Mciness to Lock?

[Forster Dragon]

McInnes is right up there with the best no worries about that.He will only get better

 

[TruSaint]

All for Robson to get some time in firsts, and put some runs on the board. Seems many here rate him highly.

Just glad that Cam will be our starting hooker, and whether or not he is NSW's best, at the minute he is our best and deserves his spot.

I am a big fan of McInnes.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I guess that puts to bed the Hunt to hooker brigade.

Very obvious that McGregor will play McInnes at starting hooker. The most pleasing aspect was the comment about Robson being apart of the side and if our supercoach has learnt any thing during last year and during the off-season is that the workload attributed to McInnes cannot be sustained throughout the season and a backup plan is required.

Players training in different positions is nothing new and adds to a contingency plan that may occur during a game or during a season. The issue remains the JDB incident and scenario, so I guess plans have to be drafted for a worse case scenario.

 

[possm]

McInnes is right up there with the best no worries about that.He will only get better

Yes he will perform even better when given a rest when Robson comes on the field. Our pack of forwards rely very heavily on his excellent defensive work and his accurate passes from dummy half however, I personally do not believe he is a leader or suitable for the captain or vice captain's job.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Not sure he is the best in the state but he has proven he is a very good hooker.
Your 56 laughing emojis makes me think that you somehow disagree with Mcgregor's comments and perhaps even think he is one of the weakest hookers in NSW?

Something like that.

Look, I don’t believe McInness is awful but he’s terribly overhyped in some quarters. Personally, I find him uninspiring and dour in a Ben Ellis kind of way,

Given the vitriol towards his predecessor, I don’t feel Cameron is the upgrade the team needs him to be.

Put it this way, if Saints had Cook in its side against Souths in that elimination semi last year, the Dragons would’ve played Melbourne, not the Chooks.

 

[possm]

Something like that.

Look, I don’t believe McInness is awful but he’s terribly overhyped in some quarters. Personally, I find him uninspiring and dour in a Ben Ellis kind of way,

Given the vitriol towards his predecessor, I don’t feel Cameron is the upgrade the team needs him to be.

Put it this way, if Saints had Cook in its side against Souths in that elimination semi last year, the Dragons would’ve played Melbourne, not the Chooks.

Saints had Cook but let him go to the Dogs and did not pick him up when the Dogs dumped him. What a shame and then picked up McInnes when it was a toss up between Cook and McInnes at Souths.

 

[BLM01]

I guess that puts to bed the Hunt to hooker brigade.

Very obvious that McGregor will play McInnes at starting hooker. The most pleasing aspect was the comment about Robson being apart of the side and if our supercoach has learnt any thing during last year and during the off-season is that the workload attributed to McInnes cannot be sustained throughout the season and a backup plan is required.

Players training in different positions is nothing new and adds to a contingency plan that may occur during a game or during a season. The issue remains the JDB incident and scenario, so I guess plans have to be drafted for a worse case scenario.

You know DS...It was clear to all and said even by the Drgaons regarding Cam's workload in 2017 and how he made so many tackles and was exhausted by seasons end, explaining that fade out. .
Why did McGrexit not change that for 2018?..has me still baffled.
And this McGregor innovation in 2019 players training in different positions. You are correct..itt is BS and nothing new..they have been doing that each year but McGregor wont take risks or make game plans to allow someone to step into a different role being the problem..except JDB to half.
McGregor strategy is this..we win Round 1 with his perceived best side..there is no reason they cant reproduce that every week..(even if out of form)..so why change, just keep trying..it will come back to us even when we start going downhill.

 

[BLM01]

Something like that.

Look, I don’t believe McInness is awful but he’s terribly overhyped in some quarters. Personally, I find him uninspiring and dour in a Ben Ellis kind of way,

Given the vitriol towards his predecessor, I don’t feel Cameron is the upgrade the team needs him to be.

Put it this way, if Saints had Cook in its side against Souths in that elimination semi last year, the Dragons would’ve played Melbourne, not the Chooks.

JJG, how? when we would not of got past the Roosters, especially with more injured forwards. Cook playing for Souths could not get them over the line.
McInnes is more inspiring than Rein and has chains put on him by the coach..but YEH he is no Cook, but Cook does not make as many tackles and spends some time at 1st receiver in a game.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

JJG, how? when we would not of got past the Roosters, especially with more injured forwards. Cook playing for Souths could not get them over the line.
McInnes is more inspiring than Rein and has chains put on him by the coach..but YEH he is no Cook, but Cook does not make as many tackles and spends some time at 1st receiver in a game.

Answer: Saints would’ve played the Chooks.

When was the last time it was victorious against the Dragons in either a grand or semi final? 1975? Even with a host of players out, I firmly believe the current paradigm would’ve continued.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Saints had Cook but let him go to the Dogs and did not pick him up when the Dogs dumped him. What a shame and then picked up McInnes when it was a toss up between Cook and McInnes at Souths.

It illustrates just how deeply shithouse the Dragons are at either identifying and/or retaining talent.

 

[Old Timer]

Saints had Cook but let him go to the Dogs and did not pick him up when the Dogs dumped him. What a shame and then picked up McInnes when it was a toss up between Cook and McInnes at Souths.

Time for a reality check
The Cook that we let go and then subsequently left the Dogs was no where near the player that Cook has developed into.
Cook has been developed by astute coaching and has benefited from a seriously good pack with some very quick legs in the backline.
He didn't show that form consistently when he was with us so therefore the argument is somewhat flawed.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Time for a reality check
The Cook that we let go and then subsequently left the Dogs was no where near the player that Cook has developed into.
Cook has been developed by astute coaching and has benefited from a seriously good pack with some very quick legs in the backline.
He didn't show that form consistently when he was with us so therefore the argument is somewhat flawed.

Another factor to be considered is that while at the Dragons, the coaching staff of the day couldn’t identify Cook’s best position. From memory, he played a myriad of spots, and it wasn’t until Canterbury got a hold of him that his undoubted talent was allowed to shine.

 

[dangerousdave]

Another factor to be considered is that while at the Dragons, the coaching staff of the day couldn’t identify Cook’s best position. From memory, he played a myriad of spots, and it wasn’t until Canterbury got a hold of him that his undoubted talent was allowed to shine.

What age groups are we talking?
I don't remember him being touted as anything but a #9.
Did he experiment with other roles because we had King, Rein, Garvey developing simultaneously?

 

[Dragonslayer]

Time for a reality check
The Cook that we let go and then subsequently left the Dogs was no where near the player that Cook has developed into.
Cook has been developed by astute coaching and has benefited from a seriously good pack with some very quick legs in the backline.
He didn't show that form consistently when he was with us so therefore the argument is somewhat flawed.

Spot on OT
Cook was always a fringe hooker at both the Dragons and the Dogs. What a difference a real coach makes!
Players come and are let go every year, one prime example was Jonathan Thurston, who was let go to the Cowboys in favour of Rod Silva.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing,!

 

[BLM01]

Spot on OT
Cook was always a fringe hooker at both the Dragons and the Dogs. What a difference a real coach makes!
Players come and are let go every year, one prime example was Jonathan Thurston, who was let go to the Cowboys in favour of Rod Silva.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing,!

I think you will find they wanted Brent Sherwin extended and signed him on a long term big contract (5 years) which went bad. In those days Thurston was going to be a 7. There was no room for Johnno supposedly.

 

[BLM01]

Another factor to be considered is that while at the Dragons, the coaching staff of the day couldn’t identify Cook’s best position. From memory, he played a myriad of spots, and it wasn’t until Canterbury got a hold of him that his undoubted talent was allowed to shine.

I dont think you can pat Des on the back either. He was unwanted by the Dogs and could not get a start as hooker there either. It was Souths and Siebold that changed his game in 2018. He was at Souths under Maguire and still no one really talked about him untill 2018 after Maguire left.

 

[George Dragon]

Another factor to be considered is that while at the Dragons, the coaching staff of the day couldn’t identify Cook’s best position. From memory, he played a myriad of spots, and it wasn’t until Canterbury got a hold of him that his undoubted talent was allowed to shine.

Cook played 7 games in two year for dogs, hardly shining.
Even at South's he was used on the bench for a year.
He really only came good as 26 yo.

 

[George Dragon]

I dont think you can pat Des on the back either. He was unwanted by the Dogs and could not get a start as hooker there either. It was Souths and Siebold that changed his game in 2018. He was at Souths under Maguire and still no one really talked about him untill 2018 after Maguire left.

Beat me to it.

 

[grouch]

What age groups are we talking?
I don't remember him being touted as anything but a #9.
Did he experiment with other roles because we had King, Rein, Garvey developing simultaneously?

Pretty much. He played a lot of fullback at NSW Cup level, for example. However, he was always considered a 9, and that is the role he had in his first grade appearances.

Our club had invested heavily in Rein. Many predicted this would be a mistake

 

[blacksafake]

Time for a reality check
The Cook that we let go and then subsequently left the Dogs was no where near the player that Cook has developed into.
Cook has been developed by astute coaching and has benefited from a seriously good pack with some very quick legs in the backline.
He didn't show that form consistently when he was with us so therefore the argument is somewhat flawed.

You're right OT.
Plus the fact that on most occasions the souths players would walk off the mark & give him the quick play the ball that he needs for his speed.