Sack mcgregor

[BennyV]

Then explain the Storm result to me so I can understand why the best team in the comp does it one way and we who struggle to finish a season in the semis do it an entirely different way against what was soft opposition?
We put arguably the best side we can on the paddock bar 2 players (who we will probably lose at origin) for the 1st 25 minutes and we were very poor.
You can call it a trial as much as you like but IMO its always excuses, excuses and more excuses to cover up the cracks in our paper mache outfit.
Time for people to heed the warnings signs asap but alas the penny doesn't drop for some especially the coaching staff.
By the way do you think we should beat Souths in the next trial or that doesn't matter either?

Because the Storm were playing for a trophy. We were playing to prepare for the season. It was noted in the pre-match discussion that we had not tapered our training off this week so that the players were entering the match under fatigue as a fitness exercise.

Feels weird to say, but I'm with Crush on this one - the actual result and things like our energy levels etc are not to be taken seriously at this point. Next week is a different story. As I said, I'm more concerned about the adaptation of certain youngsters to the speed of first grade and the fact that our attacking structures dont seem to have changed from 2013.

 

[Como Connection]

I was at the game & seriously disappointed with how unorganised we looked . I understand it’s a trial as such but the amount of talent we have across the park far outweighs Hull. They are running 6th in the English super league, so here they would be probably 13th to 16th at best. In comparison the South’s game was more fluent & quicker & they fielded a second string side. No Reynolds,Walker,Sutton,Inglis,Gagai & Crichton just to name a few . South’s looked more threatening than us & I hope I’m wrong but it already feels like Groundhog Day again.

Agree, it was all one out play.
No imagination in attack, just the same boring easy to defend against attack.
Going to be a long year unless these issues are addressed, which I doubt.
CC

 

[Coffs dragon]

I just dread the thought of another Groundhog year under McDeflector. I envy the Bunnies, Titans and Dogs with new coaches and fresh ideas that will see them improve on 2017 form.
Our team is treading water with a great squad a new General in Hunt and a walking excuse of a very ordinary coach that fails to motivate or innovate!

 

[Old Timer]

Because the Storm were playing for a trophy. We were playing to prepare for the season. It was noted in the pre-match discussion that we had not tapered our training off this week so that the players were entering the match under fatigue as a fitness exercise.

Feels weird to say, but I'm with Crush on this one - the actual result and things like our energy levels etc are not to be taken seriously at this point. Next week is a different story. As I said, I'm more concerned about the adaptation of certain youngsters to the speed of first grade and the fact that our attacking structures dont seem to have changed from 2013.

That may all well be true but bad tackling technique and alignment is not a consequence of it.
It is also interesting that some within the squad seemed totally unaffected by the fatigue factor while others in fact looked muscle bound and overly bulked up now I'm not sure how a week of tapering will fix that.
I agree with the attacking comment and find it very disturbing that we had nothing new on show.

 

[grouch]

Crush's crush on Mary resumes. Brilliant win for the team considering McGregor's training masterstroke. Never mind what might have made our weakened opponents flat.,

I just saw the same old show, with some different cast members

 

[John moz]

No structure even with a international no 7 still same old marys coaching. News today storm wanting to re sign bellamy no cooper no slater after this year .Possibly the time to move on and with a new club hopefully dragons.

 

[True_Believer]

Precisely ............ To me, that is how you grow the team and that the upcoming players know they will get a start, if they show the promise that the club have invested in them.

It should be a win for all.

Sorry OKB - I disagree. I think that's gimping the team 1 player. Granted we basically did that all year anyway, but I just don't think we can risk that whole setup for every game year after year. We all agree Mary needs to manage the bench better but I question whether this is the right solution.

I think bringing a couple through here and there and playing longer minutes over origin period or through injury makes more sense.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Sorry OKB - I disagree. I think that's gimping the team 1 player. Granted we basically did that all year anyway, but I just don't think we can risk that whole setup for every game year after year. We all agree Mary needs to manage the bench better but I question whether this is the right solution.

I think bringing a couple through here and there and playing longer minutes over origin period or through injury makes more sense.

It does make sense, but the only problem is that if you blood them in teams that are weakened by injury or where key players are missing, it puts young inexperienced players under a lot more pressure.
I believe that when Hutch finally got some game time it was under these circumstances and although he did some good things (IMO) he was under a lot of pressure in a team that was disjointed and back peddling.
If their form warrants it, select the young prospects on their merits in the best 17.
That would be a better pathway..

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Sorry OKB - I disagree. I think that's gimping the team 1 player. Granted we basically did that all year anyway, but I just don't think we can risk that whole setup for every game year after year. We all agree Mary needs to manage the bench better but I question whether this is the right solution.

I think bringing a couple through here and there and playing longer minutes over origin period or through injury makes more sense.

TB & DP ........... my main consideration was for McGregor to have a young gun blooded each game, for more the 5 or 10 minutes, to give them a taste of the top grade.

Nothing worse than putting a player on once a month or more, for 1 or 2 minutes.

If the Dragons are well in front with 20 minutes to go, we should get them on to soak up the atmosphere and try their luck.

Why wait till injuries happen ............... they may not so when do these guys come on?

 

[Crush]

Crush's crush on Mary resumes. Brilliant win for the team considering McGregor's training masterstroke. Never mind what might have made our weakened opponents flat.,

I just saw the same old show, with some different cast members

You're just upset because they won. I know you were death riding them. Maybe you will have more luck next week and the Rabbits will touch us up? You can only hope. Sad prick.

 

[True_Believer]

TB & DP ........... my main consideration was for McGregor to have a young gun blooded each game, for more the 5 or 10 minutes, to give them a taste of the top grade.

Nothing worse than putting a player on once a month or more, for 1 or 2 minutes.

If the Dragons are well in front with 20 minutes to go, we should get them on to soak up the atmosphere and try their luck.

Why wait till injuries happen ............... they may not so when do these guys come on?

Well how do we know if we are going to be ahead or not? What if we aren't winning in a close game and we need a proven performer on the field to make the difference? Lets throw the youngster in under massive pressure to pull off a miracle? That does nothing for his confidence and would probably cost us the game anyway.

I guess the question is then, when are you expecting these youngsters to start playing full time? Or is this an endless cycle? You can't do this every game of every year or you'll get 1 or 2 years out of every player because you'll be bringing the next batch of youngsters in behind them each year. You'll be in a perpetual cycle of rebuild and ultimately continue to be middle of the ladder or lower because you aren't allowing experienced players to stay at the club. Either that or you're only keeping the odd good one and just replacing everyone else every year or 2 not allowing yourself to build a solid team.

In all honesty, this is what the ISP is for - to give them game time and to assess their skill level so you can pick and choose which ones are ready for the step up.

I think last year was fine - Sele was a regular, Host got some good game time and will probably get some more opportunity this year as an edge forward. Field and Lawrie got a taste and Dufty played the last 5 or 6 games and as a result looks as though he has secured the fullback position. I think that was a good balanced way to bring them through. I'm sure Kerr will step up this year as well as Lomax and Luch, giving them either a taste or some regular game time and we'll probably see a couple of others in the mix as well.

I just don't think carrying a junior on the bench every game provides anything to the team or to their future in the game.

 

[True_Believer]

It does make sense, but the only problem is that if you blood them in teams that are weakened by injury or where key players are missing, it puts young inexperienced players under a lot more pressure.
I believe that when Hutch finally got some game time it was under these circumstances and although he did some good things (IMO) he was under a lot of pressure in a team that was disjointed and back peddling.
If their form warrants it, select the young prospects on their merits in the best 17.
That would be a better pathway..

I agree - and I believe that's what Mary did last year - based on their performance in the lower grades.

I think the difference with Hutch was that the position he was always going to fill was a key position - and no matter which game he played in, he was always going to be under some level of pressure. I think that is why Mary played JDB in the halves in that Broncos game - so as not to put Hutch under so much pressure (whether this was right decision was questionable).

He was taken there to play in the halves but given the way the game turned out, it was less stress on him to step into in a team under performing than it was to throw him in there early in the game.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Well how do we know if we are going to be ahead or not? What if we aren't winning in a close game and we need a proven performer on the field to make the difference? Lets throw the youngster in under massive pressure to pull off a miracle? That does nothing for his confidence and would probably cost us the game anyway.

I guess the question is then, when are you expecting these youngsters to start playing full time? Or is this an endless cycle? You can't do this every game of every year or you'll get 1 or 2 years out of every player because you'll be bringing the next batch of youngsters in behind them each year. You'll be in a perpetual cycle of rebuild and ultimately continue to be middle of the ladder or lower because you aren't allowing experienced players to stay at the club. Either that or you're only keeping the odd good one and just replacing everyone else every year or 2 not allowing yourself to build a solid team.

In all honesty, this is what the ISP is for - to give them game time and to assess their skill level so you can pick and choose which ones are ready for the step up.

I think last year was fine - Sele was a regular, Host got some good game time and will probably get some more opportunity this year as an edge forward. Field and Lawrie got a taste and Dufty played the last 5 or 6 games and as a result looks as though he has secured the fullback position. I think that was a good balanced way to bring them through. I'm sure Kerr will step up this year as well as Lomax and Luch, giving them either a taste or some regular game time and we'll probably see a couple of others in the mix as well.

I just don't think carrying a junior on the bench every game provides anything to the team or to their future in the game.

Fair comment there TB.

Agreed, we can’t have a youngster in the bench every game but this brings about a possibility of the nrl allowing clubs to have 2 of their own juniors as additional bench players.

Criteria must be set with club juniors only filling the 2 extra seats on the bench.

Anyway, l hear what you are saying guys.... l’m just trying to find ways to encourage McGregor to play some of the many good juniors we have.

 

[True_Believer]

Fair comment there TB.

Agreed, we can’t have a youngster in the bench every game but this brings about a possibility of the nrl allowing clubs to have 2 of their own juniors as additional bench players.

Criteria must be set with club juniors only filling the 2 extra seats on the bench.

Anyway, l hear what you are saying guys.... l’m just trying to find ways to encourage McGregor to play some of the many good juniors we have.

Yeah and I can see where you are coming from. I like the idea of setting criteria. Maybe a set number of juniors per year?

 

[Old Timer]

DP, TB, OKB
The issue of when to play youth is not easy to work out when you have a squad that is firing and injury free.
However when you start to slide, have injuries and pick Marketo, Matthews and the like you have foregone the opportunity that has presented itself and invariably you lose the game anyway.
This year you can bet your bottom dollar Latimore and Allgood will both see 1st grade time and that is exactly how we f**k it up in respect of getting young players properly prepared.
Unless there are injuries to 4 forwards in total (not counting hookers) they shouldn't see any game time.
Run on 5 plus 3 bench plus 3 youth before the depth guys get any chance.
Maths might change a little bit if we go with 4 forward bench (not counting hookers) or if we were unlucky enough to lose 3 mature forwards in 1 hit.
So for mine Vaughan, Graham, Host, Frizzell, JDB, Sims, LAM, Leilua, Lawrie, Kerr, Sele all before Latimore and never ever Allgood.
However I suspect if Latimore doesn't make it first up, 1 injury or a suspension he will be instantly picked and the cycle of not going to or trusting youth will be repeated.

 

[grouch]

You're just upset because they won. I know you were death riding them. Maybe you will have more luck next week and the Rabbits will touch us up? You can only hope. Sad prick.

The forest is dying but yay look at this weed grow!

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

DP, TB, OKB
The issue of when to play youth is not easy to work out when you have a squad that is firing and injury free.
However when you start to slide, have injuries and pick Marketo, Matthews and the like you have foregone the opportunity that has presented itself and invariably you lose the game anyway.
This year you can bet your bottom dollar Latimore and Allgood will both see 1st grade time and that is exactly how we f**k it up in respect of getting young players properly prepared.
Unless there are injuries to 4 forwards in total (not counting hookers) they shouldn't see any game time.
Run on 5 plus 3 bench plus 3 youth before the depth guys get any chance.
Maths might change a little bit if we go with 4 forward bench (not counting hookers) or if we were unlucky enough to lose 3 mature forwards in 1 hit.
So for mine Vaughan, Graham, Host, Frizzell, JDB, Sims, LAM, Leilua, Lawrie, Kerr, Sele all before Latimore and never ever Allgood.
However I suspect if Latimore doesn't make it first up, 1 injury or a suspension he will be instantly picked and the cycle of not going to or trusting youth will be repeated.

"Run on 5 plus 3 bench plus 3 youth before the depth guys get any chance."
I like this philosophy but the young guys need to feel like the coach has confidence in them.
They also need patience and mentoring so their transition into FG can has a chance to succeed.
Keeping them in cotton wool does them no favours.
I really don't care if they make some mistakes as long as they are improving every time they take the field.
I think Lawrie, Kerr and Robson would all develop into first graders pretty quickly if given a good go.
I have my doubts about Sele as he has actually had quite a lot of game time and, for me at least, makes too many mistakes.
Unless someone else is pulling the strings, McGregor will continue to make safety first selections.
How he handles the induction of Lomax and the bench rotation will go a long way to determining the outcome in 2018.

 

[getsmarty]

The evolution of McGregor's coaching style
NRL.com's Steve Turner chats to St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor on how he has evolved as a coach

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/21/the-evolution-of-mcgregors-coaching-style/

 

[getsmarty]

The evolution of McGregor's coaching style
NRL.com's Steve Turner chats to St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor on how he has evolved as a coach

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/21/the-evolution-of-mcgregors-coaching-style/

I get Exited when I watch the Footy...I have a passion for it....GREAT CREDENTIALS....

That means everyone on this Forum could get the coaches job.....LOL

 

[ouryear]

You're just upset because they won. I know you were death riding them. Maybe you will have more luck next week and the Rabbits will touch us up? You can only hope. Sad prick.

But what grouch said was pretty accurate, i was at the game.

Nothing new.

V 's top 6 our Comp. ..we will be touched up.

Hull is pretty poor.