Queens Team Announced

[DVS Matt]

1.  Jason NIGHTINGALE
2.  Wendell SAILOR
3.  Mark GASNIER (c)
4.  Matt COOPER
5.  Josh MORRIS
6.  Ben ROGERS
7.  Ben HORNBY
8.  Dan HUNT
9.  Stuart WEBB
10. Jason RYLES
11. Lagi SETU
12. Ben CREAGH
13. Dean YOUNG 

14. Matt PRIOR
15. Kirk REYNOLDSON
16. Beau Scott
17. Ben ELLIS

18. Jarrod SAFFY
19. Jamie SOWARD
20. Simon WOOLFORD
21. Rangi CHASE

 

[Guest]

Very happy that ben rogers is playing as he is a weak link for them.  Not many other weakness' other than puss puss Ryles although they won't get much impact from their bench.

Definately beatable especially if Mattai gets a big hit on Gasniers ribs early on in the game.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I wouldn't read much into that, i have no doubt at all Soward will be a part of that side

 

[DVS Matt]

Soward (if fit) has to play.

Ryles has been outstanding for 90% of this season. Their weakness isn't in their skill level but in their mind set.

I'm hoping that they think that making the finals is good enough

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

LOL @ the Dragon fans goin off about it too

 

[missing_something]

Sailors their weak link in defence - his attacks been great though, I've watched there last three games and he's **** in the air and often caught out in defence, has the same issue our wingers have with coming in but hasn't got the speed to get out again if he has too.

I think manly will win as along as they get a couple of shots on Gasnier early, it’s well known he goes into his shell if he’s been roughed up a bit.

 

[Canteen Worker]

We need to dominate their middle and cut down their go-forward. Their backs need the space to have an impact.

 

[DSM5]

Canteen we agree on this.  Stop Creagh and Ryles and you have them.  Quick dummy half running will catch them out.  Matai must hold his line as we all know their centres have talent. 

 

[clontaago]

Hasnt Soward been missing for like 5 weeks now?

 

[Central Coast Eagle]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24324630-23214,00.html
Dragons won't change a thing
By Steve Jancetic
September 10, 2008 AS painful as the near misses of 2005 and 2006 may have been, departing St George Illawarra prop Jason Ryles believes the double NRL finals failure came with a valuable lesson - don't go changing.

Ahead of what could turn out to be his final game in the big red V, Ryles said the Dragons coaching and playing staff had learned that September was not the time for radical overhauls.

The former Test enforcer, who will link up with French Super League club Les Catalans next season, claimed his side's finals campaigns of ‘05 and ‘06 weren't helped by changes to the game plan which had been so successful in getting the Dragons into the finals in the first place.

“We've learnt by not changing anything at the last minute,” Ryles said of the two preliminary finals losses.

“In ‘05 and ‘06 especially, we tinkered with a few things and it probably didn't work out the best way, we'll just keep everything as simple as possible and kick-chase hard and hopefully our game stems from there.

“We spoke about (sticking with the game plan) a month ago and apart from the game on the weekend - when the horrendous conditions didn't really help either side - we'd built a little bit of momentum heading into that.

“We haven't taken too much out of (last week's loss to the Roosters), we just want to keep improving.”

Heading into the 2006 finals series, the Dragons moved then skipper and five-eighth Trent Barrett into dummy half to accommodate the return of halfback Mathew Head who was starting games off the interchange bench.

The result was a side without any real organiser with Head, Barrett and first-choice halfback Ben Hornby all sharing the play-making role as the Dragons bowed out at the hands of Melbourne.

Fast forward a couple of years and desire to stick with what has been working throughout the season has left coach Nathan Brown in a quandary over who to start at five-eighth against Manly in Saturday night's qualifying final, with Ben Rogers and fit-again Jamie Soward vying for the berth.

Soward, the Dragons' leading vote-getter in last night's Dally M medal count, was the first choice No.6 for most of the season before a back injury struck in the round 22 loss to Wests Tigers.

In stepped South Sydney reject Rogers, who played a leading role in wins over Brisbane, the Warriors and Parramatta that pushed the Dragons into the finals.

With Soward available for the final round clash with the Roosters, Brown opted to stick with Rogers for the sake of familiarity.

But the wet night didn't do Rogers' running game any favours as the Dragons went down 10-0 in a game which highlighted the need for Soward's superior kicking game
But the wet night didn't do Rogers' running game any favours as the Dragons went down 10-0 in a game which highlighted the need for Soward's superior kicking game.

Rogers has again been named at five-eighth with Soward on the bench, but Brown wasn't giving anything away when quizzed as to who would get the final nod.

“All those things are a possibility,” Brown said.

“Sowey's obviously fit again now and he obviously brings different things to the team than Benny Rogers does.”

Soward HAS to play for them to have a chance

 

[deadlyeagle]

our loss will come not at the hands of the dragons but our own self capitulation.

I think it is as simple as anything if we hold on to the ball and decrease our miss tackles we should win the game.

 

[willstyles]

I wouldn't read much into that, i have no doubt at all Soward will be a part of that side

Soward has been fit for about three weeks and he's filthy that he hasn't got his spot back. He should've played last Friday, and they'd be crazy not to pick him this week. Sure, stick with the same side if it is winning, but they got beaten by a Roosters side that is a bit of a lame duck at the moment.

 

[eagle_predator]

I'm sure we wont want them to beat us twice at Brookie in the one year that should motivation enough.