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

[BennyV]

Sounds like BS to me unless the club is trying to put it out there in an attempt to put Duges offside & force his hand to leave . This way the club comes out looking like the "good guys " saying we offered a good contract but he chose to go.

Of course they are! It's the same tactic we pulled when Merrin left, the club comes out with the whole 'we offered him the highest contract for a forward in our history', implying that he would be paid for than some of our old greats (Bailey, Ryles, Weyman, etc) without conveniently mentioning that the salary cap had increased exponential since then.

It ties in with the whole 'we are happy to make him the highest paid centre in the game', aiming to reflect away from their ridiculous decision to play him as a centre next year!

Now this crap about being difficult to coach? Puh-lease...with McJetski at the helm, literally everyone becomes difficult to coach!

I'm fully expecting Dugan to be gone, with a whole lot of gullible fans starting the 'he wasnt that good anyway' chant, even when we lose all the games in 2018 that we would have wont had Dugan been at the back!

 

[Coffs dragon]

I agree BennyV the way this is dragging out and being played out in the media, I expect Dugan will depart and chase the dollars in 2018.
I'm sure Clubs like Roosters and Dogs will have a crack at his signature and Millward will be left with egg on his face minus a fullback.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Agree benny and coffs
It will be a shame to lose a player of duges ability.
Expecially now we have a good 7.
Make him a decent offer and get him signed.
Unfortunately it not looking good.
I doubt we will get teddy or any decent fullback to cover and will yet again be left behind.
Just getting one good player and losing another one or two players who are as good will not make the dragons the premiership force they should be.

 

[Lethal25]

They reckon rather than be replaced he pulled himself off in that game.
As I said he is a wanker.

I like what you've done there

As they say, 99% of men admit to pulling themself off the other 1% are liars!

 

[BringTheNoise]

Paul Kent and Andrew Webster on NRL 360 discussing Duges.

Rehashing a lot of stuff we've previously discussed. Is he a centre or fullback? He will have to take a pay cut to stay yadda yadda...

...but then Paul Kent said his mail is the Club won't be too sad to see him go. Something about being 'difficult to coach'.

First time I heard this. Interesting.

I wonder if Laurie Daley and Mal Meninga feel the same way?

 

[dragonssamy61]

I wonder if Laurie Daley and Mal Meninga feel the same way?

Bring The Noise
I agree Mal wouldn't put up with any attitude from players just ask sammy r .
He wouldn't pick him because of what was going on in his life.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Of course they are! It's the same tactic we pulled when Merrin left, the club comes out with the whole 'we offered him the highest contract for a forward in our history', implying that he would be paid for than some of our old greats (Bailey, Ryles, Weyman, etc) without conveniently mentioning that the salary cap had increased exponential since then.

It ties in with the whole 'we are happy to make him the highest paid centre in the game', aiming to reflect away from their ridiculous decision to play him as a centre next year!

Now this crap about being difficult to coach? Puh-lease...with McJetski at the helm, literally everyone becomes difficult to coach!

I'm fully expecting Dugan to be gone, with a whole lot of gullible fans starting the 'he wasnt that good anyway' chant, even when we lose all the games in 2018 that we would have wont had Dugan been at the back!

The difference between Dugan and Merrin at this stage of the negotiations is that Merrin had other offers on the table. A player is only worth what a club is willing to pay and at this stage the club is in the position of power unless Dugan can get another offer from another club. If he can get another offer, then of course the club will need to take a look at their offer and may have to pay an extra premium dependant on who our coach is to retain him, with in reason. I do agree that Dugan should not be pigeon holed at this stage either as he is doing an admirable job at the back.

 

[BringTheNoise]

The difference between Dugan and Merrin at this stage of the negotiations is that Merrin had other offers on the table. A player is only worth what a club is willing to pay and at this stage the club is in the position of power unless Dugan can get another offer from another club. If he can get another offer, then of course the club will need to take a look at their offer and may have to pay an extra premium dependant on who our coach is to retain him, with in reason. I do agree that Dugan should not be pigeon holed at this stage either as he is doing an admirable job at the back.

Do you honestly believe the Dragons are the only club prepared to table an offer to Dugan?

 

[BrissyRedV]

Do you honestly believe the Dragons are the only club prepared to table an offer to Dugan?

No, I don't. Do you honestly believe another club is going to be willing to pay him 7 figures?

I am not saying we should not shift on our numbers if he does get another offer. But why pay overs if you don't need to?

 

[blacksafake]

Do you honestly believe the Dragons are the only club prepared to table an offer to Dugan?

Only if you belive in the easter bunny

 

[possm]

If Dugan is worth 1m a season, there would be many Clubs looking to sign him. If he dropped his asking price to 700k - 800k he would have many other options. As it is this Dragons have offered him a good deal and so I suggest he takes it. He only has to take a look at Rein and Benji to see that once the offer is taken off the table, he is in a different world.

 

[giboz71]

Do you honestly believe the Dragons are the only club prepared to table an offer to Dugan?

I'd be very keen to see which NRL club would:

1. Offer more than 850k
2. Make him their FB for that coin

Seems to be what he's asking for according to all his interviews. He's a FB he says.

Agree with Brissy, if there is another offer out there, the whole landscape changes. But the fact that French Rugby has been mentioned suggests no other offers currently exist.

Happy for the club to wait and see. If we're top 4 contenders and Duges has been killing it at FB (and someone at the club actually believes he can combine with Hunt from FB) by all means give him what he wants.

Until I see that, don't think we should be committing to anything (when it involves that much coin).

 

[BringTheNoise]

No, I don't. Do you honestly believe another club is going to be willing to pay him 7 figures?

I am not saying we should not shift on our numbers if he does get another offer. But why pay overs if you don't need to?

As an incumbent NSW and Australian player, who on current form is ranks as one of the most damaging ball runners and best defensive fullbacks in the game... Yes I do.

If the club chooses to play hardball with Dugan we will lose him to another club willing to pay him what he's worth. Simple as that.

Despite what some of the experts on here think, first grade coaches rate Dugan highly as a fullback.

 

[BringTheNoise]

He only has to take a look at Rein and Benji to see that once the offer is taken off the table, he is in a different world.

Rein and Benji are reserve graders. Dugan is an incumbent NSW and Australian player. There is no comparison.

Dugan only has to look at Merrin to see that he is in a position where he can ask the club to pay him what he is worth or he will take an offer elsewhere.

 

[possm]

The problem is that Dugan is not on Millward's white board. He has Field at fullback and Aitken at right centre.

 

[BrissyRedV]

As an incumbent NSW and Australian player, who on current form is ranks as one of the most damaging ball runners and best defensive fullbacks in the game... Yes I do.

If the club chooses to play hardball with Dugan we will lose him to another club willing to pay him what he's worth. Simple as that.

Despite what some of the experts on here think, first grade coaches rate Dugan highly as a fullback.

Well, I don't think there is another club out there will to pay him a mil and there are plenty of rugby league experts that suggest he will not get that money. Sure coaches rate him, but are they or have they yet tried to break the bank to get him to their clubs? Not when you have guys like Moylan, Turbo, Coote, Wighton, RTS all contributing significantly to their teams performance and on considerably less than that figure. And then you also have guys like Milford, Boyd, Tedesco off contract with the 2 former players likely to be getting less than the 7 figure mark.

As for the current NSW/Australian player remark, how many out of those players are on a 7 figure salary? Smith, Cronk, Thurston and Inglis are perhaps the only ones commanding that sort of coin. I don't think Dugans contributions are quite up to those players standards.

 

[SEAT 1A]

He only has to take a look at Rein and Benji to see that once the offer is taken off the table, he is in a different world.

Either their managers let them down badly or the players didn't listen, especially Rein.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Well, I don't think there is another club out there will to pay him a mil and there are plenty of rugby league experts that suggest he will not get that money. Sure coaches rate him, but are they or have they yet tried to break the bank to get him to their clubs? Not when you have guys like Moylan, Turbo, Coote, Wighton, RTS all contributing significantly to their teams performance and on considerably less than that figure. And then you also have guys like Milford, Boyd, Tedesco off contract with the 2 former players likely to be getting less than the 7 figure mark.

As for the current NSW/Australian player remark, how many out of those players are on a 7 figure salary? Smith, Cronk, Thurston and Inglis are perhaps the only ones commanding that sort of coin. I don't think Dugans contributions are quite up to those players standards.

Really, what "experts" are on the record suggesting he won't get that money?

At this stage of his career Dugan is far more accomplished than Coote, Wighton and Turbo (although I agree Turbo is a more exciting prospect) so not entirely sure what your argument is there?

We already know Boyd will take unders to play under Bennett but on the market would easily command 7 figures, as would Milford (another player whom Dugan is more accomplished than at this stage of his career) so that argument is rubbish also.

Your argument that Inglis (who is more injury prone and usually only shows up around Origin and finals time) contributes more at club level than Dugan is debatable at best. As is your argument about the few players who actually command 7 figures, as this will increase significantly with the rising salary cap.

Anyhow, the $1 million a season argument is moot as that figure is purely media speculation and I've never even argued that he was worth that. What we know is that the club is preparing to low ball Dugan by offering him what they consider a good deal for a centre, which obviously won't reflect his status as the best fullback in the club.

 

[Old Timer]

Mentioning Rein and Dugan in the same sentence is ridiculous.
The Merrin scenario was a case of the board having to go to a level of offer never seen before by the club. The biggest contract for a forward in its entire history.
The club arrogantly said we are St George and we will not pay that sort of money and the rest is history.
In a similar way we did the same with Bird by saying we will play you when we see fit and you are only worth this and that is also now history.
We tried to attract players and found that if we didn't pay the absolute top $$$ no one was coming so the Hunt signing is now part of our new history (pay the $$$ or miss out).
I am not a big Tedesco fan but if he is on the market he will get plenty of attention and will attract bigger $$$ than what Dugan is already asking for.
IMO the gap between what Dugan wants and Tedesco will command will be significant especially under the new cap arrangements.
I do not believe that Tedesco will be value for money compared to Dugan and in fact I think Dugan brings much more to our club than what Tedesco will despite his attacking flare.
Just because people from other clubs are not saying much at the moment does not mean or confirm that there is no interest in Dugan at the $$$ he is asking for which BTW is still a mystery to all of us and we could all be very wide of the mark as I do not believe there is 1 journalist who would have a clue what the real number is.

 

[BrissyRedV]

We already know Boyd will take unders to play under Bennett but on the market would easily command 7 figures, as would Milford (another player whom Dugan is more accomplished than at this stage of his career) so that argument is rubbish also.

And yet the point still stands. They are on less and provide as much if not more.

Really, what "experts" are on the record suggesting he won't get that money?

The foxsports commentator crew for starters. What coaches are record saying that they would pay a mil per season for him?

Anyhow, the $1 million a season argument is moot as that figure is purely media speculation and I've never even argued that he was worth that. What we know is that the club is preparing to low ball Dugan by offering him what they consider a good deal for a centre, which obviously won't reflect his status as the best fullback in the club.

Then why are we having this conversation? All I have said is that if Dugan wants more money, he should test his value and bring it back to the club. If he can't get an offer beyond what he has been offered by the club then is that really low balling or paying market value?

Your argument that Inglis (who is more injury prone and usually only shows up around Origin and finals time) contributes more at club level than Dugan is debatable at best. As is your argument about the few players who actually command 7 figures, as this will increase significantly with the rising salary cap.

Inglis was a big part of Souffs winning the premiership. Whether he is worth the mil figure now is debatable but he has accomplished much more than Dugan over the span of his career. There are probably only 2 fullbacks in the comp that would currently be on a mil per season and that is Slater and Inglis with the rest falling below that line. A number will probably eclipse that figure next year but that is yet to be seen.

At this stage of his career Dugan is far more accomplished than Coote, Wighton and Turbo (although I agree Turbo is a more exciting prospect) so not entirely sure what your argument is there?

All provide excellent try and try assists to there teams and all are on a fraction of the cost which = value. Is Dugan a value buy when compared to these guys?