Rob Dragon
Juniors
- Messages
- 312
So Mr Dugan departs? No big issue really. He gets a 4 year gig and good on him. He leaves a team that is starting a rebuild and goes to a team that will start to slide. That is the way of the salary cap (except for the Storm, Bronco’s, Bulldogs and Roosters).
In any event I don’t sense any great anguish amongst supporters because I suspect that the solution is right under our noses. Why not play either of the young boys (Dufty or Field) at fullback in attack and have Mr Nightingale drop back in defense to fullback?
I was advocating that Nightingale was probably needing to be moved on at the end of 2017 but perhaps he has a role to play for another year or so in guiding the next young fullback into 1st grade (at least defensively).
What either of the two young fullbacks give you is that indisputable weapon; SPEED. As the great Bob Fulton said many years ago “you can’t coach speed”. Speed terrifies defenses particularly in the 2nd half and more so as the interchange get reduced again next year. You simply cannot adjust as a tiring defender.
I am now about to show my age but I remember an interview with Steve Morris back in late 1979 when he was asked after a particular game why he didn’t start running the football until the 60th minute. He replied that Harry Bath told him to simply pass the ball for the 1st 60 minutes and then with 20 minutes to go his job was to look for a tired forward who was sitting on his heels and he had to run directly at that players outside shoulder. Gone baby gone. And what a sight it was!
So after reminiscing somewhat my solution is to give Nightingale another year and get him to assist with the defensive fullback duties and get young of the super quick young guns ready for the fullback jumper for 2018.
In any event I don’t sense any great anguish amongst supporters because I suspect that the solution is right under our noses. Why not play either of the young boys (Dufty or Field) at fullback in attack and have Mr Nightingale drop back in defense to fullback?
I was advocating that Nightingale was probably needing to be moved on at the end of 2017 but perhaps he has a role to play for another year or so in guiding the next young fullback into 1st grade (at least defensively).
What either of the two young fullbacks give you is that indisputable weapon; SPEED. As the great Bob Fulton said many years ago “you can’t coach speed”. Speed terrifies defenses particularly in the 2nd half and more so as the interchange get reduced again next year. You simply cannot adjust as a tiring defender.
I am now about to show my age but I remember an interview with Steve Morris back in late 1979 when he was asked after a particular game why he didn’t start running the football until the 60th minute. He replied that Harry Bath told him to simply pass the ball for the 1st 60 minutes and then with 20 minutes to go his job was to look for a tired forward who was sitting on his heels and he had to run directly at that players outside shoulder. Gone baby gone. And what a sight it was!
So after reminiscing somewhat my solution is to give Nightingale another year and get him to assist with the defensive fullback duties and get young of the super quick young guns ready for the fullback jumper for 2018.