Matt Dufty re-signs until end of 2019

[Saintsified]

Yeah true, footy in the 50s and 60s is exactly the same as footy in the 2010s. Players back then definitely had full time training, nutrition plans, multiple coaching staff and high performance units, video analysis and everything that’s the same as today’s game. The coaching requirements are identical too, hence why there’s so many Captain-coaches today.
[/sarcasm].

Yep we also ended up with 3 immortals and one on the trophy....impossible to repeat today, but you gladly claim that though wouldn't you?.

All you say means very little, because most of the players back then if trained in todays environment would still cut it, don't think it would happen in reverse.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

Dufty is improving week by week both in defence and attack, which is great signs. I've noticed the last couple of weeks that he's taking more and more hit-ups too and even poking his nose through on a few occasions. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty now, which was an issue for him at the start.

He will fill out a little more into his frame and hopefully learn that forward momentum style of running into the defensive line (much like NFL running backs), rather than running too upright and risking being rag-dolled.

The try saver on Thommo was beautiful to watch too.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Yep we also ended up with 3 immortals and one on the trophy....impossible to repeat today, but you gladly claim that though wouldn't you?.

All you say means very little, because most of the players back then if trained in todays environment would still cut it, don't think it would happen in reverse.

Comparing sportpersons from different era's is superfluous.
Its evolution.
We live in a different time now, but, like many on this forum, still dwell in the past and wish for returnbto the glory days. It wont happen. Build a bridge as they say.
Ken Rosewell and Margaret Court were great tennis players, could they survive in todays game against the likes of Federer or Williams?
Games change, rules change, equipment changes, coaching evolves, requirements of the athlete changes.
Without evolution we all might still he living in trees!
We cannot use IF because its simething that cannot happen.

 

[BennyV]

Yep we also ended up with 3 immortals and one on the trophy....impossible to repeat today, but you gladly claim that though wouldn't you?.

All you say means very little, because most of the players back then if trained in todays environment would still cut it, don't think it would happen in reverse.

Not sure what the 3 immortalshas to do with anything, but my point is that the in the days where players rocked up to training after work under the eye of a captain-coach only, the coach was less influential than they are today. Sure, many of these players could cut it today but they wouldn’t survive without a full time coach.

 

[Frank Facer]

Yeah true, footy in the 50s and 60s is exactly the same as footy in the 2010s. Players back then definitely had full time training, nutrition plans, multiple coaching staff and high performance units, video analysis and everything that’s the same as today’s game. The coaching requirements are identical too, hence why there’s so many Captain-coaches today.
[/sarcasm].

Cattle is everything, just ask Bennett who won 5 premierships with Brisbane when they had more than a full team of rep players on each occasion. I am sure Gibson would have agreed when he won his 3 premierships with Parra too.

 

[BennyV]

Cattle is everything, just ask Bennett who won 5 premierships with Brisbane when they had more than a full team of rep players on each occasion. I am sure Gibson would have agreed when he won his 3 premierships with Parra too.

Sweet, I’ll call up Melbourne Storm and let them know they’ve wasted $1.7m a year, they’ll be glad to hear they can make the savings.

Cattle is not everything, otherwise Warriors would have multiple premierships to their name and there’d be a shit tonne more back-to-back Premiers in the last 25 years than there has been.
Same way coach isn’t everything, otherwise Sharks would not have won in 2016.
Halfback isn’t everything, otherwise Cowboys would have won every title since 2005.

In reality, to win a premiership is a balance of many factors including players, coach, game plan, momentum, opposition, timing, injuries and a shit load of luck. We may have some success despite a shitty coach, but we are not giving ourselves the best opportunity of that success.

 

[Saintsified]

Ok cattle or coach may not be everything, but the game is, without the game the players and coaches would be nothing.

Bring back the biff

 

[SaintPauli]

Dufty is a player who will continue to improve and size up. Let's not make the same error we made letting Luke Patton go! DUFF the MAGIC DRAGON.

 

[giboz71]

Sweet, I’ll call up Melbourne Storm and let them know they’ve wasted $1.7m a year, they’ll be glad to hear they can make the savings.

Cattle is not everything, otherwise Warriors would have multiple premierships to their name and there’d be a shit tonne more back-to-back Premiers in the last 25 years than there has been.
Same way coach isn’t everything, otherwise Sharks would not have won in 2016.
Halfback isn’t everything, otherwise Cowboys would have won every title since 2005.

In reality, to win a premiership is a balance of many factors including players, coach, game plan, momentum, opposition, timing, injuries and a shit load of luck. We may have some success despite a shitty coach, but we are not giving ourselves the best opportunity of that success.

Dude just copy and paste your tools and tradie post. That explained it pretty well.

I’m still not totally convinced that Mary is the best option going forward, but I think we can all agree this is the best squad he’s had by far. And the shortcomings of some previous key players he had playing for him like Dugan, Rein and McCrone have been highlighted for all to see by their replacements.

He even said himself he’s finally got the team he wants so gotta give him credit for putting himself on the line.

So far anyway, he’s passed all the tests and I’ll happily recant any insults I have thrown at him in the past if he can lead us to a comp.

 

[BennyV]

Dude just copy and paste your tools and tradie post. That explained it pretty well.

I’m still not totally convinced that Mary is the best option going forward, but I think we can all agree this is the best squad he’s had by far. And the shortcomings of some previous key players he had playing for him like Dugan, Rein and McCrone have been highlighted for all to see by their replacements.

He even said himself he’s finally got the team he wants so gotta give him credit for putting himself on the line.

So far anyway, he’s passed all the tests and I’ll happily recant any insults I have thrown at him in the past if he can lead us to a comp.

I agree in part. But I don’t think he’s ‘put himself on the line’. The guy is f**king bulletproof. He knows that no matter what he says or does his mates on the board won’t remove him. The guy not only survived the abomination that was 2016 but was extended the following year despite missing the 8! He said it for the same reason he says anything - an exercise in blame shifting and self promotion!

 

[Frank Facer]

Sweet, I’ll call up Melbourne Storm and let them know they’ve wasted $1.7m a year, they’ll be glad to hear they can make the savings.

Cattle is not everything, otherwise Warriors would have multiple premierships to their name and there’d be a shit tonne more back-to-back Premiers in the last 25 years than there has been.
Same way coach isn’t everything, otherwise Sharks would not have won in 2016.
Halfback isn’t everything, otherwise Cowboys would have won every title since 2005.

In reality, to win a premiership is a balance of many factors including players, coach, game plan, momentum, opposition, timing, injuries and a shit load of luck. We may have some success despite a shitty coach, but we are not giving ourselves the best opportunity of that success.

When have the Warriors had the best cattle that you speak of. Could you name the cattle that they had that should have won grand finals?

 

[BennyV]

When have the Warriors had the best cattle that you speak of. Could you name the cattle that they had that should have won grand finals?

Last year their roster was easily Top 8, if not Top 4.

Many times through the 2000s they had a healthy portion of the NZ test squad.

 

[Frank Facer]

Last year their roster was easily Top 8, if not Top 4.

Many times through the 2000s they had a healthy portion of the NZ test squad.

Now come on Benny. I expect much better than that from you. lol You said that the Warriors should have won numerous grand finals with the cattle they had. I asked you to name the year's and the cattle they had and that is all you could produce. lol

You said that they had a healthy proportion of the NZ test team. lol How many of those players would have made either the NSW or Qld teams? I don't think many of them would have made it. Take Nightingale for example, he played 33 tests for NZ. I think he would have struggled to have played any origin games.

When Bennett won comps with Brisbane, he always had over 13 players who played origin in his team. Now that is what I call having the cattle. I would like to see Bennett go to a bottom 4 team with no major recruits and see how he goes coaching them. I remember saying when Souths were perennial wooden spoon winners and couldn't buy a player, until they bought Asatasi, that I would have liked to have seen Bennett go and coach them and see how he fairs. Even Bennett would admit that cattle is everything.

 

[BennyV]

Now come on Benny. I expect much better than that from you. lol You said that the Warriors should have won numerous grand finals with the cattle they had. I asked you to name the year's and the cattle they had and that is all you could produce. lol

You said that they had a healthy proportion of the NZ test team. lol How many of those players would have made either the NSW or Qld teams? I don't think many of them would have made it. Take Nightingale for example, he played 33 tests for NZ. I think he would have struggled to have played any origin games.

When Bennett won comps with Brisbane, he always had over 13 players who played origin in his team. Now that is what I call having the cattle. I would like to see Bennett go to a bottom 4 team with no major recruits and see how he goes coaching them. I remember saying when Souths were perennial wooden spoon winners and couldn't buy a player, until they bought Asatasi, that I would have liked to have seen Bennett go and coach them and see how he fairs. Even Bennett would admit that cattle is everything.

Bennett would suggest that cattle is everything, because he’s a humble coach. He did go to a struggling Newcastle and took one of the ploddiest rosters they’ve had to a prelim final though.
Do you really think Sharks has a better roster than Melbourne in 2016?!

 

[Frank Facer]

Bennett would suggest that cattle is everything, because he’s a humble coach. He did go to a struggling Newcastle and took one of the ploddiest rosters they’ve had to a prelim final though.
Do you really think Sharks has a better roster than Melbourne in 2016?!

Bennett bought more players to Newcastle in the time he was there, than any other coach has brought to a club in the same time frame. Bennett knows cattle are everything and so do I. lol

2016, wasn't that the year that Slater was missing? lol So are you saying that Cronulla won the 2016 comp because Flanagan was a better coach than Bellamy? lol I will say that Cronulla did have a very good and seasoned forward forward pack, in which every player will have now played origin after Sunday night. Barba was their spark in attack and they haven't been the same without him. Bird was playing some very good football. Holmes was a very good winger. Maloney had won a comp with Easts and won 3 minor premierships with them too and has now looked to improve Penrith. Cronulla played some very good football in 2016. Cronulla won by 2 points that day and as I always say, anything can happen on the day.

 

[Crush]

Bennett would suggest that cattle is everything, because he’s a humble coach. He did go to a struggling Newcastle and took one of the ploddiest rosters they’ve had to a prelim final though.
Do you really think Sharks has a better roster than Melbourne in 2016?!

I do think Sharks had a better roster than Melbourne or any other team for that matter in 2016.
It was all about their combinations.
Barba, Maloney, Chad, Ennis was lethal. It was a one year only combination too.
That combination that year in conjunction with a solid forward pack and explosive outside backs won them the comp. It was a one off better roster than Melbourne. Every year before and after that Storm have a superior roster.

 

[giboz71]

I do think Sharks had a better roster than Melbourne or any other team for that matter in 2016.
It was all about their combinations.
Barba, Maloney, Chad, Ennis was lethal. It was a one year only combination too.
That combination that year in conjunction with a solid forward pack and explosive outside backs won them the comp. It was a one off better roster than Melbourne. Every year before and after that Storm have a superior roster.

I think their roster spoke volumes about their premiership. As you said, their spine was one of the best in the comp, Barba, Maloney and Ennis were on fire while Townsend had one of his better years. Add to that an experienced and battle hardened forward pack, it was the perfect storm for them.

Certainly their roster was more a catalyst to their premiership than their coach Flanno who I think is no better than Mary.

And losing Maloney, Ennis and Barba all at once has killed them. Dugan won’t help, nor will Moylan despite their hefty pay checks.

 

[BennyV]

Bennett bought more players to Newcastle in the time he was there, than any other coach has brought to a club in the same time frame. Bennett knows cattle are everything and so do I. lol

2016, wasn't that the year that Slater was missing? lol So are you saying that Cronulla won the 2016 comp because Flanagan was a better coach than Bellamy? lol I will say that Cronulla did have a very good and seasoned forward forward pack, in which every player will have now played origin after Sunday night. Barba was their spark in attack and they haven't been the same without him. Bird was playing some very good football. Holmes was a very good winger. Maloney had won a comp with Easts and won 3 minor premierships with them too and has now looked to improve Penrith. Cronulla played some very good football in 2016. Cronulla won by 2 points that day and as I always say, anything can happen on the day.

Bennett understands the importance of cattle. But he also heavily credits Browny for his development of those players. He knows that coaches are just as important, but he's not dumb enough to toot his own horn (unlike our current coach).
And I've not at all said that Cronulla won it because of the coach. I have said that there are many factors contributing to winning the big one, including the coach, and that by employing a poor coach we are not giving ourselves the best chance to win it. To claim that the roster is everything is naive and just plain incorrect, because the best roster doesn't just change year to year the way that premiers do.

 

[BennyV]

I do think Sharks had a better roster than Melbourne or any other team for that matter in 2016.
It was all about their combinations.
Barba, Maloney, Chad, Ennis was lethal. It was a one year only combination too.
That combination that year in conjunction with a solid forward pack and explosive outside backs won them the comp. It was a one off better roster than Melbourne. Every year before and after that Storm have a superior roster.

Yeah, nah. Melbourne were missing Slater but still had Smith, Cronk and Munster in their spine, had effectively the same forward pack and a near equal backline to the team that dominated the 2017 comp and you think that Cronulla, with Townsend and Barba (the latter of whom was a proper plodder at Brisbane) won due to 'combinations' and was a better team overall? I've seen many people go to weird and extreme lengths on this forum to justify their false claims but this one is up there!

I state again, roster is important but it's not 'everything' as you and Frank attempt to claim.

 

[Crush]

Yeah, nah. Melbourne were missing Slater but still had Smith, Cronk and Munster in their spine, had effectively the same forward pack and a near equal backline to the team that dominated the 2017 comp and you think that Cronulla, with Townsend and Barba (the latter of whom was a proper plodder at Brisbane) won due to 'combinations' and was a better team overall? I've seen many people go to weird and extreme lengths on this forum to justify their false claims but this one is up there!

I state again, roster is important but it's not 'everything' as you and Frank attempt to claim.

I think combinations are extremely important. Without that spine they don't win the comp.
I notice your tune has changed somewhat from dragons could never have success with McGregor to they would have a greater chance at success with a superior coach.
Thats a clear shift in your opinion. You are starting to see that Dragons CAN infact have success with McGregor?