Picking a New #7

[giboz71]

I don't think anyone is sure giboz71 but most seem to agree that Mann is the best credentialled in house option we have.

He has plenty of first grade experience, has played halves at Q cup level and has a good footy brain.

I would like to see him given a good crack for at least the first 6-8 games if he shows promise in the trials.

I also think the smart move would be to get Jack Payne into the Cutters no.7 for the same period of time.

Payne is a genuine 7 and just needs some time against men.

Imo that would give the coaching staff the best indication of how both are progressing and if changes need to be made, both players have had a good run to show their worth in the role.

In the mean time we can be looking at an experienced 7 for next year. As we all know, negotiations take time and this time can be used to assess how Mann & Payne might be as options long term.

I guess the one positive for 2017 is we can experiment. With the current roster we have, think we can all agree we're not winning the comp this year and will be lucky to even make the 8. We're in a holding pattern until we clear the decks for an all out assault on the player market in 2018.

But at least we can see who should be here long term. Guys like Mann, Aitken, Milne and Hutch (before he got hurt) have all got potential, but we need to see more. Being an average FG player isn't good enough any more. If we try Mann in the halves, sure why not? Widdop and McCrone will start the year so we're in for a few beltings I'm sure.

I'm sure Mann will get his chance at some stage.

 

[getsmarty]

McCrone in four-way race for Dragons halfback spot

Mitch Jennings@@Mitch_Jenno

19 Dec 2016, 2:24 p.m.


A SEASON-ENDING injury to Dragons young gun Drew Hutchison hasn’t changed veteran half Josh McCrone’s preseason focus – he was already aiming to wear the No. 7 come round one.

HARD SLOG: Josh McCrone slugs it out at training. Picture: Robert Peet

Hutchison had been penciled in to fill the play-making void left by Benji Marshall next season before an ACL tear at training last week threw those plans into disarray

Recent Super League returnees Todd Carney and Chris Sandow have been tossed up as potential recruitment targets for the club since Hutchison went down while former premiership-winning half Jamie Soward has also stated publicly that he’d consider a return should the club send out an SOS.

The Dragons have also been linked to a number of off-contract halves at other clubs for 2018 with Dragons recruitment chief Ian Millward indicating the club will look in-house to find a No. 7 for next year.

It’s puts McCrone in a four-way battle with Kurt Mann, Shaun Nona and NYC star Jai Field for the right to partner Gareth Widdop at the scrum-base come the season-opener.

Despite spending the past three seasons in a utility role with the Raiders and Dragons, McCrone said he has always coveted a regular spot in the halves.

“I love being in the halves, that’s always my first preference,” McCrone said.

“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m happy enough to do anything in the 17 to keep playing because I love the game and I love being here at the Dragons.

“I want to do that for as long as I can, so I’m realistic enough to know that I might have to play that utility role, but my goal is always to start in the halves. It’s no different this year.”

McCrone got the jump on Hutchison last preseason, playing in seven games for four wins as Marshall battled niggling injuries, but the former Country rep is confident he can offer a lot more if given more opportunities in 2017.

“To be honest I don’t think I played my best footy [in 2016],” McCrone

“We got a few results early on, so I must have been doing something right, but I think I’ve got a lot more to offer.

“I think I played a bit within myself just trying to get a feel for the place and the new system.I was playing with new people, new combinations, and it was tough every week where I’d go back to reserve grade and play hooker and then come back up to first grade and play halfback.

“That makes it hard to build combinations. Hopefully with a bit of time this year I can put a bit more of a stamp on games.”

Whoever does earn first crack in the halfback spot will be under plenty of pressure given the Dragons struggle to post points in 2016 but McCrone is confident the club can find it's attacking mojo.

“I think it was all a mental thing we put on ourselves,” McCrone said.

“We were always capable of scoring points we just started listening too much to what was being said. I think a change in personnel will be good and we’ll play a bit of a different style this year as well which will help.

“Whoever is the starting halfback will get marked pretty harshly on results but at the end of the day you don’t worry about that, you just worry about getting the team around the field and playing good footy. If you do that then the results will look after themselves.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4365606/mccrone-sets-sights-on-dragons-no-7/?cs=3713

 

[Dragsters]

I guess the one positive for 2017 is we can experiment. With the current roster we have, think we can all agree we're not winning the comp this year and will be lucky to even make the 8. We're in a holding pattern until we clear the decks for an all out assault on the player market in 2018.

But at least we can see who should be here long term. Guys like Mann, Aitken, Milne and Hutch (before he got hurt) have all got potential, but we need to see more. Being an average FG player isn't good enough any more. If we try Mann in the halves, sure why not? Widdop and McCrone will start the year so we're in for a few beltings I'm sure.

I'm sure Mann will get his chance at some stage.

I reckon this season has a lot of potential for us but it all rests on how Mary plays his cards.

If he carries on from last year being conservative and trying to just jag enough wins to scrape into a positive win/loss ratio to save his career then like last year the resulting play will be ordinary.

On the other hand if he says, well, if I don't change my style I'm gone, and he goes "balls to the wall" then the potential is there to surprise.

Improved pack, improved backs and if someone clicks at 7 and widdop can at least get back to his best then who knows!

I'm more excited about next season than last, provided we get the latter Mary, if he indeed even exists!

Time will tell...

 

[Crush]

We have seen what widdop and mccrone can do. Widdop 5th tackle options are deplorable. I think widdop is a nervous kind of guy that doesnt like the pressure of being captain or of being a play maker. Only chance for him is to play a running 6 role with a clever 7 next to him making all the calls and doing the kicking. McCrone is not that player.

 

[Carlton]

We have seen what widdop and mccrone can do. Widdop 5th tackle options are deplorable. I think widdop is a nervous kind of guy that doesnt like the pressure of being captain or of being a play maker. Only chance for him is to play a running 6 role with a clever 7 next to him making all the calls and doing the kicking. McCrone is not that player.

McCrone - no
Widdop - no

We don't just need a half, we need a 5/8 as well. In Mann, Nona, Field, Payne I am sure at least one of them could prove to be our next half, 5/8. If only one comes good that's still a huge upside as we then only need to look for one off contract player of note for next year.

We aren't going to find that player by using Widdop/McCrone. If one of the young guys steps up the bonus is that we don't spend as much on them and have more available to compete in the player market.

 

[Old Timer]

McCrone in four-way race for Dragons halfback spot

If that's the case then make it a foot race over 50m and if he doesn't win off to the Cutters.
Honestly if Mc Gregor comes up with Mc Crone as the starting half any uplift we have had re retention of juniors and the "we have had a review" and "Mary has learned his lesson" press releases will be lost instantly.
We can only hope that the article is by some poor journo who had nothing better to do.

 

[watatank]

I half agree, half disagree. By 2018 we need to have identified and secured the right halves, they may have come from inside or we may have to buy them from outside.

What I don't agree with is the assumption Mann won't make it even without seeing him take on the role. I think he may be more than just competent and could provide a lot of the answers we are after. The good thing is we have a season hopefully to explore these options and it doesn't matter which one of us is right because there is time to address any problems.

Mann has talent but it's hard not to be sceptical. He seems to do better when not much is asked of him and there's not much pressure. He did well in at wing/centre and struggled at fullback (I know he didn't have a lot of time there). Maybe if he had an established halfback playing next to him that could take on more responsibility he could be a good complementary half but we've got Widdop and we could say the same about him.

 

[giboz71]

Mann has talent but it's hard not to be sceptical. He seems to do better when not much is asked of him and there's not much pressure. He did well in at wing/centre and struggled at fullback (I know he didn't have a lot of time there). Maybe if he had an established halfback playing next to him that could take on more responsibility he could be a good complementary half but we've got Widdop and we could say the same about him.

Exactly my thoughts mate. It's a different kind of pressure playing in the spine and his short time at FB didn't inspire me with confidence.

Mann at 5/8 playing next to an established 7 (like Hunt) could work though.

 

[Carlton]

Mann played most of his junior football in the halves, played 5/8 in QLD cup and got rave reviews. He is playing out of position at centre or wing and yet has performed well in both of them. The criticism of his run at fullback is unwarranted. He had two games showed some good skills (try assists which is what you want from your halves) and didn't play any worse than the rest of team.

How can anyone know how he will handle the "pressure" of the halves in first grade until he is given a proper run there?

 

[This Year?]

Mann played most of his junior football in the halves, played 5/8 in QLD cup and got rave reviews. He is playing out of position at centre or wing and yet has performed well in both of them. The criticism of his run at fullback is unwarranted. He had two games showed some good skills (try assists which is what you want from your halves) and didn't play any worse than the rest of team.

How can anyone know how he will handle the "pressure" of the halves in first grade until he is given a proper run there?

Totally agree. I'd be looking to put Duffy into 1st grade (he deserves a go) and give Mann a go in the halves. It's about time we gave the young blokes a go instead of letting them go.

 

[hewi]

Rugby league star Chris Sandow has been charged with public nuisance after a fight in Queensland's South Burnett region.

The Queensland Police Service did not officially name the 27-year-old but said the charge came as a result of an alleged "ongoing disturbance" at Cherbourg on the weekend.

Footage of the incident shows the former Parramatta Eels halfback taking part in an alleged street fight as a crowd watches on.

He had returned to Australia after quitting his English Super League club Warrington.

Sandow is due to appear in the Murgon Magistrates Court on January 10.

"More people are expected to be charged," police said in a statement.

Did we dodge a bullet?

 

[dragonssamy61]

Rugby league star Chris Sandow has been charged with public nuisance after a fight in Queensland's South Burnett region.

The Queensland Police Service did not officially name the 27-year-old but said the charge came as a result of an alleged "ongoing disturbance" at Cherbourg on the weekend.

Footage of the incident shows the former Parramatta Eels halfback taking part in an alleged street fight as a crowd watches on.

He had returned to Australia after quitting his English Super League club Warrington.

Sandow is due to appear in the Murgon Magistrates Court on January 10.

"More people are expected to be charged," police said in a statement.

Did we dodge a bullet?

No we were never going to sign him

 

[blacksafake]

Which is why the club said they were not interested in him in the first place.

 

[coast_dragons]

Surprise surprise causing issue's in cherbourg and murgon.

 

[Como Connection]

Exactly my thoughts mate. It's a different kind of pressure playing in the spine and his short time at FB didn't inspire me with confidence.

Mann at 5/8 playing next to an established 7 (like Hunt) could work though.

Correct
CC

 

[Gareth67]

Rugby league star Chris Sandow has been charged with public nuisance after a fight in Queensland's South Burnett region.

The Queensland Police Service did not officially name the 27-year-old but said the charge came as a result of an alleged "ongoing disturbance" at Cherbourg on the weekend.

Footage of the incident shows the former Parramatta Eels halfback taking part in an alleged street fight as a crowd watches on.

He had returned to Australia after quitting his English Super League club Warrington.

Sandow is due to appear in the Murgon Magistrates Court on January 10.

"More people are expected to be charged," police said in a statement.

Did we dodge a bullet?

Well what could we expect ? The bloke has just finished smacking the ' Bubbler Man ' around the ring , so naturally he thinks he's the great Tony Mundine !

And what about that dog , it had a great side-step , just what all decent halfbacks require ?

 

[j0nesy]

It has to be Mann with Mccrone on the bench covering halves and hooker. We need to look to the future. I expect Nona to apply some pressure with some early season form in the cutters.

 

[Mr Red]

Give jai field first crack I say . He has youth on his side and we saw with other teams like Panthers and Gold Coast the positives that can happen when you throw in a youngster ...
The other options being mentioned aren't genuine halves and aren't long term options

 

[The Doc]

I bumped into Kurt Mann man a few days ago... (no i dont know him, im not his mate, and this isnt 100% secret info).
We had a little chat, lovely guy, approachable, and doesnt mind a chat.
I got the impression from him that McCrone has the jump for the #7.
He said something along the lines that he reckons he and Nona will carve teams up as a halves combo.
I certainly dont see them 2 being the 1st grade starting halves with widdop still there so maybe he believes he and Nona will be Cutters halves?
when i said "mate what do u think ur chances are for the #7" his reply wasnt very inspiring.
He didnt bag the coach, or McCrone, but i sensed he isnt overly happy about the way mary sees McCrone.
Saying "it will be hard to overtake Josh at this stage, but u never know what happens mate" didnt fill me with alot of confidence.
Keeping in mind we have young Field in the cutters, either Mann or Nona miss out in the halves.
I just hope they dont play Mann on the wing in Cutters. That would be the ultimate act of stupidity IMO.
The most logical solution in my eyes is, widdop and Mann/Nona in first grade.
Field and Nona/Mann for cutters halves.
McCrone on bench as back up half/hooker for cutters.
Surely Mary cant f#@k this up... surely...
But then again... it is mary we are talking about!!!

 

[BennyV]

Give jai field first crack I say . He has youth on his side and we saw with other teams like Panthers and Gold Coast the positives that can happen when you throw in a youngster ...
The other options being mentioned aren't genuine halves and aren't long term options

Field is as much a genuine first grade half as Nona or Mann are...