Crystal Clear

[Vasilevsky]

Please take him.

x2 and put Benji at 5/8 and the unequivocal chief playmaker. To be like the combination they have/had at the Warriors. Johnson being the unequivocal chief playmaker and Townsand merely plugging away without trying to do too much and doing very well as a result. Widdop has made it very clear a few times 'he loves getting his hands on the ball' and etc etc. Well that's great but he has done very little over a number of seasons when that is the case so it's time he packed his bags.

 

[coast_dragons]

Oh yeah Benji at 5/8 add a 7 and guess what the samething will happen.

Benji a chief play maker hmm yeah about 8 years ago now he is a guy on borrowed time looking for the quick fix the easy out and panics more often then not.

Widdop I wouldn't mind seeing moved on but Benji i would be glad if he did move on.

 

[Vasilevsky]

Oh yeah Benji at 5/8 add a 7 and guess what the samething will happen.

Benji a chief play maker hmm yeah about 8 years ago now he is a guy on borrowed time looking for the quick fix the easy out and panics more often then not.

Widdop I wouldn't mind seeing moved on but Benji i would be glad if he did move on.

Okay. Can ask you this? If Crook, Hutchinson or some other available half were playing in place of Benji, how many games to you think the Dragons would have won this year and how many tries do you think they would have scored? On the other hand, what is your opinion on the same questions but replacing Widdop with Benji?

In my opinion for the former, it would be 3 or 4 games won and around 10-15 fewer tries scored. For the latter, I guess it wouldn't be so different than it is now. Of course it's purely hypothetical but it's just the impression I get. Benji and Dugan are the only backs that worry defensive lines with ball in hand.

 

[denis preston]

?

Hutchison is bigger and a better defender, attributes that will help his transition to first grade

Sorry , didn't make my self clear here.I meant Crook not Hutch. I can see potential with Hutch but can't fathom the love for crook.

 

[giboz71]

Okay. Can ask you this? If Crook, Hutchinson or some other available half were playing in place of Benji, how many games to you think the Dragons would have won this year and how many tries do you think they would have scored? On the other hand, what is your opinion on the same questions but replacing Widdop with Benji?

In my opinion for the former, it would be 3 or 4 games won and around 10-15 fewer tries scored. For the latter, I guess it wouldn't be so different than it is now. Of course it's purely hypothetical but it's just the impression I get. Benji and Dugan are the only backs that worry defensive lines with ball in hand.

Benji, Widdop and Dugan are all good players. They have proven themselves prior to coming to the Dragons so no reason why they shouldn't be able to perform. Besides, what other options are out there?

I just think the attack is poorly drilled and poorly coached and has been for years. Look how the Rabbits run their backline plays, all perfect angles, passes hitting the man, decoys running the correct lines and everyone in motion. And this is a backline containing, Bryson Goodwin, Joel Reddy and a rookie in Aaron Gray. Hardly wold beaters there.

You can tell what goes on at training at Souths, they have all the basics covered. Question must be asked, what do we do, seeing every second pass hits the ground, players slipping over and running into dead ends?

I know Maguire and Co are good coaches and all but surely it can't be that hard to teach players to run, catch and pass.

 

[Saintsified]

Get rid of Widdop the hiccup

 

[Vasilevsky]

Benji, Widdop and Dugan are all good players. They have proven themselves prior to coming to the Dragons so no reason why they shouldn't be able to perform. Besides, what other options are out there?

I just think the attack is poorly drilled and poorly coached and has been for years. Look how the Rabbits run their backline plays, all perfect angles, passes hitting the man, decoys running the correct lines and everyone in motion. And this is a backline containing, Bryson Goodwin, Joel Reddy and a rookie in Aaron Gray. Hardly wold beaters there.

You can tell what goes on at training at Souths, they have all the basics covered. Question must be asked, what do we do, seeing every second pass hits the ground, players slipping over and running into dead ends?

I know Maguire and Co are good coaches and all but surely it can't be that hard to teach players to run, catch and pass.

Did Widdop prove himself while playing for the Storm? He always seemed to me to be average or 'workman-like' playing in a very good team. I couldn't understand how enthusiastic Dragons supporters were by his signing. I think he has proved my basic analysis correct. I bet Bellamy wasn't even willing to offer him half what he is on at the Dragons. Another 'marquee signing' of supercoach Price.

This will probably cause some vitriol toward me but I would be signing Kyle Stanley and releasing Widdop (depending on how much of his contract the Dragons have to pay. Like the Farrell situation. The coaching staff obviously came to the conclusion that for the money the Dragons would have had to continue paying him for another club to take him, it makes more sense to keep him). That's of course if his knees haven't caused him to give up (which may be the smart thing to do). Then there is only one of Mann, Hutchinson, Crook or Stanley to partner Benji. I would bet the latter 3 combined would be on less than Widdop.

 

[denis preston]

Kyle Stanley . Jesus , what are you smoking ?

 

[Vasilevsky]

Kyle Stanley . Jesus , what are you smoking ?

hmmmm I watched him in the 7s and he played very well as a playmaker. Shortly thereafter his ACL went again. If you think I'm smoking something due to his talent, I think you are the one stoned. If you think it's so because of his injury problems.... perhaps I have been smoking something.

 

[to_ddeath]

Perhaps. You just simply can't plan a halves combo permanently on the back of constantly injured players who can barely last for 10 minutes on the paddock. No way around it.


T.

 

[giboz71]

Did Widdop prove himself while playing for the Storm? He always seemed to me to be average or 'workman-like' playing in a very good team. I couldn't understand how enthusiastic Dragons supporters were by his signing. I think he has proved my basic analysis correct. I bet Bellamy wasn't even willing to offer him half what he is on at the Dragons. Another 'marquee signing' of supercoach Price.

This will probably cause some vitriol toward me but I would be signing Kyle Stanley and releasing Widdop (depending on how much of his contract the Dragons have to pay. Like the Farrell situation. The coaching staff obviously came to the conclusion that for the money the Dragons would have had to continue paying him for another club to take him, it makes more sense to keep him). That's of course if his knees haven't caused him to give up (which may be the smart thing to do). Then there is only one of Mann, Hutchinson, Crook or Stanley to partner Benji. I would bet the latter 3 combined would be on less than Widdop.

Mate, Widdop was on fire last year, came 3rd in Dally M voting I think. He single handedly carried what was a very ordinary side last year.

Just hasn't been the same since Marshall came on board, these guys just haven't gelled. He was much better playing outside of Williams/Witt.

Whoever signed off on the Marshall decision clearly didn't have a plan on how these guys could play together, along with Dugan. But I don't believe talent just disappears, someone with half a clue in the coaching staff just needs to make it work with these 3.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Some people must not be watching Saints play this season as Benji has created most of the tries scored this year. Without him Saints attack would be much worse than it already is. Problem is he has no support from Widdop. Widdop takes no pressure off Benji so is an easy target. If Widdop pulled his finger out and looked more dangerous with the ball it may have the opposition 2nd guessing but instead they know he is ineffective and target Benji.

Some of the passes Benji has thrown this season that lead to tries a freakish. Poor guy throws a bad pass and is crucified.

 

[Vasilevsky]

Mate, Widdop was on fire last year, came 3rd in Dally M voting I think. He single handedly carried what was a very ordinary side last year.

Just hasn't been the same since Marshall came on board, these guys just haven't gelled. He was much better playing outside of Williams/Witt.

Whoever signed off on the Marshall decision clearly didn't have a plan on how these guys could play together, along with Dugan. But I don't believe talent just disappears, someone with half a clue in the coaching staff just needs to make it work with these 3.

Did you watch the last game against the Shonkies? Marshall was out with the majority of the rest of the team. One would have thought Widdop would be the best player on the field. He certainly wasn't the best though one could make an argument for the worst. And have you checked the Dally M scores for this year?

Widdop for us is like Townsend for the Warriors. The latter has just been doing his thing without trying too much and leaving any fancy, creative stuff up to Johnson. To me it seems Widdop isn't willing to take a backseat to Benji. He has basically stated as much a few times. That would be fine if with ball in hand he caused defensive lines the same trouble Benji does. At present and for as long as I remember seeing him play for the Storm and for the last 3 years for the Dragons, he doesn't cause defensive lines a fraction of the trouble Benji gives them now. And I know that isn't a great deal but still orders of magnitude more than Widdop. Hence the inability of the team to score tries since well before Benji arrived or well after Widdop arrived and continuing now.

Having said all that, I would concede that Widdops short kicking game is very good.

 

[TheRev]

Some people must not be watching Saints play this season as Benji has created most of the tries scored this year. Without him Saints attack would be much worse than it already is. Problem is he has no support from Widdop. Widdop takes no pressure off Benji so is an easy target. If Widdop pulled his finger out and looked more dangerous with the ball it may have the opposition 2nd guessing but instead they know he is ineffective and target Benji.

Some of the passes Benji has thrown this season that lead to tries a freakish. Poor guy throws a bad pass and is crucified.

this.. Benji is one of the few blokes playing well atm, he is the only creative bloke in our squad... when the rest of the side joins him.. look out.. lets hope Saints can start a winning run this weekend.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

this.. Benji is one of the few blokes playing well atm, he is the only creative bloke in our squad... when the rest of the side joins him.. look out.. lets hope Saints can start a winning run this weekend.

But he needs to get back to how he was playing between round 3 - 13. Like a 7 should be, mounting pressure on the opposition with astute kicking and only going for the fancy off the cuff plays once or twice during the game. Does the guy need to watch video of himself to remind him?

 

[coast_dragons]

funny enough on NRL 360 he basically said he has been at fault for whats been happening at least he can admit that.

its simple really two 5/8's don't work neither is a 7 either so either way the Dragons are f**ked.

 

[Vasilevsky]

funny enough on NRL 360 he basically said he has been at fault for whats been happening at least he can admit that.

its simple really two 5/8's don't work neither is a 7 either so either way the Dragons are f**ked.

I don't think so. They only need get rid of the less effective and probably higher paid 5/8 and that is of course Widdop. I suspect that may be the case anyway. When players are on massive overs and are asked to GTFO, they always talk about how much they love the club, area and etc. If the Dragons have to pay too much of his salary for another club to take him, let him stay for one more year but make it clear that he is to play second fiddle to Benji and at halfback, not 5/8.

And good for him to take ownership of a problem that he is clearly not the major cause of. Talking like a captain. I suspect that may be what Mary has in mind for next year. Given that Creagh will probably be playing less minutes.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

Benji is 30 years old, we shouldn't be building the team around him, he was only suppose to be a stop gap solution IMO. There needs to be a transition plan for the next halves at the club, hopefully it will be crook and Hutchison combining.

It would be great to see two young halves transioned into the nrl side. Worked for manly( foran/DCE), Souths (Reynolds/Keary), broncos (hunt/Milford) and eventually it will pay dividends for tigers with brooks and Moses.

 

[BennyV]

Benji Marshall will not be captain of the Dragons.

Agree with Get2dachopper, Marshalls main aim next yeae should be to help the transition to our youngers halves, whether that is Hutch, Crook or Mann.

 

[rhino2009]

Benji Marshall will not be captain of the Dragons.

Agree with Get2dachopper, Marshalls main aim next yeae should be to help the transition to our youngers halves, whether that is Hutch, Crook or Mann.

What's going to happen to Widdop?