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Matt Dufty

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
63,483
DragonJ - If lovodua and Robson both develop as expected then you may be right .. I wouldn’t get rid of McInnes unless both break out ... need the depth/experience
 

Fat Tony Kandos

Juniors
Messages
109
Can’t read it mate. What did it say?
Dragons fullback Matt Dufty ready to last the distance in 2019

3 December 2018

His trademark speed was gone as the St George Illawarra fullback struggled with the week-to-week grind of the NRL.

Dufty had never run for so many metres before becoming just one of 20 players to break 3000 running metres for the year.

Coach Paul McGregor knew he was battling and had a frank conversation with Dufty ahead of St George Illawarra’s round 24 clash against Canterbury.

“I was feeling run down,” Dufty said.

“My legs were dead. My body was pretty fatigued. (McGregor) gave me the option of sitting out for the week or playing off the bench and I said I wanted to play off the bench. No-one wants to not play footy.

“My calves and legs (were struggling). I was doing that much running my body wasn’t used to it. Twenty three weeks of doing K’s and K’s — a lot of running just caught up with me.

“It hasn’t happened before. You can’t compare 20s or NSW Cup to first grade. You can’t clock off for a second because you’re going to get burnt. I found that out last season.”

The Dragons modified Dufty’s training program in a bid to have him firing for the back end of the year. But he has approached this pre-season with a different mindset to ensure his body can last the distance in 2019.

“They kept me off the field a bit more and let me freshen up,” Dufty said.

“It showed towards the end of the year because I was playing the footy I wanted to play.

“I’ve just had a long break. I wanted to get in and train as hard as I can and prove to the coaching staff and all the players I want that position back and cement that fullback spot for 2019. Maybe closer to the year I’m not sure what the coaching staff will do. But at the moment I’m training 100 per cent.

“I’m training a lot better than I was last year. I’m feeling a lot better. When your mind tells you your body is sore and you can’t do it, it’s just a lie. You can do it if you really want to. That’s what I’ve been working on. It’s really been pushing me.”

After featuring in all of the Dragons’ final seven matches last year Dufty had a goal of playing 80 per cent of games in 2018. He was just one of five players to feature in all 26 games this year.

“As a whole I was pretty happy,” Dufty said.

“For the start of the year the first eight rounds were pretty easy. You’re playing footy again so that’s outstanding. It’s just in that middle bit when your Origin boys aren’t there. It’s a different feel when your whole team is not there but that’s where players like myself who aren’t playing Origin need to step up and keep playing good footy.

“(I need to improve on) effort areas off the ball and catching the ball on the full. All the things good fullbacks do. They are easy fixes, just a mindset shift.”

The off-contract local St George junior had to deal with uncertainty at the start of pre-season when he was linked with a move away from the club.

Dufty reached out to Dragons assistant coach Ben Hornby before meeting with McGregor the following day.

“I wasn’t used to it,” Dufty said.

“It’s something new. I only saw it when it got sent to me by friends and family about 100 times. That’s when I called Benny and spoke to him.

“I talked to (McGregor) the next day and he said; ‘he is definitely not releasing me for 2019’.”
 

Fat Tony Kandos

Juniors
Messages
109
@ALSGI if you want to get around online publications paywalls use 'outline.com'.

Step 1: Open the article link. For example: https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous

Step 2: Delete the paywall section of the URL so the link now reads: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous

Step 3: Put 'outline.com' at the beginning of the URL and you will then be able to read the article. For example: http://outline.com/https://www.dail...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,237
@ALSGI if you want to get around online publications paywalls use 'outline.com'.

Step 1: Open the article link. For example: https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous

Step 2: Delete the paywall section of the URL so the link now reads: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous

Step 3: Put 'outline.com' at the beginning of the URL and you will then be able to read the article. For example: http://outline.com/https://www.dail...5e25c8f787ffb28ce278f013550&memtype=anonymous

Thanks Fat Tony...was hoping some good person would post article..many thanks Good Sir.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,937
McInnes has done well in his time with us but if Robson is half as good as a lot on this forum and people like Brad Fittler think he is, McInnes should be traded this season. Maybe even traded to the Broncos for one of their fast outside backs. Their hooker makes McInnes look like Usain Bolt.
1. Holmes
6. Norman
7. Hunt
9. Robson
spine is simply too good for one team to manage within the salary cap. Need lots of TPAs and some other "creative" solutions involving brown paper bags.
1. Holmes - with Widdop's salary allocation for 3 yrs
6. Norman - already signed for 3 yers
7. Hunt - already signed for 3 years
9. Robson - first NRL contract will be cheap for the next 3 yrs
We can definitely keep our spine players; it will be those outside the spine who improve and want more dollars that will be the problem. Hopefully we will have some young bucks and external recruitment to keep us up there for the next 3 years.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,279
Not sure why people keep saying we should go for Valentine Holmes for fullback?
The guy was desperate to go to Cowboys to "be closer to family" then he up and leaves his contract to go to America?
He completely screwed the Sharks, they would have gone hard for Barba if they knew Valentine Holmes intentions to not play 2019.
Sounds like a player we don't need.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
23,958
Not sure why people keep saying we should go for Valentine Holmes for fullback?
The guy was desperate to go to Cowboys to "be closer to family" then he up and leaves his contract to go to America?
He completely screwed the Sharks, they would have gone hard for Barba if they knew Valentine Holmes intentions to not play 2019.
Sounds like a player we don't need.
Completely screwed the Sharks over you say...sounds like a perfect fit here!!
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,937
Completely screwed the Sharks over you say...sounds like a perfect fit here!!

Let's wait and see how Dufty performs this year first.
Then see how much Dufty's manager wants for Dufty to stay.
The pick the best possible value for money fullback to play for SGI.
 

BennyV

Referee
Messages
23,958
Let's wait and see how Dufty performs this year first.
Then see how much Dufty's manager wants for Dufty to stay.
The pick the best possible value for money fullback to play for SGI.
Value for money? We are trying to win a comp and we are talking about a key position! Holmes vs Dufty is a no brainer, especially in a year where we are losing Widdop and his massive salary becomes free.

Holmes is less than a year older than Dufty, but lightyears ahead in terms of ability.
 

DragonJ

Juniors
Messages
236
1. Holmes - with Widdop's salary allocation for 3 yrs

6. Norman - already signed for 3 yers
7. Hunt - already signed for 3 years
9. Robson - first NRL contract will be cheap for the next 3 yrs


We can definitely keep our spine players; it will be those outside the spine who improve and want more dollars that will be the problem. Hopefully we will have some young bucks and external recruitment to keep us up there for the next 3 years.
possm, I love your optimism! I know Roosters can trade aging champs near the end of their careers for the best young stars but everyone knows they are cheating.
1. Holmes will want and get up to 25% or even more than what Widdop is on.
2. I think the only reason we could afford him this year is because Parra are paying a large part of his salary.
3. So? His salary still counts in the salary cap for the duration of his contract.
4. If he turns out as good as a lot of people expect, after half a season he is going to have clubs offering him 1mil a season compared to the 100k he is on at the Dragons. He would have to be a nut to stay. Hopefully he will stay loyal for 10~20% less than he could get elsewhere. 20% less is obviously very optimistic.
Not sure why people keep saying we should go for Valentine Holmes for fullback?
The guy was desperate to go to Cowboys to "be closer to family" then he up and leaves his contract to go to America?
He completely screwed the Sharks, they would have gone hard for Barba if they knew Valentine Holmes intentions to not play 2019.
Sounds like a player we don't need.
I vote to give him an extra 100k a year for the damage he may have done to the Sharks.
 

Dragsters

First Grade
Messages
5,782
I posted this in the Corey Norman thread but fwiw, these are my thoughts re Dufty...

Take Luc as the example. He sat out a full year in order to get himself ready for the rigours of first grade and is now reaping the benefits.

Mary needs to have a chat with Dufty using Luc as the example.

Not saying Dufty needs to sit out a full year but he needs to be prepared to give up his full time fullback role if necessary for the good of the team and use this time tocontinue to build his physique up and develop his passing game perhaps off the bench or in ISP if that be the case, with a view to reclaiming the permanent fullback role upon Widdop leaving, whenever that may be...
 

watatank

Coach
Messages
14,218
Leilua is a young forward that played a handful of games. Dufty is a young fullback that played 30 games in a row.

I think the club is looking to move on from dufty but wont say it outright in case we need him and he ends up playing all year and finds his way onto another contract
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,946
Leilua is a young forward that played a handful of games. Dufty is a young fullback that played 30 games in a row.

I think the club is looking to move on from dufty but wont say it outright in case we need him and he ends up playing all year and finds his way onto another contract

You just might find he does. Dragons tryin to extend him to the end of 2021. Music to my ears. tralalalalala..;)
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,968
You just might find he does. Dragons tryin to extend him to the end of 2021. Music to my ears. tralalalalala..;)
In fairness, they're also trying to extend McGregor...................




But in Dufty's case, I think it's a good thing...
 

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