Excited for 2017

[dragonssamy61]

Or for the Kangaroos for that matter?

I think the issue here is "looking for blame" to be honest.
Let's face it our 2016 season was a shambles, and not only Duges, but Widdop, Ah Mau, Marshall and even Nighty have been vilified. These are high paid players, and rightly so the expectation on them from the fans is enormous. The argument is always bought up about salary equaling performance and in some ways that is true. However, playing under the structures and game plans that McGregor has rolled out week after week would diminish even the games best players like JT.
What do they do at training? has anyone on this forum ever attended a training session?
Dugan, Widdop, Nighty and LAM have played international football this year (and throw in Mike Cooper as well). So surely someone sees the ability these players bring to a football team. Their not there to make up the numbers.

Reading the player reviews highlights many issues particularly our attacking structures and plays. It's the players who have to execute the game plans set down by the coach, and we already know our HC's game plan consisted of 4 hit-ups, a dummy half run then a kick, followed by a sweep or block play. It doesn't take Einstein for opposition coaches to work out defensive manoeuvres to combat that. But we kept dishing it up week in week out. Did we focus on "D"? our for and against doesn't support this.

All bullsh*t aside, and wether we have a new coach or not, the first 3 or 4 games of 2017 will determine wether McGregor is dancing to a new tune or not.
These players (Dugan, Widdop, Nighty and LAM) deserve better IMO

Well put Dragonslayer.
Ive been to most training section at kogarah this year.
I can tell you percentage on d is about 70%. Attack 30%.
But for the week leading into sharks game at Kogarah jd had much more say and it was less emphasis on defence .
They run 10 to 15 versions of backline moves normally only 4 or 5 and let me say.
They were always the same moves.
Just to give you an idea there a particular move they did week in week out and a player who I want say there name did a slightly different version and he got told by super coach that he must do the same as normal no change.
It didn't matter weather it was better or not.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Or for the Kangaroos for that matter?

I think the issue here is "looking for blame" to be honest.
Let's face it our 2016 season was a shambles, and not only Duges, but Widdop, Ah Mau, Marshall and even Nighty have been vilified. These are high paid players, and rightly so the expectation on them from the fans is enormous. The argument is always bought up about salary equaling performance and in some ways that is true. However, playing under the structures and game plans that McGregor has rolled out week after week would diminish even the games best players like JT.
What do they do at training? has anyone on this forum ever attended a training session?
Dugan, Widdop, Nighty and LAM have played international football this year (and throw in Mike Cooper as well). So surely someone sees the ability these players bring to a football team. Their not there to make up the numbers.

Reading the player reviews highlights many issues particularly our attacking structures and plays. It's the players who have to execute the game plans set down by the coach, and we already know our HC's game plan consisted of 4 hit-ups, a dummy half run then a kick, followed by a sweep or block play. It doesn't take Einstein for opposition coaches to work out defensive manoeuvres to combat that. But we kept dishing it up week in week out. Did we focus on "D"? our for and against doesn't support this.

All bullsh*t aside, and wether we have a new coach or not, the first 3 or 4 games of 2017 will determine wether McGregor is dancing to a new tune or not.
These players (Dugan, Widdop, Nighty and LAM) deserve better IMO

Well put Dragonslayer.
Ive been to most training section at kogarah this year.
I can tell you percentage on d is about 70%. Attack 30%.
But for the week leading into sharks game at Kogarah jd had much more say and it was less emphasis on defence .
They run 10 to 15 versions of backline moves normally only 4 or 5 and let me say.
They were always the same moves.
Just to give you an idea there a particular move they did week in week out and a player who I want say there name did a slightly different version and he got told by super coach that he must do the same as normal no change.
It didn't matter weather it was better or not.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Sorry my bad I put the same message twice.

 

[TruSaint]

Sorry my bad I put the same message twice.

all good .. we got the reply twice..

 

[Gareth67]

Sorry my bad I put the same message twice.

Not on the turps are you Sammy ?

 

[TruSaint]

Not on the turps are you Sammy ?

after 2016, he's entitled Gaz

 

[dragonssamy61]

Not on the turps are you Sammy ?

No mate if I was I wouldn't have made a mistake.
I shouldn't have tried to send without my glasses on . Lol

 

[Gareth67]

after 2016, he's entitled Gaz

Yes , a man is entitled to have a few after that nightmare , let's daydream a bit and hope that we can have decent drink for far better seasons in the not too distant future .

No mate if I was I wouldn't have made a mistake.
I shouldn't have tried to send without my glasses on . Lol

I am the same Sammy , cannot do a blessed thing without them , it takes me forever to type a reply nowadays , the worst problem is hunting around for them , only to realise that they are on the bridge of my nose ! Must be getting old - lol .

 

[Dragsters]

Main concern is not Mary as a Coach but Mary as an inspirational leader.

I have to disagree with this.

My concern is not with Mary as an inspirational leader but as a coach!

I think he proved in 2015 that he can motivate players to "put in" with the way he got our defence to perform at the top level for such a long part of the season.

My concern is with pretty much every other aspect of his ability as a coach, primarily team structure, gameplan, attacking playbook and team selections.

These are all areas of coaching that JD displayed a talent for with the cutters this season.

Therefore, for the dragons to do well this season i believe that mary must swallow some pride and allow JD some control with these elements.

As a relative rookie there should be no shame for Mary to do this and it may be his only chance to save his coaching career and I believe it is our only hope of punching above our weight next season.

 

[Lethal25]

I have to disagree with this.

My concern is not with Mary as an inspirational leader but as a coach!

I think he proved in 2015 that he can motivate players to "put in" with the way he got our defence to perform at the top level for such a long part of the season.

My concern is with pretty much every other aspect of his ability as a coach, primarily team structure, gameplan, attacking playbook and team selections.

These are all areas of coaching that JD displayed a talent for with the cutters this season.

Therefore, for the dragons to do well this season i believe that mary must swallow some pride and allow JD some control with these elements.

As a relative rookie there should be no shame for Mary to do this and it may be his only chance to save his coaching career and I believe it is our only hope of punching above our weight next season.

2015 was the honeymoon effect, cold hard reality set in for 2016

 

[Dragsters]

2015 was the honeymoon effect, cold hard reality set in for 2016

Perhaps, but he is still there and therefore, for the sake of the team, the club, the supporters and his future as a coach he must change.

There is no question though that if he does not make drastic changes in his coaching style and delegate to JD those areas he is particularly deficient then he and we stand little hope of much improvement in 2017.

 

[Slippery Morris]

So far we have not lost a game yet in 2016 so it is good. If JD has a big influence in the coaching ranks then they may surprise us for sure. Roster is good no excuses there.

If Saints start poor then there is a good chance Mary will be booted. If they have a great start Mary may be re-signed. I would rather the short term pain and long term gain rather than short term gain and long term pain if they win a few on the trot in the beginning of the comp. Once he can get 6 wins he will be re-signed because the clueless board will get scared he will be snatched away from us. As if that will happen. If they can wait a full season of crap footy to make a call on a coach then they should do the same for a good season as well and not jump the gun and re-sign Mary before the end of the season.

 

[Old Timer]

Slippery I am interested in your quote "Roster is good no excuses there."

Firstly as the current roster stands it looks middle of the road IMO as was the case last year.

Looking at our current signings I do not yet see any significant upgrade if any at all, except maybe Simms who had that 1 good game against the Sharks.

Finally Mary could find a way to blame the roster and not himself he has already proven a master at that.

 

[Sheridan Stand]

Slippery I am interested in your quote "Roster is good no excuses there."

Firstly as the current roster stands it looks middle of the road IMO as was the case last year.

Looking at our current signings I do not yet see any significant upgrade if any at all, except maybe Simms who had that 1 good game against the Sharks.

Finally Mary could find a way to blame the roster and not himself he has already proven a master at that.

We have no spine. No seasoned player who is a recognized 7 or 9 and while I personally like our 1 and 6 we all know they both would be far better if they were actually coached by even a chimpanzee of a monkey.

Funny we have a spineless coach and a board with no spine either.

Right there is our consistency - no other club can boast such spinelessness.

 

[Dragon Revival]

I agree that problems exist. The options appear to be as follows:-
Fullback-Dugan, Mann, Dufty
Five-eighth-Widdop, Mann, Nona
Half-back-Hutchison, Mann, McCrone, Dufty
Hooker-McInnes, Havili, McCrone
It is a shame that Mann does not have a twin brother or two.
Let us hope that the coaches work out the best options during the pre-season. If they fiddle fart around like they did this year we will be goners. Maybe Field, Coster, Robson
and others will develop quicker than expected. We seem to have player depth but I agree that we need to have dominance in these positions which has been sadly lacking since 2012 after Bennett left.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

I have to disagree with this.

My concern is not with Mary as an inspirational leader but as a coach!

I think he proved in 2015 that he can motivate players to "put in" with the way he got our defence to perform at the top level for such a long part of the season.

My concern is with pretty much every other aspect of his ability as a coach, primarily team structure, gameplan, attacking playbook and team selections.

These are all areas of coaching that JD displayed a talent for with the cutters this season.

Therefore, for the dragons to do well this season i believe that mary must swallow some pride and allow JD some control with these elements.

As a relative rookie there should be no shame for Mary to do this and it may be his only chance to save his coaching career and I believe it is our only hope of punching above our weight next season.

Mary's inspirational leadership qualities puffed out in 2015 as we had zero last year.

Simply put he has "lost the locker room" which equals no inspiration to the playing group until he is gone.

 

[Dragsters]

Mary's inspirational leadership qualities puffed out in 2015 as we had zero last year.

Simply put he has "lost the locker room" which equals no inspiration to the playing group until he is gone.

A coaches ability to inspire is an intangible and will vary from player to player.

I gave an example of his ability to inspire.

I mostly disagreed with your lack of concern with his "ability as a coach" when his inabilities with the fundamentals where both abundant and clearly on display for all to see.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

A coaches ability to inspire is an intangible and will vary from player to player.

I gave an example of his ability to inspire.

I mostly disagreed with your lack of concern with his "ability as a coach" when his inabilities with the fundamentals where both abundant and clearly on display for all to see.

I agree with you 100% mate in regards to Mary's coaching ability, and I think most on here do as well.

My main concern moving forward is Mary's ability to inspire and engage the playing group.

Most good leaders/Managers/Coaches have the ability to inspire and can adapt their own leadership style to get the best out of different individuals, something I believe Mary now can not do and hasn't since 2015.

Some of the best Coaches I believe have been more about being great leaders and there ability to tap into people to get the best out of them, time will tell I guess.

 

[SaintHarry]

Fellas ... some think its a great roster some think its not all that i think its a competitive one but all that aside its the coach that's will determine all of that given his history our chances are not in our favor and its sucks to say it but its the truth he simply can not get the best out of his players.

 

[Dragsters]

I agree with you 100% mate in regards to Mary's coaching ability, and I think most on here do as well.

My main concern moving forward is Mary's ability to inspire and engage the playing group.

Most good leaders/Managers/Coaches have the ability to inspire and can adapt their own leadership style to get the best out of different individuals, something I believe Mary now can not do and hasn't since 2015.

Some of the best Coaches I believe have been more about being great leaders and there ability to tap into people to get the best out of them, time will tell I guess.

I guess we'll just have to agree to agree then!