Is Millward white anting Mary?

[SaintPauli]

Love it. Current and ex-players opinions have no credibility but your roosters supporter mate does....

Screw the Roosters. They represent everything opposite to the great Dragons Club

 

[SaintPauli]

Yet they lost RTS and let Maloney go to keep Hastings? The person you spoke to is a moron and a hypocrite.

Only happened because the upgrade prices for players was putting roosters way over salary cap. The NRL was sniffing in their chook pen!

 

[Crush]

I really hope so, monster.

Straight Shooter

Hey OV, nobody has posted on the sack McGregor thread for over a week!
Its happening. People are starting to want him re-signed.....

 

[Saintsified]

A friend of mine who's a very keen follower of rugby league (supports another team), made the following observations:

*how in the world have the Dragons managed to lose two of their best players within a couple of weeks? There'd be an uproar if that was to happen at his club (and it just never happens without ready replacements to come in - no shocks, no surprises, recruitment always under control).
*it's laughable that the head coach doesn't have a material and direct influence on recruitment.

These are his points which I didn't raise. Just providing an outside perspective from a knowledgeable guy.

Straight Shooter

My mates always ask how in the hell do we never sack our CEO.

 

[Saints Forever]

At the moment most of us are enjoying the ride this season.

The jury is out as to what has caused the massive change in performance.

May be a combination of:

1) Better physical training by the new staff has increased explosiveness and stamina

2) Most of squad playing for contracts has lead to greater focus and effort

3) abysmal 2016 performance embarrassed the players to the point where they have taken it upon themselves to prove to the public that they are good players

4) Introduction of Vaughan and McInnes has provided much better go forward. Vaughan has lead the way with barnstorming runs. McInnes has provided first class service from dummy half allowing the ball runners to do their jobs rather than continuously slowing down/stopping because passes are sailing behind them/over them or hitting them in the shins

5) Better go forward has contributed to more time for the halves to seek out weaknesses in the opposition defence.

6) Better completion rates means more time with the ball in hand. Conversely apart from tiring the opposition out by forcing them to tackle more than us it provides the opposition with fewer opportunities to obtain good field position.

My view is that use of the bench still remains a problem.

Use of Mann generally remains poor.

Faillure to utilise Mann/Dufty/Field recently at FB as a starter is shortsighted.

Have Mary/Hornby/Young improved as coaches. One would hope so.

Are they equal to Bennett/Bellamy ? No

If we aspire to winning the comp we need to upgrade the coaching staff as well as the playing roster.

 

[Objective View]

My mates always ask how in the hell do we never sack our CEO.

Crush probably loves Doustie as well.

Straight Shooter

 

[Objective View]

If we aspire to winning the comp we need to upgrade the coaching staff as well as the playing roster.

Well said.

Straight Shooter

 

[Overseas dragon]

I'm at a loss to know what to day to you. I suppose, suffice to say that I am very confident if Dugan and Packer stayed, we would have the best chance of competing for a GF spot in 2018 since 2010.

Let's agree to disagree Mr possum funny that years ago one of my greyhounds had a possum

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

At the moment most of us are enjoying the ride this season.

The jury is out as to what has caused the massive change in performance.

May be a combination of:

1) Better physical training by the new staff has increased explosiveness and stamina

2) Most of squad playing for contracts has lead to greater focus and effort

3) abysmal 2016 performance embarrassed the players to the point where they have taken it upon themselves to prove to the public that they are good players

4) Introduction of Vaughan and McInnes has provided much better go forward. Vaughan has lead the way with barnstorming runs. McInnes has provided first class service from dummy half allowing the ball runners to do their jobs rather than continuously slowing down/stopping because passes are sailing behind them/over them or hitting them in the shins

5) Better go forward has contributed to more time for the halves to seek out weaknesses in the opposition defence.

6) Better completion rates means more time with the ball in hand. Conversely apart from tiring the opposition out by forcing them to tackle more than us it provides the opposition with fewer opportunities to obtain good field position.

My view is that use of the bench still remains a problem.

Use of Mann generally remains poor.

Faillure to utilise Mann/Dufty/Field recently at FB as a starter is shortsighted.

Have Mary/Hornby/Young improved as coaches. One would hope so.

Are they equal to Bennett/Bellamy ? No

If we aspire to winning the comp we need to upgrade the coaching staff as well as the playing roster.

The single biggest factor if you had to choose only one, is the injection of McInnes instead of Rein.
2016 we still had a decent go forward but got crucified by poor service from dummy half.
St. George traditionally has great hookers but Rein wasn't one of them.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Maybe wants his job, Mary been looking good lately, can't have that , time to f**k up some contract negotiations and lose players.

I have thought upon this for several days and I have come to the conclusion that I actually think he is doing the opposite to white anting Mary and in fact, Mary is probably doing more to white ant his future than Basil is. At this stage, Mary is highly likely to be re-signed this year. The team is playing exceptionally well, and for the most part, Mary has done a pretty solid job at turning it around. He still has much to learn, but it seems he is getting there.

There are several reasons I do not think Basil is white anting Mary. Firstly, the squad he has now. Sure, at the start of the season the majority of us thought we had no hope, but it cannot be denied that the very few recruits we brought in, have been exactly what we needed and have been stellar acquisitions.

Secondly, the re-signings and signings thus far. The retention of several highly touted juniors, the retention of Widdop and the recruitment of an actual halfback that has been in the top 3 for stats for halfbacks for the past 3 years.

Thirdly, not over extending and overspending on some contracts. Yes, it is disappointing to lose both Dugan and Packer, but it cannot be helped when other highly cashed clubs come a knocking and offer overs to players. A value was set and the players in question longevity in the game appraised and these players rejected it and luckily for them, found other suitors. Was Basils handling of the contract negotiations perfect? Probably not in Dugans case, but he has got several other negotiations correct. Not over spending on certain players will mean we can retain several other key players and potentially go to market as well. The last thing we want is the atrocious cap management that we had previously.

As for Mary white anting himself, well his continual mismanagement of the bench and in particular the utility is an issue. Several times we have had unassailable leads against teams providing ample opportunity to blood players for longer but instead, he leaves them off until the final few minutes. It hardly builds confidence or develops the players any which could lead to issues with player fitness, attitude problems and show a lack of pathways to 1st grade.

Secondly, the continued insistence of selecting Flo at fullback instead of playing actual back-up fullbacks can only hurt the development of the players and cause issues with continuity. Unless it is Mary's intention to keep Flo there in the case of long term injury to Dugan, developing a player who is likely to end up there whilst he is out for rep duties or injury or even for next year is surely of better value? It may be because he does not have his future sorted but in effect it is undermining himself as he is the most likely candidate. Add to this, the unnecessary shuffle last week of Mann out of the halves due to injury when it looked like he was warming to the task. It affects continuity greatly and personally, moving Flo to wing and Field to fullback would've made more sense.

 

[Gareth67]

Let's agree to disagree Mr possum funny that years ago one of my greyhounds had a possum

Knew a bloke who use to take his greyhound for a bit of a paddle behind his row boat , in the Georges River . " the salt water works wonders on their muscles , Cecil " he told me .
Well the next occasion I saw him , I asked how the greyhound was going . " Good Lord , Cecil , you wouldn't want to know , but a shark took the bluudy thing , I heard a yelp , looked behind me , pulled on the leash and up came the dog head , the shark got the rest of him "
True story , Overseas dragon !

 

[Carlton]

I don't know whether its Millward white anting Mary, I think its more a case of a demarcation dispute. This feels typical of management structures with strong silos where the decisions and actions of one manager impinge/impact on another managers area.

Millward's power base is recruitment and I think he knows that he can influence the direction of the club by using this and by making it clear that it is not part of Mary's area of authority.

 

[dragonssamy61]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...im-lucrative-sponsorship-20170520-gw995m.html



"....,although the decision to leave Belmore will cost the Bulldogs playmaker a lucrative sponsorship."


"The Dragons and the Eels also call ANZ Stadium home but are yet to nominate their new ambassadors. Benji Marshall was the man for the Red V until his switch to Brisbane..."


I am too old and too slow to understand this... does this mean there is an opportunity to use a Red V player profile.. and receive extra $$$ for that player .. an amount possibly to help cut a deal.


Would seem like an opportunity the club is not utilizing .. time to start thinking smarter.. but that hasn't been our strong suit for a while now.

TOTS
I think from what I can understand from the article.
It would be thrid party situation.
It would be a amout of dollars and that player would be promotion for ANZ Stadium.
I dont no why we wouldn't use it.
Someone like hunt or widdop I would think

 

[Slippery Morris]

With Packer and Dugan going they have a fair bit of cash remaining to bring in some talent and upgrade. Some may call it a mess, others a time to bring in some flair. Cody Walker would be pretty good. With the type of footy they are playing and the great platform that the Forwards a laying, they are looking at a ball playing fullback to complement them.

When BMoz and Merrin left it was all doom and gloom for some. Merrin has been OK and played most games but BMoz has had quite a few injuries. How do you know that the reason Saints don't want to throw their big dollars at Dugan is because they think he may give cop the same as what Dogs are with BMoz. THey would know more about his medical history than any of us do. That is a big chunk off the cap so I can see why they are standing their ground. Lets wait and see how Duge's goes next season but looking at his history I doubt he will give then a full season. I am guessing 16-18 games tops.

 

[Objective View]

2016 we still had a decent go forward but got crucified by poor service from dummy half.
St. George traditionally has great hookers but Rein wasn't one of them.

Speaks volumes of the coaching and retention staff who kept selecting Rein year after year.

Straight Shooter

 

[Gomarchin]

The decision to take the recruitment/retention of players away from the coach means we will ALWAYS now only have a rookie coach at the helm. We are the only club with this setup which means your experienced and successful coaches with proven records (i.e. premierships) would never consider taking on the job.

 

[qld redvee]

The decision to take the recruitment/retention of players away from the coach means we will ALWAYS now only have a rookie coach at the helm. We are the only club with this setup which means your experienced and successful coaches with proven records (i.e. premierships) would never consider taking on the job.

The coach still has input he just doesnt sit in on the negotiations.. mcgregor advises basil that he ( the coach ) wants a new player in a position and basil finds a list of available players coach then says go for him and basil negotiates . It would be the same with what player resigns ( hopefully those worthy of 1st grade not like our cutters forwards ) Remember when mary was signing by himself we got marketo mathews lui havili ( 1'2 decent but not first grade ) kiti george rose and another fringe second rower thats playing sl. Remember the famous quote Ive got the players I want ??? . SO would you all like that type of recruitment OR what basil is doing which includes stitching up promising juniors Ill take millward over fringe second graders any day

 

[since77]

Speaks volumes of the coaching and retention staff who kept selecting Rein year after year.

Straight Shooter

A bit harsh OV - Everyone knows you need at least 5 years to work out if the reserve grade standard hooker who can't pass a ball properly will finally show some signs of improvement.........

 

[possm]

The decision to take the recruitment/retention of players away from the coach means we will ALWAYS now only have a rookie coach at the helm. We are the only club with this setup which means your experienced and successful coaches with proven records (i.e. premierships) would never consider taking on the job.

Great for the old boys club.

 

[Slippery Morris]

The decision to take the recruitment/retention of players away from the coach means we will ALWAYS now only have a rookie coach at the helm. We are the only club with this setup which means your experienced and successful coaches with proven records (i.e. premierships) would never consider taking on the job.

Seems to be working well at the Dogs. How many players are they trying to get rid of to accommodate 2?

This year has been a huge improvement on the field to last few so if it is because of this move to take recruitment away from Mary then why complain? Seriously. I am sure they all work together and not in silo's and communicate where the strengths and weaknesses are and the recruiter would obviously run things past the coach not just throw players at him and expect results.

This Dugan rubbish about centre/fullback is all journalist talk. Seriously. At the end of the day the Sharks bought Duges as a centre as Holmes is there long term fullback so why is this any different to Millward's way of thinking? I know Holmes is a proven fullback, but once Field/Dufty make it to the NRL, Dugan will be centre. Only diff is Sharks are paying more to do the same thing with Dugan. Lets see how Duges' body is in the 4th year when he is 31 with all those injuries. Probably won't be worth the 1 mil then and they will end up offloading him and paying a portion of his salary to some Superleague side. Good waste of salary cap money that will be.