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Darren Nicholls

2010

Bench
Messages
3,490
Cameron McInnes 2016 played 17 games for rabbits 4 tries,726 tackles average 42, 127 runs 943 m average 8 metres
2017 figures played 24 games for REDV 4 tries 1119 tackles average 47 game ,100 runs 703 metres .SO IN 2017 more tackles less run metres .MAKES SENSE TO ME
Better not say this to loud, otherwise Roosters will offer him a million
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
I'll go against the grain. I can't see the point of this. He's a 29 year old who has never played NRL and I suggest if he plays NRL with us we"re in big trouble.

I also don't understand not re-signing Hutchinson.

I wonder how Field - who's at least played 3 NRL games - feels about the Nichols signing?
A 29yr old journeyman who's never played NRL - as 'backup' for Ben Hunt lol!
Give me a fuc*ing break!!
Field will be the next junior to sign out.
And watch Cook take us apart in the Charity Shield as he did in another game.
Then watch Bird do the honours if he plays round 1
I think it's called ' bringing our juniors through'
Ho hum
The asylum never ceases to amaze.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
I wonder how Field - who's at least played 3 NRL games - feels about the Nichols signing?
A 29yr old journeyman who's never played NRL - as 'backup' for Ben Hunt lol!
Give me a fuc*ing break!!
Field will be the next junior to sign out.
And watch Cook take us apart in the Charity Shield as he did in another game.
Then watch Bird do the honours if he plays round 1
I think it's called ' bringing our juniors through'
Ho hum
The asylum never ceases to amaze.
Nichols is a very solid backup half/hooker in my opinion.
Also a good leader for the guys in reserve grade.
May even be the 17.
CC
 

giboz71

First Grade
Messages
8,895
I wonder how Field - who's at least played 3 NRL games - feels about the Nichols signing?
A 29yr old journeyman who's never played NRL - as 'backup' for Ben Hunt lol!
Give me a fuc*ing break!!
Field will be the next junior to sign out.
And watch Cook take us apart in the Charity Shield as he did in another game.
Then watch Bird do the honours if he plays round 1
I think it's called ' bringing our juniors through'
Ho hum
The asylum never ceases to amaze.

Ummmm....Field is not a half and doesn’t have the skills to play half.

Nichols was signed as we don’t have another player other than Hunt that can play 7. People who think Mann and Field can play half and direct the team around are kidding themselves. Not having a proper back up half killed us last season.

Nichols is effectively taking over from Hutch who will likely not be the same after his knee injury and let’s face it, was pretty shit in the limited opportunities he got in FG.
 

Dragon66

Juniors
Messages
640
Sometimes I don't get what some supporters want out of a player. No club will ever have 30 elite NRL players in their squad. Nicholls is in the squad for a very good reason.

Darren Nicholls is the ideal backup for the ISP Cup.
His value will not what he does in the NRL side, but what he gives to the youngsters in the ISP.

And that's leadership and direction. He can control a game as an organiser, has a quality short kicking game, can take the line on, and is always thinking about the next play.

McCrone was a one dimensional halfback with a limited skill set.

I predict a huge improvement from all our backline players with Nicholls running the show.

And if he gets a start in the NRL side it will mean that we are in serious trouble, but I'm sure that he will be at least be a competent performer for the side.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
I wonder how Field - who's at least played 3 NRL games - feels about the Nichols signing?
A 29yr old journeyman who's never played NRL - as 'backup' for Ben Hunt lol!
Give me a fuc*ing break!!
Field will be the next junior to sign out.
And watch Cook take us apart in the Charity Shield as he did in another game.
Then watch Bird do the honours if he plays round 1
I think it's called ' bringing our juniors through'
Ho hum
The asylum never ceases to amaze.

You do realize that we have resigned the most young juniors for like 15 seasons ?
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
Yeah bu
You do realize that we have resigned the most young juniors for like 15 seasons ?


Yeah
But we all know they can ask for a release if an opportunity comes up elsewhere.
These kids are always on the Net looking for openings & who can blame them if they have to get in line behind newly recruited journeymen & suffer stagnation & a career roadblock in Mary?
Manly's after a 5/8? Etc
These kids have proactive managers?
I reckon all Bellamy would have to do is ask
 
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giboz71

First Grade
Messages
8,895
Sometimes I don't get what some supporters want out of a player. No club will ever have 30 elite NRL players in their squad. Nicholls is in the squad for a very good reason.

Darren Nicholls is the ideal backup for the ISP Cup.
His value will not what he does in the NRL side, but what he gives to the youngsters in the ISP.

And that's leadership and direction. He can control a game as an organiser, has a quality short kicking game, can take the line on, and is always thinking about the next play.

McCrone was a one dimensional halfback with a limited skill set.

I predict a huge improvement from all our backline players with Nicholls running the show.

And if he gets a start in the NRL side it will mean that we are in serious trouble, but I'm sure that he will be at least be a competent performer for the side.

Yep good post.

As a back up, we would only likely need him for 3 or 4 games if Hunt makes Origin or is injured. We didn’t sign him to be our starting half.

He at least knows how to play half and has played there for a number of years even if only at ISP level. Much more comfortable having Nichols around to control the team in an emergency rather than slotting Field or Mann at 7 who really have no idea how to play halfback.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,988
Yep good post.

As a back up, we would only likely need him for 3 or 4 games if Hunt makes Origin or is injured. We didn’t sign him to be our starting half.

He at least knows how to play half and has played there for a number of years even if only at ISP level. Much more comfortable having Nichols around to control the team in an emergency rather than slotting Field or Mann at 7 who really have no idea how to play halfback.

True,however will L plate use him if the situation arises or will he play it safety 1st as usual & shift the deck chairs around instead of using him because he "knows" what he'll get from the others?
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
Yep good post.

As a back up, we would only likely need him for 3 or 4 games if Hunt makes Origin or is injured. We didn’t sign him to be our starting half.

He at least knows how to play half and has played there for a number of years even if only at ISP level. Much more comfortable having Nichols around to control the team in an emergency rather than slotting Field or Mann at 7 who really have no idea how to play halfback.

6yrs of collapse under Price/ McGregor has ground down the fans into thinking mediocrity's OK. Please tell why it's OK for us, but NO other club has deemed him good enough to play those '3-4 games'
I seem to remember Hutch was brilliant in the ISP, maybe like Nicholls,and led the team plays, but didn't step up to NRL unfortunately. At least he was given his shot. And I think Field should be groomed in the halves. His speed is phenomenal, and he has played halves & fullback throughout his career. And Sailor should also be groomed in the halves - and at 19 he's old enough to get a run this year
As an ex Dragon junior I remember the joy of first being asked to trial in the 60's. So I'll always have a soft spot for the juniors, knowing that some make it and some don't - but when it comes to choosing between juniors & journeymen club culture has to give the former at least first shot.
This game is now about speed and youth.
 
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giboz71

First Grade
Messages
8,895
6 yrs of collapse under Price/ McGregor has ground down the fans into thinking mediocrity's OK. Please tell why it's OK for us, but NO other club has deemed him good enough to play those '3-4 games'
I seem to remember Hutch was brilliant in the ISP and led the team plays, but didn't step up to NRL unfortunately
As an ex Dragon junior I remember the joy of first being asked to trial in the 60's. So I'll always have a soft spot for the juniors, knowing that some make it and some don't - but when it comes to choosing between juniors & journeymen club culture has to give the former first shot

Which of our current juniors can play half?

As you said, we had Hutch who was an Aust schoolboy and NSW state schoolboy captain who came through the ranks as a gun junior and he ended up being rubbish.

So you’re actually contradicting yourself by assuming we should always give our juniors first shot.
 
Messages
2,866
Ummmm....Field is not a half and doesn’t have the skills to play half.

Nichols was signed as we don’t have another player other than Hunt that can play 7. People who think Mann and Field can play half and direct the team around are kidding themselves. Not having a proper back up half killed us last season.

Nichols is effectively taking over from Hutch who will likely not be the same after his knee injury and let’s face it, was pretty shit in the limited opportunities he got in FG.
I agree with everything you say except your comment about Hutch.
He did in fact get a few opportunities in FG, selected in injury plagued teams and was on a hiding to nothing every time.
I think he would have made it in FG if it wasn't for his injury and we would probably have won a number of games we lost with McCrone and stop gaps as half back..
I mean really, more shit than Benji in 2016? More shit than McCrone in 2017?
I don't think so.
The kid never really got a chance to show his wares.
I for one believed he would have made a great foil for Widdop.
Ancient history now of course.
 

giboz71

First Grade
Messages
8,895
I agree with everything you say except your comment about Hutch.
He did in fact get a few opportunities in FG, selected in injury plagued teams and was on a hiding to nothing every time.
I think he would have made it in FG if it wasn't for his injury and we would probably have won a number of games we lost with McCrone and stop gaps as half back..
I mean really, more shit than Benji in 2016? More shit than McCrone in 2017?
I don't think so.
The kid never really got a chance to show his wares.
I for one believed he would have made a great foil for Widdop.
Ancient history now of course.

Maybe I’m being a bit harsh on Hutch, but let’s face it, he was hardly the player we thought he would be. As you say, injuries took their toll.

Not quite another Beau Henry but close.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
22,441
Field is not an adequate back up for a halfback. Nichols at least provides this.

The sooner people accept the fact that we will lose Field eventually, the less heartache there will be when we do.
 

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