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Dragons Top 4 Bound in 2018!

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
A Drag Queen clone? No, not even close. If you had bothered to notice, there are a few 'forum-sters' who are also concerned by Dufty's 'Quinlan like' characteristics.

These include his proclivity to pass first, run later when fielding kicks from the opposition. His lack of height/weight and front on defence are other areas of concern.

As for McIness, I simply don't rate him....he was released by Souths so they could acquire a hooker well past his best after all.

Is that ok with you? Please "enlighten" me because I relish justifying my thoughts to folk who don't know me personally.
Well obviously our recruitment boys don't find your argument enlightening as they gave MCINNES 3 more years let's agree to disagree .why don't you guys see the benefits DUFTY gives the team speed also assists etc in my opinion he's an improvement over the previous fullback in attack yes his defence hasn't been tested let's see how he goes .
 

Slackboy72

Coach
Messages
11,939
41Tpnxlns2L._AC_UL320_SR214,320_.jpg
 

This Year?

Immortal
Messages
31,277
I think our only chance of making the top 4 is if Lomax is given first crack at Aikten's centre position and a young winger such as Matherson Johns, Herbert or Garrick given Nightingale's wing spot. Then we would need the likes of Lomax, Dufty and who ever replaces Nightingale to be success stories of 2018.

I don't think it will happen. I expect a backline of

1 Dufty
2 Nightingale
3 Aikten
4 Lafai
5 McDonald
6 Widdop
7 Hunt.

With that backline I still think we should make the top 8, but not the top 4.

God help us with that backline. One side cant defend for their lives and the other end has the lateral movement of a turtle.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Well obviously our recruitment boys don't find your argument enlightening as they gave MCINNES 3 more years let's agree to disagree .why don't you guys see the benefits DUFTY gives the team speed also assists etc in my opinion he's an improvement over the previous fullback in attack yes his defence hasn't been tested let's see how he goes .

Is that the same recruitment team that comprises Millward and McGregor?

No comment.

Was McInnes off contract at the end of 2018? If so, it would be interesting if any other clubs were circulating over his signature.

As for Dufty, he is a mirror image of Quinlan.
 

SaintPauli

Juniors
Messages
1,179
My favourite Seinfeld quite says it all when thinking about the dragons making the top 4.

Kostanza said,
Jerry, just remember, it’s not a lie if you believe it.

I do believe it mickeylane. I really do.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,441
Is that the same recruitment team that comprises Millward and McGregor?

No comment.

Was McInnes off contract at the end of 2018? If so, it would be interesting if any other clubs were circulating over his signature.

As for Dufty, he is a mirror image of Quinlan.
Dufty is better than Quinlan. He has better agility and more confidence is both his running game and ball playing skills (Adam used to hit the deck the moment someone laid a hand on him). The passing from kick returns bugs me but it's brutally obvious that is a Mary ploy.

My concern for Matt is his ability to last the full year in first grade without succumbing to fatigue (mental and physical) due to his size and experience level and the fact that our coach doesn't have a clue how to rotate players. Looking at a number of smaller fullbacks (French, RTS, Barba) and you'll note that their breakout year wasn't necessarily their first year; their first year was spent rotating between fullback, wing and reserve grade to get them used to the speed of the grade and the long season.
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
I think our only chance of making the top 4 is if Lomax is given first crack at Aikten's centre position and a young winger such as Matherson Johns, Herbert or Garrick given Nightingale's wing spot. Then we would need the likes of Lomax, Dufty and who ever replaces Nightingale to be success stories of 2018.

I don't think it will happen. I expect a backline of

1 Dufty
2 Nightingale
3 Aikten
4 Lafai
5 McDonald
6 Widdop
7 Hunt.

With that backline I still think we should make the top 8, but not the top 4.

Agree Frank
Our 2 & 5 would have to be just about the worst wing combo in the comp now ( sorry Nighty)
I find it hard to think of any team we'd be confident of beating ATM

We need speed like Field & Lomax running off Lafai's inside balls - and we need Dufty to run the ball instead of passing to the Dreamer

I don't know Dufty, but there'd be nothing wrong with a bit of ego in this team that lacks confidence under pressure?

We lost 2 so-called 'big heads' in Bird & Cook, but boy could we do with them now!

I suspect Mary engenders a sycophantic culture of 'toe the line & do as you're told - you play my way' or it's the Princess Hwy ( a Doust credo)

Instead of encouraging flair & allowing players some self-expression
Suckups are rewarded with out of form selection! It took a whole season to axe LOVECHILD, and remember how long it took to drop an out of form Lafai?
I just hope it's not Aitken who fills the void left by LOVECHILD, as we need an Xfactor in the centres & wings

And with time ticking on Jetski's contract he'll be even more conservative in 2018
So I think top 4 is, sadly, pie in the sky

="Saint_JimmyG, post: 12606074, member: 46554"]A Drag Queen clone? No, not even close. If you had bothered to notice, there are a few 'forum-sters' who are also concerned by Dufty's 'Quinlan like' characteristics.

These include his proclivity to pass first, run later when fielding kicks from the opposition. His lack of height/weight and front on defence are other areas of concern.

As for McIness, I simply don't rate him....he was released by Souths so they could acquire a hooker well past his best after all.

Is that ok with you? Please "enlighten" me because I relish justifying my thoughts to folk who don't know me personally.[/QUOTE]
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,441
Cook was never a big head. Quite a respectful and soft-spoken kid, actually. We just chose Rein over him, as we did with a few others.

Terrible, terrible choices...
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
Agree Frank
Our 2 & 5 would have to be just about the worst wing combo in the comp now ( sorry Nighty)
I find it hard to think of any team we'd be confident of beating ATM

We need speed like Field & Lomax running off Lafai's inside balls - and we need Dufty to run the ball instead of passing to the Dreamer

I don't know Dufty, but there'd be nothing wrong with a bit of ego in this team that lacks confidence under pressure?

We lost 2 so-called 'big heads' in Bird & Cook, but boy could we do with them now!

I suspect Mary engenders a sycophantic culture of 'toe the line & do as you're told - you play my way' or it's the Princess Hwy ( a Doust credo)

Instead of encouraging flair & allowing players some self-expression
Suckups are rewarded with out of form selection! It took a whole season to axe LOVECHILD, and remember how long it took to drop an out of form Lafai?
I just hope it's not Aitken who fills the void left by LOVECHILD, as we need an Xfactor in the centres & wings

And with time ticking on Jetski's contract he'll be even more conservative in 2018
So I think top 4 is, sadly, pie in the sky

="Saint_JimmyG, post: 12606074, member: 46554"]A Drag Queen clone? No, not even close. If you had bothered to notice, there are a few 'forum-sters' who are also concerned by Dufty's 'Quinlan like' characteristics.

These include his proclivity to pass first, run later when fielding kicks from the opposition. His lack of height/weight and front on defence are other areas of concern.

As for McIness, I simply don't rate him....he was released by Souths so they could acquire a hooker well past his best after all.

Is that ok with you? Please "enlighten" me because I relish justifying my thoughts to folk who don't know me personally.
[/QUOTE]
In respect of Mc Innes ask your self do you think we would have been in the same position after 10 rounds if Rein had of been the hooker?
Almost all our stats improved over the previous 3 years and definitely our attack had greater efficiency and our forwards more potency and that come out of better service from dummy half.
In respect of clubs letting players go it doesn't automatically follow that they were shit and they had to offload them
Souths got the veteran hooker (who many wanted for us) and how did that go for them?
Raiders let Vaughan go how did that work out for them?
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
In respect of Mc Innes ask your self do you think we would have been in the same position after 10 rounds if Rein had of been the hooker?
Almost all our stats improved over the previous 3 years and definitely our attack had greater efficiency and our forwards more potency and that come out of better service from dummy half.
In respect of clubs letting players go it doesn't automatically follow that they were shit and they had to offload them
Souths got the veteran hooker (who many wanted for us) and how did that go for them?
Raiders let Vaughan go how did that work out for them?[/QUOTE]
Well there's at least one other on here with some intelligence old timer .
 

JDHD

Juniors
Messages
1,082
Dufty is better than Quinlan. He has better agility and more confidence is both his running game and ball playing skills (Adam used to hit the deck the moment someone laid a hand on him). The passing from kick returns bugs me but it's brutally obvious that is a Mary ploy.

My concern for Matt is his ability to last the full year in first grade without succumbing to fatigue (mental and physical) due to his size and experience level and the fact that our coach doesn't have a clue how to rotate players. Looking at a number of smaller fullbacks (French, RTS, Barba) and you'll note that their breakout year wasn't necessarily their first year; their first year was spent rotating between fullback, wing and reserve grade to get them used to the speed of the grade and the long season.

I don't know the pass is a Mary ploy, I think it's just a small guy passing to a bigger man who can make a more effective kick return ie Moylan to Mansour
 

JDHD

Juniors
Messages
1,082
In respect of Mc Innes ask your self do you think we would have been in the same position after 10 rounds if Rein had of been the hooker?
Almost all our stats improved over the previous 3 years and definitely our attack had greater efficiency and our forwards more potency and that come out of better service from dummy half.
In respect of clubs letting players go it doesn't automatically follow that they were shit and they had to offload them
Souths got the veteran hooker (who many wanted for us) and how did that go for them?
Raiders let Vaughan go how did that work out for them?

Yeah 100%. McInnes' play style suits our team's structures much better than Rein's did.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,441
I don't know the pass is a Mary ploy, I think it's just a small guy passing to a bigger man who can make a more effective kick return ie Moylan to Mansour
The only time I've ever seen it used so extensively (not just at Dragons, but league-wide) is at the Dragons, under Mary, with under-sized fullbacks Dufty and Quinlan. No way is that a coincidence.

Dufty had no issues running kick returns in NYC or in NSW Cup.

Plus I'm pretty sure it was mentioned by someone in JA that this was a Mary instruction.
 

Red V for life

Juniors
Messages
886
I dunno what it is...

The prospect of a decent halves pairing for 2018.

Having a fiery red head back in the Red V and can’t wait to see him rip and tear next year.

The signings and re-signings we’ve made.

Every day is a day closer to no Mary.

The Red V members pack is on its way; or

The fast approaching Xmas holidays...

but this last week, I’ve been really hanging for the 2018 season. I’ve even started looking at flights to Sydney for games FFS!

Hope springs eternal! I’ll try to enjoy the positivity while I can coz god knows there’ll be the usual ups and the soul crushing downs sometime soon.
 

Drakon

Juniors
Messages
1,221
I don't know the pass is a Mary ploy, I think it's just a small guy passing to a bigger man who can make a more effective kick return ie Moylan to Mansour
It's definitely an instruction from the coach. As BennyV said, Dufty didn't do it in NYC or Cup.

I recall one game where after a kick, he passed to Nene, Nene passed it back to him and because he was under instruction, he passed it back to Nene. (obviously following coach's instructions and not wanting to disobey him). It looked so awkward.
 

JDHD

Juniors
Messages
1,082
It's definitely an instruction from the coach. As BennyV said, Dufty didn't do it in NYC or Cup.

I recall one game where after a kick, he passed to Nene, Nene passed it back to him and because he was under instruction, he passed it back to Nene. (obviously following coach's instructions and not wanting to disobey him). It looked so awkward.

Geez that's bad
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
I dunno what it is...

The prospect of a decent halves pairing for 2018.

Having a fiery red head back in the Red V and can’t wait to see him rip and tear next year.

The signings and re-signings we’ve made.

Every day is a day closer to no Mary.

The Red V members pack is on its way; or

The fast approaching Xmas holidays...

but this last week, I’ve been really hanging for the 2018 season. I’ve even started looking at flights to Sydney for games FFS!

Hope springs eternal! I’ll try to enjoy the positivity while I can coz god knows there’ll be the usual ups and the soul crushing downs sometime soon.
Me too mate. Really looking forward to next year. To have a good 6 AND 7 is a relief as much as anything. Its was so hard to watch the combinations that we have had since soward and hornby left.
I know our outside backs are ordinary but they should benefit from good ball and better 5th tackle kick options.
And our forward pack is powerful.
Just hope that 1. There are no injuries to Widdop or Hunt and 2. The team is up and playing with guts like they were rounds 1-10 last year.
 

Mickthedragon

Juniors
Messages
1,673
We'll miss the 8 again,im afraid.
With Mary still in charge and our backline losing Dugan and still having the same wingers/centres,i think it will be hard to crack it. Hunt will be great but Mary will stuff him and Graham is on old legs. Would love to be proven wrong but cant see much changing from this year.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
We'll miss the 8 again,im afraid.
With Mary still in charge and our backline losing Dugan and still having the same wingers/centres,i think it will be hard to crack it. Hunt will be great but Mary will stuff him and Graham is on old legs. Would love to be proven wrong but cant see much changing from this year.
You didn't have to say more than ' With Mary still in charge'.
 

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