Dragons team v Manly

[Willow]

<span>Trent Barrett, Shaun Timmins and Hassan Saleh are in the side with Reece Simmonds, Henry Perenara and David Howell being dumped to Reserve Grade.</span>

<span>1. Ben Hornby</span>
<span>2. Amos Roberts</span>
<span>3. Mark Gasnier</span>
<span>4. Matt Cooper</span>
<span>5. Hassan Saleh</span>
<span>6. Trent Barrett (c)</span>
<span>7. Brett Firman</span>
<span>8. Luke Bailey</span>
<span>9. Mark Riddell</span>
<span>10. Ian Donnelly</span>
<span>11. Brent Kite</span>
<span>12. Lance Thompson</span>
<span>13. John Cross</span>

14. Ryan Tandy
15. Nathan Tutt
16. Dean Young
17. Dean Byrne
18. Mathew Head
19. Shaun Timmins

Two to be omitted

What did Reece Simmonds do wrong or was it a cse of just too many players and not enough positions?
<span></span>
<span></span>

 

[Willow]

Barrett 'Nervous' for 2003 debut: Dragons team announced

<a target=_top href="http://www.leagueunlimited.com">League Unlimited
</a>
Dragons captain Trent Barrett admits to feeling a "bit nervous" for his season kick-off against the Manly Sea Eagles at WIN Stadium this Sunday.
Barrett, 25, has had a frustrating start to the 2003 Telstra premiership season, being forced to watch from the sideline after breaking a bone in his ankle during the World Sevens quarter-finals against Manly on February 2.
"This is the start of the season for me and I'm excited and a bit nervous. I haven't had a normal pre-season," Barrett said today.
.
"I don't really get that nervous before a game but I am a bit nervous about how my body will hold up. I'm really looking forward to getting out there and I'm sure once I'm on the field I won't think about it.
"I won't be doing anything different with my strapping; I want to keep things as normal as possible. I don't want to go in there favouring it and I don't want anything to remind me that I've had an injury."
Barrett said he felt "pretty helpless" watching from the sidelines as the Dragons won one of their first three matches.
"We've been a bit patchy; we probably should have won three from three," he said. "One of the positives though was how well the young blokes who made their debuts went - that was a good thing for the club."
Barrett and fellow international Shaun Timmins, 26, are among three changes to the Dragons this week, along with winger Hassan Saleh, who missed the Canberra match through suspension. Timmins last played on September 1 against the Roosters before having an operation on his right knee.
They have come into the side at the expense of fullback Reece Simmonds, winger David Howell and reserve Henry Perenara, who have been relegated to Premier League.
Ben Hornby, who stood in for Barrett during his absence, will return to his preferred position at fullback in place of Simmonds, while Barrett will start at five-eighth. Saleh will start on the wing, while Timmins has been named on a bench of six players with two to be omitted.
Dragons coach Nathan Brown had no hesitation in putting Timmins and Barrett straight back into first grade, but said it was difficult dropping Simmonds after he had been playing so well.
"It's very hard for Reece when he's been going well, but we always told Ben Hornby he would have first crack at fullback - because Trent was injured he's had to play five-eighth. It would have been tough on him to not give him that chance now," Brown said.
"Having Trent back is going to make a difference in close situations. He's a match-winner and Shaun gives us plenty of enthusiasm and aggression.
"They give a lot of hope and confidence to the players around them, especially the young blokes."
--------------------------------------------------
Trent Barrett, Shaun Timmins and Hassan Saleh are the changes at the expense of Reece Simmonds, Henry Perenara and David Howell.
TEAM LIST – DRAGONS V SEA EAGLES
Sunday, April 13 – WIN Stadium, Wollongong
NRL 3:00PM, Premier League 1:00PM
Head Coach: Nathan Brown
1. Ben Hornby
2. Amos Roberts
3. Mark Gasnier
4. Matt Cooper
5. Hassan Saleh
6. Trent Barrett (c)
7. Brett Firman
8. Luke Bailey
9. Mark Riddell
10. Ian Donnelly
11. Brent Kite
12. Lance Thompson
13. John Cross
14. Ryan Tandy
15. Nathan Tutt
16. Dean Young
17. Dean Byrne
18. Mathew Head
19. Shaun Timmins
Two to be omitted

 

[saintess]

AGAIN?????

 

[Willow]

Is that a good 'again'?
He's on the bench and should get in instead of Mathew Head.
Brett Firman was always going to get a run... but he needs to put on a sterling performance to keep the sharpest halfback in RL on the bench.

 

[saintess]

Lol Willow ....... it was a .... not another naming of 19 AGAIN ?

Always expected Firman to get the start and wouldnt have been surprised if Head was the only replacement .... I just hate this ..... Well lets wait til game morning to decide

 

[Willow]

IMO, the competition will come from Dean Young when deciding the interchange.

The bench should be:
14. Ryan Tandy
15. Nathan Tutt
17. Dean Byrne
19. Shaun Timmins

 

[imported_realraul]

willow

why do you think byrne should be on the bench ? i know he was hard done by but i think it is a waste of a bench spot. young would be much better value. if firman plays well and byrne is on the bench, he will be used sparingly.
if firman gets injured or has another shocker hornby can slot into halfback,timmins to centre and amos to fullback. byrne can then reclaim his spot the next week.

however, if coach brown wants to see how both perform next to barrett your bench makes pretty good sense.

 

[Willow]

I have my reasons realraul

I agree. Dean Young and Dean Byrne are competing for that last spot. At least thats the way it seems.

 

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

Reece Simmonds being dropped = bullshit

A much better option is Simmonds at fullback, Cooper to wing, Hornby to Centres and Hassan to PL

 

[Willow]

Latest mail for the bench is:
14. Ryan Tandy
15. Nathan Tutt
16. Dean Young
19. Shaun Timmins
----------------------------
17. Dean Byrne
18. Mathew Head
both being omitted....
imo, its still too early in the week to tell.

 

[imported_Noodles]

I agree with Benny, there should be a place for Simmons and Hornby in the team.

They've obviously seen something in Saleh that I have noticed yet.

Interesting to note there is a story in Today's Illwarra Mercury that Timmins will now be used as Forward to keep Cooper and Gasnier as the centres

 

[imported_Noodles]

Here's the article from the website

Shaun shifts to the scrum
By PAUL SUTTOR
April 10, 2003
INTERNATIONAL centre Shaun Timmins may have played his last game in the St George Illawarra back line. Dragons coach Nathan Brown will use Timmins as a back rower in his comeback match against Manly at WIN Stadium on Sunday. Unlike last year, when Timmins started the season in the forwards before shifting out wide, Brown said the NSW and Australian representative was likely to remain in the pack. Brown said Timmins, who is making his return after eight months out with a knee injury, will start Sunday's game on the bench and come on when starting lock John Cross needs a breather. "I've spoken to Crossy and he's fine with it. Whatever's best for the team," Brown said.<br clear=all> "Timmo is going to eventually settle in the forwards anyway. "It gives our back row a nice make-up. He has got that added bit of aggression and can lift the rest of the guys with a good carry or a nice whack in defence." The decision to use the 26-year-old international as a back rower is a vote of confidence from the coach in Matt Cooper, who has taken over from Timmins as Mark Gasnier's centre partner. Brown said Cooper would continue to wear the No4 jersey as long as he continued to play well. The red and whites have been installed as short-priced favourites to defeat the Sea Eagles on Sunday following Manly's 38-12 drubbing at the hands of the Wests Tigers last weekend. While their opponents have their problems, the Dragons are far from sitting pretty after their 1-2 start to the premiership. "After losing two close ones, it's an important game for us," Brown said. "We've got a tough draw coming up with Canterbury, the Roosters and Cronulla after the Eagles. "Like everyone, you get a few stages where you've got a hard run and sometimes not quite as hard but they're all hard. The comp's that close." This story was found at: http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2003/04/10/1049567777297.html language=JavaScript>&lt;/SCRIPT> language=JavaScript1.1>&lt;/SCRIPT> language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://server-au.imrworldwide.com/a1.js">
&lt;/SCRIPT>

 

[legend]

Gasnier must be livid and I don't blame him. Brown obviously knows Timmins is no longer quick enough for the centres but Gus overlooks Gaz to include Timmins in the SOO squad, who is no longer a centre.

 

[Willow]

Timmins played Lock before he was a Centre. Two leg ops later and its no surprise to see him move into the forwards.

 

[Willow]

Timmo trains in bare feet...

<span>St George Illawarra centre Shaun Timmins spent preparing for his National Rugby League return from a serious knee injury in bare feet.
Timmins, the NSW and Australian centre sidelined since late last year with a second knee injury, wore a pair of new boots to training on Monday.
Big mistake.
The centre suffered a bad dose of blisters - not enough to rule him out of his long-awaited return against Manly on Sunday but painful enough to force him to train in bare feet on Wednesday.
"I wore new boots ... and got blisters so I wasn't able to run today," Timmins said.
"I ended up training in bare feet. It was a bit annoying."
Blisters or no blisters, Timmins is itching to make his return from injury this weekend at WIN Stadium.
The 26-year-old will make his return off the Dragons bench and is likely to spend time in the back row against the Sea Eagles as he looks to regain match fitness.
Timmins hasn't played since September 1 last year after undergoing major knee surgery, his second such operation.
"I'm looking forward to (playing again)," Timmins said.
"I'll be nervous. I'm not used to sitting on the bench. I'll just be watching and waiting to get out there."</span>
<span></span>
<span>From the nrl site</span>