Walpole
Juniors
- Messages
- 2,460
I know, it's an awful word because we all want instant success, but the way the club's been run into the ground it's where we're at now. It seems we can write this season off, something I've been reluctant to accept but now has become apparent. Forgive me for being late to the party but my first instinct is always to hope things will turn around.
So, where do we go from here? First things first.
The administration
Let's face it. Peter Doust isn't going anywhere any time soon. I appreciate a good "Oust Doust° sign as much as the next man but it doesn't amount to much. Unless we all band together, flood the club with membership applications and elect one (or two or three) of our own to the board then nothing will change.**
Given this, let's move on to the coach.
Obviously Mary has proven to be inadequate. I think he's doing his best but it's horribly short of the mark. So who's the best choice for the job? We had Bennett but let him go. Bellamy is ensconced in Melbourne. Maguire and Robinson, while having had recent success are struggling this year without everything in their favour. Hasler has that X factor. His teams seem to want to play for him and he appears to like a challenge. But how much do we need to throw at him? Can we afford it? Then there's Toovey or Cleary. Are they really the answer, given they were sacked by their last employers? I like Tony Smith but does he class as an "old boy", which most seem dead against or does the passage of time excuse him from this? For me the bolter is Garth Brennan, who's already won under 20s and NSW cup titles and brought along the likes of Cartwright, Peachey and Moylan at Penrith.
Then, the players.
As we know, the "spine" is the most important thing in the modern game. Our halves are dreadful and it's hard to know where the blame starts. At Melbourne Widdop was probably the 4th best player in their team and has played 18 games for England. Based on that alone he should be killing it for the Dragons. But as we constantly see he's lost his way and his short kicking game is now horrendous. Most of us agreed he was a good choice for captain at the time (pre-season, I reckon about 90% applauded the decision, myself included) but its clear he lacks the necessary leadership qualities. As for Benji, his best days are way behind him, somewhere around that great year of 2010. Then there's fullback. Dugan? I dont know any more. We all know his strengths (running the ball) and weaknesses (passing ffs) but what do we actually want from a fullback? Either we build a plan that uses his strengths or move on. Finally, everyone's whipping boy, Mitch Rein. He's got a great heart and tackles as well as any hooker in the game but his passing game often let's us down. Is that because he needs a break and a quality 20-30 minute replacement during games? Remember, we won a comp with Dean Young and Nathan Fien as our hooker rotation and Ben Hornby as our halfback! The current guys should be doing better.
So how do we rebuild? First off, while Mary remains coach I think we continue on for the rest of this year with the players who've dug this hole. As much as I want to see the likes of Dufty, Milne and Hutch given a chance I don't know that they'll gain anything by being brought into a toxic environment. Let Mary stumble through the rest of the year while those boys enjoy some success with the u20s and Cutters. Based of course on us throwing whatever bank we have at luring Hasler or T.Smith as coach in 2017 or failing that, a bargain buy in Brennan, who's had far more success in the lower grades than Mary ever had.
As for players, I'll continue this act of self indulgence for a little longer. My team, going into 2017, with a new coach of course , would look something like this;
1. Dufty
2. Nightingale (sorry, I just can't let the old boy go - Carr or Glymin to replace him after one more year)
3. Aitken
4. Dugan
5. Milne
6. Mann (there's something there, I can feel it!)
7. Widdop (or preferably, a class young half like Ashley Taylor, we should throw that Norman money at him)
8. Packer
9. Rein (preferably Segeyaro, I'm sure he'd come back from England given the right offer)
10. Ah Mau
11. Frizzell
12. Thompson
13. Sims
14. Hutchison (he's big enough to defend in the middle, play some hooker and back up halves if required)
15. Host
16. DeBelin (I reckon he can tackle...)
17. Masoe
So, a new half (Taylor), hooker (Segeyaro) and coach (Hasler/Smith) plus Dugan or Frizzell as captain would do it for me.
Not too much to ask is it?
** This is possible and we shouldn't lose sight of that...
So, where do we go from here? First things first.
The administration
Let's face it. Peter Doust isn't going anywhere any time soon. I appreciate a good "Oust Doust° sign as much as the next man but it doesn't amount to much. Unless we all band together, flood the club with membership applications and elect one (or two or three) of our own to the board then nothing will change.**
Given this, let's move on to the coach.
Obviously Mary has proven to be inadequate. I think he's doing his best but it's horribly short of the mark. So who's the best choice for the job? We had Bennett but let him go. Bellamy is ensconced in Melbourne. Maguire and Robinson, while having had recent success are struggling this year without everything in their favour. Hasler has that X factor. His teams seem to want to play for him and he appears to like a challenge. But how much do we need to throw at him? Can we afford it? Then there's Toovey or Cleary. Are they really the answer, given they were sacked by their last employers? I like Tony Smith but does he class as an "old boy", which most seem dead against or does the passage of time excuse him from this? For me the bolter is Garth Brennan, who's already won under 20s and NSW cup titles and brought along the likes of Cartwright, Peachey and Moylan at Penrith.
Then, the players.
As we know, the "spine" is the most important thing in the modern game. Our halves are dreadful and it's hard to know where the blame starts. At Melbourne Widdop was probably the 4th best player in their team and has played 18 games for England. Based on that alone he should be killing it for the Dragons. But as we constantly see he's lost his way and his short kicking game is now horrendous. Most of us agreed he was a good choice for captain at the time (pre-season, I reckon about 90% applauded the decision, myself included) but its clear he lacks the necessary leadership qualities. As for Benji, his best days are way behind him, somewhere around that great year of 2010. Then there's fullback. Dugan? I dont know any more. We all know his strengths (running the ball) and weaknesses (passing ffs) but what do we actually want from a fullback? Either we build a plan that uses his strengths or move on. Finally, everyone's whipping boy, Mitch Rein. He's got a great heart and tackles as well as any hooker in the game but his passing game often let's us down. Is that because he needs a break and a quality 20-30 minute replacement during games? Remember, we won a comp with Dean Young and Nathan Fien as our hooker rotation and Ben Hornby as our halfback! The current guys should be doing better.
So how do we rebuild? First off, while Mary remains coach I think we continue on for the rest of this year with the players who've dug this hole. As much as I want to see the likes of Dufty, Milne and Hutch given a chance I don't know that they'll gain anything by being brought into a toxic environment. Let Mary stumble through the rest of the year while those boys enjoy some success with the u20s and Cutters. Based of course on us throwing whatever bank we have at luring Hasler or T.Smith as coach in 2017 or failing that, a bargain buy in Brennan, who's had far more success in the lower grades than Mary ever had.
As for players, I'll continue this act of self indulgence for a little longer. My team, going into 2017, with a new coach of course , would look something like this;
1. Dufty
2. Nightingale (sorry, I just can't let the old boy go - Carr or Glymin to replace him after one more year)
3. Aitken
4. Dugan
5. Milne
6. Mann (there's something there, I can feel it!)
7. Widdop (or preferably, a class young half like Ashley Taylor, we should throw that Norman money at him)
8. Packer
9. Rein (preferably Segeyaro, I'm sure he'd come back from England given the right offer)
10. Ah Mau
11. Frizzell
12. Thompson
13. Sims
14. Hutchison (he's big enough to defend in the middle, play some hooker and back up halves if required)
15. Host
16. DeBelin (I reckon he can tackle...)
17. Masoe
So, a new half (Taylor), hooker (Segeyaro) and coach (Hasler/Smith) plus Dugan or Frizzell as captain would do it for me.
Not too much to ask is it?
** This is possible and we shouldn't lose sight of that...
