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NRL Club’s Recruitment Graded

Messages
3,921
You mean these ones who were in the post I replied to?

- Ravalawa was our top tryscorer this year. Pretty hard to label the bloke who got across the try line more than any other player in our side a “dud”. Good signing by Millward.
- Pearson was a dud, but he’s also been released so that’s saying something too.
- Luke is a NZ international with a premiership ring (pretty sure there may be a World Cup on his CV too) who has come to us very cheap as backup. Pretty harsh to call him a dud when he hasn’t even played a game for us - not to mention only last year he tore us to shreds and stopped our unbeaten run at the start of the season. Another good signing.
- Williame - again not sure how he can be a “dud” for us when he hasn’t even played a game. He’s an unknown at this point.

I’ll give you a couple of dud signings - Maranta and Latimore.

Which means if we look at Millward’s efforts:

Good ‘uns:
- Hunt
- Vaughan
- Norman
- Graham
- Sims
- Ravalawa
- Lomax
- Luke

Unknowns:
- Williame

Marys:
- Pearson
- Latimore
- Maranta


Millward hasn’t failed.

Usually we butt heads, however on this occasion I am with you 100%.

A bad tradesman always blames his tools.

Millward’s recruitment is far superior to Mary’s coaching and team selection.

Excellent coaches make ordinary players look like quality first graders.

Mary does not have such an ability.

Millward for President!!
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,960
Usually we butt heads, however on this occasion I am with you 100%.

A bad tradesman always blames his tools.

Millward’s recruitment is far superior to Mary’s coaching and team selection.

Excellent coaches make ordinary players look like quality first graders.

Mary does not have such an ability.

Millward for President!!
Good recruitment officers have a long term plan and rely on the simple rule of recruiting players on a 'like for like or better' rule.

At SGI we have been pre-occupied with buying/retaining/improving our forward pack but not applying the same rule for our back 5, hence the position we are now in. We have gone from a back 5 of Boyd, Morris, Gasnier, Cooper and Nightingale to one of the most inexperienced and least talented back 5 in the competition.

To solely blam Mary - in my opinion the worst coach in the club's history - for the current situation is very convenient at best. Millward has passed up so many opportunities to sign first grade backs for various reasons. None of which cut the mustard especially when he knows Mary's limitations. I mean why constantly provide Mary with players who need further development by the coach when he already knows Mary is not up to it.
 
Last edited:

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Good recruitment officers have a long term plan and rely on the simple rule of recruiting players on a 'like for like or better' rule.

At SGI we have been pre-occupied with buying/retaining/improving our forward pack but not applying the same rule for our back 5, hence the position we are now in. We have gone from a back 5 of Boyd, Morris, Gasnier, Cooper and Nightingale to one of the most inexperienced and least talented back 5 in the competition.

To solely blam Mary - in my opinion the worst coach in the club's history -for the current situation is very convenient at best. Millward has passed up so many opportunities to sign first grade backs for various reasons. None of which cut the mustard especially when he knows Mary's limitations. I mean why constantly provide Mary with players who need further development by the coach when he already knows Mary is not up to it.
Mary isn’t our worst coach, I would say Steve Price beats him and Browny would give him a run. That side Browny had should have won 2 grand finals. Full to the brim with X factor.
 

gitano

Juniors
Messages
2,364
Freddy rates him right up there. I’ll take Freddy’s opinion Gitano with all due respect.
I'm sure former greats had a similar of NYC Player of the year Beau Henry.

Point is, sometimes it just doesn't translate to NRL, no matter how promising it appears to be.
Lomax hasn't shown he's up to it yet. He may do, but also he may not.
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
I'm sure former greats had a similar of NYC Player of the year Beau Henry.

Point is, sometimes it just doesn't translate to NRL, no matter how promising it appears to be.
Lomax hasn't shown he's up to it yet. He may do, but also he may not.
Aitken is the same, his highlights reels were great and was touted as a future origin player, but he still hasn't learned to pass left to right which is very important for a right centre. He's a powerful runner but he's no faster than Lomax, Lomax is streets ahead of Aitken at the same age. Better defender, far more skilful, just as fast maybe faster just not quite as powerful. I honestly hope Aitken has a breakout year and finally perfects his passing game because that is the job of centre, he struggles to even take advantage of of a simple 2 on 1 most of the time. He had one of the best wingers of all time outside for years in Gypsy and that side of our attack was impotent. We basically used Nightingale as an extra forward as he was wasted on the wing. In saying all this, if Aitken can learn to pass even his running game will improve because he will create doubt when he runs, at the moment the winger and centre can rush in and smash him knowing he's unlikely to pass.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,970
I think you’re both kind of right.

Lomax should be included in the side, but he’s not our long term saviour.

Silverman is the future.
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
I'm sure former greats had a similar of NYC Player of the year Beau Henry.

Point is, sometimes it just doesn't translate to NRL, no matter how promising it appears to be.
Lomax hasn't shown he's up to it yet. He may do, but also he may not.
Yes and maybe your name is gitano
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Millward has passed up so many opportunities to sign first grade backs for various reasons. None of which cut the mustard especially when he knows Mary's limitations..

And you know this How ???? Again made up..its all ..supposition....You have zero facts to back up your claims about millward....Which players did we pass up...and don't make up pie in the sky stuff like Latrell etc...who never would come to our club...

Under the circumstances, millward has done a good job....

Anyway, Have a good christmas and a Safe New Year possm.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,855
Mary isn’t our worst coach, I would say Steve Price beats him and Browny would give him a run. That side Browny had should have won 2 grand finals. Full to the brim with X factor.

Brown was the youngest coach ever to lead an NRL side at just 29 years of age.
He ended up coaching his mates.
It was the wrong time for him to take on the role.
Mary was 46 when he took the helm. and has twice suggested " I have the team I want ".
Given the circumstances, Mary makes Brown look like Bennett.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Brown was the youngest coach ever to lead an NRL side at just 29 years of age.
He ended up coaching his mates.
It was the wrong time for him to take on the role.
Mary was 46 when he took the helm. and has twice suggested " I have the team I want ".
Given the circumstances, Mary makes Brown look like Bennett.

I think it may have been more then Twice that he stated he has the team he wants...
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,960
And you know this How ???? Again made up..its all ..supposition....You have zero facts to back up your claims about millward....Which players did we pass up...and don't make up pie in the sky stuff like Latrell etc...who never would come to our club...

Under the circumstances, millward has done a good job....

Anyway, Have a good christmas and a Safe New Year possm.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that however, it is members with your love for Millward that will look very sheepish when Millward does get sacked and the Dragons all of a sudden seem to sign the right players at the right time.

There is no excuse in the world for Millward - who did take credit for the signings of Ravalawa and Pearson as solutions to our wing positions when Macdonald left and Nightingale retired. Signing Maranta and Runciman as our backup centres was also a very very ordinary decision.

The long term extensions to Aitken and Lafai was a major mistake given their previous form; why not a one year extension and if they perform well, another year extension.

Dufty's recent extension was on the back of him being dropped to reserve grade. Now Difty is blocking young guns like Ramsey from being selected as fullback in reserve grade.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Of course you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that however, it is members with your love for Millward that will look very sheepish when Millward does get sacked and the Dragons all of a sudden seem to sign the right players at the right time.

There is no excuse in the world for Millward - who did take credit for the signings of Ravalawa and Pearson as solutions to our wing positions when Macdonald left and Nightingale retired. Signing Maranta and Runciman as our backup centres was also a very very ordinary decision.

The long term extensions to Aitken and Lafai was a major mistake given their previous form; why not a one year extension and if they perform well, another year extension.

Dufty's recent extension was on the back of him being dropped to reserve grade. Now Difty is blocking young guns like Ramsey from being selected as fullback in reserve grade.


Incorrect again possm....If millward gets sacked, so be it....the biggest problem we have is
1/. the board
2/. the current coach ( appointed by the board )

Millward is secondary and the least of our worries.

The whole place needs an overhaul...will it happen, probably not. Agree to disagree on this...

Have a Great Christmas and a Safe New Year possm.
 

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