2021 - Squad, Signings, Re-signings

[Captain Apollo]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/02/15/mccullough-seals-dragons-deal-until-end-of-2023/

 

[Tiger Shark]

Anyone judging our 'loss' yesterday as a guide to our season is simply crazy.

Continuity is a big factor in games.

The fact trial 1 was a hotch-potch of 1st graders, part-timers, t&t players and JF youngsters showed the lack of continuity. On fact i'd go as far to say i'd be more worried if i was John Morris imo.
Trial 2 is again will be made up of a collage of players.
Even the CS wont be a true indicator of how we are.

How the hell do you come to that conclusion ?

We had maybe one player who'll be in our 17 (Wilton) unless we get injuries/suspensions otherwise no one in our squad is a top 17 player.

How many did the Dragons have ? Sims, Alvaro?, Ford? Williame ?

It's a trial. Should never stress over a trial, let alone one with this many juniors/development players.

 

[getsmarty]

SIGNINGS


Dragons confirm McCullough signing
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Mon 15 Feb 2021, 02:00 PM
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St George Illawarra have signed Brisbane Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough until at least the end of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership season.

The former Queensland State of Origin representative will join the Dragons immediately following his release from the Brisbane Broncos, the club he made his NRL debut for in 2008.

Two spots now remain in the Dragons' Top 30 for the 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership season following the signing of the 268-game veteran.

"It's no secret that we have been interested in Andrew McCullough for a while now and we're pleased to see him finally sign with the Dragons," General manager of football Ben Haran said.

"Signing a player of Andrew's calibre will no doubt inject plenty of experience into our team and wider squad while his style of play will complement the development of the exciting young talent we have here at the Dragons."

McCullough's signing follows Daniel Alvaro, Jack Bird and Poasa Faamausili's arrival and the retention of Mat and Max Feagai, Josh Kerr, Jackson Ford, Mikaele Ravalawa, Adam Clune, Junior Amone and Tyrell Sloan ahead of the Dragons' 2021 campaign.

Be in that number in 2021. Become a Red V member today. For more information on membership, please visit: dragons.com.au/membership. Have any questions? Check our membership FAQs or contact us via 1300 DRAGON (1300 372 466) during business hours, or email redv@dragons.com.au.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2021/02/15/dragons-confirm-mccullough-signing/

 

[TruSaint]

Couple of Dogs players may be available.

FMD

 

[Old Timer]

Well with this signing now confirmed it indicates to me that we might be going with a lot of youngsters in the backline during the season.

If you want young guns to succeed especially when they want to do all things at pace it is absolutely essential you have someone who can put the ball in the exact place they need it to be namely in front of them at a catchable height and thrown with the right weight.

It will be great to see passes that are not at heads, shoulders, feet, knees, behind them or forward due to a lack of proper attacking structures nor passes to clueless forwards that are flat footed.

Fully expecting big things from Rava & Dufty in and around the ruck.

 

[Splinters]

Couple of Dogs players may be available.

FMD

To which Michael can also add this beauty.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ebecca-Pope-hits-NRL-WAG-abusive-message.html

Perhaps Michael's dad or brothers or friends should have a word in his shell-like.

 

[Inisai Toga]

Well with this signing now confirmed it indicates to me that we might be going with a lot of youngsters in the backline during the season.

If you want young guns to succeed especially when they want to do all things at pace it is absolutely essential you have someone who can put the ball in the exact place they need it to be namely in front of them at a catchable height and thrown with the right weight.

It will be great to see passes that are not at heads, shoulders, feet, knees, behind them or forward due to a lack of proper attacking structures nor passes to clueless forwards that are flat footed.

Fully expecting big things from Rava & Dufty in and around the ruck.

Couldn’t agree more! This is a behaviour that as a club i feel we have been so poor at for such a long time and it bugs the hell of me. Being competent at this offers about 12 points a game and we blow a lot of points due to ignoring the 1%’s, even with our boring conservative power game. Just puts unnecessary pressure on others to pull a rabbit out of their hat when it is often unnecessary. Dumb!

 

[dungay dragon]

Well with this signing now confirmed it indicates to me that we might be going with a lot of youngsters in the backline during the season.

If you want young guns to succeed especially when they want to do all things at pace it is absolutely essential you have someone who can put the ball in the exact place they need it to be namely in front of them at a catchable height and thrown with the right weight.

It will be great to see passes that are not at heads, shoulders, feet, knees, behind them or forward due to a lack of proper attacking structures nor passes to clueless forwards that are flat footed.

Fully expecting big things from Rava & Dufty in and around the ruck.

great post .....

 

[Coffs dragon]

Couple of Dogs players may be available.

FMD

Dogs certainly getting back to their roots as the Family Club!

 

[Crush]

Dogs certainly getting back to their roots as the Family Club!

Doing it doggie style I hear.....

 

[hewi]

Doing it doggie style I hear.....

That’s gold, u blokes crack me up

 

[hewi]

Dogs certainly getting back to their roots as the Family Club!

Gold again, priceless

 

[Crush]

What are the chances SGI go after Adam Elliott?

 

[getsmarty]

Griffin opens up on Dragons' hellish off-season

Zachary Gates
9 hrs ago

Anthony Griffin's time at the Panthers ended in chaos and life as a coach continued to haunt him when he returned from the wilderness to lead the Dragons before Christmas.

The veteran mentor has endured a hellish off-season at St George Illawarra, which first turned ugly when playmaker Corey Norman was involved in a street fight in January. Norman and former NRL star James Segeyaro have since claimed to be innocent.


Drama again broke out when news surfaced of the club lodging an official submission to the NRL about signing controversial code-hopper Israel Folau, despite his history of making homophobic slurs on social media. That was followed by the Dragons' decision to abandon Folau but only closing out their pursuit with a two-line statement, prompting a roasting from rugby league great Mark Geyer.

Getty Israel Folau in action for Catalans Dragons in the Super League.
The blows continued to pound the club when inspirational skipper Cameron McInnes signed with arch-rivals Cronulla on a four-year deal from 2022, before the fringe NSW Blues hooker was ruled out of the 2021 season with the rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament.

And the latest controversy concerned the signing of former Brisbane and Newcastle hooker Andrew McCullough, which was questioned by Geyer and legendary code-hopper Wendell Sailor.

Getty Andrew McCullough at Broncos training.
Griffin addressed the avalanche of drama in an interview with WWOS Radio.

"The players are in great physical and mental condition. They're just busting to play as everyone is at this time of the year," Griffin said.

"Our club's going well. We did a couple of things over the last few weeks that in the short term might seem unusual but in the long term were all about making our club better.

"It's all going very well. Today was a good day to welcome Andrew to the club.

"We're looking forward to getting our game going in a couple of weeks' time.

"The big rehearsal is Souths in Mudgee next Saturday night, and then we've got two weeks to get prepared for Cronulla in Round One."

Getty Dragons captain Cameron McInnes.
The Dragons haven't played finals footy since 2018, having crashed to 15th on the ladder in 2019 and 12th in 2020.

Their quest for redemption copped a crushing blow when McInnes suffered his season-ending injury at training last Friday, with which Griffin has empathised.

"It was a terrible day on Friday for Cam," Griffin said.

"I really feel for him, he's a lovely kid, he's done a lot for the club over the years and for him to go down in his last year like that - it was one of those real tragedies that you unfortunately come across in rugby league."

The Dragons will get their 2021 campaign underway in a clash with the Sharks at Kogarah Oval on March 14.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/mor...iwhgIDAJEp9pgmKin3--n1KoVB8Xa3zSMqgNADgL6BRyc

 

[jeffdragon]

The mole reported
Cam was to swap with Magoulias from the sharks before his injury.
Magoulias might still sign this year or in 22.

 

[Old Timer]

Anyone would think that for some people in here signing AM is a wrist slitting event.

So, he had a couple of injuries last year, big deal he has knocked out 20+ games a year forever so obviously he is a good trainer, manages his injuries and recovers well so why all the panic?

To see all the negativity about AM as against all the applause and positivity about signing the likes of Lafai, Fuimaono, Williame, K Sims, J Graham etc etc oh and let's not forget those that openly supported and derided the nay sayers about Lattimore's resigning just astounds me.

AM needs to be judged on what he brings to the club not what others didn't bring to it so give the bloke some breathing space and a fair go to exhibit his wears.

With all the shit that has happened the supporters should have his back until such times it may be "proven" otherwise.

By all accounts this bloke is a great person all round and will provide much needed quality input to our leadership group and on field efforts so I cant wait to see him out there in the Big Red V and will make sure my expectations of him are not so high that he gets an instant fail.

Time for some supporters to wake up and get with the programme instead of trying to undermine it and provide the skanky media with easy things to write about.

 

[blacksafake]

Anyone would think that for some people in here signing AM is a wrist slitting event.

So, he had a couple of injuries last year, big deal he has knocked out 20+ games a year forever so obviously he is a good trainer, manages his injuries and recovers well so why all the panic?

To see all the negativity about AM as against all the applause and positivity about signing the likes of Lafai, Fuimaono, Williame, K Sims, J Graham etc etc oh and let's not forget those that openly supported and derided the nay sayers about Lattimore's resigning just astounds me.

AM needs to be judged on what he brings to the club not what others didn't bring to it so give the bloke some breathing space and a fair go to exhibit his wears.

With all the shit that has happened the supporters should have his back until such times it may be "proven" otherwise.

By all accounts this bloke is a great person all round and will provide much needed quality input to our leadership group and on field efforts so I cant wait to see him out there in the Big Red V and will make sure my expectations of him are not so high that he gets an instant fail.

Time for some supporters to wake up and get with the programme instead of trying to undermine it and provide the skanky media with easy things to write about.

Well Said OT.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Absolutely OT. We have 2 expensive halves in Norman and Hunt which the fans love to roast. On their day they are pretty damn good. Griffin has now brought a player in who will absolutely improve their game because he has a good history with them, yet the fans are complaining. Griffin would not be pinning his career on such a player if he thought he would fail. If the team does not fire, Griffin may only have 1 year on his NRL career left as no team will want him if he fails at Saints that is for sure.

With the media making Saints favourites for their first ever spoon, that will only fire them up more. Only thing I hate is if Saints finish 12th - 9th, the Saints Board will see it as success. Expectation should be to finish top 8 and nothing less.

 

[Saint Pedro]

Good post OT. Old tradesmen teach the apprentices in more than just their job skills. On old, no pun Old Timer, anyone who is worried about age of McCullough need to open their eyes a bit. Cameron Smith won his last thee gfs as a 29, 34 and 37 year old. Thurston got his gf as a 32 year old. Kelly slater won his last surfing world title as a 39 year old.
People are playing sport longer, looking after their bodies and mind. I’m thinking having a few of these country gentlemen is a very good thing for our club.

 

[Dragon David]

Good post OT. Old tradesmen teach the apprentices in more than just their job skills. On old, no pun Old Timer, anyone who is worried about age of McCullough need to open their eyes a bit. Cameron Smith won his last thee gfs as a 29, 34 and 37 year old. Thurston got his gf as a 32 year old. Kelly slater won his last surfing world title as a 39 year old.
People are playing sport longer, looking after their bodies and mind. I’m thinking having a few of these country gentlemen is a very good thing for our club.

I am sure that Hook would have done his due diligence on McCullough before the back and forth negotiations with the Broncos. He is one guy that Hook wanted who he thought would be great for our team's game management. So even though McCullough turned 31 in January, Hook must be confident that he has good 2-3 yrs in him for what our team needs.