I think I just saw Matt Burton on Parental Guidance...

If this post is what I think it’s about, it says more about you than any post ever… 

Go Grub not good enough for the Dogs bench, but NSW SOO hero. 😁

I would play Hynes at halfback, leave Luai at 6.

NSW are the masters of the meltdown mindless panic.

It will be interesting to see if Flanno starts the next game at 9 for us.

According to CC he has embraced the challenge.

I expect experts will write us off, but I also expect Flanno to do well and prove that hooker is his position.

Seeing as how the Chooks made most of their busts up the middle againsts us, I am leaning towards a two hooker rotation. With Edwards starting at lock and Morrin also on the bench.

Smaller more mobile defenders need to be balanced out with more size.

With Morrin, Marhoney and Edwards, Okunbor and Preston we normally would not need Flanno, except the Chooks had a plan to attack us up the middle, with Reed off they had a lot of success.

Why? That is the second game we have been blatently dudded out of. 4 points.

Well what is it you're thinking?

Well we know he is a pretty good defender and like Mahoney he is a low tackler so would help to chop down big boppers. 

I also feel he can do well in that position and can certainly do a job for us while Mahoney is not available. I'm not sure if he should stay on the bench when Mahoney returns though.

I'm sure there's a host of clubs that can point to a 50-50 call and claim it has cost them 2 points or resulted in a 4 point swing.

I'm actually more upset about the Warriors obstruction play because that was clear cut. This one was really a 50-50. After seeing it multiple times on replay, I'm convinced it was forward off the hands of Perham although I originally felt it was back and the floated.

As HD pointed out, a good player would still have managed to get it out correctly. Just goes to show that his setup play is still not at the level it should be at. 

Reed might be cleared to play, Flanno might not get a shot this week, becuase they are still easing in Rajab.

If Karl needs more time or a change of position Rajab might eventually be 5/8, we are still trying to work out the best position for Karl.

Even though I am happy that Edwards is good at filling in at dummy-half, it takes away from what he normally does.

If Flanno is genuinely impressing at hooker  in reserve grade, then it would be good to see what he can do in the NRL. CC implied that they are looking for an opportunity to try him.

However, Casey was impressive in reserve grade last game, looking at the highlights. Good play in reserve grade just earns a shot at NRL, doing well in the NRL locks down a position.

With Okunbor doing well at starting second rower, I think we should try Edwards starting at lock.

I hope that we try an alternative to Perham before the end of the season, in particular Wilson deserves to stay in the side, and get a chance at fullback.

Or keep Wilson on the wing, and try Kiraz at fullback.

I don't know if the injury to Kiraz is helping to keep Perham in the side.

Burns is snother good player, at wing, centre and fullback.

If we are picking our best 5 outside backs, there are at least 6 players who seem to be better than Perham.

There are a host of clubs who can make that claim… it’s just none of those clubs are ever the Rorters, Broncos, Souths, Meb, and more recently the Panthers…

The Warriors are usually dudded, except when they are playing us.

The Rorters did seem to get all of the 50/50s in our game, but in addition our own errors cost us. 

Our errors is the thing we can control.

Reed, Kiraz and Patolo back, the first 2 probably subject to fitness tests.

The other factor against the Chooks was Sutton played limited minutes, my guess is that he still isn't right.

Put Wilson in for Perham and this is the time I would pick.

We are are chance against the Smileys we can mske the 6 million dollar man look like change from $1.50.

First off. The clubs decline from our winning days to losing was after Des. Love him or hate him he could coach. The administration at the time certainly could have done better to keep the club in check. 

This Chickens showed us what we lack. Experience. 

And a bit more size in the pack. I missed the game on TV and only heard  a bit on ABC radio. They commented  on the noticeable difference in the size of the packs.

Missing Thommo and Kiks hasn’t helped. We certainly were down in size. We can’t get Haas soon enough. 

It is very funny becuase I just checked the tab odds, the Dogs are $501 to win the comp.

Based on what I saw against the Roosters I am very happy with the performance and more confident than I have been for a while.

Of course we are still a long shot who will probably miss the 8. But if we beat the Slimeys, I bet our odds come in a lot.

Based on what I saw, with Wilson at fullback instead of Perham, we could beat the Slimeys. Or perhaps I am wrong, becuase the Roosters are crap, and not a good yardstick.

CC commented that our defence looked best with Edwards, Morrin and Karl defending in the middle. Smaller guys can make up for a lack of size with mobility and technique.

We also need size, and Patolo coming back in will help.

2 chook tries came from a lack of mobility in the middle, Reed going off and Sutton not being 100% cost us.
The other 2 tries were a lucky bounce off one of our players, not numbering up and individual decisions.

So how good are the Chooks? On form we are better than them regardless of the final scoreline.

I think our decline was from 2013 onwards and conincided with losing Ben Barba and the ignorance of a good spine.

Des did well to get the 2014 team to the GF but he was grooming a team that needed all moons to align just to stay competitive. He failed miserably in acknowledging the benefits of a good spine and was flogging a dead horse thereafter.

I still don't think we've realised how important a top spine is. Very few teams have ever won a GF without one, so at least statistically, you bloody well need one.

Other than Mahoney, we don't have a settled spine. Even next year, there's question marks on whether Crighton can be that elite FB or if Burton can make it as a 5/8th.
Halfback? We haven't sorted and unless we get Hunt, we won't have sorted for afew years yet.

So we will be treading water for a while yet.....

The chooks are pig-headed by not admitting their mistake and bringing Walker back into the team.

Manu at 5/8th has not worked. They lost both an attacking avenue in the halves spot as well as in the centres.

But let them stay stubborn and struggle.

Nick : My consultancy advice is free. Just send me one of your brown paper bags in return. I need them for groceries....

Des has plenty of opportunity to recuit a spine, he had plenty of SC locked up.

Barba was in the system before Des arrived, apart from a great one off season from him, a lot of wrestle and block plays that would be penalties today, our team didn't have much to offer.

To be clear, if we had assembled a good side Des could have coached it.

For the current side Perham isn't the answer. Wilson deserves a shot, Chricton will be great for a few seasons, the long term solution might be Papalii. If we lose him, I'll be disappointed.

Burton will be fine with a long term halves partner. If Karl doesn't offer a bit more soon, Rajab might be the starting halves partner with Karl on the bench. We have other players that might come into contention.

Our spine today is much better than anytime since 2006, except for brief stints from Kimmorley and Barba.
In 2024 our depth in spine positions looks like the best since 2004.

I would be interested to know if Hayward is playing right side in reserve grade and how he is going. Previously he played left and wasn't a candidate to partner Burton.

Walker is injured, cheese at hooker and Manu at 5/8 haven't worked. Worse still Manu has lost his mojo.

Take Teddy and Kleary out of that side, they would be seriously ordinary. No surpise those 2 did the damage against us. At least on paper they have a good pack of forwards, but that particular game our weakened pack shaded them.

The Slimeys will be more of a test in terms of where we are at.

Des may have been a good coach, but he only had one style and no plan B, he was stubborn had no future vision and unlike Manly the Dogs were only a paycheck and stepping stone for him. Fvck Des I say.

Yes unfortunately he was particularly stubborn at the Dogs. I think that there was unreasonable pressure to win a comp, Des took short-cuts and refused to adapt when the NRL changed the rules.

I blame those at the club who recruited Des and then didn't manage him or the club well.

However, the game and modern players have pretty much passed guys like Des and Hook by. Even Wok might not be successful in the modern game, man management and motivation are all important. If the players don't like a coach they quickly stop playing for them.

Brown from Parra stood down for alleged groping of a woman.

Couldn't agree more

Bloody reverse sweep.. again…

Cannot believe the Australian tax payer is still forking out for crowvids vaccchsss ads and now antivinyls ads…
I spose when you lose all credibility after lying to the electorate for as long as they did the only option is to double down…

I suppose that's what we get for allowing politicians to run the country.

The silver lining is that with all the mask production taken place, New Yorkers can now mask up in defence of the bushfire smoke that has blanketed the city!

See.....it's not all bad.....

Api Korisau, broken jaw. The fruits of inaction  clear for all to see.