. I want us to look different to other teams. Only by being different will we be dangerous and hard to contain.

Most teams try to implement tactics from the teams continually succeeding, rather than trying to work tactics to counter it. For example, teams tried "copying" Melbourne wrestling, teams using Penrith forwards plays and other little tactics not always caught on camera. I don't mind what the Dogs are doing , having said that, it's nice to be innovative or pragmatic rather than catch-up copycat stuff (it's not only our coach but other teams too, we've been doing it for years, besides the Potter period).

It doesn't mean they'd be successful but I like what Dragons are doing, some old school plays, lots of x plays (inside balls), they're timing and drawing well so they've obviously worked on this especially in the offseason.

 

[dekepefc]

I’ve seen several mentions of Blake Wilson being a fullback normally, yet according to his games for Sunshine Coast Falcons, he played only 4 games in the position, with 8 on the wing and 2 off the bench. Unless you’re all talking before 2021?

Interesting looking at the team mates he had in his time on the SC. Warbrick, Sua Fa’alogo and several other Storm players. This was when they were a feeder club for Storm obviously, but it’s interesting that they didn’t give him a contract and he signed with us.

Eta: Just realised he played games for us in reggies too, but it was even less appearances at fb, with him playing 8 at wing, 2 at fb and 1 at second row.

He was a gun at SC.. freak athletically. The coaches and staff knew he had plenty to offer. It's not like SC didn't want him it's just we as an NRL team signed him.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Mahoney being stripped of captaincy makes it easier for Ciro to heavily reduce his minutes or drop him if he has another 2023 like season

Someone needs to tell the bro he isn’t Cameron Smith, just get the ball out quicker and maybe have a dart once in a while but quit overplaying your hand

I would happily have him replaced in 2025 if he can't fix his passing and errors.

 

[Harry Oz]

You sound confused. Curran smashed out 100+ metres and setup a try in about 20 minutes of footy for us. Not sure what you were watching.

Curran seemed good to me too.
Both Salmon and Curran met expectations.
They also offer different things in the game plan.
I'm seeing the important question is not about how good they are, it is only about how they are used.
My personal preference would be to start with Curran as he offers a bit more starch.
But I'm not going to cry myself to sleep if Ciraldo starts with Salmon.