Matt Dufty

[BLM01]

Norman should be wearing the number 7 on his back and given the authority to run the team. He should be the one controlling the game. I was never a fan of Norman until I saw him playing halfback for Parra a few years ago. To me Norman is either halfback or nothing.

I thought (except for 2018 like the rest of Parra) that Norman was a pretty good 6 who ran the show outside ordinary 7's before Moses turned up late in 2017 and used to carve a few sides up especially the Dragons

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Norman should be wearing the number 7 on his back and given the authority to run the team. He should be the one controlling the game. I was never a fan of Norman until I saw him playing halfback for Parra a few years ago. To me Norman is either halfback or nothing.

FF,
I’m not filled with confidence that Norman has the ability to play 80 minutes as a leader around the park.

He’s ok at making a move happen periodically but to me, he needs to be lead.

Now that Widdop is gone, Hunt needs to stand up and lead. That will be the big question for 2020.

 

[possm]

I am now able post my reply after falling down laughing about Dufty being a 5/8. He has talent, played very well doing his thing, which is speed and some level of anticipation to support a forward or a half who made a break. If I was really honest, with the time he has been in FG, no doesnt even do that consistently enough. He has other strings to his bow, so to me he is a winger (bulk him up a little) at best but his deficiencies are way in excess of what he brings to the team especially core fullback skills such as tackling and catching opponents kicks, can't pass well, ball play, kick (not even seen him chip or grubber for himself.

Field, Sailor and Clune have real talent. They can competently defend, kick well, goal kick, ball play and do what Dufty does only better. If you don't believe me, ask other clubs supporters which one/s they would want if all where at their club. Not saying get rid of him, but if a choice between Sailor Clune Field and Dufty, see ya Matt. Keep all four, yeah with Mary out the way they would all thrive, it's just that having I'm fast as your only skill isn't gonna cut it for a successful first grade fullback not now not ever

TheQUOTE="BLM01, post: 13890533, member: 45923"]I agree with all that except Beale did get a premiership ring at Cronulla but he was still afringe 1st grader at best. It did not take them long to discard him and he was in and out of 1st grade.
His best years as a good outside back were at the Broncos.
Field is not as good as Dufty IMO..Sailor maybe better as runs harder from fullback. Time will tell and I agree Dufty has to step up.
To be frank i thought just before he got dropped in the back haf of the year he was putting in towards his defence and started to show more confidence under high ball..then KAPOW...back to reggies you go?
Everyone was playing crap so why put Norman back there just to accommodate Widdop fro a few games
Never understood that dropping so late in the season but then again its Mary playing favourites and owing a player time in 1st grade to say goodbye. Widdop deserved that honour....but not at the expense of Dufty when we could not make the 8 anyway. It should of been someone else

[/QUOTE]
So then why did Millward extend Dufty for another two seasons early in 2019, even when he was performing poorly at fullback?

 

[possm]

Our dick head coach needs to stick with Dufty at fullback and try to address his weakness and coach him accordingly
He did show that his taking of bombs was improved towards the end of the season
We know what an impact player he is and that should be reinforced in his training
Just watch Tedesco and see how he is such an attacking weapon. Dufty could get somewhere near that attack if he and the team utilised his speed
I thought 2019 was going to be our year, I don’t think 2020 will be our year.

Dufty's skill shotages needed to be addressed in his junior pathway days. He has the wrong frame and is short in essential skills needed by a first grade fullback. He should never have been extended for another two years.

 

[Mr Angry]

I like the idea of running my edge forwards at Dufty all day.

 

[Frank Facer]

I thought (except for 2018 like the rest of Parra) that Norman was a pretty good 6 who ran the show outside ordinary 7's before Moses turned up late in 2017 and used to carve a few sides up especially the Dragons

The best footy I saw Norman play was when he was playing halfback with Gutherson playing 5/8.

 

[Overseas dragon]

I like the idea of running my edge forwards at Dufty all day.

your lost again wobbygong ............

 

[Dragonsamy]

I think he has suffered from being stuffed around with the way he's being played and his confidence has been shot. Hopefully with a good offseason he can come back and prove he is a better player than most people think. Needs to develope his game further but hopefully has the right staff coaching him.

 

[Mr Angry]

your lost again wobbygong ............

I do not believe so, this the open forum to discuss Saints, I was on topic.

Jubilee Avenue forum is the closed one.

 

[saintm]

If we are going to try Dufty at 5/8 then I think it should be in reserve grade. When I think about it, I think we are very well stocked in 5/8s and future 5/8's. I think Norman should be halfback and Hunt 5/8. I think Hunt's best position is either 5/8 or hooker. I think Sailor's best position is 5/8. We also have the likes of Sullivan and Wishart coming through our juniors who are both rated very highly. I think Dufy's only chance is to make it as fullback. I think he will be 25 next year. He still may be our best option at fullback next year, with the others being Lomax or Sailor.

24

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons star reveals social media ban... but trolls are still finding a way in
NRL Premiership

• July 9, 2020 7:31am
• Simon Brunsdon@simonbrunsdon
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Matt Dufty of the Dragons in action.Source: Getty Images
St George Illawarra’s born-again star fullback Matt Dufty has revealed he’s ditched social media as a result of trolls abusing him online.

Dufty is currently in some solid form but it’s been a tough 18 months, spending time in and out of the Dragons team and almost leaving the club altogether.

He’s now been installed as the club’s first-choice No.1 and is repaying them with some outstanding performances.

“Obviously the club was under a bit of pressure with all the external things being said about our coach and everything,” Dufty told Triple M’s Rush Hour.

“The club just needed, there was a lot of changes in our spine and the club just said ‘we need to settle on a spine and let it grow’, and that’s what they did, they settled on a spine.

“A bit of confidence was lacking for me personally. After that Sharks game, after the coaches said we’re putting our faith in you now and you’ll have a few games to cement your spot, I think that’s all I needed to hear.

“After that Cronulla game a bit of confidence came back and I started playing the footy I knew I could play.”

During the low times Dufty was being targeted by fans and trolls on social media.

He revealed he’s now ditched all his personal accounts, but they still manage to find a way to get their messages to him.

“It’s hard when your team’s not performing. The fans don’t really know what goes on behind the scenes to get a footy team right to play,” he said.

“There’s a lot of training and study that goes on and I think they just see the performance on the field, and when we’re not winning games they just demand change.

“It can be hard for young players. Me personally, I’ve got off social media and reading stuff like that.


“When I was younger I used to love reading what they were saying about me, knowing what they were thinking. Now it’s hard, hard for people that are associated with you as well.

“I know my girlfriend gets a lot of messages on Instagram saying ‘tell your boyfriend this, tell him that’. It can be hard for them when they're not used to getting messages like that.

“When you’re a professional sportsman it’s just something you’ve got to deal with.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/735878fc91dfee9a719661687f2ac2bf

 

[boardlumps62]

So then why did Millward extend Dufty for another two seasons early in 2019, even when he was performing poorly at fullback?[/QUOTE]
Because he knew he was better than than and had other skills apart from speed such as passing a football? Maybe????

 

[getsmarty]

So then why did Millward extend Dufty for another two seasons early in 2019, even when he was performing poorly at fullback?

Because he knew he was better than than and had other skills apart from speed such as passing a football? Maybe????[/QUOTE]

Because mcGregor promised him he would be our starting fullback....not the first time this has allegedly happened....Robson etc...

 

[ragzouken]

Matt seems to have taken the dropping the right way, rather then sulking looks like he put the work in and has come back an improved player, will be interesting if he continues improving

 

[tumbidragon]

He and Zack have been our best this year by far. Glad he has come back a better player since the reeboot of 2020 v2.0.

 

[Wizardman]

Im thinking more players than Dufty should ditch the social media. All credit to him though,.....back on the trajectory towards being an elite fullback. I think he is better than he ever has been....showing great ball playing skills too

 

[rasaint]

Must say that when Matt hits the after burners it’s frightening acceleration . For his try tonight Joel Thompson is no slouch and had a good front on shot at him, but Matt looked like he was fired out of a canon after the goose step and rounded him with little space.

Matt is not a ‘superstar’ but very few players over the past 5years ( perhaps more) can score some his most sublime trys.

In fairness, Sea Eagles are missing top players, the foremost being Tommy Turbo. With their best on the park they are hard to beat.

 

[getsmarty]

NRL 2020: St George Illawarra fullback Matt Dufty feared his NRL career could have ended.
St George Illawarra fullback Matt Dufty feared his career could be over if he didn’t perform.

Matt Logue
NCA NewsWireJuly 22, 20205:17pm

• Video
• Image

St George Illawarra star Matt Dufty is the NRL’s form fullback, but six weeks ago he feared his career could be over if he didn’t perform.

Duffy’s career was at a crossroads prior to the Dragons’ round 5 clash against the Sharks on a sunny Sunday in mid-June.

The previous week in round 4, the Penshurst junior was dropped after a shocking loss to the Warriors in the return from the COVID-19 lockdown.

Dufty also lost his No.1 jumper to Zac Lomax in round one after the Dragons deemed Lomax to be the club’s long-term fullback.

This prompted rumours that he could leave the Red V, but these suggestions were squashed when he starred against Cronulla starting at fullback with a try.

Six weeks on, Dufty is the NRL‘s standout No.1 ahead of Saturday’s rematch against the Sharks, and he has that Dragons’ round 5 win to thank for his revival.

“That is when I really sat back and thought, ‘this is my chance’,” Dufty said.

“There might not be another one if I stuff this one up and I had nothing to lose and I just wanted to play footy.

“It really hit home for me that this could be where my career starts and finishes.”

Matt Dufty makes a break during the round nine NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Manly Sea Eagles at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images

Dufty says he wouldn’t be where he is now without the challenges he experienced when his star-studded form from 2018 went missing.

He dominated that season with 13 tries as the Dragons won 15 games to finish in seventh position.

“Back in ‘18 when I probably had my best year I was playing with confidence and just playing footy,” he said.

“I wasn’t thinking about if I play bad here, I might not play next week.

“All the coaching staff have put their faith in me and I’m trying to repay them back for keeping me in that No.1 spot.

“I’m doing a pretty good job at the moment, but there is still a lot of improvement and growth for me.”

Dufty believes the feeling of failing coach Paul McGregor has also fuelled St George Illawarra’s run of form.

Since the Dragons’ board publicly backed McGregor as the club’s coach in the lead up to round 5, the Red V have won four of their past six games.

“That is when all the boys got around and said it is not on Mary anymore,” Dufty said.

“It was never on Mary, it is on us now and we need to start performing and pick up that embarrassment of where we were at the start of the year.

“Our roster has a lot of good players in our team and we were underperforming.

“It really hit home for our whole team. We knew we were a lot better and had a lot more to give.

“It just took a couple of weeks for us to click and finally have the whole team’s confidence back.”

Dufty will suit up in the away sheds at Kogarah Oval on Saturday against Cronulla for the first time since his under 10s grand final with Penshurst.

With the Sharks the home team, the Dragons have been relegated to the rival’s rooms.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/d...d/news-story/51090cb603baa9eadd2a0a8f41ea9408

 

[Inisai Toga]

Norman should be wearing the number 7 on his back and given the authority to run the team. He should be the one controlling the game. I was never a fan of Norman until I saw him playing halfback for Parra a few years ago. To me Norman is either halfback or nothing.

I think the same. Certainly never thought he was fullback and that experiment and shuffle with Widdop was mind-boggling and poorly thought out by McGregor. Ironically we may never see how he performs in that position for the Dragons.

 

[getsmarty]

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