After another loss that anchors the Dragons to the bottom of the table with two wins from eight games, and coach Paul McGregor looking out of ideas, I have a suggestion.
After watching former Dragon Jai Field star for the Eels at halfback, I had a thought: why not give Matt Dufty a chance at halfback?
Field and Dufty are both similar players and playing in the halves would give Dufty more touches and allow him to use his running game.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Corey Norman is reluctant to run the ball, rather he’s happy passing well before the line, so it would definitely offer some variation.
With Ben Hunt indefinitely benched, the Dragons need a long-term option at halfback.
Adam Clune is solid but he lacks any kind of X-factor.
Dufty’s form has been a bright spot in what has otherwise been a bleak 2020 season so far.
Dufty’s main weakness at fullback is his lack of size. He does get manhandled in kick returns and is vulnerable in one-on-one defence. Canberra’s Nick Cotric ran right over the top of Dufty on Friday night.
Tristan Sailor can slide straight into the fullback position and few would argue that he doesn’t deserve a chance. Sailor is off contact at the end of 2020 so the Dragons need to decide what to do with him.
Why not give him a chance and see what he can do?
Posing these questions does make you wonder why the Dragons went out and overspent on Ben Hunt when there were local juniors Field, Clune and Dufty at the club.
Jack Bird and Jackson Hastings are other noteworthy halves that played juniors for the Dragons.
Is Ben Hunt the worst buy in the history of the game?
Jack
Guest
I mean Dufty did play in the halves in his junior games for Penshurst RSL
Andrew
Roar Pro
I’m trying to get approval from Roar to post a video of the Feagai twins, it’s a highlight reel of their form in the 2019 Illawarra SG team. Illawarra won the comp. The Feagai twins are 19, 186cm tall & both over 95kg and fast! They are every bit as good as the Morris boys were at the same age. They are signed until the end of 2021.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Thanks Andrew! Lets move now and give the youngsters a run, we aren’t going anywhere this year. Clune, Sullivan/ Sailor, Sailor/Aitken, Lomax, Saab/Sailor, Rava/Peirera, Sailor/Ramsey. Dufty off the bench and put Norman in reggies.. PS I also wondered if Dufty could make it as a half or if he’d played there. So if it’s a loony bin brain snap, you aren’t alone :thumbup:
Andrew
Roar Pro
We have a very good 5/8 prospect coming through the grades Jayden Sullivan. He’s a gun. Only 18 but has already been promoted to the top 30 & extended his contract by 3yrs last year. Norman will need to lift his game in 2021 he’ll be under pressure. There’s also very promising fullback prospect coming through Cody Ramsey, look out for him in 2021.
Soda
Roar Rookie
I like it coach
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Dufty would be awesome off the bench.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Think about:- Kick Hunt up the bum and tell him to harden up and see reality. He’s a much better hooker than half. Hunt to hooker, Capt. Cam to lock, keep Clune in halves, Norman to reggies, and FIND and BUY A DECENT 5/8. Until then, use Sailor, Dufty at FB until we get a 5/8. No semis this year, so start developing the young guys. When we get a 5/8 use Sailor at FB and Dufty off the bench, great impact player last 20/30 mins first half and first 30 second half. How does that sound?
Phil
Guest
No way, Dufty does well with the space a FB gets chiming in on the edge. Push him further in field and he loses the space he has been exploiting so well. Besides, Clune is doing a fine job, needs more ball on last play options though. The biggest issues the Dragons face at the moment is the same ones they had last year. 1. Widdop replaced by a far inferior player who doesn’t seem to want to be there. 2 the forwards are getting pushed around. If they were murdering the opposition like they did in 2018, the rest would not seem as big an issue. They still haven’t found anyone to lead the aggression like JDB did when not injured (he got injured early in 2018 and by the midpoint was struggling, the rest of the pack followed)
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to comment on your article with an opinion of my own. If you cannot handle criticism perhaps you shouldn't submit articles. You've said Dufty could play halfback but have not given any particular reason apart from the fact he's in good form. He has no kicking game, no organising skills and has never played halfback before, all things which can easily be found out. I just dont see why Dufty would play halfback when he is going so well at fullback. You've written an article and I've provided my opinion. No need to be insulted just learn to take feedback and offer up more substantial arguments or you will get found out on this Forum.
Andrew
Roar Pro
Adam, I found your comments quite insulting. I’m entitled to my opinion as much as anyone else & I’m fully entitled to express them in this forum. This forum is for the open expression of ideas not insults. Being a ‘roar guru’ perhaps you are the one with limited knowledge. As for Dufty who knows what he’s capable of? No one knew he had a passing game until 3 weeks ago. What I do know is that there are too many underperforming players & we’ve only won 2 matches & lost 6. No one thought Ben Hornby could play halfback in 2005 when Matty Head shredded his knee but Ben ended up leading us to a premiership. Stranger things have happened.
Bruce
Guest
One difference. Dufty not noted for his tackling.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Very dumb idea why would Dufty move to halfback? His passing game has improved but that's it, he can't kick, can't organize and has no other playmaker skills. The author either doesn't watch the game or has very limited knowledge of it.
Soda
Roar Rookie
I don't see Dufty as a half either. He's developing into a much better fullback than I had given him credit for previously. This Hunt business playing him off the bench is frustrating. I'd rather see Mary play him as hooker for the game and shift mcinnes to lock. I like mcinnes as a running forward, he makes spirited charges in that role. Injecting hunt in after the dragons are already on the back foot is not good for anyone.
KenW
Roar Rookie
None of my answer was meant to defend Mary. I reluctantly, but firmly, joined the hordes calling for the end to his reign a while back. I say reluctantly, because I think coaches are often proclaimed geniuses or dunces based on circumstance they barely control. Everything looks obvious in hindsight. As you say though, Mary has been there 6 years. Not only do his bad calls far outweigh his good calls over that time, but his team chopping and changing shows he doesn’t have a clear view of what he wants in the first place. The good news is there’s still a decent skeleton of a team there, it might not need a full rebuild, but they definitely need a coach change. And that person needs to have a clear conviction of what the team should look like.
Andrew
Roar Pro
I think the issue is that after 6 years in charge this is McGregor’s team. He built it. I’m not privy to the inner workings of salary cap management at the club but there’s been obvious errors. Surely the head coach has significant input? For instance sticking with Benji Marshall & letting go Jack Bird started the rot in my opinion. The club is going to need a complete rebuild, McGregor is obviously not the man for job. The appointment of the next head coach is critical to any future success.
KenW
Roar Rookie
I don't agree with this suggestion - Dufty has definitely revealed new aspects of his game in the last few weeks but I don't think he's a halfback. However you are picking at a real problem the Dragons have in an unbalanced spine. Dufty. I've not always been a fan but going really well, definitely the number 1 attacking weapon in the team currently, expect he's on relatively low money Clune. Going well, no superstar but he's not taking minimal cap and is doing a perfectly adequate job moving the team around. Would be a good foil partnering a star half. Hunt. Problem. Plays a decent hand as a sub-hooker - but he's taking up way too much salary cap space to play that role. Norman. Problem. Seems to play with zero effort, and gets similar results. Taking up big chunk of salary cap space but really shouldn't be in the 17. McInnes. Great player but effectiveness is being reduced by playing significant time in 2nd row to accommodate the Hunt problem. There's no easy fix to this. The biggest indicator of success in the NRL is good salary cap management, and if you unbalance your squad it's really hard to fix it in the short-term. My suggestion would be getting Sailor in to replace Norman. He's played a lot of 5/8th in lower grades and surely couldn't do less than Norman is doing. It's a tough call though because it's effectively conceding the error of signing Norman and giving up on a huge chunk of salary cap. As the weeks go on though it's going to get harder to bring in players from outside the regular 17 since there are no lower grades playing, the reserves are getting further and further behind the match-fit players.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Dufty couldn't stand up to the defensive pressures he would be put under , targeted by every opposition pack . You can't hide in the front line or the back line.
Arcturus
Roar Rookie
I have a friend (a Souths supporter) who reckons Dufty should go to halfback. Here's why I think he (and you) are wrong. 1. Sailor is the same size as Dufty. If size is the issue, you are just replacing like for like. 2. You want your halfback to be able to run, pass and kick. Dufty can run and pass, but has anyone seen him kick? I mean consistently kick and get the ball in good positions? I haven't. 3. Dufty is going OK at fullback, and Clune is going OK at half. Your suggested changes will (in my opinion) weaken both positions. 4. StGI's problems go way beyond Dufty. We have a million dollar 5/8 (Norman) doing bugger all, a million dollar half (Hunt) who's disinterested, a forward pack who don't try too hard unless State of Origin selections are on the line, and a coach who has steadily run team morale into the ground with stupid tactics and dubious team selections. Your suggested change won't help and could make things worse.
max power
Guest
yes, he can throw a cut out when chiming into the backline. not sure he possesses any other halfback qualities