If Josh McCrone is named to play the Sharks

[BlackDuckSaint]

As for the centres, it's a potential strength of ours and we should have these guys trying to nick each other's spots until there is consistency. For mine, Milne hasn't let us down on any of hi performances. I hope Aitken's career isn't going to plateau. It's early days but he needs to fix a few things up.

Agreed re Aitken. I don't see his career remaining in the centres. I see him turning into a back rower. He lacks creativity and MacDonald will never see clean ball outside of him.

MacDonald outside of Milne... Now that sounds like a weapon. A bit of Leipana about it.

 

[ChargingPatJarvis]

Personally.. No.. I hate the idea of this being a throw away year. And, I reckon it was a bit of a media beat up about Field vying got the number 7.

If it were me, I'd go down the avenue of trialling what Ian Millward alluded to in his podcast. If they really see Dugan as only a Centre, put him there, and Widdop as fullback, put him there.

We all know Ben Hunt is gonna be here next year, so I really don't like the idea of putting Field in a position he won't play beyond this year.

This is what I'D do going forward.

1. Widdop
2. Garrick
3. Aitken (left)
4. Dugan
5. MacDonald

6. Field
7. McCrone (a seat warmer for Hunt)

8. Packer
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. Thompson
12. Frizz
13. De Belin

14. Sims
15. Ah Mau
16. Leilua
17. Host

Then, by next year. Assuming Packer and JDB sign on. Hunt walks in and slots straight into the 7 with all the other combo's already having had a year together.

That is what I'd do to prepare for the future while also being competitive this year.

Thoughts?

I agree Duck.
I'm of the same opinion as many here...Mann and Field are 5/8s. We need to play them in this position.
I like Widdop at fullback and have often thought this would be his best position. He's the ball playing fullback we've missed. Play him here this year. Dugan to centres. Mann and Field to 5/8 in prep for Hunt.

 

[gonz]

Really? An insult? OK he had a very ordinary game today, last week he had a very good game. He hasn't been woeful. He has been inconsistent.

He as good last week ? What the

 

[Saints Forever]

Josh played no differently tonight to what the guy played last week.

The reality is the Parra played much better than Penrith did against us and our execution was abysmal this week.

We did not give ourselves a chance to win the game.

We should all stop expecting/hoping that Josh will be a factor in whether we win or lose.

He is a solid fringe FG half. No more, no less. Don't care whether he represented Country or not.

 

[thebigredv]

Josh played no differently tonight to what the guy played last week.

The reality is the Parra played much better than Penrith did against us and our execution was abysmal this week.

We did not give ourselves a chance to win the game.

We should all stop expecting/hoping that Josh will be a factor in whether we win or lose.

He is a solid fringe FG half. No more, no less. Don't care whether he represented Country or not.

Since when is a half back not a factor in whether we win or lose?

Sterling, Johns, Langer, Taylor, Cronk... are you saying the never won their team a game?

He helped us lose today with appalling kicking game, poor discipline and butter fingers. If our forwards turned up, he was still going to do his best to keep us out of the match.

Doesn't deserve to be picked again at this stage.

 

[Glenn01]

McCrone and Widdop doesn't work. Widdop and Marshall didn't work. Widdop and Williams didn't work. Widdop and Crook didn't work. Widdop and Hutchinson hasn't worked.

You tell me people. What is the common denominator here??????? I can't work it out. Too difficult.

 

[Saints Forever]

Since when is a half back not a factor in whether we win or lose?

Sterling, Johns, Langer, Taylor, Cronk... are you saying the never won their team a game?

He helped us lose today with appalling kicking game, poor discipline and butter fingers. If our forwards turned up, he was still going to do his best to keep us out of the match.

Doesn't deserve to be picked again at this stage.

BigredV

This is precisely the point. The bloke is not a Sterling/Johns/Langer.

Never was, never will be.

Hence if we are to win more games, all the stars must align.

High completion rate.

Forwards dominate their opposite numbers.

Duges/McDonald/Widdop have blinders running off forwards who manage to offload the ball in traffic up the middle.

The back line doesn't have the speed and or footwork to dominate.

Josh doesn't have the quality to make the difference. He has an ordinary kicking game.

Field doesn't have the experience yet to dominate. Time will come.

In the absence of Josh getting injured Mann won't be given the chance to play a full game at half because super coach sees him as a "utility". Field is not a "utility". He is a gun U/20s number 6.

 

[thebigredv]

Are we the only team hoping all the stars will align each time we play. I actually think so. I think that's McGregor's exact game plan.

He will pick McCrone again so I guess there's no point arguing.

 

[giboz71]

We don't have a half. McCrone is our best option. And Widdop needs to take control like he did the week before. He's our star half but seemed it was left to McCrone to steer the ship. Widdop seems to go missing when we need him the most.

When McCrone is given the keys to the team when we need points, you know we're in trouble.

 

[SweetandSoward]

Where are you Soward.
Come on and rescue the dragons

 

[thebigredv]

Don't you think a team like the Eels or the Sharks must look at an opposition with Widdop and McCrone and just lick their lips.

Teams don't fear us. They haven't for a long time. Panthers showed what happens when you don't give us any credit but we are the easy beats.

 

[Old Timer]

McCrone and Widdop doesn't work. Widdop and Marshall didn't work. Widdop and Williams didn't work. Widdop and Crook didn't work. Widdop and Hutchinson hasn't worked.

You tell me people. What is the common denominator here??????? I can't work it out. Too difficult.

Vas bagged Widdop
Ruby bagged Widdop
Sigurd bagged Widdop
Steve Timpson bagged Widdop
Glenn 01 bags Widdop
Yep you are the common denominator and despite your best efforts to disguise yourself it actually wasn't too difficult to work out.

Oh the other common denominator is Widdop hasn't played 1 game for the Dragons where, he had a proven first grade quality half back beside him and we thank you for astutely pointing that out for us.

 

[Old Timer]

We don't have a half. McCrone is our best option. And Widdop needs to take control like he did the week before. He's our star half but seemed it was left to McCrone to steer the ship. Widdop seems to go missing when we need him the most.

When McCrone is given the keys to the team when we need points, you know we're in trouble.

I suspect Mary said something like this during during the week

Ok boys we will play the power game again this week but instead of playing LH attack which was so successful last week we will change to RH side attack to confuse the opposition.
Whatever you do don't go back to the LHS as they will be expecting that.
Yep that will work go get em boys.

 

[Farrquarr]

Ashe Taylor shane elgey are young halves thrown in the deep end

 

[Saintsified]

None of this has anything to do with players in what positions, it's the coach. He has no idea, he said before the match what they will do and basically told Parramatta in advance how to stop us. Lol

I was done last year and I remain done for now.

 

[Glenn01]

Vas bagged Widdop
Ruby bagged Widdop
Sigurd bagged Widdop
Steve Timpson bagged Widdop
Glenn 01 bags Widdop
Yep you are the common denominator and despite your best efforts to disguise yourself it actually wasn't too difficult to work out.

Oh the other common denominator is Widdop hasn't played 1 game for the Dragons where, he had a proven first grade quality half back beside him and we thank you for astutely pointing that out for us.

yeah, okay trippy old dude....... You are a genius, am not permanently stoned and anyone who points out Widdop's deficiencies, the weakest link in defence and attack for 3 years must be the same person. And you remember all their names. Just waiting to take your revenge on these idiotic, stoned imposters!!!!

 

[thebigredv]

None of this has anything to do with players in what positions, it's the coach. He has no idea, he said before the match what they will do and basically told Parramatta in advance how to stop us. Lol

I was done last year and I remain done for now.

I don't blame you.

Listen to all the players after the game. Same rhetoric. "It's disappointing", "We didn't turn up", "It's not good enough", "We will have to do better next week". I am not bothering with the post game press conference but you can almost be sure that Brad Arthur will be tougher on his team than Mary will on ours, and no blame will be taken on Mary's behalf. Happy to be proved wrong.

As I said before this match, it'd be nice to have one player actually be brave enough to tell it like it is - we are crap. We have been crap for a long time now for a whole host of reasons but none greater than the inept coach.

All through the late 90's and 2000s we argued back and forth as to why our team of stars couldn't clinch a premiership then a long came an actual star coach and it was proven that a coach has the greatest influence over a team.

 

[2010]

It has always been said that our centres are weak on defence, that's no secret and Parramatta player ran straight over them. I don't see Mary making wholesale changes.
Mary did say that they scored six tries off our mistakes. We did make stupid mistakes.
MacDonald needs to stay on his wing but what choice did he have today, he tried to shut down the missed tackles.
I don't like saying this but Flo is on borrowed time, he just can't cut it marking speedy wingers.

 

[Frank Facer]

I don't blame you.

Listen to all the players after the game. Same rhetoric. "It's disappointing", "We didn't turn up", "It's not good enough", "We will have to do better next week". I am not bothering with the post game press conference but you can almost be sure that Brad Arthur will be tougher on his team than Mary will on ours, and no blame will be taken on Mary's behalf. Happy to be proved wrong.

As I said before this match, it'd be nice to have one player actually be brave enough to tell it like it is - we are crap. We have been crap for a long time now for a whole host of reasons but none greater than the inept coach.

All through the late 90's and 2000s we argued back and forth as to why our team of stars couldn't clinch a premiership then a long came an actual star coach and it was proven that a coach has the greatest influence over a team.

I think the addition of Thurston or Cronk would have a much greater influence on us than if we got Bellamy, Bennett or Hasler with the same roster that we currently have. We have a crap halfback. Halfback is the most important position on the field. Even the great Super Coach Jack Gibson said in reference to Peter Sterling. If you have got the best halfback, then you are half way there. I am a firm believer that games are won on the field. I think Saints fans have put too much emphasis on our coach since we had success under Bennett.

I saying all of that, McGreger picking both Lafai and Aikten ahead of Milne is reason enough to sack him on the spot. I would have also given Mann a go at halfback ahead of Mcrone.

 

[thebigredv]

I think the addition of Thurston or Cronk would have a much greater influence on us than if we got Bellamy, Bennett or Hasler with the same roster that we currently have. We have a crap halfback. Halfback is the most important position on the field. Even the great Super Coach Jack Gibson said in reference to Peter Sterling. If you have got the best halfback, then you are half way there. I am a firm believer that games are won on the field. I think Saints fans have put too much emphasis on our coach since we had success under Bennett.

I saying all of that, McGreger picking both Lafai and Aikten ahead of Milne is reason enough to sack him on the spot. I would have also given Mann a go at halfback ahead of Mcrone.

Completely agree we need a halfback. Said the same thing myself regarding giving Mann a go at least. We are running around without the most important positional player on the field, and without a coach, and expecting to do any good. No wonder we are all so disgruntled.

Still, I think we will need a quality coach, as well as Hunt, to really push for the trophy. Seems a world away right now. Sounds simplistic but some things just are that way.