By polyglot -
March 21st 2010 @ 12:24am
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Groundhog season at St George Illawarra
As an ardent St George supporter, I’m afraid…. very afraid. I have watched both their games this year and on both occasions had an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Is it groundhog season again? When will I wake up from this nightmare and be free to enjoy a victory without a big black cloud of impending doom hovering overhead?
I’ll tell you when, when Wayne Bennett realises that the epitome of stupidity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result.
Is Wayne a “one-trick pony”? Is he coaching “scared”? Or do I have “baggage”? These questions and more will be answered come September. Whatever the case, his fragile tactics leave me cold and concerned.
A game of statistics can work when you’re in control of the scoreboard, but the wheels can fall off quickly, and without the necessary tools in the box to fix it, a resulting loss is inevitable.
I say “fragile” tactics because all it takes for a game of statistics to unravel is an opposition that plays an unconventional game, case in point; final round against Canberra last season. Canberra had nothing to lose and played with gay abandon, a rushing defense and a hot potato attack left the St George players dumbfounded, without reply, and defeated.
They never recovered from that defeat, it haunted them for the rest of the season, and may continue to.
There’s no ad-lib, no contingency and even if there were it would be too new to them to effectively employ.
In other words if a side gets in front by any decent margin or rattles their cage, they become stupefied and lost.
Wayne Bennett seems like fairly conservative fellow and probably drives wearing a helmet, and that’s okay if the helmet doesn’t keep slipping over his eyes and causing him to crash into the same tree again and again.
I like Wayne Bennett, but as much as I’m sure he’s happy to hear that Polyglot likes him, I’m sure he needs to think beyond statistics and prepare now for sides that are onto his one dimensional tactics.
If not he will surely feel like “the little trainer that couldn’t”, and I, like a sad character in my own perpetual nightmare. Who said it’s only sport?
(7)
LK said | March 21st 2010 @ 7:07am | Report comment
You serious?!? You’re afraid because the dragons have beaten last year’s runner-up and a top 4 team in consecutive weeks? How would you feel if they had been smashed by 40 in both? It is early days, as the cliche goes, but I would take those wins and hope the team builds on them.
captain nemo said | March 21st 2010 @ 9:35am | Report comment
I was at the game on Friday night and really enjoyed the whole show. I think the dragons defence is better than their attack which is fine in my books because the attacking flare will come with game time. WIN stadium in the good old GONG is a great night out. Almost as good as Leichhardt oval. Go the Steelers
LK said | March 21st 2010 @ 11:36am | Report comment
The Steelers were my team too! Cheering for the Dragons isn’t quite the same. I was miffed during the game when Rabbs said 8 of the 17 (or whatever it is) were from the Illawarra. What could have been…..
Rob of Wollongong said | March 21st 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment
Mate, wake-up!
That is the most ridiculous comment I have heard. Defence and possession wins football games in all situations. The attitude that the Dragons have displayed so far this season has my confidence up for this season. You speak with regard to deja vu? The last time the Dragons won their opening two games of the year was in 1993 and that year we were unlucky not to win the grand final. Our season became unravelled last year because we went away from the basics that had us winning most of our games for the majority of the year. Our attitude to defence and possession fell away and we lost confidence in the things that worked well for us for the majority of the season. In my personal opinion had we maintained the status quo last year and not relaxed our attitude to the basics then we would have went further in the competition. Right them off at your own peril, but I am saying remain focused Saints as this is your year! As for Bennett, his record speaks for itself. No need to say anymore…
captain nemo said | March 21st 2010 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Rob of Wgong, did you have a big night at Dapto leagues club???You should of left the Disco earlier mate. If that is the most rediculous comment you have heard then you need to get out of the Gong more and read furher afield than the illawarra mercury!!! In the 2 games I have watched this year of the Dragons, their defence in my opinion was in order. From my one line “I think the dragons defence is better than their attack which is fine in my books because the attacking flare will come with game ” you come out with all this drivel!!! watching the game again on fox i still feel the same way that our defence is better than our attack.
polyglot said | March 21st 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
I’ll wake when you lighten up. If thats the most ridiculous comment you’ve heard you need to get out more. Points wins games, defense sets a platform. If you are solely reliant on defense you cannot play catch up when the time comes. Saints spent the majority of the second half in their own territory, a better attacking side would have made them pay. They wont always get off to a flyer. In semi finals football sides lift their defense but you cannot lift your attack just by way of enthusiasm. At the moment St George ILLAWARRA can grind a team into veritable submission and bung on points late, but come the semi’s that wont be the case, a balance of attack and defense is required. The game changes, looking at a coaches record during a period spent with the cream is no indication, something to respect, yes. I love the Dragons i wish them the best and my comments are genuine if not accurate. Rob, no need too feel slighted, and given your defensive reaction to a genuine opinion made partly tongue in cheek i can understand your support for Bennett’s tactics. Have a good day.
NickF said | March 24th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Polyglot, I think you are crazy.
2 wins against two very good sides. Round one the Dragons were defensive, round 2 they were defensive AND put on 5 tries, yes 5 tries.
Last season was one of the best season we have had. Minors premiers means Wayne Bennett is doing something right. so Wayne is right to play the season the same way and do the thing the Dragons did wrong and make them right. I went to all the Kogarah games last year, and compared to seasons over the last few years under Nathan Brown, it is like chalk and cheese. I was dissapointed with the finals series but nothing beats that last game against Parra, when we knew we had won the Minor Premiers, all the crowd turned to face Bennett and started bowing and singing, fantastic. Come on 2010 I am excited.