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Mann

Slackboy72

Coach
Messages
11,939
http://www.nrl.com/super-mann-set-to-keep-the-no7-jersey/tabid/10874/newsid/110987/default.aspx

Super Mann set to keep the No.7 jersey

Dragons coach Paul McGregor has all but confirmed Kurt Mann will keep the No.7 jersey for at least another week after the utility led his side to a comfortable 42-16 win over the Titans to temporarily jump back into the top eight.

Veteran Josh McCrone has been a solid contributor at halfback in 2017 but there was no denying a marked improvement with Mann's speed giving St George Illawarra's attack a spark that has been missing in recent weeks.

The 24-year-old was a class above on Saturday afternoon, breaking the line early and forcing a line dropout before he backed up Josh Dugan to open the scoring while he also crossed later in the game to ice the crucial win.

McGregor spoke highly of Mann's speed, aggression and resilience, and said the change came about due to a groin injury that has plagued McCrone for the past six weeks.

"He's been carrying an injury for probably a month-and-a-half," he said.

"He's had groin trouble on both sides and it got to a stage where he couldn't really run early in the week, it's affected his [ability to play] 80 minutes so he couldn't get through a solid 80 minutes. The performance staff thought it was a good idea for him not to play if he didn't have to. We had Kurt there - Josh was available - so we made the change."

The late switch proved to be a masterstroke with Mann making the most of just his second career start at halfback. Ironically, the last time he wore the No.7 jersey was against the Titans earlier in the year when he scored the Red V's sole try in a 20-10 loss.

Halves partner Gareth Widdop was full of praise for his versatile teammate and predicted an even more polished performance next week as their combination blossoms.

"Kurt's been doing a fair bit there throughout the year. We've got a pretty simple game plan that hasn't changed all year. I thought he did that really well today," the Englishman said.

"He's been in and out of positions all year, but every time he's put a jersey on he's gone out there and tried his hardest and today he was good, pretty composed and he's dangerous with the ball as you can see from today. We'll be better for the run next week."

Saturday's win snapped a worrying losing streak that saw the Dragons drop out of the top eight following losses to the Knights and Rabbitohs.

Despite the tough run, Widdop said he never doubted his side's ability, but stressed Saturday's performance would count for nothing if they didn't back it up next week against the Broncos.

"You've got to let things like that go; you can't drag that around with you. At the end of the day's it's gone and we knew we had to move on," he said of their recent losses.

"We've got four big games coming up and this was the first one at home. I've been confident of the boys all year in what we're about and what we can do and today for a long period we showed that. It's about doing that next week."
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
Well done Mr McGregor it's only taken you 23 games to realize Mr Wolfpack was a road block in your spine what some of us have been saying since the nines you have woken up to the fact Kurt Mann was underneath your nose but your ego got in the way of your brain .finally you woke up congratulations maybe just maybe you would be sitting much higher on the ladder .ITS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
 
Messages
2,910
I'm happy we signed Hunt but if Dopey had of tried & given Mann a real go like he has with McCrone we might have saved some $. No matter what happens from here on in he needs to be told that the position is yours for the rest of the year & go out & play what's in front of you. Who knows he could be our missing X factor.

Yep, can't help but think if Mann had been given a extended run from round 1 we may not have needed the $1.2 dollar man.
 

Dragon Blood

Juniors
Messages
759
It's interesting that 90% of the supporters on this forum could see what Kurt was capable of and calling for his inclusion in the halves when Hutch went down with injury and yet, super coach took 23 rounds to finally give him a real go. Why the f**k the hierarchy continue to persevere with this impostor of a coach just astounds me.
Wish I could like this post thrice
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
Mann had a great game and I am stoked that he finally got his shot and showed what he can do but I think its a bit early to be saying "we may not have needed the 1.2 million dollar man" ?
Hunt looked pretty bloody good last week when he scored 3 tries, albeit with the 9 on his back. I am really looking forward to having Hunt and Widdop as our halves and Mann has to be in there somewhere too.
 

RedV Resurgence

Juniors
Messages
726
We have a team building.

Hunt - 7
Widdow - 6
McInnis - 9
Mann - 4
Dufty -1

Aitken - 17 ( Possibly starts at hooker, moves to back row after 20 minutes) and also becomes the sub for the backs.

Hunt will organise this team to be a much better attack.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
Mann had a great game and I am stoked that he finally got his shot and showed what he can do but I think its a bit early to be saying "we may not have needed the 1.2 million dollar man" ?
Hunt looked pretty bloody good last week when he scored 3 tries, albeit with the 9 on his back. I am really looking forward to having Hunt and Widdop as our halves and Mann has to be in there somewhere too.
Right centre.
CC
 

Stagger Lee

Bench
Messages
4,931
Is NOT a half.

Hopefully this resonates with some on here.

Obvious to me.

Not obvious to the circle jerkers in here who have been pleading with him to get picked in the halves for weeks.

Hopefully they let it go now.

Wake up Benny.
He isn't a half. He is a winger.
I've said it from the start. A good winger, nothing more nothing less


Don't argue footy with me mate.


To be fair to Gitano his post about not arguing with him about footy is one worth considering

hhaahhhhahahhahhaahahhhah
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
I'm happy we signed Hunt but if Dopey had of tried & given Mann a real go like he has with McCrone we might have saved some $. No matter what happens from here on in he needs to be told that the position is yours for the rest of the year & go out & play what's in front of you. Who knows he could be our missing X factor.
Well said and absolutely 100% correct
Mc Fookknuckle has cost the club a bomb both in money and in on field performance / results by not investigating Mann thoroughly
On his effort today I would find it hard to have Hunt ahead of him but do realise it is only 1 game but it should have been many more before we looked external
Next year Mc Fookknuckle will probably play him wing at best while he perseveres with Lafai and Aitken in the centres and we will all still be calling for Mann to be used close to the ball.
Mc Fookknuckle has a bad habit of closing his eyes after they have been prized open
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Mann had a great game and I am stoked that he finally got his shot and showed what he can do but I think its a bit early to be saying "we may not have needed the 1.2 million dollar man" ?
Hunt looked pretty bloody good last week when he scored 3 tries, albeit with the 9 on his back. I am really looking forward to having Hunt and Widdop as our halves and Mann has to be in there somewhere too.

I think the point is, Mann was our leading try scorer in 2016 ( after only appearing in around half the games ) and any decent coach would find a spot for him in the starting lineup.
Whether that be centre/Wing he is also a handy back up half. Has a great step/speed is elusive and good defender.
 

giboz71

First Grade
Messages
8,895
Always thought that Mann was a good player. Not sure he had the temperament to be an elite spine player, looked way too tentative in his cameos at half and FB. Against the Titans, when he had a full game, looked much, much better. What impressed me was how he combined with Widdop, and his speed makes him more a running threat.

He'll likely play a Gutherson role for us next year and play whatever position we require him too. Left wing or right centre is likely where he'll end up, but am happy he can step up in the halves if Widdop or Hunt go down.
 

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
Any team in this competition would kill to have a player like Mann in their team. He is on that same level as Gutherson in my opinion.
Throw him on the wing? No worries, leading try scorer last year.
Put him in the centres? Too easy, shows up the current Australian international right centre.
Put him in the halves? Not a problem, puts together a man of the match performance and straightens up our attack beautifully.

He is the complete utility mr-fix-it player who NEEDS to be in the 17 every single week.
As for next year, I think he locks down that right centre position and we begin Aitken's transition into the back-row.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Brad Fittler on the Footy show stated something along the lines of he couldn't understand how a player like Mann was not in our starting lineup on a regular basis.. Pretty much sums up the poor selections by our coach..
 
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