There's a lot of wraps on Jason Sangha. Has a Century in only 2 first class matches, averaged 50 plus in reps through the age groups, banged them last night in 20/20. Only 19. I think it was Kerry O'Keefe? who said he's the most technically gifted batstman he's seen in a generation. Groomed for a long Test Career.

So let me be the first to give him the nickname that's so obvious - Sausage.

I bet they won't.

Two has been the max for the last few years and many clubs are moving to inter-club trials.

You don't get much out of a trial because both your team and the other one are trotting out players as they wish, and as they should, so there's no "NRL preparation" in them. They're only good to work on some combinations and get a run in the legs.

I still reckon one or two maybe the go... maybe. But I can see why many clubs are turning to inter-clubs. You really get the same for half the price.

Which teams are playing 3 against NRL rivals???...

Are you going clubbing???...

Im sure his defence would strengthen that part of the field, but who to play in the halves?...

Dutchy will be a centre and deserves first crack based on last year alone... 
Has Montoya been training at centre?...
You seen to have a bit of a problem with The Coach bigT why???..

dman 2018 , my op ion is dean pay we all know he has inherited  a team in terrible salary cap dire straights from hasler , but he has 2 prove himself in 2019 why well his contract finishes @ years end  will he  be resigned ? i dont know but with all the betting markets tipping the dogs @ $ 3.50 to win the spoon it says it all , 
meany
criten / montoya
hopa
holland 
smith 
foran
cogger /lewis 
this is no winning backline from me its uguly  ,if you are in it ,its all about winning not finishing under the 8 we wont make the 8 with a backline like this 

Tony - I think the answer to that is that they are working on combinations in training.

Specifically passing drills, as we have thing we want to change and areas we need to improve, at training they can practise for multiple sessions, if they want.

All that is missing from a real game situation is  defensive pressure, but they can mostly simulate that in opposed sessions.

 What happens in NRL trails these days is coach rarely throw their real attacking structures in the field in the trial, they save that for round 1.
If they did it would be good to practise defensive combinations  against real slick attack, I don't think this part is easy to practise in training, but it is also not easy to practise in a trail.

There is no right or wrong answer in relation to trails,  but it is Pay's call.

I'm not sure why but you don't seem to rate our coach or our 2019 squad,  I know the critics also don't rate us, but they are only right 50% of the time.
Part of being a fan is having a irrational, almost delusional faith in the club, I certainly got it at the moment and I'm going to enjoy the off season.
And I might even be proven right.

Looks like I'm well on the way to becoming one of those clueless old guys who is out of touch ... I've never heard of this guy :)

hounddog ,i didnt say i dont like pay its a results driven business it about winning period, but you saying its about training drills & so on so why is pay only having 1 trial game ?
it wont be enough for round 1 , we need minimum  3 /4 trials games 2 get the combinations  right   

Tony with so many changes in the team, I tend to agree with you. Of all teams, it is us and maybe Cowboys who need at least 2 trials. 
We have half the first grade team revamped. Yiu can do drills all you like, but what you need is opposition. Not even in-house trials are good enough coz the personnel and structures are the same. You need variability and most of all you need game day experience - in your full kit, with refs, with clock, with fans, with weather and on a ground you are unfamiliar with.

Most sporting experts talk about match fitness as the biggest test for a player's readiness. You cant substitute it with an extra gym session or pass drills. 

Its doubly important for travelling teams like Cows, Warriors, Melb, Broncos, Titans as they need to get temperature conditioning as well as match fitness.

Oh...and there is nothing wrong with winning trials either. You can lose, as long as you TRY to win. Its good practice for the season. 

Abd before you all laugh at the post, just think of the teams that finish 9th or 10th..... they either must finals for 1 win (2 points) or their For and Against.

Both himself and his Aus U-19 team-mate Jack Edwards were in the news about a month or so ago when they both got tons, (Sausage a reasonably big one) and a massive partnership that basically won the game for NSW against.....? (Google) Tasmania.

Both of them are considered quite something, from where it's now up to them. Because they're not the first to be considered quite something.

Also remember from the same Aus u/19 team comes Roughead Pope. It was a good year that one.

I'm not too sure about trials as such. Why would you risk players with 2,3 or even 4 trial games and have injuries before the season even starts, just to "see" if a few combinations work. Nah just play the game and collect the points. I have always deemed trials a waste of time.

Jack Edwards is playing for The Sixers now. And by god he's a giant. Standing next to Sean Abbott who's quite lanky himself and he looks like he's got a foot ever him.

Biggest man on the field, easily, and he's 19.

Where the fvck is the crocket??? Last sar before Xmas and no crocket even with the xtra games???..

How many more changes will us or the cies have than say Melbourne or the dragons???... And if its one or two dies that make a difference?...

Those same experts will tell u a certain team has peaked to early.... Whereas a Melbourne need to peak early to get points in the board for the inevitable origin down turn...
Temperature conditiining???... WTF??... How is any team gonna get that with one or two random trials???. Do u honestly think we'd beat canberra cos we played them twice  fridge 8 months ago?...where do we stop? 4 trials so we can get a feel for the still unpredictable weather in bris melb,, canberra, Townsville???... 
Trials don't mean sh1t win or lose... A competitor gives it his all regardless... There's not a button you can switch if for a trial... Ur more likely to get injured playing half ar5ed....
And bwahahahah... Teams nine and ten have little more impact on the finals than 6 7 or 8 most of the time, and those moments that could mean the difference generally have fvck all to do with a 20min run in Feb....

Like its Saturday night before Xmas... No cricket, chicket, or crocket... 

Just look at our record for the first few rounds in the last 5 or so years Dman. It's there for all to see. We are poor starters.
Yes, just creeping into the top 8 means you're on a hiding to nothing but think of the difference between 4th snd 5th. Once again decided by 1 win or F/A most years.

Look. Trials have never been "useless". And this "peaking too early" is the biggest crap ive heard in years. 
The only argument against trials is potential injury to key players. But what's the difference if it happens in Rnd 1 or 2 anyway? If we are worried about Foran getting injured we made a mistake recruiting him in the first place.

4 trials is silly. 3 is fine if you need it. 1 seems well underdone for a team with so many changes and uncertainty on positions. 2 seems to be the right number and the one most team have done in the past.

Let's not forget the opportunity to promote both the game and extend supporter base in regional areas. 

Well if we're doin' it for the kids.. I've jumped on board...
Most sides don't play the majority of their top team in trials other than maybe a 20 min blow...

Like even if we play 2 trial, the top17 would be unlikely to play together...

Like I said....you can stay with the pack and do as they do, or you can go against the grain, play 1 trial coz the Bulldogs seem to know better, and live with the consequences.

BTW.....there is a BBL game on Fox between  Hurricanes and Heat from Gabba. Dont know why 7 isn't showing it on one of their sister channels given they have Carolls in Domain on 7.....

Most people aren't mad about trials. It's up to the coaches what they want to achieve with them & they wont discuss too much about their plans. One thing's for sure, with most of the regular 17 out for the most part, the benefits are it shows which forwards can do the job in the middle in a weakened side, also which backs can get a few points happening, along with kicking, field position etc. For the fans, it's great for those in the country towns just to see some first grade rugby league.
The 'getting combinations right' line seems a bit like a corny cliché & nothing they wouldn't have sorted at training. They all know their jobs & who they defend next to etc.
I think trials are more just to have a run, getting used to match day again, different environment to training, bit of bonding, getting used to defending against strangers again, nothing too complicated like worrying about combinations.

The slow starts to the year can be put down to many things. I don't even want to get into that, main reason why is it's history & the club's already been going through major changes from top to bottom in recent times. They've been training their guts out already this pre-season & know what they have to do. The attitude & determination to win has been returning, quicker than some would imagine. The reggies GF win is evidence of that.

Merry Christmas BDPagers and keep up the banter for 2019 on a whole range of topics :)

Merry Xmas to all, I'm wishing for a happy and successful 2019 for all Dogs fans. 

Santa - skip my present  just deliver the premiership - you looked surprised when I mentioned it at the shopping centre :)

I f***in' hate Xmas, no denying it and I never try to. Only good when you're a kid or when you have kids, and my girl left home 18 years ago. Hate having to drive to Sydney to sit with some people I don't even like (no law says you have to like your cousin, and I certainly don't).

But anyway, loooooooooove Boxing Day - best day of the year by pleeeeeeeeeenty.

But to those who like Xmas - Merry Xmas to you (don't bother wishing it to me, PLEASE REALLY don't bother). If you want to wish me anything - make it a happy Boxing Day.

Found the Grinch :)

Christmas day can be variable, it depends on the people present, but Boxing Day is always great.

We have a mix of 3 generations, and no drama queens, or aggressive drunks, so it is good.

Happy Boxing Day !!!
 

These are oldies...

A statue of a man and a statue of a woman stood looking at each other for hundreds of years out in a park. One Christmas a wizard, feeling sorry for the statues, brought them to life for 30 minutes. Right away, the two of them ran into some nearby bushes and you could hear all kinds of strange sounds and moans from there. After a while they came back out, giggling. The wizard told them "You have another 15 minutes left, if you want to have another go." The statues looked at each other and the male statue answered "Fine, but this time you hold the pidgeon and I'll sh1t on it."

Three mothers and their children are in mother-child group therapy.
The therapist tells them "You are all so obsessed with different things that you've even named your children after your obsessions".
The therapist turns to the first mother, "You are so obsessed with money, you named your daughter Penny!"
He turns to the second woman, who is very fat. "You love to eat so much you named your daughter Candy".
At this point, the third mother stands up and leads her son out of the room whispering "C'mon, D1ck, let's go home".

Lady walks onto the bus with her baby.
The bus driver says "eew! thats the ugliest baby I've ever seen!" Lady starts to cry and heads to the back.
Dman was sitting near her and asked "Whats wrong?"
Lady says, "The bus driver just insulted me".
Dman says, "What!?... You go up there and tell him off!... Here, I'll hold your monkey!..."

Villi and I not invited this year?

Not after you caused the riot an the neighbouring old persons home :)
There are false teeth that haven't had a home since Xmas 3 years ago.