‘Not NRL standard’: Dragons’ pack roasted over ‘lack of desperation’ in defence

Laurie Daley and Phil Rothfield have blasted the Dragons’ inept defensive performance against the Rabbitohs and raised doubts they have enough forwards of NRL standard.

The Dragons were blown apart by Souths to lose the Charity Shield clash in Mudgee 48-16 and it clear their defensive issues in the middle of the field have remained from last year.

“It was great from the Rabbitohs but it was terrible from St George Illawarra,” Rothfield said on The Big Sports Breakfast.

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Rugby League: The South Sydney Rabbitohs have beaten the St George Illawarra Dragons to win the Charity Shield for the 9th year in a row….

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“Where do I start? I actually rate trials and I think they are really important and particularly for clubs like the Dragons and the Tigers who two weeks out from the season need confidence.

“When you have a look at that St George side they have very experienced halves and they have Dufty out the back and Zac Lomax.

“Jack Bird got that pass around the corner for their first try and they seem to have enough attacking prowess, but I just don’t rate their forward pack at all.

“You take Tyson Frizell out of it from last year and they still have Jack de Belin out and we have been talking about him for two years.

“I just think their forwards aren’t NRL standard. The majority of that pack.”

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Rothfield revealed he spoke to new Dragons coach Anthony Griffin on the eve of the match who assured him that the club had done a lot of work on their defence in the off-season, but it didn’t show on the field.

“It was a really important game,” Rothfield said.

“I turned up at their hotel on Saturday morning and they looked such a happy camp. They were playing cricket in the driveway of the hotel and they were all getting on really well.

“I had a chat to Anthony Griffin and he was telling me how hard they worked on their defence all off-season because that was an area they had to toughen up in.

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“Then it was 32-4 at halftime and that was the game and Wayne Bennett took his big players off.

“When you look at that forward pack I just don’t think they have the engine room, the firepower, the grit or the toughness to match the better packs.

“I’m not sure that Anthony Griffin can get them ready with the roster he has got in the next 10 days.”

Daley was surprised with the ease at which the Rabbitohs cut through the Dragons up and called out the players over a lack of commitment to their teammates.

“That was the thing that surprised me was how easily they opened up defensively,” Daley said.

“South Sydney were good there is no denying that, but some of the tries that they scored left a lot to be desired.

Paul Vaughan is one of the few rep standard players in the Dragons pack.Source:Getty Images

“There was no desperation or full commitment to go and get the job done, make the tackle, cover for your mate. All the little things that they would have spoken about in the off-season.”

Panthers legend Greg Alexander called for some mongrel to be brought into the pack to inspire the team to work harder, especially in the middle of the field.

“They need some grunt, they need some aggression,” Alexander said on SEN Radio.

“They need some animals and someone who’s going to stand up. Josh Kerr started on the edge, but I think he has to play in the middle.

“I know with Tyson Frizell moving on they are a bit short there. Maybe Tariq (Sims) needs to move to the middle – he only played nine games last year.”

The Dragons don’t have long to turn things around with their first game against the Sharks scheduled for Sunday fortnight.

Originally published as‘Not NRL standard’: Dragons’ pack roasted over ‘lack of desperation’ in defence

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