Dragons announce signing of Allgood & Nicholls

[Carlton]

Some debate as to wether we have exhausted our cap space. I'd say we probably haven't and that leads to why and do we have a plan to purchase some top line player.
My opinion and some may fall off their chairs here, is that Millward has been very clever in managing our cap this year. Yes I think we have some spare $$, however I think having spare gives us coverage for 2018 for upgrades etc.
Example, say Dufty (who is off contract in 2018) has a blinding start, we would have $$ to upgrade his contract and secure him at the Dragons. If say the Roosters came knocking before June 30 we then have funds to counter and even trump them. Without having a spare pool we are in peril of loosing out again.
This is how I believe it has transpired and with the addition of some cheap experienced players they can also earn an upgrade based on their performances.

Well said, this is what I am hoping is the situation.

 

[Slippery Morris]

I actually hope Saints don't sign any backs so when they do get injuries to any of the backs the youngsters get a chance to show us what they have. No team can go all season without injuries, especially to the backs.

If they buy some last minute fringe first grader he will get the first option ahead of the juniors which is not right and something Saints tend to do e.g McCrone and Lafai. The juniors have been killing it in their leagues, time for them to step up.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Some debate as to wether we have exhausted our cap space. I'd say we probably haven't and that leads to why and do we have a plan to purchase some top line player.
My opinion and some may fall off their chairs here, is that Millward has been very clever in managing our cap this year. Yes I think we have some spare $$, however I think having spare gives us coverage for 2018 for upgrades etc.
Example, say Dufty (who is off contract in 2018) has a blinding start, we would have $$ to upgrade his contract and secure him at the Dragons. If say the Roosters came knocking before June 30 we then have funds to counter and even trump them. Without having a spare pool we are in peril of loosing out again.
This is how I believe it has transpired and with the addition of some cheap experienced players they can also earn an upgrade based on their performances.

Agree 100%
Also say someone becomes available before 30th june we are
In the box seat to make a offer

 

[Life's Good]

Some debate as to wether we have exhausted our cap space. I'd say we probably haven't and that leads to why and do we have a plan to purchase some top line player.
My opinion and some may fall off their chairs here, is that Millward has been very clever in managing our cap this year. Yes I think we have some spare $$, however I think having spare gives us coverage for 2018 for upgrades etc.
Example, say Dufty (who is off contract in 2018) has a blinding start, we would have $$ to upgrade his contract and secure him at the Dragons. If say the Roosters came knocking before June 30 we then have funds to counter and even trump them. Without having a spare pool we are in peril of loosing out again.
This is how I believe it has transpired and with the addition of some cheap experienced players they can also earn an upgrade based on their performances.

Yep. Like it. Good thinking.

 

[Dea]

It is all good and fine for us to write and say “give the juniors some game time” but I’m not sure our mastermind coach agrees. The pattern I recall these last years was a persistence with underperforming playing and giving others a go. For me our team lacks speed in the backs and our incumbent wingers don’t have it. The young guys are fast. Now it is a year latter and these players are ready for it but we still have yet to see if the coach will play them.

 

[MrDragon007]

Some debate as to wether we have exhausted our cap space. I'd say we probably haven't and that leads to why and do we have a plan to purchase some top line player.
My opinion and some may fall off their chairs here, is that Millward has been very clever in managing our cap this year. Yes I think we have some spare $$, however I think having spare gives us coverage for 2018 for upgrades etc.
Example, say Dufty (who is off contract in 2018) has a blinding start, we would have $$ to upgrade his contract and secure him at the Dragons. If say the Roosters came knocking before June 30 we then have funds to counter and even trump them. Without having a spare pool we are in peril of loosing out again.
This is how I believe it has transpired and with the addition of some cheap experienced players they can also earn an upgrade based on their performances.

100% agree. You seem to have common sence on the requirements of staying one step ahead.
The way its played out so far, to me at least, shows we are replacing depth players we lost with experienced depth players.
This is how i see it. People are upset about us not signing more "rep" players.
But.... Look at our forward stocks for example, We have Frizz, JT, JDB, Vaughan, Graham, Ahmau, Simms and then we have Leilua, Host, Lawrie and possibly even Kerr.
Any more experienced forwards will cost us these young guys.
Everyone screams "give the youngsters a go", and rightfully so, this way we have experience and we can give our youngsters a go.
In the backs we have talent, we have the players that can replace nene and Nighty if needed.
What we have done is replace our depth players and hopefully keep money aside to upgrade or strike if a player becomes available before June 30.
Great job by Millward so far in my opinion.

 

[Mr Red]

Allgood for 1 year makes sense, no more of this 2 year deals for players who could go either way pass or fail. Make them earn it.

Personally I’m still hoping we get a decent left centre before June 30 to replace dud lafai.

 

[Life's Good]

Allgood for 1 year makes sense, no more of this 2 year deals for players who could go either way pass or fail. Make them earn it.

Personally I’m still hoping we get a decent left centre before June 30 to replace dud lafai.

I think that will happen. You got to look at the way the player market is so fluid all through the season. I, for one, never thought Moylan would leave Penrith but there you go.
Cap management is all about keeping a little bit spare for those eventualities and I think we’re getting better.

 

[possm]

So Millward signs Latimore and Allgood when he could have signed Wamsley for the same salary plus TPA. We already had prop backup in Laurie and Kerr who would be in reserve grade for most of the year and get blooded when our front line props of Vaughan, Graham, Wamsley and Ah Mau needed a rest, injured or on rep duties. A missed opportunity because in 2019 other teams will have sorted their roster and be in a position to bid for Warmsley.

Hunt was a necessary signing mainly because we did not replace Benji in 2017 and at the time there was no other top line halfback on the market except for Bird.

And that's it folks, nicheols is a good backup half but it would have taken no skill at all to get his signature - he is a reserve grader. As inferred above, Allgood and Latimore are hardly sensational props, they will be in the run-on 13 in reserve grade demoting Laurie and Kerr to the reserve grade bench. Graham was an easy pickup - discarded by the dogs.

Hunt for McCrone is a big plus, Graham for Packer is a plus, no one for Dugan is a minus, Nichols won't play much first grade is a nothing, and Latimore and Allgood are a nothing.

 

[watatank]

So Millward signs Latimore and Allgood when he could have signed Wamsley for the same salary plus TPA.

No, he couldn't have

 

[Dragonslayer]

So Millward signs Latimore and Allgood when he could have signed Wamsley for the same salary plus TPA. We already had prop backup in Laurie and Kerr who would be in reserve grade for most of the year and get blooded when our front line props of Vaughan, Graham, Wamsley and Ah Mau needed a rest, injured or on rep duties. A missed opportunity because in 2019 other teams will have sorted their roster and be in a position to bid for Warmsley.

Hunt was a necessary signing mainly because we did not replace Benji in 2017 and at the time there was no other top line halfback on the market except for Bird.

And that's it folks, nicheols is a good backup half but it would have taken no skill at all to get his signature - he is a reserve grader. As inferred above, Allgood and Latimore are hardly sensational props, they will be in the run-on 13 in reserve grade demoting Laurie and Kerr to the reserve grade bench. Graham was an easy pickup - discarded by the dogs.

Hunt for McCrone is a big plus, Graham for Packer is a plus, no one for Dugan is a minus, Nichols won't play much first grade is a nothing, and Latimore and Allgood are a nothing.

Possm mate Warmsley isnt coming for 2018. You forget hes already contracted to a club in the ESL and we would have to pay a fee to break it. I think we are a chance though for 2019.

Further, you say signing Allgood and Latimore are a waste of time....a nothing as you put it....so please enlighten us with your squad for reserve grade because i'm sure, like me, people would be curious to the make up and where your forward pack and rotation will come from.

 

[Old Timer]

100% agree. You seem to have common sence on the requirements of staying one step ahead.
The way its played out so far, to me at least, shows we are replacing depth players we lost with experienced depth players.
This is how i see it. People are upset about us not signing more "rep" players.
But.... Look at our forward stocks for example, We have Frizz, JT, JDB, Vaughan, Graham, Ahmau, Simms and then we have Leilua, Host, Lawrie and possibly even Kerr.
Any more experienced forwards will cost us these young guys.
Everyone screams "give the youngsters a go", and rightfully so, this way we have experience and we can give our youngsters a go.
In the backs we have talent, we have the players that can replace nene and Nighty if needed.
What we have done is replace our depth players and hopefully keep money aside to upgrade or strike if a player becomes available before June 30.
Great job by Millward so far in my opinion.

How can replacing our depth players with other depth players be doing a great job?
How about off loading some crap and upgrading where we have severe weakness' like centre and wing?
People applauding the signing of Lattimore / Allgood / Nicholls FFS how about a Hess, Crichton, Rapana, Cottric, Mitchell but to name a few even Nathan Brown from Parramatta would have been excellent and put real pressure on the squad.
In all honesty Allgood, Latimore, Pereira are going to put no pressure on the existing players in the 1st grade squad and that IMO is what the depth players should be doing namely pressing all the time for 1st grade selection.
If we are going to go outside lets get the highest quality players possible and then they will put real pressure on the underperforming or over promoted 1st graders.
We still have Nighty, Nene, Lafai, Aitken with little cover and they have already proved they don't cut the mustard against the big guns.
The coach has shown an absolute dislike for promoting youth so what has improved for us?
Hunt I agree but that only was a bur under the saddle for 40 years.

 

[BennyV]

Hunt was a necessary signing mainly because we did not replace Benji in 2017 and at the time there was no other top line halfback on the market except for Bird.

 

[coast_dragons]

MrDragon now now don't upset people especially old one's.