Excited for 2017

[grouch]

2017 is going to be GREEEAAAT

 

[Slippery Morris]

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.

Forward pack is massive - Vaughn, Au Mau, Packer, Masoe
Backrow is brilliant and not far of top 5 in the comp in Sims, Frizzell, De Belin, Thompson
Hooker - McInness is a good pick up and much better than Rein
Fullback - Origin fullback, enough said. Mann, Dufty good options
Backs - Nighty, Mann, Dugan, Aitken, McDonald, Milne - Pretty solid

There is good depth and plenty of options like Mann FB, Duges Centre, Dufty F/B, etc.

The Outside backs of Dugan and McDonald in the centres on the back of the big boppers in the squad is huge. The size of the squad is massive. That is why a nifty little fullback running of the back of these huge humans in Dufty may do OK just like Moylan when he first came to grade.

Halves I admit are an issue but you never know that could fire next season if Demitriou gets his say. Nona/Hutch combo seems to work well as they seem to be able to read each other well. Something Widdop/Benji were lacking.

At the start of the season when you saw the Gold Coast Halves minus Elgey you would write them off which they all did. Parra put a winger at 5/8 and he was pretty good. Panthers tried the youngsters Ta Marie and then Cleary at the expense of Soward and they also came good. Again if I said at the start of the season Panthers halves of Cleary/Cartwright/Te Marie you would of wrote them off too. My point is you can't write off a side because their haves as you don't know how good they will go especially if they are untried. Hutch did play in the same comp as these rookies in 2016 and did well. Won a SOO Man of the Match or series, etc and spanked the Bears in the GF so he can't be that bad.

If the halves fire, and McInness has a good year, there is no reason they cannot make a top 5 imo. Only issue is if they are allowed to play their natural game and not this dull defensive stuff.

In saying that am not expecting much as the person in charge of this cattle is not capable of getting the best out of them as we saw this year.

 

[Slippery Morris]

But I won't be suprised with the cattle they have if they dump the coach after 6-8 rounds, they can spring a run of 10-13 game winning streak. The team is capable of that.

 

[emu62]

Whether we have a capable roster or a good roster is somewhat irrelevant to me.In saying that, every team wants a good roster & it does make things easier. My main point is, a descent coach should know all his players strengths & weaknesses like the back of his hand & be able to devise a game plan to suit. Unfortunately our coach is much more familiar with the back of his hand & herein lies our main problem

 

[Old Timer]

Slippery,
Our forward pack was dominated last year in almost every game.
JDB, Thompson, LAM have to lift considerably if the pack is to start getting results.
Adding size alone will not be enough.

IMO Dugan is a centre or nothing and Mc Donald a winger yet to prove himself better than Nighy or Mann.

So if Vaughan and Mc Donald are our big signings plus Masoe coming back after a full year out of footy, let alone many years out of the NRL I am mystified how that equates a lift from 11th to 5th without factoring in the same dead head coach.

 

[Dragons 09]

Slippery,
Our forward pack was dominated last year in almost every game.
JDB, Thompson, LAM have to lift considerably if the pack is to start getting results.
Adding size alone will not be enough.

IMO Dugan is a centre or nothing and Mc Donald a winger yet to prove himself better than Nighy or Mann.

So if Vaughan and Mc Donald are our big signings plus Masoe coming back after a full year out of footy, let alone many years out of the NRL I am mystified how that equates a lift from 11th to 5th without factoring in the same dead head coach.

But OT, you have forgot to factor in our secret weapon....."The Committee"

 

[Slippery Morris]

You can add Sims as well to our Marquee signings for 2017. He came late and did not play much. The pack was dominated hence why the inclusion of Masoe, Vaughn and Sims with McInness at hooker may be a different kettle of fish. Masoe I have seen and on his day is awesome. Creates that second phase play. See his big grid iron pass try he set up. He has great vision. I am hanging to see this fella play, pity he was injured.

 

[Old Timer]

Slippery,
Our forward pack was dominated last year in almost every game.
JDB, Thompson, LAM have to lift considerably if the pack is to start getting results.
Adding size alone will not be enough.

IMO Dugan is a centre or nothing and Mc Donald a winger yet to prove himself better than Nighy or Mann.

So if Vaughan and Mc Donald are our big signings plus Masoe coming back after a full year out of footy, let alone many years out of the NRL I am mystified how that equates a lift from 11th to 5th without factoring in the same dead head coach.

Oops a correction required
IMO Dugan is a FB or nothing.

 

[2010]

I see 2017 as a launching pad for 2018, not expecting miracles but with some experienced players and some guns from the juniors my hope is 2018 as our year

 

[Dragon Revival]

I think that with Masoe, Sims and Vaughan added to our forward pack along with Host
and hopefully Leilua and new hookers the dynamics will be
improved. The backline will also be better with MacDonald on the wing, Hutchison replacing Marshall
who was running on one leg and relative newcomers Mann and Milne having settled in and beginning to fire.
Dufty, Herbert and Garrick will also be lurking in the background.

 

[Mr Red]

But I won't be suprised with the cattle they have if they dump the coach after 6-8 rounds, they can spring a run of 10-13 game winning streak. The team is capable of that.

No way in hell that roster as it stands can win 10 to 13 games in a row.. Mary or no Mary.
You would need a very solid, experienced and capable spine to achieve that type of winning streak, and McInnes , <insert half> , Widdop and Dugan is not that .

 

[coast_dragons]

They will struggle to win 10 games period.

The attack will be the same unless something drastic happens.

Defence won't change to much maybe slightly improve but not holding my breath.

Mary is utter puss

Hornby and Young what do they actually do.

Cutters I can see going backwards if JD is gone.

Under 20's will be close to the same maybe slightly better.

The medical staff looks like they are all going.

I don't see alot of positives.

 

[warwickdragon]

Pleased that there have been some moderately positive responses in an overwhelming sea of negativity.
Across the park 2017 brings a significantly stronger front row rotation. Assuming the Sims surgery was successful the backrow will be way more than solid.
The halves should have a tradesman like quality sadly underestimated.
Two young centres a year older. A fingers crossed always fit fullback...extra speed on the wings and a hooker with a bit more footballing commonsense. What's not to like.
Add a coach who taught the team to win skinny (better than most teams) or to lose BIG (better than most teams) and all it takes is for that coach to utilise his assistant coach for surprises in 2017

 

[saints4ever]

As long as Mcxcuse is in charge 2017 is doomed

 

[Dragon Revival]

Wtth an improved roster I hope that the powers or lightweights that be will have little tolerance for the abject failure of the last five years and will change the coaching staff after the first few games if the performance continues to be underwhelming, error ridden and erratic.

 

[BennyV]

LOL@anyone claiming that things are looking up next year because our roster is better. I hope they realise that the same thing was said after 2015, see how that turned out?!?!

Oops a correction required
IMO Dugan is a FB or nothing.

Thank god you corrected that, I was worried for your mindset!

 

[twinkletoes]

Seems to me that after the "End of Season Review" and the comment we are disappointed with 2016 and getting on to make 2017 better, the only change implemented has been to set up a committee, who really has no influence on how the team will play...oh and lose the cutters coach and the high performance medical team. Those outcomes from our end of season review leaves me totally underwhelmed..

 

[Slippery Morris]

Can't see the season being better with Mary there full stop. One of the most important roles in getting a team to perform and we put a muppet there instead. Obviously they think when Bennett was there he did not play too much of a role to claim the 1ST PREMIERSHIP IN 31 YEARS.

 

[coast_dragons]

LOL@anyone claiming that things are looking up next year because our roster is better. I hope they realise that the same thing was said after 2015, see how that turned out?!?!


Thank god you corrected that, I was worried for your mindset!

Well when they have a shocker you can cheer and say see I was right.

You can cheer with Vas or sigurd whatever his name is.

 

[inside_pass]

We will struggle while McMuppet is there.
He lost the players this season so why will they listen to him next year?
The players know he is a dead man walking so they won't be going all out for him!
McGregor will be sacked after about 8 rounds and a caretaker coach will come in and get the team up for a while but the season will already be gone and wasted once again.
14th or lower for 2017.The club is a basket case!