Mary MacGregor

[TIGER]

From the biggest Benji basher ever, i admit he's playing well and has pretty much all year. What he's doing now is all that we've ever wanted from him, pitty it's taken his entire career to finally seem like a complete rugby league player (not a touch player)

 

[Flippedy]

Benji was just way too comfortable at the Tigers.

He didn't need a coach to tell him he's been useless for years - he knew it VERY well. So he can blame the club, and people can blame coaches, but the fact of the matter is Benji's attitude was shocking for a professional towards the end of his time with us.

I'm happy to see him playing well no doubt, I'll forever be a Benji fan, but I'm still glad we decided to let him go.

You nailed it….Benji just would not listen to Sheens or Potter when they tried to out him in his place....he needed to wake up for himself...he obviously did this at the Dragons...good luck to him...

I reckon the failed stint at Rugby might have had a bit to do with waking him up, also. Like you said, Benji would just not listen to the coaches at Wests Tigers anymore. He thought he was bigger than the club, but when people he hardly knew, who were outside of his sphere of comfort, started to say 'look mate you're not cutting it, you need to shape up or ship out', I think that would've put a bit of a dent in the old ego and he has returned to the NRL a much more coach-able player, who is finally willing to listen.

 

[Flippedy]

Good post Flip. Mary seems to be a no nonsense type of coach. Not sure what sort JT is. One thing's for sure, they are both focussing on defence, but the Saints have got it down pat. **Glad Benji's playing well for them, but the Dragon jersey looks wrong on him. To me he will always be a WT boy.**

Funny you should say that, TM. When I had the game on TV yesterday, my flatmate, who isn't even particularly interested in Rugby League all that much, came out of her room, saw Benji on the screen and said "it's really weird seeing him wearing a different coloured jersey" :laughing:

 

[TrueTiger]

Benji was just way too comfortable at the Tigers.

He didn't need a coach to tell him he's been useless for years - he knew it VERY well. So he can blame the club, and people can blame coaches, but the fact of the matter is Benji's attitude was shocking for a professional towards the end of his time with us.

I'm happy to see him playing well no doubt, I'll forever be a Benji fan, but I'm still glad we decided to let him go.

You nailed it….Benji just would not listen to Sheens or Potter when they tried to out him in his place....he needed to wake up for himself...he obviously did this at the Dragons...good luck to him...

I reckon the failed stint at Rugby might have had a bit to do with waking him up, also. Like you said, Benji would just not listen to the coaches at Wests Tigers anymore. He thought he was bigger than the club, but when people he hardly knew, who were outside of his sphere of comfort, started to say 'look mate you're not cutting it, you need to shape up or ship out', I think that would've put a bit of a dent in the old ego and he has returned to the NRL a much more coach-able player, who is finally willing to listen.

Agree Flip,but the major change that I have noticed is his defense,he would never defend that well when playing for us…he was our attacking machine...good to see Mary bring the best out in Benji....

 

[Snake]

The main difference is simple it is all in the head ..the Dragons believe in themselves that is it no magic to it and good luck to them ,Macgregor has the power mind power that is.!

 

[Tigermama]

Good post Flip. Mary seems to be a no nonsense type of coach. Not sure what sort JT is. One thing's for sure, they are both focussing on defence, but the Saints have got it down pat. **Glad Benji's playing well for them, but the Dragon jersey looks wrong on him. To me he will always be a WT boy.**

Funny you should say that, TM. When I had the game on TV yesterday, my flatmate, who isn't even particularly interested in Rugby League all that much, came out of her room, saw Benji on the screen and said "it's really weird seeing him wearing a different coloured jersey" :laughing:

LOL Flip, she's not wrong is she. Totally agree.

 

[Tigermama]

The main difference is simple it is all in the head ..the Dragons believe in themselves that is it no magic to it and good luck to them ,Macgregor has the power mind power that is.!

More like "Shape up or Ship out" kinda power, Snake :mrgreen:

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

After their first two losses this year I thought they were on a hiding to nothing again but Mary has really pulled them together and built them into a potential top 4 side.

They do all the little things right. The thing I also notice that is they're not star studded across the park either (they've got Merrin, Widdop, Benji and Dugan,) which makes you wonder where we are going wrong.

 

[Tiger_In_The_Gong]

Never thought id be jealous of the Dragons but the energy and commitment they are playing with makes us look even more a mess.

Im convinced our squad is better than theirs yet this is the situation.

 

[diedpretty]

the reason they are winning is because they are running sides into the ground with lots of ball movement, teams are using lots of petrol trying to stop there ball playing and then the dragons are able to contain them, they also look like a team that is happy playing good football, not like our bunch who look bored to death.

Yes but they spent the first month fine tuning both their defence and their attack

Hopefully we are in the midst of doing the same and will come out the other side in a familiar situation

That's exacty right Happy - McGregor has had control of Saints since May last year and has concentrated solely on getting their defence in order since then. People have such sort memories of what a rabble Saints were last year and the beginning of this year. Mac has also had the luxury of a lot more seasoned players than JT to work with.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Benji is playing well. Its obvious he'd run his race here and needed a change of scenery. His best days are behind him though. He's still a third of the player he was 5 yrs ago at his best these days. He's like a better version good of Peter Wallace or Jarrod Mullen

Yeah he definitely needed a change of scenery. Unfortunately a lot of players seem to get stale here :frowning: I would rate him well above Wallace and Mullen at their best though, in his present form. Widdop has turned out to be a good match with him, the best since Prince, imo. He seems to have gotten rid of his ego and become more of a team player, as well, which is a good thing.

He hasn't shelved his ego altogether, when the hosts of NRL 360 were discussing Roger Tuivasa Shecks current scintillating form Benji chips into the conversation by saying 'it reminds me of when I was younger'. The ego is still well and truly healthy, he just seems to have controlled it on the field this season. If Widdop gets injured though Benji will go back to his rocks and diamonds days in an instant IMO. The Dragons have had a pretty favourable draw so far, the back half of the season will test them out and they will be lucky to scrape in the 8\. They are far exceeding expectations at the moment though without a doubt.