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Widdop tipped to win 2018 Dally M

Belta

Juniors
Messages
1,124
I take such predictions with a grain of salt. Last season we were tipped for the wooden spoon. This season we are told anything less than a top 4 is under achieving. Not convinced we should be that confident. This writer is taking the heat off other teams I'd say.

My only prediction is it will be a much tighter leader board next season. Teams such as Newcastle, Souths, Bulldogs, Raiders and possibly even the Tigers will win more games against the more fancied sides. Having a good for and against will be critical to a few sides sitting on the edges of the eight. For me it's gunna be another knife edge year for a Dragons supporters.
 

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
I would be happy to see the Widdop of the games up to his Anzac Day injury stretch that out to a full season of consistency.
I dread the situation of our last(& only)Dally M winner in Barrett. He played really well in 2000 but we barely made a dent in the H&A games and missed the finals.
Team first & personal accolades should flow from that.
 

Drag Queen

Bench
Messages
2,981
I take such predictions with a grain of salt. Last season we were tipped for the wooden spoon. This season we are told anything less than a top 4 is under achieving. Not convinced we should be that confident. This writer is taking the heat off other teams I'd say.

My only prediction is it will be a much tighter leader board next season. Teams such as Newcastle, Souths, Bulldogs, Raiders and possibly even the Tigers will win more games against the more fancied sides. Having a good for and against will be critical to a few sides sitting on the edges of the eight. For me it's gunna be another knife edge year for a Dragons supporters.
Couldn't have said it better Xx
 

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333
The most important difference with the Dragons next year will be out probable better ability to close out games.

Think of every have we lost by 6 or less. Now turn them into victories of 6 or less.

This is very possible with the addition of Graham and Hunt. Fox are right, anything under Top 4 is underachieving, Top 8 will be a 'pass' presuming we don't exit in straight sets.

Missing Top 8 again, well that will be a disaster and I'm almost certain Mary would get the flick this time, as now there is no luxury of 'expecting' being near the spoon.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,412
I made this prediction about 3 months ago. Widdop will have a blinder. Spewing this article has come out, I was going to put a pineapple on him winning it, now the odds will suck.
 

This Year?

Immortal
Messages
31,284
Although he was close in 2017 to win it he simply doesn't have the consistency to win it in 2018. When the pressure is on he will turn to water just like he did in 2016 and 2017.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I think Hunt will poll as well as Widdop in the Dally M's. He should be playing both sides of the field, that should work in his favor, maybe Hunt is the one to back to win the Dally M? Thurston and Smith are the 2 who I am interested in backing. Tedesco is the other one who I may have something on. Croft looked pretty good this year. He will be playing halfback in one of the top sides.
 

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333
Although he was close in 2017 to win it he simply doesn't have the consistency to win it in 2018. When the pressure is on he will turn to water just like he did in 2016 and 2017.
This makes no sense when he was already good enough to win it in 2017 and likely would have if he played the extra six games.

A year where he would reasonably be expected to be better and suddenly not good enough?

Do some people have a vested interest in trashing Widdop on this forum? Of the several footy communities I am part of, this is the ONLY one that regularly has users say things like this.

Widdop was our best player in 2017. He hardly turned to water, there's only so much he can do when his halves partners and fellow backs turn to water though
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
I think Hunt will poll as well as Widdop in the Dally M's. He should be playing both sides of the field
you do know they don't just award points for the side of the field closest to the TV cameras..?
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
you do know they don't just award points for the side of the field closest to the TV cameras..?
Yeah. I also do know that halfbacks who play both sides of the field and have a strong running game playing in a winning team usually poll well in the Dally M's. Halfback is probably the most successful position for Dally M winners.
 

Drag Queen

Bench
Messages
2,981
This makes no sense when he was already good enough to win it in 2017 and likely would have if he played the extra six games.

A year where he would reasonably be expected to be better and suddenly not good enough?

Do some people have a vested interest in trashing Widdop on this forum? Of the several footy communities I am part of, this is the ONLY one that regularly has users say things like this.

Widdop was our best player in 2017. He hardly turned to water, there's only so much he can do when his halves partners and fellow backs turn to water though
My thoughts exactly.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
I never mentioned anything about the Dally M halfback of the year award. Your response to my post doesn't make any sense. lol
not at all. i was referring to the fact that just beacause someone is playing halfback, doesn't mean they are naturally more likely to win the major gong..

since the start of the NRL, only 4 blokes have won the medal playing halfback (johns, orford, cronk & thurston).

3 of the 4 are amongst the best we've seen play the game, and as such have won the award a number of times each.. but that comes down to their actual ability, rather than playing halfback.

as a comparison, since the start of the NRL, 4 blokes have also won the medal from fullback.. exactly the same as the number of different halfbacks..

and 3 from five eighth.. 2 from hooker..
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
I think Hunt will poll as well as Widdop in the Dally M's. He should be playing both sides of the field, that should work in his favor, maybe Hunt is the one to back to win the Dally M? Thurston and Smith are the 2 who I am interested in backing. Tedesco is the other one who I may have something on. Croft looked pretty good this year. He will be playing halfback in one of the top sides.
Hunt will win Dally M!
 
Messages
2,866
The most important difference with the Dragons next year will be out probable better ability to close out games.

Think of every have we lost by 6 or less. Now turn them into victories of 6 or less.

This is very possible with the addition of Graham and Hunt. Fox are right, anything under Top 4 is underachieving, Top 8 will be a 'pass' presuming we don't exit in straight sets.

Missing Top 8 again, well that will be a disaster and I'm almost certain Mary would get the flick this time, as now there is no luxury of 'expecting' being near the spoon.
If we had the same draw as 2017 or even 2016, then I agree, we could expect to turn some of those close losses into wins. Especially with Hunt closing games out.
Unfortunately our draw is significantly harder in 2018 + as you correctly point out, many bottom half teams have strengthened their rosters and are probably going to be different propositions in 2018.
We play Melbourne and Easts twice in 2018 whereas we only played them once in 2017
We still also play Parra twice.- they will continue to improve.
But we play Canterbury x 2 - on paper they are much stronger than 2017 and Pay will have them eating raw meat.
Cronulla x 2 - Dugan will be looking to stick it to us.
Souths x 2 - Inglis makes them a totally different team.
Tigers x 2 - excellent coach who has already made a big difference. They will be hard to beat.
and Newcastle x 2 - On paper they are a top 8 team. No resemblance to the last 3 years.
When you look at these teams objectively, they will be much more competitive than 2017.
Cowboys will also be back to full strength and Brisbane has beefed up their forward pack under the wily old super coach..
I respect and understand the excitement surrounding Ben Hunt's arrival but in my opinion, we are going to be in a life and death struggle for a finals spot in 2018.
From a coaching perspective we have no upside with McGregor.
He will continue to make mistakes, get outcoached by his counterparts and mismanage the roster.
I think predictions of Widdop winning the Dally M are premature but pointedly irrelevant.
So if we finish 9th and WIddop wins the Dally M - so what?
It's the biggest wank I've ever heard.
The key to improving our position on the ladder in 2018 is factoring in the harder draw and the improvement in most of the lesser teams we will face in 2018.
The biggest question is "will we be able to do that?"
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
It would be nice to see him earn the medal as he had played good football last season and in my most humble opinion , was always a class player .

Playing under a coach other than Bellamy , would take a bit of getting use to . Give it your best young Gareth and the Dragons will go a long way come season 2018 !
 

Drag Queen

Bench
Messages
2,981
If we had the same draw as 2017 or even 2016, then I agree, we could expect to turn some of those close losses into wins. Especially with Hunt closing games out.
Unfortunately our draw is significantly harder in 2018 + as you correctly point out, many bottom half teams have strengthened their rosters and are probably going to be different propositions in 2018.
We play Melbourne and Easts twice in 2018 whereas we only played them once in 2017
We still also play Parra twice.- they will continue to improve.
But we play Canterbury x 2 - on paper they are much stronger than 2017 and Pay will have them eating raw meat.
Cronulla x 2 - Dugan will be looking to stick it to us.
Souths x 2 - Inglis makes them a totally different team.
Tigers x 2 - excellent coach who has already made a big difference. They will be hard to beat.
and Newcastle x 2 - On paper they are a top 8 team. No resemblance to the last 3 years.
When you look at these teams objectively, they will be much more competitive than 2017.
Cowboys will also be back to full strength and Brisbane has beefed up their forward pack under the wily old super coach..
I respect and understand the excitement surrounding Ben Hunt's arrival but in my opinion, we are going to be in a life and death struggle for a finals spot in 2018.
From a coaching perspective we have no upside with McGregor.
He will continue to make mistakes, get outcoached by his counterparts and mismanage the roster.
I think predictions of Widdop winning the Dally M are premature but pointedly irrelevant.
So if we finish 9th and WIddop wins the Dally M - so what?
It's the biggest wank I've ever heard.
The key to improving our position on the ladder in 2018 is factoring in the harder draw and the improvement in most of the lesser teams we will face in 2018.
The biggest question is "will we be able to do that?"
You have made some excellent points here Dennis. With McGregor at the helm is probably going to be our downfall. On a more positive note, I think Graham may well be the catalyst in turning our team around. We have lacked a big voice on the field for as long as I can remember. If anyone can fire up the team it's him. It's our back line that have me concerned though. They're the ones that need a bomb under them.
 
Messages
2,866
You have made some excellent points here Dennis. With McGregor at the helm is probably going to be our downfall. On a more positive note, I think Graham may well be the catalyst in turning our team around. We have lacked a big voice on the field for as long as I can remember. If anyone can fire up the team it's him. It's our back line that have me concerned though. They're the ones that need a bomb under them.
I admit that I tend to be a little more pessimistic than most but that is because I have no confidence in McGregor.
I understand what you say about Graham but when you look at our forwards stats in 2017, we can't get much better than that.
Graham will lead the forward pack but we still need game plans, and above all, experience and smarts in the coaching box.
Finally - We have the makings of a potent backline but it needs a lot of work and bringing through some of the young stars with genuine speed and ability.
If McGregor takes a conservative approach, we are going to struggle against the backlines of the top teams.
 

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