Widdop

[Rob Dragon]

The half combination (or lack of it) comes down to the fact that we do not have a player who has grown up playing half-back. Marshall was a #6 and Widdop was a #1.

Benji played his best football at #6 and he is still fast enough to make an impact in that position. To me we are wasting too much money on two players who play in the same position meaning we still have not solved the half-back problem.

 

[saintjeff]

When we lose we can be critical,we have won our last two.
Not being at our best v the raiders but last night we were good give widdop a break

 

[Country Dragon]

Benji needs to step back and let Widdop control this team. There's more future persisting with Gareth than there is with Benji!

 

[giboz71]

The half combination (or lack of it) comes down to the fact that we do not have a player who has grown up playing half-back. Marshall was a #6 and Widdop was a #1.

Benji played his best football at #6 and he is still fast enough to make an impact in that position. To me we are wasting too much money on two players who play in the same position meaning we still have not solved the half-back problem.

We made a $1m decision to get Benji? Surely before that was made, there had to have been a plan or vision of how his combination with Widdop would work?

I wasn't a fan of getting Benji, but now that he's here we should at least be working towards a workable combination. I'm putting this squarely on Mary to make this work. I'm sure there would be plenty of coaches that would take the Benji/Widdop combination in a heartbeat.

 

[rainman44]

U need Widdup away from Benji... Benjis should b steering our team around.. I like Crook and there's merit in bringing him in this year at 7. There should b real thought in the below

1. Widdup
2. nighty
3. Dugan
4. Aiken
5. Nabuli

6. Marshall
7. crook

Solves our centre problem w Dugan back to centre and Widdup moves out of the halves to FB

Aitken is a right centre and he needs to play him their.

 

[TheRev]

Dont know how people are criticising Dugan, the guy was a monster tonight. Made huge runnung metres, didnt everything at 100miles an hour, defended brilliantly. Who gives a f**k about his passing game, as I've said before, any decent coach could come up with a game plan to utilise his runnung game and substitute his passing.

You cant be serious? 4-5 early tackle count errors from his 'passing game', he put us under enormous pressure all night long, camped on our tryline.

Hell he even bombed the pass to Nightingale who freakishly pulled it in to score.

If I was Mary I would instigate a Dugan-Rule, which is that he must NEVER pass unless it is 4th or 5th tackle, even if he creates a gap, hold it and bust the tackle, thats his only strength, and its not worth the risk for him to pass for any other reason.

 

[bottle]

Dugan had a red hot go, but he made plenty of errors.
Neither Benji nor Gareth are organisers. Both played their best letting someone else run the show.

 

[hazzbeen]

Dugan had a red hot go, but he made plenty of errors.
Neither Benji nor Gareth are organisers. Both played their best letting someone else run the show.

Hi Bottle this is my thought on Dugan I posted on another thread...Your thoughts ...................Dugan has bulked up , he is big and strong,erratic at times,does play at 100 miles an hour.He can cause havoc to the opposition and to his own team, I have said this before He is just a runner of the the ball ,He is not what you call a great" footballer" .Yes can win you a game and I am glad that he is on our side....How long can Duges last playing this style of footy ? Not sure....

 

[giboz71]

We're trying to make Dugan into a ball player when he clearly isn't. So why do we keep running those plays? Plenty of fullbacks have been effective just as runners. Minichello is a great example.

With the right coaching, he should've able to add that to his game. It's a feature of Inglis game now that he's added late in his career.

 

[Minh]

For a guy with so much god given talent, it's hard to believe he cannot pick up his passing game.

 

[Minh]

Dugan that is ^^^

 

[coast_dragons]

Maybe its the Tats they make his arms heavy.

 

[BennyV]

You cant be serious? 4-5 early tackle count errors from his 'passing game', he put us under enormous pressure all night long, camped on our tryline.

Hell he even bombed the pass to Nightingale who freakishly pulled it in to score.

If I was Mary I would instigate a Dugan-Rule, which is that he must NEVER pass unless it is 4th or 5th tackle, even if he creates a gap, hold it and bust the tackle, thats his only strength, and its not worth the risk for him to pass for any other reason.

Well thats a load of crap if ever I've seen it. Bombed the pass? He did well enough to draw the winger and get the pass away, its no easy feat with such little space and deserves more credit that the garbage above.

You're right that busting tackles and ball running is his biggest strength, but its up to the coach to utilise this. Instead, they are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole and make him a ball player without teaching him to pick his passes. Seems like poor coaching and planning.

 

[coast_dragons]

Unless you know how he is being coached why even bother making any statement regarding it but if you do and know its fact then yes it could come down to poor coaching.

If Dugan or Mary came out and said yes I am training to be more a ball player then they both certainly need to work on that particular facet of the game but since I haven't heard or seen anything to back up either side of the arguement I have no idea.

People can have an opinion on the coaching which is fair enough but maybe its a bit of this and a bit of that.

 

[watatank]

Why do the players and coach have to come out and say this is what we are doing, when we can see it and it's obvious?

 

[coast_dragons]

Because he can't coach or thats whats been said.

 

[BennyV]

I didnt say he cant coach in that statement, I said its poor coaching. Its bleedingly obvious that the attacking plan revolves around the fullback sweep play, but Dugan doesnt have the awareness or passing game at the moment to be effective (among other shortcomings in the team and structure, such as timing and angles of all players). So theres a few conclusions:

1) Those coaching think it is the way to attack regardless of the players' strengths and limitations. They are just persisting, even though its cleary not working. This is poor coaching.

2) They are trying to teach Dugan how to pick and throw his passes properly for the play to work. Its not effective. Given the natural talent Dugan has, and some of the ballplaying ability that he showed at Canberra, hard to believe he is at fault. More likely, its poor coaching methods.

3) Either because of or in spite of either of the points above, the coaching staff refuse to come up with a more effective game plan that utilises the strengths and miinimises the effects of their limitations. This is poor coaching.

I'm open to suggestions as to how the coaching staff can wipe their hands of this, because at this point i cant see It. The fact is that we have a highly paid, extremely talented player who excels in all aspects of the modern day fullback except for natural passing ability, and we are utilising a game plan that exploits his inefficiency, rather than highlighting his many upsides. You tell me who's problem that is to fix.

 

[BennyV]

Dont get me wrong, the coaches deserve credit for the enthusiasm and defensive effort from the guys last night. It was great to watch and has made me so pumped for next week vs Knights, a feeling a havent really had so far this year. Was very proud of the whole team and staff.

But my main concern with Mary and the assistant coaches isnt about effort or enthusiasm, it never has been. My concern is with their ability to coach a team of men to play football. This includes identifying our best players and their skillsets, and tailoring a game plan that utilises our strengths as a team. In attack, we havent done that; in fact, its been years since weve done that (a major concern when Mary was attacking coach). I just hope something gives and either the attacking plan starts to work or they change it to suit.

For now, the defensive display is a good start. I just hope the players (and staff) dont expect that to win games alone.

 

[coast_dragons]

If the two halves took more control then he probably wouldn't have to pass as much they still persist with sideways movement.

Its easy to see Widdop and Marshall will struggle as a unit as one guy plays off the top of his head and the other looks to structured to play any other way.

If McGregor can come up with a game plan I'd be surprised as two 5/8's doesn't seem to work that well.

 

[watatank]

Two five eighths don't work well when there is no creative or ball playing presence/threat in the middle of the field. Opposition teams already know to move wide to cover whatever Widdop and Marshall are trying to do.