Signing News

[JDHD]

Where I am coming from is that it is better to blood a young player into a team that is winning and has good forward pack as opposed to blooding a rookie into a losing team with a weak forward pack. I think a rookie will have an easier time entering a stable winning team with a good forward pack. There is more chance of a player's confidence being rocked if they get blooded into a losing team with a weak forward pack.

I also think it is harder for an opposition team to target a young rookie in a team that is winning, has a dominate forward pack and is playing with confidence. While it is easier to target a rookie in a team that is not winning, has a weak forward pack and is down on confidence, as we were last year.

I will also add that I do not think that we a realistic chance of winning the comp this year. If we could blood Field or Dufty this year and they are a success, then with the addition of Hunt, we could be a genuine premiership contender, but we still need a replacement for Packer.

Jacob Host is one of the best young forwards in the country and he can't even crack a bench spot at the moment. Also, anyone remember Leilua? That wonder kid that was going to save us and who we absolutely had to sign? Dropped off the face of the earth once we started winning.

Basically, I'd rather players like those two, plus Lawrie, Dufty, Field, Robson etc spend the rest of the year in Cup to build their bodies and only get elevated as injury cover. Players like Nathan Cleary and Ash Taylor are very much the exception where they are a natural fit in grade (and Cleary has struggled this year) and it's better to ease them in.

Lawrie, Robson, Garrick, Dufty and Field will all be in grade on a regular basis next year. We're building a good thing here.

 

[j0nesy]

Agree we could give them a go.

So if we put Dugan to centre to allow Field or Dufty play FB, who is likely to be dropped from centre, Milne?

If Milne is dropped, i think most of this forum wanted / demanded Milne be included in firsts, and finally he was.

If Milne is moved to wing to free up centre for Dugan, flo or McDonald will need to be dropped.

And Mann still has to be fitted in.

If Field and / or Dufty are promoted, what is your team?

If we also promote a junior forward, who goes from the team?

Exactly, good point. This is a point that a lot of people miss. "The essence of strategy is about choosing what not to do" (Michael Porter).

When we're going well It's very easy to talk about promotions and giving players a go, but that usually has to be at the expense of another player. That is the coaches job. It's also easy to workout which players we should sign and retain but it is not easy to work out which players we need to let go. That is the recruitment manager's job.

In answer to your question, yes - I'd shift Dugan to centre and drop Milne in order to make way for either Dufty or Field at fullback.

As for recruitment, I'd resign Lafai and let Milne go in order to leave room for Aitken and Lafai at centre. I'd retain Mann as a bench utility, also covering halves, fullback, wing and centre. May also need to let Mccrone go to accomodate.

Tough calls but there are salary cap and squad constraints.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Saints need adequate replacements for Dugan and Packer.

None of the above fit the bill.

Desperate club's do desperate things.

 

[JDHD]

Saints need adequate replacements for Dugan and Packer.

None of the above fit the bill.

Desperate club's do desperate things.

There aren't any like for like replacements on the market, though, so do you leave a gaping opening the size of Sasha Grey's anus in your salary cap or do you pad it out with some filler you'd get on the relative cheap like Lillyman or Johnston?

 

[saintsarealive1]

There aren't any like for like replacements on the market, though, so do you leave a gaping opening the size of Sasha Grey's anus in your salary cap or do you pad it out with some filler you'd get on the relative cheap like Lillyman or Johnston?

Dane Gagai was but the rabbits will get him.
Cody Walker from Souths is about to be (and has fielded offers)
Blake Ferguson is off contact end of this year unless he recently re-signed?
Forward wise Adam Blair, not much around.

 

[Gareth67]

Off the track slightly , but it would appear that the Dragons are ( were ) not the only club categorising their players into specific positions , when negotiating new contracts ? This was back in April .

 

[Frank Facer]

Brown had a team 10% better than our current one for a few years in a row.......and?

I accept he is rebuilding Newcastle, but around 2 wins last year is still not what I would accept.

Didn't Newcastle get the wooden spoon the last year that Bennett was at Newcastle? Didn't Bennett leave Newcastle in a rabble?

Bellamy has struggled to win games when Melbourne have been missing their big three

If you go on winning and losing stats, then Green and Henry are good coaches if Thurston was playing, while they are poor coaches when Thurston is not playing. The same applied to Newcastle when Andrew Johns was their halfback. Who ever was coaching Newcastle was a better coach with Johns in his team to when he was not.

Hasler is considered one of the top 3 coaches in the comp, but he has not done enough to many of the Canterbury fans liking and he has had a salary sombrero to buy players.

I think if Brown was to coach our team next year, he would have a very good win lose strike rate.

Do you really think that Bennett, Hasler or Bellamy would be winning games if they coached Newcastle this year or last year. I don't.

 

[saintsarealive1]

Didn't Newcastle get the wooden spoon the last year that Bennett was at Newcastle? Didn't Bennett leave Newcastle in a rabble?

Bellamy has struggled to win games when Melbourne have been missing their big three

If you go on winning and losing stats, then Green and Henry are good coaches if Thurston was playing, while they are poor coaches when Thurston is not playing. The same applied to Newcastle when Andrew Johns was their halfback. Who ever was coaching Newcastle was a better coach with Johns in his team to when he was not.

Hasler is considered one of the top 3 coaches in the comp, but he has not done enough to many of the Canterbury fans liking and he has had a salary sombrero to buy players.

I think if Brown was to coach our team next year, he would have a very good win lose strike rate.

Do you really think that Bennett, Hasler or Bellamy would be winning games if they coached Newcastle this year or last year. I don't.

I definitely see your view, but i think i would still back bellamy and bennett to have won around 8 games last year vs 2 i think it was.

Hasler, no more than what Browny did.

I would re look at Browny in another 3 or 4 yrs time perhaps.

Just to make sure there is no old boys syndrome that most on this forum don't want at the club.

 

[JDHD]

Off the track slightly , but it would appear that the Dragons are ( were ) not the only club categorising their players into specific positions , when negotiating new contracts ? This was back in April .View attachment 13500

Every club does. This is why Dugan's decision was so f**king stupid. The Dragons were 'disrespectful' by being up front and honest about their long term views on his playing future both financially and positionally. The Sharks, meanwhile, stroked his l shaft by saying "oh mate, you're not just a centre, you're an elite player, we'd love to have you here as an elite player" and Dugan swallowed that bullshit hook line and sinker.

Who's more respectful? The guys who tell you the truth or the guys who tell you what you want to hear?

 

[JDHD]

I definitely see your view, but i think i would still back bellamy and bennett to have won around 8 games last year vs 2 i think it was.

Strongly disagree, but that's the beauty of life - everyone can look at the same situation from diametrically opposed positions.

 

[possm]

Lets see the NSW Cup team was ripped apart with key players leaving and numerous players injured.

This year is a year for allowing players to develop and thats exactly whats happening at the exspense of results yet still they are still in contention for a finals birth.

The under 20's team has only 2 players that are 20 the rest are in their first year out of the SG Ball so for them to be sitting third is fantatsic.

You have to actually give players ago to see if they are actually ready.

We need to replace first graders with players of first grade standard or even for a short time, we will weaken the squad. To be honest, we need to replace each player in first grade with like standard players or better, else we weaken our first grade side.

So, in order to continue to improve our first grade side with juniors, we need to pick those juniors who are standouts in reserve grade and then blood them off the bench. Sometimes a risky thing to do for a coach however, it is the only way to go.

Now we come to the weak point in the Cub's new structure - for the old boys. If the recruitment pathways director has complete faith in a junior or a new recruit and the coach does not share the same view, then there is an a problem. If the coach won't even test the junior or recruit by selecting him off the bench for fear of losing a game, then we don't just have a problem, we have a MESS.

 

[possm]

I would love to see field or Dufty on the bench and if there was a game where we have a game wrapped up, give them some game time

I agree however, I would put them in early, maybe even start them and let them. The current system of giving them a few minutes does not allow them to settle and then show their best.

Mann would have to have a hardened character to put up with the crap Mary dished his way this year and still performed well when called on.

One of our potential young fullbacks, Mann/Dufty/Field should be selected in first grade to make their claim for first grade, otherwise come out and say the three of them are not ready for the fullback position however, if the recruitment / pathways director believes they are, will he go out and recruit a fullback like for like or better, I doubt it very much.

I would rather we test these players, coming off the bench and given significant minutes. In this way there will be little doubt and so our 2018 season could realise it's full potential. Let's see each game for the rest of the year, either Dufty/Field/Mann on the bench and be tested. To me its a matter of stubbornness on Mary's part. I mean for so long he has persisted with McCrone over Mann, Aitken over Milne even though both have lost us close games because of poor play.

 

[saintsarealive1]

Strongly disagree, but that's the beauty of life - everyone can look at the same situation from diametrically opposed positions.

In Bennetts last year at the knights they got to 20 competition points for the spoon.

4 wins behing top 8.

I think Tinkler stuffed that club, not really any of the coaches.

Hopefully Browny gets them marching upwards.

He is a good genuine guy and i hope he is successful.

 

[Banjo2014]

JDHD - I had to google who Sasha Grey was: Google says

Sasha Grey is an American actress, model, author, musician, and former pornographic actress. She first made her name in mainstream media after appearing on several popular television programs and in ...

 

[JDHD]

JDHD - I had to google who Sasha Grey was: Google says

Sasha Grey is an American actress, model, author, musician, and former pornographic actress. She first made her name in mainstream media after appearing on several popular television programs and in ...

I assume you're still googling her? Haha

 

[JDHD]

In Bennetts last year at the knights they got to 20 competition points for the spoon.

4 wins behing top 8.

I think Tinkler stuffed that club, not really any of the coaches.

Hopefully Browny gets them marching upwards.

He is a good genuine guy and i hope he is successful.

Tinkler absolutely should shoulder most of the blame for the Knights but the Dragons post 2010 is all on Bennett. He had complete control of the roster and we're only just now recovering from all the back-ended deals that he organised.

 

[hazzbeen]

Tinkler absolutely should shoulder most of the blame for the Knights but the Dragons post 2010 is all on Bennett. He had complete control of the roster and we're only just now recovering from all the back-ended deals that he organised.

And he highly recommended Price as coach which didnt help ......

 

[possm]

Tinkler absolutely should shoulder most of the blame for the Knights but the Dragons post 2010 is all on Bennett. He had complete control of the roster and we're only just now recovering from all the back-ended deals that he organised.

Uncle Benny still got paid handsomely so no great loss as far as he is concerned.

Now and again I think about what could have been if Doust signed Bennett for 5 years as he requested - not 3. Mid 2011 season we were leading the competition and the bookies were paying out early. I feel sure we would have won another couple of GF and set up a good TPA system if we kept him on.

 

[JDHD]

Uncle Benny still got paid handsomely so no great loss as far as he is concerned.

Now and again I think about what could have been if Doust signed Bennett for 5 years as he requested - not 3. Mid 2011 season we were leading the competition and the bookies were paying out early. I feel sure we would have won another couple of GF and set up a good TPA system if we kept him on.

Yeah, don't misunderstand me: if I could do it all again with the same outcomes, I absolutely would do it the same because we won the god damn premiership and nothing will ever come close to seeing the Red V win for the first time in my lifetime.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Bennett reaped all the rewards from Browny's good management of a roster and development of juniors. Browny is now cleaning up the mess at Newcastle because of Bennett's MISmanagement of the roster and junior development.