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2019 team line up

GC Dragon

Juniors
Messages
656
Ravalawa could not even hold his spot on the wing for the Mounties. We have plucked him direct from park footy, dont expect too much from him apart from an opportunity we have given him.
Politics played a major role in him going back to play for the Bulls . He was the Raiders u/20 player of the year then made the move up to the Mounties with ease .

Ricky Stuart said himself after he had played a few games for the Mounties he was destine for first grade . All of a sudden it is reported last July that he has agreed to join the Dragons and he ends up back at the Bulls . Even the Bulls coach David Howell said he was way above that level .

You don't drop one of the leading try scorers and better preforming wingers in the comp back to park footy a few weeks after he scored 5 tries in a game if you haven't got a axe to grind . Even the Raiders supporters were bemused by what had happened to him

The real question is do we have the coaching / man management ability to bring the best out in this obviously talented kid ?.
 

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
62,231
changing from Dufty to Norman/Widdop at the back changes a lot of things around structure.

You go from a team looking to run around an opposition to one that wants to pass around .
That to me means the centres have to be ball players as well AND the wingers fast.

If you play aitken in centre with lomax outside you but a cross against both of this ...
It means again that the defence can compress in again against our right and make it even harder for them.

As soon as you have centres capable of getting the ball to the wingers it forces the opposition edges to space out more in defence which then leads to more time ...

this should also spell and end to the JDB/James graham link player in the middle as with three genuine passing options in 1/6/9 and ball skills in the centers the passing shoudl be faster and crisper. Means that the forwads can go back to carting it up and looking for offloads just before or after the ad line.

In terms of skill Hunt/Widdop/Norman/Lomax/Lafai has it in spades over Hunt/Widdop/Dufty/Aitken/Lafai.
 

DragonJ

Juniors
Messages
236
Ravalawa could not even hold his spot on the wing for the Mounties. We have plucked him direct from park footy, dont expect too much from him apart from an opportunity we have given him.

Well FFS, what are our talent scouts doing? They knew we were in need of fast wingers so they go out and sign another 5/8 along with a park footballer and a Broncos reject?
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
it is depressing that a player with average ability can excite simply because he has a f**king go.

The desire to contest aerial balls and to put his body on the line put to shame the rest of the outside backs. He has limitations in his game ..

As for size, well Pearson/Pereira/Ravalawa are all approx the same size .. it will come down to speed, intesity/desire and all that other stuff.

I think Pearson on the left and Ravalawa on the right is where it will end up but for now Pereira will probably start until one of the others out performs him.

Excluding Maranta, Peirera is the most experienced winger at the Dragons. Injury free, he is a sure thing to being in first grade for most of the year.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Excluding Maranta, Peirera is the most experienced winger at the Dragons. Injury free, he is a sure thing to being in first grade for most of the year.

Pereira is a good ISP winger and backup for first grade. So if either Pearson or Ravalawa do not step up in the off-season, then the door will be open for Pereira to be selected on one of the wings.
 

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
Pereira is a good ISP winger and backup for first grade. So if either Pearson or Ravalawa do not step up in the off-season, then the door will be open for Pereira to be selected on one of the wings.
perfectly logical possm but mary will select periera no betting on that .........
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
perfectly logical possm but mary will select periera no betting on that .........

I would love to have the stats on speed, fitness, tackle drills, high ball returns and agility for Pereira, Pearson and Ravalawa. It would help a lot with judging who should be selected.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
I would love to have the stats on speed, fitness, tackle drills, high ball returns and agility for Pereira, Pearson and Ravalawa. It would help a lot with judging who should be selected.
You sound like Mary..
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,678
I would love to have the stats on speed, fitness, tackle drills, high ball returns and agility for Pereira, Pearson and Ravalawa. It would help a lot with judging who should be selected.

I would love to know there shoe size, mothers name and wether they like Hawaiian pizza.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Pereira is a good ISP winger and backup for first grade. So if either Pearson or Ravalawa do not step up in the off-season, then the door will be open for Pereira to be selected on one of the wings.

Peirera will be the first winger picked.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
As I have previously said, I would start the year off with Widdop and Lomax in the centres. I think they would both be upgrades on Lafai and Aitken. I would be looking to offload Lafai and Aitken right now. If we could offload both of them, we could spend the money on one outside back who is on close to bottom dollar and with the rest I would hope to have enough to get another good prop if possible. The ones I thought of were George or Tom Burgess. There was a bit of talk that Souths were trying to offload either or both George and Tom. I would take either. With the addition of Tom or George, we would then have a very strong front row rotation and much needed depth in the front row department. If we did manage to do it (I know I am dreaming lol), I would have Tom or George coming off the bench. If we got a Burgess brother this year, we would probably have the best pack in the comp and the best bench too.

Marsters, Maranta and Runciman would be our back up centers if we let Aitken and Lafai go and moved Widdop to centre.

I won't be surprised to see Mary pick Aitken and Lafai as our centres in game one.
 

nontime111

Juniors
Messages
1,623
Widdop (Duftys a gun but needs more work, his year will be 2020 then for a long career here I can foresee)
Ravalawa
Lomax
Lafai
Pearson
Norman
Hunt

JDB
Frizz
T Simms
Vaughnie
Mcinnis
Graham

with 3 big bodies on the bench and Robson
 

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
62,231
Widdop (Duftys a gun but needs more work, his year will be 2020 then for a long career here I can foresee)
Ravalawa
Lomax
Lafai
Pearson
Norman
Hunt

JDB
Frizz
T Simms
Vaughnie
Mcinnis
Graham

with 3 big bodies on the bench and Robson

That would be lawrie/korbin/Luc
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
I agree and Lomax will be the second with Aitken and Lafai in the centres . Our ISP backline will without doubt be the fastest in the comp . With a back 3 of Dufty , Pearson and Ravalawa . Throw in Field at 5/8 and that's 4 genuine speedsters .

Actually, I disagree,

As mentioned previously, I feel McGregor will confound is all by choosing Aitken on the wing in round one.

I just feel it in my bones.
 
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