Under 20s SOO

[giboz71]

As with the under20s test match, our performances show our elite juniors to be an absolute step above. Excellent stuff.

Which confirms why Millward isn't playing massive overs for retaining guys when we have such a talented crop of young juniors coming through. We've invested in these guys so surely we need a plan to transition them through. And Field is already getting a glimpse of FG.

We have a squad this year that can go all the way. No need to rush them in. It's still 9 months till the beginning of next year fellas, plenty of time to get some of these guys hardened for FG.

 

[possm]

Yes who knows how good they are.mary unfortunately cant see what's in front of him and we will see them playing for somebody else .I honestly don't know what some of these dufty, field,Garrick's have to do to get noticed by jetski .hope these same boys don't go the way of Jack bird.

Announce our new coach and they'll stay. Mary is a road block and his assistant coaches need to go and learn from an elite coach.

If we sign a top line coach, he will select his own assistants and insist on Millward reporting to the head coach.

 

[possm]

Agree 100% mate. Some blokes on here like OT think we can choose 22 players for each game.

Dufty, Field, Lawrie, Garrick, plus Mann, Milne, Sele, Host?

Enough players for two benches.

Let mary do his job and pick our best, the others boys chances will come.

Do you really believe that Mary has selected the best team each week? Do you really believe Mary has managed the bench well each week?

Mary has had his duties significantly reduced to help him get up to standard as an NRL coach and yet, he still finds it difficult making sound decisions on selections and bench management.

 

[possm]

Which confirms why Millward isn't playing massive overs for retaining guys when we have such a talented crop of young juniors coming through. We've invested in these guys so surely we need a plan to transition them through. And Field is already getting a glimpse of FG.

We have a squad this year that can go all the way. No need to rush them in. It's still 9 months till the beginning of next year fellas, plenty of time to get some of these guys hardened for FG.

Forcing selection decisions by not retaining good first grade players is ot the correct way of progressing juniors. It may set the Dragons back years and still not garrantee we retain our juniors.

Promoting to first grade should always be on form and skills. The best player for the job should be selected whether his is a junior or not. We only need the best possible team on the paddock each week; nothing else.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

Announce our new coach and they'll stay. Mary is a road block and his assistant coaches need to go and learn from an elite coach.

If we sign a top line coach, he will select his own assistants and insist on Millward reporting to the head coach.

Possm mate, I love discussing hard hitting issues with you, but you've been dreaming far too big lately.

Sign a top line coach, okay sweet, i'm with you, but who?
Look at the market, look at coaches off contract. Who would you pick from that lot? Do any coaches immediately spring to mind as an upgrade?

The only coaches officially off contract in the NRL at the end of this year are Mary, Madge and Bennett.
There is no way Bennett will leave Brisbane and honestly, is Madge REALLY an upgrade?

Let's get some realism happening here.

 

[possm]

Possm mate, I love discussing hard hitting issues with you, but you've been dreaming far too big lately.

Sign a top line coach, okay sweet, i'm with you, but who?
Look at the market, look at coaches off contract. Who would you pick from that lot? Do any coaches immediately spring to mind as an upgrade?

The only coaches officially off contract in the NRL at the end of this year are Mary, Madge and Bennett.
There is no way Bennett will leave Brisbane and honestly, is Madge REALLY an upgrade?

Let's get some realism happening here.

During my 63 years on this earth I have been a very conservitive person and always looked at risk management from a conservative point of view. Now on reflection in my retirement, I acknowlege that it may have been more enjoyable and profitable to take a more optomistic/risky decision now and then.

On this forum there is the opportunity to be creative and even dream out loud of things that could become true. In addition it makes for a lot of enjoyment reading the response from members weh I post something right out there.

Enough truth telleing, enjoy the topics and posters point of view on this forum no matter whether I agree or do not agree with the contents of their post.

 

[kit66]

Agree 100% mate. Some blokes on here like OT think we can choose 22 players for each game.

Dufty, Field, Lawrie, Garrick, plus Mann, Milne, Sele, Host?

Enough players for two benches.

Let mary do his job and pick our best, the others boys chances will come.

Good point and you don't want to rush things but on the other hand - bringing in Fai fai Loa when Field is raring to go might make some question Mary's thinking. Field's performance last night was another standout by all accounts and you can only imagine what he could do behind a dominant forward pack. He must be close.

Congrats to all our 20's boys who played last night. Great to see Dragon's players scored 30 of the 46 points posted last night, with Field bagging 14 himself.

 

[saintsarealive1]

Do you really believe that Mary has selected the best team each week? Do you really believe Mary has managed the bench well each week?

Mary has had his duties significantly reduced to help him get up to standard as an NRL coach and yet, he still finds it difficult making sound decisions on selections and bench management.

If i was coach i would have had Milne in for Aitken by round 3. Not waited for injury.

Also Mann for McCrone.

However possum....with Widdop demanding to mary that his halves partner IS McCrone, mary swung that way.

At least while widdops good form continues.

Field on the bench and definitely play him 15 mins before half time and back end of game to test tiring forwards.

But even mary has his views

 

[possm]

If i was coach i would have had Milne in for Aitken by round 3. Not waited for injury.

Also Mann for McCrone.

However possum....with Widdop demanding to mary that his halves partner IS McCrone, mary swung that way.

At least while widdops good form continues.

Field on the bench and definitely play him 15 mins before half time and back end of game to test tiring forwards.

But even mary has his views

Team selection has always been one of Mary's biggest problems. Mary has his favourites; a loyalty thing. In the world of the NRL there is a place for loyalty however, it's consideration is applied about 3 rungs down the ladder.

1. The best decions for the team - form or consideration of tatics.
2. The best decions for the Club - short and long term success.
3. Loyalty to players and player loyality to the Club.

Mary has nearly always skipped to the third placed criteria when choosing players. Why? Because Mary thrives on the knowledge his players like him. Any player that does not agree with Mary, will find himself off-side with Mary and uncomfortably on the outer.

 

[Slippery Morris]

The team is winning so team selections seem to be going OK. As for retaining Dugan and Packer. I can see why they were not budging and giving them big dollars to stay. Looks like they have some quality juniors coming through and would rather have the dough to retain these guys which is a great move. Field will be the long term fullback next year or the one after so all looking pretty good.

 

[Overseas dragon]

I'd personally like to see DUFTY given a go .the kid is dynamite with a capital D .and he's very good under the high ball .but that's not just my opinion also the coach of Soo under 20s

 

[possm]

The team is winning so team selections seem to be going OK. As for retaining Dugan and Packer. I can see why they were not budging and giving them big dollars to stay. Looks like they have some quality juniors coming through and would rather have the dough to retain these guys which is a great move. Field will be the long term fullback next year or the one after so all looking pretty good.

Slippery Morris - bye the way, one of my all time favourite Dragons.

Packer was not high dollars last November. His price only went up after Cleary became the Tigers coach last month. A 6 month period of time. If we wanted to keep Packer we most definitely could have.

Dugan was another matter. But why waste time on Dugan. If Millward wanted Field at fullback, why not pull Dugan's offer after a month and sit down with Mary and arrange the progression of Field for the up-coming season - 2017.

The only way I can describe this whole affair - its a mess.

 

[Overseas dragon]

Tend to agree possum .but if Millard wanted Superman to play fullback Mary would still play Dugan or Nightingale seems they agree to disagree

 

[Slippery Morris]

Hey Possm - Millward is smart. If he got Dugan to sign for what he is actually worth, we would have had Field and Dugan. Instead Dugan thinks he is worth a miI and would rather us lose our juniors (in Field) in order to make him happy and give us 20 games a season if they are lucky.

Packer was offered good coin for a prop and he went to the highest bidder. Your acting like Millward offered him 300k. He offered him not much less than Tigers but again, greed took precedence.

Mary has Saints in the top 4 and it is round 13 coming up and they have played Premiers twice, Storm, Cows, and Chooks.

I agree some of the selections may not be our cup of tea (Mann should be ahead of McCrone for me especially) but hey, they are playing good footy and best of all look to be playing for each other. You cannot ask for more from Mary. Every coach makes a selection nobody is happy with. Some dope use to pick Andrew Johns at 9 and Kimmorley at 7 ( I think - Chris Anderson from Memory or was it Gould). They won a comp or 2 from memory.

 

[possm]

Hey Possm - Millward is smart. If he got Dugan to sign for what he is actually worth, we would have had Field and Dugan. Instead Dugan thinks he is worth a miI and would rather us lose our juniors (in Field) in order to make him happy and give us 20 games a season if they are lucky.

Packer was offered good coin for a prop and he went to the highest bidder. Your acting like Millward offered him 300k. He offered him not much less than Tigers but again, greed took precedence.

Mary has Saints in the top 4 and it is round 13 coming up and they have played Premiers twice, Storm, Cows, and Chooks.

I agree some of the selections may not be our cup of tea (Mann should be ahead of McCrone for me especially) but hey, they are playing good footy and best of all look to be playing for each other. You cannot ask for more from Mary. Every coach makes a selection nobody is happy with. Some dope use to pick Andrew Johns at 9 and Kimmorley at 7 ( I think - Chris Anderson from Memory or was it Gould). They won a comp or 2 from memory.

All OK Slippery,
I think I have put the best way I could have so not much else to say. Field has been chosen as our first grade fullback and no one else has been recruited for that job, so put him at fullback and get him started. Dugan can play right centre until he is next injured or until we decide if we want to retain Milne.

 

[2010]

Mary needs to give Field or Dufty some game time of the bench. I would hate to see one of them shoved in the fullback role next season without getting decent game time this season