Rewiring the team

[Gippsy]

Yeah, i posted in the game day thread, how Luke Keary just took ownership of the game last night.
We don't have anyone of that ilk.

Yeah, but don't forget he wasn't like that at Souths & that's why they got rid of him. Amazing what good coaching and structures will do.

Hunt will be fine with a good coach. Not so sure about Norman though!

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Yeah, but don't forget he wasn't like that at Souths & that's why they got rid of him. Amazing what good coaching and structures will do.

Hunt will be fine with a good coach. Not so sure about Norman though!

Keary was one of their best players in the GF and that year. Just didn’t get on with Rusty.

 

[matPORTS]

Here is how I would go.

Rest of 2020 (assuming everyone is fit and available):

1. Dufty
2. Feagai #1
3. Lomax
4. Feagai #2
5. Ravalawa
6. Clune
7. Sullivan

8. Lawrie
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Fuimaono
13. Frizell

14. Hunt
15. Kerr
16. Host
17. Ford

COACH: Dean Young interim. with Shane Flanagan pulling as many strings as he can in the background.

Bye bye Norman, Aitken, Merrin, K Sims... not to play again unless injuries set in.

Not sold on McInnes in the 6 for 80mins, but this line up gives us options for him to spend time there during games i.e. Sullivan off, Clune to 7 with Hunt on the 9.

Maybe we could give Cody Ramsey a shot if he recovers from his injury ?

I wouldn't be promoting any untested juniors if Mary is still in charge. Thats just putting them all on a complete hiding to nothing.

How this team performs will determine our recruitment & retention for 2021:

One or two quality outside backs will be required. Alex Johnston or similar mould is almost a must buy + one additional depending on whether we can uncover the Feagai's, Ramsey & Co (seems like there are some handy options available in the market). I want to see how Dufty performs once Mary is sent packing before I make my final judgement call on his future (how much longer do we have to wait for the board to act!?). Ravalawa is a Canterbury Cup depth player (I hope we re-signed him on the cheap), as will be JP until his contract is up. Saab & Sailor almost seem destined to move on at years end as well.

Hunt & Norman - we need to find a suitable exit strategy. We won't get both off the books easily and without salary cap pain for at least the next 2-3 years. But unless these guys magically turn their form around (and fast), we can't afford to have them running around offering nothing either.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Broncos will be looking for solutions to spark a revival, and Hunt could be the type of player that offers them that, so maybe look for some sort of mutual swap deal to ease the cap burden. All three QLD based teams could be options for one reason or another.
As for Norman, well it's probably going to be Canterbury Cup and have him force a release to the Super League on his own accord.

No doubt we will throw David Fifita a bone - but doubt we'll be one of the front runners for his signature. There are some alternative forward stocks on the open market though. Our young forwards need to be given a lions-share of game time for the rest of this year before final judgement calls are made here. JDB legal issues also need to play out.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Here is how I would go.

Rest of 2020 (assuming everyone is fit and available):

1. Dufty
2. Feagai #1
3. Lomax
4. Feagai #2
5. Ravalawa
6. Clune
7. Sullivan

8. Lawrie
9. McInnes
10. Vaughan
11. T Sims
12. Fuimaono
13. Frizell

14. Hunt
15. Kerr
16. Host
17. Ford

COACH: Dean Young interim. with Shane Flanagan pulling as many strings as he can in the background.

Bye bye Norman, Aitken, Merrin, K Sims... not to play again unless injuries set in.

Not sold on McInnes in the 6 for 80mins, but this line up gives us options for him to spend time there during games i.e. Sullivan off, Clune to 7 with Hunt on the 9.

Maybe we could give Cody Ramsey a shot if he recovers from his injury ?

I wouldn't be promoting any untested juniors if Mary is still in charge. Thats just putting them all on a complete hiding to nothing.

How this team performs will determine our recruitment & retention for 2021:

One or two quality outside backs will be required. Alex Johnston or similar mould is almost a must buy + one additional depending on whether we can uncover the Feagai's, Ramsey & Co (seems like there are some handy options available in the market). I want to see how Dufty performs once Mary is sent packing before I make my final judgement call on his future (how much longer do we have to wait for the board to act!?). Ravalawa is a Canterbury Cup depth player (I hope we re-signed him on the cheap), as will be JP until his contract is up. Saab & Sailor almost seem destined to move on at years end as well.

Hunt & Norman - we need to find a suitable exit strategy. We won't get both off the books easily and without salary cap pain for at least the next 2-3 years. But unless these guys magically turn their form around (and fast), we can't afford to have them running around offering nothing either.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Broncos will be looking for solutions to spark a revival, and Hunt could be the type of player that offers them that, so maybe look for some sort of mutual swap deal to ease the cap burden. All three QLD based teams could be options for one reason or another.
As for Norman, well it's probably going to be Canterbury Cup and have him force a release to the Super League on his own accord.

No doubt we will throw David Fifita a bone - but doubt we'll be one of the front runners for his signature. There are some alternative forward stocks on the open market though. Our young forwards need to be given a lions-share of game time for the rest of this year before final judgement calls are made here. JDB legal issues also need to play out.

I would literally do a straight swap Norman for Xavier Coates. I know it would be over paying the youngster but imo our squad would be stronger.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Call it rewiring, restructuring or whatever verb goes with the suffix re, the fact is that our ability to attract quality players to the club has been severely diminished.

Quality players want to play in quality teams, play finals football, have an opportunity to wear a premiership ring and join a club with little or no internal dramas.

There's definitely a void in the signing of players for the top teams and the bottom teams. It's also harder for bottom ranked teams to retain their young products.
We've done well to retain who we have, as far as juniors are concerned and in long term contracts. But, everyone has to accept that will become more and more difficult with our current structure.
Add to this, having a 'gap year' for junior teams (inc CC) and seeing how poorly our 1st grade have been playing, with certain players continuing to be selected even when they're out of form, why wouldn't some want to 'explore the market'.

Our fortunes can change, however, it will/would require us to make some toughvand hard calls. Something akin to what Parra has done.
We've gone on ad-nauseum about McGregor and nothing more can realky be added, but untul he's removed we will continue to be in thus flux we find ourselves.
Cutting lose some poor performing big $$ players will also help, these are just roadlocks to our development.

Rewiring:
#1 priority: New head coach
#2 priority: not re-signing and shopping around certain players eg: not re-signed = Aitken, Lafai. shopped = Hunt, Norman, K. Sims
At the very least 'shopping' some players may give them a wake up call.

We are not a market magnet, very few quality players would even entertain the idea of playing for the Dragons right now, so forget the likes of David Fifita joining us.

Rewiring us is going to take a skilled tradesman and a season or 2. Ir's not a quick fix unfortunately.
We have a small window of opportunity now that will at the very least make us competitive and attractive for 2021.

To quote a line from a movie:
"Sometimes, oh God, the Green Mile is so long"

 

[Old Timer]

Interesting thread this one.

If one is going to rewire the team then the 1st thing that has to be done is to identify & weed out the "ineffective players" of which we have many.

So if I look at the squad as we basically know it I see this.

Dufty essential in attack otherwise we have little to no creativity. Must keep improving or Ramsay must come into calculations.

Pereira can finish a try and can run it out but doesn't "create" very much. Solid but is that enough?

Aitken been solid at LC (should have been there 4 years ago) but doesn't create a single thing and actually butchers opportunities due to lack of vision.

Lafai is actually far more creative than Aitken and can produce opportunities but needs a winger to finish off for him so if he plays then JP is not the answer outside him. Maybe just time to suck it and see with another young gun.

William what the hell were we thinking about with this guy? I know some rate him but in all honesty he is anything but dynamic and that is what we need.

Lomax improving every game and has the best sense of time and space in positions 1-5. Don't understand 1 bit how people doubt this bloke will make a very solid if nit very good 1st grade footballer for many years to come.

Rava best game for the club last week and has improvement in him. He has vision and a good pass and can create something from nothing. Is he the answer well we really don't know but he provides much more than many others.

Norman totally ineffectual and people are clutching at straws referring to his kicking game. He creates almost zero and is a liability due to poor attitude.

Hunt far to hit & miss and floats in and out of games with a "head down" attitude when it goes pear shape. Can create something but can also cost you plenty. Cant lead us around the paddock but keeps demanding the ball in an effort to do so.

Sailor is waiting in the wings and is another we can only surmise about as a 1st grade player. Has great vision, speed, creativity and a natural feel for the game the big questions is his defence and if it is suspect can it be corrected by Flanno.

Clune has potential to be a Peter Wallace type player but the game plan and continued dominance of the ball by Norman & Hunt is stifling him. He needs total control of the dummy half as to where the ball is to be distributed especially in crucial plays.

Merrin is a shadow of the player of 6 years ago and is creating very little but we all remember what he had and keep waiting for it which is the mistake the selectors are making. Bench prop against a tiring side at best.

Host if fit is the best option at 13 and can play long minutes. He has been f**ked around continually at edge, at 13, at prop, on the bench etc etc yet he has such solid parts of his game and creativity but needs the correct set of halves to unlock it.

Frizzell is leaving but I do believe he is providing what he always has namely 1 dimensional workaholic. We will go a lot worse without him.

Fuimaono had his bets game as an impact bench which is where he belongs IMO. As a starting player doing big minutes he is a poor mans Joel Thompson who could play long minutes at a high output.

Ford would be my starting edge player and let him feed off our big mens best work which is early in the game. Leaving him to come on and run off plodders is hardly going create anything other than sore shoulders.

Vaughan is a quandary at the moment neither poor nor great and looks frustrated so he needs someone to compliment his attacking ability so enter young Ford IMO and let him get on Vaughan's hip accompanied by Sailor.

Mc Innes easily our best player and no 1 option at hooker. Question is how to free him up to be more creative and that IMO will happen naturally if you have the correct halves combination. Hunt & Norman manage to get our backline completely flat footed and for that matter the edges also on many occasions. Mc Inness needs halves that will provide spark and support around the centre of the ruck and that isn't ever going to happen with Hunt & Norman.

Kerr is now improving rapidly and his nose and shoulders are getting through the line on a regular basis. He needs smart halves plus a FB that knows its coming and an edge back rower that runs correct lines. Vaughn was like this 2 years ago and we have killed it off in him so let's provide support for Kerr & Vaughan who have lots of creativity in them but are suffering from sore shoulders and knees due to being relegated to bash & barge.

Lawrie had his best game last week and maybe has come out from under JG's shadow? Not creative but solid but as a bench but is that enough so possibly he needs to share that bench spot with Blacker so we can find out what he has.

T Sims would be an impact bench player for my team. He has moments of brilliance and moments of absolute shite and that IMO is because we have tried to make him a 80 minute player. Keep him focussed for 2 stints off the bench just prior to and after half time and in the last 10 when you need his grunt. He can win you a game but not when he is tired and thats what he has become very very tired.

Outside of this you have Saab, Fergai's, Sullivan, Brittain, SSE, Blacker, Ramsay who all need to be getting a look in and we must understand what they bring to the team before we either sign them long term or let them leave so they need to be looked at we need to be ruthless with others especially this I have put in bold.

Creativity is the key to getting our best out of everyman in the team and scoring 12 points a game just doesn't cut the mustard so time to "rewire" the attack.

 

[merahputih]

Well said, Dragon. The 'Market Magnet' factor is a real worry. The last nine years of coaching, junior development and recruitment mediocrity has completely erased the aura of success our title in 2010 under Bennett created. When Wayne walked out the door, professionalism followed him. Big dollars have been thrown at players like Hunt and Norman for little return, while the elephant in the room has had his coaching contract extended with depressing regularity. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know".
I would love to jump on a plane and spend the next year somewhere where NRl news doesn't reach and come back in 2022 but I can't even do that.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Well said, Dragon. The 'Market Magnet' factor is a real worry. The last nine years of coaching, junior development and recruitment mediocrity has completely erased the aura of success our title in 2010 under Bennett created. When Wayne walked out the door, professionalism followed him. Big dollars have been thrown at players like Hunt and Norman for little return, while the elephant in the room has had his coaching contract extended with depressing regularity. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know".
I would love to jump on a plane and spend the next year somewhere where NRl news doesn't reach and come back in 2022 but I can't even do that.

https://www.nrl.com/operations/integrity/salary-cap/

This is extracted from the above, which futher emphasises my point, I believe:

"Some of the reasons why a player may sign with a club include:

• Staying close to the player's home town and family.
• The chance to work with one of the top coaches in the game.
• Being part of a winning team and the potential to play in the Telstra Premiership Finals Series or Grand Final.
• Increased opportunity to play NRL with that club due to a lack of competition for the player's preferred position.
• The increased profile a player may enjoy in a one-team town.
• The number of support staff, their expertise and the support facilities.
• Education and welfare support structures.

In addition, a player's salary package may include benefits that are specifically excluded from the Salary Cap, such as the payment of medical premiums, relocation payments, prize money, university fees etc."

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Call it rewiring, restructuring or whatever verb goes with the suffix re, the fact is that our ability to attract quality players to the club has been severely diminished.

Quality players want to play in quality teams, play finals football, have an opportunity to wear a premiership ring and join a club with little or no internal dramas.

There's definitely a void in the signing of players for the top teams and the bottom teams. It's also harder for bottom ranked teams to retain their young products.
We've done well to retain who we have, as far as juniors are concerned and in long term contracts. But, everyone has to accept that will become more and more difficult with our current structure.
Add to this, having a 'gap year' for junior teams (inc CC) and seeing how poorly our 1st grade have been playing, with certain players continuing to be selected even when they're out of form, why wouldn't some want to 'explore the market'.

Our fortunes can change, however, it will/would require us to make some toughvand hard calls. Something akin to what Parra has done.
We've gone on ad-nauseum about McGregor and nothing more can realky be added, but untul he's removed we will continue to be in thus flux we find ourselves.
Cutting lose some poor performing big $$ players will also help, these are just roadlocks to our development.

Rewiring:
#1 priority: New head coach
#2 priority: not re-signing and shopping around certain players eg: not re-signed = Aitken, Lafai. shopped = Hunt, Norman, K. Sims
At the very least 'shopping' some players may give them a wake up call.

We are not a market magnet, very few quality players would even entertain the idea of playing for the Dragons right now, so forget the likes of David Fifita joining us.

Rewiring us is going to take a skilled tradesman and a season or 2. Ir's not a quick fix unfortunately.
We have a small window of opportunity now that will at the very least make us competitive and attractive for 2021.

To quote a line from a movie:
"Sometimes, oh God, the Green Mile is so long"

Agree with just about everything except one- before we can hope to become a force again, we need a Board that is like the Broncos and Roosters -demanding of excellence- that sees finishing seventh or eighth as a failure not a success- especially stretching over a period of years.

So new Board is #1 and everything else moves down a notch

 

[Jersey No 14]

Easts v Parra
Easts v Melbourne

So Mary - Why can't we play (and win like that?

We don't even look like coming close to a skill or a style like that...
... And under him (6 years or 7 - Lost Count) apart from one flash in the pan moment we've got no chance

 

[Old Timer]

Easts v Parra
Easts v Melbourne

So Mary - Why can't we play (and win like that?

We don't even look like coming close to a skill or a style like that...
... And under him (6 years or 7 - Lost Count) apart from one flash in the pan moment we've got no chance

That 1 flash in the pan moment in reality cost us plenty and since then the Broncos have consistently shown to be a fragile team which now puts our 1 big moment in the right context.

Hard to imagine that these mind numbing Mc Humtydumpty years could possibly be worse but the highlights real would have been much much leaner if not for Widdop & Dufty who are 2 of our most maligned players in recent times.

I think the Dogs, Titans & Warriors play more attractive football than us and if we played them twice each in a round robin event I reckon we would be bottom of the table such is the depth of derp in our game plans.

 

[Jersey No 14]

... And wooden spooners if it wasn't for 2 cory Norman field goals to a massive 4 competition points.

 

[BennyV]

OP - “We need to use this year to test our juniors and figure out whether or not they are worth keeping.”

Also OP - “WE SHOULD DROP SAAB AND CLUNE!!”

I had high expectations for this thread and it has delivered!

 

[Walpole]

OP - “We need to use this year to test our juniors and figure out whether or not they are worth keeping.”

Also OP - “WE SHOULD DROP SAAB AND CLUNE!!”

I had high expectations for this thread and it has delivered!

Not only are we arguing amongst ourselves, now certain posters are actually arguing with themselves.

I blame Millward.