My Dragons are definitely doing better than at previous writing, but we are clearly short of some firepower. I think we're struggling a little in the forwards, Benji Marshall is trying hard but is very hit and miss, and I'm not convinced about Dugan in the centres! 4/5 is a pretty big ask for us to make the semis - particularly as one of the 5 is Canberra and Saints fans these days just put a cross next to that game at the start of the season and concentrate on all the others. The fact they're running last is irrelevant, they start as overwhelming favourites to beat us.
Kristy's Doggies haven't looked good these last few weeks but I expect them to find some form when it matters and compete well into September. Having said that, it's hard to go past Manly as premiership favourites for this year, they just seem to have a little more than most teams, particularly as the Roosters just haven't looked as sharp in their premiership defence.
I'm unconvinced by Souths, the nature of their collapse against Manly last year leaves me concerned that they simply won't perform when needed, and it's not like they've looked incredibly dominating so far this year anyway.
Parramatta look good to make the semis with their favourable draw coming home, and to do so would be a great credit to all after some awful seasons. I still will be carrying my voodoo doll for them, though, as some of their supporters are pretty relentless when things are going their way!
Showing posts with label Bulldogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bulldogs. Show all posts
Friday, 8 August 2014
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
NRL Thoughts: State of Origin I
Watch out Queensland, Blues on their way!
It was another titanic clash, but this time, for once, despite so many 50-50 calls coming up Queensland's way, New South Wales have managed to take themselves into the lion's den of Suncorp Stadium and come away with a superb victory!
It was a magnificent second half effort in defence that proved the decisive factor, although NSW will surely regret some missed opportunities when they were on top to extend the lead. Dragon superstar winger Brett Morris was superb in defence in the 2nd half despite hurting his shoulder when scoring in the first half! His effort to prevent Darius Boyd from tying the game up could be long remembered - if NSW win the series.
There was no question that the key for NSW was Jarryd Hayne, a constant menace in attack, very heavily involved, while also defusing numerous Queensland raids with aplomb. How good is this man?!
Queensland played well, although they probably lost some of their fluency in attack due to Cronk's injury. Cherry-Evans looked far from overawed though and will only be better for the run. I can't imagine too many NSW fans thinking anything other than this is going to be a tough task to get that second win and clinch the series
I was thinking in the first 20 minutes that maybe the intensity of this game wasn't that far above that of an ordinary game, but it just got tougher and tougher as the game went on. Josh Reynolds, who performed capably in his first game as a starting five-eighth, seemed a little awestruck when commenting immediately after the game about just how tough it was, how he'd never played a game like it. Reynolds has played a grand final, he's played big games, but even so this was something else.NSW haven't been good enough to win very often this last 10 years, but very few of those losses have been thrashings. So often they've given us hope.
Origin provides a level of the game that is simply unmatched, as is perhaps reflected in how many players get injured, there was no shortage of walking wounded among those who didn't end up in hospital. I thought the Bulldogs players in the NSW side were superb, with the partial exception of Tony Williams, a player that one is always expecting to destroy an opposition with his obvious pace and power, only to be disappointed by how rarely it actually happens. I do wonder though, what price will the Bulldogs pay for the obvious intensity that their players brought to this contest. In 2011 St George were going swimmingly into Origin, half our team got picked and after the series our season imploded. And that's hardly a rare event for teams that are heavily involved in Origin.
Well, we're onto Sydney, it's been 11 years since NSW took Game 1 in Brisbane, and we won that year. Could this be a turning point in our long period of inferiority to the Cane Toads? Go the Blues!
It was another titanic clash, but this time, for once, despite so many 50-50 calls coming up Queensland's way, New South Wales have managed to take themselves into the lion's den of Suncorp Stadium and come away with a superb victory!
It was a magnificent second half effort in defence that proved the decisive factor, although NSW will surely regret some missed opportunities when they were on top to extend the lead. Dragon superstar winger Brett Morris was superb in defence in the 2nd half despite hurting his shoulder when scoring in the first half! His effort to prevent Darius Boyd from tying the game up could be long remembered - if NSW win the series.
There was no question that the key for NSW was Jarryd Hayne, a constant menace in attack, very heavily involved, while also defusing numerous Queensland raids with aplomb. How good is this man?!
Queensland played well, although they probably lost some of their fluency in attack due to Cronk's injury. Cherry-Evans looked far from overawed though and will only be better for the run. I can't imagine too many NSW fans thinking anything other than this is going to be a tough task to get that second win and clinch the series
I was thinking in the first 20 minutes that maybe the intensity of this game wasn't that far above that of an ordinary game, but it just got tougher and tougher as the game went on. Josh Reynolds, who performed capably in his first game as a starting five-eighth, seemed a little awestruck when commenting immediately after the game about just how tough it was, how he'd never played a game like it. Reynolds has played a grand final, he's played big games, but even so this was something else.NSW haven't been good enough to win very often this last 10 years, but very few of those losses have been thrashings. So often they've given us hope.
Origin provides a level of the game that is simply unmatched, as is perhaps reflected in how many players get injured, there was no shortage of walking wounded among those who didn't end up in hospital. I thought the Bulldogs players in the NSW side were superb, with the partial exception of Tony Williams, a player that one is always expecting to destroy an opposition with his obvious pace and power, only to be disappointed by how rarely it actually happens. I do wonder though, what price will the Bulldogs pay for the obvious intensity that their players brought to this contest. In 2011 St George were going swimmingly into Origin, half our team got picked and after the series our season imploded. And that's hardly a rare event for teams that are heavily involved in Origin.
Well, we're onto Sydney, it's been 11 years since NSW took Game 1 in Brisbane, and we won that year. Could this be a turning point in our long period of inferiority to the Cane Toads? Go the Blues!
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