Competition for spots can push Dean Pay’s Bulldogs to another level in 2020

bradyk

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Where have all these Alex Johnston rumors come from?
With Souths back line Johnston might be playing reserves or on the bench. He'd be a handy player to pick up which would immediately improve our back line (he's also a "reject" and is very similar to other players we have targeted). I don't think there are any rumours more so people throwing his name out there as an option. Obviously we'd all want JAC but nothing to show we'll be able to get it over the line yet.
 

KLil

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Blind Freddy could see it should be 11. Stimson 12. CHN 13. Jacko
Rfm as bench middle when he is fit. Can slot in to lock or prop as needed.
We have Jacko for another 4 years... Best ease him into the middle when its appropriate then as he breaks down head to the bench for shorter minutes. Its a good strategy considering Stimson hasn't really proved his a worthy edge forward to displace anyone yet and young guys like Doorey and Topine are still a bit off.
 

TABOO

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We have Jacko for another 4 years... Best ease him into the middle when its appropriate then as he breaks down head to the bench for shorter minutes. Its a good strategy considering Stimson hasn't really proved his a worthy edge forward to displace anyone yet and young guys like Doorey and Topine are still a bit off.
I don't think we are displacing anyone. Jacko doesn't have the agility for the edge anymore. I think he is better suited to lock.
From what I saw last year, Stimpson was looking good on the edge. Good speed, footwork and hole running.
Again, just my opinion from what I see.
 

KLil

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I don't think we are displacing anyone. Jacko doesn't have the agility for the edge anymore. I think he is better suited to lock.
From what I saw last year, Stimpson was looking good on the edge. Good speed, footwork and hole running.
Again, just my opinion from what I see.
I agree JJ would be a gun lock though Jacko in the last 3rd of the comp was probably the most in form edge forward in the comp. After recovering from that shoulder surgery he proved his still got it and even though I agree Stimson is a decent edge forward who runs awesome lines he hardly locked down the position and I think needs to prove himself before knocking off an in form captain.

As I said Jacko will end up at lock but I see no sense in demolishing a stalwart in the middle with 4 years remaining at the club for a 2020 season that doesn't really have the promise of a premiership. I think I speak for everyone when I say we want a healthy JJ to be there when our premiership window opens in a couple of years.
 

TABOO

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I agree JJ would be a gun lock though Jacko in the last 3rd of the comp was probably the most in form edge forward in the comp. After recovering from that shoulder surgery he proved his still got it and even though I agree Stimson is a decent edge forward who runs awesome lines he hardly locked down the position and I think needs to prove himself before knocking off an in form captain.

As I said Jacko will end up at lock but I see no sense in demolishing a stalwart in the middle with 4 years remaining at the club for a 2020 season that doesn't really have the promise of a premiership. I think I speak for everyone when I say we want a healthy JJ to be there when our premiership window opens in a couple of years.
There's merit in both points however absolutely agree with your last point. No one would be more deserving that JJ to be leading the team to premiership contention. He has well and truly paid his dues.
 

doggieaaron

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Pays selections worry the fuck out of me tbh basically took him till our season was over to select what most were banging on for all season
 

Scoooby

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Pays selections worry the fuck out of me tbh basically took him till our season was over to select what most were banging on for all season
Yea. And if we have the same start/repeat of last year then we will all be saying

#payout
#sackpay

BUT.. he deserves a few rounds to prove it before the pitch forks come out.. I will give him the benefit of the doubt to start 2020. But it won’t last long if our season comes crashing down rather quick again.
 

KLil

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There's merit in both points however absolutely agree with your last point. No one would be more deserving that JJ to be leading the team to premiership contention. He has well and truly paid his dues.
Mate if we think this is stressful wait until Doorey, Topine and Pitavao come to the party...
 

Horse

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Pays selections worry the fuck out of me tbh basically took him till our season was over to select what most were banging on for all season
Mate the team that rounded out last year was very similar to the team that ran out in Round 1 personnel wise.

Only real changes were JMK starting hooker and Meaney on the wing. And I’m sure as hell that there was very very few fans calling out for those positional selections. In fact the opposite - JMK and Meaney were Kennel whipping boys for quite a while.

Credit goes to Pay.
 

Kempsey Dog

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Blind Freddy could see it should be 11. Stimson 12. CHN 13. Jacko
Rfm as bench middle when he is fit. Can slot in to lock or prop as needed.
I've been on this all off season but wasn't impressed with Stimsons fitness compared to everyone else at the nines. See what happens I guess
 

doggieaaron

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Mate the team that rounded out last year was very similar to the team that ran out in Round 1 personnel wise.

Only real changes were JMK starting hooker and Meaney on the wing. And I’m sure as hell that there was very very few fans calling out for those positional selections. In fact the opposite - JMK and Meaney were Kennel whipping boys for quite a while.

Credit goes to Pay.
Your continual support of pay is admirable and you’d certainly be one to go to the trenches with but his selections were awful initially and his biggest flaw in my opinion,I actually like the closeness he’s building but he really needs to be smarter with his selections and there were quite a few more than you mentioned,in any case i hope he goes well but it worries the fuck out of me
 

TwinTurbo

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Pays selections worry the fuck out of me tbh basically took him till our season was over to select what most were banging on for all season
Comparing the 17 from Round 1 to the 17 from Round 25 from memory (always risky). Of the 17 players from Round 1, there were 11 still there for Round 25. Of the remaining 6 there were 4 that were injury replacements, Meaney replaced Crichton who was injured, Harper replaced Holland who was injured, RSmith moved to the centre replacing Montoya who was injured, Okunbor replaced RSmith on the wing and CSmith replaced Sue who was injured,

The only changes not forced by injury were RFM and CHN who swapped starting and off the bench between them. Plus the big one, JMK was promoted off the bench replacing Lichaa and Cogger came onto the bench.

Of course if he wasn't injured DWZ would have been in the team for Round 25, but he wasn't playing for us in Round 1 so not a selection change example.

In summary, anyone hanging their hat on some belief that Pay woke up by the end of the season and made wholesales changes that "most were banging on for all season" have but a single example, JMK for Lichaa. A worthwhile change most would agree, but hardly justification for the endless questions over Pay's selections which are plainly unjustified based on the facts above.


Go Dogs
 

Howard Moon

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The reality is, that no matter what team Dean ran out in round 1, it was going to be full of rookies and new faces... I think what happened was inevitable.. what we should be focusing on is the fact that, bar attack obviously, the team by the end of the season were playing as if they have been together for years.. we just need to be patient on the attack side of things unfortunately because no matter what halves and hooker combo we roll with, it's going to be giving away a lot of experience compared to all of the other teams
 

doggieaaron

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Comparing the 17 from Round 1 to the 17 from Round 25 from memory (always risky). Of the 17 players from Round 1, there were 11 still there for Round 25. Of the remaining 6 there were 4 that were injury replacements, Meaney replaced Crichton who was injured, Harper replaced Holland who was injured, RSmith moved to the centre replacing Montoya who was injured, Okunbor replaced RSmith on the wing and CSmith replaced Sue who was injured,

The only changes not forced by injury were RFM and CHN who swapped starting and off the bench between them. Plus the big one, JMK was promoted off the bench replacing Lichaa and Cogger came onto the bench.

Of course if he wasn't injured DWZ would have been in the team for Round 25, but he wasn't playing for us in Round 1 so not a selection change example.

In summary, anyone hanging their hat on some belief that Pay woke up by the end of the season and made wholesales changes that "most were banging on for all season" have but a single example, JMK for Lichaa. A worthwhile change most would agree, but hardly justification for the endless questions over Pay's selections which are plainly unjustified based on the facts above.


Go Dogs
And thats what scares me about pay he had to be forced into those selections also dont forget he started rfm on the edge when he was far better off the bench as a middle forward and picking chris smith week after week was horrendous
 

Teddybear

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There was some talk on the grapevine that pay wasn't the one actually picking the team early on last year which contributed to our terrible start
And thats what scares me about pay he had to be forced into those selections also dont forget he started rfm on the edge when he was far better off the bench as a middle forward and picking chris smith week after week was horrendous
 

Horse

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And thats what scares me about pay he had to be forced into those selections also dont forget he started rfm on the edge when he was far better off the bench as a middle forward and picking chris smith week after week was horrendous
This is another ridiculous knock on Pays selections.

RFM played edge in 2018 and was undoubtedly our best player up until he got injured. Speaking of which, he got injured whilst on NZ duty where he got selected to start in the second row based on his form there. Naturally, he got first crack there in Rd 1, 2019.

He got a run through the middle off the bench last year as CHN had nailed down a starting spot in the back row along with JJ.
 

doggieaaron

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This is another ridiculous knock on Pays selections.

RFM played edge in 2018 and was undoubtedly our best player up until he got injured. Speaking of which, he got injured whilst on NZ duty where he got selected to start in the second row based on his form there. Naturally, he got first crack there in Rd 1, 2019.

He got a run through the middle off the bench last year as CHN had nailed down a starting spot in the back row along with JJ.
Rfm has never played well in the 2nd row i get some players take a while to identify their best position but im glad you brought up chn though pay not playing him early on and elliott in the starting team highlights his clueless selections,put your bias aside it’s something pay needs to get better at
 

doggieaaron

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There was some talk on the grapevine that pay wasn't the one actually picking the team early on last year which contributed to our terrible start
Yeah or i also heard the opposite that it was others that made him start selecting the right players in the right positions who knows what the truth is
 

TwinTurbo

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Rfm has never played well in the 2nd row i get some players take a while to identify their best position but im glad you brought up chn though pay not playing him early on and elliott in the starting team highlights his clueless selections,put your bias aside it’s something pay needs to get better at
CHN himself told us why he didn’t deserve to be selected early last year and what he changed to earn selection later in the year.

There are a number of sources, this is one where CHN mentions how his form improved during last season ; https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2020/01/17/harawira-naera-i-get-goosebumps-thinking-about-it-now/

Go Dogs
 
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doggieaaron

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O
CHN himself told us why he didn’t deserve to be selected early last year and what he changed to earn selection later in the year.

There are a number of sources, this is one where CHN mentions how his form improved during last season ; https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2020/01/17/harawira-naera-i-get-goosebumps-thinking-about-it-now/

Go Dogs
of course a player will say that yet elliott and chris smith were picked knocking on and giving away stupid penalties every game thats my point
 
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