The game will be Won or Lost in the first 20 Mins

[Golden]

we score early we win, dragons have no idea how to come from behind and have No Plan B

we get behind early dragons will use their borrrrrring style with kicking Penalty goals frustrate us and get a couple of late trys to make it look like it was easy

get to a great start like in 05 and we have this!

 

[Eddie]

I agree to an extent Golden. After a 2 week spell the Dragons will probably be finding their feet a bit in the first 20\. This is when we need to ambush them. Rattle their forwards with a few big hits, test their edge defence. If we can get 6-10 points ahead early they will panic. They are not a team that are comfortable coming from behind. I would say if we are behind at halftime we are next to no hope of winning the game. Ambush them early and we have every chance.

 

[magpie_mania]

i agree to an extent golden. After a 2 week spell the dragons will probably be finding their feet a bit in the first 20\. This is when we need to ambush them. Rattle their forwards with a few big hits, test their edge defence. If we can get 6-10 points ahead early they will panic. They are not a team that are comfortable coming from behind. I would say if we are behind at halftime we are next to no hope of winning the game. Ambush them early and we have every chance.

good post the interesting thing is despite the saints having a "week" off it will be 13 days since there last game and 8 for wests so its not as much difference as you think.

 

[Tigerdave]

yeah they seem to struggle if they are behind on the scoreboard.

13 days is a long time since their last game….and that game was against an understrength Manly side too, not a great build up for a finals campaign.

In saying all of that in our last 2 games, we were all over the opposition, but struggled to score at times, we can't afford to do that against the Saints

 

[Blackpearl]

if the scores are close with 20 to go i reckon the tigers have the smarts and creativity around the play the ball area to really cause the chokers some problems. the chokers have not been under any pressure yet and i would like to see if there is a plan B for bennetts chokers which i doubt. bring it on !!

 

[Tiger_Watto]

Dragons are no where near the team they were last year. The 2010 Dragons remind me alot like the 2000 Brisbane Broncos. Wayne worked the squad well last year, but in 2010, he has had the time to personally manage each player and has them clearly focused on thier individual jobs. They are committed and focused, and are in the best possible state of mind to ensure they leave nothing in the tank this Saturday night. Anything less than a Grand Final Ring is a loss/failure…

We dont nessasarily need to play our 'best' game this week, but we will have to play our 'biggest' to get over the top of them. Any talk about Chokers or No Plan B, are all myths and will be the undoing of the Tigers in there preparation. Each player needs to do 1-2 thing more this week than they did last week. Players like Robert Lui needs to ensure he sticks to as many tackles as possible, having the confidence someone else will finish off the attacker. Whereas Blake Ayshford needs to hold back in defence and keep the line intact to ensure his inside/outside man isnt isolated. It will be all the simple thing which make a difference this Saturday night...

This will be the Grand Final that wasnt!!! :sign:

 

[pearce_off]

I almost feel as if we'd do better being behind by 2 points the whole match and then winning it on the bell. Wouldn't do our hearts any good - but getting run down in the final 20 after dominating for 60 isn't good for our hearts either. As soon as we think we have a big enough lead for the time remaining we seem to loose momentum. That wouldn't happen if we were trailing.
I'd be happy to see St George opting to take goal kicks for penalties. I think that would be a negative tactic to use against us. If either team is leading by less than 6 with 5-10 minutes to play, the leading team will be very nervous….

 

[GlennC]

Yeh I'm kinda tired of reading we need to establish a lead in the first 20\. I mean it's almost like saying if the scores are level or we are just behind at the 20 minute mark we can't win.

That's ridiculous of course.

We are in the fight for the full 80 as far as I'm concerned.

 

[mike]

We are also very good at scoring a lot of points in the last 10 minutes of a game. I would not write us off if we are behind with 20 mins to go.

 

[tigeress]

Should we be giving our proposed game plan to the opposition :question:

 

[Golden]

well im sure the dragons gameplan is to *target Benji and Lui* somthing we hear every week

 

[Geo]

I don't think so…..It will be won in the 33min of extra time....

 

[system]

It will be a game of two halves

 

[mikey]

We have faded in the last two games and this worries me. Hopefully, we can keep going for the full 80 minutes this week.

 

[GeorgeQ]

well im sure the dragons gameplan is to *target Benji and Lui* somthing we hear every week

I thought that too, but after watching Gus on Mad Monday last night (p.s. very good show, but why so late!) I think he is right in that the Dragons wont change their game plan (i.e. to attack down the left hand side), as it has worked well all year. As Gus said, I dont think they are suddenly going to change their game plan and start attacking their right hand side (which I believe is the Lui's side).

Just on that show (and apologies if this has already been covered) but Gus also showed how the Raiders isolated Lui by getting Ellis to make and then mark the tackle, which enabled them to send Harrison straight at Lui, whom he ran over and scored. I agree with Gus that the Dragons will try this also - but it will be a spontaneous decision rather than by design. However, he also showed how the Sea Eagles isolated Soward but they kept stuffing it up by going back inside and then he said "the Tigers wont miss" - before preceding to show how the Tigers did it to Canberra. I found all this very interesting.

 

[GeorgeQ]

It will be a game of two halves

Unless it goes to extra time - then it could be a game of three halves (actually, if it goes for 100 mins, it would be a game of two two fifths, one twentieth and a three twentieth - I think, maths is not my strongest subject).

 

[Delahunty]

As above, Isolating Soward in the defence close to the line will be on the cards. I don't think he or Lui's defence is neccessarily that bad, its a question of stature and big forwards running at them close to the line.

i don't know how anyone can believe that an 80 min game will be decided in 20 minutes. Even if we are up they will be committed for 2 halves. The shock factor worked nicely when we ran in the first on friday, but we were unable to sustain alot of pressure defensively, letting them within a penalty goal of extra time.

The tigers are going to have to consider they're defence as important as their attack. Play them at their own game. We have the players to take advantage and score points when the opportunities arise.

 

[tig_prmz]

As one of my favourite commentators would say:

"Whichever team scores more points will win."

Gotta love that bloke. :laughing: :laughing:

 

[MGB]

It will be a game of two halves

Or four if it goes the way of the first semi.

 

[stryker]

Targeting Soward will reap rewards. He always tries to take the big men high and gets demolished by them….

I agree with what Gus said last night about him..."the tigers wont miss".