Matt Dufty

[kit66]

It’s been correctly stated on here many times in many different threads. You can’t keep them all. The advantage both Ramsey & Schiller have is being bigger bodies they can play on the wing so both can fit into the team whereas Dufty can only play fullback. Plus you’ve also got to add in Sloan & Ravalawa to the mix. I think we’ve all written off JP & Williame

The tricky decision Hook has to make is that both Dufty & Ramsey’s contracts are up at the same time.

I have my opinion but it’s Hook’s decision to make, same can be said of McInnes staying or going.

Sorry, the body size thing doesn't work for me.By that logic you'd have Papenhuyzen out of a job too. By that logic the big fella Dugan is a better fullback than Dufty ( he's not even close ).
I'd have no problem with Dufty on the wing but that'd be a waste, he played in the halves in the lower grades and would more than likely do a better job at 5/8 than Norman, so the " can only play fullback " line just isn't true. He can also be a strike weapon off the bench but again that's a waste.
Sure he drops the occasional ball and let's a kick bounce but I believe, like Hunt, he's a confidence player, his worst games are when he's under pressure off the field by coaches looking to blame someone ( for their failings usually ) and threatening his position in the team.
Dufty is built for the new style of footy that the new rules have created, his speed is our greatest asset atm. I'm not expecting too much from our forwards this year but I am from our new look backline and it's Dufty and Lomax that I'm counting on most to win us games. Those are the guys you build a team around.

 

[possm]

Without Dufty last year we were Spoon material easy. Possibly 2019 as well. Who else in our team playing fullback last year could have scored 13 tries and laid on 12 more as well as a heap of line breaks and assists that put us in good position. He's our best player and people ridiculing him and posting nonsense about him having no heart or can't tackle or lazy are in danger of disappearing up their own agenda.
He may not be as good overall as Pap and Tedesco ( although his stats are very similar ) but he's been playing under a coach who we know stifles players natural abilities, didn't back or put faith in anyone and was a sh*t coach anyway. Rewatching some games recently I was amazed at how many times Dufty is there following a team mate ready for the off load or kick and how many times his teammates were incapable of or unwilling to risk the off load ( as I've no doubt they were coached to abstain from ) it must be so frustrating for him.

He's only just turned 25 with his best years in front of him and I want him at the Dragons for those years.

I don't think anyone on here is worried about Dufty's attacking skills or attacking performance. It is his positional play in defence, his confidence under the high ball, his ability to return the ball when coming out of his own 20 and his defensive skills as our last line of defence.

Some or most of these skills can be coached into a player but I think it would take more than one off-season to bring Dufty upto speed. So from where I sit, I hope he gets an offer that will make him happy whether it be from the Dragons or another Club.

The Dragons have a wealth of young fullbacks coming through so there will be no room for complacency:
Ramsey
Sloan
Schiller
At this stage it looks like all of the 3 above players will all be competing for the fullback position over the next 3 years or so. It is most likely the unsuccessful ones will be placed elsewhere in the backline or as backup in Canterbury Cup.

 

[Maddragon99]

Sorry, the body size thing doesn't work for me.By that logic you'd have Papenhuyzen out of a job too. By that logic the big fella Dugan is a better fullback than Dufty ( he's not even close ).
I'd have no problem with Dufty on the wing but that'd be a waste, he played in the halves in the lower grades and would more than likely do a better job at 5/8 than Norman, so the " can only play fullback " line just isn't true. He can also be a strike weapon off the bench but again that's a waste.
Sure he drops the occasional ball and let's a kick bounce but I believe, like Hunt, he's a confidence player, his worst games are when he's under pressure off the field by coaches looking to blame someone ( for their failings usually ) and threatening his position in the team.
Dufty is built for the new style of footy that the new rules have created, his speed is our greatest asset atm. I'm not expecting too much from our forwards this year but I am from our new look backline and it's Dufty and Lomax that I'm counting on most to win us games. Those are the guys you build a team around.

I said it’s Hook’s decision, we won’t be able to keep them all so if Hook perseveres with Dufty it means losing Schiller? Ramsey? Sloan? Not sure there’d be too many in the fan base who be ok with that.

Anyway I’m sick of discussing it, time will tell.

 

[kit66]

I said it’s Hook’s decision, we won’t be able to keep them all so if Hook perseveres with Dufty it means losing Schiller? Ramsey? Sloan? Not sure there’d be too many in the fan base who be ok with that.

Anyway I’m sick of discussing it, time will tell.

Wouldn't be too many in the fan base who have heard of Schiller or Sloan or be wanting them replacing Dufty any time soon.

I've said the same, we can't keep them all and I don't envy Hook the job of sorting that out.

 

[possm]

Wouldn't be too many in the fan base who have heard of Schiller or Sloan or be wanting them replacing Dufty any time soon.

I've said the same, we can't keep them all and I don't envy Hook the job of sorting that out.

Ramsey to replace Dufty. Schiller and Sloan will get their chance when they prove themselves in Canterbury Cup. At this time in the recruitment / retention cycle, we do have the salary cap and the brains to keep them all; that is until Griffin decides he does not want one or more of them.

What is really pleasing is that in this cycle, we have some very good talent with great prospect of rising to NRL level and above.

 

[Jersey No 14]

It's all about basic skills
You can't tackle - See you later.

That game late last year - Where he faked an inercept attempt.
And the guy strolled over - unapposed.

There you go -

My man crush is on young Ramsey.
We have a traditional St. George (Illawarra) Fullback in the making there.

 

[possm]

It's all about basic skills
You can't tackle - See you later.

That game late last year - Where he faked an inercept attempt.
And the guy strolled over - unapposed.

There you go -

My man crush is on young Ramsey.
We have a traditional St. George (Illawarra) Fullback in the making there.

Jamie Soward would fully understand the Dufty problem. Once he injured his back, we always avoided the tough stuff. Dufty in a similar way always avoids the tough stuff most probably with a memory of being smashed earlier on in his career.

The way to solve the problem is to teach Dufty the right techniques when tackling and preparing himself for a tackle. Once this is done and Dufty perfects these skills, his confidence will grow.

For this reason, if the Club is serious about retaining Dufty at fullback, they should address this problem by bringing in Slater as a consultant. One of the best fullbacks who showed toughness in attack and defence. He always confidently took and returned the high ball.

 

[Jersey No 14]

See this is the bigger problem
Duffy can't tackle
Because
He wasn't shown the right technique when he was a junior
And there lays the problem
All - And i say ALL Juniors are not trained in the art of Rugby League
And I blame
The Junior coaches Dudes think they know everything because they watched Rex and Ray when they were young.
I'm here to say the know Jack-SH*T
That is why the game is descending into a farse.
These Kids get up into the big time - Of course want buckets of cash but really I wouldn't pay them tea money. These are praised by want-to-be superstars - so they think they are superstars
Too many 'I' in the teams running around
But - this is the sad part.
Collected together they are all the same with the same skill set so somehow it looks and smells like Rugby League - But it isn't.
It's the game itself which has been affected. - INFECTED
Like the corona - it has spread and there is nothing anybody can do.

 

[kit66]

See this is the bigger problem
Duffy can't tackle
Because
He wasn't shown the right technique when he was a junior
And there lays the problem
All - And i say ALL Juniors are not trained in the art of Rugby League
And I blame
The Junior coaches Dudes think they know everything because they watched Rex and Ray when they were young.
I'm here to say the know Jack-SH*T
That is why the game is descending into a farse.
These Kids get up into the big time - Of course want buckets of cash but really I wouldn't pay them tea money. These are praised by want-to-be superstars - so they think they are superstars
Too many 'I' in the teams running around
But - this is the sad part.
Collected together they are all the same with the same skill set so somehow it looks and smells like Rugby League - But it isn't.
It's the game itself which has been affected. - INFECTED
Like the corona - it has spread and there is nothing anybody can do.

Dufty's technique could be better but it's also other factors like backline players these days being much bigger and stronger than they used to be and many of them big Islander boys ( most of a fullbacks one on one tackles will be on opposing backs ). Dufty is only 80kgs and I think he does ok for that. Ponga for example misses more than twice as many tackles as Dufty.

I think you're wrong about junior coaches watching Rex and Ray ( ? I assume you mean pre 2000's ) I think they're watching Storm players for technique tips and that's why no-one can tackle one on one any more because they're taught to wrap up the ball, to grapple, to wrestle, to wait for 2 or 3 of your team mates to join in and to slow things down. The other thing is that a good one on one tackle isn't rewarded, quite the opposite, if you don't let go immediately ( more than immediately - it's crazy how fast you're meant to let go compared to any other type of tackle ) it's a penalty.
I watched two old games a few days ago, the one Bluebags posted from 1996 and a game from 2017.
The 96 game featured mostly tackles involving 1 or 2 tacklers with less than 12 of the hundreds of tackles involving 3 tacklers and that was only when a big forward wouldn't go down. It made for a fast open and very entertaining game and even the slightest attempt to hold down a player was penalized and after just a couple of penalties for the hold down a warning was given with the threat of sin binning.
Fast forward to 2017 and nearly every tackle involved 3 or 4 tacklers and wrestling on their feet and on the ground. It was like watching a game in slow motion. It's no wonder 2018 started with refs blowing the pea out of their whistles and giving 20+ penalties a game.
The new rules in 2020 were supposed to stop all that once and for all but teams are still coached to get 3+ in the tackle and wrestle a player to the ground. The game has sped up a bit but there's still plenty of room for improvement. I'm still seeing players holding on even after " HELD " is called and laying on top of the tackled player and they'll stop moving and look to see if the ref is watching - should be an immediate penalty. The damage is done though and coaches will continue teaching the modern tackling techniques instead of the old ways and little will change.
The refereeing hasn't helped either with rules bought in on account of the new tackling styles like " dominant tackle " and " voluntary tackle " ( a pet hate - he's tackled get the f up ) and " milking " more bullsh*t to complicate what should be simple.

 

[Gippsy]

I reckon this supposed bidding war for Duff is a smokescreen to tempt the Dragons to make a premature, long term offer for him, so that a well connected club can then go after Ramsay.

 

[rasaint]

Firstly, I believe that Cody Ramsey will be our fullback longer term.

That said, this continued talk of Dufty ‘can’t tackle’ is at best a total exaggeration. He rarely misses tackles. In a position of a major break and two opposition players heading toward a fullback for a draw and pass for a sure try....well that is what normally happens a standard try.

in the first or second game this year Matt Dufty jagged a buff where he anticipated the pass and intercepted sprinting back the length of the field to score against tigers. Darius Boyd saved us with a pearler last pass anticipation against the dogs 2010 at the SCG game. 99% it’s a sure try with the fullback covering the ball runner who simply then passes for a sure try.

Anyway, I have seen Teddy miss them, ( remember Dufty turned him into a turnstile 2019 in Dufty’s great individual try against the roosters).

The one tackle Dufty I remember missing was when he got burnt by a flying Remis Smith on the outside in 2019 at Kogarah.

Lomax misses them ( oh dear) Cody didn’t look that confident in defence BTW to me. Billy Slater missed the odd one ( the best fullback in the decade imo).

 

[muzby]

We should sign Evander Cummins

 

[redv13]

I reckon this supposed bidding war for Duff is a smokescreen to tempt the Dragons to make a premature, long term offer for him, so that a well connected club can then go after Ramsay.

I wouldn’t bother getting into a bidding war over Dufty. Make a decent offer and if his manager holds the club to ransom then see ya champ. I’d be locking Ramsey in long term b4 Dufty

 

[BLM01]

Dufty's technique could be better but it's also other factors like backline players these days being much bigger and stronger than they used to be and many of them big Islander boys ( most of a fullbacks one on one tackles will be on opposing backs ). Dufty is only 80kgs and I think he does ok for that. Ponga for example misses more than twice as many tackles as Dufty.

I think you're wrong about junior coaches watching Rex and Ray ( ? I assume you mean pre 2000's ) I think they're watching Storm players for technique tips and that's why no-one can tackle one on one any more because they're taught to wrap up the ball, to grapple, to wrestle, to wait for 2 or 3 of your team mates to join in and to slow things down. The other thing is that a good one on one tackle isn't rewarded, quite the opposite, if you don't let go immediately ( more than immediately - it's crazy how fast you're meant to let go compared to any other type of tackle ) it's a penalty.
I watched two old games a few days ago, the one Bluebags posted from 1996 and a game from 2017.
The 96 game featured mostly tackles involving 1 or 2 tacklers with less than 12 of the hundreds of tackles involving 3 tacklers and that was only when a big forward wouldn't go down. It made for a fast open and very entertaining game and even the slightest attempt to hold down a player was penalized and after just a couple of penalties for the hold down a warning was given with the threat of sin binning.
Fast forward to 2017 and nearly every tackle involved 3 or 4 tacklers and wrestling on their feet and on the ground. It was like watching a game in slow motion. It's no wonder 2018 started with refs blowing the pea out of their whistles and giving 20+ penalties a game.
The new rules in 2020 were supposed to stop all that once and for all but teams are still coached to get 3+ in the tackle and wrestle a player to the ground. The game has sped up a bit but there's still plenty of room for improvement. I'm still seeing players holding on even after " HELD " is called and laying on top of the tackled player and they'll stop moving and look to see if the ref is watching - should be an immediate penalty. The damage is done though and coaches will continue teaching the modern tackling techniques instead of the old ways and little will change.
The refereeing hasn't helped either with rules bought in on account of the new tackling styles like " dominant tackle " and " voluntary tackle " ( a pet hate - he's tackled get the f up ) and " milking " more bullsh*t to complicate what should be simple.

See this is the bigger problem
Duffy can't tackle
Because
He wasn't shown the right technique when he was a junior
And there lays the problem
All - And i say ALL Juniors are not trained in the art of Rugby League
And I blame
The Junior coaches Dudes think they know everything because they watched Rex and Ray when they were young.
I'm here to say the know Jack-SH*T
That is why the game is descending into a farse.
These Kids get up into the big time - Of course want buckets of cash but really I wouldn't pay them tea money. These are praised by want-to-be superstars - so they think they are superstars
Too many 'I' in the teams running around
But - this is the sad part.
Collected together they are all the same with the same skill set so somehow it looks and smells like Rugby League - But it isn't.
It's the game itself which has been affected. - INFECTED
Like the corona - it has spread and there is nothing anybody can do.

You both only covered a part of the problem and are not the reaching the core
I can only speak in terms of my current experience within the CRL / NSWRL at senior level and it is all down to funding and lack of volunteers to coach or help out at any club functions or duties.
Some clubs are thankful whoever is brave enough to put up their hand so you will get some lemons but someone has to do it.
To deal and appease parents these days to keep their kids in the game is a mammoth effort..a coach just does not get a chance to really coach properly with the "everyone has to be equal and a winner attitude" at some junior clubs.

The game does not have the same interest in some communities anymore and people and parents are spread thin with other sports or kids just want to "game" instead of sport.
And the amount of NRL driven admin / red tape and costs turns people away to be able to coach or just be on committees etc

The NRL channel too much money and focus on NRL. There is your big issue which has been causing a slow death of lower grades and a major problem right there.
No funding comes clubs way (little does for Juniors) from the NRL or CRL which is now is part of NSWRL
Clubs are doing it tough on the smell of an oily rag and it is hard to keep asking locals and community to put their hands in their pockets for sponsorship or buy raffle tickets every year as interests vary.
To get people to volunteer is hard enough and the kids these days (not all) but a lot of parents and players are reluctant to help as "too busy" or "too entitled"

It is not like that at every club but a lot.

Re the rules - Yes the wrestle in part has to be coached to mimic rules and NRL at (older junior) and senior levels but nowhere near the extent of the NRL as normal people are not that strong and fit and the NRL players practice that stuff as professionals.

We have coaches that go through the same drills and tackling techniques as we did back 20-40 yrs ago and some kids are just fine but some smaller kids dont adapt to the wrestle and some of their arm and pressure point pinning holds.
And there are kids playing the game that just are not suited... but we have to be all inclusive. Simple and fact.
But you are right on one point the Islander / Kiwi kids are naturally bigger than their Caucasian counterparts and that too turns parents away. But you can not have weight for age either..that too brings in other problems

But rule changes and sanitisation of the game at junior level has gone overboard and killing the game.
I think it is the QRL from this year will now have no tackling for any age group Under 12's or 13's
Wont be long for the NSWRL follow their lead

Now you know why there is limited skill and depth outside NRL and lack of genuine halves etc
Beggars belief and I sometimes ask..where is league heading and it is in part bleak just look at all the competitions dwindling, amalgamating or falling apart at the seams below NRL level
But we keep going!

 

[kit66]

You both only covered a part of the problem and are not the reaching the core
I can only speak in terms of my current experience within the CRL / NSWRL at senior level and it is all down to funding and lack of volunteers to coach or help out at any club functions or duties.
Some clubs are thankful whoever is brave enough to put up their hand so you will get some lemons but someone has to do it.
To deal and appease parents these days to keep their kids in the game is a mammoth effort..a coach just does not get a chance to really coach properly with the "everyone has to be equal and a winner attitude" at some junior clubs.

The game does not have the same interest in some communities anymore and people and parents are spread thin with other sports or kids just want to "game" instead of sport.
And the amount of NRL driven admin / red tape and costs turns people away to be able to coach or just be on committees etc

The NRL channel too much money and focus on NRL. There is your big issue which has been causing a slow death of lower grades and a major problem right there.
No funding comes clubs way (little does for Juniors) from the NRL or CRL which is now is part of NSWRL
Clubs are doing it tough on the smell of an oily rag and it is hard to keep asking locals and community to put their hands in their pockets for sponsorship or buy raffle tickets every year as interests vary.
To get people to volunteer is hard enough and the kids these days (not all) but a lot of parents and players are reluctant to help as "too busy" or "too entitled"

It is not like that at every club but a lot.

Re the rules - Yes the wrestle in part has to be coached to mimic rules and NRL at (older junior) and senior levels but nowhere near the extent of the NRL as normal people are not that strong and fit and the NRL players practice that stuff as professionals.

We have coaches that go through the same drills and tackling techniques as we did back 20-40 yrs ago and some kids are just fine but some smaller kids dont adapt to the wrestle and some of their arm and pressure point pinning holds.
And their a kids playing the game that just are not suited... but we have to be all inclusive.
But you are right on one point the Islander / Kiwi kids are naturally bigger than their Caucasian counterparts and that too turns parents away. But you can not have weight for age either..that too brings in problems

But rule changes and sanitisation of the game at junior level has gone overboard and killing the game.
I think it is the QRL from this year will now have no tackling for any age group Under 12's or 13's
Wont be long for the NSWRL follow their lead

Now you know why there is limited skill and depth outside NRL and lack of genuine halves etc
Beggars belief and I sometimes ask..where is league heading and it is in part bleak just look at all the competitions dwindling, amalgamating or falling apart at the seams below NRL level
But we keep going!

Thanks for that, nice to hear from someone " on the ground ". I've heard some of this before but not so detailed. I'd say liability and insurance issues also play a part these days. Where are all the high profile retired players like those on Nine and Fox, why aren't they stepping up and advocating for change and support for the grass roots ?

 

[BLM01]

Thanks for that, nice to hear from someone " on the ground ". I've heard some of this before but not so detailed. I'd say liability and insurance issues also play a part these days. Where are all the high profile retired players like those on Nine and Fox, why aren't they stepping up and advocating for change and support for the grass roots ?

Because like the journos and so called expert commentators..they are basking in the wealth of money paid (good luck to em) by either the NRL or their employers and enjoy the spoils going along for the ride hanging of their coat tails.
Dilute the money thrown at the NRL from TV then the NRL spending machine then lot of these guys and gals dont have a job (and it will never happen)
Dont spoil their party!.

 

[BLM01]

Thanks for that, nice to hear from someone " on the ground ". I've heard some of this before but not so detailed. I'd say liability and insurance issues also play a part these days. Where are all the high profile retired players like those on Nine and Fox, why aren't they stepping up and advocating for change and support for the grass roots ?

Dont forget OH & S, Government red tape for licensing, player, staff and parent mental health considerations and welfare, now Covid, social media and exposure to anything and anyone to turn on you.

 

[kit66]

Dont forget OH & S, Government red tape, mental health considerations, now Covid, social media and exposure to anything and anyone for so little.

I work in the building industry and the amount of bullsh*t I have to go through just to get my workers and equipment onto each work site is horrendous so I know what you mean. I can imagine the role social media plays these days in kids sport, I'm getting the shivers just thinking about it, I remember what people were like on the sidelines at the games, social media would be a free for all.

 

[redv13]

You both only covered a part of the problem and are not the reaching the core
I can only speak in terms of my current experience within the CRL / NSWRL at senior level and it is all down to funding and lack of volunteers to coach or help out at any club functions or duties.
Some clubs are thankful whoever is brave enough to put up their hand so you will get some lemons but someone has to do it.
To deal and appease parents these days to keep their kids in the game is a mammoth effort..a coach just does not get a chance to really coach properly with the "everyone has to be equal and a winner attitude" at some junior clubs.

The game does not have the same interest in some communities anymore and people and parents are spread thin with other sports or kids just want to "game" instead of sport.
And the amount of NRL driven admin / red tape and costs turns people away to be able to coach or just be on committees etc

The NRL channel too much money and focus on NRL. There is your big issue which has been causing a slow death of lower grades and a major problem right there.
No funding comes clubs way (little does for Juniors) from the NRL or CRL which is now is part of NSWRL
Clubs are doing it tough on the smell of an oily rag and it is hard to keep asking locals and community to put their hands in their pockets for sponsorship or buy raffle tickets every year as interests vary.
To get people to volunteer is hard enough and the kids these days (not all) but a lot of parents and players are reluctant to help as "too busy" or "too entitled"

It is not like that at every club but a lot.

Re the rules - Yes the wrestle in part has to be coached to mimic rules and NRL at (older junior) and senior levels but nowhere near the extent of the NRL as normal people are not that strong and fit and the NRL players practice that stuff as professionals.

We have coaches that go through the same drills and tackling techniques as we did back 20-40 yrs ago and some kids are just fine but some smaller kids dont adapt to the wrestle and some of their arm and pressure point pinning holds.
And there are kids playing the game that just are not suited... but we have to be all inclusive. Simple and fact.
But you are right on one point the Islander / Kiwi kids are naturally bigger than their Caucasian counterparts and that too turns parents away. But you can not have weight for age either..that too brings in other problems

But rule changes and sanitisation of the game at junior level has gone overboard and killing the game.
I think it is the QRL from this year will now have no tackling for any age group Under 12's or 13's
Wont be long for the NSWRL follow their lead

Now you know why there is limited skill and depth outside NRL and lack of genuine halves etc
Beggars belief and I sometimes ask..where is league heading and it is in part bleak just look at all the competitions dwindling, amalgamating or falling apart at the seams below NRL level
But we keep going!

Spot on. Junior league clubs everywhere are struggling and if you can’t manage it within your club is constantly on the brink. Zero financial help!!! Throw in the bullshit red tape and hardcore parents of the kids and you have yourself one big cluster f**k

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

There are some large posts today on this thread.
It’s like proof reading my daughters English essays.