Official CHN talks about his culture.

TwinTurbo

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Problem is I’m sure pay has his favourites and some of the new guys must have been assured a spot so you don’t know how the selections will go.
Every bit of talk this year in public and private has been about players earning a spot, demanding it initially by their training and attitude. Slip and you have to earn it back. That's how he played and that's the reports from the players that have played with and for him. Depends on one's definition of "favourite", my "favourite" would always be someone who deserves the spot, who has actually earned it, not someone who thinks they are entitled.

Go Dogs
 

Paulie Gualtieri

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Being selected for the Maori team would mean he plays a pointless pre season game that will only serve to provide an injury risk...
Hmmm maybe pointless to you but to him it’s a massive thing to represent his family and culture. Same with the Indigenous boys. But I do see your point with the players getting injured. Poor scheduling from the NRL I think. Can’t blame the players as I’m sure they would play this game straight after the NRL season.
 

Mr Invisible

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Maybe the idea is to tailor the team to who we are playing. When playing a team with smaller forwards, bulk the side with big mobile boppers. When playing a team with massive slow forwards, fill the side with fast, smal and mobile forwards.

I can see us losing forwards to other clubs if we have too much competition, but as long as we have a reliable base, and those players deliver, we should be fine.
 

Baby Blues

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Why are we discussing Aitken? Blokes signed for another 2 years with Dragons and will be straight into their starting backline.

1. Widdop/Dufty
2. Maranta / Lomax / Perreira
3. Lafai
4. Aitken
5. Maranta / Lomax / Perreira

Maranta / Lomax / Perreira - One (probably Maranta) alongside Mikaele Ravalawa will be in NSW Cup.
We are discussing Aitken because he is rumoured to be on the outer. Potential line up reported is Widdop, Pereira, Lafai, Lomax & Ravalawa.
I doubt Dufty and Aitken would be happy spending their time in NSW Cup for too long either
 

Mr Invisible

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We are discussing Aitken because he is rumoured to be on the outer. Potential line up reported is Widdop, Pereira, Lafai, Lomax & Ravalawa.
I doubt Dufty and Aitken would be happy spending their time in NSW Cup for too long either
Rumoured where? Social media? Can't see anything anywhere.

Ravalawa will be in NSW Cup.
Dufty will slot into fullback in 2020 when Widdop goes, so he won't be released.

I think you'll find Pereira and Lomax will be wingers with Aitken and Lafai in the centres.

That said Dragons have a few head scratchers. With Norman and Hunt, it's even possible that Hunt will come off the bench as hooker, and Widdop/Norman will be 2019 halves (with Dufty at fullback).
 

EB18

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Surely this will be our starting backrow.

11. RFM
12. CHN
13. Jackson

Unfortunately Martin misses the 17 for me. With the bench 14? Sue fauluo elliott. Id go with outside back as our 14.

Martin ogden renouf c.smith as reverses. We have some good depth.
 

JUNKYARD DOGS

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Surely this will be our starting backrow.

11. RFM
12. CHN
13. Jackson

Unfortunately Martin misses the 17 for me. With the bench 14? Sue fauluo elliott. Id go with outside back as our 14.

Martin ogden renouf c.smith as reverses. We have some good depth.
Its a good headache to have , but who knows in the end mate.
I still cant leave Martin out though, but thats a quality back row there. Only in for RFM at a stretch as he's be better off the bench than Martin. If Martin isnt starting he will be in ISP. Where as RFM not starting I can see coming off the Bench.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Yeah mariner could be pretty good there. Said it before but id really like Elliot to add some size and be our bench front rower when the interchange is reduced
I've said it before that he's great at finding space and slipping through defenders, but give him a set defensive line and he gets smashed. He does look like he's put on size so hopefully he gets stronger in these situations, but even then I can't see enough improvement there to be a prop, especially with the likes of Tolman and Napa starting who are no way strong ball runners.
 

Baby Blues

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Rumoured where? Social media? Can't see anything anywhere.

Ravalawa will be in NSW Cup.
Dufty will slot into fullback in 2020 when Widdop goes, so he won't be released.

I think you'll find Pereira and Lomax will be wingers with Aitken and Lafai in the centres.

That said Dragons have a few head scratchers. With Norman and Hunt, it's even possible that Hunt will come off the bench as hooker, and Widdop/Norman will be 2019 halves (with Dufty at fullback).
Yeah mate it’s the rumours are strong on Ravalawa getting a starting spot too. CNK is also being strongly linked to the Raiders as a replacement for Rapana who is out for the first 3 months of the year.

If Aitken doesn’t come that’s fine as we can just see what our current crop can do
 

SweetFA

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Surely this will be our starting backrow.

11. RFM
12. CHN
13. Jackson

Unfortunately Martin misses the 17 for me. With the bench 14? Sue fauluo elliott. Id go with outside back as our 14.

Martin ogden renouf c.smith as reverses. We have some good depth.
RFM off the bench, defensively he’s a liability poor reads & decision making Don’t be surprised if Jackson (R)& CHN (L)edge & Martin plays lock giving him roving role
 

CrittaMagic69

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RFM off the bench, defensively he’s a liability poor reads & decision making Don’t be surprised if Jackson (R)& CHN (L)edge & Martin plays lock giving him roving role
Martin isn't playing lock + CHN is far more suited to the right edge than left. We won't be lining up this way. Then again with Pay who knows.
 

boggie23

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Every bit of talk this year in public and private has been about players earning a spot, demanding it initially by their training and attitude. Slip and you have to earn it back. That's how he played and that's the reports from the players that have played with and for him. Depends on one's definition of "favourite", my "favourite" would always be someone who deserves the spot, who has actually earned it, not someone who thinks they are entitled.

Go Dogs
Hope so.

Would be refreshing having healthy competition and players playing with fear if their spot. I know with Hasler we almost never saw people earn their spot. Even Remis smith got a last min call up then was never seen again for a few seasons.

But definitely hope that players wanting to perform every week instead of being comfortable (kasiano played 4 games in the reggies last season, don’t think he played 4 reggies games in 4 years at the dogs even with his inconsistencies and form/fitness issues).
 

EB18

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RFM off the bench, defensively he’s a liability poor reads & decision making Don’t be surprised if Jackson (R)& CHN (L)edge & Martin plays lock giving him roving role
I dont agree. I dont think RFM def is that bad. If Pay doesn't start him he has rocks in his head. RFM has the best footwork in our whole team including our outside backs. His also our most explosive player plus he probably ranks 1st for tackle breaks in our team. Not to mention his probably our only forward with an offload.
 

Bull Terrier

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Hope so.

Would be refreshing having healthy competition and players playing with fear if their spot. I know with Hasler we almost never saw people earn their spot. Even Remis smith got a last min call up then was never seen again for a few seasons.

But definitely hope that players wanting to perform every week instead of being comfortable (kasiano played 4 games in the reggies last season, don’t think he played 4 reggies games in 4 years at the dogs even with his inconsistencies and form/fitness issues).
Agree with you,, it is much better now they all want to play for the jumper which we lacked for a long time. Some did but some were there just for the dosh thank god their gone. But as you said also the competition is there now for positions and it’s good stuff . I like the team and what the management had done to put us in a competitive position.
 

Kempsey Dog

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I've said it before that he's great at finding space and slipping through defenders, but give him a set defensive line and he gets smashed. He does look like he's put on size so hopefully he gets stronger in these situations, but even then I can't see enough improvement there to be a prop, especially with the likes of Tolman and Napa starting who are no way strong ball runners.
Yeah that's true, I like his effort of late, but i do like all our other backrowers better. So perhaps that's just my way of trying to work around that fact that I don't see Pay ever not having him start in the backrow
 

Kempsey Dog

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Martin isn't playing lock + CHN is far more suited to the right edge than left. We won't be lining up this way. Then again with Pay who knows.
This, if Foran is to play and stay fit... then CHN has to be outside him
 

SweetFA

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I dont agree. I dont think RFM def is that bad. If Pay doesn't start him he has rocks in his head. RFM has the best footwork in our whole team including our outside backs. His also our most explosive player plus he probably ranks 1st for tackle breaks in our team. Not to mention his probably our only forward with an offload.
What you need to consider is our outside backs are very inexperienced so our edge forwards need to be aggressive & decisive - up until now RFM hasn’t been. Having good footwork & busting tackles is a great stat but it doesn’t make you a good defender.If you don’t concede tries then you need to score as many to win. Realistically I don’t see our outside backs scoring 40+ tries next season at this stage.
 

CrittaMagic69

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What you need to consider is our outside backs are very inexperienced so our edge forwards need to be aggressive & decisive - up until now RFM hasn’t been. Having good footwork & busting tackles is a great stat but it doesn’t make you a good defender.If you don’t concede tries then you need to score as many to win. Realistically I don’t see our outside backs scoring 40+ tries next season at this stage.
Lol.
 

GDR

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What you need to consider is our outside backs are very inexperienced so our edge forwards need to be aggressive & decisive - up until now RFM hasn’t been. Having good footwork & busting tackles is a great stat but it doesn’t make you a good defender.If you don’t concede tries then you need to score as many to win. Realistically I don’t see our outside backs scoring 40+ tries next season at this stage.
We need explosive players because attack remains our biggest problem. Even if your assessment of RFM's defence was correct (which I do not agree), you sometimes need to sacrifice a bit of defence in order to keep an xfactor in the team when your team struggles so badly to score points ....
 
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