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Matt Dufty re-signs until end of 2019

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
5,967
There were a couple of times Dufty threatened the line & I thought ‘he’s through’ but he was contained & couldn’t bust them.
IMO he is settling in well. Out of last nights game you could question his positioning when he got dragged back into the in goal but, to me, he was let down by the players near him who didn’t offer any help(think of Moylan snatching the ball out of, can’t remember who, at the other end.
Other than that the little brain explosion pass(the Feki run)will be a good lesson for him.
Definitely good to see him run on the kick return, that’s his confidence maker.
One area I would like to see him improve in is his positioning under the high ball, on many occasions he doesnt really get under the ball but tends to run into the catch....I know hes still a bit green in 1st grade and it will come eventually.....I tnink he is focusing on not getting driven back when he catches it.....should take a leaf out of Boyds game, you watch he gets under the ball and hardly gets driven back because if there are opposition players nearby he goes straight to ground....they used to say these were involuntary tackles but they rarely police it thexe days
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Ryan Girdler did mention this throughout the game. I've finally watched the game as I only heard it in the car. However, I have have promised not to bag out Dufty on this forum. I will bite lengths off my tongue. PS you're right about McInnes.

Of course, I'm bloody right about McInnes: the bloke was flicked by his previous club for an aging Robbie Farrah FFS!
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
dufftym1803257.jpg



DRAGONS

Dufty beats drum for long-term stint at fullback
Author
Joel Gould
Timestamp
Tue 27 Mar 2018, 08:01 PM

Matt Dufty’s position in the St George Illawarra Dragons’ spine has been likened to that of a budding percussionist who is "in a four-piece band looking for a regular drummer".

That quote, courtesy of Dragons director of list management Ian Millward, sums up the situation the in-form fullback is in as he aims to become a long-term member of the side’s spine alongside hooker Cameron McInnes and halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt.

Dufty, a Dragons junior, certainly hit all the right notes in the 54-8 thrashing of the Gold Coast Titans where he scored a hat-trick and was involved in plenty.

The Dragons have signed Hunt for life while Widdop and McInnes are both on board until the end of 2021.

When Josh Dugan joined the Sharks, a window opened for a fullback to stake his claim.

Despite playing just seven NRL games in 2017, the Dragons extended Dufty's deal to the end of 2019 with the hope that he would prove he was the man to hopefully become their long-term custodian.

"There were probably four youngsters in our ranks that we wanted to give an opportunity to and create a pathway for and Duff got the jump on the other guys," Millward told NRL.com.

"Our long-term goal is to have a long-term spine and we gave Duff an extra year before the season started to give him some confidence, stability and a great opportunity to nail that spot.

"If he does well, he will join the other three…although obviously, we would have to negotiate with his agent.

"He loves playing for the Dragons. He’s a Dragon junior and if he takes his opportunity, he will reap the benefits.

"It is a bit like he is in a four-piece band looking for a regular drummer."

Millward said Dufty still had plenty of development to do but noted his "genuine speed, genuine vision and passing ala Ben Barba", and his record of scoring the most tries in under 20s history.

Dufty told NRL.com he knew in the pre-season the fullback spot was "up for grabs" and that he needed to improve a key area to stake his claim.

"I wasn’t the best trainer and when I was 18 or 19, my mindset was that I was just going to make it, but [former under 20s coach] Ben Hornby took me aside and said if I wanted to play first grade for a long time, it was all about the little one-per-centers," he said.

"I trained really hard this pre-season and did everything the best I could. Then coming into the trials, I knew I had to play good footy and Mary [Paul McGregor] gave me the shot for round one."

duftym-180325706.jpg

St George Illawarra Dragons fullback Matt Dufty. :copyright:Scott Davis/NRL Photos
Dufty said he had relished playing off the back of Widdop and Hunt's magic.

"It is a once in a lifetime combination and having them both inside you giving you the ball, you can't ask for anything more," he said.

"Hunty hadn't played with us before and in the pre-season there was a real big emphasis on him getting that combination with Gareth. The trials showed us we still needed a bit of work and the spine went away and put in the hard yards and since round one we've been firing."

To hark back to Millward's "drummer" reference, if the Dragons spine is a four-piece band then they are playing like The Beatles in their prime, with Dufty in the role of Ringo Starr.

He certainly starred against the Titans, although he is savvy enough to realise that three outstanding performances don't make a season.

"That was only my 10th NRL game. I've still got a lot of work to do and I am ready to do it," he said.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/27...s-the-drum-for-a-long-term-stint-at-fullback/
 

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
dufftym1803257.jpg



DRAGONS

Dufty beats drum for long-term stint at fullback
Author
Joel Gould
Timestamp
Tue 27 Mar 2018, 08:01 PM

Matt Dufty’s position in the St George Illawarra Dragons’ spine has been likened to that of a budding percussionist who is "in a four-piece band looking for a regular drummer".

That quote, courtesy of Dragons director of list management Ian Millward, sums up the situation the in-form fullback is in as he aims to become a long-term member of the side’s spine alongside hooker Cameron McInnes and halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt.

Dufty, a Dragons junior, certainly hit all the right notes in the 54-8 thrashing of the Gold Coast Titans where he scored a hat-trick and was involved in plenty.

The Dragons have signed Hunt for life while Widdop and McInnes are both on board until the end of 2021.

When Josh Dugan joined the Sharks, a window opened for a fullback to stake his claim.

Despite playing just seven NRL games in 2017, the Dragons extended Dufty's deal to the end of 2019 with the hope that he would prove he was the man to hopefully become their long-term custodian.

"There were probably four youngsters in our ranks that we wanted to give an opportunity to and create a pathway for and Duff got the jump on the other guys," Millward told NRL.com.

"Our long-term goal is to have a long-term spine and we gave Duff an extra year before the season started to give him some confidence, stability and a great opportunity to nail that spot.

"If he does well, he will join the other three…although obviously, we would have to negotiate with his agent.

"He loves playing for the Dragons. He’s a Dragon junior and if he takes his opportunity, he will reap the benefits.

"It is a bit like he is in a four-piece band looking for a regular drummer."

Millward said Dufty still had plenty of development to do but noted his "genuine speed, genuine vision and passing ala Ben Barba", and his record of scoring the most tries in under 20s history.

Dufty told NRL.com he knew in the pre-season the fullback spot was "up for grabs" and that he needed to improve a key area to stake his claim.

"I wasn’t the best trainer and when I was 18 or 19, my mindset was that I was just going to make it, but [former under 20s coach] Ben Hornby took me aside and said if I wanted to play first grade for a long time, it was all about the little one-per-centers," he said.

"I trained really hard this pre-season and did everything the best I could. Then coming into the trials, I knew I had to play good footy and Mary [Paul McGregor] gave me the shot for round one."

duftym-180325706.jpg

St George Illawarra Dragons fullback Matt Dufty. :copyright:Scott Davis/NRL Photos
Dufty said he had relished playing off the back of Widdop and Hunt's magic.

"It is a once in a lifetime combination and having them both inside you giving you the ball, you can't ask for anything more," he said.

"Hunty hadn't played with us before and in the pre-season there was a real big emphasis on him getting that combination with Gareth. The trials showed us we still needed a bit of work and the spine went away and put in the hard yards and since round one we've been firing."

To hark back to Millward's "drummer" reference, if the Dragons spine is a four-piece band then they are playing like The Beatles in their prime, with Dufty in the role of Ringo Starr.

He certainly starred against the Titans, although he is savvy enough to realise that three outstanding performances don't make a season.

"That was only my 10th NRL game. I've still got a lot of work to do and I am ready to do it," he said.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/27...s-the-drum-for-a-long-term-stint-at-fullback/
Now that Dufty is getting a bit of airtime the opposition teams will start studying his play meaning he will be talked about in their game plans. If he can get some good coaching tips on positioning & catching the high ball then I think his game goes to another level & he nullifies the extra attention the opposition will throw at him.
 

dragonssamy61

First Grade
Messages
5,549
Now that Dufty is getting a bit of airtime the opposition teams will start studying his play meaning he will be talked about in their game plans. If he can get some good coaching tips on positioning & catching the high ball then I think his game goes to another level & he nullifies the extra attention the opposition will throw at him.

Agree he is putting extras at training with hunt and widdop putting up kicks ect.
He putting in and should get the benifts.
He needs to be on his game rhis week.
Pearce will give him a few.
 

2010

Bench
Messages
3,490
Now that Dufty is getting a bit of airtime the opposition teams will start studying his play meaning he will be talked about in their game plans. If he can get some good coaching tips on positioning & catching the high ball then I think his game goes to another level & he nullifies the extra attention the opposition will throw at him.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
We are getting there , that 4 pronged attack with Widdop , Hunt being the standouts and McInnes directing the forwards and finally young Duffy who continues to improve as arch week goes by .
An attacking fullback is a prerequisite for any serious title contender . Should we improve upon our defence then the Dragons will be going further than last years 9 th placing on the ladder .
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
He just extended his deal until the end of next year. Let the man play and earn his place.
Ummm, other teams will grab him, you do realise sometimes you need to resign juniors who show great promise, at least 3 yrs.

Rorters and others will be fishing very soon mate!
 

watatank

Coach
Messages
13,972
Ummm, other teams will grab him, you do realise sometimes you need to resign juniors who show great promise, at least 3 yrs.

Rorters and others will be fishing very soon mate!

Yeah, as if the Roosters are going to let Tedesco go to sign Dufty.

Dufty hasn't proved after 10 games he is worth signing for that long. There isn't a club in the competition that will sign him for three years unless they want a cheap backup.

Dufty would be stupid to leave anyway. His best chance to be a long term first grader is with us.

Nahhh, the time is now.
I suppose you said no to Thurston at the Bulldogs

How do you figure? Thurston wasn't a first grade regular when he left. Dufty is playing first grade now, it's really his spot to lose.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,441
Ummm, other teams will grab him, you do realise sometimes you need to resign juniors who show great promise, at least 3 yrs.

Rorters and others will be fishing very soon mate!
Roosters, who have James Tedesco and Latrell Mitchell signed long term, are going to come sniffing after Dufty when he’s under contract?!

Pull the other one!!!

He’s got 2 years left with us and he’s not done enough at this point to warrant any major upgrade. If he continues to improve through this year, he’ll be locked down long term. But there’s absolutely no risk at the moment - I can’t think of many clubs who’d pick him over their current fullback, and certainly not enough to push him to break contract this far out. Silliness.
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
Yeah, as if the Roosters are going to let Tedesco go to sign Dufty.

Dufty hasn't proved after 10 games he is worth signing for that long. There isn't a club in the competition that will sign him for three years unless they want a cheap backup.

Dufty would be stupid to leave anyway. His best chance to be a long term first grader is with us.



How do you figure? Thurston wasn't a first grade regular when he left. Dufty is playing first grade now, it's really his spot to lose.
Sick ofn narrowminded negative comments mate.
There are teams besides rorters you know.
Souths with no Inglis, dogs have no decent fullback, Panthers need someone, warriors when TVS leaves next year, almost every club.

If you can't see dufty is a star in the making, that's ok, but pls don't apply for a scouting role.
 

watatank

Coach
Messages
13,972
Sick ofn narrowminded negative comments mate.
There are teams besides rorters you know.
Souths with no Inglis, dogs have no decent fullback, Panthers need someone, warriors when TVS leaves next year, almost every club.

If you can't see dufty is a star in the making, that's ok, but pls don't apply for a scouting role.

Souths will just move Johnston to fullback if Inglis can't play there, Bulldogs have just moved Mbye with success, Panthers have Edwards who is a gun, Tuivasa-Sheck just signed for four years at the Warriors. None of them are signing Dufty. I mean the Tigers might sign him. Best chance of being long term fullback is still here. But whatevs.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
Yeah, as if the Roosters are going to let Tedesco go to sign Dufty.

Dufty hasn't proved after 10 games he is worth signing for that long. There isn't a club in the competition that will sign him for three years unless they want a cheap backup.

Dufty would be stupid to leave anyway. His best chance to be a long term first grader is with us.



How do you figure? Thurston wasn't a first grade regular when he left. Dufty is playing first grade now, it's really his spot to lose.
I recall Thurston having very big wraps on him at Canterbury.

I have also read that Thurston may have been involved in a scandal at Canterbury. I don't care to elaborate any more on it.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
duftym-180325706.jpg





DRAGONS

Speed v size: How Dragons balance Dufty's development
Author
Dan Walsh
Timestamp
Thu 12 Apr 2018, 03:01 PM

Matt Dufty has spent the first five weeks of 2018 running around defenders with the rarest of rugby league commodities, vindicating the club's call to let Josh Dugan jump the fence to neighbouring Cronulla.

Dufty's first full-time crack in the red and white No.1 has come up roses thus far, with the 82-kilo youngster packing more pace than predecessor Dugan and sweeping into attacking plays more often and ball-playing as a result.

The southern Sydney derby rolls around again as the Sharks do the same 'centre v fullback' dance that St George Illawarra two-stepped their way through last year with Dugan, a fine representative custodian in his own right, but a fundamentally different one.

The Dragons couldn't be happier with Dufty's progress thus far, but there was one moment when Dugan used his extra 20 kilos to smash the 22-year-old back into his in-goal when they last crossed paths in round two.

Enter Nathan Pickworth, St. George Illawarra's head of high performance charged with keeping Dufty ahead of the roughest contact game in the country, where 110-kilo muscle-bound monsters are out to bury him beneath the turf he's just scorched.

dufty-v-dugan_20180411.jpg

Over the last 18 months Dufty has added four kilos to his frame as he's risen through to first grade, while fellow gun junior Jai Field has packed 10kg onto his playing weight since commencing full time training, up to about 82kg on a good day.

They've done so without effecting their greatest asset, speed.

Acceleration off the mark is where the Dragons are focused and both Dufty and Field have since cracked an impressive max velocity of 10 metres per second, typically on show as they zoom round defenders for fun.

"The key is making sure that the muscle mass you add is functional, any dead weight is almost like a handicap for a horse," Pickworth told NRL.com

"…The thing with league players, especially Duft as an example, if you take the full 40 metres to reach max velocity, you're not going to get there because someone will tackle you before you're going flat out.

"What we pay particular attention to is acceleration, reaching top speed with the ball quicker than the defender can, because that means they're more likely to beat their defender.

"…Side-stepping, palming and being ready for a tackle, trunk strength in manoeuvring through a rugby league game is crucial.

"Duft's ability to accelerate is probably just as valuable as his actual top speed in terms of assets that make him as a player."

St George Illawarra's strength and conditioning staff was bolstered last year by the additions of Alex Clarke, who consulted with China's Olympic track and field team in Rio, and Andrew Rondinelli, whose CV includes work with rising Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis and AFL outfit Port Adelaide.

Twice a week over summer they put the Dragons through specific speed and agility training sessions, while running mechanics are built into a regular training hit-outs in season.

A teething problem or two has popped up with Field's rather rapid transformation, with his bulking up from 72 kilos bringing on back issues and shin splints.

Those issues have since cleared up as the 20-year-old continues to come on via reserve grade, and he and Dufty challenge as two of the quickest players in recent memory at the club.

Dragons v Sharks - Round 6

As the Dragons play host to Dugan at WIN Stadium, the club's pet project with his successor becomes a fine balance between rugby league's most basic elements; size and speed.

"It comes down to whether they can do what the coaches want, making sure someone's not too light and getting rag dolled on the park, and maintaining or even increasing their speed at the same time," Pickworth says.

"The other thing with playing fullback that we can't ignore is the aerobic fitness needed at the back to perform in the role.

"Add too much mass on them and their fitness drops, they're not going to be as effective at their job, they won't be able to keep up.

"It's a juggling act between an athlete's weaknesses and their strengths, reducing their weakness and increasing their strengths.

"From what we've seen so far their speed hasn't dipped with the extra weight we've added to Duft and Fieldy so far."

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/04/12...arra-dragons-balance-matt-duftys-development/
 

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