Matt Dufty re-signs until end of 2019

[dragonssamy61]

Dufty has improved a lot since the beginning of the year.
His attitude is spot on.
He train hard dose extras.
His defence is improving .
The last couple of games in defence have been solid.
He is putting in on and off the field and he loves it here.
Long may he keep going.
Go the duffman

 

[BennyV]

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?

I maintain that we can’t win a comp with McGregor as coach. So depends on your definition of success.

Our coaching appointment puts a ceiling on our potential. The comments about giving ourselves the best chance are a recognition that we currently have a number of factors in our favour and with an improved coaching appointment, we would be giving ourselves the best chance to win it. We aren’t doing that.

 

[dragonssamy61]

The mystery is why Dufty has only been signed to 2019- is this Dufty's wish or SGI?- surely he's worthy of at least a three year agreement if it's SGI's call

Both mate when we signed him to 2019 he had just started his nrl career.
I think there will be good news by the end of the season

 

[Crush]

I maintain that we can’t win a comp with McGregor as coach. So depends on your definition of success.

Our coaching appointment puts a ceiling on our potential. The comments about giving ourselves the best chance are a recognition that we currently have a number of factors in our favour and with an improved coaching appointment, we would be giving ourselves the best chance to win it. We aren’t doing that.

Whats the ceiling then?
Can't win the comp OK, got that.
How far can McGregor take us then with this playing group?

 

[jak]

who is this super duper coach ??????

 

[giboz71]

Whats the ceiling then?
Can't win the comp OK, got that.
How far can McGregor take us then with this playing group?

If you take away Bennett and Bellamy, the only other coaches who have won comps are Robinson, Green, Flanno and Ricky.

Out of those 4, the only guy I would hold in the same esteem as Bennett or Bellamy is Green. Especially when he made the GF without JT/Scott etc. The other guys got lucky having great rosters.
Robbo might be a pretty decent coach but I wouldn’t touch Ricky or Flanno.

So really, if we’re talking about coaches capable of winning a comp, only 3 are sure things. The other 13 are a lucky dip.

Arthur and Cleary have been highly regarded, but both seem to be struggling now with holes in their roster.

 

[Crush]

If you take away Bennett and Bellamy, the only other coaches who have won comps are Robinson, Green, Flanno and Ricky.

Out of those 4, the only guy I would hold in the same esteem as Bennett or Bellamy is Green. Especially when he made the GF without JT/Scott etc. The other guys got lucky having great rosters.
Robbo might be a pretty decent coach but I wouldn’t touch Ricky or Flanno.

So really, if we’re talking about coaches capable of winning a comp, only 3 are sure things. The other 13 are a lucky dip.

Arthur and Cleary have been highly regarded, but both seem to be struggling now with holes in their roster.

As said previously, the better coaches like bennett and bellamy will get more out of their players than the weaker coaches and therefore you'd prefer to have those coaches. But that isn't to say that the mediocre guys cannot win a comp. McGregor, Flanno, Robinson are all bog average, not great, not poor just average coaches.

 

[giboz71]

As said previously, the better coaches like bennett and bellamy will get more out of their players than the weaker coaches and therefore you'd prefer to have those coaches. But that isn't to say that the mediocre guys cannot win a comp. McGregor, Flanno, Robinson are all bog average, not great, not poor just average coaches.

Correct and that’s the point. Sometimes an ordinary coach can strike gold when he has all the pieces in place like a great roster and a good administration behind him that can get recruitment and the salary cap right. Mary, has the chance to be one of those guys this year.

If only teams with coaches “capable of winning a comp” won all the time, then only the same 2-3 teams would be contenders in any given year.

 

[BennyV]

Whats the ceiling then?
Can't win the comp OK, got that.
How far can McGregor take us then with this playing group?

I reckon he’d be lucky to win a finals game TBH. I don’t think he’s got the smarts to decide a game plan in a finals match, nor the management ability to keep guys intense yet grounded. At best, we make week 2 of the finals.

 

[BennyV]

Correct and that’s the point. Sometimes an ordinary coach can strike gold when he has all the pieces in place like a great roster and a good administration behind him that can get recruitment and the salary cap right. Mary, has the chance to be one of those guys this year.

If only teams with coaches “capable of winning a comp” won all the time, then only the same 2-3 teams would be contenders in any given year.

While I disagree with the ‘good administration’ part, this is the point I’m making - we’ve got a very good roster assembled separately from Mary, no injuries and a weak comp this year. Yet we have a drop kick as coach and we are hoping for ‘a chance’ to be successful? Why are we here? Why didn’t we pick the best coach available over the last few years so it was less chance and more calculated?

 

[giboz71]

While I disagree with the ‘good administration’ part, this is the point I’m making - we’ve got a very good roster assembled separately from Mary, no injuries and a weak comp this year. Yet we have a drop kick as coach and we are hoping for ‘a chance’ to be successful? Why are we here? Why didn’t we pick the best coach available over the last few years so it was less chance and more calculated?

Well we went hard for Bellamy and Bennett the 2nd time around and failed. That’s life unfortunately. So it’s not like we didn’t try.

As I said, any other coach (other than Green) is a lucky dip.

Admittedly, I was pretty disappointed we didn’t go harder for Cleary who I think could have definitely taken this team to a comp.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I reckon he’d be lucky to win a finals game TBH. I don’t think he’s got the smarts to decide a game plan in a finals match, nor the management ability to keep guys intense yet grounded. At best, we make week 2 of the finals.

Whilst I agree with most of what you're saying, I would just like to make a comment on this in particular. One thing I think Mary has actually done well is keep the playing group grounded. Over the last few years, the club has made a habit of pushing out the dickheads and keeping the playing group humble. Somebody like Tariq is a classic example of this. He used to be a hot-head, couldn't quite find that balance between aggression on the field and grace off it.. He's definitely found that here at the Dragons. Also, If you look at guys like Vaughan, JDB, Frizell, Nighty, Cam, Gareth... In fact pretty much the whole playing group.. They are all immensely talented guys making a lot of money, but they are all completely grounded, sensible humans.

Perhaps that it's just in their nature, but I think club culture is a big contributor to that, which is something Mary has helped to build.

 

[Eastview]

I would of rather taken RTS and let Dufty go to the Warriors

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I would of rather taken RTS and let Dufty go to the Warriors

You're implying we would have even got RTS. Which we wouldn't have.

 

[Carlton]

You're implying we would have even got RTS. Which we wouldn't have.

I think Eastview is implying he would have preferred RTS if it was possible.

Do you have some inside information re RTS? Did we approach him? Did he turn us down?

 

[BennyV]

Well we went hard for Bellamy and Bennett the 2nd time around and failed. That’s life unfortunately. So it’s not like we didn’t try.

As I said, any other coach (other than Green) is a lucky dip.

Admittedly, I was pretty disappointed we didn’t go harder for Cleary who I think could have definitely taken this team to a comp.

Not sure any other coach is a lucky dip. There are many who have proven to be able to get a lot out of mediocre rosters and sustain success for an extended period. The ‘lucky dip’ comes about because we gambled on an rookie coach with no first grade experience and mediocre results in the lower grades and assistant coaching roles.

As for ‘we went hard for Bennett and Bellamy’ - doesn’t really hold much weight because when we missed them, we just went straight for the cheapest option.
If I’m at the bar and miss out on a glass of Macallan 30 year, I don’t just fall back to the house whiskey. I look at the selection and pick out a very decent Japanese single malt.
If I’m at the dealer and someone offers a bit more on the Ferrari I want, I don’t automatically go for the Datsun. I start looking at the Porsche.

...and so on!

 

[The Damo]

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.

Not sure any other coach is a lucky dip. There are many who have proven to be able to get a lot out of mediocre rosters and sustain success for an extended period. The ‘lucky dip’ comes about because we gambled on an rookie coach with no first grade experience and mediocre results in the lower grades and assistant coaching roles.

As for ‘we went hard for Bennett and Bellamy’ - doesn’t really hold much weight because when we missed them, we just went straight for the cheapest option.
If I’m at the bar and miss out on a glass of Macallan 30 year, I don’t just fall back to the house whiskey. I look at the selection and pick out a very decent Japanese single malt.
If I’m at the dealer and someone offers a bit more on the Ferrari I want, I don’t automatically go for the Datsun. I start looking at the Porsche.

...and so on!

BennyV is now officially in charge of going to the bar. I’ve conducted an exhaustive search and he is clearly the best candidate.
He can also pick the coach in his spare time, as he’s demonstrated impeccable taste, and I’ve no doubt the skills are transferable.

 

[Saintsified]

Well we went hard for Bellamy and Bennett the 2nd time around and failed. That’s life unfortunately. So it’s not like we didn’t try.

As I said, any other coach (other than Green) is a lucky dip.

Admittedly, I was pretty disappointed we didn’t go harder for Cleary who I think could have definitely taken this team to a comp.

Green =one hit wonder aka Sticky Stuart.
Cleary= taken us to a comp that's about it, wouldn't win it, Brian Smith 2.

Dont like Mary much myself but as every year passes if he is still with us he will become better... We re first by the way.

 

[giboz71]

There are many who have proven to be able to get a lot out of mediocre rosters and sustain success for an extended period

Who?

I’d be interested to know which coaches took mediocre rosters to sustained success

And I’m highlighting the terms “mediocre roster” and “sustained success”.

 

[BennyV]

Who?

I’d be interested to know which coaches took mediocre rosters to sustained success

And I’m highlighting the terms “mediocre roster” and “sustained success”.

The mediocre roster and sustained success aspects were intended with mutual exclusivity. Probably should have used 'or' instead.

Hasler is one to get great results from a mediocre roster - his Dogs team of 2014 was abysmal for a GF team and TBH winning a minor premiership in 2012 was a great feat. Man for man our 2018 team stacks up pretty well to Maguire's premiership winning Souths team. Cleary is the brutally obvious one - his proven ability to rebuild a struggling roster and take it deep into the semis is something Mary could dream of. Brownie is another - again, building awesome results from the ground up in both NRL with us and in Super League. Even Toovey, of whom I'm not a great fan, kept a dysfunctional roster successful in a work environment worse than our club. Then we move to other 'more accomplished' rookie coaches who've dealt with changing lower grades rosters and actually gained success; guys like Brennan, Demetriou and Green.

And then we can look at Super League, where guys like Tony Smith, Shane Wane and the aforementioned Nathan Brown have proven success, some of those taking poorly previously performing teams to the big one. And yes, ESL results have shown to be reflected in NRL (a la Robinson and Maguire winning NRL premierships after success in ESL).

So, to my original point - there were far more accomplished coaches that should have been actively pursued before settling on a guy because he bleeds red and white.