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Dean Young

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,551
Congrats to deano on his milestone tonight lets hope the boys fire up for him.
Surely he'll be starting the game & leading the boys out because if he comes off the bench like he has been it will be a slap in the face with his feat playing second fiddle.
 

STG 002

First Grade
Messages
7,401
i wonder who will take the mantel of heart and soul of the team?
players the ones bleed for.

when i was young it was mick beattie, he passed that onto mark coyne, when the clubs merged it was lance thompson and shaun timmins.
it's been dean young since and i don't know who it will be next.

nightingale is the one who plays with most heart and passion in my opinion but you will know who it is when you see it. maybe merrin.
 

STG 002

First Grade
Messages
7,401
For total passion I cant go past Nighty and Merrin.

agreed. whilst morris, creagh and cooper and rein are all dragons thru and thru, there is something extra about flo and merrin. cooper and moz still love scoring their own tries, creagh still hasn't quite put it altogether but maybe his best years are still ahead. rein in a year or two might be elias or robbie farrah like.
 

DragonBuck

Juniors
Messages
377
I think Merrin and Rein are the ones in the future but it is going to be very interesting to see who the team look to next year as both of these guys are still very young.
Creagh maybe but he does have a bit of a habit of floating in and out of games. I will admit though I was pretty inspired by his efforts in origin this year when he came back on after spitting his head open.
Flo, I really admire and am sure the team does too but not sure if it is the "look to for inspiration" way.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,977
Korbin Sims keen to fly high as Dean Young takes Dragons' reins
Dragons Den
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Korbin Sims played 40 minutes off the Dragons bench in Friday's win against Parramatta. Photo: NRL Imagery
FRESH off their victory against Parramatta, the reign of Dean Young officially kicked off at the St George Illawarra Dragons on Monday.

Gerringong's Korbin Sims was one player that enjoyed the Red V's first training run under Young at WIN Stadium.

Sims has played under numerous head coaches during his 140-game NRL career.

"All the boys responded really well to Dean I thought and got stuck in," Sims said.

"Dean has come in with purpose and a plan of what he wants to achieve for the rest of the season, which all started from today [Monday].


"Dean isn't too different to Mary [Paul McGregor] but he's trying to make slight adjustments to all our games, to make us play to the levels he knows we are capable of.

"As a middle forwards, he just wants us to run hard and lay a platform for our halves and backs to play off.

"It's going to be a new challenge and I'm looking forward to what the next couple of weeks have in store for us."

Friday's victory, the Dragons' fifth of the season, saw everyone return to training on Monday with an extra skip in their step - after sending out their former mentor a winner.

"As happy as we all were with the win, there was a weird feeling in the change rooms after, as we knew it was his [McGregor] last game," he said.

"It's unfortunate to see someone like him go especially after such a long time at the club - to spend 25 years here as a player, coach and staff member is phenomenal.

"It was really satisfying to play the way we did and send him out on the right note."

The two-point win also marked Sims' first game for the side since round eight.

"It was frustrating to not be in the 17-man squad the past few weeks," he said.

"It's a very different year to try to improve your stocks and force you way back into the squad.

"However, I did enough to get back in the side against Parramatta and thought I did well.

"Hopefully the coaches do too and I can hold my position the rest of the year and start to enjoy my footy."

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Gerringong's Korbin Sims is excited what new coach Dean Young brings to the club. Photo: NRL Imagery

Sims' stop-start season, after making just four appearances this season, has epitomised his tenure at the Dragons, largely due to a tough run of injuries.

"I'm not going to complain, as everyone is in a similar boat but 2020 has been a tough one to cope with for everyone inside and outside of footy," Sims, who admits his remorseful teammate Paul Vaughan is doing it tough in isolation at the moment, said.

"Unfortunately in the current landscape, that's how it goes for certain players like myself - I was in the side, then got injured, before getting back in the side and then dropped.

"It was tough to deal with, especially with no games but the great environment we have here at the club helped get me through it.


"I'm now back in the side and I hope it stays that way for the foreseeable future.

"All I can do is continue to try and play as well, if not better than I did last game and hope to hold my spot and finish the year strong."

If Sims, who played 40 minutes of the bench at Bankwest Stadium in round 14, is selected, he will come up against his former side Brisbane - who he played 44 times from 2017-18.

"It's tough to watch everything that's going on at the club [Brisbane] at the moment, as I still have so many close friends up there," the 28-year-old said.

"As much as I hold the Broncos near to my heart, it's difficult to see the way the club is being portrayed at the moment.

"Every club goes through good and bad times and I have no doubt everyone up there will rally together and bounce back soon - hopefully just not this weekend against us."

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...een-to-fly-high-as-young-takes-dragons-reins/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,977
hunyb2.jpg


DRAGONS


Young assures Hunt of hooking role in first day in charge
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Mon 17 Aug 2020, 06:01 PM
walterbrad-head.png

Interim coach Dean Young told Ben Hunt he would wear the No.9 jersey against Brisbane and probably for the rest of the year as he outlined his plans to Dragons players on his first day in charge.

Young has been appointed until the end of the season after the departure of long-serving coach Paul McGregor with a win over Parramatta on Friday night and he immediately set about putting his stamp on the job.

After the St George Illawarra players arrived at WIN Stadium on Monday, he called them to a meeting to detail what the next six weeks would be like under his coaching as the 11th-placed Dragons attempt to sneak into the finals.

Young confirmed Hunt would be playing hooker against the Broncos on Friday in Brisbane and told forward Korbin Sims that he expects him to run hard and lay a platform for playmakers Adam Clune and Corey Norman.

"He hasn’t given me a long-term future but straight away, as soon as he got here, he said you are definitely going to be playing hooker this weekend so you can prepare for that," Hunt said.



"I think that is where I am going to be for the rest of this year. Just looking at how our side is set up I think that is probably the best option for us."

Sims, who appeared to be on the outer for six weeks before returning in the 14-12 upset over the Eels, said he hoped to have done enough to convince Young he should retain his spot for the trip to Brisbane.

"Deano has come out very purposely and made a plan of what he wants for the rest of the year," Sims said.


"At the moment he is all about how he wants us boys running hard, especially as a middle forward, and being able to play off the back of that.

"If the forwards can create the opportunities for the outside backs to do the work, I am all for it."

Interchange forward Jacob Host has played under Young in St George Illawarra's under 20s team of 2014, which also featured the likes of halfback Adam Clune, fullback Matt Dufty and centre Euan Aitken.

"We had a pretty good team back then and we were unlucky not to go a bit further than we did so a lot of the boys have a long relationship with Deano and we are very comfortable bouncing ideas off him and he is very open to it as well," Host said.

"He always brings a lot of intensity, he is a very passionate man, he loves the Red V, he obviously played here for years and won a comp so he is trying to bring that same sort of success that he had.

"He comes from a very proud family that had a lot of success with this club so he wants to do himself and the club proud."

The board will meet on Tuesday to discuss the process for finding a long-term replacement for McGregor but the players said they would support the appointment of Young.


"I just went up before to say congratulations to him and that I think he definitely deserves to be given a shot," Host said.

"It is in strange circumstances at the moment but he is more than ready for it and I think he will put his best foot forward for the job."

Hunt said Young, who played 209 matches for St George Illawarra and was a member of the club's 2010 premiership-winning team, "would be a great coach".

"I have had three years here with Deano now and he is very committed and really focused on what he wants from a team and how he thinks the game should be played," Hunt said.


https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/17/young-assures-hunt-of-hooking-role-in-first-day-in-charge/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,977
Young gives Hunt much-needed NRL certainty
  • National Sport News
    r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

    Ben Hunt will revert to playing hooker for St George Illawarra under interim coach Dean Young.
    On his first day as St George Illawarra's interim coach, Dean Young has given Ben Hunt the certainty he has craved this NRL season.

    Young set the expectations at a team meeting before training on Monday, with the next six weeks thought to be his audition for the head coach position for 2021 and beyond.

    Hunt has started in four different positions this year and often switches roles mid-game but he was told by Young he will play hooker against his former side Brisbane and most likely for the rest of this campaign.

    Although the million-dollar man wants to play halfback as he was recruited to do, he's grateful for some stability.

    "Straight away he told me that I'm definitely playing hooker this week so I can prepare for that," Hunt said on Monday.

    "At the moment that's where I think I'm going to be for the rest of this year, just with how our side is set up I think that's probably the best option for us.

    "I'm happy to have that certainty, it makes the job a lot easier to just go out and focus on one thing rather than bounce around in a couple of different positions, which sort of clouds things a bit.

    "I want to be a half but I'm happy that I'm going to be playing in one position."

    With Paul McGregor's coaching spell at St George Illawarra over it was a strange feeling at training without the club legend running the show.

    However, passion for the Dragons has not been lost in the top job with Young in charge.

    Young played 209 NRL games for the club including the 2010 premiership win and bleeds red and white.

    And in a show of solidarity with their new coach, Hunt backed him to land the job fulltime.

    "I have had three years here with Deano now and he's very committed and very focused on what he wants from a team and how he thinks the game should be played," Hunt said,

    "I think he can handle it, I think he'd make a great coach."

    The Dragons are six points out of the top eight but have not yet given up on the finals while there's a chance.

    A win over Parramatta has given them a shot of confidence, although theyr face three top eight sides in their final six games of 2020.

    Australian Associated Press

    https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6882541/young-gives-hunt-much-needed-nrl-certainty/?cs=13069
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,869
Hunt, K Sims, and Host?

What did he say to Aitken, Norman, and Frizell or will all of these players be gone soon?
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
4,175
Hunts comments remind me what was said about the peanut being the next big thing in coaching. Focused works hard etc etc. You can peddle as hard as you like but it doesn’t mean you will reach your destination as McGregor found out, if an untested Young is given the job after 6 years as apprentice to McGregor and 6 games as full time coach and the club says we did a comprehensive search for the best and he was it I will spew.
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
The Young fluffing has started.... And the cycle continues.

Yes it has that déjà vu smell about it too Tom.

Mary MK2?
A McGregor & now Media-endorsed clone?

Young must know the fans want to see difference & he must listen to the noise outside the bubble if he is to survive.

So:
“Gus urges Dragons to stop using 'first-timers'

Phil Gould has urged the Dragons to stop relying on 'inexperienced first-timers' to lead the club.”

Not that I rate Gould much after his softcock non review.

But 6 years ‘close’ to McFail smacks of a disastrous CV.
....an indoctrination of irreparable harm

Damaged goods I’d say.

Today’s teamsheet, now that the finals are beyond us, should reflect some change

Some vision

... but I suspect it will be otherwise.

Aitken at least, as the longterm symbol of the Club’s & coach’s failure on many levels, must go today

...for a junior
(Despite Lovechild finding a few recent holes set up for him - he’s gone
....and should not fuc/k up the next 6 weeks of rejuvenation)

But I suspect the mateship/favourite factor of 6 mind bending years with McSacked remains & we’ll see business as usual this arvo

... with the players already hitting the media, voicing their desire for him longterm

....and of course they would - as he represents the known & the easy for them.

But quietly ask someone like Elliott, Leilua or Friz whether he’d improve their game & win a comp FFS?

FMD already his reported advice to some forwards has been to ‘run hard’.

Really?

Is this what’s in store to match the tactical nous of a Bellamy?

Don’t fluff your brief honeymoon Deano, as The Fans will be on a very short fuse.

You’ve been warned
On notice.
Or will Aitken bring you down as well
..... As his parting gift to mediocrity

Think about it - you have 6 hours

Respect

One new face like Max will do for the moment.
Williame was a Mary-era stopgap journeyman

And Ryan
Talk to us
Simple stuff, like is the selection panel to pick today’s squad?
The processes for selecting the new coach?

You know,good old fashioned transparency

There’s goodwill everywhere ATM - with memberships, new trust

Belief in the future

Don’t fuc/k it up again
 
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hazzbeen

Bench
Messages
4,617
Yep it has started alright if they win a couple of games it will be on , the drums will beat louder from the club to sign him , Daddy has taken time off while it is all going on , showing it has nothing to do with him if Dean gets singed as coach ..... Nothing against Dean , but we don't want to go down the same path ....
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,869
So, it has to be Bennett, he is the only one available with the experience and record to dig the Dragons out of this hole. Young should leave the Club and go and work under Robinson, Bellamy, or Madge. After he finishes a real apprenticeship, maybe a stint in the ESL to prove himself as a head coach before thinking about applying for an NRL head coach job.
 

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