2011 pack

[Cagey Mac]

100% make the 8.

Hunt
Fien
Weyman
Scott
Creagh
Young

With Prior, Merrin, Marketo, Aubusson (possibly) Gower, Penese, Emmett, Bosden in the forwards, Stanley, Tagive, Goodwin in the backs.

Same back line. 100% make the 8, and i'd take an even money bet with anyone on top 4.

Don't underestimate us
This is the beginning of the STGI dynasty 12 in a row!

 

[TheRev]

Maybe they will step up given the opportunity (which is often the case), but I dont see how our forward pack can compete currently, Merrin is the only player I see really lifting.. Weyman/Merrin are the only quality props left in our squad.. the rest are mostly centres turned back-rowers. Unless Young could make the move?

Prior, Hunt, Scott, or Tagive/Cooper with the suggestions above, they are all centers, Scott you want in your side because of his defence, the others are solid, but nothing thats going to scare the pants off the big star packs in the league. I think we are 1 real quality forward short right now, but hoping to be proven wrong, im sure Wayne had a plan in mind for 2011, he has a habit of making good players into great players.

 

[Father Ted]

I think the loss of Smith , Costigan and Saffy in a single year might be a hole too big even for Wayne . But I'd love to be wrong .

 

[cleary89]

Prior and Scott are hardly centres. Both only played there when we had no one else, and while are awesome defenders, both play like back rowers in attack.

Tagive and coops wont be forwards.

And Hunt a centre? Lol. He was the form front rower in the comp untill he got injured.

 

[RedVDave]

It will be difficult having lost our two best and most aggressive forwards in Smith & Costigan, we will miss Saffy's impact from the bench to but we still have a pretty good pack for mine.


8. Greenfield
9. Fien
10. Weyman
11. Scott
12. Creagh
13. Young

14. Merrin
15. Hunt
16. Green
17. Prior

I personally think Greenfield is in for a massive year next year, we also have some depth in King & Marketo.

 

[Cagey Mac]

I think that your memory is letting you down regarding Hunt who was fantastic until his injury and will only be better in ’11. He improved steadily in ’09 and certainly allayed fears regarding this loss of Poore with his early season form
Weyman with time for his osteosis pubis to mend will be awesome next year too
Smith and Costigan were both awesome but Smith did miss a lot of the season

Don’t be too sure about Coops not playing in the back row either
He’s got the size, defensive capabilities and is at a stage in his career when such a move is logical.

It is not during the season proper that we’ll be tested but when the acid test arrives in late September, we may not have quite the level of depth that we had this year.
I hope Marketto puts on a few kg this year, he’s a great ball playing back rower but will need additional weight IMO if he’s to bend the line when he’s playing with the big boys

 

[Spartan - Dragon]

I like the look of Mose Masoe from the Roosters!
Any warriors players off contract Kiwi's seem to perform will under Bennett

 

[Smoove_Saint]

is that a pun Spartan? :lol:

 

[Wobbygong]

Scott replaces Smith, Hunt replaces Costigan and Merrin replaces the hairy lemon...............too easy.

 

[Young1]

I would not worry about our pack. hunt, tagive and greenfield (one to watch once he gets fit imo) will be like new signings...dunno if tagive is cut out for second row but we'll see. Don't forget a full off-season of beau scott in second row under wayne...he will be a much better player for it than we have seen since the switch from centre. Prior and Merrin will improve as well. We also have Jake Marketo on the up - we have to give this guy a go or he will be gone. I think Bennett rates him.

Probably a handful of budget signings - Penese and, by reports, james aubbeson. Likely a couple more to jump on board for not much considering we are premiers.

You can ad Jarrad Whawera Hargraves to that list of who we may Sign

 

[Godz Illa]

I highly doubt that. Not only is Maria signed to a 3 year deal with the Roosters, but I doubt our club would want a bar of him

 

[trudge]

Nick Emmett is a quality bench back row.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

We'll be fine. Ask yourself who would have missed out of Dan HUnt hadn't been injured. One of Costigan and Smith would have been starting from the bench. Nev was a revelation at prop, but is replacable, whilst Jez is clearly in the top 2 or 3 forawrds in the game - if not number 1. He's by far our biggest loss & to Cronulla no less.

Merrin...the man everyone, rightly, has massive wraps on. He's still only a kid and Bennett will continue to nurture him slowly, would not have played any finals football.

Add to that, Saffy wasn't n our top 17 last year. Green will deservedly get first crack at the squad & I'm really keen to see what Greenfield can add fully fit. He looked off the pace all year, even in the NSW Cup games I saw him play, but thats to be expected after his last two years. He's got the size and the skill to make a big impact.

Gower has come across for an opportunity and by all reports from Tigers fans should have been playing NRL all year. A small prop who is a dynamic ball runner, he could well be the next diamond uncovered by Saint Wayne.

My bro in law played with Penese at Penrith. He has a genuine NRL frame, but plays in the typical Elliott back rower style and is nowhere near involved enough. He's an athlete though & again, has a lot of tools for Bennett to work with.

I fully expect Aubusson to be a Dragon next year too. He's very capable and will fll the void left in hooker depth left by Priddis, who was a great servant to the club this year. Aubusson can cover backrow too.

All in all, we are looking very good again at this stage (who cares hahahaha). Everyone wants to play for the PREMIERS, so you can be sure competition for spots will be hot where they have become available.

Anyway - Hunt for Nev is a given. Jon Green for Saffy is probably the same. Deano to lock for Jez & Fiensy to hooker with Aubusson & Stanley fighting for the bench spot.

Boyd
Morris
Gasnier
Cooper
Florence
Soward
The Skipper
Bubba
Fien
Horse
Scott
Creaghzy
Deano

Merrin
Prior
Green
Stanley

Its up to the rest of the guys to step up and develop underneath that and that is the challenge for next year.

Still a long off season to bask in the glory before then though & I plan on doing a hell of a lot of basking.

 

[hardbaby]

I think we are 1 real quality forward short right now, but hoping to be proven wrong, im sure Wayne had a plan in mind for 2011, he has a habit of making good players into great players.

I agree. We have lost 2 starting forwards and another that's in our 17. And we have signed nothing that we expect to replace them with. All the talk about getting Hunt and Tagive back is all well and good but that assumes we have no injuries and there will be injuries. Marketo, King and Bosden have potential. Maybe Greenfield will bounce back. But quite frankly I am amazed that the Dragons haven't signed another forward. They must have some money left. What's the story with Aubusson?

 

[grandorient]

Hi Guys,

Tell me I was seeing things in the GF.

I thought two of the hardest, niggliest players were in fact two already mentioned in this thread; that is Piror and Scotty.

These two guys will be our new new Smith and Costigan next year, unless I am mistaken.

GO

 

[Goldthorpe]

I think our forward pack next season will be better than this season, I think it will be more balanced with better and more consistent players. Losing Jarrod Saffy [Super 15 – Melbourne Rebels], Neville Costigan [Knights], Jeremy Smith [Sharks], Ricky Thorby [Cowboys] and Luke Priddis [Retired].

Don't get me wrong I thought Jarrod Saffy, Neville Costigan and Jeremy Smith were excellent in the back end of the season but losing Dan Hunt [who will replace Neville Costigan] was massive. We have enough forwards to do the job. Dean Young can go back to his position of Lock plus we can get the Cameron King off the bench as the back-up Hooker.

08. HUNT, Dan
09. FIEN, Nathan
10. WEYMAN, Michael
11. SCOTT, Beau
12. CREAGH, Ben
13. YOUNG, Dean

Bench:
MERRIN, Trent
PRIOR, Matt
GREEN, Jon
EMMETT, Nick
GREENFIELD, Michael
KING, Cameron @ Back-up Hooker
STANLEY, Kyle Back-up Hooker

 

[smi962]

our starting pack still looks good, but our depth will be tested, particularly if there are injuries.

 

[smi962]

thinking about it....if you said at the end of last year, could we could win a premiership without Hunt and Poore in the front row, a lot of people would have doubted it.

It's Bennett system that wins us games.The system and winning hasn't really changed, despite changes in personnel/injuries over the two years. So maybe we will be ok.

 

[Dea]

We'll be ok. At the Bronco's Bennet seemed to keep on finding up and coming players and we already have a list of potential players who could step up. Now they have to Bennet will invest in them, they will be inspired by playing with the Premiers, and we will keep on building into a Dragons Dynasty.

 

[_snafu_]

I wish we kept Jardine Bobongie