Mciness to Lock?

[Walpole]

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.

Absolutely. The Cook of today is unrecognisable from the player we let go. Good coaching and his own personal and physical development has turned him into one of the best players in the NRL. I doubt there were too many people saying "we just let the future Australian hooker go" when he signed with the dogs.

 

[Old Timer]

Now if Hutchison has gone to the Roosters as reported we may actually find out something about a player we didn't bother to much with due to having Benji.
I always thought Drew would be good behind a dominant pack and if he does exactly, then again it won't be about a good player we let go but morseo about a player we didn't bother to find out about which has been our problem as well as coaching and recruitment.

 

[Old Timer]

Absolutely. The Cook of today is unrecognisable from the player we let go. Good coaching and his own personal and physical development has turned him into one of the best players in the NRL. I doubt there were too many people saying "we just let the future Australian hooker go" when he signed with the dogs.

Exactly correct but plenty talked up King, Rein and Garvey.

 

[True_Believer]

Now if Hutchison has gone to the Roosters as reported we may actually find out something about a player we didn't bother to much with due to having Benji.
I always thought Drew would be good behind a dominant pack and if he does exactly, then again it won't be about a good player we let go but morseo about a player we didn't bother to find out about which has been our problem as well as coaching and recruitment.

It is my belief that Drew was inline to partner Widdop the year his knee gave in (2017). Once that happened we went to the market to look for a replacement and found Hunt. If his knee hadn't given in, I think he would have spent all of 2017, 18 and onwards as our half.

Given the injury and the timing of the injury, we couldn't wait a couple of years for him to come back to his best - we needed to look elsewhere for a quality replacement.

He was just a victim of circumstance.

 

[Old Timer]

It is my belief that Drew was inline to partner Widdop the year his knee gave in (2017). Once that happened we went to the market to look for a replacement and found Hunt. If his knee hadn't given in, I think he would have spent all of 2017, 18 and onwards as our half.

Given the injury and the timing of the injury, we couldn't wait a couple of years for him to come back to his best - we needed to look elsewhere for a quality replacement.

He was just a victim of circumstance.

I understand your sentiment but we have given plenty of life lines to injured players Masoe, both Stanley's even Lafai was on 1 leg when he came so I thought Drew was well worth 1 more year but anyway I for 1 hope he kills it in the top grade.

 

[True_Believer]

I understand your sentiment but we have given plenty of life lines to injured players Masoe, both Stanley's even Lafai was on 1 leg when he came so I thought Drew was well worth 1 more year but anyway I for 1 hope he kills it in the top grade.

Lafai was able to play though and Drew's position was a lot more vital than Masoe. Added to that we didn't really have any viable alternatives in halves. So we had to make do with McCrone until we could secure a better player.

Stanley is a prime example of holding on to a promising junior and trying to nurse through injury. Stanley may have been the catalyst for the Hutchison decision - once bitten and all that. You really can't have it both ways. Take a risk like we did with Stanley, or cut your losses like we did with Drew.

 

[denis preston]

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

With due respect Jimmy , utter Bullshit. If we had a crystal ball and could predict how players would develop in 2 to 3 years time we would be unbeatable.These things happen.You don't think Lomax, Lulia, Host, Dufty,Robson,Masters,Sailor & Laurie's contracts being upgraded in the past qualifies as retaining talent ?