When Corey Norman was released by the Parramatta Eels to sign with the St George Illawarra Dragons, many Saints fans raised their eyebrows, here’s why.
Firstly, he is known for many off-field dramas throughout his career. In 2016, he had a night out at the Star Casino, involved in drug use, filming inappropriate content and seen consorting with known criminals.
Last year while on the injured list for the Eels, he was seen drinking on social media, going against the club rules.
Is this the type of player the Dragons need, when they are considered a premiership threat going into the 2019 season?
Certainly not. They have done well to assemble a squad with no dickheads.
In recent years bad boys Josh Dugan and Russell Packer have been offloaded to other clubs.
The last thing the Dragons need is to deal with poor behaviour off the field, which puts pressure on the players and coaches to answer questions in media conferences.
This has the effect of putting the club in the papers for the wrong reasons, which ultimately results in poor performances for the club.
Corey Norman is off to the Dragons. (Photo: Ian Hitchock/Getty Images)
Take the Brisbane Broncos for example. The players and coaches were constantly questioned about the future of coach Wayne Bennett.
The toll this took on the club was evident through their early finals exit.
Another problem with the signature of Norman is the question marks which now surround fullback Matt Dufty.
There is no doubt the young fullback made mistakes in his first season as an NRL fullback but there is also no doubting his ability.
Throughout the 26 games he played, he scored 13 tries, had nine try assists and 16 line breaks.
To put this into perspective, he scored more tries and had more line breaks than Australian fullback James Tedesco.
Also, there were several games the Dragons couldn’t have won without the pint-sized fullback.
Without him, the Dragons may not have finished in the top eight – which shows the impact he has on the team.
Having Dufty in the reserves would be a waste, especially when you consider his replacement played in a team who finished last in 2018.
Many Dragons fans have become outraged at the recruitment over the last couple of years; management has been known to back the older players over the younger, developing players.
Young guns Hame Sele, Patrick Herbert and Reuben Garrick were all let go while the Dragons focused on re-signing has-beens like Jeremy Latimore.
Another issue is, where does Norman fit in? Does Paul McGregor want to change the incredible partnership Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt formed in the halves? It’s unlikely.
Norman has played 32 NRL games at fullback, but there is also a suggestion he might fill no.6 while Widdop goes to fullback.
Hunt and Norman have played together in the halves at the Broncos but that combination was unsuccessful.
If Mary was to be more radical, he may move Hunt to hooker and give Norman a go at halfback.
However, this is improbable because both Norman and Widdop aren’t organising halves and the purpose of Hunt’s move to the Dragons was to provide more leadership in the halves.
Norman’s arrival will relieve the pressure on Gareth Widdop to see out his contract with the Dragons. It was revealed in November he desires to return to England.
With Norman able to play his position, he won’t feel as though he needs to stay as they have a suitable replacement.
Losing a player of Widdop’s calibre reduces the Dragons from a premiership threat to just a top eight contender.
Gareth Widdop of the Dragons. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The Dragons’ recruitment needs to come under further scrutiny with the way they are spending their cash.
They are already spending upwards of two million dollars on their current halves, and they will now be spending an estimated $500-600k on Norman.
Clearly, too much focus is being placed on having good halves, instead of outside backs, which is the weak point of the club.
Having lost both Jason Nightingale and Nene Macdonald, the Dragons definitely need to upgrade their wingers.
Recently, Corey Oates was on the open market, it is outrageous that the cash wasn’t thrown at him and rather at a playmaker whose team finished last and plays a position already filled at the Dragons.
Especially when you consider that the Sydney Roosters won the 2018 premiership off the back of big metres made from wingers Blake Ferguson and Daniel Tupou – which helped the forwards massively by giving them a break and allowing them to focus on defence.
It is hard to see likely Dragons wingers Zac Lomax and Jonus Pearson do the job the Roosters wingers did, which may be their downfall.
blindsider
Guest
Hahaha ... 'a squad with no dickheads'? Umm... yeah that's not accurate.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Dude, chill, it was a joke
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
THIS is where is all started TB. Just remember that. And then your "Big Daddy" came to pat your little bottom. What a Kodak moment. LOL
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Look at my post 2 comments up. Three days later and it still hasn't come good, along with many others as well. I guess I just "broke The ROAR" then. Cheers.
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
I can't understand why people are saying that Corey Norman being signed by St. George is a bad deal. I for one think it's a brilliant deal for PARRA. I've been supporting the Eels for over 55 years (I know but I'm into sadomasochism) and I'm glad to see the back of him. Yet another "Golden signing" for Parra that turned out to be a lead balloon.
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
And so the "Guru" self-appreciation party begins with the "pat yourselves on the back dance of the Lemmings". This site hasn't changed, it's still a private club for sycophants. I'm still waiting for an intelligent and informed response to my reply to your post Nemo. Reg Reagan Roar Rookie December 14th 2018 @ 10:26pm @ The Barry “I think there’s a massive amount of exaggeration with this “we’re playing off the cuff” No team plays like that.” https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/12/11/cowboys-to-gamble-on-off-the-cuff-attack/?comment_id=6617119#comments-section
thecolumn
Roar Rookie
Hahaha
The Barry
Roar Guru
No doubt Moses has all the talent but he’s five years or so into his first grade career and we’re still talking about him in terms of potential. His history is a couple of good games with Tigers and half a good season with the Eels in 2017. Sometimes it takes more than just talent. It’s time for Moses to step up and show that.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Wait until you get to the bit about who the Dogs kept to let JT go...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Hahaha classic. Sarcasm noun the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Just takes a while to kick in mate, come back later and it'll be fine
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Just wait a few more days and there will probably be a new name replacing JDB. This off-season has been a disgrace and IMO the most disruptive in the history of the game after the introduction of the Super League competition.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Welcome to the site Reg, we desperately needed someone here to explain peoples jokes using sources
Emcie
Roar Guru
Emojis still work, you just have to draw them on your screen manually. The whole comment functionality changed when the site was updated. (when did "likes" become a thing though???)
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
So I edited the above post to add the poached Souths juniors and the formatting (all paragraphs) were removed. Is this a known bug?
Emcie
Roar Guru
It seems to take a while for the proper spacing to appear. Come back to it later and it's fine
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Mate that was just off the top of my head. I’m willing to bet that you couldn’t produce a longer list for your club without researching it, but then only you will ever know if you are sticking to the rules or bending them. You are right, it is true of many clubs (other than the Roosters and Manly) but that was my point. The Storm like every other club will lose players that they produce while teams like the Roosters and Manly import players because they can’t produce their own. The Sea Eagles have produced the Trbojevic brothers and the Roosters have produced Victor Radley but that’s about it. Victor Radley is the only Roosters local junior in their team in 2019. Crichton played Rugby Union for Scott’s college and only played 5 games for their S.G. Ball side while he was on a short hiatus from his Rugby Union commitments. Crichton was still a member of the Australian Rugby Union’s Pathway program while he was “on loan” to the Roosters. Boyd Cordner, Dylan Napa, Latrell Mitchell and Joseph Manu came to the Roosters in their late teens, 16 – 18 years old and did not come through the Roosters junior nursery so they don’t qualify as local juniors. Btw, Nat Butcher, Egan Butcher, Grant Garvey, Brock Gray and Paul Momirovski were all poached from the South Sydney junior system (although Grant Garvey and Paul Momirovski have since been “moved on”). So which team do you support Max?
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
"You are well on the path to becoming a Telegraph writer" Is that the purpose of this site? Because I have an old friend who is a sports journo for the Telegraph and they work closely with the boys in the NRL so there might be a shorter path available. So if you are interested thecolumn let me know and I will see if we can find a ladder to navigate the journalism equivalent of Snakes and Ladders. However, I'm just here to have fun and discuss the decline of the greatest Australian game of all time before it becomes an exhibit in The National Sports Museum.
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
"a bit too much salt in your last meal" As in, your comments sound a little salty. Urban Dictionary, "salty" - someone who is "angry, agitated, or upset," as well as someone who is "mean, annoying, and repulsive." Now THAT's what I call a "Guru" class comment.
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
As a "Guru" shouldn't it be part of your lofty calling to encourage not just edify and instruct Rookie contributors? Silly me, it’s apparently too much to ask. IMO Norman would be a bad signing because he is toxic to the culture of any professional organisation as he lets his personal issues off the field distract him from his role on-field. He is overhyped as a playmaker and his best position is FB not in the halves. At FB he might be able to make a contribution but IF and only IF he can "keep his nose clean" both on and off the field.