Mal Meninga says Josh Dugan should stay at fullback at club level

[BringTheNoise]

Mal Meninga says Josh Dugan should stay at fullback at club level
DAVID RICCIO, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER, The Sunday Telegraph
April 1, 2017 9:00pm
Subscriber only
THE Dragons’ power struggle to shift Josh Dugan to the centres in 2018 has been torpedoed by Test coach Mal Meninga who claims a move from fullback at club level would be nothing but a waste of talent.

Meninga said that despite the fact Dugan was in the box-seat to retain his right-centre position for next month’s Anzac Test in Canberra, the Kangaroos were a much different commodity to the Dragons, who want the off-contract 26-year-old to take a pay cut by giving up his fullback jumper next season.

“I think he’s a fullback at club footy, there’s no doubt about that in my opinion,’’ Meninga said.

“I agree (with Dragons coach Paul McGregor). Playing club footy, he’d be wasted at right centre.

“He needs to get his hands on the footy at ‘clubland’ and that’s at fullback.

Josh Dugan has more input into the attack playing at centre for the Dragons.
“He’s not going to push fullbacks Darius (Boyd), (James) Tedesco or (Matt) Moylan or Billy (Slater) out of Australia, so we pick our best players to fit them in.

“He’s one of the best players in the game, so we (Australia) find him a position, which happens to be at right centre, which he can play.’’

Dugan’s contract stalemate with St George Illawarra management will make for a hotly contested match-up tonight, up against opposing Wests Tigers No.1 James Tedesco, who has been linked to a move to the Red V next year.

Meninga will be one of the interested parties watching the clash, as he prepares to announce his Kangaroos squad for the Test match against New Zealand at GIO Stadium on May 5.

Meninga will meet with Test selectors Darren Lockyer and Bob Fulton on April 26 to pick the side.

Meninga says if Dugan is playing well enough there will be a position for him somewhere in the Kangaroos.
The panel will encounter a number of key changes from the 2016 Four Nations winning-team, including:

* an-all NSW front-row with Aaron Woods to pair with either David Klemmer, Shannon Boyd, Jake Trbjoevic or Andrew Fifita in the absence of injured Kangaroos mainstay Matt Scott

* North Queensland’s Justin O’Neill, Canberra’s Jarrod Croker or Melbourne’s Will Chambers to replace injured left-centre Greg Inglis

* Whether to catapult Billy Slater back into the Test team at fullback and move incumbent Darius Boyd to the wing.

Meninga said another issue will be how the Kangaroos absorb the loss of Scott, a consistent force on and off the field for Australia, since 2010.

“I reckon Aaron (Woods) and Dave (Klemmer) took big strides in the Four Nations, from a leadership point of view,’’ Meninga said.

David Klemmer shapes as a capable replacement for Matt Scott.
“I was really happy with the way they bought into everything and the way they carried themselves. I’ll give you an example, Woods and Dave took young Jake Trbjoevic under their wings and I was really impressed with that.

“I think Klemmer and Shannon Boyd will be seriously considered (to replace Scott) because they were on the Four Nations last year.

“I think we did a good job transitioning the team last year, so I don’t think we’ll see too many changes this year.’’

Providing he’s fit at the time of selection, Kangaroos captain Cam Smith will be treated to much-anticipated fanfare with the Test match set to mark his 50th appearance for the green and gold.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/ff861d9e2eb32f04a5c5003781a8e5cf

 

[Saintsified]

Exactly

 

[Frank Facer]

Then why are there no reports of any other clubs lining up to sign Dugan to play fullback?

 

[possm]

Meninga should keep his nose out of it. He does not have to manage a salary cap or employ a non-ball-playing fullback. He gets given the cream of the crop; Boyd, Moylan, Slater and Tedesco who all are ball-playing fullbacks and then plays Dugan at right centre because he isn't a ball-playing fullback.

Dugan would be in a similar position at the Dragons to what he is in the Australian side once we have Hunt and some speedy backs in our line up. He would be a block busting centre being fed ball in space.

 

[The Doc]

Thank you Mal... thank you for your hypocritical opinion.
Dugan is good enough to play centre for his country, but not at club level?
Maybe Mal should worry about coaching the Australian team and not concern himself with something that has nothing to do with him!.

 

[Old Timer]

Why the siege mentality with Meninga's comment?
He merely expressed his opinion about Dugan, nothing more than what we do every day.
He wasn't starting nasty rumours or saying anything untoward and as the current Australian coach his opinion at least comes from a person that has achieved at a high level.
With a backline full of people who play other positions at club level I suspect Meaning would have some relevant thoughts on the subject of what is the best position for those people to play at their respective clubs.
I'm sure whilst Boyd played FB for us and wing for Australia Meninga would have agreed that Boyd should still play FB for the Dragons and of course everyone here would have applauded that.
Obviously this criticism is coming from those that want Dugan moved to the centres.
Have your own opinion by all means but to set upon Meninga is frivolous.

 

[possm]

His comments provide Dugan with confidence to obtain a pay rise thus making it all the more difficult for the Dragons to retain him at the salary they have priced him at.

 

[dragon-83]

The more I watch Dugan play just proves to me he is a fullback.

 

[possm]

In the years I played, a fullback had to have an excellent long kicking game because more often than not, long kicks were a big part of the game. In those days there weren't many first grade fullbacks that did not possess the ability to kick long and accurate. Now days, fullbacks have to have a good passing game. Not many clubs in the NRL have fullbacks that do not chime in and deliver an accurate pass.

We all know Dugan runs straight and hard with a good step and great strength. He has the ability to run big metres in a game. He can pass the ball but more inclined to just run. Great to have him as a centre in a team with a fullback that can ball play.

 

[Old Timer]

His comments provide Dugan with confidence to obtain a pay rise thus making it all the more difficult for the Dragons to retain him at the salary they have priced him at.

IMO I would have Dugan as our FB every day of the week and am happy to pay him accordingly.
If you are in the camp that says no to him as FB then I ask you to consider the following.
If no other high quality FB already in the NRL is willing to come to the club would you then take Dugan as our FB?
If so what would you then be willing to pay him FB money or centre money?
IMO only when you have another high quality FB signed sealed and delivered should you be forcing Dugan's hand.
As of yet we don't have any alternative, so he is well within his rights to do exactly as he is doing now.
This place is full or rumours that mostly never eventuate, so if there is a real alternative FB willing to come somebody please offer the name and the cost because the way we are going we will lose Dugan and have no replacement.
Then and only then the forgotten man Dufty (remember him, he was the next big thing) might enter back into the conversation.
How fickle we are is staggering.

 

[mickeylane]

N

Then why are there no reports of any other clubs lining up to sign Dugan to play fullback?

no one needs a fullback except Bulldogs and maybe Tigers if they lose Tedesco . If Tedesco move IMO he will end up at Roosters..

 

[possm]

Old Timer,
We come from the same era and I'm sure your mum or dad told you a similar line to what mine did. You can browse all you like but 'only go out and to buy when you are sure you have the money'.

If Dugan agreed to the Dragon's offer, then go chase a signing. In the meantime brows and chat all you like. If Dugan declines the Dragon's offer then go out and sign a fullback.

 

[smi962]

If we are going to sign a high quality ball playing fullback to replace Dugan than I guess I support it. But is that really going to happen? I doubt it.

Must mean we must have a lot of faith in Dufty to fill the void.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Interesting that you can compare Dugan, Tedesco, French and Wighton and their Offloads.
Dugan - 5
Tedesco - 4
Wighton - 3
French - 2
The latter 2 having already played this round.
The statistic that doesn't help Dugan's cause is Try Assists.
Dugan - 0
Tedesco, Wighton and French each with 2 (again the latter 2 already played this round).
However, defense is just as important as attack and these stats are (Missed tackles)
Dugan - 4
Tedesco - 5
Wighton - 7
French - 8
And finally tries scores:
Dugan - 2
Tedesco - 1
Wighton - 3
French - 3

So I wouldn't trade Dugan at all, he's a damn good fullback and we know he is reliable in defense and is improving his ball playing.
Make it happen Millward!

 

[Dragonslayer]

Sorry forgot to add in Boyd
Offloads - 1
Try Assists - 1
Missed tackles - 5
Tries - 2
Again he's already played this round.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

Meninga's comments are so hypocritical it's beyond a joke, not to mention he just actively threw a spanner in the works of contract negotiations. It's not his place or his right to publicly come out and share his opinion like that for a club he has nothing to do with.

In relation to his switch to centre, it is still very possible to get your hands on the ball from there. Look at the way Chambers, Gagai, Morris and Inglis plays from centre, they are always roaming around the ball ready to receive an offload.
While Dugan is a hell of a fullback, he could also be utterly damaging from centre running off quality ball from Hunt. If we can keep Dugan and sign a world class fullback then why not?

Keep in mind, no other club is interested in him for the price tag he's supposedly asking for, so why should we be?

 

[BrissyRedV]

Interesting that you can compare Dugan, Tedesco, French and Wighton and their Offloads.
Dugan - 5
Tedesco - 4
Wighton - 3
French - 2
The latter 2 having already played this round.
The statistic that doesn't help Dugan's cause is Try Assists.
Dugan - 0
Tedesco, Wighton and French each with 2 (again the latter 2 already played this round).
However, defense is just as important as attack and these stats are (Missed tackles)
Dugan - 4
Tedesco - 5
Wighton - 7
French - 8
And finally tries scores:
Dugan - 2
Tedesco - 1
Wighton - 3
French - 3

So I wouldn't trade Dugan at all, he's a damn good fullback and we know he is reliable in defense and is improving his ball playing.
Make it happen Millward!

Come now, with a small sample size as this, it is easy to make stats look comparable. Something we lack is players who are able to create for others with most teams featuring 3 to 4 players that can do that. We have 2 and Dugan isn't one of them.

Last year Duges had 1 try assist, 12 linebreaks and 2 tries from 17 games. Tedesco had 12 assists, 15 linebreaks and 14 tries from 17 games. Tedesco is a good example as he was playing in a poor team and still produced. It's hard to see value in Dugan when he only produces these sorts numbers when we all want to see good, attacking footy. That is unless of course, you like the grinding, boring style we currently play.

 

[Gareth67]

We bought the bloke as a fullback , one of the best going around at the time ( he was responsible for a couple of Canberra victories over us ) .

Still one of the best , merely lacks genuine quality supports , due to an unsettled backline that is still far from being the best , that the Dragons could put on the field .
Young Mal is certainly entitled to his opinion and for mine , he is spot on the money .

However , as I and many others have said previously , we need the Duges , regardless of what position he plays , can you imagine another Dragon player putting his body on the line , at fullback ?

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

We bought the bloke as a fullback , one of the best going around at the time ( he was responsible for a couple of Canberra victories over us ) .

Still one of the best , merely lacks genuine quality supports , due to an unsettled backline that is still far from being the best , that the Dragons could put on the field .
Young Mal is certainly entitled to his opinion and for mine , he is spot on the money .

However , as I and many others have said previously , we need the Duges , regardless of what position he plays , can you imagine another Dragon player putting his body on the line , at fullback ?

Bang on !

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

The Duges needs to stay in the Red V, simple as.
Pay him the coin to stay and then work out where he fits into the team best.
Mal, whilst entitled to his opinion just like we all are has a history of picking fullbacks in the three quarter line for both QLD & AUST.
Would be interesting to know his comments on positions if the rep teams had a salary cap limit.
Back to politics please Mal