Darren Nicholls

[Overseas dragon]

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.

As usual DENNIS the shining light amongst all these dark people I thought hutch got the rough end of the pineapple as well never got the chances Mcgroan got that's for sure .....

 

[possm]

If we were going to keep a utility on the bench, I believe it should be Nicholls. Even without an injury problem, Nichols could provide McInness with a spell - say 10 min either side of halftime each game. That's 20min game time and a 30mn rest for McInness; I'd say a huge upgrade on what happened last season.

 

[Como Connection]

If we were going to keep a utility on the bench, I believe it should be Nicholls. Even without an injury problem, Nichols could provide McInness with a spell - say 10 min either side of halftime each game. That's 20min game time and a 30mn rest for McInness; I'd say a huge upgrade on what happened last season.

Correct as long as Mann is the starting 13.
CC

 

[ouryear]

Yeah I agree, just about the best we can hope for re Nicholls is that hes good as McCrone.

Guys, you are being too pessimistic about Nicholls. McCrone could not ever have led our nsw cup team to a premiership and interstate championship win.

Nicholls led his team tremendously well, even if it was NSW cup. He is way ahead of McCrone in skill, leadership and know how.

 

[True_Believer]

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.

I actually believe McCrone was the stop gap. I believe Hutch was going to start the season at half until the injury.

 

[watatank]

Guys, you are being too pessimistic about Nicholls. McCrone could not ever have led our nsw cup team to a premiership and interstate championship win.

Nicholls led his team tremendously well, even if it was NSW cup. He is way ahead of McCrone in skill, leadership and know how.

Nicholls hasn't even played NRL yet. Let him prove it at that level. McCrone is not that great as far as NRL halves go but at least he has actually played there, which is more than what we can say about Nicholls.

 

[Walpole]

Nicholls hasn't even played NRL yet. Let him prove it at that level. McCrone is not that great as far as NRL halves go but at least he has actually played there, which is more than what we can say about Nicholls.

Yep, McCrone is no world beater and was a disaster for us last year, but 150 games at NRL level puts him way above a bloke who not one coach has chosen for one second of NRL game time in the last 10 years. A little perspective goes a long way.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I actually believe McCrone was the stop gap. I believe Hutch was going to start the season at half until the injury.

I was very excited about the prospect of Hutch starting the season at 7.
He was ready for FG and would have acquitted himself very well IMO.
Tragic turn of events that ruined his season and also contributed to the team's difficulties.

 

[ouryear]

Nicholls hasn't even played NRL yet. Let him prove it at that level. McCrone is not that great as far as NRL halves go but at least he has actually played there, which is more than what we can say about Nicholls.

But we already know McCrone really really sucked ..... And he was our first choice grand plan, big white hope.

Nicholls is a backup, that is THE DIFFERENCE.

 

[watatank]

But we already know McCrone really really sucked ..... And he was our first choice grand plan, big white hope.

Nicholls is a backup, that is THE DIFFERENCE.

Really McCrone has always been a backup. He was a backup last year but only ended up playing all year because we lost Hutchison before the season started. The year before that he was a backup for Marshall. If McCrone chose to stay he would have been a backup.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

But we already know McCrone really really sucked ..... And he was our first choice grand plan, big white hope.

Nicholls is a backup, that is THE DIFFERENCE.

McCrone was never FG standard to begin with. When Hutch got injured, McGregor should've gambled on a quicksilver No. 7. What did he have to lose?
Cleary and Taylor are standout examples of teenagers who played FG and survived.
I like Nicholls a lot for one simple reason - he is a specialist half back.
Too often McGregor plays players out of position which means they can struggle, especially against specialist opposition.
I am a great believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their positions.
Nightingale for example is a right winger playing on the left to accommodate Nene.
Nene is a specialist centre IMO, playing on the wing.
These are all compromises.

 

[Old Timer]

McCrone was never FG standard to begin with. When Hutch got injured, McGregor should've gambled on a quicksilver No. 7. What did he have to lose?
Cleary and Taylor are standout examples of teenagers who played FG and survived.
I like Nicholls a lot for one simple reason - he is a specialist half back.
Too often McGregor plays players out of position which means they can struggle, especially against specialist opposition.
I am a great believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their positions.
Nightingale for example is a right winger playing on the left to accommodate Nene.
Nene is a specialist centre IMO, playing on the wing.
These are all compromises.

Insightful post.
No better example than our water boy being used as a coach.
Compromise of the century.

 

[Crush]

McCrone was never FG standard to begin with. When Hutch got injured, McGregor should've gambled on a quicksilver No. 7. What did he have to lose?
Cleary and Taylor are standout examples of teenagers who played FG and survived.
I like Nicholls a lot for one simple reason - he is a specialist half back.
Too often McGregor plays players out of position which means they can struggle, especially against specialist opposition.
I am a great believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their positions.
Nightingale for example is a right winger playing on the left to accommodate Nene.
Nene is a specialist centre IMO, playing on the wing.
These are all compromises.

McGregors problem has been that he is always fighting for his job. Always trying to get that contract extension. He thought his only chance last year was to scrape into the 8 and the only way he could do that is by picking experience over youth. Youth may take time to learn their craft and time he never has.
Thats why he picked McCrone. Thats why he moved nighty to FB instead of playing dufty when Dugan was initially injured. He thinks he needs to win every game.
His selection is horrible. Most conservative short sighted coach I have ever seen.

 

[BennyV]

McCrone was never FG standard to begin with. When Hutch got injured, McGregor should've gambled on a quicksilver No. 7. What did he have to lose?
Cleary and Taylor are standout examples of teenagers who played FG and survived.
I like Nicholls a lot for one simple reason - he is a specialist half back.
Too often McGregor plays players out of position which means they can struggle, especially against specialist opposition.
I am a great believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their positions.
Nightingale for example is a right winger playing on the left to accommodate Nene.
Nene is a specialist centre IMO, playing on the wing.
These are all compromises.

Dude, there's some epic contradictions here. First off, you're saying you wish Mary had gambled on a 'quicksilver No. 7', so assuming you are referring to Field or Mann. You then say you are a believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their position. The only 'specialist 7' we had left in our squad once Hutch went down was McCrone!!!
You then say that you like Nicholls purely because he is a specialist half back. Yet you are chastising the selection of McCrone, who was purchased and subsequently used as a back up half back and has played most of his first grade games as halfback.

I'm as filthy that we spent last year with McCrone in the 7 as anyone, but at least get your argument straight!

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Dude, there's some epic contradictions here. First off, you're saying you wish Mary had gambled on a 'quicksilver No. 7', so assuming you are referring to Field or Mann. You then say you are a believer in building a team around players who are specialists in their position. The only 'specialist 7' we had left in our squad once Hutch went down was McCrone!!!
You then say that you like Nicholls purely because he is a specialist half back. Yet you are chastising the selection of McCrone, who was purchased and subsequently used as a back up half back and has played most of his first grade games as halfback.

I'm as filthy that we spent last year with McCrone in the 7 as anyone, but at least get your argument straight!

I am happy to follow your logic but it doesn't gel with what I was talking about.
By "quicksilver No. 7" I was talking about halfbacks. Field and Mann are not halfbacks.
Adam Clune and Jack Payne are both specialist halfbacks.and both are lightning quick.
McCrone on the other hand started his career as a halfback but by the time he came to use, he played hooker exclusively for the Raiders.
McGregor tried to turn back the clock and make him a halfback again.
My problem is that McGregor never takes decisions that are outside his comfort zone.
Nothing I have said in my post is a contradiction.
Your interpretation is a little a skew, that's all.

 

[BennyV]

I am happy to follow your logic but it doesn't gel with what I was talking about.
By "quicksilver No. 7" I was talking about halfbacks. Field and Mann are not halfbacks.
Adam Clune and Jack Payne are both specialist halfbacks.and both are lightning quick.
McCrone on the other hand started his career as a halfback but by the time he came to use, he played hooker exclusively for the Raiders.
McGregor tried to turn back the clock and make him a halfback again.
My problem is that McGregor never takes decisions that are outside his comfort zone.
Nothing I have said in my post is a contradiction.
Your interpretation is a little a skew, that's all.

Neither Clune nor Payne were contracted to Dragons and couldn’t play in our first grade team. And let’s be real, as average as McCrone is these guys re several levels below and would have been murdered in first grade. They were ok-at-best in NYC!

 

[True_Believer]

Neither Clune nor Payne were contracted to Dragons and couldn’t play in our first grade team. And let’s be real, as average as McCrone is these guys re several levels below and would have been murdered in first grade. They were ok-at-best in NYC!

Somebody isn't on the bandwagon!!!

 

[LINESPEED]

Somebody isn't on the bandwagon!!!

Sulky

 

[watatank]

I am happy to follow your logic but it doesn't gel with what I was talking about.
By "quicksilver No. 7" I was talking about halfbacks. Field and Mann are not halfbacks.
Adam Clune and Jack Payne are both specialist halfbacks.and both are lightning quick.
McCrone on the other hand started his career as a halfback but by the time he came to use, he played hooker exclusively for the Raiders.
McGregor tried to turn back the clock and make him a halfback again.
My problem is that McGregor never takes decisions that are outside his comfort zone.
Nothing I have said in my post is a contradiction.
Your interpretation is a little a skew, that's all.

Clune and Payne started last season playing in the local Illawarra A grade competition and when the team is at full strength and Nicholls plays in the team someone will return to that comp again. They're not exactly NRL hopefuls.

 

[Dragon Revival]

I would think that Herbert could have replaced Mc Crone last year as he has all the attributes.