Peter matatuai

[BennyV]

He's a centre. Always has been.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

I said it 3 weeks ago, the quickest guy at the club needs to be the left winger. Don't care if it's Milne or Carr or even try Dufty there. We need at least one speedster in that backline.

 

[BrissyRedV]

I said it 3 weeks ago, the quickest guy at the club needs to be the left winger. Don't care if it's Milne or Carr or even try Dufty there. We need at least one speedster in that backline.

Carr perhaps? If Aitken is out though, Mata'utia should retain his spot be it on the wing with Milne coming into centre or at centre with Carr/KFFL/YKG to wing purely because we need some continuity there. That missed opportunity today certainly highlighted the need for us to have a specialist finisher on the wing.

 

[RedVDave]

So 1 bad game now = start a thread berating this player and calling for him to be dropped immediately ...seems fair.

:roll:

 

[Forster Dragon]

Probably should have backed himself and scored that try today.I think he needs confidence.

 

[Saints Forever]

So 1 bad game now = start a thread berating this player and calling for him to be dropped immediately ...seems fair.

:roll:

Most unfair, however the competition is so tight and try scoring opportunities so few that we need a speedster/finisher if we are to win more games than we lose

 

[smi962]

We have and continue to some extent to play players out of their natural position; hence we don't see their best

Dugan -> centre (back to fullback now)
Widdop -> 5/8 (this one debatable but don't think its his best position)
Marshall -> half
MataUtai -> winger
Aitken -> winger (back to centre now)
Mann -> fullback

 

[dragonssamy61]

I think milne should get a run was great today for the cutter and strong defensively. If atkin is out he can play in the centres otherwise give him a go on the wing. He is also quicker than mata

 

[Country Dragon]

I think milne should get a run was great today for the cutter and strong defensively. If atkin is out he can play in the centres otherwise give him a go on the wing. He is also quicker than mata

I didn't see the Cutters game but I think we need to come up with a spot for Milne somewhere in the backline!

 

[Cagey Mac]

One try was with Aitken off the field
He offloaded 4 times yesterday
Still okay by me for the time being

 

[Dragonslayer]

It was not one of Pete's best games yesterday.
If rumours are true, he is being courted by the Raiders and the Titans and with the June 30 deadline approaching he may seek a release to go to either one of these two.
He is playing out of position as he prefers centre, a position the Raiders and Titans may be able to offer him.
If Aikin is out this week, do we switch him to centre up against Linnett or O'Neil, both are big and strong runners, so his defence, based on yesterday would be suspect or do we bring in Milne and leave him on the wing?

 

[hardbaby]

Mata to centre and Milne to wing

 

[Big D]

Mata can't catch even if he is centre . He is slow can't defend. I'm sure this club has a better option than him

 

[Forster Dragon]

He is dead set heart attack material.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Dicko I say milne has the potential to be that fast and good size also thompson he a big unit and quite quick and only a young guy 20 I think. Carr also has ability but needs 5k on him. Hope this helps

 

[getsmarty]

Mata'utia relishing tough role at the back

By MITCH JENNINGS
March 29, 2016, 4:56 p.m.

DRAGONS winger Peter Mata’utia is happy to keep racking up more run metres than tries if it means more ticks in the win column for his side.
Mata’utia played a career-high 21 NRL games last season primarily at right centre but was overlooked by coach Paul McGregor for the Dragons round one clash with Melbourne.
Josh Dugan’s return to the No.1 jumper saw Euan Aitken switch back to his preferred centre role and opened the door for Mata’utia’s his top-grade return in round two.

Having got a taste of regular NRL action last season he has no plans of relinquishing the jumper.
“I was disappointed to miss out [round one],” Mata’utia said.

“Mary picked the team he thought would get the job done for round one and I accepted that.
“I’m just stoked to find myself back in the team and looking forward to staying there.”
The Dragons grinding style ensures that he will be used primarily as a battering ram coming out of his own end but it’s a role he’s happy to play. Mata’utia, Josh Dugan and Jason Nightingale combined for 333 hard metres against Penrith on Sunday and said out-doing their opposite back three remains a weekly goal.
“I enjoy it. I look at it as a reward for our forwards,” he said.
“They play so hard and tough, they have to defend and take all the hard hit-ups so we’re just trying to help out our middles who are doing a good tough job.

“It’s our goal every week to be better than the back three that we’re playing and get our team on the front foot those first three plays.”




http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/3819102/matautia-relishes-hard-slog/?cs=302

 

[nrlnrl]

Dicko I say milne has the potential to be that fast and good size also thompson he a big unit and quite quick and only a young guy 20 I think. Carr also has ability but needs 5k on him. Hope this helps

The team needs a player who is a natural finisher & a strong dummy half runner. I realise he's been pitchforked into the role, but he's not strong in either of those areas. It's time to find out who's the best option out of Milne, Carr & Faifai Loa.

From his time at the Cowboys FFL showed he is up there with Rona for finishing ability, but he can be inconsistent with handling. I haven't seen enough of the other 2, but let's give them a go!

Everyone knows the Dragons attack is limited, so turning half chances into 4-pointers is crucial. That opportunity when Mata'utia cut back infield with Soward coming across in cover showed everyone he is not the right guy for the wing. (He can fill in when others are unavailable, but he's not a first choice winger.

 

[Dragons_Head]

I think everyone is jumping the gun a bit here, the bloke has played two average games, two weeks ago he was our best player on the field against the Sharks. Yes he is better at centre but he is more than a solid winger and in my opinion he's our second best option at the moment. Just don't go crucify him after 1 poor decision last week

 

[Saints Forever]

Mata'utia relishing tough role at the back

By MITCH JENNINGS
March 29, 2016, 4:56 p.m.

DRAGONS winger Peter Mata?utia is happy to keep racking up more run metres than tries if it means more ticks in the win column for his side.
Mata?utia played a career-high 21 NRL games last season primarily at right centre but was overlooked by coach Paul McGregor for the Dragons round one clash with Melbourne.
Josh Dugan?s return to the No.1 jumper saw Euan Aitken switch back to his preferred centre role and opened the door for Mata?utia?s his top-grade return in round two.

Having got a taste of regular NRL action last season he has no plans of relinquishing the jumper.
?I was disappointed to miss out [round one],? Mata?utia said.

?Mary picked the team he thought would get the job done for round one and I accepted that.
?I?m just stoked to find myself back in the team and looking forward to staying there.?
The Dragons grinding style ensures that he will be used primarily as a battering ram coming out of his own end but it?s a role he?s happy to play. Mata?utia, Josh Dugan and Jason Nightingale combined for 333 hard metres against Penrith on Sunday and said out-doing their opposite back three remains a weekly goal.
?I enjoy it. I look at it as a reward for our forwards,? he said.
?They play so hard and tough, they have to defend and take all the hard hit-ups so we?re just trying to help out our middles who are doing a good tough job.

?It?s our goal every week to be better than the back three that we?re playing and get our team on the front foot those first three plays.?


PM may be a good guy who has worked hard to make FG with Saints. Is neither a star at centre or winger.

He would be a fringe FG at 12 of the 16 teams in the comp.

If he asks for a release mid year, please let him go Mary/Doust.

 

[GC Dragon]

100% correct Saints . That is my opinion as well .