Illawarra Dragons and referees

[Hawkeye]

Whilst it was good fun watching them lose, it was equally a disgrace that Mini jrs stripping "loose carry" try was given. A blatant knock on. The rule says that if you propel the ball towards your opponents dead ball line... But Harrigan and his bunch of merry imbeciles make it up to suit themselves. Who knows what the rules are any more.

agree about the strip ...but offsetting that was the Tit's try disallowed for a forward pass that only the Touchie thought was forward !

[Guest]

They tried their best to get saints over the line ( refs and touchies ) but the dragons wilted badly. Two of the tries acredited to the Dragons were blatent forward passes, and a third forward pass was allowed that would have been a try was disalowed only because he lost the ball while trying to ground it. The tits were given nothing all night.

[Vasco]

Had to laugh at Bennett saying they "had no luck".

[Guest]

They are the worst team in the comp for forward passes close the ruck, particularly out of dummy half. They get away with 3-5 every game and it's usually when they are building momentum so the refs are even more reluctant to blow the whistle out of fear they'll get accused of "slowing down the game". Even Gould has jumped on the case harping on the refs about nick picking and unnecessary penalties. Sure use discretion around the play the ball, the rake etc, but a forward pass is a forward pass. They cream themselves about the saints "discipline", apply the farking rules and let's see what their discpiline looks like.

Chook.

[Guest]

This rorting has been taking place for many years now. It's simply the cases of happy hometown decisions for the paying customers, the promise of all teams equal in playing rosters and of course, no team can win the comp in two consecutive years. If things do'nt change'under the new ( upcoming ??? commission' ) Them I'm outta here. Soccer is fair, so too Rugby Union And, though I do'nt watch the game I believe A.F.L .is fair also, Cricket and League are certainly not fair and if our game does not change this culture under the new(? commission) then I'm outta here. Governments must never allow Wealthy business corporations to take over the peoples sports and corrupt them to even better their massive finantial profits. The arrogant owners of the game are not even subtle, thinking the suckers have put up with us for so long, why change now.

[Guest]

Governments must never allow Wealthy business corporations to take over the peoples sports and corrupt them to even better their massive finantial profits. The arrogant owners of the game are not even subtle, thinking the suckers have put up with us for so long, why change now.

A lot of truth in what you say.
If we had a draw and a loss after a good run "they" would say the wheels are falling off??
So good to see some of the Dragon's fans being given a reality shot.

[Kingbilly]

They are the worst team in the comp for forward passes close the ruck, particularly out of dummy half. They get away with 3-5 every game

try 13-15 a game, not to mentioned their outside backs eternally offside

[player 1]

Had to laugh at Bennett saying they "had no luck".

Well there's the rub about Bennett. On the one hand, he has had to face hardships many of us haven't. He had to man up at a very early age (14 I think) to take care of his Mum and family after his drunken Dad ditched them. And of course he has a disabled son. These life events have helped create an aura about him and there is no denying he has some very admirable attributes. This has led in part to players like Boyd acting like devoted puppies. He must genuinely know how to relate to many young footballers to get the most out of them.

Then there is the other side of him (and to be fair we ALL have another side). I'm talking about the c.unty side. The side that dropped Hodgo when we signed him. The side that reneged on a deal with us after the very public sacking of the only coach since Gibbo to bring us a premiership. The side that genuinely believes his team had "no luck" last night.

The perpetual dummy half forward passes, going early in defense and holding down have been mentioned. Don't forget the choking of the opposition ball carrier around the neck. Hard to offload when you are deprived of oxygen. And the biggest rort of all that Benno's teams pull off - if they are penalised, they just keep doing it and the refs stop blowing penalties. Which explains how they win so man y games that are tight at half time in the second half (remember last year's GF?).

Overall, despite his admirable qualities, he is above all a cheating sour-faced, self-righteous c.unt, and I hope he goes to hell.

[Guest]

Well there's the rub about Bennett. On the one hand, he has had to face hardships many of us haven't. He had to man up at a very early age (14 I think) to take care of his Mum and family after his drunken Dad ditched them. And of course he has a disabled son. These life events have helped create an aura about him and there is no denying he has some very admirable attributes. This has led in part to players like Boyd acting like devoted puppies. He must genuinely know how to relate to many young footballers to get the most out of them.

Then there is the other side of him (and to be fair we ALL have another side). I'm talking about the c.unty side. The side that dropped Hodgo when we signed him. The side that reneged on a deal with us after the very public sacking of the only coach since Gibbo to bring us a premiership. The side that genuinely believes his team had "no luck" last night.

The perpetual dummy half forward passes, going early in defense and holding down have been mentioned. Don't forget the choking of the opposition ball carrier around the neck. Hard to offload when you are deprived of oxygen. And the biggest rort of all that Benno's teams pull off - if they are penalised, they just keep doing it and the refs stop blowing penalties. Which explains how they win so man y games that are tight at half time in the second half (remember last year's GF?).

Overall, despite his admirable qualities, he is above all a cheating sour-faced, self-righteous c.unt, and I hope he goes to hell.

Post of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Well there's the rub about Bennett. On the one hand, he has had to face hardships many of us haven't. He had to man up at a very early age (14 I think) to take care of his Mum and family after his drunken Dad ditched them. And of course he has a disabled son. These life events have helped create an aura about him and there is no denying he has some very admirable attributes. This has led in part to players like Boyd acting like devoted puppies. He must genuinely know how to relate to many young footballers to get the most out of them.

Then there is the other side of him (and to be fair we ALL have another side). I'm talking about the c.unty side. The side that dropped Hodgo when we signed him. The side that reneged on a deal with us after the very public sacking of the only coach since Gibbo to bring us a premiership. The side that genuinely believes his team had "no luck" last night.

The perpetual dummy half forward passes, going early in defense and holding down have been mentioned. Don't forget the choking of the opposition ball carrier around the neck. Hard to offload when you are deprived of oxygen. And the biggest rort of all that Benno's teams pull off - if they are penalised, they just keep doing it and the refs stop blowing penalties. Which explains how they win so man y games that are tight at half time in the second half (remember last year's GF?).

Overall, despite his admirable qualities, he is above all a cheating sour-faced, self-righteous c.unt, and I hope he goes to hell.

His life is on public record. Many people have to deal with worse.
Love the post.

[Guest]

well there's the rub about bennett. On the one hand, he has had to face hardships many of us haven't. He had to man up at a very early age (14 i think) to take care of his mum and family after his drunken dad ditched them. And of course he has a disabled son. These life events have helped create an aura about him and there is no denying he has some very admirable attributes. This has led in part to players like boyd acting like devoted puppies. He must genuinely know how to relate to many young footballers to get the most out of them.

Then there is the other side of him (and to be fair we all have another side). I'm talking about the c.unty side. The side that dropped hodgo when we signed him. The side that reneged on a deal with us after the very public sacking of the only coach since gibbo to bring us a premiership. The side that genuinely believes his team had "no luck" last night.

The perpetual dummy half forward passes, going early in defense and holding down have been mentioned. Don't forget the choking of the opposition ball carrier around the neck. Hard to offload when you are deprived of oxygen. And the biggest rort of all that benno's teams pull off - if they are penalised, they just keep doing it and the refs stop blowing penalties. Which explains how they win so man y games that are tight at half time in the second half (remember last year's gf?).

Overall, despite his admirable qualities, he is above all a cheating sour-faced, self-righteous c.unt, and i hope he goes to hell.

what he said

[OMR]

I posted earlier in the season that StG could not win without cheating, and was howled down and told they are a good side. Well I just uwanted to say what "player1" said but didn't have the time or skill to do it.

[Chookies74]

And the biggest rort of all that Benno's teams pull off - if they are penalised, they just keep doing it and the refs stop blowing penalties

That's not Bennett's fault, in fact it's Bennett brilliance.
It Harrigan's problem.

[Guest]

That's not Bennett's fault, in fact it's Bennett brilliance.
It Harrigan's problem.

i agree wholeheartedly and to be honest, if i was a coach and my team was getting away with murder week in week out but getting results then i would tell them to keep doing it too. to add to that excellent summation above, what i hate about him above all else is the way he is portrayed in the media. he isnt some sort of prophet or genius. he has coached some of the best sides to ever grace the earth, has had the rub of the green with the officials everywhere he has gone and has all too many disciples willing to cover for him when he does get it wrong. there is nothing impressive about his coaching in the slightest sense of the word. Taking his 'awesome' game plan from brisbane to a lesser team like st george has proved that. see without the lockyear to pull it all together in attack, his coaching qualities in attack come to the floor. strong defence, get the players attitude right, coach awesome teams and rely on a superstar to make it happen. sounds a lot like ricky stuart if you ask me. maybe bennett would have had similar results if he took up a real challenge like at cronulla

[Guest]

Im sorry but you're crazy if you dont rate Bennet as one of the best coaches in the game.

His ability to get complete nuffies to play like worldbeaters can only be replicated by Bellamy.

Look at the spine he had when taking St.George to a m.p. in theit first year:

9 - Priddis(lol) was on the scrapheap and Dean Young, a backrower.
7 - Hornby - solid player, nothing more.
6 - Soward - a player with good wraps but in no way was he the controlled half that he is today. Invented a role for him to work to his strengths.
1 - Boyd - former winger turned into one of the best fb of the last few years.

We all hate the guy for turning his back on us but to dismiss his coaching credentials is ridiculous.