Rebuilding for Future

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I’d almost bring Hastings back from the UK and play him in the centres!!!!! shit I can hear them coming for me now ‍

Glad your back on board .hang tough mate

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

We can all get on this forum, me included and rant and rave about the coach, management, indivual players etc. One point we are overlooking, and nothing will change until this problem is fixed. I don't care who the coach, management etc is .
In this year's preseason Michael Ennis, whom I personally think is a master of the game and his knowledge is second to none said,
From 6 to 13 the dragons look unstoppable then it goes pear shape rapidly. He is exactly right, except for Lomax, the rest just don't cut it.
Opposition coaches are not stupid. How much ground did Manly make up the guts when McInness left the field, they played to our weakness. Every week our centres get attacked because a weakness has been identified. High kicks go to our wingers because they are four feet tall, etc etc.
So we can sack Mary, get Gould blah blah blah. Do what you like. But until there are major changes in the backline, nothing will change. Not this year, next year or the year after that.

Take your points mate but the only way we are going to make major changes in our backline is to attract players of note (unless theres some players of our own ready to step up ) and we will never attract the top players whilst Mary is still here imo....thats unless we pay them overs and tbh I dont think we have overs to pay them..and further other coaches have us worked out because we have a coach that cant execute B and C when A is failing

 

[Wittenberg]

I'd just like to remind members that in 2010 we had a crappy board and one of the worst CEO's in our history but despite all this, we had Bennett and a good coaching staff and good recruitment staff. We wond the competition.

Yes we need a cleanout and by bringing in new management we should correct our problems at board and management level. However, we do have some poor outside backs, fringe first graders and poor attitude.

I say bring is Gould or someone like him to cleanout the joint because those in charge are in self protection mode and so won't make changes.

I would agree but the problem is that we can say ‘get Gould or get Joe Bloggs’ but they must want to come here and, to be frank, we are not an enticing proposition at the moment even with our Origin players and some of promising juniors.

 

[Warabrook saint]

A sign yes.. or no. Depends on the balance of the red and white Muzby but we are passed infection stage. We are parasites for success.

We've lost the balance

 

[The calm one]

Take your points mate but the only way we are going to make major changes in our backline is to attract players of note (unless theres some players of our own ready to step up ) and we will never attract the top players whilst Mary is still here imo....thats unless we pay them overs and tbh I dont think we have overs to pay them..and further other coaches have us worked out because with have a coach that cant execute B and C when A is failing

I respect your opinion and tend to agree with you. Especially when it comes to other coaches game plans to defeat us. Let's face it, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to come up with a plan to beat us when we only have half a side that would be a genuine premiership threat

 

[Warabrook saint]

I would agree but the problem is that we can say ‘get Gould or get Joe Bloggs’ but they must want to come here and, to be frank, we are not an enticing proposition at the moment even with our Origin players and some of promising juniors.

Not to mention our management

 

[Dragsters]

We have our problems off-field as most on here are well aware, and while these are detrimental, I believe that the biggest issue leading us to where we currently sit at 13th on the ladder is the clubs neglect, reluctance, inability, whatever it may be, to effectively deal with the loss of most potent defensive leader.

Our defense around the ruck has been abysmal all season, in spite of Cam Macs best efforts to hold it all together.

Until this situation is rectified, we can only expect it and our results to continue to get worse as player fatigue bites even harder.

A strong defensive lock is an ever increasingly urgent must...

 

[Wittenberg]

The loss of JBD was a dagger in the heart of our chances this year. His intimidating defence in the middle often held our pack together BUT one player does not a club make. We should have been able to cover his loss especially with three other Origin forwards. But we couldn’t. Why? Forwards who are inconsistent and a backline that leaks more than a group of Canberra politicians........oh and our coach

 

[Forster Dragon]

I have been saying it all year that without McInnes doing the tackling for the other forwards we would leak points all over the place.This was a proven fact yesterday against Manly. When he left the field.The defensive bludgers were fully exposed.

 

[Wittenberg]

We constantly overrate our players. Nene, Garrick and Herbert were seen as liabilities or not really up to NRL standard. Rava was going to be the new star and Field, Host and Luc were going to have break out years. Lawrie would build on last year’s baptism and Kerr and Timm would be our new power weapons. The reality is very different. Rava shows potential with the ball. He has a powerful running game, can score tries and actually has a passing game. But he can’t catch, defensively has, at least at the moment, the Aitkens about him. Worth persevering with but heart in mouth stuff. Our other two wingers likewise are good with the ball but weak when the opposition has it. Kerr is big, slow around the ruck and inconsistent in the CC. Timms could be another valuable workhorse, another more versatile Lawrie but lacks size and real impact. Lawrie really puts in but is another one slow to recover around the ruck. Manly exploited him time and time again. Luc is Luc. Damaging and powerful one week, seemingly disinterested and tentative the next. Field is too good to be in the CC, too small in the NRL, but he tries and is toughening up. He lacks size to play centre but showed an inability to direct a team around the park in the halves. Host tries hard and has good moments but is not a game breaker. Lafai has been defensively good but is not a great attacking weapon. Graham is being asked to do too much on old legs and Latts is a struggler. Robson I thought would be something, still might be for the Cows but he has proven to be mistake prone. Then there is Aitken. Dufty is dodgy. Throw those around our key players, even if they were all available we would still struggle. Add the coach and maybe all those, including myself, who said we were top four material were, like Darryl Kerrigan in The Castle, just dreaming.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

We constantly overrate our players. Nene, Garrick and Herbert were seen as liabilities or not really up to NRL standard. Rava was going to be the new star and Field, Host and Luc were going to have break out years. Lawrie would build on last year’s baptism and Kerr and Timm would be our new power weapons. The reality is very different. Rava shows potential with the ball. He has a powerful running game, can score tries and actually has a passing game. But he can’t catch, defensively has, at least at the moment, the Aitkens about him. Worth persevering with but heart in mouth stuff. Our other two wingers likewise are good with the ball but weak when the opposition has it. Kerr is big, slow around the ruck and inconsistent in the CC. Timms could be another valuable workhorse, another more versatile Lawrie but lacks size and real impact. Lawrie really puts in but is another one slow to recover around the ruck. Manly exploited him time and time again. Luc is Luc. Damaging and powerful one week, seemingly disinterested and tentative the next. Field is too good to be in the CC, too small in the NRL, but he tries and is toughening up. He lacks size to play centre but showed an inability to direct a team around the park in the halves. Host tries hard and has good moments but is not a game breaker. Lafai has been defensively good but is not a great attacking weapon. Graham is being asked to do too much on old legs and Latts is a struggler. Robson I thought would be something, still might be for the Cows but he has proven to be mistake prone. Then there is Aitken. Dufty is dodgy. Throw those around our key players, even if they were all available we would still struggle. Add the coach and maybe all those, including myself, who said we were top four material were, like Darryl Kerrigan in The Castle, just dreaming.

Yep good post...

 

[boardlumps62]

We all know what we need why hasnt the light come on amongst the Coaching Staff. To me Field was never going to make far to small and a Touch Player. Dufty would be ok behind a good solid team. He can be good we can be good but that's not happening enough especially now with the Engine Room leaking oil every where needs a total rebuild. Why can't our scouts find some good big forwards they must be out there just waiting for a break. Said it before go searching in NZ scour the ranks of NRL sides sure there's players with the right stuff.

 

[hewi]

Lachlan Timm to small at 186 and 111kg
Eddie Blacker to small at 195 and 116kg
Josh Kerr to small at 197 and 112 kg

Don’t think so, it’s not the dog in the fight but but the fight in the dog.

 

[boardlumps62]

Lachlan Timm to small at 186 and 111kg
Eddie Blacker to small at 195 and 116kg
Josh Kerr to small at 197 and 112 kg

Don’t think so, it’s not the dog in the fight but but the fight in the dog.

I watched a game featuring Eddie Blacker still young thought he showed something. Looked large enough 116 kg you say and will get larger.

 

[hewi]

I watched a game featuring Eddie Blacker still young thought he showed something. Looked large enough 116 kg you say and will get larger.

I think Blacker is the real thing, big future.

 

[D4L_Dave]

We may benefit from a classy center/wing/fullback, but truth is we have the current and emerging talent to be top 4 this year and a few beyond. Some may disagree but look how many ex- players who through off the red V and thrive elsewhere. To me that a player clean out could do more harm than good. Instead, accept there is no super coach till at least next year, so best to move Mary on, who is not good with young player development, pick the one out of the existing coaches to see out the year, who must meet one criteria first, being proven record of success in improving up and coming talent we have now and the rest (recruitment skills, length of experience ECT.) Secondary. Meanwhile go out head hunt a coach who will be able to take us to the next level, without screwing the club by taking off 2 or 3 years later like Bennett did (delusional if you think he didnt). We can still hunt for as many name players as needed, but I will be dammed before i would want to see another list of development players, particularly local juniors like what's happened under McGregor, a list let go since mid 2014, that would be backed to make the top 8 if assembled together. If you don't agree, I will list them next post. We don't even need a super coach, just one who can build a game plan, set out expectations of the squad and carry it out.

 

[D4L_Dave]

Ex-Dragons succeeding elsewhere, released since Mary was appointed

1. B.Morris
2. R. Garrick
3. J.Dugan
4. J.Bird
5. N.McDonald
6. B.Marshall
7. J.Soward
8. M.Weyman
9. D.Cook
10. T.Merrin
11. J.Thompson
12. Mike Cooper
13. M.Prior
14. W.Mathews
15. G. Beale
16. R.Packer
17. L.Ah Mau

Reserves
18. M.Rein
19. K.Mann
20. E. Nabuli
21. J.Hastings
22. A.Fonua-Blake
23. D.Hutchinson
24. C.Runciman (re-signed this year but not in top 25)
25. C.King

Not saying they are all juniors, not saying they would win the comp, but replacing/not signing/releasing these guys has got us where?? 14th.

My point is, that these guys before and most after leaving our system, flourished. Brian Smith re-built the club in 1991 using largly the same squad that struggled to 10th and 12th in 89-90. He added very few and built for the long term. Someone needs to do that again and now

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Hasn’t this subject matter already been covered to death in a multitude of other threads?

 

[muzby]

Ex-Dragons succeeding elsewhere, released since Mary was appointed


24. C.Runciman (re-signed this year but not in top 25)

So, your definition of “succeeding” is to be playing Canterbury Cup, not even 1st grade..

Interesting..

7. J.Soward
8. M.Weyman
9. D.Cook

Umm..

These three left when it was:

Coach. S.Price


Genuine question - do you follow the dragons?

 

[BLM01]

Ex-Dragons succeeding elsewhere, released since Mary was appointed

1. B.Morris
2. R. Garrick
3. J.Dugan
4. J.Bird
5. N.McDonald
6. B.Marshall
7. J.Soward
8. M.Weyman
9. D.Cook
10. T.Merrin
11. J.Thompson
12. Mike Cooper
13. M.Prior
14. W.Mathews
15. G. Beale
16. R.Packer
17. L.Ah Mau

Reserves
18. M.Rein
19. K.Mann
20. E. Nabuli
21. J.Hastings
22. A.Fonua-Blake
23. D.Hutchinson
24. C.Runciman (re-signed this year but not in top 25)
25. C.King

Not saying they are all juniors, not saying they would win the comp, but replacing/not signing/releasing these guys has got us where?? 14th.

My point is, that these guys before and most after leaving our system, flourished. Brian Smith re-built the club in 1991 using largly the same squad that struggled to 10th and 12th in 89-90. He added very few and built for the long term. Someone needs to do that again and now

Succeeding elswehere?....Flourished.?..You obviously just thought of names who have left us for another club.

Garrick?.his side is under a new coach...he has done nothing special
Dugan?...ask the Sharks about that one and no longer plays origin
Nene..based on what?..
Benji...flourshied back in the late 00's
Soward...went backwards after Penrith as a whole had a good season
Weyman...retired before Mary
Merrin...no played in a better team but his game did not go with it
Thompson...no way better than with us..Manly offloading him...going to England
Beale..went to a good squad in Cronulla..likely cap rorting
Cooper, Packer, Matthews, Rein....giggles
Mann..still a bench warmer
Nabuli went to rah rah
Hastings..20,000 km's away and kicked out of 2 clubs
Hutchinson...yeh still slow for a half
Runciman & King...stop the fight!

AFB..sacked by the club for good reason but you got this one right he is a good player
BMoz, & Birdy..agree
Prior was he not let go by Price in that era?
Cook..was not on any radar 4-5 years ago when he was let go but now you are right
LAM - probably not succeeding any better..but would of been handy to keep