If Josh McCrone is named to play the Sharks

[thebigredv]

1. It will be the biggest insult that McGregor could possibly throw at us fans
2. We will get absolutely towelled (by even more than usual)

Sorry, but there are other options despite what McGregor might say.

He has been woeful and his selection was a joke in Round 1 and picking him v Sharks would be akin to forfeiting.

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

But he played well in round one. It is almost like you are giving him an ultimatum. I'd rather give McCrone the 7 as we get bashed by the sharks than subject Field or Mann to that stunting their development.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

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.

 

[RedVDragon]

McCrone is crap. NSW cup standard.

 

[thebigredv]

But he played well in round one. It is almost like you are giving him an ultimatum. I'd rather give McCrone the 7 as we get bashed by the sharks than subject Field or Mann to that stunting their development.

How about a seven that controls a game of football and kicks to the team's advantage. Aren't these two fundamental qualities of a halfback? Why are we playing one who does entirely the opposite 9 games out of 10. I am not going to argue that he played well last week. But Parra just reminded us what happens when an opposition turns up against us. McCrone capitulates and we got flogged. Go watch our last set of the game again. Just a taste of what is to come for the rest of the year with this team.

 

[thebigredv]

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.

I take offence to McGregor picking McCrone in our most pivotal position. Absolutely I do. He was woeful in that match. He should be playing like a player desperate to hold onto a first grade position. He gave away dumb penalties, dropped the ball, kicked dead or too deep multiple times and brought back the typical stuttered attack we've all come to hate. Woeful is a compliment.

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

McCrone did not play well today, I agree. But I guarantee Mann and Field would have been worse. Neither of them are organisers, they don't talk enough. They are both running 5/8's. Basically Benji Marshall again.
And to top it off. Putting either of them behind a forward pack that played well bellow the bar that was set last week is suicide, you wouldn't be doing them any favours.
The forwards lost us the game today. They didn't aim up, our right edge defence was weak, but it was the work of the forwards that gave the eels that field position.
JT would have struggled to dig us out of the hole that was created.
Not 1 of our forwards cracked the 100 metres. Not 1. And we ran for 700 hundred metres less than last week. We only had 45% possession and completed at 68%.

But yeah. It was all McCrone's fault

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

I take offence to McGregor picking McCrone in our most pivotal position. Absolutely I do. He was woeful in that match. He should be playing like a player desperate to hold onto a first grade position. He gave away dumb penalties, dropped the ball, kicked dead or too deep multiple times and brought back the typical stuttered attack we've all come to hate. Woeful is a compliment.

Fair enough, but I don't think you can blame all that shemozzle on McCrone. I didn't think anyone played all that well.

 

[thebigredv]

But yeah. It was all McCrone's fault

Correction. It is McGregor's fault. Josh doesn't pick the team. Field or Mann just might open up our attack, they have 15 years on Marshall don't forget. Have some guts and do what other team's have done in blooding the likes of Cleary, Bird and Trbojevic. We have so much less to to lose than other clubs. You can' just keep picking some old bloke at 7 hoping our forwards will make him look good. I really disagree with your own and Mary's way too conservative approach. We are talking about a team whose attack has been the laughing stock for 3 or 4 years now.

 

[thebigredv]

Fair enough, but I don't think you can blame all that shemozzle on McCrone. I didn't think anyone played all that well.

If McGregor is going to keep setting us up to fail, he will keep getting barraged. I do agree about most players playing poorly, but I saw some other pivotal players really give their all and it would have been nice if McCrone had at least kept us in the game with some common sense kicking.

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

Correction. It is McGregor's fault. Josh doesn't pick the team. Field or Mann just might open up our attack, they have 15 years on Marshall don't forget. Have some guts and do what other team's have done in blooding the likes of Cleary, Bird and Trbojevic. We have so much less to to lose than other clubs. You can' just keep picking some old bloke at 7 hoping our forwards will make him look good. I really disagree with your own and Mary's way too conservative approach. We are talking about a team whose attack has been the laughing stock for 3 or 4 years now.

The Dragons need a 7. McCrone is the only one we have. All the hype about Field. He is a 6. Mann. He is a 6.
If Widdop was injured or still out of form, I'd be the first one saying give em a shot. But they aren't.
People on this forum are so against picking players out of position yet they want to pick 2 ball running 5/8's in a position that is begging for an organiser, someone to compliment Widdop, not clash with him. It is no fluke that Widdop's best footy has been played outside of organising half-backs, when the pressure is off him to lead the team around, he can ask for the ball when he wants and he can roam around picking his moment.

It isnt progressive to pick Field or Mann at half just because they are flashier when they don't do the little things that position demands.
Other than Clearly, name another young halfback that was blooded with the no. 7 on his back and has stood up. Shaun Johnson is awesome but the warriors haven't been to the finals since 2011, Tigers with Brooks haven't been to the finals...

Young halfbacks take longer to progress cause there is a lot that goes with that position. DCE debuted when he was 22/23, same with Cooper Cronk and JT spent a while on the bench before given the Cowboys, Ben Hunt took a long time to find his feet as had Chad Townsend. Pearce has been up and down and Adam Reynolds was 22 as well. Moses Mbye is a brilliant ball player and runner. But he isn't a half, which is very evident.

All I am saying, unless they have spent their entire juniors playing at 7 and leading a team around in rep teams etc. Then they need time in the lower grade como to hone that skill that the halfback needs. You don't blood some kid in there cause he is quick.

 

[thebigredv]

The Dragons need a 7. McCrone is the only one we have. All the hype about Field. He is a 6. Mann. He is a 6.
If Widdop was injured or still out of form, I'd be the first one saying give em a shot. But they aren't.
People on this forum are so against picking players out of position yet they want to pick 2 ball running 5/8's in a position that is begging for an organiser, someone to compliment Widdop, not clash with him. It is no fluke that Widdop's best footy has been played outside of organising half-backs, when the pressure is off him to lead the team around, he can ask for the ball when he wants and he can roam around picking his moment.

It isnt progressive to pick Field or Mann at half just because they are flashier when they don't do the little things that position demands.
Other than Clearly, name another young halfback that was blooded with the no. 7 on his back and has stood up. Shaun Johnson is awesome but the warriors haven't been to the finals since 2011, Tigers with Brooks haven't been to the finals...

Young halfbacks take longer to progress cause there is a lot that goes with that position. DCE debuted when he was 22/23, same with Cooper Cronk and JT spent a while on the bench before given the Cowboys, Ben Hunt took a long time to find his feet as had Chad Townsend. Pearce has been up and down and Adam Reynolds was 22 as well. Moses Mbye is a brilliant ball player and runner. But he isn't a half, which is very evident.

All I am saying, unless they have spent their entire juniors playing at 7 and leading a team around in rep teams etc. Then they need time in the lower grade como to hone that skill that the halfback needs. You don't blood some kid in there cause he is quick.

You may be right about the need for experience in that position. That sounds logical. But you're happy with them playing for pride. McCrone is unlikely going to get any better. I am hoping the team will be experimenting and playing for wins, especially this year. Field has speed and is being touted as a big hope for number 7 this year with Hutchinson out. Mann wasn't brought on til there were 5 mins left. Does McGregor have any belief in his own crazy tactics?

 

[Simon]

The Dragons need a 7. McCrone is the only one we have. All the hype about Field. He is a 6. Mann. He is a 6.
If Widdop was injured or still out of form, I'd be the first one saying give em a shot. But they aren't.
People on this forum are so against picking players out of position yet they want to pick 2 ball running 5/8's in a position that is begging for an organiser, someone to compliment Widdop, not clash with him. It is no fluke that Widdop's best footy has been played outside of organising half-backs, when the pressure is off him to lead the team around, he can ask for the ball when he wants and he can roam around picking his moment.

It isnt progressive to pick Field or Mann at half just because they are flashier when they don't do the little things that position demands.
Other than Clearly, name another young halfback that was blooded with the no. 7 on his back and has stood up. Shaun Johnson is awesome but the warriors haven't been to the finals since 2011, Tigers with Brooks haven't been to the finals...

Young halfbacks take longer to progress cause there is a lot that goes with that position. DCE debuted when he was 22/23, same with Cooper Cronk and JT spent a while on the bench before given the Cowboys, Ben Hunt took a long time to find his feet as had Chad Townsend. Pearce has been up and down and Adam Reynolds was 22 as well. Moses Mbye is a brilliant ball player and runner. But he isn't a half, which is very evident.

All I am saying, unless they have spent their entire juniors playing at 7 and leading a team around in rep teams etc. Then they need time in the lower grade como to hone that skill that the halfback needs. You don't blood some kid in there cause he is quick.

Well said. Our only other option did his ACL in the pre-season. We need an organising half with a solid kicking game. McCrone is the only option, it's just a pity he's so inconsistent.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Fair enough, but I don't think you can blame all that shemozzle on McCrone. I didn't think anyone played all that well.

Agree packer had a bad game and Atkin and McDonald were all bad.
So mccrone not the only one.
Defence was hopeless as well.

 

[j0nesy]

Mccrone and Packer were our worst performers tonight, with Aitken not far behind. Those three had absolute out and out shockers. With the way Mccrone played, how is it that Mann didn't get a run? Correct me if I'm wrong (I was at the game) but I didn't see Mann play.

 

[Mickthedragon]

He is bog average and belongs in nsw cup. Last week was a one off decent game.

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

You may be right about the need for experience in that position. That sounds logical. But you're happy with them playing for pride. McCrone is unlikely going to get any better. I am hoping the team will be experimenting and playing for wins, especially this year. Field has speed and is being touted as a big hope for number 7 this year with Hutchinson out. Mann wasn't brought on til there were 5 mins left. Does McGregor have any belief in his own crazy tactics?

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?

 

[thebigredv]

When we needed something to get our momentum we had dropped ball by a whole heap of playe

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 don't mind this although I don't know why Milne isn't one of the first picked every week. It's trying something new to shake it up which is what I want to see. Widdop at half is another option but goes against your theory of only a 7 at 7.

I am happy if the Field/Mann at halfback doesn't work to resort back to McCrone but I just think we need to find some spark. The time for this was in the off season and it is unfortunate Hutchinson went down when he did. If he hadn't though we probably wouldn't have secured Hunt's services...who knows.

I think you and I both know the same team will be picked next week in any case.

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

When we needed something to get our momentum we had dropped ball by a whole heap of playe



I don't mind this although I don't know why Milne isn't one of the first picked every week. It's trying something new to shake it up which is what I want to see. Widdop at half is another option but goes against your theory of only a 7 at 7.

I am happy if the Field/Mann at halfback doesn't work to resort back to McCrone but I just think we need to find some spark. The time for this was in the off season and it is unfortunate Hutchinson went down when he did. If he hadn't though we probably wouldn't have secured Hunt's services...who knows.

I think you and I both know the same team will be picked next week in any case.

The only reason Milne isn't in my team is because he isn't signed on passed next season. If he does get signed or if it gets him to sign, I'd put him on the left instead of Aitken.

And I don't mind experimentation in the halves. Widdop to 7 is the most logical, but he has struggled when it comes to leading a team around.

If anything, I'd put Mann at 7. Field should be blooded at fullback or 6 if he is in the starting team.

But yeah. I don't foresee any changes against the sharks. Maybe Leilua on the bench instead of a back. McIness can comfortably play 80 so another forward might help and by all reports he played well for Illawarra today.

 

[thebigredv]

The only reason Milne isn't in my team is because he isn't signed on passed next season. If he does get signed or if it gets him to sign, I'd put him on the left instead of Aitken.

And I don't mind experimentation in the halves. Widdop to 7 is the most logical, but he has struggled when it comes to leading a team around.

If anything, I'd put Mann at 7. Field should be blooded at fullback or 6 if he is in the starting team.

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.