2012 Gains and Losses and possible squad

[Minh]

I think most young centres would be unsighted if they were behind Lyon and Matai to be fair.

Linnett has struggled with injury. My point though is there are two genuine centres we've let go, and we look likely to plug a centre spot with a utility.

I get your point yes those guys are genuine centres just not top shelf, I even thought McKinnon has potential there looked like he had good footwork but he is off to the Knights next year with Wayne and Boyd, I hope Wayne does not go after anymore of our stocks.

 

[dragons__]

Saving cash to make a play at cronk for 2013 and beyond?
1. Moltz
3. Style
6. Soward
7. Cronk
9. King

Hornby and Young? to be offered life time coaching roles or any gig at the club? Both absolute champions!!

 

[Minh]

Saving cash to make a play at cronk for 2013 and beyond?
1. Moltz
3. Style
6. Soward
7. Cronk
9. King

Hornby and Young? to be offered life time coaching roles?

That looks the goods but I doubt Cronk would leave Melbourne.

 

[gypsy]

I get your point yes those guys are genuine centres just not top shelf, I even thought McKinnon has potential there looked like he had good footwork but he is off to the Knights next year with Wayne and Boyd, I hope Wayne does not go after anymore of our stocks.

Linnett was good enough to be in the starting Roosters side, pushing Phil Graham out of the side. He will be good in time, he's still developing. Whare is an unknown, he dominated NYC, and as you say, hasn't been seen.

Mckinnon is no centre, his future is in the pack. I'm not a fan of playing guys out of position, something I think the Dragons have done for too long.

 

[gypsy]

just not top shelf

And Chase Stanley is?? :?

 

[Minh]

And Chase Stanley is?? :?

No but Stanley is a genuine centre too, I thought Linnett was pretty darn good last year but I just don't see him in the top class of centres just an opinion as for Mckinnon was only referring to his game for us against I think the Gold Coast where i'm sure he played centre and looked pretty good, he's gone anyway. You do know that Ben Creagh played on the wing on debut for us right.

 

[redvwhite]

Sorry guys, I am an english teacher so allow me to point out it is Nathan 'Fien' and not Fein as in Rein. Thanks.

I think Vea from the storm has a lot of work to do to make our side. I've seen him play a little and he's going fairly average. Ah Mau is more worthy at this time.

Hornby at fullback??? You've got to be kidding! Fullbacks need pace to begin with. I think Moltzen more or less cancels out the loss of Boyd, should their current form hold true. I think between the Stanley's we can find a replacement for Gaz. If one or two of our recruited players can have a standout year we will be in the competition up to our eyeballs.

 

[gypsy]

You do know that Ben Creagh played on the wing on debut for us right.

Of course I do. Creagh was always going to be a backrower though. I watched him coming through the grades as a centre, and he always had a physical presence, and lacked a bit of speed.

There's a difference between someone naturally developing/growing, and trying to make someone fit a position.

The fact is we let two talented centres go, and have now signed Chase, who is a backrower who can't tackle well enough yet.

 

[nrlnrl]

Sorry if this is repeating news from other threads, but this seems to be a good one for 2012 & beyond.

We've also signed up a number of kids from the country.

Apparently there's a program where they attend training camps at Wollongong with the club, but finish high school before heading back to the Dragons. A few of these are :

Sam Coster - a lock who plays for Parkes & goes to school at Red Bend College in Forbes. He played in the NSW U18 team in a SOO curtain raiser.

Jacob Neill - 18 year old from Nyngan who plays 1/2, 5/8 or lock.

Charly Runciman - 17 or 18 year old fullback from Dubbo who's played in a number of Country rep teams & was also on an AIS tour last year.

I know we seem to have an endless supply of props, but Jack Stockwell is one that signed a 3-year extension this year & can still play Toyota Cup in 2012.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

My starting 17 from the Jubilee Ave forum for Round 1:

1. Nightingale
2. Morris
3. Kyle Stanley
4. Cooper
5. Vidot
6. Soward
7. Hornby
8. DFH
9. Rein
10. Weyman
11. Scott
12. Creagh
13. Young

14. Merrin
15. Marketo
16. De Belin
17. Moltzen

 

[Mr Red]

i think once again we have built a team for 2012 that will be competitive and make the bottom half of the top 8.
but once again we havent built a team that can win the comp..
we still lack aggression in the forward pack, and lack a genuine half back - the same problems that caused us to fall short this year, and they havent fixed it for next season.
we have lost 2 game breakers in Boyd and Gasnier (when both are in form) and havent bought any game breakers to replace them. Add to that Bennett leaving and taking most of his conditioning staff with him..
a rebuilding season next year, but without addressing the issues that brought us down this season, i fail to see how we can go any better.

 

[Minh]

i think once again we have built a team for 2012 that will be competitive and make the bottom half of the top 8.
but once again we havent built a team that can win the comp..
we still lack aggression in the forward pack, and lack a genuine half back - the same problems that caused us to fall short this year, and they havent fixed it for next season.
we have lost 2 game breakers in Boyd and Gasnier (when both are in form) and havent bought any game breakers to replace them. Add to that Bennett leaving and taking most of his conditioning staff with him..
a rebuilding season next year, but without addressing the issues that brought us down this season, i fail to see how we can go any better.

Very fair points, I don't really think we are going to shake up the comp next year, we are lacking one or two strike players like a cronk or Foran in the halves and a Strike player in the centres.

 

[mickeylane]

I honestly believe that next year the Dragons will be a more attack minded team. We would have added (3) naturally attack minded players to our starting line up in Moltzen, Kyle Stanley,Cameron King plus at least 4-5 mountainous forwards and also more importantly would have freed ourselves of any expectations that we had this year ....

I truely believe that the Dragons will be playing with no pressure and combining the new blood w the vast level of experienced players already at the club and the energy of a new coaching team to become a very dangerous and fit football team (thanks to Folkesy)......we could see a "Tiger-esque" mentality creep into our play - a combination of fearless attack, aggressive forward play and dogged defence is what will become the norm for Dragons 2012..The need to also change our style of play will be necessary to survive - not much but enough to accommodate the brilliance that Moltzen, Styles and King bring to the team!! .

Expect Merrin to oust Wyman to a bench position - Merrin is ready for the step up now - he's aggressive and tireless.

I also totally believe that Soward will come out of his shell and start backing himself more this will happen only because he will become a self - annointed "team leader" and will believe that the team rests on his shoulders and will need to take major initiatives ..his fatherly figure in Bennet has left and now needs to be doing it on his own!

I def see Hornby moving to a bench position but only during the season as it becomes more apparent to everyone that Kyle Stanley is the future Dragons 5/8 without doubt- he's not a centre and adds the "X" factor that so many other great NRL 5/8 bring to their game (Benji, Foran)

The total basis of our team being a better football side in 2012 will be built around speed around the play the ball, variety around the ruck and bigger and more aggressive forward pack....

PS: We will not be ravaged by SOO duties as well maybe 1-2 players tops not like this year.....THIS WILL BE A HUGE PLUS!!

Im very confident for 2012!!!!!

1. Moltzen
2. Nightingale
3. C Stanley
4. Cooper
5. Morris

6. K Stanley
7. Soward

8. Merrin
9. King
10. Hunt
11. Creagh
12 Scott
13. Prior

14. Young
15. Hornby
16. Weyman
17. Miller

 

[Minh]

I honestly believe that next year the Dragons will be a more attack minded team. We would have added (3) naturally attack minded players to our starting line up in Moltzen, Kyle Stanley,Cameron King plus at least 4-5 mountainous forwards and also more importantly would have freed ourselves of any expectations that we had this year ....

I truely believe that the Dragons will be playing with no pressure and combining the new blood w the vast level of experienced players already at the club and the energy of a new coaching team to become a very dangerous and fit football team (thanks to Folkesy)......we could see a "Tiger-esque" mentality creep into our play - a combination of fearless attack, aggressive forward play and dogged defence is what will become the norm for Dragons 2012..The need to also change our style of play will be necessary to survive - not much but enough to accommodate the brilliance that Moltzen, Styles and King bring to the team!! .

Expect Merrin to oust Wyman to a bench position - Merrin is ready for the step up now - he's aggressive and tireless.

I also totally believe that Soward will come out of his shell and start backing himself more this will happen only because he will become a self - annointed "team leader" and will believe that the team rests on his shoulders and will need to take major initiatives ..his fatherly figure in Bennet has left and now needs to be doing it on his own!

I def see Hornby moving to a bench position but only during the season as it becomes more apparent to everyone that Kyle Stanley is the future Dragons 5/8 without doubt- he's not a centre and adds the "X" factor that so many other great NRL 5/8 bring to their game (Benji, Foran)

The total basis of our team being a better football side in 2012 will be built around speed around the play the ball, variety around the ruck and bigger and more aggressive forward pack....

PS: We will not be ravaged by SOO duties as well maybe 1-2 players tops not like this year.....THIS WILL BE A HUGE PLUS!!

Im very confident for 2012!!!!!

1. Moltzen
2. Nightingale
3. C Stanley
4. Cooper
5. Morris

6. K Stanley
7. Soward

8. Merrin
9. King
10. Hunt
11. Creagh
12 Scott
13. Prior

14. Young
15. Hornby
16. Weyman
17. Miller

That is a very good team there, just not sure how Hornby is going to captain from the bench and from what I've seen from Rein we must also retain this kid.

 

[to_ddeath]

Rein to bench, Young at 13, Prior out.


T.

 

[Dragon girl]

Let's hope we dont have those Tiger-resque
Stupid mistakes!

 

[hewi]

Spot on. Im very excited about 2012. Dont forget Chase Stanely i think he will be the big surprise. Personally i think he will fill Gazniers spot in the center.

 

[RedVDave]

Next year is exciting but people should not be expecting immediate results it will be a rebuilding year no doubt! However it won't be all doom and gloom (2007) as their are a ton postives and is a right step for the future ahead.

My team would look like this

1. Tim Moltzen
2. Jason Nightingale
3. Daniel Vidot
4. Matt Cooper
5. Brett Morris
6. Jamie Soward
7. Ben Hornby (C)
8. Michael Weyman
9. Nathan Fien
10. Trent Merrin
11. Beau Scott
12. Ben Creagh
13. Dean Young

Interchange:

14. Josh Miller
15. Matt Prior
16. Dan Hunt
17. Mitch Rein

Also I am of the belief that we have signed Chase Stanley as a second rower as I personally think thats his best posistion as he does have some poor reads in defence at centre.

 

[Minh]

I'm surprised you left Kyle Stanley out Red V Dave and secondly can Vidot play centre?

 

[redvwhite]

Dave there's a huge question mark over Chase full stop. I don't think of any us have really seen him play much the last few years but yeah, I'd say he has be signed to play in the second row.

I think you need to find a place for Kyle in there ahead of Vidot. Kyle looks to be me to be a future star, just needs a good run with injury and a chance.