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http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...-1225903596322
* Warren Ryan
* From: The Courier-Mail
* August 11, 2010 12:00AM
THE Roosters-Dragons match at the SCG was absorbing, but the losers had an opportunity to learn a lot more about their game than the winners.
Was it a premiership pointer? Yes, providing the coaching staff at Bondi are prepared to admit their game has shortcomings and do something about them.
The Dragons bounced back to form with a typical low-mistake - three in each half - game built on superb advantage line surges off dummy-half Dean Young and rock-solid defence. That they murdered the Chooks for territory is an understatement.
Roosters coach Brian Smith gave an emphatic thumbs down to the question of whether his team played too laterally, hinting at the folly of engaging the Dragons in a forward battle.
Maybe he didn't want to signal what areas need improvement or perhaps he genuinely believes he hasn't got the pack to take on the Kogarah boys. But if he thinks that, he's already fighting out of the loser's corner because there's no soft way to win big games.
The Roosters' error rate was diabolical for such an important game. Last week it was 12 against the Eels but Parramatta also made 12, which negated the problem. This week though, it was 14 on my count. Others had it higher - one suggested only 21 of 38 sets were completed.
The Roosters defended their errors stoically, but you can't win by staving off defeat.
Clean breaks by Ben Creagh for a try and prop Michael Weyman for a half-field gallop late in the game told the story of players who had lost defensive power in their tackles through self-inflicted overload.
Wayne Bennett claimed that some of the Roosters' errors were forced upon them by good St George Illawarra defence, but that only half tells the story. The Dragons defence was able to advance and pressure the Roosters into error due to a serious design fault in the Roosters strategy. In short, they failed to roll the Dragons defence back.
There was no comparison in the two teams' ability to surge across the advantage line. Young's dummy-half performance for the Dragons in bringing his big men on to flat passes at speed as he came sharply out of the focal point was so effective it was almost in the category of an exhibition.
Roosters hooker Jake Friend is reasonably dangerous individually, but hasn't developed the same cohesive advantage line assault with his pack.
To emphasise the imbalance in ground-gaining, which is the building block for any lateral success, the telltale figures reveal the Dragons had 125 play-the-balls in the Roosters' half while the Bondi boys poked their noses over halfway for 52.
The Roosters will never be in the box seat territorially against St George unless they play a game that puts them there.
If success against not so formidable defences has lured the Roosters into thinking there is an easy way to play, they're in danger of outsmarting themselves. The sooner they clear their heads of that myth, the quicker the recovery will be.
LAST week I mentioned that the Titans, the quiet achievers, had an opportunity to play their way into the top four for a home semi-final.
Well, it's come quicker than expected with the shock loss in overtime by the Tigers to a depleted South Sydney line-up.
The Tigers were in fourth spot, but Gold Coast have now nudged ahead of them on points difference. Both teams are on 28 points, but it's Titans (+5) with a skinny seven-point lead over the Tigers (-2).
From here on, the ball is in their court. They'll go neck and neck for wins and points over the next month. However, if either of them drop a game there are three teams on 26 points ready to pounce.
Two of them have better points differences. Manly (+76), Brisbane (+49) and the Warriors (-2) are still a chance.
There's a lot to like about the Titans' never-say-die attitude.
Their round 7 win over Manly at Brookvale convinced me there was a special quality about them.
They were physically hammered and overpowered, outplayed and behind on the scoreboard, but had hung in with tries against the flow.
Somehow, Nathan Friend and Preston Campbell, the two smallest men on the field, found something extra in the dying seconds and put a try under the posts for what seemed an impossible 24-22 victory.
Coach John Cartwright left scratching his head about the result, but it reinforced what he already knew about his men. They are mentally tough.
* Warren Ryan
* From: The Courier-Mail
* August 11, 2010 12:00AM
THE Roosters-Dragons match at the SCG was absorbing, but the losers had an opportunity to learn a lot more about their game than the winners.
Was it a premiership pointer? Yes, providing the coaching staff at Bondi are prepared to admit their game has shortcomings and do something about them.
The Dragons bounced back to form with a typical low-mistake - three in each half - game built on superb advantage line surges off dummy-half Dean Young and rock-solid defence. That they murdered the Chooks for territory is an understatement.
Roosters coach Brian Smith gave an emphatic thumbs down to the question of whether his team played too laterally, hinting at the folly of engaging the Dragons in a forward battle.
Maybe he didn't want to signal what areas need improvement or perhaps he genuinely believes he hasn't got the pack to take on the Kogarah boys. But if he thinks that, he's already fighting out of the loser's corner because there's no soft way to win big games.
The Roosters' error rate was diabolical for such an important game. Last week it was 12 against the Eels but Parramatta also made 12, which negated the problem. This week though, it was 14 on my count. Others had it higher - one suggested only 21 of 38 sets were completed.
The Roosters defended their errors stoically, but you can't win by staving off defeat.
Clean breaks by Ben Creagh for a try and prop Michael Weyman for a half-field gallop late in the game told the story of players who had lost defensive power in their tackles through self-inflicted overload.
Wayne Bennett claimed that some of the Roosters' errors were forced upon them by good St George Illawarra defence, but that only half tells the story. The Dragons defence was able to advance and pressure the Roosters into error due to a serious design fault in the Roosters strategy. In short, they failed to roll the Dragons defence back.
There was no comparison in the two teams' ability to surge across the advantage line. Young's dummy-half performance for the Dragons in bringing his big men on to flat passes at speed as he came sharply out of the focal point was so effective it was almost in the category of an exhibition.
Roosters hooker Jake Friend is reasonably dangerous individually, but hasn't developed the same cohesive advantage line assault with his pack.
To emphasise the imbalance in ground-gaining, which is the building block for any lateral success, the telltale figures reveal the Dragons had 125 play-the-balls in the Roosters' half while the Bondi boys poked their noses over halfway for 52.
The Roosters will never be in the box seat territorially against St George unless they play a game that puts them there.
If success against not so formidable defences has lured the Roosters into thinking there is an easy way to play, they're in danger of outsmarting themselves. The sooner they clear their heads of that myth, the quicker the recovery will be.
LAST week I mentioned that the Titans, the quiet achievers, had an opportunity to play their way into the top four for a home semi-final.
Well, it's come quicker than expected with the shock loss in overtime by the Tigers to a depleted South Sydney line-up.
The Tigers were in fourth spot, but Gold Coast have now nudged ahead of them on points difference. Both teams are on 28 points, but it's Titans (+5) with a skinny seven-point lead over the Tigers (-2).
From here on, the ball is in their court. They'll go neck and neck for wins and points over the next month. However, if either of them drop a game there are three teams on 26 points ready to pounce.
Two of them have better points differences. Manly (+76), Brisbane (+49) and the Warriors (-2) are still a chance.
There's a lot to like about the Titans' never-say-die attitude.
Their round 7 win over Manly at Brookvale convinced me there was a special quality about them.
They were physically hammered and overpowered, outplayed and behind on the scoreboard, but had hung in with tries against the flow.
Somehow, Nathan Friend and Preston Campbell, the two smallest men on the field, found something extra in the dying seconds and put a try under the posts for what seemed an impossible 24-22 victory.
Coach John Cartwright left scratching his head about the result, but it reinforced what he already knew about his men. They are mentally tough.
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