Versatile Mata'utia content to wait

[Saints Forever]

Unless Duges proves to the medical staff he is 100% ready, Mata'utia should be selected at Fullback.

Alternatively if Duges is fit he should play at right centre as he lacks the elusiveness to play full back now.

 

[Twenty10]

Unless Duges proves to the medical staff he is 100% ready, Mata'utia should be selected at Fullback.

Alternatively if Duges is fit he should play at right centre as he lacks the elusiveness to play full back now.

You may be right... Duges does look slower and too bulked up. Although widdop didn't do anything to put duges in the right position. So disappointed with widdop

 

[rasaint]

I said before Duges has lost his sharpness and power. Weight and power are different. At this stage he needs to be 92 to 94 kg not 100 to 102kg. He does not threaten anymore. Sorry I want Duges to succeed but presently not worth the big coin.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

Between 2009-2011, there was never this much discussion about player selections. The top 17 picked themselves. As a matter of fact, I can never recall so much uncertainty regarding player selections.

After 5 months of pre-season training and 2 trials, so many positions are still undecided in the team. This has been the norm now since 2012.

For what it's worth, pick the young guys and stick with them Mary. You'll earn our respect by at least looking like your planning for the long term, not simply nabbing the odd win here and there to extend your coaching career like that goose price.

 

[possm]

Between 2009-2011, there was never this much discussion about player selections. The top 17 picked themselves. As a matter of fact, I can never recall so much uncertainty regarding player selections.

After 5 months of pre-season training and 2 trials, so many positions are still undecided in the team. This has been the norm now since 2012.

For what it's worth, pick the young guys and stick with them Mary. You'll earn our respect by at least looking like your planning for the long term, not simply nabbing the odd win here and there to extend your coaching career like that goose price.

Dare I say, Price showed us Dragon supporters how stupid it is to stick with players out of loyalty/favoritism rather than on their form on the field. Of course loyalty is a consideration can be considered to some degree, I would rather see players picked on form each week.

Nabuli, O'Brien, and Rose were brave but proper selections for round 1. Mary would have picked these players on their ability shown during the pre-season and trials; remember on paper Runciman was ahead of Nabuli, Hunt ahead of O'Brian.

Unfortunately, the selection of Farrell and Nielsen do not follow the same rules. I believe Mary considered these two players as a safer bet mainly because of their greater experience at NRL level however, these two players proved to be our weakest link in the round one game against the Storm and although we won the game against Warrington, both Nielson and Farrell had very poor games Even after two poor performances each of these players are now selected in the top 17 again for round 2 against the Tigers. To me this smacks of the stubborn, stupid mentality of the previous three years.

Let's hope Mary is proved to be correct in the up-coming game against the Tigers. Dragons supports are less forgiving when it comes to repetitive mistakes made by our coach. Fans have become even more hardened after the debacle of the Price era.

 

[BennyV]

Fans have become even more hardened after the debacle of the Price era.

Not true for all :sarcasm:

 

[rainman44]

i said before duges has lost his sharpness and power. Weight and power are different. At this stage he needs to be 92 to 94 kg not 100 to 102kg. He does not threaten anymore. Sorry i want duges to succeed but presently not worth the big coin.

100%

 

[Hills Dragon]

I couldn't agree more with most of the above. Aitken and Mata-utia are clearly the best selections for the centre positions, but for some reason McGregor seems committed to the Steve Price "Pick the same blokes no matter how much it defies logic" policy. Un-f'ing-believeable.

 

[possm]

I said before Duges has lost his sharpness and power. Weight and power are different. At this stage he needs to be 92 to 94 kg not 100 to 102kg. He does not threaten anymore. Sorry I want Duges to succeed but presently not worth the big coin.

So what were our coahcing and fitness staff doing during the off season. One would think players would be monitored and fitness plans designed to meet their needs. If the increase in weight of Dugan, Farrell and Widdop is part of a plan designed by the coaching staff, then please point the finger where it belongs. If the increase in weight is due to the ill-discipline of the individual players, then again where are those who are resoponsible for taking care of such problems.

 

[grouch]

Dugan still looks powerful and elusive to me, he broke a number of tackles the other night (more than anyone else in the team). He's just being woefully used, again. And his stint in the centres hasn't helped at all. He was once a brilliant fullback but now looks more like a good centre trying to play fullback.

 

[jenninga]

Dugan still looks powerful and elusive to me, he broke a number of tackles the other night (more than anyone else in the team). He's just being woefully used, again. And his stint in the centres hasn't helped at all. He was once a brilliant fullback but now looks more like a good centre trying to play fullback.

Agree with this,and he doesn't look like he's fit.Reckon he was carrying an injury before this game

 

[BennyV]

I couldn't agree more with most of the above. Aitken and Mata-utia are clearly the best selections for the centre positions, but for some reason McGregor seems committed to the Steve Price "Pick the same blokes no matter how much it defies logic" policy. Un-f'ing-believeable.

The whole Dragons culture revolvea around a wait-and-see approach to everything.

Wait and see if Price comes good.
Wait and see if Mary can coach (rather than employing someone who we know can coach).
Wait and see if Nielson can wind back the clock on his Xth game for the club.
Wait and see if Rein will finally come good in his 4th full season jn firat grade.

Its pathetic.

 

[bottle]

Between 2009-2011, there was never this much discussion about player selections. The top 17 picked themselves. As a matter of fact, I can never recall so much uncertainty regarding player selections.

After 5 months of pre-season training and 2 trials, so many positions are still undecided in the team. This has been the norm now since 2012.

For what it's worth, pick the young guys and stick with them Mary. You'll earn our respect by at least looking like your planning for the long term, not simply nabbing the odd win here and there to extend your coaching career like that goose price.

On the forums? You have a join date of 2014 so unless you were here in another guise I don't know how you can claim that. There were blokes calling for the dropping of Hornby and Young well into 2010, going as far as saying we would never win a Premiership with Hornby at halfback. There were calls for Beau Henry to be elevated to first grade ahead of Hornby, and for Cameron King to be blooded in place of Young. Blokes wanted Prior dropped. Blokes wanted Hunt dropped. Blokes wanted Poore dropped. Blokes wanted Thorby picked, or Chase Stanley to be given a run in top company. It's never changed. There has always been discussion about selections. Go back and have a look at some of the threads from that time. People always think things can be improved, which no doubt they can. There was so much speculation that Bennett was prompted to say that a coach that listens to the fans will end up sitting with the fans.

It's also worth noting that Price was roundly criticised by many for too much chopping and changing, as well as not enough chopping and changing by others, or in some cases even the same people. Even now we still have people on here blaming him for not sticking with Drinkwater/Williams/Witt at halfback, and blaming him for the ruination of the careers of the former two.
Who'd be a coach?

 

[love my saints]

On the forums? You have a join date of 2014 so unless you were here in another guise I don't know how you can claim that. There were blokes calling for the dropping of Hornby and Young well into 2010, going as far as saying we would never win a Premiership with Hornby at halfback. There were calls for Beau Henry to be elevated to first grade ahead of Hornby, and for Cameron King to be blooded in place of Young. Blokes wanted Prior dropped. Blokes wanted Hunt dropped. Blokes wanted Poore dropped. Blokes wanted Thorby picked, or Chase Stanley to be given a run in top company. It's never changed. There has always been discussion about selections. Go back and have a look at some of the threads from that time. People always think things can be improved, which no doubt they can. There was so much speculation that Bennett was prompted to say that a coach that listens to the fans will end up sitting with the fans.

It's also worth noting that Price was roundly criticised by many for too much chopping and changing, as well as not enough chopping and changing by others, or in some cases even the same people. Even now we still have people on here blaming him for not sticking with Drinkwater/Williams/Witt at halfback, and blaming him for the ruination of the careers of the former two.
Who'd be a coach?

Very valid and true points bottle. All supporters have differing opinions, on coaches and on players. Every year there will be players praised by some and crucified by others.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

On the forums? You have a join date of 2014 so unless you were here in another guise I don't know how you can claim that. There were blokes calling for the dropping of Hornby and Young well into 2010, going as far as saying we would never win a Premiership with Hornby at halfback. There were calls for Beau Henry to be elevated to first grade ahead of Hornby, and for Cameron King to be blooded in place of Young. Blokes wanted Prior dropped. Blokes wanted Hunt dropped. Blokes wanted Poore dropped. Blokes wanted Thorby picked, or Chase Stanley to be given a run in top company. It's never changed. There has always been discussion about selections. Go back and have a look at some of the threads from that time. People always think things can be improved, which no doubt they can. There was so much speculation that Bennett was prompted to say that a coach that listens to the fans will end up sitting with the fans.

It's also worth noting that Price was roundly criticised by many for too much chopping and changing, as well as not enough chopping and changing by others, or in some cases even the same people. Even now we still have people on here blaming him for not sticking with Drinkwater/Williams/Witt at halfback, and blaming him for the ruination of the careers of the former two.
Who'd be a coach?

Nah, not on this forum. I talk to plenty of supporters who don't even know this forum exists. The conversation about player selections always comes up, more so in the last 3 years.

Have a look on our website. Why do we have 36 players listed on what I assume is our top squad? And don't tell me they are contracted to the Cutters or some other nonsense because they are listed on our website as being part of the Dragons squad;

http://www.dragons.com.au/team/player-profiles.html

And yet other teams like the roosters, bulldogs and Souths have between 27-31?

Point is we are still arguing about who should be our fullback, centres, hooker, and props. I think our squad is too large and must present the coach with some selection issues that are very distracting.

 

[bottle]

Nah, not on this forum. I talk to plenty of supporters who don't even know this forum exists. The conversation about player selections always comes up, more so in the last 3 years.

Have a look on our website. Why do we have 36 players listed on what I assume is our top squad? And don't tell me they are contracted to the Cutters or some other nonsense because they are listed on our website as being part of the Dragons squad;

http://www.dragons.com.au/team/player-profiles.html

And yet other teams like the roosters, bulldogs and Souths have between 27-31?

Point is we are still arguing about who should be our fullback, centres, hooker, and props. I think our squad is too large and must present the coach with some selection issues that are very distracting.

No idea mate. However many we have, we still only have 25 under the top tier salary cap because that's how it works. All I'm saying is selection discussions have always been vigorous, even when we had a successful side.

 

[mmap dragons]

Unless Duges proves to the medical staff he is 100% ready, Mata'utia should be selected at Fullback.

Alternatively if Duges is fit he should play at right centre as he lacks the elusiveness to play full back now.

Looks as though this will happen.

Duges out for two weeks with Peter.M at fullback.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/be...ragons-captaincy/story-fndujljl-1227261192756

 

[love my saints]

Looks as though this will happen.

Duges out for two weeks with Peter.M at fullback.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/be...ragons-captaincy/story-fndujljl-1227261192756

Bout time. Hopefully peter m holds his own, and duges can go to centre on his return.

 

[mmap dragons]

Bout time. Hopefully peter m holds his own, and duges can go to centre on his return.

100%.

Duges proved what he can do there last year. Sooner we see the back of Nielsen the better. If it's not Dugan, Surely we have better options than Nielsen.

At first I thought Nielsen may offer something, yet having watched the three games he's played in the Red V I can now see why the Warriors faithful were cheering when he departed.

 

[love my saints]

100%.

Duges proved what he can do there last year. Sooner we see the back of Nielsen the better. If it's not Dugan, Surely we have better options than Nielsen.

At first I thought Nielsen may offer something, yet having watched the three games he's played in the Red V I can now see why the Warriors faithful were cheering when he departed.

If its not duges at centre, i hope peter m does enough to get a shot in the centres. Either of the 2 in neilsons place would be my choice.