Ash Nisbett - Dragons new signing looks very handy!

[dragonssamy61]

100% agree.
IF this guy has been signed to the club its for reserve grade only. He is not part of (a) the top 30 or (b) part of the development squad.
Some people choose to ignore or are just oblivious to the fact that the structure changes to the NSW Cup requires us to fill 2 squads, 1st grade and reserve grade and the majority of the time will be the curtain raiser for 1t grade (not u20's in most cases)
So, lets take a look at what reserve grade will look like (most probable team).

f/b - Masters (or Field)
w - Periera/Garrick
c - Herbert/Lomax
6 - Field (or Sailor)
7 - Nicholls (c)
L - Sele
f/r - Latimore/Lawrie
2ndr - Leilua/Ford
h - Robson
Bench - Sailor (or Masters), Kerr, Allgood, Nisbett?

Personally, I want to see the make-up of the u20's squad before really passing judgement on this Nisbett inclusion. There were some good young forwards and backs that haven't been promoted to the D squad as yet. However, Millward did allude to the fact that others maybe included based on performance during the year.
So my guess is simply if Nisbett has been signed its only a filler until someone really starts to shine in the 20's and he will find himself playing coal league etc. Then again he may also be playing to earn himself a D contract.
The main point is that he is no threat at this present time to Host,Sele etc.

Spot on Dragonslayer
You have nailed it.
We still have 2 spots on D squad to fill.
There are for guys like hayden lomax ect.
If they are killing it they will be promoted to revs.
Also u20s it a shorter season.
So some of them may get moved up as needed.
Everyone we sign can not be a graham or hunt

 

[Crush]

No one does a better job of extending a thread about a nobody than us.
The off season sucks b*lls.

Hey LG, what do you think about the Hunt signing? Whats your spine look like? Do you think we need to promote more youngsters? Where do you think we will finish? Do you reckon we should sack our muppet coach?
Ohh shit, sorry, we have covered all that already......
OK then.....
Nightingale? Too old?

 

[Spudd]

Yes you are confused and I’m not sure why?
You seem to have missed the point.
Why buy someone else’s 20 year old when we have plenty of our own?
If this bloke is to get a run in 1st grade that means either Host, Sele or Leilua won’t so which one of those 3 don’t you want?
Don’t you think we should have a pathway for our own before providing one for outsiders?

fwiw I agree about giving the young guys a go. Leulia going the whole of 2017 without getting a run in fg was criminal.

 

[Life's Good]

Hey LG, what do you think about the Hunt signing? Whats your spine look like? Do you think we need to promote more youngsters? Where do you think we will finish? Do you reckon we should sack our muppet coach?
Ohh shit, sorry, we have covered all that already......
OK then.....
Nightingale? Too old?

Mate, we’ve even had a Rangi Chase thread, FFS!

 

[Crush]

fwiw I agree about giving the young guys a go. Leulia going the whole of 2017 without getting a run in fg was criminal.

I think we promoted Host and Sele last year didn't we? We had a very strong forward pack last year, doubt that he was better than the guys that did the job. He needs to kill it in reserve grade so he demands selection.

 

[Spudd]

I think we promoted Host and Sele last year didn't we? We had a very strong forward pack last year, doubt that he was better than the guys that did the job. He needs to kill it in reserve grade so he demands selection.

I think I saw 6 maybe 7 reggies games this season. Leulia did some pretty impressive stuff in each and every one. Offloads, line breaks, and I don’t see him as the lazy defender others portray him as.
As a strike bench player he’d be phenomenal.

 

[Crush]

I think I saw 6 maybe 7 reggies games this season. Leulia did some pretty impressive stuff in each and every one. Offloads, line breaks, and I don’t see him as the lazy defender others portray him as.
As a strike bench player he’d be phenomenal.

I must admit I can only go off what others have said but I heard that he wasnt quite ready for firsts.
Hopefully next year he is in the mix. I'd love to see him come off the bench and be an impact player, just not sure at who's expense? We are loaded with talented back-rowers.

 

[Dragon Revival]

We mist not forget that if you have a squad of say 30 players usually half-a-dozen get on the injured/suspemded list after a few games which means that the squad will be down to 24 players which only provides 7 back-up players. It is good that the injury prone playes such as Dugan, Glymin, Masoe, Matthews and Isaac Thompson have been let go. I think that the next injury prone players are Frizell (back and ribs), Joel Thompson and Widdop along with Thompson getting suspended.

 

[Drakon]

We mist not forget that if you have a squad of say 30 players usually half-a-dozen get on the injured/suspemded list after a few games which means that the squad will be down to 24 players which only provides 7 back-up players. It is good that the injury prone playes such as Dugan, Glymin, Masoe, Matthews and Isaac Thompson have been let go. I think that the next injury prone players are Frizell (back and ribs), Joel Thompson and Widdop along with Thompson getting suspended.

Widdop injury prone? Not sure why you say that.

In the 4 years he has been with us he has played 24, 24, 24 and 21 games. He had an injury this year and I believe he came back earlier than expected.

He's also played test matches and World cup matches over that period.

 

[Drag Queen]

We mist not forget that if you have a squad of say 30 players usually half-a-dozen get on the injured/suspemded list after a few games which means that the squad will be down to 24 players which only provides 7 back-up players. It is good that the injury prone playes such as Dugan, Glymin, Masoe, Matthews and Isaac Thompson have been let go. I think that the next injury prone players are Frizell (back and ribs), Joel Thompson and Widdop along with Thompson getting suspended.

Widdop is not conventionally injury prone. He's probably up there with the less injury prone tbh.

 

[_Johnsy]

Couldn’t crack it at the tigers
Not much hope for him
Me says another f**ked signing

The same thing could have been said about Vaughan (but obviously at Canberra)

 

[Dragon Revival]

If Widdop had not been injured in the 2016 quarter final against the Dogs along with Benji we would have won. In 2017 if Dugan and Widdop had not got injured we probably would have made the final eight. I believe that next year we will have more depth to cover key positions.
Hopefully Widdop will not have any injuries in 2018 as Hunt will share the workload.

 

[Life's Good]

If Widdop had not been injured in the 2016 quarter final against the Dogs along with Benji we would have won. In 2017 if Dugan and Widdop had not got injured we probably would have made the final eight. I believe that next year we will have more depth to cover key positions.
Hopefully Widdop will not have any injuries in 2018 as Hunt will share the workload.

That’s a great glass half full attitude but missing the 8 isn’t just about injuries to Widdop & Dugan. Look at what NQ were able to achieve in spite of losing JT & Scott. We only needed to win one more game and when you consider we rarely got belted it shows that just a bit of tweaking would probably have got us over the line. Alas, our coach couldn’t see that and seemed to take the ‘we only need to win X out of X’ therefore not putting pressure on himself or the players to lift.
I could be wrong or at this time of night had too much Chivas but that’s how I see it.

 

[nontime111]

fwiw I agree about giving the young guys a go. Leulia going the whole of 2017 without getting a run in fg was criminal.

yes it was disgusting! Luch better get a lot of action next season what an excitement machine!

 

[epDragon62]

That’s a great glass half full attitude but missing the 8 isn’t just about injuries to Widdop & Dugan. Look at what NQ were able to achieve in spite of losing JT & Scott. We only needed to win one more game and when you consider we rarely got belted it shows that just a bit of tweaking would probably have got us over the line. Alas, our coach couldn’t see that and seemed to take the ‘we only need to win X out of X’ therefore not putting pressure on himself or the players to lift.
I could be wrong or at this time of night had too much Chivas but that’s how I see it.

I think an article I read in which JDB (I think) identifies mental toughness as our problem has a fair bit of credence to it. There times that we did not cope with adversity, whereas NQ just lapped it up and kept finding ways to win.

I put this down to coaching but I’m looking forward to seeing the impact James Graham has on our toughness under adversity. It won’t surprise me if he ends up getting credit for us going close to winning or deep into the semis. However, the coaching brains trust has to have shown some development as well and my confidence is low on that eventuating.

 

[epDragon62]

yes it was disgusting! Luch better get a lot of action next season what an excitement machine!

I agree, it is difficult to appreciate what reasoning there was behind him not even getting any bench time.

 

[SEAT 1A]

I think an article I read in which JDB (I think) identifies mental toughness as our problem has a fair bit of credence to it.

The Bunnies at the S.C.G. Didn't they score twice in the last 10 minutes, the first half against NTL at Kogarah and Dogs game in the last round. They had nothing to play for and if we won, semi finals.

 

[Saints Forever]

Like so many promising juniors, this kid may not make it however I applaud Millward for taking the risk of stockpiling a promising kid to see whether he can develop in to a FG player.

Understand OT’s frustration regarding grass being greener on the other side.

Fact is Millward is attempting to retain our junior cream.

Signing Jackson Ford is a classic example. He is versatile,can play back row or centre He may we’ll be the big powerful Centre we need.

Nisbet signing is an attempt to stockpile a high quality junior prospect. He represents a low cost gamble with potential upside.

Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[watatank]

The club still hasn't announced Nisbett's signing, which tells us about as much as we need to know. If the reserve grade team was not the same as the first grade team then we'd basically be talking about an Illawarra Cutters signing. Anyway, hope he proves to be more.

BTW Ford can't play for at least two years as he's on a development contract

 

[dragonssamy61]

I think an article I read in which JDB (I think) identifies mental toughness as our problem has a fair bit of credence to it. There times that we did not cope with adversity, whereas NQ just lapped it up and kept finding ways to win.

I put this down to coaching but I’m looking forward to seeing the impact James Graham has on our toughness under adversity. It won’t surprise me if he ends up getting credit for us going close to winning or deep into the semis. However, the coaching brains trust has to have shown some development as well and my confidence is low on that eventuating.

Well said.
It not physical that is our problem.
It's mental toughness.
If we can improve that by 20% in mental toughness.
We will be right up there.