How far can we go without Gareth Widdop

[Saint_JimmyG]

In my opinion we will not miss Widdop at all. If anything this will give our fans a clear look at what Norman can do at 6 and if Dufty has overcome his demons. Our real problem is the loss of JDB and the leaky right side defence.

This week will be our opportunity to mark our coach on his ability to address these issues.

Mark the coach on “ability”? That sounds as though you’re uncertain by the debacle that’s unfolded since 2014 and that there’s a small chance as though McIdiot possesses this quality.

News flash: he doesn’t.

 

[possm]

Widdop is leaving at seasons end so we have to get used to Norman at 6 and no Widdop in the side.

 

[gitano]

Widdop is leaving at seasons end so we have to get used to Norman at 6 and no Widdop in the side.

Not necessarily.

I think Field has a chance to make the 6 spot his own. I like Norman at fullback.
Dufty, Lomax under pressure this year and Field with a golden opportunity.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I encourage people to go back and read some of their posts re Widdop, not just in this thread but many others as well.
We can now clearly see what life without Widdop in the team let alone the 6 jumper is really like.
We have injuries now but we also had plenty of those in previous years as well so what is the difference?
We had a coach who put our best attacking player into a less favourable position and all of our inadequacies are now on show big time.
Our attack is simply garbage and whilst Norman had some moments of note, none of this season offerings have been a patch on previous years including the darkest parts of those years.
Have we had some brilliant individual moments this year for sure we have but we have looked a complete rabble for all but 1 game and a couple of halves.
When Widdop was at 6 we had some bad outcomes but nothing as bad as the shit that is being served up week in week out thus far this year. When Widdop was going well the team looked competitive and it is anything but that now.
I contend that whilst the coach is complete kaka the loss of Widdop at 6 is more catastrophic than that and even allowing for injuries Widdop would have least been able to weave some magic at different times and given us some satisfaction of which we have none at this point in time nor will we anytime soon.

I respect your assessment of Widdop but he is not the all encompassing catalyst of our good performances.
When our forward pack dominated he looked great but when the chips were down, he often dropped his bundle - crabbed sideways, took wrong kicking options and often could not come up with important plays that would have won us critical games.
We can agree on Widdop being shunted back to FB but he clearly did not want to play there and showed it with some weak kneed performances which did not honor him as a professional footballer.
He also clearly said so when interviewed.
Norman on the other hand has had more than "some moments of note".
He has won 2 games for us with clutch plays under enormous pressure.
His running game is far superior to Widdop's and, until he got injured, started to gel with Hunt in a most positive way.
Widdop is a fine player, no argument from me but he has never been equipped to be our main playmaker.
His goal kicking is also very good but not in the sharpshooter class in the 70% range.
Finally, not a captain's bootlaces.
Overrated in terms of all the accolades bestowed upon him but used properly by the coach, would have contributed a lot more to our actual results.

 

[Crush]

OK, hypothetically, lets say dragons find a bit of form over coming weeks and win 3 of next 4. Then Widdop is available. Where would you play Widdop?
For me he slots back in at 6 with Hunt at 7 and Norman moves to fullback. Thats the only option IMO.
Or don't play him at all.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

OK, hypothetically, lets say dragons find a bit of form over coming weeks and win 3 of next 4. Then Widdop is available. Where would you play Widdop?
For me he slots back in at 6 with Hunt at 7 and Norman moves to fullback. Thats the only option IMO.
Or don't play him at all.

Whether or not Saints find form is irrelevant...this season was shot to pieces a long time ago. However, as you say, when Widdop becomes match fit, he goes straight to five-eighth with Norman to fullback.

This is what should’ve transpired at the beginning of the year; an adroit coach would’ve identified this immediately.

 

[Gareth67]

It’s a bit late in the piece to be answering the question, for lawds sake the answer is stareing us in the face - no bluudy where that’s where . Even should the man make a return our season is shot to pieces due to the ever so astute coaching of the maestro , gawd luv him . Give him a pay rise whilst he is guiding the team to premiership glory over the next 2 years .

 

[getsmarty]

Widdop ready to boost St George Illawarra's finals hopes with return imminent

• Cameron Mee

Dragons Den

Comeback imminent: Gareth Widdop. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Chambers.

After all the injuries the St George Illawarra Dragons have suffered this season, reinforcements are finally starting to arrive.

Tim Lafai returned last week, while James Graham remains an outside chance of making his comeback from a fractured fibula when the Dragons host Canberra on Sunday night.

And inspirational skipper Gareth Widdop confirmed Friday that he is just two to three weeks away from making his return from a shoulder injury.

The Englishman has been absent since he dislocated his shoulder in St George Illawarra's round three victory over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Since that time, the Dragons season has progressed in fits and starts, with every seemingly season-turning victory followed by a soul-crushing defeat.

Widdop's confident, however, that should his side get through the next couple of weeks, he'll be able to lead the Dragons to the finals.

"I'm back in training now, which is good," Widdop said. "I've been able to get my hands on a football again, which is a positive. I've got to get through the next couple of weeks training fully and if I can do that, hopefully I'll get back on the field.

"I'll be doing everything possible at training to be prepared. Obviously I've been out of the game for a number of weeks now, but I've been working hard at training to do my role, do my job. If I can do that, then hopefully we can knock some wins off."

Widdop's injury came as Dragons coach Paul McGregor attempted to manage a halves conundrum, with the skipper starting the season at fullback to allow Ben Hunt and off-season recruit Corey Norman to partner in the halves.

Read more: Frizell re-finds his groove in triumph

Widdop revealed on Friday that experiment is now over, with the skipper to don the number six jersey and Norman likely to shift to fullback.

"I'll come in and play five-eighth. I'll be training there, getting my hands back on the ball."

Sunday will be the last time Dragons fans can see the side in Wollongong, with four more home games to be played in Sydney. The club is working with the Illawarra Convoy for the match to raise funds for the Illawarra Community Foundation.

The fixture also begins a nine-game run home to the finals, with the side needing to win at least six of their remaining matches to keep their playoff chances alive.

In positive news, McGregor is confident the team's four Origin stars will backup for the crucial clash, with the coach to make a final decision after Saturday's captain's run.

Paul Vaughan is the man in the biggest doubt, the prop carrying a number of niggles, while Tyson Frizell, Hunt and Norman are all expected to be fit to play.

McGregor revealed Hunt is particularly eager rebound from Queensland's last-minute defeat and lead the Dragons in the run towards the finals.

"It's quite remarkable what he has achieved in Origin this year," McGregor said. "He plays a role at seven in club level and played nine for three 80 minute performances in Origin. I think he was nearly, probably Munster was the other one, the player of the Queensland side.

"The texts I got off Benny straight after the game were 'Let's get our season back to where we need it to be.' To me, that's the type of guy, the character we want in our club."


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...ost-st-george-illawarra-with-return-imminent/

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Welcome back Widdop.
We missed you.
Hope your shoulder holds up and thanks for making the effort to come back.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Heard two opinions of how we will go without Gareth.
Laurie Daley said we will make the 8 but can't win the comp.
Terry Kennedy said we can't make the 8 we are gone.
They were quick to downgrade us.
In my opinion I think we don't go as bad as they and some others think without Gareth.

Gareth Widdop is a great player but he is not the missing ingredient in our performances.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Gareth Widdop is a great player but he is not the missing ingredient in our performances.

DP, Are you saying our coach is not a chef or do you mean that our chef is not a coach ....... or are you suggesting there's no one stirring the pot?

Stay tuned for the next episode of Dragon Days of our Lives or is it, The Young & the Coachless?


( sorry, l'm quite bored with the lack of games )

 

[Dragonsamy]

He will be back 2 weeks or 3 most probably .

 

[RufusRex]

So when he is back we could posisbly see
1. Norman, 2. Pearson, 3. Lomax, 4. Lafai, 5. Ravalawa, 6.Widdop, 7. Hunt ...

Not too bad for the 20m we will play until Widdop pops it again.

 

[Crush]

So when he is back we could posisbly see
1. Norman, 2. Pearson, 3. Lomax, 4. Lafai, 5. Ravalawa, 6.Widdop, 7. Hunt ...

Not too bad for the 20m we will play until Widdop pops it again.

Is there really nobody better than Lafai?
Is there no solution?
I'd rather 1. Norman, 2. Pearson, 3. Lomax, 4. Mr Ravalawa, 5. Pereria
We cannot continue with Aitken or Lafai in our team. Lafai is so inconsistent and has way more bad games than good.

 

[RufusRex]

Crush I would try that with Saab over pereira if lafai not there

Of course mary will never think to build a game plan around him in the air

I want to see rava at centre

 

[muzby]

I want to see rava at centre

I just want to see us win.

I don’t care who plays centre.

Hell, Latimore could play centre.. So long as we win..


Memo to Mary: Don’t play Latimore at centre.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

What I'm saying OKB (and I sometimes get misunderstood) is that Widdop's absence or presence will make no difference to whether we can win a premiership or not.
Under Bellamy he was a cog in the wheel of a very well coached premiership winning team.
Under McGregor, he is just part of an under performing, poorly coached team.
I believe a Bellamy or a Bennett would have used Widdop differently (not as chief playmaker)
Great coaches respect what their senior players think and want but that rarely influences their own conclusions and actions.
That is one reason why McGregor will never be a great coach.

 

[dino1]

What I'm saying OKB (and I sometimes get misunderstood) is that Widdop's absence or presence will make no difference to whether we can win a premiership or not.
Under Bellamy he was a cog in the wheel of a very well coached premiership winning team.
Under McGregor, he is just part of an under performing, poorly coached team.
I believe a Bellamy or a Bennett would have used Widdop differently (not as chief playmaker)
Great coaches respect what their senior players think and want but that rarely influences their own conclusions and actions.
That is one reason why McGregor will never be a great coach.

What do you think Mcidiot is a coach??????

 

[Crush]

Whether or not Saints find form is irrelevant...this season was shot to pieces a long time ago. However, as you say, when Widdop becomes match fit, he goes straight to five-eighth with Norman to fullback.

This is what should’ve transpired at the beginning of the year; an adroit coach would’ve identified this immediately.

Hey Jimmy, you'd want to hope Ponga comes back soon, they've lost 3 of last 4. No Ponga no Knights.
Dragons are coming for them!

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Hey Jimmy, you'd want to hope Ponga comes back soon, they've lost 3 of last 4. No Ponga no Knights.
Dragons are coming for them!

Yeah? With what?