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2021 - Squad, Signings, Re-signings

redandwhite4evr

Juniors
Messages
1,816
Bird eyes centres after Dragons comeback
  • National Sport
    r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

    Jack Bird has played 25 minutes in St George Illawarra's 28-6 NRL trial loss to Parramatta.
    Jack Bird wants to make his NRL return at left centre for St George Illawarra after getting through his first match in almost 12 months unscathed.

    Bird played 25 minutes as planned in the Dragons' 28-6 pre-season loss to Parramatta, but crucially left the ground with no concerns over his knee.

    The 25-year-old has not played an NRL match since May 2019 at Brisbane, before missing the rest of that season with a sternum injury.

    He returned in one trial at fullback for Brisbane last February, but went down on the eve of the first round with a second ACL injury in three years.

    Bird has mostly trained in the second row at the Dragons, but told coach Anthony Griffin last week he would rather ease back to match fitness at centre.

    The move has also coincided with the club's decision not to pursue Israel Folau, leaving Brayden Wiliame as the other option at left centre.

    "I told Hook (Anthony Griffin) I would rather play centre," Bird said.

    "He asked why and I said I had played centre at the Sharks for two years and got used to it and moulded myself to it.

    "It's probably too early for me to jump in the middle.

    "Hook was trying to help my knee out a bit by (not) doing lateral movements and steps (in the middle), but I'm not much of a stepper anyway.

    "That might come one day when I get a bit of confidence in my knees."

    Bird expects to play more there in next week's Charity Shield, but his brief involvements were promising on Thursday night at Kogarah.

    He laid on a break in the lead up to the Dragons' only try, forcing an error with a hard hit before putting Mat Feagai down field with a slick underarm pass.

    Fellow new recruit Andrew McCullough also got through 20 minutes without concern, in his first game back since a hamstring tendon rupture last July.

    Will Smith impressed for Parramatta, scoring one try and setting up another in his push for the club's No.14 jersey before the match was called with 11 minutes to go.

    Oregon Kaufusi also scored one try and Isaiah Papalii was also powerful, with both sides running teams of players who had limited first-grade exposure last year.

    In the only real injury concern, Eels recruit Michael Oldfield suffered a knee injury after just 12 minutes which could hurt his push to claim a centre spot.

    Australian Associated Press

    https://www.portnews.com.au/story/7133530/bird-eyes-centres-after-dragons-comeback/
So Jack Bird after a pre-season of training with the Dragons, thinks that a middle role will be too much for him and wants to play left centre. BUT, he can't step/perform lateral movements. All we have is a vague notion that "it (stepping) might come one day when I get a bit of confidence in my knees "!!

Isn't elusiveness part of a centre's skill set?. If opposing centres know Bird's only play is to run straight, doesn't he become an easier defence target?

I hope I'm wrong, but, unless Hook can convince him that his future is in the back row, his signing is shaping up as an expensive mistake.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,741
Bottom line with McInnes let’s assume he had come back to the Dragons and said give me 4 years at $$ to match the Shonkies and I will stay then next week after signing with us he does his ACL how many people here would have called that a good decision? I wouldn’t, good luck to him.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,412
We should go hard for Nathan Brown from the eels. Forget JDB, let him go to the Warriors to play with Aitken.
Throw 700K at Brown and sign him on a 3 year deal. He’s only 27, in his prime.
 

George Sancti

Juniors
Messages
279
We should go hard for Nathan Brown from the eels. Forget JDB, let him go to the Warriors to play with Aitken.
Throw 700K at Brown and sign him on a 3 year deal. He’s only 27, in his prime.

I agree Crush, Nathan Brown would be a great acquisition and a solution to our most problematic position. His enthusiasm would also rub off on the younger players.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,988
We should go hard for Nathan Brown from the eels. Forget JDB, let him go to the Warriors to play with Aitken.
Throw 700K at Brown and sign him on a 3 year deal. He’s only 27, in his prime.
Can’t stand the bloke. Plus he’s not as hard as the media makes out.
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,679
Unfortunately, we are in the unnecessary position of waiting on the DeBelin case and basically 6 weeks into the comp before a result is known.

Now, if DeBelin is cleared, he will go straight into prop rotation, not lock.
We have tried to secure a lock for this season, however, it appears at this stage, that player would now be for 2022, but stranger things have happened.
We have 28 players, inc DeBelin, young prop J Hunt looks like taking 29, thats leaves 1 door open.
 

boardlumps62

Juniors
Messages
1,481
So Jack Bird after a pre-season of training with the Dragons, thinks that a middle role will be too much for him and wants to play left centre. BUT, he can't step/perform lateral movements. All we have is a vague notion that "it (stepping) might come one day when I get a bit of confidence in my knees "!!

Isn't elusiveness part of a centre's skill set?. If opposing centres know Bird's only play is to run straight, doesn't he become an easier defence target?

I hope I'm wrong, but, unless Hook can convince him that his future is in the back row, his signing is shaping up as an expensive mistake.
This is definitely something I don't want to think about but you are right Hook does. The other this is I don't want to see too many tacklers trying to twist his leg. I will cover my eyes.
 

boardlumps62

Juniors
Messages
1,481
Unfortunately, we are in the unnecessary position of waiting on the DeBelin case and basically 6 weeks into the comp before a result is known.

Now, if DeBelin is cleared, he will go straight into prop rotation, not lock.
We have tried to secure a lock for this season, however, it appears at this stage, that player would now be for 2022, but stranger things have happened.
We have 28 players, inc DeBelin, young prop J Hunt looks like taking 29, thats leaves 1 door open.
Hope there's no appeal after he is exonerated.
 
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