Milne > Aitken

[TomRedVRiver]

Everyone keen to see this switch next week? Obviously it probably won't happen, but for the short time Milne was on the field he was dynamic.
Aitken's defensive reads are becoming a liability. I know that our edges are coached to compress and rush their opposite man, but Aitken cannot adapt and he's getting burnt on the outside constantly. I admire his heart and toughness in attack, but he needs a few weeks in reserve grade to work on his reads.

1. Dugan
2. Macdonald
3. Milne
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

 

[Como Connection]

Everyone keen to see this switch next week? Obviously it probably won't happen, but for the short time Milne was on the field he was dynamic.
Aitken's defensive reads are becoming a liability. I know that our edges are coached to compress and rush their opposite man, but Aitken cannot adapt and he's getting burnt on the outside constantly. I admire his heart and toughness in attack, but he needs a few weeks in reserve grade to work on his reads.

1. Dugan
2. Macdonald
3. Milne
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

Seems to be a favourite of Mary for some reason.
CC

 

[2010]

Milne deserves a start up spot. Always a fan of Aitkin but he has been caught out to many times in defence.

 

[thebigredv]

McGregor likes Aitken because he can be from enigmatic in attack and bust lines, run good lines etc. He obviously does have a weakness in defensive reads, and it has cost us.

I tend to agree that Milne, who also shows power with the ball in hand, and a stronger defensive game, should now take Aitken's place in the run on side. With Widdop out we are going to have to win games off defence even more so, so now's the time to make this move. I'd definitely retain a spot for Euan on the bench and give him some impact minutes somewhere too.

Not the end of the world.

 

[Life's Good]

I think it's time for Milne to get the gig ahead of Aitken. Unfortunately, Aitken is making the same mistake of rushing up to many times. Good if the hit comes off but bad when it doesn't. I can only think Milne won't get shot because he is moving on - hope that's not the case though.

 

[monsterkev]

Aitken has been rubbish at best
Why the hell was he signed for 3 more years should have signed Milne and Mann

 

[The calm one]

I think it's time for Milne to get the gig ahead of Aitken. Unfortunately, Aitken is making the same mistake of rushing up to many times. Good if the hit comes off but bad when it doesn't. I can only think Milne won't get shot because he is moving on - hope that's not the case though.

Aitken has serious defence issues. Opposition coaches arn't stupid. Unless there is a change Aitken will see more attack aimed at him then what Donnie Trump had got aimed at North Korea

 

[Frank Facer]

Yes Aikten has defence issues, but his attack is also letting him/us down too. He provides no creativity or X factor, he lacks the blinding speed to make him a threat, he lacks a passing game and he is on the small side, but he gives 100%.

Aikten is a backrower playing centre, but he lacks size to be a forward. If he has a future in first grade I think that lies in the forwards.

Milne is the best centre prospect that I have seen at Saints since Gasnier. He should have started the year in first grade and he should have been signed up for 3 years instead of Aikten. I still am hoping that Milne is given a proper run at centre from next week on and that he does re-sign with us

 

[barry]

Milne is by far is better in the centres then Aitken.

Its a no contest, why are we the only ones that see this?

My only hope is that they dont expose him to other clubs, keep his value down, re-sign him, then start him in front of Aitken

 

[possm]

Under the new system at the Dragons, Mary has to work with the players given to him by Millward. In my opinion Milne is the Clubs best option at right centre but unfortunately, he is not on Millward's list for retention.

I've come to the conclusion that it is better to keep Mann, Lafai, Milne and Packer than to waste anymore cap and time on Dugan. let Dugan go and sign Mann, Lafai, Milne and Packer. Dugty and Field add the x factor and depth the Dragons need but at this stage and indeed in early 2018, I don't believe they are the answer. Herbert is not a patch on Milne or Lafai and so should also spend a year or so in reserve grade waiting for his chance.

For me it is always more important not to waste a season banking on players who may or may not be a hit in first grade. It is best to field the strongest possible team each year and compete for a place in the GF.

It is for this reason I still maintain the view that we should always sign our marquee players first, then our first graders and then bring our juniors through the lower grades along with some fringe first graders as depth signings. Which ever way we go, we are likely to lose players we would prefer to keep so the best thing to do is to ensure the Club has the best possible squad each year.

 

[slippery5]

Everyone keen to see this switch next week? Obviously it probably won't happen, but for the short time Milne was on the field he was dynamic.
Aitken's defensive reads are becoming a liability. I know that our edges are coached to compress and rush their opposite man, but Aitken cannot adapt and he's getting burnt on the outside constantly. I admire his heart and toughness in attack, but he needs a few weeks in reserve grade to work on his reads.

1. Dugan
2. Macdonald
3. Milne
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

If he starts making changes like this, he might slowly win me over !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[slippery5]

Milne deserves a start up spot. Always a fan of Aitkin but he has been caught out to many times in defence.

If you were to ask me who is our most overrated player, I would say Aitken everyday of the week.

 

[Joey_dragons]

milne has to be in the side asap otherwise all coaches are going to come down aitkens side. gould and johns were saying it to.

 

[monsterkev]

Millward must think aitken is a marquee player
Rushed to sign him before others that are more deserving

 

[Minh]

Unfortunately Aitken he's enigmatic, brilliant somedays and ordinary at other times but I hope he can find consistency because he's still a player with plenty of potential and has to fix up his defensive reads....

 

[mickeylane]

I must admit all us see Aitkens deficiencies yet the coaching staff dont!! What is that they see they we don't see - there must be something doing w Aitken as a player that he offers something to the team that we cant see..

Admittedly though Mcgregor did say our edge defense was terrible and not of first grade standard - maybe he will make the change

 

[mobels]

Millward must think aitken is a marquee player
Rushed to sign him before others that are more deserving

Aitkens cheap, extremely promising, would have been relatively cheap and he's loyal to the club which would have made his re-signing easy for the club. His attacking game is absolutely amazing, it's just his poor defensive decisions which let him down. Which can be fixed with stints in reserve grade, better coaching and better defensive structures.

For now Milne is the better option in first grade as he's also an extremely good player with a huge amount of upside. Word going around is that Milne has a deal on the table from the Tigers but is waiting to see if the Dragons give him a counter offer and he will stay if he gets a guaranteed first grade spot with the club.

For the better part of the remainder of the year i'd have Milne in until Aitken improves his defensive deficiencies and try Milne on the wing for next year. Milne's been playing on the wing in reserve grade on Nightingales side and has been dominating so it's highly likely that they're wanting Milne to be in first grade next year be it in Aitken's slot or Nightingale's slot.

Fingers crossed were able to keep to keep Milne and i'm confident we will, IF we offer him a permanent first grade spot because he's going to be someone we'll regret losing in the future.

 

[Life's Good]

Aitken will probably have a blinder at CvC(hope he does)but Mary needs to make the call & drop him to get some defensive form. Milne is busting for a shot and if he turn it on like Lafai has then we won't look back.

 

[epDragon62]

Aitkens cheap, extremely promising, would have been relatively cheap and he's loyal to the club which would have made his re-signing easy for the club. His attacking game is absolutely amazing, it's just his poor defensive decisions which let him down. Which can be fixed with stints in reserve grade, better coaching and better defensive structures.

For now Milne is the better option in first grade as he's also an extremely good player with a huge amount of upside. Word going around is that Milne has a deal on the table from the Tigers but is waiting to see if the Dragons give him a counter offer and he will stay if he gets a guaranteed first grade spot with the club.

For the better part of the remainder of the year i'd have Milne in until Aitken improves his defensive deficiencies and try Milne on the wing for next year. Milne's been playing on the wing in reserve grade on Nightingales side and has been dominating so it's highly likely that they're wanting Milne to be in first grade next year be it in Aitken's slot or Nightingale's slot.

Fingers crossed were able to keep to keep Milne and i'm confident we will, IF we offer him a permanent first grade spot because he's going to be someone we'll regret losing in the future.

How do you guarantee a first grade spot without compromising the integrity of the selection process. No one should've given a guarantee.

The best thing to do is give him opportunity and see if he takes it.

 

[possm]

I must admit all us see Aitkens deficiencies yet the coaching staff dont!! What is that they see they we don't see - there must be something doing w Aitken as a player that he offers something to the team that we cant see..

Admittedly though Mcgregor did say our edge defense was terrible and not of first grade standard - maybe he will make the change

It is simple. A decision was made by Millward and probably Mary to progress Aitken, so he is on the whiteboard and in the squads future plans. And to be fair, I think he would be more comfortable with a plan to mark up and slide when necessary rather then the up and in defensive plan.

There should not have been a rush to sign most of our juniors. If we felt one or two were too good to risk losing, provided we have cap space for them, it would be OK to sign them. However, when it came to signing Aitken, Milne and Mann are better options and probably cheaper.

I say, it is good to develop our juniors and progress them through the grades to first grade providing they are the best selection option for the team. It is ludicrous to try and back winners and losers and select players who are less skilled than others available.

Mary cannot crises Aitken because he devised the plan and the risk was obvious. Most on here were banging on about it weeks ago.

Millward would be reluctant to comment as he selected Aitken to be our backup right centre behind Dugan. Milne and Mann were not part of Millward's junior development group, they are external recruitment and so a lower priority. And this is where the main problem will be moving forward. Having favourites, picking winners and losers and mapping out a first grade side years in advance will lead to a real mess that the first grade coach will have to deal with.

When it comes to recruitment/pathways by all means encourage, develop and select on merit. When it comes to recruitment, buy to fill a hole and then select on merit. In this way there will be less opportunity for a mess.