Moses Mbye

[Trifili13]

While I agree with what has been written by forum members about our signings, Griffin IMO has been greatly hamstrung by the mediocrity that preceded him which has made it extremely difficult to attract top notch players without paying overs, and even that does not secure them. By paying overs, unless you are then able to attract others at unders or bring juniors through, your salary cap is stuffed.

 

[getsmarty]

While I agree with what has been written by forum members about our signings, Griffin IMO has been greatly hamstrung by the mediocrity that preceded him which has made it extremely difficult to attract top notch players without paying overs, and even that does not secure them. By paying overs, unless you are then able to attract others at unders or bring juniors through, your salary cap is stuffed.

and yet we are not paying overs under griffin...Fact

 

[BLM01]

Not close enough to the pathways to comment, but this is just inexcusable on so many levels. Hope Griffin can repair this moving forward and be judged fairly in both rebuilding this area of the club AND the First Grade team’s results.

Correct and it takes time

 

[Dragonslayer]

May I add also, the deal isn't done yet. Hook has shown previously if it isn't done under his numbers then it won't be done at all. Same thing happened with Offahengue.

 

[Puff]

Becoming a joke? We’ve been a joke ever since Bennett left. How any team would want to sign Beale and Mbye is beyond me

100%. And we were a joke before he arrived. 3 years out of the last 30. 27 years of being a joke.

Put us in the 27 club with Cobain, Joplin and Tripitaka. Because you could stick a fork in us.

 

[Dragon David]

Will we ever be able to emulate a team like this again:-

1. Darius Boyd​	FB​	​
2. Brett Morris​	WG​	​
3. Mark Gasnier​	CE​	​
4. Matt Cooper ​	CE​	​
5. Jason Nightingale​	WG​	​
6. Jamie Soward​	5/8th​	​
7. Ben Hornby (c)​	HB​	​
8. Neville Costigan​	PR​	​
9. Dean Young​	HK​	​
10. Michael Weyman​	PR​	​
11. Beau Scott​	SR​	​
12. Ben Creagh​	SR​	​
13. Jeremy Smith​	LF​	​
14. Nathan Fien​	Int.​	​
15. Trent Merrin​	Int.​	​
16. Matt Prior​	Int.​	​
17. Jarrod Saffy​	Int.​	​

 

[Puff]

Will we ever be able to emulate a team like this again:-

​

1. Darius Boyd​	FB​	​
2. Brett Morris​	WG​	​
3. Mark Gasnier​	CE​	​
4. Matt Cooper​	CE​	​
5. Jason Nightingale​	WG​	​
6. Jamie Soward​	5/8th​	​
7. Ben Hornby (c)​	HB​	​
8. Neville Costigan​	PR​	​
9. Dean Young​	HK​	​
10. Michael Weyman​	PR​	​
11. Beau Scott​	SR​	​
12. Ben Creagh​	SR​	​
13. Jeremy Smith​	LF​	​
14. Nathan Fien​	Int.​	​
15. Trent Merrin​	Int.​	​
16. Matt Prior​	Int.​	​
17. Jarrod Saffy​	Int.​	​

The thing about this team, is that Bennett made the most unlikely player in that line up one of our most important.

And you may all laugh at me, but Jarrod Saffy was a huge player. And that's the thing about Bennett, he could assemble a squad from top to bottom, and make sure there was no weakness. In ours we seem to plug holes with whatever we can get. Bennett doesn't seem to plug holes.

 

[BBTB]

That might balance some of the averageness with Griffins list - but McGregor also targeted, and secured, quality players. We are not going even close to that.

Griffin indeed should have plenty of money to spend on recruitment with Norman Vaughan and Dufty gone (and I agree with all these players going).... but what on earth it is being spent on.... ??!?!?

Money spent on Buckets of beige.... that's all I see.

Both McGregor and Griffin came into coaching the Dragons when we were going dire. McGregor got the likes of Hunt, Graham, McInnes, Vaughan, Sims, Benji Marshall, even Nene McDonald... Granted Benji came back from Rugby and didn't hit the heights we wanted but still - experienced, quality players along with the average ones or "gap fillers" like your list. We legitimately made the semis in seasons after - including being 30 seconds away from making a prelim final without Gareth Widdop (if only Leeson could have held the frigging ball). Yep it all fell away from 2019, Widdop/De Belin and all sorts of misery thereafter...

Griffin is buying buckets of average. Actually, that's possibly not fair from me. OUR CLUB is buying buckets of average. "But we were in the 8" I've heard people say all season........ what a load of shite. The comp is shite,

To me the issue isn't all Anthony Griffin, nor was it all Paul McGregor. The common denominator with the last 3 seasons isn't either of these guys.

It's our board. it's our recruitment manager. It's players like Norman, Vaughan, and Dufty. Ie - there's too much self-interest at this club. And it stinks. So much that it's most likely putting off decent players joining us - instead we're getting the might-be's and has-beens...

Maybe Griffin is trying to get some big names.... but they have knocked us back. Like Welch, Hynes, Finucane etc etc... And on the flipside - since Griffin has taken over we've lost McInnes, Frizell, Saab.

Personally - I'd not have signed any of "griffins" signings..... rather spent that money all out on Brandon Smith and Christian Welch/Dale Finucane. Quality players who's won multiple comps and bring the DNA of a successful environment to our club. Build / develop the juniors around these guys.

I may be mistaken - but isnt one of the messages from Griffin when he signed was "development of juniors".... ??

Give em a run.

Frizz was gone.
Saab wanted to leave.
McInnes was heart broken, because Mary, was sacked.. And left.
Can't blame Hook 4 that.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Frizz was gone.
Saab wanted to leave.
McInnes was heart broken, because Mary, was sacked.. And left.
Can't blame Hook 4 that.

Yes mate. Probably should have worded that bit better in my post.

 

[BBTB]

The thing about this team, is that Bennett made the most unlikely player in that line up one of our most important.

And you may all laugh at me, but Jarrod Saffy was a huge player. And that's the thing about Bennett, he could assemble a squad from top to bottom, and make sure there was no weakness. In ours we seem to plug holes with whatever we can get. Bennett doesn't seem to plug holes.

Bennett strengthened our pack.... J Smith, N Costigan, Weyman, bought in the hard men.
He knows forwards win games, backs just score tries.

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

Will we ever be able to emulate a team like this again:-

​

1. Darius Boyd​	FB​	​
2. Brett Morris​	WG​	​
3. Mark Gasnier​	CE​	​
4. Matt Cooper​	CE​	​
5. Jason Nightingale​	WG​	​
6. Jamie Soward​	5/8th​	​
7. Ben Hornby (c)​	HB​	​
8. Neville Costigan​	PR​	​
9. Dean Young​	HK​	​
10. Michael Weyman​	PR​	​
11. Beau Scott​	SR​	​
12. Ben Creagh​	SR​	​
13. Jeremy Smith​	LF​	​
14. Nathan Fien​	Int.​	​
15. Trent Merrin​	Int.​	​
16. Matt Prior​	Int.​	​
17. Jarrod Saffy​	Int.​	​

A lot of average NRL players in that team that were escalated in reputation by a good system.

 

[Dragon David]

The thing about this team, is that Bennett made the most unlikely player in that line up one of our most important.

And you may all laugh at me, but Jarrod Saffy was a huge player. And that's the thing about Bennett, he could assemble a squad from top to bottom, and make sure there was no weakness. In ours we seem to plug holes with whatever we can get. Bennett doesn't seem to plug holes.

To me, Bennett already had the bulk of the players when he joined us which he knew were standouts. He supplemented the squad to enhance it even more with the likes of Weyman, Smith, Saffy, Costigan and Darius Boyd. He didn't need many more, tyhe nucleus was already there and he just tweaked it a bit more.

Aah, just to have a team like that now and them being able to play under the new rules - maybe a question mark and no Bennett?

 

[FlameThrower]

@Bring back John Fifita

We can expand this to a dragons example if you would like? Who were the top level recruits during the Bennett years?

Was it Boyd/Costigan who had played a couple of games for QLD in the same fashion as Molo/Su'a ie just over the last year or so?

Was it Weyman who had played 45 games for Canberra and no rep footy?

Or was it Jeremy Smith who had played a few games for NZ at the time he signed (less than how many games George Burgess has played for England might I add)?

Not that dissimilar to the calibre of player Hook is signing.

Good coaches sign players with potential and get them to fulfil their potential which I remain confident Hook can do with our signings/juniors.

Lord knows we need a Costigan/ Weyman / Smith type of players in our squad - tough, uncompromising and focused. We are so way off the mark it’s not funny ...

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

The thing about this team, is that Bennett made the most unlikely player in that line up one of our most important.

And you may all laugh at me, but Jarrod Saffy was a huge player. And that's the thing about Bennett, he could assemble a squad from top to bottom, and make sure there was no weakness. In ours we seem to plug holes with whatever we can get. Bennett doesn't seem to plug holes.

Saffy was indeed huge that year. Another name that sticks out to me, not on that list is Luke Priddis - who filled in for Nathan Fien for most of the season. Bennett had plenty of guys you'd called "gap fillers", middle of the road, or beyond their prime - that by their name alone many wouldn't rate - but they complimented the "big guns" and the needs of the squad brilliantly.

Eg guys like Jon Green, Dan Hunt, Nick Emmett, Ricky Thorby..... not exactly world beaters but they were cheap, got the job done when needed to cover anything required.

He had the mix perfect IMO

 

[BBTB]

To me, Bennett already had the bulk of the players when he joined us which he knew were standouts. He supplemented the squad to enhance it even more with the likes of Weyman, Smith, Saffy, Costigan and Darius Boyd. He didn't need many more, tyhe nucleus was already there and he just tweaked it a bit more.

Aah, just to have a team like that now and them being able to play under the new rules - maybe a question mark and no Bennett?

Yes,( Bennett) he has an eye, and knows what is needed to win a premiership. I think Hook also knows. It's about
getting the" board" onside. They have to loosen the purse strings... Come on "Gordon's".Why are you even here,at or Club....

 

[Inisai Toga]

Lord knows we need a Costigan/ Weyman / Smith type of players in our squad - tough, uncompromising and focused. We are so way off the mark it’s not funny ...

Smith was worth 2 blokes; tough and smart!

 

[Trifili13]

As the saying goes "forwards win you matches, backs decide by how much".

 

[BBTB]

Smith was worth 2 blokes; tough and smart!

Yes, a real match winner.

 

[Draginzaaar]

Doesn't he play a similar roll in the Tigers side that's abysmal?

I don't care why they say they have signed him, this type of signing stinks of mediocrity and a lack of competitive hunger

They beat us twice

 

[BBTB]

A lot of average NRL players in that team that were escalated in reputation by a good system.

Yes a good system. Bennett wouldn't even talk to Doust or the Board. Communication was made, through Fat Albert Young. Bennett told Young what he wanted, then fat Albert got it done. That's why Doust
Gave Bennett the boot, after 3yrs.(instead of 5yrs)
He couldn't get near the team, to get any glory. The Board is our problem & the chairman. Andrew Gordan.
Also I see f**kn Doust has weasled his way back on the board
Thanks to Gordan
for the shonky deal he did with Doust.