It was an unfortunate game for Euan Aitken on Friday night, and he’ll now be forever associated with Katoni Staggs’s three-metre palm-off, much like Jamie Soward was when Greg Inglis ran over the top of him in 2009.
For once Ian Millward got something right: the non-retention of Aitken was the right decision.
On the same play I’m not sure what Matt Dufty was thinking when he stepped out of the way of Staggs. It looked like he was afraid to put his body on the line. Would James Tedesco make the same play? I don’t think so. It was a very bad look.
Dufty remains an enigma to me. He’s obviously an elite attacking talent but is very suspect under the high ball and too slight a build to be a reliable last line of defence. How many bombs have been left to bounce this year? Defence like that is not going to cut it if the Dragons want to be a competitive top-four team in the years to come.
There’s an extremely promising junior who’ll be promoted to the top 30 and playing in the Canterbury Cup next year: Cody Ramsey. He was the St George under-20 player of the year in 2019.
Just as fast and elusive as Dufty, he also possesses a passing game but is a bigger body. Ramsey ripped the Perth Nines apart earlier this year, and it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out next season. Dufty is contracted until the end of 2021.
For anyone who’s not familiar with Cody I advise you go to YouTube and search for his name. There’s a heap of highlights to be found.
The modern fullback is a five-tool player, requiring:
I’m giving Dufty 2.5 out of 5. By comparison, Darius Boyd was a five in 2010, which won us the competition.
The question I pose to you is: could the Dragons make a grand final with Dufty playing fullback? Could you imagine losing because he didn’t contest a bomb like in the recent Roosters game?
In other Dragons gossip, a report came up on Sunday that we’re looking at former Canberra coach David Furner as an option to take over in 2021. Furner is currently an assistant at Newcastle and has certainly flown under the radar. He hasn’t been a head coach in Australia since 2013, but he did coach Leeds in 2019, posting five wins and ten losses.
I’ve also seen a report that the Dragons are interested in English winger Tom Johnstone, but surely there can’t be anything to that. The team is pretty well covered in the outside backs, and there are other far more important tasks Millward should be looking at, like re-signing Jacob Host and Tristan Sailor or pinching Christian Welch from Melbourne.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Dufty found himself in the classic fullback situation, he gambled Staggs would pass and lost. In the early 70's Gary Pethebridge was running at a lonely fullback, whose name I don't remember, with Grame Langlands in support and he threw a dummy and sidestepped into the waiting arms of the fullback who bet on the hog. Langlands, the captain coach, was livid and was swearing profusely. Pethebridge was dropped to 2nd grade and released at the end of the year.
Andrew
Roar Pro
Nice article on the Dragons website today about the Feagai twins extending their contracts. I’m no fan of Millward but he has done a good job locking up our boom youngsters coming through.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Kicking game isn't a hallmark of modern fullbacks, look at Tedesco and RTS, no kicking game at all. It's a bonus if they can kick but it's not a key criteria
Wayne Turner
Guest
Dufty negatives "previously" out weighed his positives - A hog,dragged back into the in goal too much,a non passer,suspect under the high ball,thrown over the side line too much,and a non tackler.Only able to run extremely fast with the ball,for amazing tries. "Now" an amazing passing game he never showed in the top grade before.Less mistakes of being dragged back into the in goal,over the side line,and dropping high balls.He does need to improve his defense aka attempt one on one tackles when he needs to,and not let the ball bounce so much when kicked to him.Yes,he has things to improve on. He has vastly improved now,and his "positives" out weigh his negatives.
Big Daddy
Guest
For Dufty to be considered an elite fullback he needs to put his body on the line. The Stagg's try showed his shortfall in defence although the failure of the other defenders left him on an awkward position.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
It was a sneak peak into an alternative reality, Earth 2, where Mary is a farmer and nowhere near the Dragons...
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I don’t know Dufty’s background, but to me he looks and plays like a halfback from the seventies or eighties. Small, great acceleration, good passing game. He gets rag-dolled at fullback.
The Barry
Roar Guru
* they’re the benchmarks
Tony
Roar Guru
Plus he didn't get any good ball
andrew
Roar Rookie
I thought Saints had the idea of running up and getting to Fifita before he gets a roll on pretty well under control, like a lot of teams are doing to Taumalolo at the Cowboys.
Tony
Roar Guru
I think I fell asleep and was dreaming
Tony
Roar Guru
It was hard to tell if either Frizell or Fifita were playing
Andrew
Roar Pro
For the money it would cost I think he’s worth retaining. Took Clune until he was 25 until he broke into the team.
Andrew
Roar Pro
The mullet is good for his aerodynamics.
max power
Guest
he gets moved to the bench and out of the side because he is not good enough. poor excuse
Andrew
Roar Pro
Hi mbp Dufty is equal 14th in try assists with 9. Shaun Johnson leads the comp with 20
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Add both games against chooks and round 12 against Souths, that's 7 and on 26 points, entrenched top 4 and potential Minor Premiers
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Replacing Friz needs speed.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Since the Dragons have come good, it’s been Dufty laying on most of their points He’s scored 11 tries and has 11 try assists - most for the Dragons in both of these. He’s also 5th for average run metres Last week he set up two tries with long passes, one to the right, one left He’s come a long way so far this season. He’s not the best fullback in the comp but the Dragons have bigger problems than Dufty Small bodied fullbacks are always a concern in this era but that’s offset by his raw pace, footwork and improving ball playing I don’t think his non tackle on Staggs was that big a deal...As someone says above he was going for an intercept. Once your front line is broken, it’s a bonus if your fullback can stop the try I also disagree a fullback needs a kicking game. Bonus if they do but how many current fullbacks have a genuine kicking game. Teddy, Turbo and RTS don’t and their the benchmarks
Andrew
Roar Pro
You can add Kaide Ellis to the retention list he’s done enough to justify an extension