Matt Dufty

[rasaint]

Dragons have been missing a fast and intuitive fullback since Darius Boyd left 7 years ago. Finally we have a flying machine in Matt D. He scored 13 trys over the last season. A number of those trys could only have been scored by a handful of specially gifted players. Yes there a few better fullbacks but Matt D is not far below the top shelf.



Some posters keep up the improve his defence, poor read of game, poor positioning,can’t catch , rag doll comments about Matt D. For a short stint late last year Matt like the team had a bad patch. He badly missed the dogs winger Smith at kogarah (can not recall any other defence misses of note) Yes, dropped a bomb and let a few bounce like others including Tedesco. I don’t miss the lumbering Josh Dugan one bit who on elite money dropped bombs cold, also missed some tackles, pushed into touch on occassion etc.

I trust we can sign Matt a Dragons junior to an extended deal. He is the best fullback at our club. BTW I support the cool headed Lomax to remain at centre.

 

[Smurf]

Dragons have been missing a fast and intuitive fullback since Darius Boyd left 7 years ago. Finally we have a flying machine in Matt D. He scored 13 trys over the last season. A number of those trys could only have been scored by a handful of specially gifted players. Yes there a few better fullbacks but Matt D is not far below the top shelf.

Well said

Totally agree


Some posters keep up the improve his defence, poor read of game, poor positioning,can’t catch , rag doll comments about Matt D. For a short stint late last year Matt like the team had a bad patch. He badly missed the dogs winger Smith at kogarah (can not recall any other defence misses of note) Yes, dropped a bomb and let a few bounce like others including Tedesco. I don’t miss the lumbering Josh Dugan one bit who on elite money dropped bombs cold, also missed some tackles, pushed into touch on occassion etc.

I trust we can sign Matt a Dragons junior to an extended deal. He is the best fullback at our club. BTW I support the cool headed Lomax to remain at centre.

Well said

Totally agree

 

[Carlton]

Dragons have been missing a fast and intuitive fullback since Darius Boyd left 7 years ago. Finally we have a flying machine in Matt D. He scored 13 trys over the last season. A number of those trys could only have been scored by a handful of specially gifted players. Yes there a few better fullbacks but Matt D is not far below the top shelf.



Some posters keep up the improve his defence, poor read of game, poor positioning,can’t catch , rag doll comments about Matt D. For a short stint late last year Matt like the team had a bad patch. He badly missed the dogs winger Smith at kogarah (can not recall any other defence misses of note) Yes, dropped a bomb and let a few bounce like others including Tedesco. I don’t miss the lumbering Josh Dugan one bit who on elite money dropped bombs cold, also missed some tackles, pushed into touch on occassion etc.

I trust we can sign Matt a Dragons junior to an extended deal. He is the best fullback at our club. BTW I support the cool headed Lomax to remain at centre.

This is a complete rewrite of history, it wasn't for a short stint last year that his deficiencies were evident, they were there in every game last year. Dugan had his own shortcomings but to make out Dufty covers kicks, defends, takes the ball up physically, puts in the effort like Dugan is completely false.

Running the ball in broken play is one of the things a fullback should be able to do but there are also all those things Dufty is not good at that posters are concerned about.

 

[TruSaint]

Fans are divided on the Dufty issue.

I cant see him in the starting line up TBH, but do see him getting game time in 1sts's as a result of injury, suspension, etc.

The question for young Matt is whether or not he will be willing to play second fiddle for 12 months. If we take the news cycle on face value, then either Norman or Widdop will occupy the 1 spot. Dufty is not a winger and would be a waste on the bench.

His strengths and weaknesses have been posted hundreds of times. 2019 will be a telling year for the lad. Stick with Saints, knowing a key role will be available in 2020 ( and fighting for it )., or jump ship if an offer comes.

Over to you Matt.

 

[possm]

Fans are divided on the Dufty issue.

I cant see him in the starting line up TBH, but do see him getting game time in 1sts's as a result of injury, suspension, etc.

The question for young Matt is whether or not he will be willing to play second fiddle for 12 months. If we take the news cycle on face value, then either Norman or Widdop will occupy the 1 spot. Dufty is not a winger and would be a waste on the bench.

His strengths and weaknesses have been posted hundreds of times. 2019 will be a telling year for the lad. Stick with Saints, knowing a key role will be available in 2020 ( and fighting for it )., or jump ship if an offer comes.

Over to you Matt.

I'd say that the Cowboys are already talking to Dufty's manager.

 

[TruSaint]

I'd say that the Cowboys are already talking to Dufty's manager.

You may be right @possm .. I don't know mate.
If he stays and works his way into first grade, the great. If he leaves Im not fussed.

 

[Old Timer]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

 

[Drag Queen]

Lomax has always wanted the fullback position and was in the running - according to Mary - for the position in 2018. It is now history that Dufty got the job. With Widdop being touted as the proposed fullback for 2019 and Dufty being the logical backup, it will be up to Lomax to do well and show his skills in an outside back position in 2019.

If Mary was clever, he would select Lomax at right centre in 2019 and four forwards on the bench. This idea would cover so many backline position if injury occurs. Having Widdop at fullback, of course he could move to a halves position if necessary and Lomax move to fullback or one of the wing position and one of our 4 backrow forwards move to centre. With Aitken at right centre, there is absolutely no flexibility at all.

I agree with most of this post possm but I'm guessing the Cows highly regret letting go of Kalyn Ponga. Would Lomax be granted leave should an opening position in his preferred position come about? I'll be the first to raise my hand and say I've only seen him in a handful of games. I'm sure a few Cowboy's fans would have said the same about Ponga. Just a thought.

 

[Drag Queen]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

I'm not so sure OT. I see it as hedging one's bets.

 

[TruSaint]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

Cant see it mate. Really cant.

I think they will shift between Norman and Widdop at 1, until they settle on the role.
Dufty will have to wait.

Then again, I was sure Mary would be coach this year, so take my opinion as just that.

 

[Old Timer]

I'm not so sure OT. I see it as hedging one's bets.

Our beloved coach has tried before to make things look what they aren't and I'm expecting that to be very much the case again this year.

Cant see it mate. Really cant.

I think they will shift between Norman and Widdop at 1, until they settle on the role.
Dufty will have to wait.

Then again, I was sure Mary would be coach this year, so take my opinion as just that.

Hard to see how he can't because Mc F is busily telling people how we were just 1 game out of finishing = 1st on the ladder and suggesting it is only experience and little things that need to be tweaked.
If in his opinion we were that close and "the team" and "the coach" suffered due to origin duties then he will concentrate around that as he believes it to be the root problem of why we failed.
Impossible for him to consider 2 ideas at the 1 time and even harder for Hornby & Young to think of anything let alone the same thing at the same time.
Anyway not far to go now and all will be revealed.

 

[Saints Forever]

Funny how some people are saying Dufty has proved nothing re his ability to handle 1st grade and they would be happy for him to go yet they would be happy with Field replacing him and IMO he has proven even less.
Just goes to show how little we actually know about some players and by the look of it recruitment may know even less.

I am not suggesting Field should be considered for the fullback role if Dufty should leave.

I am suggesting that Millward and McGregor are likely to give Field the opportunity.

 

[Frank Facer]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

Norman won't be on the bench. He will be our dominate playmaker.

 

[nontime111]

if Dufty does bite the bullet crack the sh()*^& and head to North Queensland ( which Id hate!) wed have to go hard for Holmes wouldnt we?

 

[Frank Facer]

if Dufty does bite the bullet crack the sh()*^& and head to North Queensland ( which Id hate!) wed have to go hard for Holmes wouldnt we?

Yeah

 

[Carlton]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

This is the same coach who told the board he needed Hayne if they were going to win a comp. This is the same coach who was aware and more than likely supported shopping Dufty around.

I dont think you can take anything from what he says, other than due to circumstances he sees some value in Dufty staying for awhile.

 

[watatank]

If Dufty was going to be fullback, McGregor could just say that. I think it's interesting that the words McGregor used was 'long term player', which kinda sounds like he won't be starting fullback but would be nice to have around the squad in case there's an injury somewhere

 

[BennyV]

Coach who is about to be extended says he wants Dufty to be extended so in a nutshell they see him as a long term player for the club.
If that is the case they won't be signing him to play reggies.
He will be FB, Widdop 6 and Norman bench unless Widdop's shoulder wont be ready for game 1.
All the rest is smoke screens and speculation.

Disagree. There’s no way that Norman will play from the bench. And why wouldn’t they want to extend Dufty - he is a decent backup fullback who is unlikely to get a starting gig at any other club in the league! The talk of extension is just to make sure he remains the back up in our team! If there’s one thing Mary can do, it’s shit talk to stroke an ego (be it the board, the players or his own). That’s all this is.

 

[nontime111]

I cant see why, If he improves his defence the damn kid could be our LONG term fullback for years as soon as Widdop leaves.....man if he doesnt stick around hes far better than Field and Lomax is a centre
Hell learn So much playing regies for a year and also get more than a few games in first grade also this year, hell come back next year a GUN and future superstar! Hes on the verge of greatness if hes patient hell be a Dragon for a long long time I love the guy and have total faith hell do the work and RISE

 

[possm]

This is the same coach who told the board he needed Hayne if they were going to win a comp. This is the same coach who was aware and more than likely supported shopping Dufty around.

I dont think you can take anything from what he says, other than due to circumstances he sees some value in Dufty staying for awhile.

No need to shop Dufty around, the whole issue is up to Dufty and whether he accepts that he needs to sort out a few things before being considered an effective first grade fullback. I'm sure he is not on good money as yet however, judging by previous media reports his desires are well known by the Dragons revruitment/retention staff.

If Dufty wants out the Cowboys are in need of a fullback. If Dufty wants to continue with self development, the Dragons will have a fulltime vacancy for a first grade fullback for season 2020.