Is Corey oates coming??????

[Carlton]

Got another question Samy, are the coaching staff confident with Dufty or are they concerned?

 

[Carlton]

Not necessarily Carlton.
I'm saying Mary will stick with lafai and Euen.
I would prefer lomax in Euen spot.
And Euen on the bench (expecially if mann goes wich is a big chance).
Euen can be the bench player that mann was.
He can cover backline and even back row

Thats sad news and I agree about Aitken being a bench player incl. lock. He could play a game similar to Cameron Murray, aim at getting quick play the balls.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Thats sad news and I agree about Aitken being a bench player incl. lock. He could play a game similar to Cameron Murray, aim at getting quick play the balls.

Agree.
He also a good front on defender.
Poor lateral defender .

 

[dragonssamy61]

Got another question Samy, are the coaching staff confident with Dufty or are they concerned?

Carlton.
They seem to be .
But all our back line are poor under the ball. Mybe they need to change up things. Train differently like a lot of clubs do get a afl guy to help with kicking and expecially catching.
I think Masters is our future fb.
But dufty needs some help you would think that benny hornby would be able to help, at least you would think so.

 

[Carlton]

Carlton.
They seem to be .
But all our back line are poor under the ball. Mybe they need to change up things. Train differently like a lot of clubs do get a afl guy to help with kicking and expecially catching.
I think Masters is our future fb.
But dufty needs some help you would think that benny hornby would be able to help, at least you would think so.

The problem for me is his lack of physicality in both attack and defence which is something that some players can never develop.

Is Marsters fast enough for fullback? when I have seen him play he seems big and strong but a bit slow.

 

[rednwhites]

The problem for me is his lack of physicality in both attack and defence which is something that some players can never develop.

Exactly. We have an obvious weakness in our backs and not only is nothing being done about it, they've allowed it to get worse for 2019 by letting our strongest, sizeable and most athletic back go. Stupid.

 

[getsmarty]

A lot of exaggeration here...How many fullbacks would be able to hold Joel Thompson up over the line ? ...Its not all bad...yes there are improvements that can be added to Dufty's game...he is far from one of the worst fullbacks in the comp and people forget this year was his 1st full year in the Top grade. during the beginning of the year he was rag-dolled...later stages he learnt from that and wasn't....yes he needs work on catching the high ball....he also has a good passing game and elusive speed..you can't coach speed...

Give the guy a chance..

 

[Dragonslayer]

Carlton.
They seem to be .
But all our back line are poor under the ball. Mybe they need to change up things. Train differently like a lot of clubs do get a afl guy to help with kicking and expecially catching.
I think Masters is our future fb.
But dufty needs some help you would think that benny hornby would be able to help, at least you would think so.

Unless we are specifically shopping for a fullback, I think Dufty will be our custodian for at least the 2019 season.

Masters reminds me of Dugan, but without the defense atm. Interestingly he is playing wing for the Junior Kiwis today, so speed?

I think Masters is being groomed for fullback but we need to see what Dufty brings in 2019. If I was coach, I would send both of them to a few training sessions with the Swans or GWS just tk get some ideas on catching the ball especially under pressure.

 

[Dragonsteve2]

A lot of exaggeration here...How many fullbacks would be able to hold Joel Thompson up over the line ? ...Its not all bad...yes there are improvements that can be added to Dufty's game...he is far from one of the worst fullbacks in the comp and people forget this year was his 1st full year in the Top grade. during the beginning of the year he was rag-dolled...later stages he learnt from that and wasn't....yes he needs work on catching the high ball....he also has a good passing game and elusive speed..you can't coach speed...

Give the guy a chance..

Getsmarty, I am with you on Dufty. I agree he improved on getting to ground quicker as the year progressed. He has been rubbished on the Forum for weakness under the high ball. Yes he dropped some balls but sometimes he let the ball bounce because his judgment was that he could not get to the ball on the full. Usually he was right and critics are missing the point that many opposition punters are superior to ours. I reckon if he had played against our kickers all year he would rarely if ever have let the ball bounce. In my opinion our kicking in 2018 remained a weakness, admittedly an improvement on McCrone's efforts in 2017.

Ben Hornby was a very solid fullback but I can remember him dropping some bombs early in his career. Secure in the position, Dufty will continue to improve and provide some speed that most here on the Forum agree we lack. I have much more confidence that Dufty will become a quality NRL fullback than I have of Aitken becoming a quality NRL centre or Mary a quality NRL coach.

 

[Dragonsteve2]

Not necessarily Carlton.
I'm saying Mary will stick with lafai and Euen.
I would prefer lomax in Euen spot.
And Euen on the bench (expecially if mann goes wich is a big chance).
Euen can be the bench player that mann was.
He can cover backline and even back row

Samy, as always I am grateful for your "insider" perspective. Just don't understand why Aitken's weaknesses as a centre are not obvious to the coaching staff. Had Mann and Aitken swapped postions this year we would have been so much better off- a win-win situation. Mann would have reduced the number of tries on the right edge and made more breaks. Aitken would have been a more powerful replacement for JDB, maybe sufficiently so for Mary to have rested Jack when it was required. Lomax proved with three solid defensive performances that he will be an upgrade at right centre. If Euan gets the centre spot it will just be more evidence of the Dragons being handicapped by the shortcomings of the coach.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Unless we are specifically shopping for a fullback, I think Dufty will be our custodian for at least the 2019 season.

Masters reminds me of Dugan, but without the defense atm. Interestingly he is playing wing for the Junior Kiwis today, so speed?

I think Masters is being groomed for fullback but we need to see what Dufty brings in 2019. If I was coach, I would send both of them to a few training sessions with the Swans or GWS just tk get some ideas on catching the ball especially under pressure.

Exactly dragonslayer.
Also young saab ect. All the wingers need to jump well to take the high ball

 

[Carlton]

A lot of exaggeration here...How many fullbacks would be able to hold Joel Thompson up over the line ? ...Its not all bad...yes there are improvements that can be added to Dufty's game...he is far from one of the worst fullbacks in the comp and people forget this year was his 1st full year in the Top grade. during the beginning of the year he was rag-dolled...later stages he learnt from that and wasn't....yes he needs work on catching the high ball....he also has a good passing game and elusive speed..you can't coach speed...

Give the guy a chance..

Its not the Joel Thompson tackle that worries me. Its the fact he is never across putting pressure on the winger (when you watch him coming across at the back he is too far behind the ball, runs without urgency and looks like he doesnt want to get there). I dont like Slater but at least he is not afraid to make contact. I dont like the way when a player is tackled in the in goal he stands and watches and does not get in there and try to help hold them up, I dont like him trying to turn front on tackles into side on tackles. I dont like that he is rarely in position for the grubber and is not willing to get into the collision in order to diffuse the kick.

Physicality, commitment and aggression are not necessarily things that can be taught or will improve. We have tried him for just over a year now and I dont want to see the experiment continue. He has been given a go and he may or may not develop but I dont want to take the risk on our fullback any longer.

 

[TruSaint]

A lot of exaggeration here...How many fullbacks would be able to hold Joel Thompson up over the line ? ...Its not all bad...yes there are improvements that can be added to Dufty's game...he is far from one of the worst fullbacks in the comp and people forget this year was his 1st full year in the Top grade. during the beginning of the year he was rag-dolled...later stages he learnt from that and wasn't....yes he needs work on catching the high ball....he also has a good passing game and elusive speed..you can't coach speed...

Give the guy a chance..

@getsmarty , I have been critical of young Matt mate, and I think he has deficiencies in a key role.

They way I see it all our backline is and should be under scrutiny.

I believe he will start as our fullback next year. I just hope that 2019 being his second full season, he is judged accordingly and on performance. Personally, at present I think he not what we need, but would be more than happy to be proven wrong.

They should all fight for their spots IMHO, and given a chance, unlike Mann at fullback dumped after round 2. Some players have a mortgage over their spots, i.e Aitken, Lafai, etc...

 

[The calm one]

Yes we are buying another winger! Will stop the problem with our centres......there will be no room for them

We are not buying anyone. No one is coming here

 

[WepnutV]

We are not buying anyone. No one is coming here

Thats 100% not true.. But if you mean by no big signings then I have to agree

 

[getsmarty]

Its not the Joel Thompson tackle that worries me. Its the fact he is never across putting pressure on the winger (when you watch him coming across at the back he is too far behind the ball, runs without urgency and looks like he doesnt want to get there). I dont like Slater but at least he is not afraid to make contact. I dont like the way when a player is tackled in the in goal he stands and watches and does not get in there and try to help hold them up, I dont like him trying to turn front on tackles into side on tackles. I dont like that he is rarely in position for the grubber and is not willing to get into the collision in order to diffuse the kick.

Physicality, commitment and aggression are not necessarily things that can be taught or will improve. We have tried him for just over a year now and I dont want to see the experiment continue. He has been given a go and he may or may not develop but I dont want to take the risk on our fullback any longer.

Lets agree to disagree...personally I think the problem also lies with the coaching staff....Aitken has had the same deficiencies for what 3 years and hasn't improved....Dufty has improved...there is still room for more improvement...the argument is whether our coaching staff can bring the best out of him.

 

[Carlton]

Lets agree to disagree...personally I think the problem also lies with the coaching staff....Aitken has had the same deficiencies for what 3 years and hasn't improved....Dufty has improved...there is still room for more improvement...the argument is whether our coaching staff can bring the best out of him.

I agree with your comments regarding the coaching staff and cant believe there's any talk of an extension for Mary. Sometimes players have deficiencies that no coach can improve, it doesn't mean those players are horrible people just that there are skills they don't and will never have. Unfortunately I think both Aitken and Dufty fall into this category, after saying this they are first grade players just not top echelon and if we are to get to the top we need to upgrade.

I appreciate your view and I hope that you are right because it looks like they will be our centre and fullback. I would rather eat humble pie than have a repeat of the year end collapses again.

 

[getsmarty]

I agree with your comments regarding the coaching staff and cant believe there's any talk of an extension for Mary. Sometimes players have deficiencies that no coach can improve, it doesn't mean those players are horrible people just that there are skills they don't and will never have. Unfortunately I think both Aitken and Dufty fall into this category, after saying this they are first grade players just not top echelon and if we are to get to the top we need to upgrade.

I appreciate your view and I hope that you are right because it looks like they will be our centre and fullback. I would rather eat humble pie than have a repeat of the year end collapses again.

Fair points Carlton although I would hardly think that Dufty was the main reason for our end of year collapse...again we were playing guys like JDB/Sims/Vaughan etc who were all carrying injuries...When your forwards don't go forward it puts pressure on the rest of the team. Again I.M.H.O this comes down to coaching and the fact the these guys were not given a rest after the origin series. Pickworth if I remember correctly even hinted at this....so again it falls on the coaching staff.

Aitken has had plenty of time to fix his deficiencies...the coaching staff rate him so go figure so lets agree on that one. Again I.M.H.O Dufty needs more time...we don't have a ready made replacement unless we bring someone else in from outside the club. Turbo who plays origin had worse mistakes than dufty this year..go look at a highlight reel...its a difficult position...anyway I'll leave it at that...as I don't want this to be misconstrued as "Having a go " at your good self...appreciate your opinions and lets agree to disagree on this one.

 

[denis preston]

I respect your opinion and would be happy if Lomax was selected at right centre. Now tell me, if Dufty is not up to it or is injured, who would you like to see replace him at fullback?

Fair point.Hope WTC's info is right and we are chasing a centre that can play fullback or a fullback that can play centre.

 

[getsmarty]

Fair point.Hope WTC's info is right and we are chasing a centre that can play fullback or a fullback that can play centre.

Even if its Hayne...