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Jack Bird

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
After giving it some thought I have come to the opinion that we only need to sign one player for the 2018 season - Jack Bird. My reason for this is:
He is a Dragons junior
He can cover a wide number of positions
He has a preference to play fullback or five-eighth
He is not yet a superstar and could be signed for less than similarly capable fullbacks / five-eighths

With Bird on board our backline could look like this:
1. Bird
2. Mann / Garrick
3. Milne
4. Dugan
5. Macdonald
6. Field / Dufty / Hutch / Mann
7. Hunt


If Bird is signed, there are plenty of optional available for what can only be described as a very dynamic backline with plenty of youth and experience, speed and elusiveness and size in the outside backs.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,578
I don't think Mann, Milne or Dugan are signed for 2018 yet, plus a few others off - contract, so we might need to sign them first.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
I don't think Mann, Milne or Dugan are signed for 2018 yet, plus a few others off - contract, so we might need to sign them first.
Kit66,
Love reading your posts and find them very interesting and well thought out. On this occasion I have a different train of thought.
First sign Bird.
Then make a decision of Dugan. If he wants to move on then Milne for right centre.
Then sign Mann. Purely because he is a true first grader and very versatile.
Most importantly use the rest of 2017 finding a five-eighth.

The team I have listed above is made up of a number of versatile players who can play in more than one position:
Bird can play 1, 4, 6, and possibly 13.
Mann can play 1, 2, 6, 7.
Milne can play 3, 4.
Dugan can play 1, 3, 4

With such versatility our backline would be well served at times of injury and during rep. absence.
 

God-King Dean

Immortal
Messages
46,614
jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack birdjack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
Jack bird has yet to sign w Sharks .. His mgt is waiting for 2 clubs to give them their final level of interest - Knights and Dragons ( I don't care what Millward is saying Dragons are in there)
 

Belta

Juniors
Messages
1,124
Agree Bird would be a very good signing as it is becoming more and more obvious, for whatever reason our backline are to robotic and are not creating scoring opportunities like many other teams, we are seeing very few 'instinct' tries, no innate ability to sense an overlap, pass a cut out ball, turn the ball inside, etc..some people have more ability than others to do this, I'm sure it can be learnt, but in any case Bird showed this ability again last weekend...his confidence and skill would compliment the Dufty, field, Mann and I've seen Milne display this with flick passes to wingers....

The most skilful event I saw from our teams was from the Illawarra game where Nona turned the ball off his hip to a flying Dufty who cut through the first line of defense than burnt the fullback for speed scoring under the posts
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack birdjack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird
Forget jack bird lets sign up the guy in row 11
jack birdjack or even birdjack bird as the case may be and he should be a hell of a lot cheaper than this jack bird fellow
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
If you had to match the offer of Knights or Dragons to keep him but it means losing Townsend, what would you do?
Keep Townsend as the other bloke is a mercenary and believes he can get increased $$$$ year on year by having short term contracts.
Invest in loyalty Mills it will reward you in the long run.
 
Messages
17,252
Keep Townsend as the other bloke is a mercenary and believes he can get increased $$$$ year on year by having short term contracts.
Invest in loyalty Mills it will reward you in the long run.
21 y/o versus 28 y/o. Bird to 5/8 and Maloney to 7. Young Flanno is the future when Maloney goes.

No inside knowledge, i just think this would be the strategy.

Besides Chad's management are nuts if they really think he is worth a mil per season
 

AyiosYiorgos

Coach
Messages
13,486
21 y/o versus 28 y/o. Bird to 5/8 and Maloney to 7. Young Flanno is the future when Maloney goes.

No inside knowledge, i just think this would be the strategy.

Besides Chad's management are nuts if they really think he is worth a mil per season
seriously who would sign him for that amount, who needs a 1/2 back
 
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possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
It seems that since the Hunt deal, everyone and anyone is asking for a 1m deal. Dugan is standing his ground at the moment and Widdop is apparently asking for a big upgrade. So if Dugan, Widdop, Lafai, Fifi Loa, Nightingale and a few of our other squad are moving on, then there is plenty of room in the cap to buy Bird and maybe another very good outside back.

If Dugan stays, then we still have enough to sign Bird.

Birds preference is for fullback or five-eighth and I believe he will slot strait in at the Dragons.
 

Vinnie

Juniors
Messages
236
Hey Possm problem is how many centres/fullbacks/halves do we want or need ?? Plus get Bird and if Widdop and Dugan stay factor in Hunt then i would say we would be saying goodbye to Field, Dufty, Mann, Milne and more do we really want that ???
I would say clear up and finalize Dugan and Widdop either way then go forward. If they both go which to be honest i'm more leaning towards that happening then i would go flat out for Bird and i'd like to see a game breaking forward as well.
 

Dragsters

First Grade
Messages
5,331
jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack birdjack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird jack bird

One for every position in every grade!
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
JACK Bird has made no secret of his desire to play at fullback or five-eighth and it shapes as a potential key to wrenching the young superstar away from premiers Cronulla.

Off contract at season’s end, the NSW representative is one of the hottest commodities on the open market and is believed to have attracted attention from at least five rival clubs.

Newcastle have made no secret of their desire to get him on their books as they look to rebuild after a lean couple of years.

The Sharks want to lock him up but have a juggling act on their hands with a host of stars looking to renew their deals at the end of 2017 including skipper- in-waiting Wade Graham.

Bird demonstrated his value with a starring performance at No.1 in last week’s rout of Canberra.

He has made no secret of his desire to move from centre - a position he once called “boring” - closer to the action.

He played five-eighth in 2015 - winning the Dally M rookie of the year award - before being moved into the three-quarter line during the Shark’s premiership winning campaign last year.

Bird said he was simply happiest with ball in hand and felt reinvigorated after his stint at fullback on the weekend.

“I knew it’s a position that’s going to be around the ball, I like to be around the ball and that’s where I play my best football,” Bird said.

“On the weekend I started enjoying myself again and I felt alive out there.”

Asked if where he is offered a spot will affect his contract negotiations, he said: “As long as I’m in the 17 it doesn’t really matter.

“But obviously you want to play a position you’re happy in.

“And if you’re not, you’re not going to play your best football.”

Bird has been named in the No.1 jersey for Sunday’s local derby against St George Illawarra but could be shunted out to the centres to make way for a returning Valentine Holmes.

Holmes hinted that, regardless of the number on Bird’s back, the side would look to go to him more often this year.

“You need to get him around the ball more,” Holmes said.
“You give him the ball and good things happen. He plays well and the team plays well.

“Obviously coming off the back of that win (against Canberra), it was the biggest win they’ve had down there. It’s not like it was a fluke - he’s a good player.

“You’ve just got to try and get him the ball as much as you can, whether he is playing centre or not.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...d/news-story/22e116b8ad7385aa87f110d0985f3370

I'd say Bird at fullback or five-eighth would be an enormous improvement to the Dragons NRL squad.
 
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getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Great Talent but if Newcastle are allegedly offering 1 mill a season I'd pass as we would need to release too many players. I am sure that Sharks are in the same boat. Would have to lose more than Townsend...Townsend is not worth 1 Mill per season...
 

BringTheNoise

Juniors
Messages
1,172
I'm hearing whispers Cronulla Sharks may be willing to release Jack Bird to us before June 30 deadline in a direct swap for Jake Marketo.
 
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