Dragons put red line through Todd Carney, Jackson Hastings joining club

[j0nesy]

It was a good decision not to sign Hastings. He left us in favour of the roosters and hasn't shown anything in first grade yet. We need to show a bit of loyalty and invest in our juniors, actually we have no choice. Hutch this year, Field in 2 years and Dufty next year.

I also think we need to give our performing reserve graders a bit more of a go too. The club needs to demonstrate that there is a career path for them if they show potential. Let's minimise the number of "depth signings" and give this guys a bit more of a clear progression path. We should never have signed Lafai for example, all that signing did was prevent Milne and Aitken from progressing. I'm not over the moon about the Vaughan signing either, I would have much preferred to give Wakeman a go.

 

[St Georgio]

I don't mind looking after out own junior base, I believe just 3 future signings can bring future success like Cronulla.
We need a Coach ,a Maloney and a Ennis!

 

[Carlton]

It was a good decision not to sign Hastings. He left us in favour of the roosters and hasn't shown anything in first grade yet. We need to show a bit of loyalty and invest in our juniors, actually we have no choice. Hutch this year, Field in 2 years and Dufty next year.

I also think we need to give our performing reserve graders a bit more of a go too. The club needs to demonstrate that there is a career path for them if they show potential. Let's minimise the number of "depth signings" and give this guys a bit more of a clear progression path. We should never have signed Lafai for example, all that signing did was prevent Milne and Aitken from progressing. I'm not over the moon about the Vaughan signing either, I would have much preferred to give Wakeman a go.

Given the position we are in I would not like the club to sign a cheap option now and take up cap in future years. This is the time to experiment, give Hutch a run at 7 and Mann a run at 5/8. I wouldn't run Widdop at fullback (you want a bench player to cover the spine), I don't believe moving Dugan, Milne or Aitken at this point achieves anything.

If Hutch and Mann fire we are in a great position (even if only one of them makes the grade). Come 2018, based on how they go, it would make targeting the players we actually need a lot easier.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Just give Hutch a decent go for Christ sake.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

well thats good you have stopped or bret tod to stop pursuing carney
forget all his off field stuff

the bloke is ruined.
hammys are f**ked. knees aswell

 

[hewi]

We won't get decent players without a decent coach we all know that plus for 2017 let's get a specialist half back coach like ones of the Johns boys to get the best out of what we have.

 

[BennyV]

Good re: Carney, not whay we need.
Shame re: Hastings, could have filled the spot we need well.

 

[Weipa Dragon]

Kurt Mann played five eighth in 2014 for the Sunshine Coast Falcons. To say he has not played in the halves since juniors is bullsugar. He was incredible for those games he played for the Falcons, so solid that Bellache flew him back down to play for Melbourne again. And remember a little recruitment genius, Peter Mullholland? He signed Kurt to play in the halves for us; Mary and whoever else gave it a miss due to our marquee signings in the halves. I'll put my left nut on the platter and say that Kurt Mann will be a much better five eighth than what we have in the crab running, can't kick for shit Garreth, with all due respect.

 

[MilanDragon]

Good option to look at our own juniors. Give Hutch a chance this year or Mann. As others have stated better that than signing a mediocre player for 3 years then take up cap space.

Just amazes me though that the same people that complain we don't give our juniors a chance or said they want Hutch to be given a chance are now saying that we shouldn't or his not good enough. Give the lad a chance. If he doesn't work out, so be it, at least we gave a junior a chance rather than a 30 year old journeyman.

 

[since77]

And unless Widdop has a blinder of a season, punt him (preferably more effectively than his lame grubbers that never make it past the defending teams legs).

 

[st.phil]

left / right foot kicking combo will be handy - ala soward / hornby

I think Hutch has a future but, like so many of us, is in need of the right partner. I think Mann and / or eventually field would be a better combo with hutch but lets give widdop one more year to quit crabbing and show the goods.

 

[grouch]

lol. Such horrendous planning. What a basket case of a joint

 

[j0nesy]

Thinking about it a bit we've kinda painted ourselves into a corner with Widdop by making him captain. Someone suggested trialling a Hutch/ Mann combination in the halves, and I like it. Now where does that place Widdop? Fullback - then you've got to play Dugan at centre and you're making it harder for Dufty to progress. Hooker - but we just signed McInnes, you could argue a case for a McInness/Widdop rotation but then you end up with your captain off the field. We are suffering severely from some poor tactical planning by our coaches and managers.

 

[since77]

Thinking about it a bit we've kinda painted ourselves into a corner with Widdop by making him captain. Someone suggested trialling a Hutch/ Mann combination in the halves, and I like it. Now where does that place Widdop? Fullback - then you've got to play Dugan at centre and you're making it harder for Dufty to progress. Hooker - but we just signed McInnes, you could argue a case for a McInness/Widdop rotation but then you end up with your captain off the field. We are suffering severely from some poor tactical planning by our coaches and managers.

Shop him around

 

[Slippery Morris]

I would easily get Nona back and have Hutch/Nona as the halves. F%$# Widdop off. These 2 obviously have a good combo going so why not roll the dice. I watched the Grand Final against the Bears on the weekend and they were pretty impressive.

They beat the Bears by 40+ in a GF in the State championship. A game that they were backed to lose. The won the NSW Comp again against the odds. Everyone had Mounties as certainties. I don't know what more these 2 can do to impress. As well as I don;t know what more Widdop could do to guarantee a bench spot at best.

I think with JD as Head Coach and these 2 in the halves, the Saints would be a pretty formidable outfit. Watching a few Cutters games he seems to do his homework on the opposition and can switch tactics at the flick of a switch. He has a plan A, B, C, D all the way to Z by the looks of things whereas Mary does not get past Plan A.

As for Sam Costa. Any reason why he should not be given a crack at the No.9? He seems ok at hooker also.

 

[St Georgio]

I would easily get Nona back and have Hutch/Nona as the halves. F%$# Widdop off. These 2 obviously have a good combo going so why not roll the dice. I watched the Grand Final against the Bears on the weekend and they were pretty impressive.

They beat the Bears by 40+ in a GF in the State championship. A game that they were backed to lose. The won the NSW Comp again against the odds. Everyone had Mounties as certainties. I don't know what more these 2 can do to impress. As well as I don;t know what more Widdop could do to guarantee a bench spot at best.

I think with JD as Head Coach and these 2 in the halves, the Saints would be a pretty formidable outfit. Watching a few Cutters games he seems to do his homework on the opposition and can switch tactics at the flick of a switch. He has a plan A, B, C, D all the way to Z by the looks of things whereas Mary does not get past Plan A.

As for Sam Costa. Any reason why he should not be given a crack at the No.9? He seems ok at hooker also.

Send Widdop back to Melb under a proper coach and kills it again!

 

[betcats]

Send Widdop back to Melb under a proper coach and kills it again!

Or put him in a spine with Slater, Cronk and Smith. Widdop was always a risk leaving Melbourne. Like how much does a 5/8th need to do playing in a spine with those blokes? It all would of been spoon fed to him.

Despite your obvious need for a half you have dodged a bullet here imo. Carney is a f**kwit and Hastings is terrible, he couldn't hold a spot in the 15th placed team this year and by all reports he is real arrogant little f**ker. Widdop is serviceable but needs to be paired with a genuine half who can control things and look after most of the kicking.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Tru I really think they have to give him a go at half or 5/8 or Widdop to half Mann to 5/8 . Have to try something , If Hutch does not work out ...

Exactly.
I would like to see Mann given a run in the halves in the pre season .
If drew dose a good job.
Put mann in the halves for the cutter for a while and see how he goes.
Better option imho than McCrone

 

[dragonssamy61]

I don't think we would be interested in any of them (JT excluded), we will put all our cookies into Jai Field who I think is a great prospect just needs a few kilos and bulk over the next 18 months

Agree but will need a full year at cutters level next year and as you suggested 5 to 7 kg of muscle.

 

[Carlton]

Thinking about it a bit we've kinda painted ourselves into a corner with Widdop by making him captain. Someone suggested trialling a Hutch/ Mann combination in the halves, and I like it. Now where does that place Widdop? Fullback - then you've got to play Dugan at centre and you're making it harder for Dufty to progress. Hooker - but we just signed McInnes, you could argue a case for a McInness/Widdop rotation but then you end up with your captain off the field. We are suffering severely from some poor tactical planning by our coaches and managers.

I like the way your thinking, the answer would seem to be to replace Widdop as captain (personally don't think he was an effective captain anyway). My preference would be to trade him if possible, he only has one more year on his contract and I would not like to see it extended.

Use this 2017 to build for the future and I know we have supposedly done this numerous times. The reality is it has only been talk and there has been no genuine planned rebuilding undertaken.