Dean pay on 2sm

He’s not going to come out and say the preseason is just like last year is he?

Looking forward to Round 1. Just don’t lose to the Eels, please!
Yeah, would be great to get a good start but at the same time the main thing from my side is seeing cohesiveness and attitude in that first game. That's the key for me
 
reading between the lines ... with Lewis guaranteed starting it really puts to bed that rumour we were thinking about swapping him with Addo Carr
I don't think it was ever on the cards tbh. It was just another media stunt to get viewers/readers.
 
He tackles the house down. Yeh he's raw in attack but his defence might be the best in the team. Def helps him nail 1 half spot

His defence is as good as I’ve ever seen for a half. He literally just does not miss 1 on 1, no matter who it is carrying the ball.

There’s some argument to say that he didn’t create enough try’s last year, but it’s gotta be acknowledged how many he saved, and there was plenty.

His long-mid range kicking game is very solid and is understated on this forum. Definitely needs to improve his creativity in the attacking 20 metres but that will come. He’s what 22 years old? He’s developing well and his best years as a half are still a couple of years away. The tools are there, I’m confident he’ll be a success.
 
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His defence is as good as I’ve ever seen for a half. He literally just does not miss 1 on 1, no matter who it is carrying the ball.

There’s some argument to say that he didn’t create enough try’s last year, but it’s gotta be acknowledged how many he saved, and there was plenty.

His long-mid range kicking game is very solid and is understated on this forum. Definitely needs to improve his creativity in the attacking 20 metres but that will come. He’s what 22 years old? He’s developing well and his best years as a half are still a couple of years away. The tools are there, I’m confident he’ll be a success.
Despite all this if he's to be in the halves he's a 6 not a 7 imo ... Some say there's not alot of difference but yeah Cogger is the better talker and links with his outside men better wether it be short or long. Lewis generally cuts out or kicks, so for me he's better suited as second receiver
 
Despite all this if he's to be in the halves he's a 6 not a 7 imo ... Some say there's not alot of difference but yeah Cogger is the better talker and links with his outside men better wether it be short or long. Lewis generally cuts out or kicks, so for me he's better suited as second receiver

Agree Lewis is a 5/8. Plus I am old school and think it looks ridiculous seeing a guy so tall wearing the number 7.
 
He is so bog average at doing actual halfback stuff it amazes me how many passes he gets on this place.

I hope he carves up but Lewis is bog average.
 
If the dummy half and fullback can attack well, modern sides do not need two dominant attacking halves. Im of the view that the "spine" is really about three positions on the field - good decisions / execution by the dummy half being the key - need to be able to keep the defence guessing as to when they will run, kick or which way the pass is going - something the Dogs haven't had for a number of years - although JMK drastically improved last year.
 
Defence came together nicely over the course of last year, we simply have to up our scoring in 2020. 12 pts a game is totally unacceptable.
 
Notes from chat
*DP happy with backend of season 2019

*Losing KF is a massive loss for us

*it was said to DP that he got a headache to pick a back row for start of season pay on the following

Joe Stimson - mentioned how hard training has been in can play number of positions handy goalkicker quality country player is a top 17 player

CHN- gone to another level training the house down

JJ- training well AE same as JJ

RFM - happy how he played backend of the year found his spot in middle of the pack

Halfs
Lachlan Lewis - leading 7 for rd1

Brandon wakeham - impressive for Fiji and in couple of 1st grade games he mentioned him and JC will come down to trials who partners LL said all 3 have being training well mentioned BW more then JC but that don't mean anything

Players like Remis and meany have got confidents and walking around the joint like 1st graders all players have brought in what we put in place and we being working on our D. Looking forward to playing Parra rd1


Probably spelling errors I was trying to write it down in my work break didn't have Time to fix it up
Thank for the summation of the interview. Let's see how these players live up to Dean's observations.
We have a low bar set for this year, so any improvement will be worthwhile.
 
If the dummy half and fullback can attack well, modern sides do not need two dominant attacking halves. Im of the view that the "spine" is really about three positions on the field - good decisions / execution by the dummy half being the key - need to be able to keep the defence guessing as to when they will run, kick or which way the pass is going - something the Dogs haven't had for a number of years - although JMK drastically improved last year.
Keeping the opposition guessing falls apart when your own side is guessing what is going on, too.

I remember a famous comment about our half, Ewen McGrady- that the opposition had no idea what he'd do next. Problem was, neither did we.
 
I agree. But if we look at it this way, he is probably the best defensive half in the comp? Do you agree? I think most will. This being the case,if he can get his attacking plays in order, we have a distinct advantage over most teams. We don't have a week link in defense. Sort of.
I agree with what your saying but I think he is a little slow in the halves.i like Cogger and wakeham.i see Lewis bulking up and moving to lock.
 
I caught the last couple of minutes and one thing that concerned me was Pay’s attitude when one of the hosts said we were a like a hard working team of tradies. Pay said that we are the underdogs and will try to stay in the fight.

I’m paraphrasing that so it might be a little different but that defeatist attitude is a major worry for mine. I really hope he is saying that to the media and not the players because you can only get so much motivation from being under dogs.

There is a chance Pay can build on the confidence built from the end of last season but that could be lost if he brings out the excuses again like he has in the past.
 
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Despite all this if he's to be in the halves he's a 6 not a 7 imo ... Some say there's not alot of difference but yeah Cogger is the better talker and links with his outside men better wether it be short or long. Lewis generally cuts out or kicks, so for me he's better suited as second receiver

Lewis should be first receiver and Wakeham should be outside him. Lewis can link play but struggles to create and also struggles to run with the ball therefore should be nothing more than a distributor until his attacking nous grows. Wakeham can pull a rabiit out of the hat and can throw short and long, left and right...

Pay must go for a traditional half back and 5/8 attacking style with both halves constantly shifting to either side of the ruck. If he goes left and right halves were fukn screwed.
 
He should learn how to go forward himself really instead of looking around for someone to go forward.
I know he needs to as well. I mean more creating momentum and holes for him to work with. Players like Tolman just don’t do that with their hit ups
 
His defence is as good as I’ve ever seen for a half. He literally just does not miss 1 on 1, no matter who it is carrying the ball.

There’s some argument to say that he didn’t create enough try’s last year, but it’s gotta be acknowledged how many he saved, and there was plenty.

His long-mid range kicking game is very solid and is understated on this forum. Definitely needs to improve his creativity in the attacking 20 metres but that will come. He’s what 22 years old? He’s developing well and his best years as a half are still a couple of years away. The tools are there, I’m confident he’ll be a success.


As a half his job is to create opportunities for the team. Being a great defender shouldn’t lock him in as the guaranteed half.
 
He is so bog average at doing actual halfback stuff it amazes me how many passes he gets on this place.

I hope he carves up but Lewis is bog average.

I’m giving him some benefit of the doubt until we see how he goes this year. Definitely had some second album syndrome last year but let’s hope with some more experience, maturity, training with Shifty, less injury and perhaps some knowledge that he can keep a spot throughout the year with Foran out that he really clicks up a gear this year.
 
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