Re: The big Dugan discussion
Define great?
He's a good prospect who's yet to deliver consistently or in big matches.
Spending an exorbitant amount and disregarding the pay structure of the club for him is a short term fix, especially if the second highest paid player is the other Canberra reject Josh Dugan.
Well what big matches has he really played in? Are you speaking about origin? No one was going to shine against a Thurston/Lockyer/Smith/Slater combination. He hasn't really had much of a chance in big matches in the last few years so it's not a fair parameter to judge him by.
He's got a good kicking game, knows how to throw a pass to set up a try and seems to be leading Cronulla in the halves pretty well.
Exorbitant amount is your opinion, IMO that's just market value for a quality half and once again I don't think signing a 26 year old Carney who plays a key position that we really lack in is a short term fix, would you have been against Thurston too? Because he's 29 and doesn't have more than 3-4 good years in him.
Josh Dugan is a 22 year old fullback who has shown potential to be a great fullback, he's good under the high ball, can break a tackle, can set up a try here and there and can score his own too. You use the what other coach argument so I'll use the what other fullback argument.
Dugan is far ahead of Hoffman who is probably better suited to the centres anyway, AFAIK there's no fullbacks of note who are off contract either. Dugan is far better than what we have now. The salary cap is rising and will continue to rise over the next 3-4 years, what was a 700k contract a few years back is now a 1m contract.
If you're suggesting we give someone like Bond a go, sure but all indications about Hook show he isn't really the type to drop players for a promising junior.
