If Dragons fans weren’t aware before Thursday’s pulsating Anzac Day fixture against the Roosters, they would be aware now.
And they would be aware of this: three halves won’t – or at least should not – fit into the three rather important jumpers marked one, six and seven.
And nor should they. Not when there, in the wings, is a fullback like Matt Dufty.
For after Dufty’s running game so electrified the Sydney Cricket Ground, you wonder how Dragons clipboard types could have ever believed that Gareth Widdop should be the fullback in his stead.
The No.6?
Of course.
The No.1?
Paul McGregor’s off his melon.
While a terrible shame for Dragons fans, Widdop and fans of Widdop – of which I am definitely one, he’s a ripper – the man’s injury has been a blessing in disguise for it forced McGregor’s hand.
He had to put Dufty into the No.1 jumper. And the Dragons looked dangerous.
Dangerous?
Dufty was more dangerous than anthrax.
Maybe not that dangerous. But dangerous, man. Dangerous.
He was electric. There’s so much speed in him, such great ability to dart many ways.
He scored a try in the 52nd minute that Jarryd Hayne would’ve sat back and said to Jarryd Hayne, “Jarryd Hayne? How about that piece of happy man-action? How about me, Jarryd Hayne? How about me!”
How about it indeed.
See it again: Dufty took the ball 34 metres from his own line and darted 19 different ways. He beat upwards of 38 people.
He made 38,414 human beings ride their seats like jockeys, joyous that they were there to see it and to tell each other about it, to look forward to drinking a beer with a man in 2049 and saying, “How about that try by Dufty?”
It was one of the great Anzac Day tries. Perhaps the great Anzac Day try. It was a piece of gold bullion.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
And G. Widdop, for all his skills and nous and all-round footy game, could no more have conjured it than ridden home to England on a magic carpet made from James Graham’s back hair.
Granted, few outside Dufty, Hayne and Jimmy Tedesco could have conjured it, for it was truly a sublime and speedy bit of kit.
But mainly the play was not in G. Widdop because he is not a fullback. Widdop is to kick return as Paul Vaughan is to open space.
Widdop is a five-eighth as Corey Norman is a five-eighth and Ben Hunt is halfback.
And to put one of those guys at fullback because you had to fit the other two in the halves while Dufty carved up for Illawarra Cutters… well.
It was madness.
Yes, he dropped the ball in the 76th minute and Sio Taukeiaho – who in 54 minutes plundered a game-high 253 metres, all hail Sio Taukeiaho, oh ye of name with all the vowels – ran through some porous prop defence to score the match-winner.
But dropped ball happens. It happened throughout the match. Dufty’s knock-on in the latter minutes we’ll remember because it put a fork in the match, it was done.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
But it was, really, no more telling than the dozen other knock-ons in the circuitous narrative of yesterday’s fixture.
His try through, we’ll remember forever.
Maybe not that long. But long, man.
Long.
And while one is loath to critique Mary McGregor given he’s coached 122 more NRL games than me and probably you, and basically been involved at the elite level of first grade rugby league since 1987 – well, Widdop’s no more a fullback than gnarly old silverback Paul Vaughan, who was so surprised to have stepped a fullback into open space he fell over.
And Dufty indubitably is a fullback, as he showed in yesterday’s fine game of Anzac Day rugby league.
The game? Great game. The NRL has the tone of the Anzac Day match right. The reverence for the Diggers, the Last Post, the anthems, the flags, the horses, all very good.
And a packed house at the SCG, well. Nothing like it. The old girl scrubs up a treat.
And if they could somehow slide the grandstands in closer to the pitch it would be one of the great venues.
But they can’t, so it isn’t.
And the Dragons once had three halves and a fullback, and brushed the fullback.
And now they just took best side in the comp deep. Bit of luck they’d have won it.
And they would know the error of their ways.
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
"Creates little for his outside men" this is an absolute myth. he had 9 try-assists last year which is pretty good considering it's his first full year in first-grade and Hunt and Widdop were doing the bulk of the ball-playing. And Widdop a test fullback is also a myth. He carved up PNG from fullback. He would have carved them up in the front-row too - doesn't make him a front-rower. His games at fullback against quality opposition (Tonga and Australia) were solid but not amazing. But everyone remembers what he did against the PNG reserve-graders and thinks he's a test fullback. Dufty is actually significantly better than Widdop under the high ball. And he made a try-saving tackle on James Tedesco. Which fullback had flawless defence at the age of 23 in just his 2nd full year in first grade? Give him time. He'll come good.
Farmer Geddon
Guest
Benji in his prime.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I think question marks on Dufty's defense have been put to bed. he ran down Teddy on one occasion and tackled him solo on another - a trick few can do. The mistake at the end happens, some players have mastered the jolt tackle to their credit. I agree though, if he followed a few of the forwards around - especially Leilua towards the end of the game it could deliver dynamic results.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Dufty is an exciting runner of the ball but he has way too many mistake in him to be top class atm . He should have Slater and Teddy videos on continuous loop at home.. He would learn to position himself better but more importantly he would learn to continually sniff around forwards like Vaughn who have an offload. Teddy is superb at this. You rarely see Dufty follow the big boys around. He has immense talent but his work ethic needs to be better. Still, great try . We dont see enough of em.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! Whilst he scored a great solo try and fullback is obviously his best position, the facts remain that he is still very shaky under the high ball ( often not even getting to them on the full), his defence is questionable ( especially on line) and he creates little for his outside backs. All the things that are important for the fullback position are questionable , but for his solo running brilliance at times. It was an easy decision for Mary to give up this occasional dash of brilliance in favour of a more all round competent game from a Test playing fullback in Widdop. Its up to Dufty now to improve all aspects of the fullback role to prove he is the best man for that position in this Dragons team, or he may be just the occasional flash in the pan between stints in the ISP.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Illawarra Cutters haven't existed for about 5 years. Dufty played well but needs to eliminate the errors in his game
Rellum
Roar Guru
Bowen, Ado-Carr and Jimmy the Jet are the others recently I would say fit that mould as well.
Don
Roar Rookie
If the Broncos ever bite the bullet and shift Milford back to fullback they’d see an immediate attacking threat too. They have too many fullbacks and not enough halves...
Paul
Roar Guru
Nice piece Matt, but it begs the question as you pointed out; how could you & I & anyone else who cared, know that Dufty is a full back, Widdop is a half, yet Mary couldn't see that? Easts were the better team on the night for sure, but a 14-10 scoreline IMO was a fairer margin of victory. The good sides like Melbourne and Easts are winning ugly, but is that all they're capable of doing? The only real hurting from Easts is the 36 points they put on the Broncos, yet they've had 5 sides trailing by 10 points or more and failed to put them away, supposedly because they slip back a gear. Cronk might be comfortable with the way they're playing, but it only take one team in the right game at the end of the season to get in front and Easts somehow have to find that gear again. It will be interesting to see if they can do it.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
If Boyd Cordner makes that regulation tackle at the line, you wouldn’t have a column Matt..the same Boyd Cordner who missed Ponga on his famous run during last years SOO..that said, you’re right about Widdop.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Dufty is one of a rare breed who imagines they can score a try from a long way out on their own. I was trying to remember who else could do it and Radradra and Barba came to mind who could do it on a regular basis. It's a pity that Radradra was lost to the game largely due to fake allegations and a pity that Barba wasn't dealt with more harshly early on perhaps instead of being shuffled about the place.