Looks Like we DO have a SILVERMAN!!

[WepnutV]

Since 2014 (the beginning of the McGregor era), the club has lost the following: Morris, Merrin, Dugan, Bird, AU Mau and Thompson.

You can add Widdop to that list.

I wouldn’t describe the situation as “good”.

How would you describe it?.. Dragons have the strongest team they have had in years

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

How would you describe it?.. Dragons have the strongest team they have had in years

Recruitment and retention? I’d describe it as deeply shithouse. Where are the wingers, FFS? Oh that’s right, they’re the ‘replacements’ with no (or little) NRL experience!

 

[Crush]

Recruitment and retention? I’d describe it as deeply shithouse. Where are the wingers, FFS? Oh that’s right, they’re the ‘replacements’ with no (or little) NRL experience!

Deeply shithouse?
Because we are light on wingers the R&R is deeply shithouse!?
Yeah don't worry about the best forward pack in the comp with guys lining up to take their spots.
Don't worry about one of the best halves pairing in the comp with Norman already signed as a replacement for the departure of Widdop.
We aren't strong in the outside backs I agree but we aren't horrible either.
Deeply Shithouse is how I'd describe the coaching staff not the recruitment and retention staff.

 

[BLM01]

If I may....

1. the problem with Morris’s defection (besides his renown try scoring ability) is that the club has STILL failed in procuring someone else remotely near his skill level. Nabuli, Mann, MacDonald???? Please. Now, the Dragons have turned to allegedly highly gifted, yet grossly inexperienced wingers: Pearson and Rawalawa. Give me an aging Brett Morris with two broken legs than relying on so called “potential”.

2. Merrin’s career was curtailed by the absurd decision to move him to lock. I doubt Bennett would’ve done it. He will be remembered as someone who didn’t scale the heights commensurate to his ability

3. allow me a rhetorical question...putting aside the money aspect, you would you want in the centres, Dugan or Aitken?

4. I agree Bird’s career is at the crossroads after a difficult 2018, however he is still young and provided he gets past his proclivity towards injury, there’s no reason why he can’t return back to the form which gained him SOO representation.

5:6. a re-signed Latimore or Au Mau/Thompson....you do the figuring out.

(I forgot to mention Packer)

7. your faith in Norman may be misguided as I don’t have much faith in someone who plays one good game followed by several poor ones.

If not for injury, Widdop would have claimed a brace of Dally M’s by now.

What other clubs do apropos retention is their own beeswax. I simply do not care.

JJG ....your response to whole argument is based on ignoring the money side which is the main reason for letting one go.

1. Agree he has not been replaced adequately but is was a monetary decision but I will concede that one FAIL by our club.
2. Agree..so we did the right thing. He was paid far too much at 750K a year by the Pennies and his head also grew too big before he left our club. PASS
3. Neither. Lomax can take Aitken's spot. Dugan still struggling with injury in pre season and may not make Round 1..enough said on Dugans value. PASS
4.. He will play centre for the Broncos and that is not his best position. he is a lock or big 5/8th but I will concede on balance of what he did at the Sharks a FAIL by our club
5 & 6. Forget Latimore..we dont need him this year and Packer a big loss..you are kidding. Tigers offered 700K + a season I never rated him as that good a player even at his last year at the Warriors. he is average only and we have better value in our stocks. PASS, PASS, PASS
7. Your lack of faith may also be misguided. PASS or FAIL to be determined and the player wanted to go. Decision taken out of the clubs hands.
On balance an Overall PASS mark by our club

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Deeply shithouse?
Because we are light on wingers the R&R is deeply shithouse!?
Yeah don't worry about the best forward pack in the comp with guys lining up to take their spots.
Don't worry about one of the best halves pairing in the comp with Norman already signed as a replacement for the departure of Widdop.
We aren't strong in the outside backs I agree but we aren't horrible either.
Deeply Shithouse is how I'd describe the coaching staff not the recruitment and retention staff.

No, the coaching staff is a word which rhymes with trucked.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

I can't believe anyone is still crying over us letting that big sheila Merrin go. According to the Butterfly Effect, if we retained her, we may very well have never signed T Sims or Paul Vaughn.

I know who I prefer out of them.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I can't believe anyone is still crying over us letting that big sheila Merrin go. According to the Butterfly Effect, if we retained her, we may very well have never signed T Sims or Paul Vaughn.

I know who I prefer out of them.

Firstly, Tariq Sims is a backrower, not a prop so there’s no comparison.

Secondly, Vaughan’s form in 2018 was down compared to 2017. He’s got a lot to prove this year, in my opinion.

As already mentioned, Merrin’s slide coincided with the ridiculous decision to move him to lock, History shows us that it was another example of poor decision making in the Price/McGregor era.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

Firstly, Tariq Sims is a backrower, not a prop so there’s no comparison.

Secondly, Vaughan’s form in 2018 was down compared to 2017. He’s got a lot to prove this year, in my opinion.

As already mentioned, Merrin’s slide coincided with the ridiculous decision to move him to lock, History shows us that it was another example of poor decision making in the Price/McGregor era.

Vaughan's form may have been down on previous.....but still miles ahead of Merrin in 2018. And didnt PV play Origin last year? Vaughan has nothing to prove, if over his injury, one of the toughest in the NRL.

Oh, and when we signed Tariq, he had played plenty of front row as a fill in. Bit of a stretch to say he is purely a second rower, just to fit your argument I'd say

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Vaughan's form may have been down on previous.....but still miles ahead of Merrin in 2018. And didnt PV play Origin last year? Vaughan has nothing to prove, if over his injury, one of the toughest in the NRL.

Oh, and when we signed Tariq, he had played plenty of front row as a fill in. Bit of a stretch to say he is purely a second rower, just to fit your argument I'd say

Couldn’t disagree with you more re: Vaughan. Coming into his seventh year of first grade (and over 100 games), Vaughan has yet to prove his can produce good form over s sustained period. Remember, he was plucked from Canberra’s reserve grade.

As with most NRL players, Vaughan’s toughness cannot be questioned but his consistency is still under the microscope.

Merrin, of course, has also played SOO AND for Australia...has Vaughan?

I don’t think he’s played a Test (Italy excluded).

Regarding Sims, your own words (“fill in”) says it all. He is a replacement for Thompson, and on a rare occasion management made the correct call.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

How long ago was Merrin an Origin or Kangaroo rep? We are arguing the better player for Dragons now.

Willy Mason also played for Blues and Kangaroos......I would still rather Vaughan playing for us now than him.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

Anyway, if you really don't rate Paul Vaughan.....no point in continuing this to and fro. You are obviously mentally challenged or blind.

 

[Crush]

Couldn’t disagree with you more re: Vaughan. Coming into his seventh year of first grade (and over 100 games), Vaughan has yet to prove his can produce good form over s sustained period. Remember, he was plucked from Canberra’s reserve grade.

As with most NRL players, Vaughan’s toughness cannot be questioned but his consistency is still under the microscope.

Merrin, of course, has also played SOO AND for Australia...has Vaughan?

I don’t think he’s played a Test (Italy excluded).

Regarding Sims, your own words (“fill in”) says it all. He is a replacement for Thompson, and on a rare occasion management made the correct call.

Vaughan. Plucked from reserves at another club now playing SOO at our club. Another "deeply shithouse" move from our recruitment team.....

 

[Frank Facer]

JJG ....your response to whole argument is based on ignoring the money side which is the main reason for letting one go.

1. Agree he has not been replaced adequately but is was a monetary decision but I will concede that one FAIL by our club.
2. Agree..so we did the right thing. He was paid far too much at 750K a year by the Pennies and his head also grew too big before he left our club. PASS
3. Neither. Lomax can take Aitken's spot. Dugan still struggling with injury in pre season and may not make Round 1..enough said on Dugans value. PASS
4.. He will play centre for the Broncos and that is not his best position. he is a lock or big 5/8th but I will concede on balance of what he did at the Sharks a FAIL by our club
5 & 6. Forget Latimore..we dont need him this year and Packer a big loss..you are kidding. Tigers offered 700K + a season I never rated him as that good a player even at his last year at the Warriors. he is average only and we have better value in our stocks. PASS, PASS, PASS
7. Your lack of faith may also be misguided. PASS or FAIL to be determined and the player wanted to go. Decision taken out of the clubs hands.
On balance an Overall PASS mark by our club

Well said.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Vaughan. Plucked from reserves at another club now playing SOO at our club. Another "deeply shithouse" move from our recruitment team.....

I’m certain that in the entire history of Australian rugby league, there would be examples of individuals having a stellar season before fading into obscurity. As mentioned, Vaughan has been playing first grade since 2013, and has YET to put two good seasons together.

Time will tell.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Anyway, if you really don't rate Paul Vaughan.....no point in continuing this to and fro. You are obviously mentally challenged or blind.

It’s a pity you deleted your previous post. Whether I rate Vaughan or otherwise isn’t the issue. The more pertinent point is his consistency, which remains questionable.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

No deleted posts from me in this thread Jimmy......check the thread numbers. All there.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

No deleted posts from me in this thread Jimmy......check the thread numbers. All there.

That’s weird. I wanted to reply to your 135th post, and yet, when I clicked the link (from my email account) it didn’t direct me to it.

It’s a mystery. Apologies.

My answer to your question is provided elsewhere.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

How long ago was Merrin an Origin or Kangaroo rep? We are arguing the better player for Dragons now.

Willy Mason also played for Blues and Kangaroos......I would still rather Vaughan playing for us now than him.

As someone who debuted in first grade than Vaughan, you would hope Merrin’s career would make for better reading.

It does.

Not only did he play in a winning grand final team, he was picked for NSW in his second. Australian selection came not long thereafter.

The facts regarding his rep stats are there for all to see. A Blues player for five-years and a Kangaroo for seven Tests. Of course, this should’ve been so much better.

As for the past and present, that’s not a fair and balanced argument as Merrin no longer plays for SGI, Vaughan still does.

Willie Mason was and will always remain a complete knob. The less said about him the better.

 

[Frank Facer]

As someone who debuted in first grade than Vaughan, you would hope Merrin’s career would make for better reading.

It does.

Not only did he play in a winning grand final team, he was picked for NSW in his second. Australian selection came not long thereafter.

The facts regarding his rep stats are there for all to see. A Blues player for five-years and a Kangaroo for seven Tests. Of course, this should’ve been so much better.

As for the past and present, that’s not a fair and balanced argument as Merrin no longer plays for SGI, Vaughan still does.

Willie Mason was and will always remain a complete knob. The less said about him the better.

I know that you think Merrin should have been kept as a prop and I don't disagree. Who would you rather we had playing prop for us this season, Vaughan or Merrin?

I would take Vaughan.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I know that you think Merrin should have been kept as a prop and I don't disagree. Who would you rather we had playing prop for us this season, Vaughan or Merrin?

I would take Vaughan.

That’s like picking your favourite child. difficult to call.

I’d pick Merrin on his 2010-2015 form over Vaughan on his 2017 (single season only) displays.