With finals gone ...

[redandwhite4evr]

Now that I understand your point, I actually agree. Not necessarily with all of your changes, but it’s certainly a much better strategy to try to prepare for next year.

I’d be giving a special push for Lovodua and Kerr. For the life of me I can’t see what Kerr is doing wrong and why he isn’t being regularly selected. Lovodua would be my first pick at 14 now that Robson is confirmed as gone. Would love to see what he offers in the 13/9 role.

Still not convinced about Kerr-much prefer Timm- but I've been impressed by Lovodua's footwork and speed in attack earlier in the season- like yourself, I'm interested to see what else he offers.

 

[Dragonslayer]

On a serious note for this thread:

If McGregor has a so called "free" pass on this years performance, then why roll out basically the same team as last week! Is the "free" pass a myth, and now he's fighting for survival with every game to keep his job?
Our CC will play finals football, they also have a bye this weekend, as I've said on another thread, this was the perfect opportunity to blood and have a real good look at a few players for next year without interrupting the CC team. Alas, however, it has been said that McGregor doesn't rate the CC competition, so what you see, is basically what we are going to get up to and including round 25.

There's also no doubt that the farewell tours of Lats and Widdop will continue unless there's an injury. McGregor also doing his utmost to lure Kaufusi into another year with us by the look of it.

I think the 21 listed for the Sharks game are going to be the backbone of our 1st grade team next year and add in T.Sims, with the exceptions of Lats (replaced by Kaufusi), Widdop (replaced by Norman at 5/8 and Lomax to fullback), Robson (replaced by probably Lovodua in the 21 not necessarily the 17).

Sad really for our juniors to see this happening and blocking their pathways, any wonder they seek elsewhere.

 

[Dragon Blood]

Proof that Mary is out of touch
The Dragons need to play Lachlan Timm, although it doesn’t look like Mary will.

ANGUS SIMPSON
CONTRIBUTOR
AUGUST 12, 2019 - 12:48 PM

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Dragons coach Paul McGregor looks on before the start of the round 1 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the St George Illawarra Dragons at 1300SMILES Stadium on March 16, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
With the curtain fast coming down on the St George Illawarra Dragons’ season, the Red V faithful have been calling for Paul McGregor’s sacking following a dire 2019 and having only made the finals twice during his five seasons at the helm.

While I can sympathise to an extent with McGregor due to the consistent injuries the Dragons have suffered as well as the Jack de Belin issue hanging over their season like a dark cloud, he has not helped himself with his baffling team selections.

Currently languishing in 14th with only seven wins for the year, the Dragons’ forward pack have copped their fair share of criticism with only NSW Origin representative Paul Vaughan averaging over 100 running metres amongst the Dragons’ previously lauded forward pack.

This is where my problem with McGregor lies, surely a quality first-grade coach would recognise these deficiencies and bring in another squad member.

Step in, Lachlan Timm. Having joined the Dragons at the beginning of the 2019 season after a successful junior career at the Storm, Timm has been arguably the best player in the Canterbury Cup in 2019.

TRENDING NOW

• Proof that Mary is out of touch
• Best 17s of the NRL era: Brisbane
• New club joins fight for Ramien signature

The former Queensland under 20 representative currently tops the competition for post-contact metres with 1204, tackles with 691, total runs, and run metres averaging 165 per match.

While McGregor has shown he has paid attention to the Dragons lower-grades, handing local junior Jackson Ford his debut against the Titans after a four-try performance in the previous round, continually not selecting the in-form Timm after such an average season from his big men is borderline criminal.

While McGregor’s ignorance is undoubtedly costing the Dragons in the short-term, it could prove to cost them in the long-term also, with Fox Sportsreporting that Timm’s future is likely to be away from Wollongong due to a lack of game time in the top grade which he has undeniably earnt.

With only four rounds remaining and the door all but shut on the Dragons finals hope, now is the time to blood more youngsters like Timm, in the same way that Jason Saab and Jackson Ford have been handed their chances, because if McGregor doesn’t, another coach will.

 

[muzby]

Proof that Mary is out of touch
The Dragons need to play Lachlan Timm, although it doesn’t look like Mary will.

ANGUS SIMPSON
CONTRIBUTOR
AUGUST 12, 2019 - 12:48 PM

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Dragons coach Paul McGregor looks on before the start of the round 1 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the St George Illawarra Dragons at 1300SMILES Stadium on March 16, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
With the curtain fast coming down on the St George Illawarra Dragons’ season, the Red V faithful have been calling for Paul McGregor’s sacking following a dire 2019 and having only made the finals twice during his five seasons at the helm.

While I can sympathise to an extent with McGregor due to the consistent injuries the Dragons have suffered as well as the Jack de Belin issue hanging over their season like a dark cloud, he has not helped himself with his baffling team selections.

Currently languishing in 14th with only seven wins for the year, the Dragons’ forward pack have copped their fair share of criticism with only NSW Origin representative Paul Vaughan averaging over 100 running metres amongst the Dragons’ previously lauded forward pack.

This is where my problem with McGregor lies, surely a quality first-grade coach would recognise these deficiencies and bring in another squad member.

Step in, Lachlan Timm. Having joined the Dragons at the beginning of the 2019 season after a successful junior career at the Storm, Timm has been arguably the best player in the Canterbury Cup in 2019.

TRENDING NOW

• Proof that Mary is out of touch
• Best 17s of the NRL era: Brisbane
• New club joins fight for Ramien signature

The former Queensland under 20 representative currently tops the competition for post-contact metres with 1204, tackles with 691, total runs, and run metres averaging 165 per match.

While McGregor has shown he has paid attention to the Dragons lower-grades, handing local junior Jackson Ford his debut against the Titans after a four-try performance in the previous round, continually not selecting the in-form Timm after such an average season from his big men is borderline criminal.

While McGregor’s ignorance is undoubtedly costing the Dragons in the short-term, it could prove to cost them in the long-term also, with Fox Sportsreporting that Timm’s future is likely to be away from Wollongong due to a lack of game time in the top grade which he has undeniably earnt.

With only four rounds remaining and the door all but shut on the Dragons finals hope, now is the time to blood more youngsters like Timm, in the same way that Jason Saab and Jackson Ford have been handed their chances, because if McGregor doesn’t, another coach will.

That article title should be the title of the weekly press conference from Mary..

 

[BLM01]

All the comments in this thread have some merit and make sense but we all know Mary is about winning games with his best squad...to pump his chest out by telling all.after a win...."see...I have the squad to win the comp if they play like that every week"..which means....well we all know what and who that is by now to justify his selection
He still continues to praise the team about the Souths and Parra games saying his squad was close and showed promise and near where they need to be.......cough cough
Unfortunately when being interviewed no one asks him directly about non performing 1st grade and well performing lower grade about changing the squad up a bit

 

[muzby]

All the comments in this thread have some merit and make sense but we all know Mary is about winning games with his best squad...to pump his chest out by telling all.after a win...."see...I have the squad to win the comp if they play like that every week"..which means....well we all know what and who that is by now to justify his selection
He still continues to praise the team about the Souths and Parra games saying his squad was close and showed promise and near where they need to be.......cough cough
Unfortunately when being interviewed no one asks him directly about non performing 1st grade and well performing lower grade about changing the squad up a bit

A stopped clock is still right twice a day..

Unfortunately those two times mean that it’s still wrong 99.99998% of the time..

 

[BLM01]

A stopped clock is still right twice a day..

Unfortunately those two times mean that it’s still wrong 99.99998% of the time..

Mary continues to show that a stopped clock also out performs him!

 

[Overseas dragon]

Mary continues to show that a stopped clock also out performs him!

So If Bellamy is a ferrari then we have a wheelbarrow at the helm ........pity

 

[2010]

Rename to NAPLAN II?

Do you mean NOPLAN

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

finals gone?

I thought McGregor said we can still win the comp.

Fact is, the board decided in their wisdom, to give McGregor a 'Whore Pass' for which he's done his very best to f@%k our season and the club in general.