Josh Dugan Told To Shop Himself Around - Not happy with the Dragons.

[Vinnie]

ohhh sorry lets spend the millions everyone wants to imaginarily spend on tedesco and bird and hey everyone else and invest it in a better coaching staff !!!!! Now wouldn't that just fix a lot of problems ???? maybe the problem really is that we may have a possible Ferrari (team) but a broken down Holden engine (coaching Staff and admin Board)

 

[possm]

I'd say that I like that line up - excepting to swap wingers. But there are a lot of IF's associated with that line up. For that to work you would need Field and Dufty to be up to first grade standard by 2018. If they for any reason aren't ready we a stuffed.

On the other hand, Tedesco for Dugan and Bird for Widdop + a few other players, would give us the opportunity to be competitive from round 1 2018. We could then continue to bring Dufty, Field and some other juniors through during 2018 without writing off another year.

 

[Carlton]

I am a big Dugan fan and personally I don't mind how he plays. If you have a big strong hard running, solid defending fullback adjust your game plan to accommodate this and utilise his strengths. Why does a fullback have to play like a second 5/8? If you want ball players then look for a ball playing centre and/or second rower/lock. Why do locks have to be mini props?

Innovation is needed rather than trying to do what everyone else is doing. Look at the players and their skill sets and devise a way of using them to the fullest. If there are weaknesses then identify the player with the skill set needed to compliment what is already there and go out and get them.

Dugan is the best at what he does, his staying or going should be based around whether his skill set can or cannot be used effectively. If not then work out who it is that's needed and get them.

 

[BrissyRedV]

I am a big Dugan fan and personally I don't mind how he plays. If you have a big strong hard running, solid defending fullback adjust your game plan to accommodate this and utilise his strengths. Why does a fullback have to play like a second 5/8? If you want ball players then look for a ball playing centre and/or second rower/lock. Why do locks have to be mini props?

Innovation is needed rather than trying to do what everyone else is doing. Look at the players and their skill sets and devise a way of using them to the fullest. If there are weaknesses then identify the player with the skill set needed to compliment what is already there and go out and get them.

Dugan is the best at what he does, his staying or going should be based around whether his skill set can or cannot be used effectively. If not then work out who it is that's needed and get them.

I like Dugan. Dugan is as much of a victim of our poor coaching and structures as any other player in the squad. But I am in agree with the club on this one with the fact he is more suited to centre than fullback and sticking to their guns on his value. The money he is after should be reserved for those that can create for others as well as themselves and if we paid him is suggested million dollar price tag, we would struggle to attract the players that would be required to create for him.

The fact is, the fullback role has evolved beyond just someone who can catch and return the ball. A look at recent history suggests that a fullback needs to create as well as having those other attributes. For the past decade, every single premiership winning team has had a fullback that was able to create for players around them. Dugan hasn't kept up with this trend. Why not duplicate the successes of these other clubs instead of trying to invent a different style of play?

 

[possm]

A good coach could devise a game plan template which incorporates the strengths of the key players in the team. Bennett was responsible for the development of Boyd and Soward to mention just two. Bennett introduced protection for Soward and had him stand deep for kicks in play which made Soward such an important play in 2010. Boyd developed his backline chime and cut out pass to Morris which was an important factor in the Dragon's success in 2010.

Mary hasn't got a clue. All that needs to be done is for the halves, centres and ball playing forwards to look to deliver an off-load or dummy pass to Dugan and all of a sudden Dugan is the man.

 

[Farrquarr]

Honestly pay dugan as a fb and play him in the centers. By the time Dufty is want and demanding big coin dugan should be retired. Atm Dufty would be on a starting salary use it to our advantage. We dont need to buy external players we have plenty in our own ranks, just needing a go.

 

[BennyV]

I think the $750-800k mark is about right for Dugan, however telling him he is a centre only is one of the dumbest moves they could make. He is stil the best fullback option in the club and that will stay that way for the next 2-3 years unless we go and recruit someone, which we'd be silly to do.

He is the best defensive fullback in the game, and defence is 50% of what happens on the field. His positioning, work under the high ball and ability to clean up grubbers is second to none.

With ball in hand, he is still incredibly effective. Don't confuse lack of try assists with inability to create for others. The metres and quick play the balls de generates would do wonders for a decent set of halves and a coach with half a brain. And his individual skill set is still top shelf - see the McInness try against Pennies, he didn't get the TA but that try was 100% generated by Josh.

And this is to say nothing of the leadership and drive he brings to th team. Something we won't get from Field, Duffy or any other combination of 20yo kids for years.

He is the type of player you build the team around. With a controlling 7, half decent 6 and centres with some brain cells (like Mann and Milne) then Dugan would flourish (plus a coach!). He's got gaps in his game, hence he won't get that $1mil, but those saying that he is a centre only, not worth more than $600k or that Dufty/Field are better options are out of their minds.

 

[blacksafake]

I am a big Dugan fan and personally I don't mind how he plays. If you have a big strong hard running, solid defending fullback adjust your game plan to accommodate this and utilise his strengths. Why does a fullback have to play like a second 5/8? If you want ball players then look for a ball playing centre and/or second rower/lock. Why do locks have to be mini props?

Innovation is needed rather than trying to do what everyone else is doing. Look at the players and their skill sets and devise a way of using them to the fullest. If there are weaknesses then identify the player with the skill set needed to compliment what is already there and go out and get them.

Dugan is the best at what he does, his staying or going should be based around whether his skill set can or cannot be used effectively. If not then work out who it is that's needed and get them.

Bingo
We have a winner

 

[Saints Forever]

Duges is a first class player and deserves a commensurate salary. Don't feel however that he is worth more than what the club has offered.

Am sure the club is well aware of the fact that he is a very good centre or full back.

Next year Hunt will add another dimension to the attack.

Duges is currently the best full back we have. As Dufty or Field transition to FG, Duges will invariably move to Centre.

If the club want Duges to leave they should have simply told the guy in November the club has decided to go in a different direction. He is only 26 and has dropped a few kilos. He is injury prone and this may have been factored in to his offer.

Better game plans that utilise his strengths are really what we need.

His experience is invaluable. Has the right attitude on the field. Best to find a way to keep him for 2-3 years.

 

[blacksafake]

I like Dugan. Dugan is as much of a victim of our poor coaching and structures as any other player in the squad. But I am in agree with the club on this one with the fact he is more suited to centre than fullback and sticking to their guns on his value. The money he is after should be reserved for those that can create for others as well as themselves and if we paid him is suggested million dollar price tag, we would struggle to attract the players that would be required to create for him.

The fact is, the fullback role has evolved beyond just someone who can catch and return the ball. A look at recent history suggests that a fullback needs to create as well as having those other attributes. For the past decade, every single premiership winning team has had a fullback that was able to create for players around them. Dugan hasn't kept up with this trend. Why not duplicate the successes of these other clubs instead of trying to invent a different style of play?

I agree with Brissy RV to an extent.
A good coach will always coach a team to their strengths which is why teams like the dogs in recent times under des has used his forwards as ball players because his halves & fullback have not been ball players. Now whether this is right or wrong is another thing but he has coached to their strengths. Even in 05 sheens had a small pack of forwards which couldn't compete with the bigger ones so he coached them to play an upbeat game with ball movement.
Some of the fullbacks you are alluding to are no doubt good at ball playing but they only come around so often & the majority of them are playing behind a good or in some cases a great half.We have none & it is the job of the coach to work out their strengths and create a game plan to suit.
Sorry for the long winded response.

 

[Dragon Revival]

We currently only have three backs who would get a pass mark being Dugan, MacDonald and Widdop. It looks like only one of them will be around next year being MacDonald plus Hunt. So we need to develop five backs for next year such as Dufty, Field, Herbert, Mann (if re-signed), Milne and maybe Dodd. It is a bit of a scary proposition. I guess that Mc Gregor does not care as he will not be here. We have let our stock of wingers get very low as Glymin and FaiFai Loa are not up to NRL standard and Garrick showed little coming back from injury in the one game he played for Illawarra and Thompson seems to have vanished. Johns, Hayden Lomax and Masters in the Under 20's look promising but need another couple of years to develop.

 

[dragonrickjs]

We need to re sign Dugan asap

 

[BennyV]

Lol we play Dufty or Field at fullback tonight, we lose. I can think of 3 tries that Dugan saved tonight, 2 of them in the last 10 minutes.

 

[VodkaSaint]

Yep, proving everyone wrong, needs to be locked up asap

 

[hazzbeen]

We need to re sign Dugan asap

Agree about Dugan the way , we play under Mary one out stuff , suits the team with Dugan there . So to pay for a ball playing fullback would be a waste .

 

[SaintElroy]

If we had a ball playing halfback , we wouldn't need a ball playing fullback

 

[TruSaint]

Lol we play Dufty or Field at fullback tonight, we lose. I can think of 3 tries that Dugan saved tonight, 2 of them in the last 10 minutes.

He was outstanding. Yes as you said defensively, but also covering the back, his positioning, and out and out passion.

Well done JDB, Vaughan, and our pack overall.

LAM again, underated.. Work horse.

 

[Old Timer]

Give Dugan whatever he wants and throw in Doust's office, bar fridge and parking spot as well.
Dugan epitomises everything good about being a Dragon player and he is the best back we have by no short distance.

 

[Qdf]

Give Dugan whatever he wants and throw in Doust's office, bar fridge and parking spot as well.
Dugan epitomises everything good about being a Dragon player and he is the best back we have by no short distance.

Yes, yes,
Don't forget to fill that bar fridge with Cronnies Doust, on your way out the door.
Great game dragons, thanks for your big effort DUGES.

 

[dragonrickjs]

Dugans good far outweighs his bad. He saves tries every week his kick returns are always outstanding and his positional play is second to none!! He loves the club wants to stay. Just pay him. If we had decent halves he would already be signed up.