Kurt Mann @ 5/8

[Frank Facer]

Mann had a great game on Saturday, the best I can remember him playing perhaps. But let's wait and see how he backs it up. Kurt has a great game in him from time to time no doubt but he also has a shocker in him.
If he plays like he did last week every week I'll too be flying the Mann flag with Como Connection but only a few weeks back he was woeful.
Let's see if he can put together a month of great footy at 6.
I bloody hope so!

Mann always said that his best position is 5/8. I thought he has been played out of position most of the time here. I always thought his best position was 5/8 too.

 

[Dragons 09]

Mary on NRL360 tonight talking about many things including Mann.

Said that Mann is often disappointed not to be out there in the starting 13 and could probably rock up to another club and play 5/8 and quote “reach his full potential”. Hmmm...

He said he doesn’t want to lose him, but it’s the nature of the game. Kurt would leave a better person and player.

Reading between the lines, enjoy the time he has at 5/8 cause once Widdop’s back, normal transmission resumes. Don’t be surprised if we lose him sooner rather than later.

SIGH

I just saw the replay of the interview and it's just so disappointing that the imbecile cannot find a starting spot for Kurt. It's obvious from the interview that Mary knows we will eventually lose him but he just shrugs it off as being "that's footy".

It's obvious to all in here that i have a higher opinion of Kurt than most, so i might be biased, but if he is not a more complete footballer with more upside than at least 3 or 4 of our current starting 13, then i'm an even bigger f**kcwit than some in here already think i am.

I totally understand that no player is bigger than the team and if Kurt warming the bench is the best thing for the team, then i would understand Mary's decision to bench him. But Kurt's better than that and better than some of the "chosen" ones, so Mary's management of Kurt's development is simply baffling to me. I try so hard to find something, anything, the smallest little things to at least try and give Mary some credit as a coach, but i've got nothing, he's a narcissistic pretender who will just keep haunting me for years to come.

 

[The Damo]

Widdop is a better 5/8 than Mann.

Mann is a better left centre than Lafai.

End of story.

It’s the never ending st-o-oryyy
I’m not trying to knock Mann. I think he’s a very good footballer, and he doesn’t get used as well as he should be in our team. Should’ve been on the wing over nighty, should’ve replaced Aitken if he replaced anyone at centre.
Again stats certainly don’t tell you everything but in terms of output in the position...

In 2017 Lafai at left centre scored 7 tries, and made 11 try assists.
It’s hard to find any more detailed records but
In 2015 at the storm Mann played 18 games, I’m pretty sure all at left centre. He scored 4 tries and less then 4 try assists. Can only find a record of the top 100 players try assists that year, tithe lowest is 4 and he’s not on the list.
It might be that he’d be better than Lafai, I think he’d be very handy there, but I also think Lafai is underestimated by some here and doubt Mann would be consistently better

 

[Saintsified]

if Mann plays 2 more games like he did against Tigers and Dufty plays another 2 games like he played against tigers, then Widdop will be your FB come 1st semi final...

I wouldn't have an issue with it. I like Mann, hits the line hard too when need be. Solid

 

[Saintsified]

Mann had a great game on Saturday, the best I can remember him playing perhaps. But let's wait and see how he backs it up. Kurt has a great game in him from time to time no doubt but he also has a shocker in him.
If he plays like he did last week every week I'll too be flying the Mann flag with Como Connection but only a few weeks back he was woeful.
Let's see if he can put together a month of great footy at 6.
I bloody hope so!

Widdop has shockers too, Hunt just had one. Happens

 

[The Damo]

So who is the more effective centre and what part do the stats you have quoted play in that evaluation?

Mitchell is unequivocally the best centre in the game. But that’s not the issue. I was responding to specific assertions about Lafai’s game that I think are incorrect. You said his offloads were almost nonexistent. You said he doesn’t/can’t pass. I was supplying you with evidence that I thought might change your perception. Do these stats confirm your assertions or do they cast doubt on them?

 

[nontime111]

I have this super vision of our team next year.......

bear with me a couple of changes and getting rid of some dead wood

GONE.....Id love to ditch Dufty ( cant catch a high ball, makes too many mistakes, cant defend like a fullback should a bit of Quinlan mk 2 so hes got to go) and Aitken ( so overrated, hopeless defender a total turnstyle and cant pass for shit) NIGHTS retired......

backline:


LOMAX ( our only long term FB solution in his best position and future superstar)

PERRIERA ( hell get the job done and turn into a good winger)

LAFAI ( not an Inglis in attack but is a decent defender with a great flick and can set up his winger, Aitken making him look bad the last 2 years I think )

MANN ( MUST be in the team can only fit him in at centre but he craps all over Aitken)

NENE ( keep him there, not the most mungrel runner out of our twenty but a total ferrari who knows how to find the line)

WIDDOP ( of course)

HUNT ( he goes alright)

forwards:

DE BELIN
FRIZZEL
SIMMS
GRAHAM
MCINNIS
VAUGHN


bench.....

ONE NEW MUNGREL BIG BASTARD PROP TO REPLACE MIGHTY CONSISTENT AH MAU ( our only real need to buy in the off season one very good prop there must be at least ONE floating round for us)

LUCH ( MUST be in the team every single week splits games apart)

KORBIN ( prop rotation, better than LAWRIE but he goes ok aswell so we do have some depth here)

HERBERT ( MUST get his chance or hell go elsewhere....SUPERSUB off the bench.....if used right can split games open for us, so flexible also,. can play multiple positions in the backline so if Widdop has a bad patch in a game can slip into centre while Mann goes to five eight, OR can play five eight himself)

Id also love to see some variation in the backline to shake things up and surprise other teams, as in, for parts of the game drop WIDDOP back to FB and slip LOMAX into the centres, whack MANN to five eight , ior HERBERT to centre etc etc ) we have a LOT of talent to work with!! I just wich Mclamass would get some damn CREATIVITY and see the talent of the kids here he actually has.......and just how only a couple of vital changes would really help us to maximise, Dufty just not up to it sorry.....move him on, let him go ok elsewhere, same with Aitken

 

[Saintsified]

My opinion not many Dragons players like Kurt Mann who can run hard as 5/8 like he showed against the Tigers. His defence has always impressed me. We wont miss Widdop that much as we make the charge if Mann can maintain that effort.

They'll like him when he wins matches for them.

Besides who said they don't like him, source?

 

[Saintsified]

Mann always said that his best position is 5/8. I thought he has been played out of position most of the time here. I always thought his best position was 5/8 too.

So does Gould.

 

[j0nesy]

If Dufty plays poorly for another 2 games and Widdop recovers from Injury in time and Mann keeps playing well then Mann will be our full back i reckon.

 

[Como Connection]

I just saw the replay of the interview and it's just so disappointing that the imbecile cannot find a starting spot for Kurt. It's obvious from the interview that Mary knows we will eventually lose him but he just shrugs it off as being "that's footy".

It's obvious to all in here that i have a higher opinion of Kurt than most, so i might be biased, but if he is not a more complete footballer with more upside than at least 3 or 4 of our current starting 13, then i'm an even bigger f**kcwit than some in here already think i am.

I totally understand that no player is bigger than the team and if Kurt warming the bench is the best thing for the team, then i would understand Mary's decision to bench him. But Kurt's better than that and better than some of the "chosen" ones, so Mary's management of Kurt's development is simply baffling to me. I try so hard to find something, anything, the smallest little things to at least try and give Mary some credit as a coach, but i've got nothing, he's a narcissistic pretender who will just keep haunting me for years to come.

Agree 100%
CC

 

[Old Timer]

Mitchell is unequivocally the best centre in the game. But that’s not the issue. I was responding to specific assertions about Lafai’s game that I think are incorrect. You said his offloads were almost nonexistent. You said he doesn’t/can’t pass. I was supplying you with evidence that I thought might change your perception. Do these stats confirm your assertions or do they cast doubt on them?

I actually started out with the example of Mann’s bulletin pass to JP saying neither Lafai or Aitken have that do you disagree?
So re offloads you think less than 1 per game is a lot?
Passes to set up our wingers mainly come from our centres or our halves?

 

[Overseas dragon]

dont be surprised Widdop comes back at FB if Mann keeps up his form...Dufty is totally out of sorts and an easy target come semis by the top teams...

most definately a good call MICKEY but , but, can your supercoach see that .thats another story

 

[The Damo]

I actually started out with the example of Mann’s bulletin pass to JP saying neither Lafai or Aitken have that do you disagree?
So re offloads you think less than 1 per game is a lot?
Passes to set up our wingers mainly come from our centres or our halves?

Yes I disagree, Lafai has a good passing game. Maybe not as good as Mann, but his offloads are far superior to Mann’s.
I think he’s the 6th most prolific offloading centre - comparatively it is far more than the average, is that a lot? do you think that equals almost nonexistent? He’s the equal most effective offloading centre - do you think that can be fairly described as brain explosions?
Are you only able to answer questions with questions? Are you able to modify your opinion based on conflicting evidence?

 

[TomRedVRiver]

No!!

Don't end story!!

This looks like fun..

Lafai is a better right centre than Aitken.

Aitken is a better bench option than Nightingale.

Nightingale is a better waterboy than Head.

Head is a better coach than Mary.

Mary is a better painter than this kid:

Johnston is a better CEO than Doust

Doust is a better CEO than Possm

Possm is a better marsupial than Nightingale.

 

[muzby]

So re offloads you think less than 1 per game is a lot?

yes.

only 70 players in the entire NRL have averaged 1 or more offloads per game this year..

the highest is only 3 per game, which is tapau... most of the top 20 offloaders are props..

jack debelin is no. 19.. and he's only at 1.3 offloads per game..

puts the weighted average of offloads per game at under a half.. so yes, if you're offloading anywhere between 0.9 and 0.6 per game you're doing well.

 

[Old Timer]

yes.

only 70 players in the entire NRL have averaged 1 or more offloads per game this year..

the highest is only 3 per game, which is tapau... most of the top 20 offloaders are props..

jack debelin is no. 19.. and he's only at 1.3 offloads per game..

puts the weighted average of offloads per game at under a half.. so yes, if you're offloading anywhere between 0.9 and 0.6 per game you're doing well.

In your opinion but not in mine.
I for one would like to see our centres being able to put our wingers into the clear.
If I have missed this activity them please refer me to the highlights real that shows that.
Mann has 1 game at 5/8 (hopefully knowing he will be there for several weeks) and shows how effective a good passing game can be for a winger to be able to be highly effective.
You may be happy with weighted averages and all the rest of it but for me a centre of tortoise speed like Lafai should have a lot of other things he can do to justify his position in the side and < 1 offload doesn't cut the mustard for me.
I have always held the view Mann would be a far better option at LC than Lafai and I still maintain that position.
I have always thought Lafai to be bog average with the odd good game in him and I have seen nothing to change my mind on that.
You can throw all the statistics you like at me trying to show how Lafai compares to this player or that player and to me it just highlights that you are happy with a very ordinary / pedestrian centre.
He remains in the position only because of the f**kwhit we have coaching us.

 

[Old Timer]

Yes I disagree, Lafai has a good passing game. Maybe not as good as Mann, but his offloads are far superior to Mann’s.
I think he’s the 6th most prolific offloading centre - comparatively it is far more than the average, is that a lot? do you think that equals almost nonexistent? He’s the equal most effective offloading centre - do you think that can be fairly described as brain explosions?
Are you only able to answer questions with questions? Are you able to modify your opinion based on conflicting evidence?

The difference is you see <1 as being a lot, IMO it is not.
Lafai IMO was better when he did actually offload a lot more but that element of his game has evidently been coached out of him.
He is a tortoise and his best attribute was his ability to engage a defender or two and find support.
Compared to before IMO it is almost extinct but if <1 / game is ok and enough for you that is where we differ in what you want from a player.
If you think his contribution of <1 / game is enough to counter his obvious limitations and warrants his selection then I can't agree with you.
Your insistence in quoting stats compared to other players doesn't allow for what other players also bring to the table and if you are happy with him you should be pushing for a further extension of his contract.

 

[muzby]

In your opinion but not in mine.

In my opinion?

I simply looked at the offload stats, ranked top to bottom.

No opinions there, simply reading the numbers. As they say, numbers don't lie.. You can't say someone is getting in fewer offloads than are being tallied in the stats, simply because you feel so.


That's like looking at the NRL ladder and saying "That Storm mob don't deserve top spot. I think Canberra have been playing with more heart. Let's swap them round".

 

[Warabrook saint]

Mary on NRL360 tonight talking about many things including Mann.

Said that Mann is often disappointed not to be out there in the starting 13 and could probably rock up to another club and play 5/8 and quote “reach his full potential”. Hmmm...

He said he doesn’t want to lose him, but it’s the nature of the game. Kurt would leave a better person and player.

Reading between the lines, enjoy the time he has at 5/8 cause once Widdop’s back, normal transmission resumes. Don’t be surprised if we lose him sooner rather than later.

SIGH

So what dodo is
saying is that he won't be giving him the chance to reach his full potential....