Widdop at fullback

[Crush]

So my old man is good mates with someone close to the club, an ex-dragons captain.
Anyway, he was speaking to Widdop recently and asked him how he went at fullback in the WC. He said that although he enjoyed it he wouldn't want to play in the fullback position at nrl level because its too taxing on the body. He reckons that he is still recovering from it.
Interesting to hear that Widdop struggled with the physicality of the role, I wonder how Dufty will go week in week out?
Same guy also said that Dragons this pre-season look like they haven't in many years. Fit, hungry and excited. He reckons they are in for a very good 2018. Same bloke predicted they would struggle for the last few years.
Stoked to hear that!

 

[TomRedVRiver]

Interesting to hear all this and thanks for the info Crush!

Although Widdop was excellent for England at Fullback in the WC... After the year he had at 5/8 in 2017, you couldn't possibly shift him back to Fullback. There's no need to weaken one position to strengthen another. We've spent years trying to find a partner for him in the halves, now that we've found that partner it would be ridiculous to change it up. Besides, Dufty is looking good so it's not like we'd be strengthening the fullback position anyway by putting Widdop back there.

 

[Drag Queen]

So my old man is good mates with someone close to the club, an ex-dragons captain.
Anyway, he was speaking to Widdop recently and asked him how he went at fullback in the WC. He said that although he enjoyed it he wouldn't want to play in the fullback position at nrl level because its too taxing on the body. He reckons that he is still recovering from it.
Interesting to hear that Widdop struggled with the physicality of the role, I wonder how Dufty will go week in week out?
Same guy also said that Dragons this pre-season look like they haven't in many years. Fit, hungry and excited. He reckons they are in for a very good 2018. Same bloke predicted they would struggle for the last few years.
Stoked to hear that!

Good to hear Crush. I can't wait for the footy season to begin. I have a good feeling about this year Xx

 

[muzby]

Same guy also said that Dragons this pre-season look like they haven't in many years. Fit, hungry and excited. He reckons they are in for a very good 2018. Same bloke predicted they would struggle for the last few years.
Stoked to hear that!

best pre-season ever, hey?

he didn't say by any chance if they were also training the house down?

 

[watatank]

Fullback is a lot more running and Widdop hasn't trained for it...that's where he would have struggled the most. Dufty is young and as such will have to adjust to the transition to first grade but at least he has been playing fullback for a few years.

 

[Crush]

Fullback is a lot more running and Widdop hasn't trained for it...that's where he would have struggled the most. Dufty is young and as such will have to adjust to the transition to first grade but at least he has been playing fullback for a few years.

I think it was more the getting hit hard by blokes when taking high balls and getting battered when running the ball out of own line. Those were the two things he pointed out.

 

[kit66]

Interesting to hear all this and thanks for the info Crush!

Although Widdop was excellent for England at Fullback in the WC... After the year he had at 5/8 in 2017, you couldn't possibly shift him back to Fullback. There's no need to weaken one position to strengthen another. We've spent years trying to find a partner for him in the halves, now that we've found that partner it would be ridiculous to change it up. Besides, Dufty is looking good so it's not like we'd be strengthening the fullback position anyway by putting Widdop back there.

Good to hear, he's too valuable at 5/8 and besides, we have plenty of options for full back this year starting with Dufty but including Mann, Field and others.
What I'm really looking forward to quite simply is Gareth at 6 and Hunt at 7, I've been waiting years in fact for a decent halves pairing. I can't wait.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Its good that their going great guns pre season......Im more interested in End season to be honest

 

[Crush]

Any punters out there?
I'm wondering if it's better to put my money on Dragons to win the premiership at $19 or win minor premiership at $21?
I think I will chuck $100 on both....

 

[Frank Facer]

Any punters out there?
I'm wondering if it's better to put my money on Dragons to win the premiership at $19 or win minor premiership at $21?
I think I will chuck $100 on both....

I have already backed Easts to win the premiership and minor premiership. I will be backing Melbourne to win both too. I will have a saver on Nth Qld for both too. I will also be having something on us to win both, just in case.

Just imagine if we actually did win the comp this year. lol Mary would be coach of the year. lol. I think that some would still be calling for a new coach. lol

 

[Crush]

I have already backed Easts to win the premiership and minor premiership. I will be backing Melbourne to win both too. I will have a saver on Nth Qld for both too. I will also be having something on us to win both, just in case.

Just imagine if we actually did win the comp this year. lol Mary would be coach of the year. lol. I think that some would still be calling for a new coach. lol

Yeah it would be nice. I think there was a thread this time last year about sacking Mary even if we won the comp and a few said they'd get rid of him even with the premiership win.
It's all silly talk anyway. Everyone in here just wants the team to do well. If they start winning the sack mary noise will go away.

 

[jak]

Any punters out there?
I'm wondering if it's better to put my money on Dragons to win the premiership at $19 or win minor premiership at $21?
I think I will chuck $100 on both....

take the minor premiership more fun for your buck you get to bite your nails for 26 weeks.

 

[LINESPEED]

So my old man is good mates with someone close to the club, an ex-dragons captain.
Anyway, he was speaking to Widdop recently and asked him how he went at fullback in the WC. He said that although he enjoyed it he wouldn't want to play in the fullback position at nrl level because its too taxing on the body. He reckons that he is still recovering from it.
Interesting to hear that Widdop struggled with the physicality of the role, I wonder how Dufty will go week in week out?
Same guy also said that Dragons this pre-season look like they haven't in many years. Fit, hungry and excited. He reckons they are in for a very good 2018. Same bloke predicted they would struggle for the last few years.
Stoked to hear that!

Nevertheless re Widdop:
The Poms had the World Cup in the bag - so Bennett was very unlucky.
He chose Widdop at fullback for good reasons I suspect, and he was their best player.
So his CV could easily be reading 'World Cup winning fullback'.....
So close.
His defence, organisational skills and try assists from that position would be invaluable.
IMHO it seems for years we played Dugan out of position too. His best games were at centre for the Kangaroos?
Again I say, ask Bennett about Widdop's selection at fullback - not Mary please!
And by the way, whether Widdop likes fullback or not, a strong coach picks a player's position that best suits the team.
I just kinda reckon, as I've said before, that Widdop might go into his shell a bit with Hunt beside him - as he did with Marshall??

Widdop likes his own space to create

And some of the young guns are going to have to be given a crack at 5/8 this year or we'll lose them, especially if Widdop's injured and Mc 'JEEZ I'M MISSING LOVECHILD SO MUCH'
goes predictably for journeymen like Nicholls etc etc
Only a backline cleanout will stop an exodus of juniors in the future.
Shit we have the makings of a great team in 2018 if the selections are right.

 

[possm]

The best fullbacks organise plays in defence and attack from the back; fullback gives you a great on-field view of numbers in defence and potential in attack. Unfortunately all of our potential fullbacks are inexperienced; Dufty, Field, Mann and Lomax. Our only possible candidate for fullback (Mary's favourite) is Nightingale but unfortunately he is too slow these days.

As we have a lot of young guns coming into reserve grade in season 2018, there will plenty of opportunity to promote those who stand out. Field, Dufty, Mann and Sailor could be effective at 6 but not in the same class as Widdop.

I've always believed that you don't weaken a position in order to strengthen another. We should always promote a player or recruit a player to fill a problem position.

 

[watatank]

I think it was more the getting hit hard by blokes when taking high balls and getting battered when running the ball out of own line. Those were the two things he pointed out.

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification. It seems it would be more difficult when you haven't been conditioned for it.

 

[Dragsters]

6 gets their hands on the ball far too often to not pick the best candidate in the squad there.

Widdop was Dally M five eighth of the year and arguably one of the seasons most influential players in the comp.

Widdop plays at 6, no question...

 

[watatank]

The amount of ball the 6 receives is not really a reason though, fullbacks can get the ball just as much, maybe more than a lot of halves out there. You could structure the team so the fullback gets more ball than the average one as well, especially if the fullback is Widdop.

I think for me the timing is poor for a move like this

 

[Dragsters]

Respectfully, I both disagree and agree.

Firstly, I believe that you want your best players with the ball in hand most often and this is much easier to achieve from first or second reciever.

Secondly, I agree that Widdop to fullback was potentially once a solid option for the team (particularly when Marshall was here) and have previously stated as much but I too believe that time has passed...

 

[LINESPEED]

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification. It seems it would be more difficult when you haven't been conditioned for it.

Ask Beau Scott about hammering the 5/8 perhaps?

 

[Overseas dragon]

take the minor premiership more fun for your buck you get to bite your nails for 26 weeks.

Take the double with your choice of Adelaide or Sydney afl nice collect if you get it up