Aitken Re-signs with dragons for 3 years

[Glenn01]

Mann can play multiple positions wing,centre,fullback and halves. He is still only 23 years old and i think he did very well on the wing last year when given the chance. He also did well at the storm when he played centre with his only real issue being his weight NOT talent. I would definately keep him in the red V. As for Milne i watched him closely when he played last year and i think his a gun.

I see. He did well finishing off tries on the wing. For most of those he didn't have to do much but catch and run. I can't remember him taking on the opposition defensive line and going through it. I don't remember him making a lot of meters running out of dummy half either. But anyway, just my opinion. I agree he is solid in a number of position but this far, hasn't gone close to excelling in any. I hope he gets a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make it in the halves, NSW Cup beckons.

Milne could be a gun but I haven't seen enough yet.

 

[Uplifting]

Why Mann? If he can play halves well, that would be great. If not, NSW Cup player. haven't seen enough of Milne yet either.

Mann scored 10 tries in 13 games or something.

 

[Uplifting]

I see. He did well finishing off tries on the wing. For most of those he didn't have to do much but catch and run. I can't remember him taking on the opposition defensive line and going through it. I don't remember him making a lot of meters running out of dummy half either. But anyway, just my opinion. I agree he is solid in a number of position but this far, hasn't gone close to excelling in any. I hope he gets a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make it in the halves, NSW Cup beckons.

Milne could be a gun but I haven't seen enough yet.

Mann has good footwork - probably makes it look easy but he made it to the line more often than anyone else - you can be sure that's no coincide.

Congrats to Aitken.

 

[Old Timer]

I see. He did well finishing off tries on the wing. For most of those he didn't have to do much but catch and run. I can't remember him taking on the opposition defensive line and going through it. I don't remember him making a lot of meters running out of dummy half either. But anyway, just my opinion. I agree he is solid in a number of position but this far, hasn't gone close to excelling in any. I hope he gets a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make it in the halves, NSW Cup beckons.

Milne could be a gun but I haven't seen enough yet.

You must have been asleep as your post has no foundation in fact.
Stupid Mary kept changing his position so obviously he was the go to man for whenever others didn't perform.
Mann is a gun and should be in the first 2 picked.
For the record if in your opinion Mann didn't excel then all the rest must be for the chop before him because he out performed everyone else in the team.

 

[red rocket]

Great news, considering he's still only 21, his best footy is still in front of him. Interesting that he mentions having Ben hunt at the club next year in the video, which shows that signing hunt will have more rewards than just what's on the field, it's a reason for others to sign also. He also doesn't mention the coaching of Mary as a reason for the resigning...

Great news good on ya euey. By the way he always talks highly of Mary and coaching staff. Our next Shaun timmins

 

[Glenn01]

You must have been asleep as your post has no foundation in fact.
Stupid Mary kept changing his position so obviously he was the go to man for whenever others didn't perform.
Mann is a gun and should be in the first 2 picked.
For the record if in your opinion Mann didn't excel then all the rest must be for the chop before him because he out performed everyone else in the team.

You must be have been tripping. Mansour, Radradra, B. Morris a few years ago excelled on the wing. A winger has to do more than finish off tries.

For the record, you are merely stating your opinion. You are welcome to it but you shouldn't fly off the handle if you disagree with mine. For mine Mann should get a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make a go of it there, he won't be in the centres ahead of Aitken, Dugan or Milne, won't be fullback ahead of Dufty or Dugan and won't be a winger ahead of McDonald, Nightingale or one of the young players coming through.

He has good footwork and is relatively safe and is a relatively good defender but IMO he lacks the ability to punch through the opposition defensive line as all the best outside backs can do. In the 9s he seemed to have some ball playing ability. Not on the same level as the Rorters or Melbournes rookie halves but enough to suggest he may be able to make a go of it in the halves at the Dragons. At least for this year and depending on what happens with Field and Dufty, maybe for a few years.

He doesn't have it as a fullback and I can't see him being anywhere near as good as Field as a 5/8 so maybe he doesn't need to be resigned.

 

[Old Timer]

Of course I'm stating my opinion and making it clear i don't agree with your opinion.
You made statement about Mann and I gave an alternate view.
You make reference to other wingers and what they did and then deride Mann, who was by far and away our most accomplished back in 2016.
I would hazard a guess that your opinion of Mann is in the minority of opinion in this place.

 

[goggles]

You must be have been tripping. Mansour, Radradra, B. Morris a few years ago excelled on the wing. A winger has to do more than finish off tries.

For the record, you are merely stating your opinion. You are welcome to it but you shouldn't fly off the handle if you disagree with mine. For mine Mann should get a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make a go of it there, he won't be in the centres ahead of Aitken, Dugan or Milne, won't be fullback ahead of Dufty or Dugan and won't be a winger ahead of McDonald, Nightingale or one of the young players coming through.

He has good footwork and is relatively safe and is a relatively good defender but IMO he lacks the ability to punch through the opposition defensive line as all the best outside backs can do. In the 9s he seemed to have some ball playing ability. Not on the same level as the Rorters or Melbournes rookie halves but enough to suggest he may be able to make a go of it in the halves at the Dragons. At least for this year and depending on what happens with Field and Dufty, maybe for a few years.

He doesn't have it as a fullback and I can't see him being anywhere near as good as Field as a 5/8 so maybe he doesn't need to be resigned.

My 2 cents worth: outside backs don't need to "punch through the opposition defensive line"... one case in point is Dufty (whom you yourself have mentioned), another is young French from the eels. Welcome to the forum in any event...

 

[Glenn01]

Of course I'm stating my opinion and making it clear i don't agree with your opinion.
You made statement about Mann and I gave an alternate view.
You make reference to other wingers and what they did and then deride Mann, who was by far and away our most accomplished back in 2016.
I would hazard a guess that your opinion of Mann is in the minority of opinion in this place.

Yep. Now I'm sure you are tripping. Should be careful with that. Hazardous to your health.
Dugan was by several light-years the best back for the Dragons last year. This is why he is an Australian international and Mann is a fringe first-grader who may or may not make it in the halves.

 

[Glenn01]

My 2 cents worth: outside backs don't need to "punch through the opposition defensive line"... one case in point is Dufty (whom you yourself have mentioned), another is young French from the eels. Welcome to the forum in any event...

I don't follow Parramatta closely enough but have seen several instances to suggest Dufty may be able to punch through the opposition defensive line on a regular basis. Not necessarily through brute strength as Duges does but due to some power, explosive speed off the mark and footwork. Hopefully we will see soon enough. If he can't, I don't like his chances of making it as an outside back. At least if you define "making it" as having a long first grade career and at least being a fringe rep player.

 

[Uplifting]

Good thing is, these boys are on the same team. Take it easy...

 

[Old Timer]

Yep. Now I'm sure you are tripping. Should be careful with that. Hazardous to your health.
Dugan was by several light-years the best back for the Dragons last year. This is why he is an Australian international and Mann is a fringe first-grader who may or may not make it in the halves.

Fringe first grader 10 tries in 13 games who else did that in our team last year?
In case you haven't worked it out wingers are supposed to get across the try line to finish of movements or line breaks so who did better than him?
Dugan plays centre in rep football because he isn't considered in the best 2 FB's in the country.
No one praises Dugan more than me in this place but on 2016 attacking form Mann has the best credentials of anyone from our NRL squad.

 

[goggles]

I don't follow Parramatta closely enough but have seen several instances to suggest Dufty may be able to punch through the opposition defensive line on a regular basis. Not necessarily through brute strength as Duges does but due to some power, explosive speed off the mark and footwork. Hopefully we will see soon enough. If he can't, I don't like his chances of making it as an outside back. At least if you define "making it" as having a long first grade career and at least being a fringe rep player.

you and I obviously have very different applications for the phrase "punch through"

 

[emu62]

You must be have been tripping. Mansour, Radradra, B. Morris a few years ago excelled on the wing. A winger has to do more than finish off tries.

For the record, you are merely stating your opinion. You are welcome to it but you shouldn't fly off the handle if you disagree with mine. For mine Mann should get a chance at 5/8 but if he can't make a go of it there, he won't be in the centres ahead of Aitken, Dugan or Milne, won't be fullback ahead of Dufty or Dugan and won't be a winger ahead of McDonald, Nightingale or one of the young players coming through.

He has good footwork and is relatively safe and is a relatively good defender but IMO he lacks the ability to punch through the opposition defensive line as all the best outside backs can do. In the 9s he seemed to have some ball playing ability. Not on the same level as the Rorters or Melbournes rookie halves but enough to suggest he may be able to make a go of it in the halves at the Dragons. At least for this year and depending on what happens with Field and Dufty, maybe for a few years.

He doesn't have it as a fullback and I can't see him being anywhere near as good as Field as a 5/8 so maybe he doesn't need to be resigned.

Kurt Mann! First guy picked in my team.. I dont think too highly of Gus Gould but i believe he would know talent when he sees it.For him to be chasing Kurt Mann as a 5/8 with all the talented juniors Penrith have coming through.Well ! kinda makes you think this kid must be able to play a bit

 

[Glenn01]

Fringe first grader 10 tries in 13 games who else did that in our team last year?
In case you haven't worked it out wingers are supposed to get across the try line to finish of movements or line breaks so who did better than him?
Dugan plays centre in rep football because he isn't considered in the best 2 FB's in the country.
No one praises Dugan more than me in this place but on 2016 attacking form Mann has the best credentials of anyone from our NRL squad.

Okay. This is getting ridiculous. Duges was by light years the best back last season and you are tripping to state otherwise. After Duges would probably be Aitken and then Nightingale. It absolutely isn't a guy who spent most of the season in the NSW Cup. Mann is fighting for a spot, probably in a new position, in a team widely tipped to be bottom 4 this season. If that isn't a fringe first grader, I don't know what is. Isn't he off contract at the end of this season? I don't see the Dragons or any other club rushing to resign him. Good move. If he can't make it in the halves, and I hope he can, he shouldn't be resigned. How many of those tries did he just have to catch and run and put the ball down? There is a lot more to a wingers game than simply finishing off backline movements.

So having said that, let's just agree to disagree.

 

[Glenn01]

Kurt Mann! First guy picked in my team.. I dont think too highly of Gus Gould but i believe he would know talent when he sees it.For him to be chasing Kurt Mann as a 5/8 with all the talented juniors Penrith have coming through.Well ! kinda makes you think this kid must be able to play a bit

As I said numerous times, I hope he can make it in the halves and have some confidence he may. As an outside back, I wouldn't have him in the team.

 

[Old Timer]

you and I obviously have very different applications for the phrase "punch through"

Evidently Ken Irvine must have been a bit so so as he ran around or past people and very often just outran people rather than "punch through".
All the great cut out passes from the great 5/8's and halves weren't any good either as that prevented the "punch through" technique being used.
Somehow it's not very much about the tries wingers score anymore evidently they now some other more important duty.
Can't believe after more than 55 years of watching this game I had it so wrong.

 

[Glenn01]

you and I obviously have very different applications for the phrase "punch through"

Punch through not in the way Duges or Inglis does but in the way Slater or RTS does. Hayne does both.

 

[Dragon66]

Well done to Euan, and the club. He is one of those players that every club needs, the fact that he is consistently good every game, and we have to remember he is only 21. Still plenty of improvement to come.

I still believe his future is in the backrow, he is very strong in defence, has a high work rate, can make hole in a defensive line, and super fit and highly competitive.
His time will come and he will be our next Ben Creagh.

 

[Old Timer]

Okay. This is getting ridiculous. Duges was by light years the best back last season and you are tripping to state otherwise. After Duges would probably be Aitken and then Nightingale. It absolutely isn't a guy who spent most of the season in the NSW Cup. Mann is fighting for a spot, probably in a new position, in a team widely tipped to be bottom 4 this season. If that isn't a fringe first grader, I don't know what is. Isn't he off contract at the end of this season? I don't see the Dragons or any other club rushing to resign him. Good move. If he can't make it in the halves, and I hope he can, he shouldn't be resigned. How many of those tries did he just have to catch and run and put the ball down? There is a lot more to a wingers game than simply finishing off backline movements.

So having said that, let's just agree to disagree.

Your conclusion that Mann was in the Cutters because he wasn't any good is farcical.
Our FW of a coach put him there out of stupidity and had wood ducks like Lafai, FFL, Mc Crone, Marketo in 1st grade.
After FW was forced to rethink his position Mann was rightfully returned to 1st grade and proved invaluable in our very lack lustre 1st grade team.
Whether we are negotiating with Mann or not is no measure of his ability, it is more testimony to the fact we have a shit coach who doesn't know how to or where use good players.