Who would you like to see appointed as Dragons Coach for 2015 on

[jenninga]

It's funny. Up here in north qld surrounded by broncos, they were expecting to flog us to make the eight in round 25. Now they are shitting a bit and say the dragons are the dangerous team to bundle them out and make it through into the finals. They are broncos fans mind you but beating those blokes is a big win for any saints fan up here or anywhere. A five game streak and you would have to hand the keys to Mary.[/QUOTE]

Don't agree,beating alsorans like us is no tick for signing a coach.I've said many times now we need a coach who can lift us to another level and capable of beating any of the top 4 sides,something we have failed to do this season.

 

[getsmarty]

It's funny. Up here in north qld surrounded by broncos, they were expecting to flog us to make the eight in round 25. Now they are shitting a bit and say the dragons are the dangerous team to bundle them out and make it through into the finals. They are broncos fans mind you but beating those blokes is a big win for any saints fan up here or anywhere. A five game streak and you would have to hand the keys to Mary.[/QUOTE]

Don't agree,beating alsorans like us is no tick for signing a coach.I've said many times now we need a coach who can lift us to another level and capable of beating any of the top 4 sides,something we have failed to do this season.

We don't have a top 4 squad. Our forwards need strengthening.

 

[dragonreddy]

It's funny. Up here in north qld surrounded by broncos, they were expecting to flog us to make the eight in round 25. Now they are shitting a bit and say the dragons are the dangerous team to bundle them out and make it through into the finals. They are broncos fans mind you but beating those blokes is a big win for any saints fan up here or anywhere. A five game streak and you would have to hand the keys to Mary.

When has this side ever won 5 in a row???

 

[possm]

The Roosters didn't play well at all imo. Yet they still beat us reasonalby comfortably despite also missing SBW and a couple of others. To me it looked similar to the Manly game. We still haven't beaten any of the top sides with Mary in charge. There has been a bump in enthusiasm across the team since the coaching change occurred, but aside from that I'm not convinced that McGregor is that much of an improvement on Price.

Well said and I 100% agree however, does the Board see it that way?

 

[bottle]

It's funny. Up here in north qld surrounded by broncos, they were expecting to flog us to make the eight in round 25. Now they are shitting a bit and say the dragons are the dangerous team to bundle them out and make it through into the finals. They are broncos fans mind you but beating those blokes is a big win for any saints fan up here or anywhere. A five game streak and you would have to hand the keys to Mary.

I also don't agree with the blanket statement without seeing how the wins play out, and how we subsequently acquit ourselves during the finals that being the case. Having said that, I can't see a 5 game winning streak anyway so I think its all moot.
Best we've managed all year so far was 4 from 5, and that was during the rarefied atmosphere of the SoO period. I'm far from confident.

 

[Weipa Dragon]

The way I see it is who is going to blow Mary out of the water and how. We have a bloke who has taken over half way through a year and improved our side a hell of a lot. We have a halfback who started half way through the year and as per- typical Benji, shows signs of brilliance but doesn't always show up. Our forwards are beaten by bigger blokes. I see them as Middleweights taking on heavyweights each week. They get a few shots in but it doesn't sting like the heavyweight who makes our blokes punchdrunk. If we match the forwards we have won. I think in the end how do you know Mary is going to struggle next year and in saying that how do you know one of the off contract coaches is going to do better? None of us do. We don't know who is being signed and leaving yet. It's easy to say Mary is a below par coach but with all that has happened this year and the abortion he inherited off Price, he has gone well in my eyes. The fact is we have lost to top teams but have fought hard. Manly got us by 11 and Roosters pipped us by 8. We are not being flogged anymore and the only way is up.

 

[Godz Illa]

Weipa, your post made me weep.

"We fought hard", "we arent getting flogged" "They pipped us". We almost won. We'll almost make the semis. Mary can almost coach. It's almost laughable.

 

[bottle]

Weipa you are right in saying that we may not be comparing like for like against the better sides. I'm sure the majority would like to see some adjustments to the roster regardless of who we end up with as coach. My personal view is that without some signings in key areas of concern we remain a middle of the road team regardless of who is in charge.

That said Mary's fate is in his own hands and is, for better or worse, a function of how he handles the team that he has at his disposal in the here and now. Its improved no doubt. Whether there has been enough displayed to get him the gig remains unproven for many of us. There is limited time and opportunity left to demonstrate anything with certainty.

In the end I think the decision has already been made. Most suspect we will have Mary next year anyway. Lets just hope the club can sign the players we need to give the coach a fighting chance whoever they may be.

 

[jenninga]

Weipa, your post made me weep.

"We fought hard", "we arent getting flogged" "They pipped us". We almost won. We'll almost make the semis. Mary can almost coach. It's almost laughable.

You saved me from going ballistic,well said.

 

[Weipa Dragon]

Laughing kookaburras, do you only watch rugby league to win???? There is so much more. I can't think of a perfect run except for our 11 and I'm sure we lost a few games there. You win some and you lose some but I/we love the game for so much more. Check out the movie Moneyball if it all comes down to statistics and winning; this " American kick your arse" mentality epitomised.

 

[dragonreddy]

Laughing kookaburras, do you only watch rugby league to win???? There is so much more. I can't think of a perfect run except for our 11 and I'm sure we lost a few games there. You win some and you lose some but I/we love the game for so much more. Check out the movie Moneyball if it all comes down to statistics and winning; this " American kick your arse" mentality epitomised.

We seem to be very adept at losing more than we can win these days . I guess if your happy with that good luck to you, but you would be in the minority of supporters ,probably in any sport. Sorry I've watched enough rubbish dished up in this last 3 years to last me for the next 10,and heard enough bullshite excuses for not aiming-up to last a lifetime.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Reading this forum no matter who Dousts appoints as a coach next year people will be bagging him on this forum. He can't win. Unless the new coach whoever it is can get the Saints play good consistent footy and they are in the 8 not everyone will be happy with the Doust.

Is there 1 person who you guys think if he gets the gig people will all be happy with. One that is available that is not Bellamy or Hassler. I can't think of anyone.

 

[Dr Fruitbasket Returns]

Reading this forum no matter who Dousts appoints as a coach next year people will be bagging him on this forum. He can't win. Unless the new coach whoever it is can get the Saints play good consistent footy and they are in the 8 not everyone will be happy with the Doust.

Is there 1 person who you guys think if he gets the gig people will all be happy with. One that is available that is not Bellamy or Hassler. I can't think of anyone.

He could try tapping up Hasler, Toovey and Maguire. At the very least it shows agents and the player market that we're ambitious. No point with Bellamy though. I think he already knows enough about Doust not to take him seriously.

 

[giboz71]

I don't think people are giving Mary enough credit. Price and the board put us in such a big hole as a result of the last 2.5 years, its a wonder we're competitive at all. Price was always looking over his shoulder, hence his strategy was not to build for the future, but to save his job. There was no vision or strategy, just a whole heap of reactive short sighted decisions with no thought of the future.

We have the building blocks of a good side. Widdop, Dugan, Marshall, Merrin, Morris....these are elite players to build a team around. We just need someone to think big picture and put it all together. It's not gonna happen instantaneously for the reasons I have mentioned above. I'm guessing we're about 2 years away from contending again...but thats the cold hard reality.

Surround our best players by developing our current crop (Rein, De Belin, Stockwell), bring through our top juniors (Dufty and co) and maybe 2 or 3 astute buys like we did in 2009.

Mary has done ok given what he inherited. Whoever the coach is, he needs to be given 2-3 years without the pressure of losing his job, and thinking long term. It's what the Panthers have done and they are reaping the benefits.

 

[Godz Illa]

Mary has done ok given what he inherited. Whoever the coach is, he needs to be given 2-3 years without the pressure of losing his job, and thinking long term. It's what the Panthers have done and they are reaping the benefits.

Could not agree more. Penrith are a great model. In 2011 Steve Georgallis took over on an interim basis and did an ok job. Instead of keeping him on, Penrith appointed Ivan Cleary on a long deal - a talented, vibrant coach with several years NRL coaching experience and decent results under his belt. We should follow this model and appoint one of Ivan's old teammates from Norths: Jason Taylor

 

[pinkmoon]

we should follow this model and appoint one of ivan's old teammates from norths: Jason taylor

yes, yes, yes!

 

[giboz71]

Could not agree more. Penrith are a great model. In 2011 Steve Georgallis took over on an interim basis and did an ok job. Instead of keeping him on, Penrith appointed Ivan Cleary on a long deal - a talented, vibrant coach with several years NRL coaching experience and decent results under his belt. We should follow this model and appoint one of Ivan's old teammates from Norths: Jason Taylor

Yep exactly. It's what we need to do. Taylor would be ok, I was actually hoping for Neil Henry but he's more likely to take the Titans job now that Cartwright has resigned.

But a 2-3 year plan is mandatory, not a coach who's just trying to stay afloat on a 1 year deal. It would be Price all over again.

There's not a whole heap of choices to be honest....we need to get this right.

 

[blacksafake]

Could not agree more. Penrith are a great model. In 2011 Steve Georgallis took over on an interim basis and did an ok job. Instead of keeping him on, Penrith appointed Ivan Cleary on a long deal - a talented, vibrant coach with several years NRL coaching experience and decent results under his belt. We should follow this model and appoint one of Ivan's old teammates from Norths: Jason Taylor

I agree Godz especially on Taylor, he has shown that he can coach & has a very good tactical mind as well as be able to handle the media.This however would take vision & i doubt that Doust or the board would have this so i think we are heading for Mary :?

 

[Slippery Morris]

I agree Godz in regards to Taylor but my point is people will go off at Doust if he appoints Taylor and not Mary. Doust can't win whichever way he goes.

Did anyone watch Sterlo last week and hear what Duges had to say about the previous coach? He said that the players where just turning up and doing the basics to make first grade. Now that Mary is in he is challenging them more and making them earn their position. That made me sick to the stomach and wonder how the board would let this go on for that long under Price? Shows how much they pay attention to what is happening outside the office. Goes to show that not much had to be done to improve on the previous coach so although Mary has improved the side he really did not have to do that much it appears.

 

[pinkmoon]

I agree Godz in regards to Taylor but my point is people will go off at Doust if he appoints Taylor and not Mary. Doust can't win whichever way he goes.

Of course not all fans are going to agree with every decision all of the time...but we need a shake up from outside of the club, outside the boys club, and someone with no ties to the Brown/Bennett/Price eras. Fresh should be the buzz word; fresh ideas, fresh faces, fresh approach.