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Crush

Coach
Messages
10,412
Having just read the article and having Mc Fookknuckle at the helm it is obvious the signing of Graham and Hunt could be rendered irrelevant very quickly.

Also nice to see in the other article that Latimore is taking over the crucial Mc Crone mantle of the "100 game veteran" and he is now charged with responsibility of bringing the young players through.
That instills no end of confidence in me.
PS: Mr Latimore you are sadly mistaken if you think the only way from here for our team is up.

Can anyone interpret this gooblygock quote?
“I’m happy with that [pressure and expectation]. Every coach wants to play finals footy. That doesn’t change with me. Having these players just gives me more excitement around it. And gives the guys a lot more confidence,” he said.

If his game plan is anything like his speech making / interviewing ability we are in serious trouble.
Dennis pointed out my favourite quote OT.
"I just feel I am in a really good space"
"I'm not happy where I am"
Inspirational stuff!:)
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
2018 Fresh Face: Ben Hunt
Author
dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Tue 2 Jan 2018, 10:00 AM

The 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership is mere months away for the St George Illawarra Dragons.

The Red V will begin their campaign with a season-opening clash against the Brisbane Broncos at Jubilee Oval on Thursday, March 8.

The stakes couldn't be higher for Dragons recruit Ben Hunt, who will likely face his former Brisbane side in his debut game for the Red V.

Hunt is one of five recruits vying for a place in the Dragons' 17 come Round 1 - and the first of which Dragons.com.au will delve into the life and times of over the first week of January.

Hear from Ben in the above video ahead of his maiden season with the Dragons.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/01/02/fresh-face-Hunt/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485

The nightmare scenario all 16 NRL clubs must avoid in search of premiership success



St George Illawarra Dragons
– Widdop steps out of the limelight

When Benji Marshall arrived at the Dragons Gareth Widdop seemed to shrink back into his shell and their halves combination failed as a result; the same can’t happen with Ben Hunt. Hunt shapes as the half St George Illawarra have craved for a decade but the unknown is how his arrival will impact on Widdop’s influence. After an ordinary 2016 season Widdop re-established himself as one of the best five-eighths in the game in 2017 because he was the dominant half alongside the likes of Josh McCrone and Kurt Mann. It will be much more a shared responsibility next season but Dragons fans need Widdop to maintain that same aggressive approach in attack or face fading into the background.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/4b67c0032fcfaf05d27f1d77277e1042
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
2018 Fresh Face: Darren Nicholls
Author
dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Wed 3 Jan 2018, 09:30 AM

St George Illawarra halfback Darren Nicholls has joined the Dragons on a two-year deal ahead of the 2018 Telstra Premiership season.

Nicholls began his senior football journey in the Holden Cup at the Wests Tigers and after a few years in France has featured in the first grade squads of the Broncos, Rabbitohs and Panthers.

Last season, Nicholls skippered Penrith's Intrust Super Premiership outfit to grand final and NRL State Championship success.

While he is yet to make his first grade debut, the time is now for Nicholls as he approaches his first season in the Red V jumper.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/01/03/fresh-face-Nicholls/
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
Did anyone see the article on JDB in the Telecrap this morning?
All this bullshit about him bulking up and carrying extra weight so as to be ready for SOO selection and in the end it turns out he is talking about 1 absolute maximum 2 kgs and he then states that will help him break the line more often.
Run at the line and don't look for the back turn and offload and that will help you more than a bloody lousy kg.
Honestly Jack stick to playing footy and keep away from the papers as it is all just about talking crap.
 

ALSGI

Bench
Messages
3,101
Did anyone see the article on JDB in the Telecrap this morning?
All this bullshit about him bulking up and carrying extra weight so as to be ready for SOO selection and in the end it turns out he is talking about 1 absolute maximum 2 kgs and he then states that will help him break the line more often.
Run at the line and don't look for the back turn and offload and that will help you more than a bloody lousy kg.
Honestly Jack stick to playing footy and keep away from the papers as it is all just about talking crap.
f**k, the hair bun would’ve weighed a kg, hope it’s not the man bun again please.
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
Having just read the article and having Mc Fookknuckle at the helm it is obvious the signing of Graham and Hunt could be rendered irrelevant very quickly.

Also nice to see in the other article that Latimore is taking over the crucial Mc Crone mantle of the "100 game veteran" and he is now charged with responsibility of bringing the young players through.
That instills no end of confidence in me.
PS: Mr Latimore you are sadly mistaken if you think the only way from here for our team is up.

Can anyone interpret this gooblygock quote?
“I’m happy with that [pressure and expectation]. Every coach wants to play finals footy. That doesn’t change with me. Having these players just gives me more excitement around it. And gives the guys a lot more confidence,” he said.

If his game plan is anything like his speech making / interviewing ability we are in serious trouble.


The article's all anacoluthon and rabid non sequiturs - indicative of a self-adsorbed personality who listens only to his ego's mindless echo. They never 'learn' because they never truly listen - to anyone!
It's a scrambled brain with no one at home.

Pity the youngsters!

Bird got lucky & fled the coup - Lomax, Dufty & Field will eventually be developed elsewhere as Mc NoGreyMatter has again surrounded himself comfortably with Mc Crone-like-journeymen-hacks-and-those-who-toe-the-line FFS

Nothing learned at all

Such indescribable bullshit fed by an idiot who scores an E on every coaching descriptor known!
 
Last edited:
Messages
3,582
December 30 2017 - 1:00PM
St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor hails his best ever squad ahead of 2018 campaign
r0_193_4134_2517_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

Expectations: St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor is ready for the pressure that comes with expectation. Picture: John Veage


Paul McGregor has assembled what he describes as the best squad he has ever coached. And he is ready for the pressure and expectation that comes with it.

In fact, he is ready to revel in it.

McGregor is preparing to enter his fourth full season as an NRL head coach with St George Illawarra looking to return to the finals after a disastrous second half of last season saw them miss the finals in 2017, becoming just the third team since the top-eight system was introduced to miss the finals after leading at the end of round seven.

While they have lost Josh Dugan, Joel Thompson and Russell Packer to Cronulla, Manly and the Wests Tigers respectively, the signings of Ben Hunt from Brisbane and James Graham from Canterbury has McGregor believing this Dragons team is the best squad he has assembled.

“What I feel is that it’s the best squad I’ve coached. And that’s no disrespect to anyone in the last three years. But we’ve waited a long time and been very patient in our recruitment. Ben Hunt we felt was the best halfback on the market, we went and bought the best halfback. James Graham was the best front-rower on the market,” McGregor told the Leader.

With that comes pressure and expectation from one of the NRL’s most demanding fan bases, something McGregor is comfortable with.

“I’m happy with that [pressure and expectation]. Every coach wants to play finals footy. That doesn’t change with me. Having these players just gives me more excitement around it. And gives the guys a lot more confidence,” he said.

McGregor believes he has evolved greatly as a coach since taking the reigns from Steve Price in 2014. Just shy of his 50th birthday, McGregor wants to continue his journey – starting with the Dragons’ season opener against Brisbane at Kogarah on March 8.

“They always say it takes three to five years to become a head coach in the NRL. And I just feel I’m in a really good space,” he said.

“Obviously in ‘15 we led the comp until round 12. So that was my first [full] year. That came pretty quick to us. And then again we were inconsistent, we didn’t hold that position throughout the year although we played finals footy.

“I’d be the first to put my hand up and take ownership of a poor ‘16. And I went back to what we did in ‘15, the x’s and o’s instead of managing salary caps and a whole list of things. I went back to what I do best which is work with the coaches and come up with the right strategy and go out and coach.

“And I felt 2017 was a really good step forward on our journey. Going into my fourth year I’ve learnt a lot from the three years prior. I’ve got a thirst for learning, that’s just me as a person.

“I want to be better. I’m not happy where I am, I want to continue to improve.”

http://www.theleader.com.au/story/5134103/this-is-the-best-squad-ive-ever-coached-mcgregor/?cs=1633

This article exemplifies everything that is wrong with Club admin.

Our head coach is after three years as "head coach" still on his training wheels.

He is clueless.

My interpretation of his dribble is as follows:

Got it right in 2015, somehow lost the formula going forward in 2016,2017.

New quality Senior players will ensure we don't choke when it counts.

I am hopeless, but no one seems to have noticed, so hell looks like I have this job for as long as I like.

By the time I have seen out this contract I will be a veteran coach in demand.

CEO and the Board that voted in favour of extending his contract early in the season should all resign effective immediately.

In case you haven't worked it out yet Paul, we lost Packer & Dugan.

Yes we signed Graham and Hunt.

My concern is that your tactical ineptitude will reduce Hunt within 6-8 weeks from gun FG half back to a confused clueless Reggies half back who assumes the foetal position every time you lead a team meeting.

Says it all that Bennett didn't retain you in any capacity Paul.

Please shut the door as you leave.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
2018 Fresh Face: Mitchell Allgood
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Thu 4 Jan 2018, 10:00 AM

St George Illawarra prop Mitchell Allgood has signed a one-year deal with the Dragons ahead of the 2018 season.

Allgood returns to the NRL after three seasons spent in the English Super League having played for Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity.

Prior to his overseas departure, the 28-year-old played 70 NRL games for the Parramatta Eels and featured for City Origin back in 2012.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/01/04/2018-fresh-face-mitchell-allgood/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
2018 Fresh Face: James Graham
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Fri 5 Jan 2018, 10:00 AM

St George Illawarra prop James Graham has signed with the Dragons for three years ahead of the 2018 Telstra Premiership season.

Graham is not yet done proving himself to the rugby league world despite playing over 350 first grade games across the NRL and English Super League.

After eight grand final appearances across a combined 15 seasons at St Helens and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, you'd argue Graham's career was made.

But the veteran England Test representative isn't content on resting on his laurels.







https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/01/05/2018-fresh-face-james-graham/
 

Old Kogarah Boy 1

First Grade
Messages
5,415
2018 Fresh Face: James Graham
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Fri 5 Jan 2018, 10:00 AM

St George Illawarra prop James Graham has signed with the Dragons for three years ahead of the 2018 Telstra Premiership season.

Graham is not yet done proving himself to the rugby league world despite playing over 350 first grade games across the NRL and English Super League.

After eight grand final appearances across a combined 15 seasons at St Helens and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, you'd argue Graham's career was made.

But the veteran England Test representative isn't content on resting on his laurels.







https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/01/05/2018-fresh-face-james-graham/

Had to look twice at the photo.
I thought old ‘blue’ was naked there for a moment!
The red face blends in too well with the shirt.
Notice to kit supplier - Add extra white to J. Graham shirts and gear.
 

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333

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