Dragons Season Thread - 2018/19 - aka Year 2 of the 3 Year Plan

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

So we made it to the end of the 2017/18 season.  We've seen/endured the first year of Bernard Jackman's plan.  I think most of us have been through a rollercoaster of emotions, similar to previous seasons but perhaps even more so this season given the new injection of life and investment into the Dragons.  First there was the hope - the new coaches, some new players, the new pitch, new chairman, new cash injection.  Then we started to stumble - it's all down to the new coach and getting used to the new systems, we said.  Then came the face plant and the realisation that this trend was going to carry on for the whole season - a couple of wins in the league, a few in Europe, a lot of spankings, not many losing bonus points.  Very poor return.  The hope turned to despair and BJ's methods were being questioned.  Then the hope comes again with the announcement of new signings ('stellar' signings, compared to previous years!) and the assurance that the 1st year of the plan was always going to be difficult and that year 2 would be the one to judge BJ on.....  

So.......on to year 2 (2018/19).  Where are we?  What are our expectations (realistically)?  What's the best team we can put out on paper and how competitive will it be?  For a number of years we've been stuffed in the league so seem to try to get some solace from a decent showing in the Euro 2nd tier comp.  However, should we forget about Europe and try to put all of our focus on the league?  I think so.

Transfers - we've lost more than we've gained, although the quality of the transfers in could/should be better than those leaving.  But I'm worried we'll be thin on the ground when the inevitable injuries hit.

Players In: = 14
Jordan Williams from England Bristol Bears
Rhodri Williams from England Bristol Bears
Ross Moriarty from England Gloucester
Rhodri Davies from England Rotherham Titans
Richard Hibbard from England Gloucester
Huw Taylor from England Worcester Warriors
Josh Lewis from England Bath
Ryan Bevington from England Bristol Bears
Aaron Jarvis from France Clermont
Dafydd Howells from Wales Ospreys
Tiaan Loots from Wales RGC 1404
Jacob Botica from Wales RGC 1404
Rhys Lawrence from England Ealing Trailfinders
Brandon Nansen from France

Players Out: - =21
Sarel Pretorius to South Africa Southern Kings
Phil Price to Wales Scarlets
Scott Andrews to Wales Neath
Luke Garrett to Wales Neath
Adam Hughes retired
Pat Howard to England Ealing Trailfinders
Rhys Buckley to Wales Bargoed
Barney Nightingale to Wales Bargoed
Keagan Bale to Wales Bargoed
Angus O'Brien to Wales Scarlets
Nicky Thomas to Wales Scarlets (return from short-term loan)
Dorian Jones to France Angoulême
Charlie Davies to England Northampton Saints
Lloyd Lewis to Wales Pontypool
Sam Beard to New Zealand Canterbury
Sam Hobbs released
Thomas Davies released
Liam Belcher released
Ashley Sweet released
Robson Blake released
Carl Meyer released

I'll try to update the Ins and Outs as we go.

[munkian]

We Poopie the bed and lost that after 20 minutes - a more experienced 10 would've helped.

How did Cardiff get away with taking our players out in the air twice though ? Ulster got a red for it on Friday.

[Stone Motif]

We Poopie the bed and lost that after 20 minutes - a more experienced 10 would've helped.

How did Cardiff get away with taking our players out in the air twice though ? Ulster got a red  for it on Friday.

So when Phil said 'abysmal' he meant in terms of foul play, right?

[XR]

I think the one thing that struck me in the game was when Ross was losing his rag, chatting at the ref and not listening to him...where was the captain? Shouldn't he be there, telling him to shut up etc and basically remind him he's the captain and he needs to be calm. Cory just stood there and watched. Thought that was a bit odd.

Dragons were good first 20 then it just fell off, think CB held possession better and that tested the Dragons defensive patterns. Once Anscombe went full back and Jarrod came on, they looked too much for them. Good derby though, looking forward to the next one.

[RiscaGame]

Yeah, he didn’t really do a lot. He should’ve done it straight away, as soon as we conceded that ten metres. That said, most of the Dragons supporters I’ve seen think it was brilliant, as at least he’s showing passion FFS ha.

I watched it back yesterday. Was interesting to see Wainwright fall off a few tackles and something else I noticed was Leon Brown constantly pushing people out of the way, who were set in defensive positions (at guard or whatever). I’ve never seen that be a thing in any defensive system I have played to.

[RiscaGame]

89-6 Dragons.

Or Dragons 15-23 Cardiff Blues.

Scary.

[Stone Motif]

I think the one thing that struck me in the game was when Ross was losing his rag, chatting at the ref and not listening to him...where was the captain?  Shouldn't he be there, telling him to shut up etc and basically remind him he's the captain and he needs to be calm.  Cory just stood there and watched.  Thought that was a bit odd.

Dragons were good first 20 then it just fell off, think CB held possession better and that tested the Dragons defensive patterns.  Once Anscombe went full back and Jarrod came on, they looked too much for them.  Good derby though, looking forward to the next one.

Dragons had 59% possession in the second half.

It's becoming more and more prevalent that when facing a team with a blunt attack letting them keep the ball and run at a brick wall rope a dopes them into fatigue, despair and defeat. Where we fell apart is our blunt, one up attack which failed to make yards and just tired us out. Symptoms of this f#ckarounditis include yet again the poor yards gained by forwards in attack, offloading about half as much as the opposition, and a significant number of missed tackles as the game wore on.

[Stone Motif]

89-6 Dragons.

Or Dragons 15-23 Cardiff Blues.

Scary.

Hell yeah

[XR]

I think the one thing that struck me in the game was when Ross was losing his rag, chatting at the ref and not listening to him...where was the captain?  Shouldn't he be there, telling him to shut up etc and basically remind him he's the captain and he needs to be calm.  Cory just stood there and watched.  Thought that was a bit odd.

Dragons were good first 20 then it just fell off, think CB held possession better and that tested the Dragons defensive patterns.  Once Anscombe went full back and Jarrod came on, they looked too much for them.  Good derby though, looking forward to the next one.

Dragons had 59% possession in the second half.

Sorry, I meant that when they had possession of the ball the CB did more with it, offered more.

[PhilBB]

With a troll this bad I'm starting to wonder whether you're auditioning for a walk on part in the dungeons and dragons pastiche we've built around our changing rooms.

Yours is a really odd understanding of "troll" if you find one in my post.

[PhilBB]

We Poopie the bed and lost that after 20 minutes - a more experienced 10 would've helped.

How did Cardiff get away with taking our players out in the air twice though ? Ulster got a red  for it on Friday.

After 20 minutes, the penalty count was 6-0. Once that was even, there was only ever going to be one winner.

The contact in the air incidents were twice judged as penalty only offences by the TMO

[PhilBB]

We Poopie the bed and lost that after 20 minutes - a more experienced 10 would've helped.

How did Cardiff get away with taking our players out in the air twice though ? Ulster got a red  for it on Friday.

So when Phil said 'abysmal' he meant in terms of foul play, right?

Jeez, you are a chippy one.

[PhilBB]

89-6 Dragons.

Or Dragons 15-23 Cardiff Blues.

Scary.

Top work.

[RiscaGame]

Oh heck Bernard.

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/16971372.dragons-boss-jackman-backs-moriarty-and-slams-mind-boggling-refereeing-in-derby-defeat/

[munkian]

He's not said we lost because of him , hes bigged up the Blues but said the ref was Poopie, which he was.

[PhilBB]

Oh heck Bernard.

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/16971372.dragons-boss-jackman-backs-moriarty-and-slams-mind-boggling-refereeing-in-derby-defeat/

Now there's a man running out of excuses.

[munkian]

So refs in the pro 14 are awful except when the Dragons say they are ?

[PhilBB]

So refs in the pro 14 are awful except when the Dragons say they are ?

The referee didn't influence the scoreline or result of Saturday's game. That's obvious. Jackman is just trying to cover his arse. Again, that's obvious.

[Stone Motif]

With a troll this bad I'm starting to wonder whether you're auditioning for a walk on part in the dungeons and dragons pastiche we've built around our changing rooms.

Yours is a really odd understanding of "troll" if you find one in my post.

No it was a p1sstake of that awful faux castle more than anything. Maybe if you put the effort you do into high-falutin' into your wind ups you'd get more of a bite?

[RiscaGame]

He's not said we lost because of him , hes bigged up the Blues but said the ref was Poopie, which he was.

My issues are;

“I feel sorry for Ross and I feel sorry for our players because we had a really poor referee,” said Jackman."

The only consistent thing with Ian is his inconsistency. It was just not acceptable in a match of that magnitude to have such a poor performance.

You can't go saying things like that, whether you think it or not.

He is refereeing a different type of game to everyone else; the challenge in the air against Daf Howells he didn’t want to look at, the elbow to the face of Ross Moriarty on the ground, Ross was blocked on a kick chase.

I didn't see an elbow, to be honest but if you are going to look into things in that detail, why not try analyzing Dragons own shortcomings in that detail? I get the frustration of the yellow, but there is nothing to say that it could've changed the game given that we had gone off the boil by then too.

I sent my report on Monday,” said the former Ireland hooker. “I have learnt over the last year and a half that going through the proper channels is great, and Greg is brilliant, but the message doesn’t seem to get back to the officials.

“Poor referees are allowed to be poor every week. That’s not good for the PRO14, which is a great competition. I know Greg is driving hard, but they need to do more, and do more quicker.”

So sounding off about them in the press, is going to help matters?

Poor coaches like him are allowed to be poor every week too. That's not good for us.

The bit at the end about Moriarty's temperament is daft too. Whether he told him off behind closed doors, I don't care. He shouldn't say these things in public. It just makes him and us look like a laughing stock.

[Stone Motif]

We Poopie the bed and lost that after 20 minutes - a more experienced 10 would've helped.

How did Cardiff get away with taking our players out in the air twice though ? Ulster got a red  for it on Friday.

So when Phil said 'abysmal' he meant in terms of foul play, right?

Jeez, you are a chippy one.

See, that's how you write a windup.

[mikey_dragon]

Speaking of attack, Adam Warren made the most clean breaks in the Pro14 this weekend, and was fourth for metres made. The stats would seem to reflect what people have been saying here, that he is our best 13. Not sure about 12, but Dixon has always offered a good carrying and breakdown option.

[mikey_dragon]

I think the one thing that struck me in the game was when Ross was losing his rag, chatting at the ref and not listening to him...where was the captain?  Shouldn't he be there, telling him to shut up etc and basically remind him he's the captain and he needs to be calm.  Cory just stood there and watched.  Thought that was a bit odd.

Dragons were good first 20 then it just fell off, think CB held possession better and that tested the Dragons defensive patterns.  Once Anscombe went full back and Jarrod came on, they looked too much for them.  Good derby though, looking forward to the next one.

In which case Moriarty should be captain as that might help fire some players up.

Anscombe playing well lately but Evans still seemingly the best fly-half. Surprised Morgan isn’t bumped out of the time yet when you have those options. I’d put MM on the bench as fly-half cover - the flankers should be able to babysit him in that channel.

[PhilBB]

With a troll this bad I'm starting to wonder whether you're auditioning for a walk on part in the dungeons and dragons pastiche we've built around our changing rooms.

Yours is a really odd understanding of "troll" if you find one in my post.

No it was a p1sstake of that awful faux castle more than anything. Maybe if you put the effort you do into high-falutin' into your wind ups you'd get more of a bite?

There have been no wind ups. You're being chippy without cause.

[PhilBB]

I think the one thing that struck me in the game was when Ross was losing his rag, chatting at the ref and not listening to him...where was the captain?  Shouldn't he be there, telling him to shut up etc and basically remind him he's the captain and he needs to be calm.  Cory just stood there and watched.  Thought that was a bit odd.

Dragons were good first 20 then it just fell off, think CB held possession better and that tested the Dragons defensive patterns.  Once Anscombe went full back and Jarrod came on, they looked too much for them.  Good derby though, looking forward to the next one.

In which case Moriarty should be captain as that might help fire some players up.

Anscombe playing well lately but Evans still seemingly the best fly-half. Surprised Morgan isn’t bumped out of the time yet when you have those options. I’d put MM on the bench as fly-half cover - the flankers should be able to babysit him in that channel.

Evans has never been the best fly half.

[PhilBB]

He's not said we lost because of him , hes bigged up the Blues but said the ref was Poopie, which he was.

My issues are;

“I feel sorry for Ross and I feel sorry for our players because we had a really poor referee,” said Jackman."

The only consistent thing with Ian is his inconsistency. It was just not acceptable in a match of that magnitude to have such a poor performance.

You can't go saying things like that, whether you think it or not.

He is refereeing a different type of game to everyone else; the challenge in the air against Daf Howells he didn’t want to look at, the elbow to the face of Ross Moriarty on the ground, Ross was blocked on a kick chase.

I didn't see an elbow, to be honest but if you are going to look into things in that detail, why not try analyzing Dragons own shortcomings in that detail? I get the frustration of the yellow, but there is nothing to say that it could've changed the game given that we had gone off the boil by then too.

I sent my report on Monday,” said the former Ireland hooker. “I have learnt over the last year and a half that going through the proper channels is great, and Greg is brilliant, but the message doesn’t seem to get back to the officials.

“Poor referees are allowed to be poor every week. That’s not good for the PRO14, which is a great competition. I know Greg is driving hard, but they need to do more, and do more quicker.”

So sounding off about them in the press, is going to help matters?

Poor coaches like him are allowed to be poor every week too. That's not good for us.

The bit at the end about Moriarty's temperament is daft too. Whether he told him off behind closed doors, I don't care. He shouldn't say these things in public. It just makes him and us look like a laughing stock.

100% spot on.

[mikey_dragon]

Evans has never been the best fly half.

He is the best fly half though.

[PhilBB]

Evans has never been the best fly half.

He is the best fly half though.

Not at Cardiff, he isn't.

[Stone Motif]

With a troll this bad I'm starting to wonder whether you're auditioning for a walk on part in the dungeons and dragons pastiche we've built around our changing rooms.

Yours is a really odd understanding of "troll" if you find one in my post.

No it was a p1sstake of that awful faux castle more than anything. Maybe if you put the effort you do into high-falutin' into your wind ups you'd get more of a bite?

There have been no wind ups. You're being chippy without cause.

Phil I surprise/depress myself how little I care about the Dragons, and the sport itself in general these days. Bit difficult to be chippy when you're that apathetic.

[RiscaGame]

Interesting what the tombola has thrown up, this week.

Dragons: Z Kirchner, D Howells, T Morgan, J Sage, A Warren, J Lewis, T Knoyle, B Harris, E Dee, L Brown, M Screech, L Evans, O Griffiths, N Cudd, R Moriarty.

Replacements: R Lawrence, A Jarvis, L Fairbrother, C Hill, H Taylor, R Davies, J Williams, W Talbot-Davies.

[Stone Motif]

Interesting what the tombola has thrown up, this week.

Dragons: Z Kirchner, D Howells, T Morgan, J Sage, A Warren, J Lewis, T Knoyle, B Harris, E Dee, L Brown, M Screech, L Evans, O Griffiths, N Cudd, R Moriarty.

Replacements: R Lawrence, A Jarvis, L Fairbrother, C Hill, H Taylor, R Davies, J Williams, W Talbot-Davies.

How do you get interviewed by the Argus and bang on about not sh1tting the bed away in Romania, then go back and name that side? I predict Trimisoara will do things to our scrum that people would be shocked to see in the back streets of Hamburg.

[RiscaGame]

It is crazy.

[Guest]

Lewis Evans at lock??? That 2nd row looks a little underpowered to me

[Stone Motif]

It is crazy.

It's like he looked at the reason the Blues won last week and amidst that abysmal performance he thought feck me, this playing a big slow flanker in the second row is a masterstroke...

[PhilBB]

It is crazy.

It's like he looked at the reason the Blues won last week and amidst that abysmal performance he thought feck me, this playing a big slow flanker in the second row is a masterstroke...

Well, if the alternative is playing him in the back row.......

This is also the 'coach' who sends Bevington to play for Cross Keys and not his own team's A side.

[Stone Motif]

It is crazy.

It's like he looked at the reason the Blues won last week and amidst that abysmal performance he thought feck me, this playing a big slow flanker in the second row is a masterstroke...

Well, if the alternative is playing him in the back row.......

This is also the 'coach' who sends Bevington to play for Cross Keys and not his own team's A side.

He's a f6cking idiot

[RiscaGame]

Yeah, that’s nonsensical too. I am unsure what the reasoning is for Bevington.

That said, if he wanted a lightweight flanker playing lock, he could’ve just used Taylor seeing as he backed up last week and was considered worthy of thirty minutes.

There are a few strange decisions really. Zane straight back in at 15, after not being required. Our most in form centre playing wing.

[Guest]

Yeah, that’s nonsensical too. I am unsure what the reasoning is for Bevington.

That said, if he wanted a lightweight flanker playing lock, he could’ve just used Taylor seeing as he backed up last week and was considered worthy of thirty minutes.

There are a few strange decisions really. Zane straight back in at 15, after not being required. Our most in form centre playing wing.

Not like Zane excelled himself at Bristol either. In fact, he’s just off the back of an absolute tonking by Worcester where they conceded 52 points with him at FB. Obviously not all his fault, but you have to wonder how he was out in the cold, sent to Bristol and then deemed to have done so well as to earn a recall right into the starting line up.

I do wonder whether Jackman has decided not to bother with Europe and to focus on the league so has put non-first choice players such as Kirchner in here and rested players like JW. But then elsewhere he has put in first choicers so that doesn’t fit. Who knows! He’s really confused me with this selection. Definitely a tombola/Claudio Ranieri tinkerman selection, aka I don’t really know who I’ve got or where they should play.

[RiscaGame]

Our Bernard tried rotating v Glasgow to win the Cardiff game and that didn’t work.

Is this a loaded up Dragons team, as he suggested?

[Stone Motif]

See the guy Bernie O thought was too sh1t to be part of his revolution is starting at ten for the Scarlets today.

[Guest]

Nuts isn’t it? From being sent to the welsh prem as he couldn’t get in the Dragons side to starting for Wales’ top region in the opening fixture of the premier NH club tournament. Hmmm.

[RiscaGame]

It is madness. Hope he plays well today. I have seen a few Scarlets’ supporters saying they’re happy with him, thus far though.

[Guest]

Timisoara 3-0 up at the moment. Early days yet though.

[Guest]

3-7 now. Try Dragons. The One Man Riot.... Elliott Dee. Nah, doesn’t quite have the same ring to to as with Wyatt!

[Stone Motif]

The one man crime spree?

[Guest]

The one man crime spree?

That’ll do!

17-33 now. BP in the bag, just hope we can hold on for the win.

[Stone Motif]

Well that shut me up.

[Guest]

17-54. We are awesome!

[Guest]

I dread to think what Northampton will do to them (Timisoara that is. And to us, come to think of it).

[RiscaGame]

Yeah, real acid test is next week. I still find it a pointless exercise, doing things like the lock experiment. It isn’t going to be repeated I suspect, so I am not sure what we gained. Should really have used that game to have worked on our game plan more etc.

[Stone Motif]

I dread to think what Northampton will do to them (Timisoara that is. And to us, come to think of it).

Northampton may rightly have one eye on the league. They're ripe for a Bernie O sucker punch.

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