Mary to make Key Positional Changes?

[Wittenberg]

Looking at NRL Stats it is easy to see why we want to move Dugan from FB. He is in the top handful for hit ups across all teams and he is in the top couple for metres run. Obviously we need to move him to a position where he will get the ball less and have less room. Why won't Mary listen to us?? He is obviously not worth it to us to play him at fullback.

 

[giboz71]

The Duges wants to play Centre.

Mary thinks Duges is better suited to Centre.

Interesting that Duges referred to Saints having some young players coming through at Full Back.

Mann and Dufty perhaps.

When Benji leaves , Mann to half, the workmanlike Widdop to five eight, Dufty to full back.

Could be very exciting indeed.

I think Dugan himself knows his long term future probably won't be at fullback. A lot of established guys already in front of him like Inglis, Slater, Boyd and the possible return of Hayne. And then you have Tedesco and Moylan breathing down his neck. All these guys have a more solid fullback arsenal than Dugan.

Other than Jennings, there is really no outstanding centre so I'm guessing his long term future for both NSW and Australia will be at centre. And NSW won their only series in ages with him playing there.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Looking at NRL Stats it is easy to see why we want to move Dugan from FB. He is in the top handful for hit ups across all teams and he is in the top couple for metres run. Obviously we need to move him to a position where he will get the ball less and have less room. Why won't Mary listen to us?? He is obviously not worth it to us to play him at fullback.

Mate here are his stats as both a centre from rd 13 in 2014 when he was switched there and as a fullback for the full 2015 season.

2014 from rd 13 as a centre
Played 11
Try Assists 2 or .18 per game
Line breaks 9 or .81 per game
Tries 9 or .81 per game
Hit ups 142 or 12.9 per game
Tackles 194 or 17.6 per game
Run meters 1263 or 114.8 per game
Avg per hit up - 8.89m

2015 As FB
Played 21
TAs 2 or .09 per game
LBs 12 or .57
T 7 or .33
HU 377 or 17.95
Tackles 157 or 7.48
RM 3629 or 172.8
Avg per hit up - 9.62m

So going purely off stats and not what he does behind the defensive line, he gains 58 extra metres a game and has 5 extra hit ups to get those metres at an average 9.62m per hit up as a fullback.

As a centre in 2014, he made 73cm less per carry, had 5 less hit ups per game and averaged 58m less per game. He did however, with Beale and Quinlan at the back, averaged double his try assist rate, average .24 extra line breaks a game and nearly tripled his try scoring rate! To me this suggests he would be more dangerous playing centre but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I feel we would be more dangerous with a ball playing FB and with the Dugan playing as a strike centre.

http://www.totalfootystats.com.au/nrl-player-stats/st-george-illawarra-dragons/josh-dugan#.Vk11Hv4gkis

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

Mate here are his stats as both a centre from rd 13 in 2014 when he was switched there and as a fullback for the full 2015 season.

2014 from rd 13 as a centre
Played 11
Try Assists 2 or .18 per game
Line breaks 9 or .81 per game
Tries 9 or .81 per game
Hit ups 142 or 12.9 per game
Tackles 194 or 17.6 per game
Run meters 1263 or 114.8 per game
Avg per hit up - 8.89m

2015 As FB
Played 21
TAs 2 or .09 per game
LBs 12 or .57
T 7 or .33
HU 377 or 17.95
Tackles 157 or 7.48
RM 3629 or 172.8
Avg per hit up - 9.62m

So going purely off stats and not what he does behind the defensive line, he gains 58 extra metres a game and has 5 extra hit ups to get those metres at an average 9.62m per hit up as a fullback.

As a centre in 2014, he made 73cm less per carry, had 5 less hit ups per game and averaged 58m less per game. He did however, with Beale and Quinlan at the back, averaged double his try assist rate, average .24 extra line breaks a game and nearly tripled his try scoring rate! To me this suggests he would be more dangerous playing centre but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I feel we would be more dangerous with a ball playing FB and with the Dugan playing as a strike centre.

http://www.totalfootystats.com.au/nrl-player-stats/st-george-illawarra-dragons/josh-dugan#.Vk11Hv4gkis

Agreed. I looked at the same stats last pre-season and he hasn't had a better LB or Try scoring ration than his short stint at centre.
Therefore, I am in favour for the switch

 

[Dragon66]

Agreed. I looked at the same stats last pre-season and he hasn't had a better LB or Try scoring ration than his short stint at centre.
Therefore, I am in favour for the switch

Count me in. Any one who says he will see less of the ball in the centres than at fullback is truly delusional. Because he is one of the best running players in the game, there is no doubt GW and BM will be directing the play in his direction, either by crabbing cross field, which they do well, to open up holes in the defence or with cleverly placed cross field kicks into open space.

He will still be a very busy player. His super coach stats may not be quite as impressive because he will no longer have to be bringing the ball back from our 20 metre zone to be met by three or four onrushing defenders. He will now be receiving the ball when has some chance of breaking through the opposing defence in their 20 metre zone and either scoring, or off loading a one handed pass to a support player to hopefully score.

Also his defensive efforts will be no less effective. As a centre he was averaging around 20+ tackles a game. The majority shutting down attacking raids. His goal line defence should be no less effective because you still have to chase the ball carrier and tackle him irrespective of what number you have on your back. His competitive instinct will not allow himself to be stuck in some imaginary defensive zone, he will still chase and hit the opposing runner that is carrying the ball because that's how he plays the game.

My tip: Dugan to be the first centre picked for NSW.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

But does Dugan play right centre or left? Aitken looks so comfortable on that right edge, especially towards the back end of the year. And Dugan looks to be more suited playing on that right edge also.

IMO Aitken needs to stay at right centre. Dugan will need to adapt to left centre.

 

[watatank]

But does Dugan play right centre or left? Aitken looks so comfortable on that right edge, especially towards the back end of the year. And Dugan looks to be more suited playing on that right edge also.

IMO Aitken needs to stay at right centre. Dugan will need to adapt to left centre.

His passing to the left is better but that's about it as far as playing left centre goes.

Dugan is better on the right and if we are going to move him from fullback we should play him where he is more comfortable. Aitken is the one who has to adapt, he is younger and has already played on the left

 

[The Nick]

Dugan is a better right centre than Aitken.

Straight Shooter

 

[giboz71]

Dugan is a better right centre than Aitken.

Straight Shooter

And Peter M would probably be a more effective left centre than Aitken. If Mann does end up making a good fist of FB, then Aitken may very well the odd one out with KFFL an option on the left wing.

Tough on Aitken but a backline of:

Mann
Nighty
Dugan
Peter M
KFFL
Widdop
Benji

looks like the one with the most points. Hope this backline gets plenty of time in the trials.

 

[Saints Forever]

And Peter M would probably be a more effective left centre than Aitken. If Mann does end up making a good fist of FB, then Aitken may very well the odd one out with KFFL an option on the left wing.

Tough on Aitken but a backline of:

Mann
Nighty
Dugan
Peter M
KFFL
Widdop
Benji

looks like the one with the most points. Hope this backline gets plenty of time in the trials.

Mann
Flo
Duges
Milne
Peter M
Widdop
Benji

Plenty of competition for positions now