Bennett makes move on Dragon’s young gun.

[blacksafake]

So basically you are all saying that they weren't ready for 1st grade in the first place. And if that's the case you'd surely have to endorse @Number of the Beath's comment below...





And before anyone says that their form wasn't that great last year, you would have to say it was much better than what they showed in the early rounds this year before they were dropped.

In the off season Hook was asked about the fullback and five-eighth roles and who was going to fill these positions, and if the club was going to go to market for players. Hook always stated that these roles would be filled internally by Sloan, Ramsey and Amone etc. Even Bird has said that he trained exclusively as an edge forward in the off season and not at stand-off, which undoubtedly showed Hook's belief that Amone was his man for five-eighth.

The way i see it is that by him dropping players after 3 rounds, players that he selected all the way back in pre-season to fill these positions in the spine, he is admitting that either he got these selections wrong or these players have gone backwards under his watch...

Wouldn't you agree ?

I’m not saying they’re not ready I’m saying it’ll take a little time for them to get accustomed to the speed & physicality of nrl.
If that means spending some time in reserves to achieve this then so be.
Patience is the key.

 

[blacksafake]

I

Well Hook has done the right thing. Back to Reserve grade to learn ur trade.

If that’s what it takes then so be

 

[be55]

I’m not saying they’re not ready I’m saying it’ll take a little time for them to get accustomed to the speed & physicality of nrl.
If that means spending some time in reserves to achieve this then so be.
Patience is the key.

I 1000% agree with you...my point is wouldn't it have been better if our coach had identified this last year, planned to play them in reserve grade this year until they were ready for 1st grade, and went to market to fill key positions in the spine...We could have went all in on Hynes to get him to the club to play five-eighth, and built the team around him for the next 3 or 4 years...Instead the coach chose Amone to play five-eighth, benched him after 3 rounds, and now we have Bird playing five-eighth, who didn't even train there all pre-season...Even last year the word out of the club was that they see Amone as eventually a middle forward anyway

It's turning out a dog's breakfast if you ask me

 

[Rocket Rod]

He can have him and we should go all out for Munster

Watching Munster kill sharks
Amone to dolphins
Buy Munster 1m per year
Sack Simms
Clear cap

 

[BBTB]

I 1000% agree with you...my point is wouldn't it have been better if our coach had identified this last year, planned to play them in reserve grade this year until they were ready for 1st grade, and went to market to fill key positions in the spine...We could have went all in on Hynes to get him to the club to play five-eighth, and built the team around him for the next 3 or 4 years...Instead the coach chose Amone to play five-eighth, benched him after 3 rounds, and now we have Bird playing five-eighth, who didn't even train there all pre-season...Even last year the word out of the club was that they see Amone as eventually a middle forward anyway

It's turning out a dog's breakfast if you ask me

Go all in for Munster.

 

[Dragonssupporter]

I know everyone says lets just go all out for Munster but i think the Melbourne players might be a bit more cautious in future. Look at what has happened to the guys who joined the Bulldogs-went for big money but now are nobodys. Were no better than the Bulldogs currently so why would Munster want to join a broken down bunch like us. We can dream but the reality is Munster will want to play in a winning team, and currently thats not us

 

[BLM01]

I know everyone says lets just go all out for Munster but i think the Melbourne players might be a bit more cautious in future. Look at what has happened to the guys who joined the Bulldogs-went for big money but now are nobodys. Were no better than the Bulldogs currently so why would Munster want to join a broken down bunch like us. We can dream but the reality is Munster will want to play in a winning team, and currently thats not us

And Dolphins?

 

[BLM01]

I 1000% agree with you...my point is wouldn't it have been better if our coach had identified this last year, planned to play them in reserve grade this year until they were ready for 1st grade, and went to market to fill key positions in the spine...We could have went all in on Hynes to get him to the club to play five-eighth, and built the team around him for the next 3 or 4 years...Instead the coach chose Amone to play five-eighth, benched him after 3 rounds, and now we have Bird playing five-eighth, who didn't even train there all pre-season...Even last year the word out of the club was that they see Amone as eventually a middle forward anyway

It's turning out a dog's breakfast if you ask me

If the Dragons went all out for the spine positions in the market last year, the manager of those kids would of had them playing elsewhere or not renew their contracts.
Nothing wrong with giving them exposure early in the season to see how they are going and then drop them to work on things as this is the time to do it..early on
They will be back shortly, especially Sloan. Amone may end up being a great lock in lieu of 5/8th in time to come?..who knows.
I can see that as his body develops, he has the size and shape.
Roosters dropped Walker after a few games last year
Canberra Savage..the list goes on

 

[KogarahWarrior]

Don't think we should get Munster, he's nearly 30. Shoulda bought him long ago if we really wanted him

 

[BBTB]

Don't think we should get Munster, he's nearly 30. Shoulda bought him long ago if we really wanted him

All out for Munster,2yr deal.
Then jr ready.....bring him in
Munster out. Get the Gordon's to put their hand in their pocket.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Go all in for Munster.

No chance at all! A little family birdie, whom is friends with his wife, told me that a return to QLD is their absolute goal & priority.
Happy wife equal happy life & her family are from the Sunshine Coast area.
Put one & one together and say Hello Wayne.

 

[Dragon David]

No chance at all! A little family birdie, whom is friends with his wife, told me that a return to QLD is their absolute goal & priority.
Happy wife equal happy life & her family are from the Sunshine Coast area.
Put one & one together and say Hello Wayne.

Well that settles that as far as Munster is concerned. Wayne's team will be called the Storming Dolphins. The Dolphins will build a strong team around the experienced and ageing Storm recruits and that is how Wayne likes them to add to several younger ones.

Once the Dolphins are established after a reasonably good 2023, you watch how many other better players will end up there in years to come.

 

[be55]

If the Dragons went all out for the spine positions in the market last year, the manager of those kids would of had them playing elsewhere or not renew their contracts.

Mate if your concern is keeping our promising juniors happy, then judging by reports in the media that hasn't worked. And personally i don't blame them if they were pissed. Picking them in round 1 and then dropping and benching them after 3 games makes them out to be scapegoats for the teams performance. Not a way a coach should be treating teenage prospects.

Nothing wrong with giving them exposure early in the season to see how they are going and then drop them to work on things as this is the time to do it..early on
They will be back shortly, especially Sloan.
Roosters dropped Walker after a few games last year
Canberra Savage..the list goes on

Mate 'early on' is when you try and set a standard for the team to stick to for the rest of the year. This is 1st grade, not a junior testing ground. Hook and co had all last year, all of pre-season and 2 trials to assess their ability to handle roles in the spine.

You talk about them being 'back shortly'. Mate this is two of the four most important positions on the team. The last thing you should be doing is playing musical chairs with our spine. How are we ever meant to get continuity within the team by doing that. Starting players in the opening round, dropping them and replacing them with a jack of all trades and master of none in Mbye, and someone in Bird, who says himself he didn't even train there in the off-season.

And comparing how Sticky treated Savage is completely different. Savage started as 18th man for the first five rounds and was given a spot on the bench on Thursday night, and judging by Stuart's comments after the match he won't be there next week.

 

[SEAT 1A]

I loved Saint Wayne when he was on the Dragon's payroll.

Now, Dolphin Wayne, keep your mitts of Amone and let him play with his mates.

 

[BLM01]

Has Rothfield let the cat out of the bag telling us what we already thought

"According to the Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, third-party deals have proved a factor.
“When (Wayne Bennett) was at the South Sydney Rabbitohs he had Russell Crowe and a whole heap of big corporates who were prepared to put in money on the side to make big signings happen like Latrell Mitchell and players of that calibre.” Rothfield explained on NRL360.

What I want to know is how Crowe can put money into players when is a part owner and not a Third Party?. Was it counted in their cap?

 

[merahputih]

What a mess. Lucky we've got Win Corp. to steady the ship.

 

[denis preston]

He can have him and we should go all out for Munster

His next contract will be near the highest in the league. Want to outlay 1.2 - 1.3 mill a year for the privilege ?

 

[Walpole]

Don't think we should get Munster, he's nearly 30. Shoulda bought him long ago if we really wanted him

Couple more years and Munster will be ready...

 

[True_Believer]

Mate if your concern is keeping our promising juniors happy, then judging by reports in the media that hasn't worked. And personally i don't blame them if they were pissed. Picking them in round 1 and then dropping and benching them after 3 games makes them out to be scapegoats for the teams performance. Not a way a coach should be treating teenage prospects.


Mate 'early on' is when you try and set a standard for the team to stick to for the rest of the year. This is 1st grade, not a junior testing ground. Hook and co had all last year, all of pre-season and 2 trials to assess their ability to handle roles in the spine.

You talk about them being 'back shortly'. Mate this is two of the four most important positions on the team. The last thing you should be doing is playing musical chairs with our spine. How are we ever meant to get continuity within the team by doing that. Starting players in the opening round, dropping them and replacing them with a jack of all trades and master of none in Mbye, and someone in Bird, who says himself he didn't even train there in the off-season.

And comparing how Sticky treated Savage is completely different. Savage started as 18th man for the first five rounds and was given a spot on the bench on Thursday night, and judging by Stuart's comments after the match he won't be there next week.

Well if they are going to crack the shits because they've been dropped to work on their game, then they need to take a good hard look at themselves. They need to earn their spots - just like everyone else. And probably more-so given their age. You can't deny that Sloane really showed nothing of what he is capable of in the games he played - neither did Amone. The only real spark I have seen from Amone was on the weekend. You don't give players a free ride just because they may be something in the future. And besides, it's common knowledge that Sloane needs to improve his work off the ball. You can't have someone in such an important role doing this in first grade.

I also think that we've been dealt a bit of a blow. I would say that the plan would have been to rotate Amone and Sullivan in the halves to get their games up and also Sloane and Ramsey. Unfortunately Sullivan and Ramsey have both been injured so we've had to make do in the meantime. Even if Sullivan wasn't ready, Ramsay would have played fullback with Mbye to the halves.

And as for Mbye, I think he's shown more in the games he's played at fullback than Sloane did in the first couple of games.

Just because they might be our future doesn't mean we forsake all else to have them play.

 

[Gourley's Socks]

Well if they are going to crack the shits because they've been dropped to work on their game, then they need to take a good hard look at themselves. They need to earn their spots - just like everyone else. And probably more-so given their age. You can't deny that Sloane really showed nothing of what he is capable of in the games he played - neither did Amone. The only real spark I have seen from Amone was on the weekend. You don't give players a free ride just because they may be something in the future. And besides, it's common knowledge that Sloane needs to improve his work off the ball. You can't have someone in such an important role doing this in first grade.

I also think that we've been dealt a bit of a blow. I would say that the plan would have been to rotate Amone and Sullivan in the halves to get their games up and also Sloane and Ramsey. Unfortunately Sullivan and Ramsey have both been injured so we've had to make do in the meantime. Even if Sullivan wasn't ready, Ramsay would have played fullback with Mbye to the halves.

And as for Mbye, I think he's shown more in the games he's played at fullback than Sloane did in the first couple of games.

Just because they might be our future doesn't mean we forsake all else to have them play.

I'm not convinced they were "sulking" or whether they were just "disappointed". I don't recall hearing anything definitive one way or the other.

If the latter, I'd say that's entirely understandable.