Brad Fittler set for NSW Blues coach role after impressing with Lebanon in RLWC

[Knightmare]

PROS: Freddy is a Gus disciple and will have Gus as well on Joey on either side of him. Freddy also brings NRL coaching experience to the role.

CONS: Could he be too biased towards Roosters players? Does he have the balls to put a rocket up the Sharon Woods or Blake Ferguson type players- or cut them altogether if they begin to think they can just walk into the NSW team, piss up all week and then walk back into position when defending on their line in a decider?

 

[OldPanther]

PROS: Freddy is a Gus disciple and will have Gus as well on Joey on either side of him. Freddy also brings NRL coaching experience to the role.

CONS: Could he be too biased towards Roosters players? Does he have the balls to put a rocket up the Sharon Woods or Blake Ferguson type players- or cut them altogether if they begin to think they can just walk into the NSW team, piss up all week and then walk back into position when defending on their line in a decider?

He's been coaching rep footy for a while. He'll be NSW first and foremost. He spoke today about picking players who'll do right by the team.

 

[SBD82]

He's been coaching rep footy for a while. He'll be NSW first and foremost. He spoke today about picking players who'll do right by the team.

Hopefully that means that duges and fergo are gone instantly.

 

[OldPanther]

Hopefully that means that duges and fergo are gone instantly.

I hope so but Dugan will be harder to get rid of after playing for Aus.

 

[King hit]

Dugan plays well for Australia and doesn't disgrace himself in Origin. There are many worse representative players than him.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Dugan plays well for Australia and doesn't disgrace himself in Origin. There are many worse representative players than him.

It's not necessarily about what he does on the field. Its what he represents off it... Picking Dugan is a statement that you can be a complete pisshead wanker and still make the NSW or Australian team. This is what people don't get. You can't instill a decent culture around the place unless you cut knobs like Dugan, Fergo, Pearce and so on.

 

[Knightmare]

From this series just gone, he should cut:

- Pearce. If ever there was a series that was going to be the making of Mitchell Pearce the Blues half, this was it. But again he looked replaceable.

- Hayne. Brilliant individual and a big factor in the 2014 series win. But 2014 was 3 seasons ago. Hayne is not a team player, and NSW should look for somebody who is with a longer playing future ahead of them for 2018.

- Woods. What a waste of $90k. Arguably the weakest link in an otherwise decent NSW forward pack.

- Ferguson. Has the wrong attitude and could be a bad influence on the emerging NSW players. Cut it off at the root and give his spot to somebody prepared to take Origin camp seriously.

Players who should be put on notice:

- Fifita. Terrorised Qld in Game 1, but he's not effective when he doesn't run straight. Guilty of the same errors in the Sharks SF against the Cowboys.

- Wade Graham. Shouldn't have tried to rake the ball from Gagai in Game 2 and given Qld field position late in the game. Then he went and did exactly the same thing in the decider after NSW scored, got some momentum behind them and Qld looked vulnerable. It was a massive let-off for Qld. Either he cuts it out or he should be cut from the team.

 

[OldPanther]

I think Dugan will be ok getting away from the Dragons and their lack of respect for him. Also keep Fergo away from him and I believe you'll see the best of Dugan on and off the field.

 

[SBD82]

I think Dugan will be ok getting away from the Dragons and their lack of respect for him.

Is this a joke? Or poor bait?

Some people said the same thing about Merrin.

 

[OldPanther]

Is this a joke? Or poor bait?

Some people said the same thing about Merrin.

I'm being serious. Notice he's always in trouble around fergo BUT I don't want him picked. I just think he will be.

Merrin was a top 5 forward in 2016 when he left dragons and had personal stuff in 2017.

 

[Clifferd]

As long as we get rid of Pearce I'll be happy. Also want them to ditch Dugan and Woods.

Based on Freddy’s obsession with Moses I reckon Pearce will make way for Mitch next year

I’ll take a stab and predict the starting team will look like this. Honestly nfi about the bench

1. Tedesco
2. Trbojevic
3. Bird
4. Walker
5. Mansour
6. Maloney
7. Moses
8. Woods
9. Peats
10. Klemmer
11. Graham
12. Frizzell
13. Trbojevic

 

[SBD82]

I'm being serious. Notice he's always in trouble around fergo BUT I don't want him picked. I just think he will be.

Merrin was a top 5 forward in 2016 when he left dragons and had personal stuff in 2017.

Dugan is a limited player.

The dragons have limited coaching staff, and this may have stifled Dugan's development of his skills, but they have never shown him a lack of respect. When teddy was coming through and it was obvious that dugans rep future was in the centers, the dragons couldn't have been more accommodating.

He is still not great in the centers, despite being an auto pick there for Australia and nsw. He lacks vision and passing, and the lines he runs are very ordinary. Defensively he is outstanding at fullback and good in the centers.

If flanno can get him to pull his head in and learn to run lines and pass within the Sharks' structures, with his natural physical attributes he could be a fantastic center. My fear for duges is it may be too late for him to learn new tricks. He may have missed that bus, so to speak.

 

[OldPanther]

Dugan is a limited player.

The dragons have limited coaching staff, and this may have stifled Dugan's development of his skills, but they have never shown him a lack of respect. When teddy was coming through and it was obvious that dugans rep future was in the centers, the dragons couldn't have been more accommodating.

He is still not great in the centers, despite being an auto pick there for Australia and nsw. He lacks vision and passing, and the lines he runs are very ordinary. Defensively he is outstanding at fullback and good in the centers.

If flanno can get him to pull his head in and learn to run lines and pass within the Sharks' structures, with his natural physical attributes he could be a fantastic center. My fear for duges is it may be too late for him to learn new tricks. He may have missed that bus, so to speak.

I said disrespect since that's how it came across from his point of view in interviews. I personally think the dragons wanted someone more versatile at the back.

I agree with the rest.

 

[SBD82]

I'm being serious. Notice he's always in trouble around fergo BUT I don't want him picked. I just think he will be.

Merrin was a top 5 forward in 2016 when he left dragons and had personal stuff in 2017.

As for Merrin, he lacks the skills to be an elite lock. Great offload in traffic, but can't play the link role well enough to stall a defensive line and give his halves good wide ball. Also lacks the sheer power game of a taumololo style lock. I'd want Merrin in my team as a prop, but he is nowhere near jurbo or JDB as a lock.

 

[OldPanther]

As for Merrin, he lacks the skills to be an elite lock. Great offload in traffic, but can't play the link role well enough to stall a defensive line and give his halves good wide ball. Also lacks the sheer power game of a taumololo style lock. I'd want Merrin in my team as a prop, but he is nowhere near jurbo or JDB as a lock.

Most Panthers fans say the same thing. We want him at prop with Carty at lock.

 

[SBD82]

Most Panthers fans say the same thing. We want him at prop with Carty at lock.

I can see why in attack, but in defense I think he'd struggle with the workload. Think it'd leave your middle a bit light. Tough one. He's bloody talented, so you have to get him around the ball more, but I don't know if he'll ever be anything other than a wade graham style edge forward (not that there's anything wrong with being as good as wade graham).

 

[SBD82]

I said disrespect since that's how it came across from his point of view in interviews. I personally think the dragons wanted someone more versatile at the back.

I agree with the rest.

Yeah. I tend to think the disrespect was in dugans head. How he saw himself was better than how the club saw him. The money that we reportedly offered him was pretty similar to what the sharks reportedly paid. There was a year's difference and some ego stroking that got him home I think.

It's a shame. If he could get his ego in check and develop as a player he could be anything. Good luck to him. Maybe flanno can find the formula to find his best.

 

[OldPanther]

I can see why in attack, but in defense I think he'd struggle with the workload. Think it'd leave your middle a bit light. Tough one. He's bloody talented, so you have to get him around the ball more, but I don't know if he'll ever be anything other than a wade graham style edge forward (not that there's anything wrong with being as good as wade graham).

His biggest problem is lateral movement. Defending in the middle should help him to an extent.

 

[OldPanther]

Yeah. I tend to think the disrespect was in dugans head. How he saw himself was better than how the club saw him. The money that we reportedly offered him was pretty similar to what the sharks reportedly paid. There was a year's difference and some ego stroking that got him home I think.

It's a shame. If he could get his ego in check and develop as a player he could be anything. Good luck to him. Maybe flanno can find the formula to find his best.

Absolutely. It's a shame he's wasted all that natural talent to a point.

 

[RecordBreakingMaroons.]

http://www.nrl.com/fittler-can-turn-nsw-around-elias/tabid/10874/newsid/115560/default.aspx

"Fittler can turn NSW around"

Yep. From now on NSW will be aiming to score tries in their own in-goal.