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Time to Roll the Dice

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
Firstly lets give credit where credits due - the current 17-18 players being consistently picked by Mcgregor have got us sitting inside the top 8 but it does seem pretty evident that despite our players best efforts we are being pipped at the post in crucial games. Maybe it's a fact that teams have worked out our one dimensional game plan or maybe just that some players have tapered off their early season intensity (Packer, Mcdonald, Lafai).

I think we are at a crucial end of the season where the club needs to start behaving like a club and use its best available resources to finish off the job and get to the semis and from there it's a whole new ball game..

I believe it's time to freshen up the team effective immediately with a couple of key team changes thAt will bring freshness, pace, creativity and some much needed unpredictability..

There's no doubt the team looks very dangerous when playing second phase football and players like JDB, Vaughan, Ah Mau, DUGAN are all capable of producing this type of football on a consistent basis w few errors.. The focus should be in promoting this type of football along w what's held us in good stead so far - hard, straight, running footy w quick play the ball and now sprinkled w some new blood..

If I were to make changes now to get the team playing more improvised footy w a view of making a statement in the semis I would make the following few changes:

1. Dufty (much needed pace in the backline)
2. MANN
3. DUGAN
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

6. WIDDOP
7. Mccrone

8. Ah Mau ( to start)
9. Mciness
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. THOMPSON
13. JDB

14. Packer ( better impact from bench)
15. Simms
16. Leilua ( offers more creative option than Host and Sele)
17. Field (more X factor, pace than Milne, Aitken off the bench)

Subtle changes that IMo would make a big difference to our teams performance..
 

Carlton

Juniors
Messages
1,223
Firstly lets give credit where credits due - the current 17-18 players being consistently picked by Mcgregor have got us sitting inside the top 8 but it does seem pretty evident that despite our players best efforts we are being pipped at the post in crucial games. Maybe it's a fact that teams have worked out our one dimensional game plan or maybe just that some players have tapered off their early season intensity (Packer, Mcdonald, Lafai).

I think we are at a crucial end of the season where the club needs to start behaving like a club and use its best available resources to finish off the job and get to the semis and from there it's a whole new ball game..

I believe it's time to freshen up the team effective immediately with a couple of key team changes thAt will bring freshness, pace, creativity and some much needed unpredictability..

There's no doubt the team looks very dangerous when playing second phase football and players like JDB, Vaughan, Ah Mau, DUGAN are all capable of producing this type of football on a consistent basis w few errors.. The focus should be in promoting this type of football along w what's held us in good stead so far - hard, straight, running footy w quick play the ball and now sprinkled w some new blood..

If I were to make changes now to get the team playing more improvised footy w a view of making a statement in the semis I would make the following few changes:

1. Dufty (much needed pace in the backline)
2. MANN
3. DUGAN
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

6. WIDDOP
7. Mccrone

8. Ah Mau ( to start)
9. Mciness
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. THOMPSON
13. JDB

14. Packer ( better impact from bench)
15. Simms
16. Leilua ( offers more creative option than Host and Sele)
17. Field (more X factor, pace than Milne, Aitken off the bench)

Subtle changes that IMo would make a big difference to our teams performance..

I think you can muck around with the team as much as you like but the area that really needs fixing is the halves. Until this is sorted nothing will really make a genuine difference.

We need a kicker and a game manager in the halves and McInnes needs to have a greater say on field directing play a la Cameron Smith.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
4 of the seven in your backline would rank in the top 10% if not top 5% for slowest players in those positions in the entire competition.
You have only inserted Dufty to provide speed to a profoundly pedestrian back line which will clearly not be enough to achieve what you are looking for.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,412
4 of the seven in your backline would rank in the top 10% if not top 5% for slowest players in those positions in the entire competition.
You have only inserted Dufty to provide speed to a profoundly pedestrian back line which will clearly not be enough to achieve what you are looking for.
Yeah we are not a quick backline, no questioning that. I thought the wingers both played on Friday though nonetheless.
Id be playing Mann at fullback for the rest of this season and moving dugan to the centres. Give Lafai a spell in reserve grade and bring Aitken back in.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,741
Firstly lets give credit where credits due - the current 17-18 players being consistently picked by Mcgregor have got us sitting inside the top 8 but it does seem pretty evident that despite our players best efforts we are being pipped at the post in crucial games. Maybe it's a fact that teams have worked out our one dimensional game plan or maybe just that some players have tapered off their early season intensity (Packer, Mcdonald, Lafai).

I think we are at a crucial end of the season where the club needs to start behaving like a club and use its best available resources to finish off the job and get to the semis and from there it's a whole new ball game..

I believe it's time to freshen up the team effective immediately with a couple of key team changes thAt will bring freshness, pace, creativity and some much needed unpredictability..

There's no doubt the team looks very dangerous when playing second phase football and players like JDB, Vaughan, Ah Mau, DUGAN are all capable of producing this type of football on a consistent basis w few errors.. The focus should be in promoting this type of football along w what's held us in good stead so far - hard, straight, running footy w quick play the ball and now sprinkled w some new blood..

If I were to make changes now to get the team playing more improvised footy w a view of making a statement in the semis I would make the following few changes:

1. Dufty (much needed pace in the backline)
2. MANN
3. DUGAN
4. Lafai
5. Nightingale

6. WIDDOP
7. Mccrone

8. Ah Mau ( to start)
9. Mciness
10. Vaughan
11. Frizell
12. THOMPSON
13. JDB

14. Packer ( better impact from bench)
15. Simms
16. Leilua ( offers more creative option than Host and Sele)
17. Field (more X factor, pace than Milne, Aitken off the bench)

Subtle changes that IMo would make a big difference to our teams performance..

Agree 100% , the only one I would query would be Field, I think you need Milne or Aitken just to cover the backs.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
Yeah we are not a quick backline, no questioning that. I thought the wingers both played on Friday though nonetheless.
Id be playing Mann at fullback for the rest of this season and moving dugan to the centres. Give Lafai a spell in reserve grade and bring Aitken back in.
I have given Nene plenty of stick thus far but Friday night he actually had his best game so would move him to his preferred LW.
I would go with
Dufty
Who ever is the fastest player 1-5 in the reggies
Dugan
Mann
Mc Donald
Widdop
Payne (excellent distributing half or Hutch if he was ready)
or
Dugan
Dufty
Aitken
Mann
Mc Donald
Widdop
Payne
Either of the above would be Ferrari compared to what we now have.
Lafai certainly needs a stint in reggies and we need to have a half who actually has enough speed to take the line on.
Mc Crone is so slow that the meets him before he gets halfway to the ad line thus the reason he goes for the sweeping plays thus the reason we go sideways.
 

Drag Queen

Bench
Messages
2,981
Agree 100% , the only one I would query would be Field, I think you need Milne or Aitken just to cover the backs.
Milne is leaving and Field is barely firing up in Holden Cup. I'll stick with my former summation that Field is a touch footy player.
 

2010

Bench
Messages
3,490
Based on McIdiit's selections over this season I don't see him giving Dufty a starting spot.
Time is running out for us. Dufty needs to be given decent time off the bench, at the very least.
Do we want to wait till pre season to give Dufty a chance. Throw him into the deep end?
The Power game worked great early on in the season. But then it hit the wall, forwards suffering injury and were, as other posters in here, were busted.
Mary has to think of a new game plan. Sticking four forwards on the bench is not cutting it.
I think Mary has to move Dugan to the centers. We owe Dugan nithing, so put him there and concentrate on a new fullback.
Mary has also to think ahead to next season. We need a tough prop and a fast center.
 

watatank

Coach
Messages
13,973
You don't play Dufty (or Field, or whoever) just hoping/expecting to turn things around for us. We don't have the players or coach to put him in a position to succeed. Happy for him to play provided he has earned his place but it's not fair to expect too much. Same with any of our U20s players, not likely to make an impact at all, that's why they aren't playing (at least not in significant roles).

A more realistic adjustment from our current full strength team would be something like Mann to fullback, Dugan to centre, Aitken to bench as a utility and Leilua as a ball player off the bench.

Mann
MacDonald
Dugan
Lafai
Nightingale
Widdop
McCrone
Ah Mau
McInnes
Vaughan
Frizell
Thompson
De Belin

Packer
Sims
Leilua
Aitken
 

ALSGI

Bench
Messages
3,101
You don't play Dufty (or Field, or whoever) just hoping/expecting to turn things around for us. We don't have the players or coach to put him in a position to succeed. Happy for him to play provided he has earned his place but it's not fair to expect too much. Same with any of our U20s players, not likely to make an impact at all, that's why they aren't playing (at least not in significant roles).

A more realistic adjustment from our current full strength team would be something like Mann to fullback, Dugan to centre, Aitken to bench as a utility and Leilua as a ball player off the bench.

Mann
MacDonald
Dugan
Lafai
Nightingale
Widdop
McCrone
Ah Mau
McInnes
Vaughan
Frizell
Thompson
De Belin

Packer
Sims
Leilua
Aitken
Totally understand what you're saying and agree - but that's not rolling the dice at all.
 

watatank

Coach
Messages
13,973
Totally understand what you're saying and agree - but that's not rolling the dice at all.

Maybe not but that's the state of the team. We don't really have any moves if we want to make the finals, if that's the goal then we pretty much keep doing what we're doing and hope it's enough. I'd prefer we try and develop but that also means going younger, actually commiting to a full on rebuildand forgetting about the finals but I dont think the club is at that point yet. But let's not pretend like Dufty is going to make a difference.
 

This Year?

Immortal
Messages
31,283
Can dice score tries off kicks? Can dice stay on his man on the wing in defence? Can dice run hard, tackle hard and offload? Can dice loom up in support of his forwards?
 

Dragonsteve2

Juniors
Messages
542
Plenty of valuable and logical selection thoughts in this thread. But we know here how reluctant Mary is to make changes to both a winning side despite apparent weaknesses and then to a side that has lost 7 from 10.

But as much as it pains me I would like to provide a little support for Mary. Many of us have found the selections at 17 quite perplexing and often the waste of a bench spot. However Mary could quite fairly answer that a back on the bench is necessary now with the current concussion rules in place. The back at 17 has been used in about 50% of games as a replacement for an injured back or for a back undergoing an HIA check. Mary may in fact be ahead of his time on this. However I think a player like Aitken would be the ideal 17 - if not required to cover an injured back then spend valuable time in the back row. Enough of the 7 minute Field/Mann/Milne cameos! We can only guess at the damage Mary has done to Field's confidence, apparently now struggling at FB in U20s.

A great pity that Dufty was not retained at 17 on Friday. How useful could he have been as a game breaker in the last 20 mins and/or extra time? But at least Mary is edging closer to giving Dufty a go.

Mary may actually face a selection dilemma next week if all backs including Aitken are available. So Dufty's time may be pushed further back, given Mary's reluctance to drop players. A pity he doesn't draw the conclusion that even a short spell out of the NRL team can be good for a player - was it coincidence that McCrone played better after his week on the bench?

Meanwhile in the forwards I think it is probably time to give Leilua a chance and time for Sele to have a spell with Illawarra. Leilua showed some promise on debut last year. Now he is a year older and with a fair season in NSW Cup behind him.

But what team do I expect? On Mary's record the only changes will be injury-induced. If all backs are fit will he push Mann back to the bench only 2 weeks after saying he couldn't leave him out of the team?
 

ALSGI

Bench
Messages
3,101
Maybe not but that's the state of the team. We don't really have any moves if we want to make the finals, if that's the goal then we pretty much keep doing what we're doing and hope it's enough. I'd prefer we try and develop but that also means going younger and actually commiting to a full on rebuild but I dont think the club is at that point yet. But let's not pretend like Dufty is going to make a difference.
Fair enough, but the thread is about rolling the dice, not doing the same and hoping for the best.
Also, let's not pretend Dufty (or any number of youngsters) wouldn't make a difference until they're given a proper shot.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
Besides the changes in both forwards and backs , I would be getting Johnny Raper into the locker room on game day and have him explain to the players just how wonderful an experience it is , not only to play in the semis , but to represent your clubs jersey .
With all due respect to McGregor , he most unfortunately does not appear to be able to stir the emotions of the players enough , so as they play their best football .

The games ahead are all tough and unless our blokes can get their thinking in order , we could be in for more disappointment .
On the other hand should they be able to come up with the wins required , then we shall all know that the Dragons would had earned their spot in the finals .
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
1. Dufty - this is your chance to shine. Go Dufty
2. Thompson - speed and size, going well in reserve grade
3. Dugan - If not fit, Milne
4. Lafai
5. Zac Lomax - young, fast, good under high ball, size and can kick goals
6. Widdop
7. Mann
8. Packer - if not fit, Sele
9. McInnes - Pass to man often
10. Vaughan
11. Thompson
12. De Belin - Frizell to rest
13. Leilua - to be instructed to off load often


14. Lawrie
15. Ah Mau
16. Sims
17. Kerr


I would like to run with this squad till seasons end if possible. I think it prove very valuable for next seasons squad.

McInnes to provide Mann with the ball in the same way he does McCrone.
Dufty to run of Leilua as often as possible.


With some fit young forwards and backs selected, maybe we can lift.
 
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