Soward v Mann v McCrone v Nona v Field

[monsterkev]

Millward should stick to his original plan and not sign a half play the cards you have been dealt as 2017 was probably a writeoff with mcgregor as coach anyway
I was beginning to agree with not signing hazbeens and dickheads but we are gettin back on that merry go round again
Dont go down this path with soward otherwise we should have just kept benji
Same same

 

[Mr Red]

The 2016 Jamie Soward is just a pale comparison of the 2010 model. He is finished as a first grade footballer.
He was average at the end of his panthers career and average in the super league .
I wish him all the best in retirement , but seriously if we sign him we are kidding ourselves ...

 

[getsmarty]

McCrone in four-way race for Dragons halfback spot

Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno

19 Dec 2016, 2:24 p.m.


A SEASON-ENDING injury to Dragons young gun Drew Hutchison hasn’t changed veteran half Josh McCrone’s preseason focus – he was already aiming to wear the No. 7 come round one.

HARD SLOG: Josh McCrone slugs it out at training. Picture: Robert Peet

Hutchison had been penciled in to fill the play-making void left by Benji Marshall next season before an ACL tear at training last week threw those plans into disarray

Recent Super League returnees Todd Carney and Chris Sandow have been tossed up as potential recruitment targets for the club since Hutchison went down while former premiership-winning half Jamie Soward has also stated publicly that he’d consider a return should the club send out an SOS.

The Dragons have also been linked to a number of off-contract halves at other clubs for 2018 with Dragons recruitment chief Ian Millward indicating the club will look in-house to find a No. 7 for next year.

It’s puts McCrone in a four-way battle with Kurt Mann, Shaun Nona and NYC star Jai Field for the right to partner Gareth Widdop at the scrum-base come the season-opener.

Despite spending the past three seasons in a utility role with the Raiders and Dragons, McCrone said he has always coveted a regular spot in the halves.

“I love being in the halves, that’s always my first preference,” McCrone said.

“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m happy enough to do anything in the 17 to keep playing because I love the game and I love being here at the Dragons.

“I want to do that for as long as I can, so I’m realistic enough to know that I might have to play that utility role, but my goal is always to start in the halves. It’s no different this year.”

McCrone got the jump on Hutchison last preseason, playing in seven games for four wins as Marshall battled niggling injuries, but the former Country rep is confident he can offer a lot more if given more opportunities in 2017.

“To be honest I don’t think I played my best footy [in 2016],” McCrone

“We got a few results early on, so I must have been doing something right, but I think I’ve got a lot more to offer.

“I think I played a bit within myself just trying to get a feel for the place and the new system.I was playing with new people, new combinations, and it was tough every week where I’d go back to reserve grade and play hooker and then come back up to first grade and play halfback.

“That makes it hard to build combinations. Hopefully with a bit of time this year I can put a bit more of a stamp on games.”

Whoever does earn first crack in the halfback spot will be under plenty of pressure given the Dragons struggle to post points in 2016 but McCrone is confident the club can find it's attacking mojo.

“I think it was all a mental thing we put on ourselves,” McCrone said.

“We were always capable of scoring points we just started listening too much to what was being said. I think a change in personnel will be good and we’ll play a bit of a different style this year as well which will help.

“Whoever is the starting halfback will get marked pretty harshly on results but at the end of the day you don’t worry about that, you just worry about getting the team around the field and playing good footy. If you do that then the results will look after themselves.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4365606/mccrone-sets-sights-on-dragons-no-7/?cs=3713

 

[BennyV]

Well there's the softening up article! Be prepared for 7. McCrone in round 1.

 

[Crush]

Well there's the softening up article! Be prepared for 7. McCrone in round 1.

100%. Widdop/mccrone would be the weakest halves combo in the comp by a long long way....

 

[St Georgio]

As long as we have no positive expectations from any of our play makers, that could be a positive for one of the potentials to break through to the other side, I WISH Field is the kid to do it!

 

[Carlton]

We have some positive statements coming from Millward and then we get an article like this. My greatest fear was that Millward was just delivering the message we wanted to hear but there was no substance behind it.

If McCrones made half we have not moved ahead at all, its just more of the same old same old. 2017 has to be a year of looking to the future and assessing the younger players and how they handle the heat of first grade battle.

I know its just a newspaper article but I couldn't be more disappointed than when I read it.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Another newspaper, another article on the Dragons halves dilemma.
Of course McCrone is going to pump up his own tyres, anyone would now that the field has been reduced with the Hutch injury.
The way I see it is written "I’m realistic enough to know that I might have to play that utility role", for mine that is the only chance he has of seeing 1st grade IMO.
The race is really between Mann and Nona (Field, not yet), with Nona having a slight edge with recent experience in a halves position.

 

[Carlton]

Another newspaper, another article on the Dragons halves dilemma.
Of course McCrone is going to pump up his own tyres, anyone would now that the field has been reduced with the Hutch injury.
The way I see it is written "I’m realistic enough to know that I might have to play that utility role", for mine that is the only chance he has of seeing 1st grade IMO.
The race is really between Mann and Nona (Field, not yet), with Nona having a slight edge with recent experience in a halves position.

I hope you're right but what worried me the most was we have had articles about every player in the race for a halves spot and then the last one is McCrone.

This is how the club have gone about delivering unsavoury news in the past. Work through every option and then put the one the fans don't want up at the end as if it was a logical well thought through process to get there.

Please,please let me be wrong but I've lost all confidence that the club will not turn this into a stuff up again.

 

[Lethal25]

McCrone at half is McWrong, but it is Mcgregor selecting who is McShit

 

[OLD FART DRAGON]

Talk is cheap,soward should be signed he won't break the budget,he's a. Good player,he wants to show he was dumped by. Price, he's got my voye

 

[OLD FART DRAGON]

Sorry vote

 

[Dragon Revival]

I think that Dufty should also be considered for the halves as he is the closest thing that I have seen to Steve Morris.

 

[SaintPauli]

Sowie has the following
Strong passing including cut off pass
Strong kicking long and short
Strong short burst runs _ line breaks
Strong Field goal ability
Strong motivation and the will to win.
Strong love for Dragons
Stong knowledge of game
Mentor the up and comers eg Jay Field
Defence good not great but all above outweigh negative.
Was actually man of the match in his last game for dragons

Dragons take him on.

 

[since77]

If at the right price I'd take a punt on Sowie - and, pun intended, just tell him he's there to kick. Would be the first time since he left that we had someone who could kick.

 

[giboz71]

What's the point of grabbing Sowie for the year if we already have McCrone? Sowie may offer slighty more, but not much at his age.

Hutch was the one to trial this year, but that plan has gone out the window. He had to absolutely kill it this year to stop us searching for a long term half in 2018. but doubt that would have happened anyway.

Mann and Nona will get their chance now, but in reality, I'm not expecting much from our halves whoever they are.

 

[This Year?]

Having slept on it overnight I'm going to take back my no to Soward.. I believe signing Soward on the basis that Mann doesntt work out within the first 4 rounds (assuming he's the chosen. No 7) well then Soward would be ready by mid April to step in..

Soward has a great controlled kicking game and would be an ideal compliment for Widdop plus he bleeds red and white and would want to prove a. Point that he retired a little early.. ActuAlly I'm certain he would do the job over the other selections (Mccrone, Nona, Firld)

Thoughts?

It's a no for me. Soward's back is basically shot and his form for Penrith wasn't that great. We need a halfback desperately, not another 6 to fill in as a 7. Widdop wouldn't work as a 7. His kicking game is poor and his decision making with the ball is terrible.

I really wish we'd get a new halves pairing.

 

[emu62]

Sowie has the following
Strong passing including cut off pass
Strong kicking long and short
Strong short burst runs _ line breaks
Strong Field goal ability
Strong motivation and the will to win.
Strong love for Dragons
Stong knowledge of game
Mentor the up and comers eg Jay Field
Defence good not great but all above outweigh negative.
Was actually man of the match in his last game for dragons

Dragons take him on.

IMO your post is nearly correct, One small change
In the first line change the small "s" to a small "d"

 

[ChargingPatJarvis]

I wouldn't mind seeing Nona on the bench. He could cover the backs, but importantly some spark, creativity and mongrel out of dummy half. Could be an interesting proposition as back up hooker?

 

[dragon thomo]

Kurt mann should have the first oppertunity and not be used as the scapegoat if we dont start well. Soward may be alright if cheap as a back up and only for 1 year. If we sign Carney it would virtually spell the the end of Mann which would be dissapoining as this fellow is a very good footballer.