Sack Griffin

[getsmarty]

I dont understand,

The cry is blood the juniors, then this turns to why are we playing them this week when they werent up to it. The juniors will take time and some will make it some wont, I just hope we back the right ones and move the others on.
We keep signing reserve graders, but Molo, Sua and Burgess signings dont count. A couple of solid experienced players are signed to cover inexperience on limited dollars and limited terms and all the complaints about not having depth are forgotten.
Before Hynes signed with the sharks we had posters unhappy about how much we would have had to pay and the fact he would impede the juniors, we dont get him and the worlds ended.
The reality is we have to have 30 players and we have to have spent our salary cap, we have players under contract, what do you expect Hook to do sack everyone in breach of contract and then try to sign 30 SOO players.
Hooks blamed by some posters for losing Frizzel who signed a year before he took over, McInness signed with the Sharks before Hook had any influence except for the fact he wasnt Mary, and Hook wanted to keep Host but the damage had already been done.
Welsh not signing was before Hook had been appointed and we have been in discussions with a number of players but it has been our club that has walked away because the perceived value was less than the amount that would have had to be paid.

Is Hook the greatest coach, I dont know but I know he is nowhere near the worst and he is probably what we need, there are a number of players being moved on, we are making targeted signings and the "mates" who just want to turn up and get pay check have been tapped on the shoulder. This isn't a two minute fix and the pain will not suddenly disappear, it will take time and some astute maneuvering before the roster is sorted.

Well said.

 

[Changa]

Hook's extension merit next year should not just be based on the roster he assembles, but (besides where we finish on the ladder) also be based on the style of footy we play.

Our current attack is outdated and ineffective (one-out conservative plays, minimal second phase, and overall off the pace given the new rules). This year it was clear we got left behind with the rule changes - the better teams play eyes up footy and promote the ball much more.

Granted, Hook inherited a squad from Mary who only knew how to win with simple, one-out game plans. But if this doesn't change in 22', we should start looking in a new direction.

The other disappointing thing from this year is Hook came with an 'old school' reputation of always having teams that were super fit. Again if this area of our game is not drastically improved next year, we need to look elsewhere for a coach.

 

[blacksafake]

I dont understand,

The cry is blood the juniors, then this turns to why are we playing them this week when they werent up to it. The juniors will take time and some will make it some wont, I just hope we back the right ones and move the others on.
We keep signing reserve graders, but Molo, Sua and Burgess signings dont count. A couple of solid experienced players are signed to cover inexperience on limited dollars and limited terms and all the complaints about not having depth are forgotten.
Before Hynes signed with the sharks we had posters unhappy about how much we would have had to pay and the fact he would impede the juniors, we dont get him and the worlds ended.
The reality is we have to have 30 players and we have to have spent our salary cap, we have players under contract, what do you expect Hook to do sack everyone in breach of contract and then try to sign 30 SOO players.
Hooks blamed by some posters for losing Frizzel who signed a year before he took over, McInness signed with the Sharks before Hook had any influence except for the fact he wasnt Mary, and Hook wanted to keep Host but the damage had already been done.
Welsh not signing was before Hook had been appointed and we have been in discussions with a number of players but it has been our club that has walked away because the perceived value was less than the amount that would have had to be paid.

Is Hook the greatest coach, I dont know but I know he is nowhere near the worst and he is probably what we need, there are a number of players being moved on, we are making targeted signings and the "mates" who just want to turn up and get pay check have been tapped on the shoulder. This isn't a two minute fix and the pain will not suddenly disappear, it will take time and some astute maneuvering before the roster is sorted.

Good post Carlton.

 

[Unsainty79]

Flanagan? Seriously, though - how poor have McCullough and McGuire been? Griffin has to take some responsibility for those two.

Bird at the back has to be one of the worst decisions of his tenure so far.

A really disappointing season. Not really any better than last year.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Stupid selections, players out of position, no game plan beyond hit it up for 5 and kick. Hook is not looking like the coach to dig us out of this morass.

 

[saint16]

Flanagan? Seriously, though - how poor have McCullough and McGuire been? Griffin has to take some responsibility for those two.

Bird at the back has to be one of the worst decisions of his tenure so far.

A really disappointing season. Not really any better than last year.

I really feel Griffin is not up to it

 

[thebigredv]

I really feel Griffin is not up to it

I'm not convinced either but the best coaches wouldn't get too much more out of this particular playing group. The players are just not good enough.

The concern for Hook is his obviously weak pulling power.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Our team plays like Hook speaks….slow & boring!

It’s hard enough to enjoy watching my team with 2 players that I totally despise in Norman & McGuire.

 

[Gippsy]

I'm not about to call for his sacking just yet.

It was a much improved effort this week with some of the players back. How many coaches would look good with all those disruptions over the last few weeks? Yes, we had no attacking spark but to be honest Hunt has been carrying the team on his own all season and him being out was the biggest disaster we could've had.

I want to see what we can do with a full squad, but that won't happen this year. So, we have some forwards coming, but we need some spark in the spine. Will the youngsters be up to it? I dunno. There is always next year!!!

 

[thebigredv]

Anyone have the stats for second half points scored by Dragons this year???

It must be well under two tries on average which is a poor reference for a coach.

 

[Lindsay Moss]

Our team plays like Hook speaks….slow & boring!

It’s hard enough to enjoy watching my team with 2 players that I totally despise in Norman & McGuire.

Mcguire was alright tonight

 

[Crush]

He’s not inspiring me….

 

[jeffdragon]

I was always curious to do this but let’s compare McGregor and Hook in recruitment

McGregor
- George Rose
- Dane Nielsen
- Eto Nabuli
- Heath L’ Estrange
- Kurt Mann
- Siliva Havili
- Mose Masoe
- Dunamis Lui
- Josh McCrone
- Taane Milne
- Tim Lafai
- Josh Kerr
- Nene MacDonald
- Cameron McInnes
- Paul Vaughan
- James Graham
- Ben Hunt
- Jeremy Latimore
- Korbin Sims
- Tariq Sims
- Mikaele Ravalawa
- Lachlan Maranta
- Corey Norman
- Jonus Pearson
- Issac Luke
- Trent Merrin
- Brayden Williame
- Kaide Ellis
- Jordan Periera
- Tyrell Fuimaono

Hook
- Daniel Alvaro
- Poasa Fa’amusili
- Jack Bird
- Andrew McCullough
- Gerard Beale
- Billy Burns
- Josh McGuire
- Francis Molo
- Jaydn Su’a
- George Burgess
- Moses Mbye *

I would say recruitment was sub par under McGregor but may be on the improve under Hook

If they were racehorses they'd be described as plodders.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Mcguire was alright tonight

He’s a jinx, just like that bloody all red Illawarra strip!

McGuire tries hard, just like McCulloch, but they play like they are stuck in quick sand compared to others. Bog average and past the modern current game.

 

[jeffdragon]

Just read the article on nrl.com
Hook is kidding.we are still in it.
In what in the shit.
He says we will worry about next week.
He's said the same bull in the last few weeks.
Good things we can build on for what 2030.
The coach is in denial.

 

[Crush]

He’s a jinx, just like that bloody all red Illawarra strip!

McGuire tries hard, just like McCulloch, but they play like they are stuck in quick sand compared to others. Bog average and past the modern current game.

His reputation has been upheld. Since joining Dragons mid April, sin binned, suspended for 5 weeks, suspended for 1 week, barely won a game.
Good solid recruiting right there!

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I don’t think Griffin should be sacked yet, simply from a view it’d be ridiculous to pay out coach for non-service, especially after paying out another for a season before him.

That, and…. Who else is out there who could do better?

I honestly didn’t think sacking Paul McGregor was the right call for the second reason - unless we had someone who could do better, what’s the point?

Many blamed McGregor n hated him, wanted him sacked. I get it. I wasn’t one of them unless we either got a seasoned support coach from a great system like Fitzgibbon, or snared a seasoned veteran like Bennett.

Instead we had a choice of 3 coaches who’d all been sacked, never won a comp and definitely not dealt successfully with any club rebuild like we need.

I had hope Griffin might be but never thought it’d actually pay off.

This season has been a dud, and we belong now where we are. Griffin will rightly get into next season. But I’m still more hopeful than confident.

But the big trick we missed, is not getting Phil Gould into the club when we had a chance.

Like him or loathe him, he knows more about rebuilding a successful club out of the depths than anyone in the game. The Dogs might be the biggest basketcase at the moment but they aren’t too proud to bring in the best in the business to tell them what’s needed and drive the ship….

Sadly our club either didn’t make it happen or is “too proud” to let an outsider come in to make things happen. The one time we did actually do it - we won a comp.

It was a no brainer for me. But that ship has sailed now.

To me this has never been just about the coach. It’s far more than that and Gould himself said the same.

 

[Gareth67]

Agree in that McCulloch is not the player he was , you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realize he is at the twilight of his career . Hunt to hooker , the younguns in the halves and a fullback that has confidence in himself.

With the addition of Molo and S’ua that should certainly improve our defense in the forwards . Burgess should be played off the bench , as should McGuire .

Our backs are the major problem , Griffin must signed someone of quality to put some starch in the back line defense .

Come 2022 , hopefully Griffin will have worked out better combinations that will bring more points for the Dragons.

 

[thebigredv]

Just read the article on nrl.com
Hook is kidding.we are still in it.
In what in the shit.
He says we will worry about next week.
He's said the same bull in the last few weeks.
Good things we can build on for what 2030.
The coach is in denial.

Most coaches have a honeymoon period. His was four weeks long. He is struggling now but there is still hope for him.

If he can't recruit some point scorers and get the team to follow orders, he will ultimately join the like of Price and McGregor, clubless and unwanted.

Those above in this thread saying it takes time are correct. No doubt it takes time to undo Mary's vomit of a job. But it needn't get worse and we will end up lower than last year. That's almost a given seeing we play Panthers, Storm and Souths. Maybe Hook needed to pay overs to save his own career?

 

[Crush]

Watching the press conference Hook is deadset delusional.
“The opposition were very good, it had that finals feel to it tonight”
Is he high? That game was dogshit. Error ridden rubbish. Both teams sucked.
Seriously, he is kidding.