The comp leaders (Warriors/Saints)...how far will they go?

[TheDMC]

Curious - seeing Dragons fans seem to bag shit on Mary mercilessly, who/what do you attribute the success to? I know you haven't won anything yet but 11-3, some one is doing something right and it's not like you have access to 17 Immortals every week (even if it is a good squad, a lot of them have improved out of sight or been signed from elsewhere)

zero injuries has to be helpful

 

[Penrose Warrior]

zero injuries has to be helpful

Yeah but 15 other sides wouldn't be on top of the comp if they'd had no injuries.

Refuse to believe Mary isn't a good coach, as I said he's not coaching the Immortals.

 

[TheDMC]

Yeah but 15 other sides wouldn't be on top of the comp if they'd had no injuries.

Refuse to believe Mary isn't a good coach, as I said he's not coaching the Immortals.

I don't disagree mate.

 

[Life's Good]

Curious - seeing Dragons fans seem to bag shit on Mary mercilessly, who/what do you attribute the success to? I know you haven't won anything yet but 11-3, some one is doing something right and it's not like you have access to 17 Immortals every week (even if it is a good squad, a lot of them have improved out of sight or been signed from elsewhere)

Ok here’s my 2 cents worth.
Our roster is strengthened with the addition of Hunt & Graham.
Off the field, Graham has been tremendous as a mentor & leader to both the younger players & also the likes of Vaughan, JDB etc. It’s no coincidence a good pack from last year was ripe for the picking for SOO this year. It’s not all Graham of course but he’s a leader that shows the way. I don’t think he’s been great on the field TBH but we’re getting what we paid for.
On the field Hunt has given our attack the variety it lacked(didn’t exist)with McCrone. Not only that but he has taken a fair share of attacking responsibility away from Widdop who is thriving in game just like he did when he was at Melbourne. Sure, there are Broncos fans not that impressed with Hunt but that’s more a reflection on them than Hunt.
Matt Dufty has developed really well. He won us the game vs. Canberra & helped turn the screws on Cronulla early in the season. He’s no Ponga(who is)but he’s showing signs he can be that match winner for us in the games we normally would have lost(and did last year).
As for Mary, I remain critical of certain aspects of his coaching - poor use of the bench(continued use of 3 players with the 4th benchie getting token minutes), as a great passing centre in his own right the complete lack of development in Aitkens passing game, failure to make mid game tactical changes.
We’re in the position of about 4 other clubs who are in with a good chance this year such is the nature of the competition. Mary has to address these shortcomings(the same ones as last year but masked a little by a better roster, albeit a roster of his choosing so he gets credit there)otherwise we won’t fire too much of a shot come the finals short of some extraordinary individual performances.
Ok, probably more my $20 worth.

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

Ok here’s my 2 cents worth.
Our roster is strengthened with the addition of Hunt & Graham.
Off the field, Graham has been tremendous as a mentor & leader to both the younger players & also the likes of Vaughan, JDB etc. It’s no coincidence a good pack from last year was ripe for the picking for SOO this year. It’s not all Graham of course but he’s a leader that shows the way. I don’t think he’s been great on the field TBH but we’re getting what we paid for.
On the field Hunt has given our attack the variety it lacked(didn’t exist)with McCrone. Not only that but he has taken a fair share of attacking responsibility away from Widdop who is thriving in game just like he did when he was at Melbourne. Sure, there are Broncos fans not that impressed with Hunt but that’s more a reflection on them than Hunt.
Matt Dufty has developed really well. He won us the game vs. Canberra & helped turn the screws on Cronulla early in the season. He’s no Ponga(who is)but he’s showing signs he can be that match winner for us in the games we normally would have lost(and did last year).
As for Mary, I remain critical of certain aspects of his coaching - poor use of the bench(continued use of 3 players with the 4th benchie getting token minutes), as a great passing centre in his own right the complete lack of development in Aitkens passing game, failure to make mid game tactical changes.
We’re in the position of about 4 other clubs who are in with a good chance this year such is the nature of the competition. Mary has to address these shortcomings(the same ones as last year but masked a little by a better roster, albeit a roster of his choosing so he gets credit there)otherwise we won’t fire too much of a shot come the finals short of some extraordinary individual performances.
Ok, probably more my $20 worth.

Good post.

I disagree about Aitken though.

His defence has improved compared to last year out of sight and just plays to his strength of being a power runner.

 

[Life's Good]

Good post.

I disagree about Aitken though.

His defence has improved compared to last year out of sight and just plays to his strength of being a power runner.

Totally agree mate. His power running is top notch I just think if he developed a passing game he goes to the next level.
Not complaining though.

 

[Prometheus]

Curious - seeing Dragons fans seem to bag shit on Mary mercilessly, who/what do you attribute the success to?

A lot of Dragons fans will refuse to acknowledge Mary's successes no matter how well we do, simply because he was a Steeler.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Penrith have already choked in competition with the Roosters. Saints and Souths will choke in the playoffs.

Roosters vs Warriors in the Grand Final.

 

[Saint Doc]

A lot of Dragons fans will refuse to acknowledge Mary's successes no matter how well we do, simply because he was a Steeler.

Mate that’s BS. Did anyone go easy on Steve Price because he was a St George player?

People don’t like Mary because he was under qualified to be hired in the first place, was crying crocodile tears when price was sacked all whilst angling for the top job (acting like a reluctant hero), who then became arrogant despite no real success, became the world’s greatest excuse maker, stuffed the roster (until Millward came in and took over...yes a Steeler), and shows complete errors of judgment on a weekly basis that are masked by individual brilliance.

 

[footy75]

Penrith have already choked in competition with the Roosters. Saints and Souths will choke in the playoffs.

Roosters vs Warriors in the Grand Final.

Can't discount the Storm Albert.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Can't discount the Storm Albert.

You have a point.

 

[hardbaby]

A lot of Dragons fans will refuse to acknowledge Mary's successes no matter how well we do, simply because he was a Steeler.

That has nothing to do with it

 

[carcharias]

Mary has got then coming first
He had the balls to sign 2 of the biggest GF chokers in history.

 

[OzDragon]

Mary has got then coming first
He had the balls to sign 2 of the biggest GF chokers in history.

Two negatives = a positive.

Tis all part of Mary’s master plan.

 

[carcharias]

Two negatives = a positive.

Tis all part of Mary’s master plan.

Must say I’ve never seen a bigger bunch of whingers in my life.

You guys won a comp not long ago
The dude coaching was in that team??
He has had to over come Bennett’s total raping of the squad .... and got them killing it.
Yet
Plenty of you sad merkins want to sack him.

 

[Life's Good]

Must say I’ve never seen a bigger bunch of whingers in my life.

You guys won a comp not long ago
The dude coaching was in that team??
He has had to over come Bennett’s total raping of the squad .... and got them killing it.
Yet
Plenty of you sad merkins want to sack him.

In answer to those question marks one of the first things Bennett did was get rid of McGregor from the existing support staff - didn’t rate him. Mind you he rated Steve Price enough for him to coach us after he left & that was a disaster. He went well for you guys but isn’t setting the world on fire in Super League. Make of that what you will.

 

[carcharias]

In answer to those question marks one of the first things Bennett did was get rid of McGregor from the existing support staff - didn’t rate him. Mind you he rated Steve Price enough for him to coach us after he left & that was a disaster. He went well for you guys but isn’t setting the world on fire in Super League. Make of that what you will.

So
What has that got to do with anything?

On further inspection Mary was from yonks ago.

Price??
Talk about holding a grudge.
You blokes are quite paranoid.

 

[Life's Good]

So
What has that got to do with anything?

On further inspection Mary was from yonks ago.

Price??
Talk about holding a grudge.
You blokes are quite paranoid.

Where in what I posted demonstrates I hold a grudge?
Its a summary of events. Nothing more or less hence the point ‘make of that what you will’.

 

[carcharias]

Where in what I posted demonstrates I hold a grudge?
Its a summary of events. Nothing more or less hence the point ‘make of that what you will’.

What has price got to do with McGregor?
He left years ago.

 

[Life's Good]

What has price got to do with McGregor?
He left years ago.

Nothing. It’s a summary of what happened in relation to your initial post about McGregor being part of the coaching staff when we won the comp.