Widdop given a serve.

[Alec's-saints]

This is what was said at the end of 16/early 17 and he got his job for 2 years. I don't know what motivation exists for him to 'get this squad firing'.
If anything, the players lifting for 2018 will come in spite of the coaching staff.

definitely no more excuses now with hunt & graham added to our roster. this will definitely prove if he can coach or not. the halves are finally settled

 

[Life's Good]

definitely no more excuses now with hunt & graham added to our roster. this will definitely prove if he can coach or not. the halves are finally settled

I hope you are right.
I am not saying you agree he is a good coach or not but from where I sit he has proven in 3.5 years he isn't up to it.
Anyway I don't want to turn this into a coach bashing thread, there are deservedly enough of those.

 

[getsmarty]

Widdop wins Player of the Year Medal
Sun 17th September, 07:30PM
A A

St George Illawarra Dragons Awards night at Doletone House , Pyrmont .Picture : Gregg Porteous

St George Illawarra skipper Gareth Widdop has won the prestigious Dragons Player of the Year Medal at the annual presentation night on Sunday.

The English international was duly selected by both his peers and the coaching staff following a season that saw him also selected as the RLPA Five-eighth of the Year.

2017 recruit Paul Vaughan was also recognised for his outstanding season, taking home two awards in the Red V Members Player of the Year and the Geoff Selby Memorial Trophy.

Selby was a hardworking and respected Dragon who was tragically killed in a car accident in 1989, with Vaughan – who will play in the Prime Minister's XIII clash against Papua New Guinea next week – awarded the honour for displaying characteristics of the award's namesake.

Fellow recruit Cameron McInnes was awarded the Dragons Immortals Trophy, an award selected by the coaching staff in consideration with the Immortals criteria of demonstrating outstanding commitment and dedication in all aspects of rugby league.

Reigning NRL Ken Stephen Medallist Joel Thompson won his third-straight Dragons Community Involvement Award for his tireless work in the community.

Thompson also won the Mark Coyne Trophy for career development, with the back-rower currently studying a Diploma of Leadership and Management as well as him undertaking work experience in the juvenile justice system.

Young Dragons back-rower Jackson Ford won the Paul McGregor Trophy as the Under-20s Player of the Year, while Luciano Leilua and Jack Payne took home the Illawarra Player of the Year and the Illawarra Coach's Award respectively.

Dragons Player of the Year Medal Recipients:

2017: Gareth Widdop
2016: Tyson Frizell
2015: Leeson Ah Mau
2014: Ben Creagh
2013: Trent Merrin
2012: Brett Morris
2011: Jason Nightingale
2010: Ben Creagh
2009: Ben Creagh
2008: Jason Ryles
2007: Ben Creagh
2006: Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles
2005: Luke Bailey
2004: Mathew Head
2003: Ben Hornby
2002: Shaun Timmins
2001: Jason Ryles
2000: Trent Barrett
1999: Jamie Ainscough

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/09/17/widdop_wins_player_o.html

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons captain Gareth Widdop named club's 2017 player of the year
Andrew Parkinson
18 Sep 2017, 5 p.m.

Player of the year: Dragons captain Gareth Widdop was named his side's best player for the 2017 season. Picture: John Veage


St George Illawarra captain Gareth Widdop was voted the Dragons’ best for 2017, winning the player of the year medal at the club’s annual presentation on Sunday night.

Widdop, who signed a four-year contract extension with the Dragons in April, was outstanding in the opening three months of the season to lead St George Illawarra to the top of the table before suffering a knee injury.

The England international returned to help the Dragons push for a top eight spot, only to fall short on the final day of the regular season.

The award was voted on by the players and coaching staff which capped a strong personal campaign for Widdop, who was also named the Rugby League Players’ Association five-eighth of the year.

The 28-year-old is likely to line-up in the halves alongside star recruit Ben Hunt next season, with Hunt to join from Brisbane.

Prop Paul Vaughan, who will represent the Prime Minister’s XIII on Saturday, was also recognised for his outstanding season at Doltone House, Pyrmont, taking home the Red V Members player of the year and Geoff Selby Memorial Trophy.

Best of the red V: Dragons captain Gareth Widdop. Picture: Gregg Porteous/St George Illawarra Dragons

Another of the club’s new signings, Cameron McInnes, was awarded the Dragons Immortals Trophy.

Reigning NRL Ken Stephen Medallist Joel Thompson won his third-straight Dragons Community Involvement Award and also took home the Mark Coyne Trophy for career development. The back-rower is studying a Diploma of Leadership and Management as well as him undertaking work experience in the juvenile justice system.

Young Dragons back-rower Jackson Ford won the Paul McGregor Trophy as the under-20s player of the year while Luciano Leilua and Jack Payne took home the Illawarra player of the year and the Illawarra Coach's Award respectively.

http://www.theleader.com.au/story/4932208/widdop-named-red-vs-best/?cs=3833

 

[sammythesaint]

Yes, it's your opinion, but can a single post be so incorrect on many levels?

Tell me what Widdop..... as a captain and on field organiser brings to our team.....
Finishing out of the top 4 is all marys fault is it?

Nothing to do with our on field captain and playmaker?

You think JT, Billy Smith, Alfie Langer, Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling and any decent captain and organiser would just let shit happen all around them?

 

[BrissyRedV]

Is that you Vas/Sigurd?

 

[BrissyRedV]

Funny. Bloke finishes season 2nd in points scored, ranks in the top 6 for try assists and top 10 for linebreak assists, makes the RLPA team of the Year, and was polling well in the daily M before it went behind closed doors and yet is still lambasted for his performance. The coach and his persistence with McGroan is the reason we failed to make the finals fullstop.

 

[BrissyRedV]

I would also like to add in reply to some of our harsher critics, watch his work off the ball, chasing kicks, pouncing on loose balls, etc. On several occasions he made some exceptional clean ups that to me were very reminiscent of another recent captain we have had in Ben Hornby. But again, obviously those attributes do not display his leadership qualities that some think he lack.

 

[sammythesaint]

Funny. Bloke finishes season 2nd in points scored, ranks in the top 6 for try assists and top 10 for linebreak assists, makes the RLPA team of the Year, and was polling well in the daily M before it went behind closed doors and yet is still lambasted for his performance. The coach and his persistence with McGroan is the reason we failed to make the finals fullstop.

Because at the game, our eyes dont lie.
Fake news is real.
Glad you think he brings organisation and passion to the team.
Fmd
Lets hope Hunt can fix things

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

He is a

Funny. Bloke finishes season 2nd in points scored, ranks in the top 6 for try assists and top 10 for linebreak assists, makes the RLPA team of the Year, and was polling well in the daily M before it went behind closed doors and yet is still lambasted for his performance. The coach and his persistence with McGroan is the reason we failed to make the finals fullstop.

He is absolutely a fine player and a reliable goal kicker.
However he is a terrible captain and not a particularly good game manager.
Personally I think if we had a coach who knew what he was doing, Widdop would be a lot more effective.
At the end of the day he scored a hatful of points and his stats were fine but he was the captain as we crashed and burned to a 6/17 win loss ratio in the main part of the season.
We also bombed out of the finals in spectacular fashion.
So maybe your admiration for Widdop should be tempered with a little dose of objectivity.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Because at the game, our eyes dont lie.
Fake news is real.
Glad you think he brings organisation and passion to the team.
Fmd
Lets hope Hunt can fix things

No, facts don't lie. The stats I have presented are fact. What your eyes see are subjective and are what you perceive which in this case, you struggle to get past a personal grudge it seems.

 

[coast_dragons]

Tell me what Widdop..... as a captain and on field organiser brings to our team.....
Finishing out of the top 4 is all marys fault is it?

Nothing to do with our on field captain and playmaker?

You think JT, Billy Smith, Alfie Langer, Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling and any decent captain and organiser would just let shit happen all around them?

lol Yes Mary was at fault.

The guy is a shit stain and if you can't see that oh dear.

 

[BrissyRedV]

He is a

He is absolutely a fine player and a reliable goal kicker.
However he is a terrible captain and not a particularly good game manager.
Personally I think if we had a coach who knew what he was doing, Widdop would be a lot more effective.
At the end of the day he scored a hatful of points and his stats were fine but he was the captain as we crashed and burned to a 6/17 win loss ratio in the main part of the season.
We also bombed out of the finals in spectacular fashion.
So maybe your admiration for Widdop should be tempered with a little dose of objectivity.

I have plenty of objectivity and one player can only do so much. To lay blame for the season fade, when there are much more obvious issues with our side, at his feet because of his perceived lack of leadership and not doing enough is poor form. As I have said previously, he led his side in several key stats that ranked him amount the best play makers in the game and yet it is expected that he needed to do more. He continuously put his body on the line and was regularly the first bloke chasing through on a kick or cleaning up. Take your blinkers off.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

This is what was said at the end of 16/early 17 and he got his job for 2 years. I don't know what motivation exists for him to 'get this squad firing'.
If anything, the players lifting for 2018 will come in spite of the coaching staff.

The issue is that he doesn't know how.
He is surrounded by assistants and consultants in the hope that the situation improves.
Any FG coach worth his salt would not wear it but he is desperate to keep the top job.
What is deeply disturbing is the fact that we continue to recruit and upgrade our roster which will be coached by someone who is not qualified to coach FG.
It's like giving the keys of a Maserati to an L plater.

No, facts don't lie. The stats I have presented are fact. What your eyes see are subjective and are what you perceive which in this case, you struggle to get past a personal grudge it seems.

So let's take the subjectivity out of the debate.
The overriding "fact" which doesn't lie is the fact that we bombed out of the finals on the back of a 6/17 win loss ratio.
The captain during this debacle was Widdop.
Fact.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I have plenty of objectivity and one player can only do so much. To lay blame for the season fade, when there are much more obvious issues with our side, at his feet because of his perceived lack of leadership and not doing enough is poor form. As I have said previously, he led his side in several key stats that ranked him amount the best play makers in the game and yet it is expected that he needed to do more. He continuously put his body on the line and was regularly the first bloke chasing through on a kick or cleaning up. Take your blinkers off.

I don't think you are objective at all.
Most of your adulation for Widdop is in fact subjective - "continuously putting his body on the line..." ? get real.
Look at his tackle stats and missed tackles and then come and talk to me.
His overall stats are fine but you do understand that we had a very soft draw in 2017 and played all the bottom teams twice. That takes the gloss of the ranking in my view.
You put any of the top 5/8s in the same scenario and they will score a mountain of points.
As for "perceived lack of leadership..." the results in 2016 and 2017 speak for themselves.
I don't have blinkers on - I am just counter balancing your one sided analysis and assertions.

 

[BringTheNoise]

if mary really wants his job he will get this sqaud firing. only time will tell

LMAO.

 

[BrissyRedV]

So let's take the subjectivity out of the debate.
The overriding "fact" which doesn't lie is the fact that we bombed out of the finals on the back of a 6/17 win loss ratio.
The captain during this debacle was Widdop.
Fact.

Well let's get one fact right in this statement. Widdop was injured for 3 of those games so yes, he was captain for a fade of 5 from 14. Funnily enough, his injury also coincided with our fall from grace. As for the captaincy side of things, do you honestly believe a different captain gets a different result for the past two years? No, it doesn't. Still the same players on the pitch, with the glaring faults in our team that are far more of an issue than his captaincy.

Look at his tackle stats and missed tackles and then come and talk to me.

That is a flawed argument. Missed tackle stats do not demonstrate anything to do with a player putting there body on the line. Sure it is subjective that I believe he pits his body on the line but it is a better perception then your weak leader argument which is why we failed to make the finals.

His overall stats are fine but you do understand that we had a very soft draw in 2017 and played all the bottom teams twice. That takes the gloss of the ranking in my view.
You put any of the top 5/8s in the same scenario and they will score a mountain of points.

Wow, really? The soft draw argument? Rubbish.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Well let's get one fact right in this statement. Widdop was injured for 3 of those games so yes, he was captain for a fade of 5 from 14. Funnily enough, his injury also coincided with our fall from grace. As for the captaincy side of things, do you honestly believe a different captain gets a different result for the past two years? No, it doesn't. Still the same players on the pitch, with the glaring faults in our team that are far more of an issue than his captaincy.

That is a flawed argument. Missed tackle stats do not demonstrate anything to do with a player putting there body on the line. Sure it is subjective that I believe he pits his body on the line but it is a better perception then your weak leader argument which is why we failed to make the finals.

Wow, really? The soft draw argument? Rubbish.

All you are doing is rationalizing.
There is no substance to what you say so do your best.
As for if we had a different captain - IN MY OPINION - we would have had more competition points and would have done better.
Soft draw is an absolute fact and if you want to drill down further, Widdop was the captain when we lost to Souths in the second round - watch the way he handled the last 10 minutes of that game..
He was the captain when we had our pants pulled down by Newcastle (twice).
The final embarrassment was the loss to Canterbury in the last round which was the cherry on top.
In all three examples, we had our season on the line.
A win in any one of those games would have seen us playing finals footy.
I'm sorry but I do not agree with your fluffy fan club love affair with Widdop.
So when you condescend to using words like "rubbish" it makes you look childish.

 

[Dracarys]

A lot of Widdop's blunders were simply through frustration and trying too hard. He's a passionate footy player. As captain however he was a deer in the headlights. At times the team needed an on field blast and it never happened. Graham will change all that. I'm salivating at the prospect.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Widdop wins Player of the Year Medal
Sun 17th September, 07:30PM
A A

St George Illawarra Dragons Awards night at Doletone House , Pyrmont .Picture : Gregg Porteous

St George Illawarra skipper Gareth Widdop has won the prestigious Dragons Player of the Year Medal at the annual presentation night on Sunday.

The English international was duly selected by both his peers and the coaching staff following a season that saw him also selected as the RLPA Five-eighth of the Year.

2017 recruit Paul Vaughan was also recognised for his outstanding season, taking home two awards in the Red V Members Player of the Year and the Geoff Selby Memorial Trophy.

Selby was a hardworking and respected Dragon who was tragically killed in a car accident in 1989, with Vaughan – who will play in the Prime Minister's XIII clash against Papua New Guinea next week – awarded the honour for displaying characteristics of the award's namesake.

Fellow recruit Cameron McInnes was awarded the Dragons Immortals Trophy, an award selected by the coaching staff in consideration with the Immortals criteria of demonstrating outstanding commitment and dedication in all aspects of rugby league.

Reigning NRL Ken Stephen Medallist Joel Thompson won his third-straight Dragons Community Involvement Award for his tireless work in the community.

Thompson also won the Mark Coyne Trophy for career development, with the back-rower currently studying a Diploma of Leadership and Management as well as him undertaking work experience in the juvenile justice system.

Young Dragons back-rower Jackson Ford won the Paul McGregor Trophy as the Under-20s Player of the Year, while Luciano Leilua and Jack Payne took home the Illawarra Player of the Year and the Illawarra Coach's Award respectively.

Dragons Player of the Year Medal Recipients:

2017: Gareth Widdop
2016: Tyson Frizell
2015: Leeson Ah Mau
2014: Ben Creagh
2013: Trent Merrin
2012: Brett Morris
2011: Jason Nightingale
2010: Ben Creagh
2009: Ben Creagh
2008: Jason Ryles
2007: Ben Creagh
2006: Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles
2005: Luke Bailey
2004: Mathew Head
2003: Ben Hornby
2002: Shaun Timmins
2001: Jason Ryles
2000: Trent Barrett
1999: Jamie Ainscough

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/09/17/widdop_wins_player_o.html

Apart from Jason Ryles ( who may have had one decent season ) there are some quality names in that list.