Matt Dufty

[Inisai Toga]

R

Re Dufty. I too was a big fan as I know his father Glenn since high school and wanted people to give him time as also saw the speed and try scoring ability
However you can only judge a so-called elite player on the back of what the market does and he has been marketed for quite a few years but no one in the NRL has bothered to snap him up
Plenty of iinsiders close to the club have indicated to me for a couple of years a slight attitude and ego has been a problem despite Hook politely saying nothing there and watering it all down
I too thought that is Ok he will grow up , give him time
He is 25 and should be on near elite $$$ for a spine position but isn’t
I honestly think it’s his reluctance to take the collision in attack and defence and be switched on for the full 80 minutes to be where he needs to be has been exposed by many

Some say he can play 6
maybe he can but defending in the front line again would be an issue for him regardless of protection around him + no kicking game

We’ve got the media trying to sell him on the market by nominating the clubs that should look at him
Let’s see what pans out but I’m gonna trust the club on this one
We need toughness and culture back in our club on the field across the board because we certainly lost that in spades since Bennett left
hook has realised this and I’ve already seen a movement back towards that direction in Hooks player selections and recruits
It is just unfortunate Matt doesn’t fit that mould and he wouldn’t at really any NRL clubs
Like you... I am disappointed And hopes he would Realise the potential and turn into that Pap teddy or turbo like fullback
I can only wish him too well going forward

Last but not least no one on this forum more than me wants Norman gone because of his salary and lack of spark and creativity in attack at times but unfortunately Hook needs him there because of;
kicking game
he can defend when his minds on
no one else ATM in the club at the moment can organise the troops in attack like he’s does until a young one is ready to step up and take on that role

It is unfortunate Ben Hunt’s and Clunes voices are not the answer nor that type of player

My rant over

It’s not a rant it’s a good line of argument, i’d prefer to read this than the hate level rubbish just because a player isn’t meeting their individual expectations.

 

[Dragon David]

I've been a fan of Dufty from the get go mainly because of his attacking skills and that he is a St George junior. We have seen him win us some games and lose us some as well.

To me he has never been coached to be that all encompassing overall attacking/defending type of fullback. He likes plenty of room to make his move and accelerate to beat the opposition to the try line and as a attacking weapon in a team of no real attackers, we have needed him in the team on game days. Now that he is injured, our attack is extremely limited.

Dufty does go missing in defence and catching the high balls when the opposition is charging down on him is heart attack material as to whether or not he will catch the ball or drop it and get rag dolled.

In saying this, I know that he isn't the full, fullback player that Hook is after or wants Dufty to be. Hook has had him for nearly 10 rounds until he got injured. I would have imagined that Hook has given Dufty instructions and training sessions to practise everything that Hook deems an above average fullback to be able to do. If he has and Dufty has not been able to achieve this, then this is where it all sits.

I do not want to see Dufty out of our system. He would be a great back up and if given the chance like Lockyer was given at the Broncos by Bennett when he was a fullback and he was moved to 5/8th, it enabled Lockyer to help the spine shine. I know that Dufty is seeking more money through his manager and would prefer to be a fullback, but he at this stage is not in much demand as other coaches see his weaknesses as well no doubt.

All I can say is that if Dufty isn't the flavour for the next few years with Griffin, then I hope Griffin knows what he is doing and puts in a player at fullback that has all of the "Hook" ingredients with speed to burn, great ball and all defensive tackles and able to catch bombs and race away to score tries under the post in every game we play.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

R

Re Dufty. I too was a big fan as I know his father Glenn since high school and wanted people to give him time as also saw the speed and try scoring ability
However you can only judge a so-called elite player on the back of what the market does and he has been marketed for quite a few years but no one in the NRL has bothered to snap him up
Plenty of iinsiders close to the club have indicated to me for a couple of years a slight attitude and ego has been a problem despite Hook politely saying nothing there and watering it all down
I too thought that is Ok he will grow up , give him time
He is 25 and should be on near elite $$$ for a spine position but isn’t
I honestly think it’s his reluctance to take the collision in attack and defence and be switched on for the full 80 minutes to be where he needs to be has been exposed by many

My rant over

OK, good arguments. Even the ones about Corey Norman.

On the other hand an awful lot of our tries this year have come from Dufty running or Dufty backing up or Dufty passing. He is our equal top try scorer (with Rav), he is second for line breaks (after Rav) and second for try assists (after Ben Hunt). Take Dufty out and we are back to playing stodgy one out MacGregor-ball. He is the only player we have who can make something out of nothing and they want to get rid of him? I don't get it.

 

[Illusion]

OK, good arguments. Even the ones about Corey Norman.

On the other hand an awful lot of our tries this year have come from Dufty running or Dufty backing up or Dufty passing. He is our equal top try scorer (with Rav), he is second for line breaks (after Rav) and second for try assists (after Ben Hunt). Take Dufty out and we are back to playing stodgy one out MacGregor-ball. He is the only player we have who can make something out of nothing and they want to get rid of him? I don't get it.

Either do I , and if Norman get resigned and Duff gets shafted that will just about do it for me ..... Player with X factor written all over him and we don't know what to do with him ..... Hook a few weeks ago seemed pissed that Duff had set up the tries and wasn't following instructions , like its Normans and Hunts job to do that ..... Problem is they don't ....

 

[Ghostrider22]

Either do I , and if Norman get resigned and Duff gets shafted that will just about do it for me ..... Player with X factor written all over him and we don't know what to do with him ..... Hook a few weeks ago seemed pissed that Duff had set up the tries and wasn't following instructions , like its Normans and Hunts job to do that ..... Problem is they don't ....

Illusion and everyone that’s written about Duff, he is at the moment the best weapon the Dragons have in attack. To all once Duff is gone where is the Speed going to come from not one of the first graders at the moment has blistering Speed. We are so slow it’s pathetic, we need Speed.

 

[Dragon David]

We have got to have someone at least in the team that has speed. There are a few fullbacks in other teams with slower speed than Dufty, however, this is countered by their wingers or halves who have such speed. I'd say Dufty is faster than Tedesco but Tedesco has a winger like Brett Morris who is fast. Manly have Turbo who is reasonably fast but they have Saab who is a flyer as well.

Not only does a team need a couple of speedy players, they need the players overall to do things with speed in both attack and defence - its as simple as that and you would win more games and even not lose any - just like Penrith are doing now. Speed, speed, speed.

 

[Rob Dragon 1]

My take on the matter is as follows:
i. Dufty is in his mid 20's and the deficiencies in his game have not been solved; and probably won't be now. He is a casualty of the appalling coaching regime the players endured during the McGregor era. I really like watching Dufty attack, he's a gem with ball in hand but it is heart in the mouth stuff when he is defending.
ii. I feel that the coaching staff are looking at a complete overhaul of the attacking structures from 2022 onwards. We are terribly reliant at the minute on Dufty and have had to play him given the lack of creativity coming from the #6 and #7. I feel the coaching staff are making room to ensure the talented kids such as Sullivan, Amone, Ramsay and Sloan have their hands on the ball in a creative sense moving forward. Hunt does not have to be a creative #7 if he continues to run the ball in and around the ruck with these kids controlling things.
iii. My theory however will be blown out of the water if Norman is resigned AND my theory is dependent on the pack getting good go forward off the back of quick play the balls. With this in mind it is of no use continuing with Kerr, Ellis, Alvaro etc. They just cannot obtain gain line advantage for us and Ellis and Kerr have feet for hands. We need probably 2 young, mobile and massive kids to play on the edges to ensure success moving forward.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I think we all need to weigh up the total package that is Matt Dufty.

We cant be focused on just his speed or his defense. It has to be a total look at the player himself.

I see a lot of comments about who will score tries when he's gone. No mention of the possible replacements having speed, elusiveness or even their pasing game. We've only seen Ramsey in a 40 min stint, we have yet to see any others like Sloan.
Who's to say they won't be better than Duff?

There's also the possibility that Duff isn't suited to or fitting into the game plan moving forward.

One thi g us for sure we will no longer have "Duff the nagic Dragon"

 

[BLM01]

OK, good arguments. Even the ones about Corey Norman.

On the other hand an awful lot of our tries this year have come from Dufty running or Dufty backing up or Dufty passing. He is our equal top try scorer (with Rav), he is second for line breaks (after Rav) and second for try assists (after Ben Hunt). Take Dufty out and we are back to playing stodgy one out MacGregor-ball. He is the only player we have who can make something out of nothing and they want to get rid of him? I don't get it.

The answer is we have someone in mind or there’s someone about to step up that can fill that same void

 

[blacksafake]

Let me start by saying I’m a fan.
As a lot on here have pointed out until this year he’s spent his entire nrl career under sub standard coaching. Just maybe Hook has really tried to “coach” him but because he’s set in his ways he can’t be changed to Hooks way?
I really think the lack of entering into the collision, such as contesting the high ball, bringing the ball back etc is one of the reasons he’s on the outer.

 

[BLM01]

The answer is we have someone in mind or there’s someone about to step up that can fill that void

 

[Coffs dragon]

I’m a fan of Matt Dufty & will be sad to see him depart. Sure he has some deficiencies, but he’s an excitement machine for the Dragons and has been my favourite player for the last few lean years of dribble attack.
Can you imagine how good he would be in a team like the Storm or Panthers, backing up with his acceleration & pace.
I feel sorry for the young man, being previously coached by the Peanut McJetski. How can you fly like an Eagle when your surrounded with Turkeys.
I’d still rather have a small half arsed fullback with blinding speed, than a big lazy full arsed 5/8 with no heart to run in a forward direction.

 

[Illusion]

I’m a fan of Matt Dufty & will be sad to see him depart. Sure he has some deficiencies, but he’s an excitement machine for the Dragons and has been my favourite player for the last few lean years of dribble attack.
Can you imagine how good he would be in a team like the Storm or Panthers, backing up with his acceleration & pace.
I feel sorry for the young man, being previously coached by the Peanut McJetski. How can you fly like an Eagle when your surrounded with Turkeys.
I’d still rather have a small half arsed fullback with blinding speed, than a big lazy full arsed 5/8 with no heart to run in a forward direction.

X2...... just off this , had to laugh on the internet McGregor stating that the JD case cost him his job .....

 

[Coffs dragon]

X2...... just off this , had to laugh on the internet McGregor stating that the JD case cost him his job .....

Illusion LOL.....McGregor is the master of deflection. No player caused him the sack, it was his poor coaching record and his ability to lay blame elsewhere.

 

[Illusion]

Illusion LOL.....McGregor is the master of deflection. No player caused him the sack, it was his poor coaching record and his ability to lay blame elsewhere.

Yep its all an Illusion......

 

[Mr Angry]

Can we please go back to 5 minutes off the bench.

Worked for all other clubs, bring it back, this playing him for 80 minutes is not good for the rest of us.

Dufty to the bench I say!

 

[Gareth67]

Undoubtedly our best attacking weapon ! And those sublime cut-out passes that have led to many many great tries , especially to the rampaging Ravalawa . However as our last line of defense , well let’s just say it’s nail biting stuff .

Unfortunately , as others have said , he has given the opposition a number of tries and that is one aspect of a fullbacks game that no team can afford , regardless of how good an attacking player he may be .

I thought that he could at least had been used as a bench player , to come on when the opposition were tiring throughout the match - his speed could had been used to its best advantage then . Or , once again as many others on the forum have been suggesting for sometime now , move him to 5/8th , at least his deficiencies in defense would not be as great as in the fullback position .

Personally I feel that the Dragons would had gotten more benefit by having the Duff in the team , than Corey Norman .

 

[Dragsters]

If they are dead set on moving Dufty in then they need to punt Norman and a few other "fringers" (did i just make that up) and offer Hynes and The Cheese a package deal for the next 3 seasons (they were dynamite in combination last night) while bridging some of the juniors into the 30 to make it work cap-wise...

 

[Rob Dragon 1]

Illusion LOL.....McGregor is the master of deflection. No player caused him the sack, it was his poor coaching record and his ability to lay blame elsewhere.

Agree Coffs. I know you have been frustrated these last few years with the Peanut on board. He clearly has not gotten over being sacked and the the Peanut actually thinks he can coach. Who's great idea was it to entrust the NSW U/18's to him? My mates who support other teams were sympathetic to him last year when he was sacked and my response was "well the good news fella's is he is now free to coach in some capacity at your club". At that point they all turned green and bolted for the hills.

 

[redVinme]

We don't see why hook sees at training. For all we know Sloan is ripping us apart in opposed sessions and he thinks he can get him to at least duffs level by next year with a higher ceiling. Same for Ramsey or even Schiller. I back hook to know how to work with what we have. If he thought we needed to go to market I think we would.