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Alex Johnston!!

rasaint

Juniors
Messages
1,046
I have never been a Nene hater. I rate him a pretty good nrl winger. Definitely is quick although not express speed of someone like Ato Carr from Storm. However, not too many at Ato Carr / Jimmy the jet speed anyway.

I think some of the criticism of his defence is simply unfair. He has been left stranded with 1 on 2 even 3 running at him at times this year. Run in and try a shut down or stay and hope for a miracle scramble inside are stark conundrums. He was left Tonight with the same issue for Matalino's early try. He stayed on his wing and Matalino had wide open space. Nene tried late to collar him but it was already a lost cause.

If we kick short higher and accurately he will pinch a few jump trys soon. This year he hasn't had many opportunities yet.
 

GC Dragon

Juniors
Messages
656
I have never been a Nene hater. I rate him a pretty good nrl winger. Definitely is quick although not express speed of someone like Ato Carr from Storm. However, not too many at Ato Carr / Jimmy the jet speed anyway.

I think some of the criticism of his defence is simply unfair. He has been left stranded with 1 on 2 even 3 running at him at times this year. Run in and try a shut down or stay and hope for a miracle scramble inside are stark conundrums. He was left Tonight with the same issue for Matalino's early try. He stayed on his wing and Matalino had wide open space. Nene tried late to collar him but it was already a lost cause.

If we kick short higher and accurately he will pinch a few jump trys soon. This year he hasn't had many opportunities yet.
Agree I like Nene as well . I have watched him play for a few years and he has great potential . The problem is he is a left winger who has been moved to the right for some reason . And playing outside two very poor defensive centres in Aitken and Milne .

If he plays on his preferred side outside Lafai his game will improve a lot. The stability Lafai offers in defence will help Nene's game as well . Somebody needs to tip Mary that Nighty is actually a right winger and Nene a left .

The other thing is our woeful kicking game . Put the ball in the right spot in the corners and he will score plenty. Every ball that is put up for him lands 10 metres short of the line and the only thing he can do is leap up and knock the balls backwards .
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
Dufty and Field could easily run down Vunivalu and tackle him from behind as well.

Still doesn't convince me that we should be giving him anything more than slightly above average winger money.
u missed the point - it was the attitude to turn around when being more than 10m behind one of the fastest players in the NRL and chasing him down -- he wreaks of the attitude all our players currently have - its a nice attitude fit - I'm not going to talk about his obvious talent of finding the try line...nor will i mention that he's an Australian an Origin player as well
 

AyiosYiorgos

Coach
Messages
13,486
u missed the point - it was the attitude to turn around when being more than 10m behind one of the fastest players in the NRL and chasing him down -- he wreaks of the attitude all our players currently have - its a nice attitude fit - I'm not going to talk about his obvious talent of finding the try line...nor will i mention that he's an Australian an Origin player as well
Never played Origin, and has played 1 test will be lucky to play another one...
 

GC Dragon

Juniors
Messages
656
I'd be absolutely furious if we signed him to play fullback, he's absolutely terrible in every aspect back there. However if we signed him as a Nightingale replacement on the wing if he did retire, I'd have no issues.
Agree I have no problem if we get him as fast winger to replace Nighty . But he isn't a fullback and either is Cody Walker . I can't see many genuine class fullbacks on the market just fill in fullbacks and fringe first graders .
 
Messages
2,866
Dufty and Field could easily run down Vunivalu and tackle him from behind as well.

Still doesn't convince me that we should be giving him anything more than slightly above average winger money.
Totally agree... Johnston is a speed squib winger not an elite fullback.
You are right about Dufty and Field. They would have gathered in the big Fijian in no time.
 

Crescent dragon

Juniors
Messages
67
Totally agree... Johnston is a speed squib winger not an elite fullback.
You are right about Dufty and Field. They would have gathered in the big Fijian in no time.
Sure would.
Dufty and Field are the clubs future and need to be given a go sooner rather than later.
Johnstone is a fair player but do we really need him? No
One guy who is proven in first grade and absolutely has to be re signed is Kurt Mann.
He and Dragon followers have a very bright future if he's retained on a long term contract.
 

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
u missed the point - it was the attitude to turn around when being more than 10m behind one of the fastest players in the NRL and chasing him down -- he wreaks of the attitude all our players currently have - its a nice attitude fit - I'm not going to talk about his obvious talent of finding the try line...nor will i mention that he's an Australian an Origin player as well

Come on Mickey, so Johnston has a bit of pace, I could name you at least 10 players who could chase down Vunivalu. It's not about "attitude", he was just faster, that's all. Doesn't mean he can tackle, pass, take a high ball or nail his positional play.

I'd look at him as a winger maybe, but as a fullback, absolutely not.
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
The dragons have a truck load of young flyers who could run down vunivalu time that we gave them a try against the big boys .wish we had a decent coach with vision ,somebody like Jason demetriou.unfortunately we still have jetski.
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
Sure would.
Dufty and Field are the clubs future and need to be given a go sooner rather than later.
Johnstone is a fair player but do we really need him? No
One guy who is proven in first grade and absolutely has to be re signed is Kurt Mann.
He and Dragon followers have a very bright future if he's retained on a long term contract.
Kurt Mann Uk
Mann could be England-bound

Kurt Mann has been playing some good footy for the Dragons since being given his chance in recent weeks – but he could be lost to the club for next season.

Mann is off contract and his management is shopping him to English clubs – several of whom are showing considerable interest in the 24-year-old utility back.

With Josh Dugan off to Cronulla, the Dragons may want to intensify their bid to sign the versatile Mann, who can play fullback and centre – Dugan’s two positions – as well as five-eighth and wing.

Mann played strongly in the win over the Warriors last Friday night and is a confidence player who appears to have found his mojo again.


Read more at http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/05/23/06/48/ben-barbas-nrl-career-all-but-over#G4mMVy5CT234GeWd.99
 

qld redvee

Juniors
Messages
1,318
I think the only backline signing that Dragons will make this year outside resigning existing players will be Alex Johnston. He will be signed as insurance for the FB role just in case the youngsters don't gel (Field, Dufty) then move back to wing or centres.

Brent Read wrote last year "I don’t think there is any other player in the game with the ability to find the try line as much as AJ. Blistering pace, the heir to Inglis’ number 1 jersey – a big future ahead."

This is IMO - I can't see the club splurging $800k on a FB no way ..

1. He's affordable less than $500k

- he can play FB, Wing and at a pinch centre

- he's 23 and experienced

- proven try scorer

- Is a typical Dragons type of player who can play more than one position.
Micky dare I say Kurt Mann seems like hes the exact copy ( maybe not as toey )
 

Saintsified

Bench
Messages
3,558
My mail this morning is he's pretty close to signing with the tigers.The other piece of info are Inglis will be asking for a release to go to the broncos,Gagai is a done deal & they are chasing a back(most likely Mitchell).
Inglis doing a Boyd lol, exactly the same thing, depression, then ask for a release then follow Dad...Wayne is a champion in getting what he wants.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
GI is gone for the season and no one has any idea how he will come after the recovery so no chance of Broncos taking him this year or Hunt coming to us before the end of the season
 

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