Harry Siejka

[Twenty10]

Drinkwater was injured.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

Drinkwater was injured.

Do you know what / how long?

 

[Twenty10]

Do you know what / how long?

Will find out... But don't think it's serious. He was ruled out late.

 

[FundyDragon]

I think he should be given a crack in First Grade next week against Penrith and move Chase back to the centres. Hopefully Coops plays and the origin boys back up. On what a saw yesterday he is confident and showed composure. His kicking game was pretty good in general play. He also kicked for touch and did all the goal kicking bar the first kick. He missed a couple from the touch line but the ground was very slippery and conditions difficult. He even fell on his backside taking one of the conversions. No issues in defence from what I saw, he defended 3 in from touch alongside Rucciman. On two occasions while defending in a our 10 metre zone he contained a bigger stronger opposition runner only metres out from the try line.

 

[Minh]

Throw him in, there's nothing like First Grade to bring out the best in a player.

 

[Country Dragon]

I think he should be given a crack in First Grade next week against Penrith and move Chase back to the centres. Hopefully Coops plays and the origin boys back up. On what a saw yesterday he is confident and showed composure. His kicking game was pretty good in general play. He also kicked for touch and did all the goal kicking bar the first kick. He missed a couple from the touch line but the ground was very slippery and conditions difficult. He even fell on his backside taking one of the conversions. No issues in defence from what I saw, he defended 3 in from touch alongside Rucciman. On two occasions while defending in a our 10 metre zone he contained a bigger stronger opposition runner only metres out from the try line.

I liked the fact you said he defended three in, this defending half backs in the centres is bullshit!

 

[Stdavid]

Yessum, I'm tired hearing that line too.

There's a pattern to it. I said it before, I think the whole delay in giving upcomers a go stems more from Steve Price trying to win next weekend's game, week in week out, and less about 'building the team' for the future, and that includes giving young players a go.

But it's worse then that, because he has accumulated a track record of not only pretty much playing the same players, but playing them out of position. That is supposed to be a stop gap coaching strategy which has become the norm with our 1st grade side - and is a tell-tale sign the he is simply trying not to lose.

Playing not to lose as opposed to trying to win, is a negative approach to coaching. It's like getting 4 points in front with 25 minutes to go - shutting up shop and trying to defend that lead instead of trying to score again in order to win.

And now Steve Price's lack of blooding new players is coming back to bite him in the bum, he's got no (or few) options because he didn't sew the seeds he needs to reep now.

And to ALWAYS say this player is not ready and that player is not ready - well it puts too much pressure on them. In my mind surely there are circumstances that warrant giving a young player a go even tho they may not be ready, and they shine because expectations are lower = less pressure. There is never a good time to change or take a risk. If you wait until everything is ideal and perfect then it is not a risk - is it?

In the meantime, juniors surely get despondent.

It's negative coaching. I just wish it would change.

I so wish Price would listen to common sense like this and the others saying similar. I playing safe he's condemning the team to going backwards - which is what the Dragons have done under him. How does he know guys like Drinkwater aren't up to first grade - half the season's gone and they still haven't had a go. Someone like Quinlan must be also wondering what the heck is going on - one game and does well, then back to wilderness.

 

[64 Dragon]

Rumour in the Sunday papers - Quinlan to the Knights?

 

[Minh]

The Knights are to us as we are to Canberra.

 

[RedV_J]

I will be very suprised in Quinlan is still with us next year.

 

[watatank]

they need a replacement for Kevin Naiqama

 

[Gomarchin]

When Bennett left Brisbane he took darius and emmett with him to the dragons. Both players were unwanted by the broncos. Now, since Bennett announced he was leaving us how many players has he taken with him to Newcastle?? It really p^*ses me off that he continues to target our players! Newcastle has now become the club I hate the most...even more than Canterbury and that says a lot!!

 

[TheRev]

I dont know if it matters who is targeting our juniors, we do the same thing, we have tried to poach Keary & Williams this year.. its just teams filling their roster the best they can.

If we cant retain & motivate our kids, and let them feel like they have a future with us, thats our clubs problem, and it starts with ol boy Pricey and his pick-n-stick-until-were-in-the-thick selection policies.

 

[BennyV]

Rumour in the Sunday papers - Quinlan to the Knights?

Yep, was told he actually asked for a release to go there before June 30, but if not I imagine he'd be there next year.

Sad to see, but was never going to get a shot over Dugan, and Cummins is back next week too.

 

[Godz Illa]

And now Steve Price's lack of blooding new players is coming back to bite him in the bum, he's got no (or few) options because he didn't sew the seeds he needs to reep now.

And to ALWAYS say this player is not ready and that player is not ready - well it puts too much pressure on them. In my mind surely there are circumstances that warrant giving a young player a go even tho they may not be ready, and they shine because expectations are lower = less pressure. There is never a good time to change or take a risk. If you wait until everything is ideal and perfect then it is not a risk - is it?

In the meantime, juniors surely get despondent.

It's negative coaching. I just wish it would change.

This is an exaggeration imo. There's no benefit at all in blooding players if they aren't ready, regardless of whether their feelings are hurt or not. On the other side of the coin, Jack Stockwell is a starting front rower at 21. How does that fit into your analysis?
Which players do you want to see blooded?
Quinlan did get a shot (way way earlier than anyone could have predicted) but we have Dugan now. Do you expect Quinlan to start ahead of Dugan? Or perhaps shift to another role, one that he has not played at any level in years. Crazy talk.
Drinkwater? Perhaps he's just shit. The gossip suggests his attitude aint the best either.
Runciman. Extremely talented but a long way off handling the defence of first grade. Needs a lot of work there.
Cummins? Out injured for 12 months basically.
Who else are you looking for

I'm not a Price fan, but some of the criticism seems a little misguided

 

[jenninga]

Yep, was told he actually asked for a release to go there before June 30, but if not I imagine he'd be there next year.

Sad to see, but was never going to get a shot over Dugan, and Cummins is back next week too.

And he will get a shot with Boyd at the Knights.

 

[Steelman]

This is an exaggeration imo. There's no benefit at all in blooding players if they aren't ready, regardless of whether their feelings are hurt or not. On the other side of the coin, Jack Stockwell is a starting front rower at 21. How does that fit into your analysis?
Which players do you want to see blooded?
Quinlan did get a shot (way way earlier than anyone could have predicted) but we have Dugan now. Do you expect Quinlan to start ahead of Dugan? Or perhaps shift to another role, one that he has not played at any level in years. Crazy talk.
Drinkwater? Perhaps he's just shit. The gossip suggests his attitude aint the best either.
Runciman. Extremely talented but a long way off handling the defence of first grade. Needs a lot of work there.
Cummins? Out injured for 12 months basically.
Who else are you looking for

I'm not a Price fan, but some of the criticism seems a little misguided

At last some common sence, people who have never been involved in playing or coaching the game making ridiculously silly statements about which player's should or shouldnt play first grade.

Let the coaches do their thing, after all Price will live or die by the sword. :? time will tell.

 

[bottle]

If the Holden Cup side and the Cutters were killing it in their comps, there might be some merit to the whole 'give the younguns a go' ranting. But they aren't. Both teams are struggling in their own comps, against oppositions of similar ilk, age and levels of experience. The Cutters are currently 10th (of 13) with 6 wins and 9 losses, the 20's are 11th (of 16) with 6W and 8L.

There are no players making an impact. There are no standout performers. There are no players demanding they be picked at the next level. There are no players performing at a level vastly superior to their peers. In short, there are no players demonstrating that they are obviously NRL level ready. Players signed on the potential, or even 'hope', like Drinkwater, haven't stepped up and demonstrated the requisite skill development required.

The wholesale changes mooted won't help the NRL side, and nor will it necessarily help the development of the players involved. It's a panic response, not a well thought out and reasoned strategy as some seem to think.

It's a tired, well worn and old catch cry. Beau Henry, Matt Mundine etc, etc, etc. It's been called for before and usually shown in hindsight to be have been justifiably avoided. The blokes currently in charge, whether people like it or agree with it or not, are the ones best placed and with the requisite levels of experience required to make the calls.

I'll say it again, and people will disagree with me again. It's about cattle. That's it. Halves, centres, a prop or two. By my reckoning, only Widdop falls into the category of quality signed for next year to fill those voids at this stage. The rest are adequate or fringe. Time will tell whether they can improve on a personal level to be more than that, but I'm not over enthused by what I'm seeing thus far.

On Siejka, I have no great expectation of seeing him rushed into first grade unless his performances scream out 'Pick Me'. He could just be an 'in case' signing to cover Fien for this season, given that there is no one else deemed suitable if it came to be. The sad reality is we just lack quality paople in critical playing positions. No improvement until that changes.

 

[Mr Red]

If the Holden Cup side and the Cutters were killing it in their comps, there might be some merit to the whole 'give the younguns a go' ranting. But they aren't. Both teams are struggling in their own comps, against oppositions of similar ilk, age and levels of experience. The Cutters are currently 10th (of 13) with 6 wins and 9 losses, the 20's are 11th (of 16) with 6W and 8L.

There are no players making an impact. There are no standout performers. There are no players demanding they be picked at the next level. There are no players performing at a level vastly superior to their peers. In short, there are no players demonstrating that they are obviously NRL level ready. Players signed on the potential, or even 'hope', like Drinkwater, haven't stepped up and demonstrated the requisite skill development required.

The wholesale changes mooted won't help the NRL side, and nor will it necessarily help the development of the players involved. It's a panic response, not a well thought out and reasoned strategy as some seem to think.

It's a tired, well worn and old catch cry. Beau Henry, Matt Mundine etc, etc, etc. It's been called for before and usually shown in hindsight to be have been justifiably avoided. The blokes currently in charge, whether people like it or agree with it or not, are the ones best placed and with the requisite levels of experience required to make the calls.

I'll say it again, and people will disagree with me again. It's about cattle. That's it. Halves, centres, a prop or two. By my reckoning, only Widdop falls into the category of quality signed for next year to fill those voids at this stage. The rest are adequate or fringe. Time will tell whether they can improve on a personal level to be more than that, but I'm not over enthused by what I'm seeing thus far.

On Siejka, I have no great expectation of seeing him rushed into first grade unless his performances scream out 'Pick Me'. He could just be an 'in case' signing to cover Fien for this season, given that there is no one else deemed suitable if it came to be. The sad reality is we just lack quality paople in critical playing positions. No improvement until that changes.

partially agree with what you are saying, its very obvious that with the recruitment of a decent half, centre and prop we would be a better team than what we currently dish out each week..
however dont you also think that with a decent coach those "fringe" players or those players that are 80% ready for first grade would be able to become 100% ready for first grade with proper coaching?

dont you think a decent coach would be able to extract a higher level of performance from the same players in comparison to what Price can?

 

[bottle]

however dont you also think that with a decent coach those "fringe" players or those players that are 80% ready for first grade would be able to become 100% ready for first grade with proper coaching?

Not necessarily. Some simply won't make it regardless. That is a simple statistical truth.
He has a proven record of bringing on kids already in his previous coaching gigs. Many of the blokes playing NRL in our team today have played under him in the past.

dont you think a decent coach would be able to extract a higher level of performance from the same players in comparison to what Price can?

I don't know that Price isn't a 'decent coach' yet. When he gets a competitive squad I'll be in a better position to make a call. Plenty won't like my position on that, and call me a 'Price lover' as a consequence. I just want to make a call based on him having a fighting chance, which he hasn't yet imo. I'm not yet over enthused by the sqaud for next year either btw.