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WE LOST RUSSELL!

Uplifting

Juniors
Messages
457
I think packer and Ah Mau are not as good as people think the only reason they are doing well is due to Vaughan they are both followers not leaders
I think our forwards have always been dedicated, none more than Packer, but yes Vaughan has given the team the edge. But certainly it's a team effort and our boys r finally getting results they deserve.
 

2010

Bench
Messages
3,490
I have lost faith in Milward. He has done a good job signing our young guns.
As far as Packer and Dugan were concerned Milward wanted to get Widdop and Dugan done and then concentrate on Paker.
That's where he stuffed if up. We have Widdop done Dugan maybe gone and Packer gone,
If Milward had moved on Packer earlier would it have made a difference.
 
Messages
568
I have lost faith in Milward. He has done a good job signing our young guns.
As far as Packer and Dugan were concerned Milward wanted to get Widdop and Dugan done and then concentrate on Paker.
That's where he stuffed if up. We have Widdop done Dugan maybe gone and Packer gone,
If Milward had moved on Packer earlier would it have made a difference.
So you don't think that could have been the managers call to do Widdop, then Duges, and then Rusty?
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
The club needs to tell the managers who & when they want to sign/start negotiating,not the other way around.Player managers have way too much power hence the mess these days when it comes to retension/recruiting.
You've got it very close to being right. Millward went soft against an experienced manager and let him dominate negotiations. Packer was the easy deal in Nov 2016. No one was chasing him - Woods wasn't leaving the Tigers and Taylor was still coach.

I've said it before, Millward need to list the 30 players he wanted in the first grade squad and go through that list from top to bottom retaining them as close to his budget as possible. If he did that he could have signed Widdop, Dugan and Packer however, if Dugan insisted on 1m for what ever reason, and Millward could not fit him in or justify the price, then he should have let him know that 750k was his final price and give him a deadline of a week to sign the deal and if it did not happen, withdraw the offer and keep moving on.

Packer definitely wanted to stay but wanted a bit more cash, he was probably on a cheap deal given his history.

In the end we would have enough to sign all of the players we wanted to keep because Dugan was gone. So in 2017 blood Dufty/Field at fullback and play Dugan at right centre. In 2018 play Milne/Aitken at right centre. Play Mann instead of McCrone and when Widdop is injured, play Field in the halves with Mann.

Sure you can lose a key player for many reasons but you should always have a plan B for key players who are proving difficult to retain.
 

Turk

Juniors
Messages
79
We should make an offer to Kasiano or Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Millward in the interview said we would be in the market for packers replacement i wonder who they got in mind.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
We should make an offer to Kasiano or Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Millward in the interview said we would be in the market for packers replacement i wonder who they got in mind.

Whomever he has in mind , had best be a player that can hold his own against other packs . One big mean tough hombre , that will not take a backward step in the heavy going . Preferably a player that can also pass on his experience to the younger players such as Laurie and Kerr and like .

Find this man , wherever he may be ( even if we look overseas ) and sign him on as the Dragons new hardman .

The Joint Venture needs to take a leaf out of Ivan Cleary's book and move immediately to find a suitable replacement, not just any big bopper , but another prop who will receive respect from those he plays against .
 
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SBD82

Coach
Messages
16,905
Oh wait you're serious haha

Weren't you guys a basketcase in the offseason? Why can't the tigers do what you guys have done next year

Ben hunt for 1.2mil tho
I usually enjoy your posts clifferd, but what did you expect coming into a dragon's forum the day after one of our favorites signed with another club? We might be pissed, but wouldn't you be?

And 1.2 for hunt is only what's been reported in the media. It's been denied by our recruitment staff. Surely as a tigers supporter after your recent signings you would understand that what the media reports is generally bullshit.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Whomever he has in mind , had best be a player that can hold his own against other packs . One mean big tough hombre , that will not take a step backwards in the heavy going . Preferably a player that can also pass on his experience to the younger players such as Laurie and Kerr and like .

Find this man , wherever he may be ( even if we look overseas ) and sign him on as the Dragons new hardman .

The Joint Venture needs to take a leaf out of Ivan Cleary's book and move immediately to find a suitable replacement, not just any big bopper , but another prop who will receive respect against those he plays against .
Yes, like for like or better.
 

Clifferd

Coach
Messages
10,805
I usually enjoy your posts clifferd, but what did you expect coming into a dragon's forum the day after one of our favorites signed with another club? We might be pissed, but wouldn't you be?

And 1.2 for hunt is only what's been reported in the media. It's been denied by our recruitment staff. Surely as a tigers supporter after your recent signings you would understand that what the media reports is generally bullshit.

Yeah sorry mate will admit did get a bit out of hand

Just constant Tigers bashing takes its toll you gotta defend your own team sometimes

Don't worry we've had our own players go too, Farah, Fifita, Addo-Carr and Tedesco so we know what it feels like.

Best of luck, really enjoyed our clashes especially during the 2010-12 years and 2005 GF qualifier, its a shame we've turned to shit lately haha
 

SBD82

Coach
Messages
16,905
Yeah sorry mate will admit did get a bit out of hand

Just constant Tigers bashing takes its toll you gotta defend your own team sometimes

Don't worry we've had our own players go too, Farah, Fifita, Addo-Carr and Tedesco so we know what it feels like.

Best of luck, really enjoyed our clashes especially during the 2010-12 years and 2005 GF qualifier, its a shame we've turned to shit lately haha

Ha. All good. Think you should stop hanging out with your mate Razor. He's making you edgy.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
I saw where Millward and the players manager both agreed to this. There is z video on the saints website where Millward made that statement.
Just shows the limited ability and experience Millward has in this area. The Club should never had agreed to this arrangement, there was no upside for the Club. In my view, we might have lost Dugan, but I truly feel that is all we would have lost if Millward just singed our key first grade players first and fast. Dugan might have or might not have signed if an experienced recruiter was involved however, I'm sure Packer and the rest of the 30 player squad who we wanted to keep would also be signed by now.
 

gitano

Juniors
Messages
2,364
Just shows the limited ability and experience Millward has in this area. The Club should never had agreed to this arrangement, there was no upside for the Club. In my view, we might have lost Dugan, but I truly feel that is all we would have lost if Millward just singed our key first grade players first and fast. Dugan might have or might not have signed if an experienced recruiter was involved however, I'm sure Packer and the rest of the 30 player squad who we wanted to keep would also be signed by now.

We can't have it both ways though possm.

If Millward pays top dollar for Dugan, relying on a forecasted salary cap increase, that's a huge risk.

If the cap doesn't increase as expected we'll lose heaps of players and fans will be up in arms. Millward has an eye on the future, that is his role after all. Can't have it both ways.

My only issue is with the public difference of opinion on Dugan's position from McGregor and Millward. We need one voice coming out of our club and it should've been resolved one way or another ages ago.

Gypsy
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,988
We should make an offer to Kasiano or Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Millward in the interview said we would be in the market for packers replacement i wonder who they got in mind.
Probably some cheap "Neville" from nsw cup. I'm confident he won't be a rep quality prop or even a regular starter.
 
Messages
17,055
Probably some cheap "Neville" from nsw cup. I'm confident he won't be a rep quality prop or even a regular starter.
Well they had a damn good Neville his name was Shannon Wakeman and he scored tries like it was for fun.

Mary managed to f**k him around so badly he took his trade elsewhere and has made a good fist of the UK super league.

Millward maybe able to convice him to come back as long as Mary is gone.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
We should make an offer to Kasiano or Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Millward in the interview said we would be in the market for packers replacement i wonder who they got in mind.
Yeah, Kasiano and Asofa would be the 2 I would be going for too. I wanted us to sign Asofa last year.
 
Messages
17,055
Yeah, Kasiano and Asofa would be the 2 I would be going for too. I wanted us to sign Asofa last year.
Asofa no chance the Syorm have worked hard to keep him away from Union but he may still head to the rah rahs.

Fatsiano hates the Dragons and i'd say a few players would like to knock his head off.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
We can't have it both ways though possm.

If Millward pays top dollar for Dugan, relying on a forecasted salary cap increase, that's a huge risk.

If the cap doesn't increase as expected we'll lose heaps of players and fans will be up in arms. Millward has an eye on the future, that is his role after all. Can't have it both ways.

My only issue is with the public difference of opinion on Dugan's position from McGregor and Millward. We need one voice coming out of our club and it should've been resolved one way or another ages ago.

Gypsy
We've had some good banter in the past however on this occasion I don't have a lot to say. My only beef is that Millward should have targeted and finalised dealing with our first grade players first; especially out key first graders. I'd like to say I was happy Hunt was signed early and most of the forwards were signed early. November 2016 was the time to sign or let go Packer and Dugan and from there move down the list according to priorities.

Packer always wanted to stay and could have been signed for 500k-600k in November 2016. He should have been signed then no matter what the manager wanted. Millward should have just said Packer is a priority and we want to do this deal now. If Dugan is going to be problematic, then we will deal with that. I mean why on earth would you agree to off an extension of a player to accommodate the manager's request to deal with another of his players first. Stupid idea and in the end costed us two good players.
 

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