2020 Squad Analysis

[Frank Facer]

Who would you say is the best teenager you ever saw debut?

My first thought was Laurie Daley and Bradly Clyde, but who was better is hard to decide. Daley debuted at 17 and killed straight away. I hadn't seen much of Bradley Clyde before he was picked to play origin for NSW at 18 or 19, and was sceptical if he should have been picked. He went onto be one of if not the best player of the series and then played for Australia and killed it there too. Both Daley and Clyde played their best footy from their teens to their early 20's, due to them both getting numerous injuries early in their career.

Sonny Bill and Gordon Tallis would both be in my top teens to play the game.

Inglis would one of the best teens I have seen play the game.

Haas is definitely in my top.

Barrett is the best teenage 5/8 I have seen. He was playing origin by the time he was 20.

Looking back Brad Fittler had one of the best debut seasons I can remember, but myself and some of my mates, including some who even played against Fittler, thought he was over rated. I know many would have Fittler there ahead of Barrett, Brasher and possibly Daley.

Phil Blake's debut season was as good as any I have ever seen, maybe the best. He

Tim Brasher had a great debut season for Balmain. He went onto play in a grand final while still at school.

Brett Rodwell debuted at centre for Illawarra while still at school. I thought his debut season was very good.

Off the top of my head I will pick my best team of teens that I saw play the game.

1 Inglis
2 Folau
3 Daley
4 Tim Brasher
5 Hayne
6 Barrett (c)
7 Phil Blake
13 Clyde
12 Tallis
11 Sonny Bill
10 Haas
9 Nathan Brown I can't think of many teenage hookers.
8 Paul Mares

Other notable mentions are
ET
Tom Turbo
Fittler
Brett Rodwell
David Fifita
Brad Mackay
Toovey
Mark Gasnier
Ivan Cleary
Steve Menzies
Mitchell Pearce
Latrell Mitchell
Jason Stevens
Jamie Ainscough
Terry Hill
Daryl Trindall
Jamie Lyon
Jim Sedaris
RTS
Greg Alexander
Karmichael Hunt
Matt Rogers
David Fairleigh
Xerri
Lockyer
Adam Ritson. He was prop who debuted at 16 and was forced into very early retirement, when still a teen, due to head knocks. He could have been a great.
I am sure there are many that I can't remember right now.

I was living in Tasmania when Andrew Johns debuted, so I didn't see much, if any of him in his debut season, that is why he didn't make my team and Phil Blake's debut season is very hard to top. However, very early in Johns's career, I do recall reading an article in Rugby League Week suggesting that he could be the best player to have played the game. I hadn't seen much of him and thought it was a massive exaggeration at the time. Maybe the author was right. What a call.

I remember being at the 7's, I think it was 2002. My mate asked me who a certain number was, that was playing for Canterbury. I looked it up and said Sonny Bill Williams. We had never heard of him, my mate then said he will be a mad centre. He was 17 at the time.

 

[Frank Facer]

Yeah playing wise I’m sure he’s ready. I’ve been watching him for ages he’s the best young fullback I’ve seen since Teddy. I guess they are just worried about injuries. Personally I’d give him a crack. He would have scored all 4 of those Pereira tries with ease plus setup a few I reckon.

I like your confidence in Ramsey. When I saw his highlights package, I thought he looked more suited to wing, but I am starting to think he may be more suited to fullback and would be able to provide X factor from there. I did say that I saw a bit of Slater in him in his highlight package too, but that was based on raw speed and ability. Hopefully is another Slater.

Best since Teddy is a massive call. The likes of Ponga, Tom Turbo and Holmes have all come along since then. I hope you are right.

 

[jak]

And you’re still up at this time of night?

yes, but not myself

 

[Frank Facer]

I would also add Anthony Mundine to my list of top teens.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I like your confidence in Ramsey. When I saw his highlights package, I thought he looked more suited to wing, but I am starting to think he may be more suited to fullback and would be able to provide X factor from there. I did say that I saw a bit of Slater in him in his highlight package too, but that was based on raw speed and ability. Hopefully is another Slater.

Best since Teddy is a massive call. The likes of Ponga, Tom Turbo and Holmes have all come along since then. I hope you are right.

There is just a hint of bias in my opinion but by the time he hits his straps so long as injury doesn't cruel him I can see him being one of the elite players in the game.

 

[TruSaint]

Who would you say is the best teenager you ever saw debut?

In terms of a debut "game", Amos Roberts with 22 points was great. Dream debut.

 

[Shaun_Timmins]

Noticed JDB is in our top 30 squad for the year. If this is the most blatant obvious sign of mismanagement, I just don’t know...
Don’t want to start a JDB discussion when a thread is closed, but I think it’s more the point of the decision

 

[possm]

Noticed JDB is in our top 30 squad for the year. If this is the most blatant obvious sign of mismanagement, I just don’t know...
Don’t want to start a JDB discussion when a thread is closed, but I think it’s more the point of the decision

I agree and you are right. Our management is hopeless and we need a cleanout. Surely we could do with the extra cap and a credit for the salary. SGI should have acted prior to 1 Nov 2019 so they could have benefited for the full cap and salary for JDB.

 

[kit66]

Who would you say is the best teenager you ever saw debut?

There's lots that impressed but Benji Marshall was probably the stand out in the last 20 years.

 

[Frank Facer]

There's lots that impressed but Benji Marshall was probably the stand out in the last 20 years.

I forgot about Marshall. He was pretty good as youngster.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Tbh we are in state of flux atm. Recruitement and retention wouldn't be an easy task, with:

1. Uncertainty of our coaching future
2. Uncertainty of who our CEO is
3. The JDB case
4. Where we finished last season
5. Our constant selection of "favoured" players, some of whom were shopped without a bite
6. Our "power play" game plan with no plan b
7. Our current "roadblocks"

If you can think of anything else please add.

I think we have a good squad, not outstanding, but good. We have secured our best juniors long term, inc young Ramsay yesterday on a 3yr deal.
BB looks a good pick up and should put to hed any talk about Hunt playing hooker, especially when Mcinnes returns. TF and BW look like decent signings as well and if we are chasing another winger then lets see who.

 

[This Year?]

We have a decent squad, but have paid overs for our halves and our junior development players won't see enough 1st grade to make it unless they go to other clubs.
I love Hunt for burying the Broncos in 2018 and Corey for that field goal in 2019, but they haven't performed well consistently.

 

[D4L_Dave]

Andrew Johns sums up the extent of the problems we have at the moment with the squad, playing style and no matter who we purchased from elsewhere, the best thaf would do is give us a some more short term false hope. Player wise, we need to pick out by year's end a framework of a team from the 20's and CC squads, then work out who of the experienced players will fit in complement and lead those players and stick with it.

We also need to accept that the game evolves and just doing what other contender teams do as well as they do will always result in a 6th at best place down to 10th place.

The culture of the Dragons isn't what it was under Brown and Bennett of which Brian Smith initiated back in the early 90's.

Premierships aren't won by bringing in star CEO's or gimmicks, they are won by implementing a vision to get the whole club moving forward in unity. I hope I am wrong but we will likely get our first spoon this year. Part of me is saying that as reverse psychology but let's be real it doesn't look good. I have suspected for the past 18 months the new owner has an agenda to tank things in such a way that a split in the JV is his eyes inevitable.

What's really annoyed me most about the past 6 yrs, is there is no evident plan the club has moving forward. At the start of last year, a mass of well thought out advice was provided to Mary I know for a fact yet despite mentioning it he failed to enact it. Best example is McInness playing lock for parts of the game. He could have done it last year but I am guessing Hornby was the one making the push to change. That is why he was moved on and i could site many others.

If we do come last of wherever I will stay loyal to the Dragons but I have to say that on top of the other non-sencical bazzare stuff player retention and development wise that has happened, cutting Field and Luch but keeping Norman. Then the Kurt Mann debacle in late 2018. The guy tried his guts out but no a 5/8. Field or Clune should have started in those games in late 2018. Also if Mann passed instead of doing a hit up of Hunt vs Souths in that second semi Field scores unopposed and into the preliminary final. Then after all that he moves Mann on to Newcastle.

This year to me the results aren't important (can't believe I am saying that) I wanna see the groundwork for building towards a serious tilt at the title within 3 years. If I see more local talented juniors passed over for has been or never will be players then unless we make the preliminary final or better heads must roll at the top. How are we gonna feel if Luch runs all over us vs Tigers or Field runs rings round us at FB for the Eels ??ect.

 

[Como Connection]

Andrew Johns sums up the extent of the problems we have at the moment with the squad, playing style and no matter who we purchased from elsewhere, the best thaf would do is give us a some more short term false hope. Player wise, we need to pick out by year's end a framework of a team from the 20's and CC squads, then work out who of the experienced players will fit in complement and lead those players and stick with it.

We also need to accept that the game evolves and just doing what other contender teams do as well as they do will always result in a 6th at best place down to 10th place.

The culture of the Dragons isn't what it was under Brown and Bennett of which Brian Smith initiated back in the early 90's.

Premierships aren't won by bringing in star CEO's or gimmicks, they are won by implementing a vision to get the whole club moving forward in unity. I hope I am wrong but we will likely get our first spoon this year. Part of me is saying that as reverse psychology but let's be real it doesn't look good. I have suspected for the past 18 months the new owner has an agenda to tank things in such a way that a split in the JV is his eyes inevitable.

What's really annoyed me most about the past 6 yrs, is there is no evident plan the club has moving forward. At the start of last year, a mass of well thought out advice was provided to Mary I know for a fact yet despite mentioning it he failed to enact it. Best example is McInness playing lock for parts of the game. He could have done it last year but I am guessing Hornby was the one making the push to change. That is why he was moved on and i could site many others.

If we do come last of wherever I will stay loyal to the Dragons but I have to say that on top of the other non-sencical bazzare stuff player retention and development wise that has happened, cutting Field and Luch but keeping Norman. Then the Kurt Mann debacle in late 2018. The guy tried his guts out but no a 5/8

Kurt played very well at right centre, alas the competition there was too strong for him to be given a go.
Another waste.
CC

 

[possm]

Kurt played very well at right centre, alas the competition there was too strong for him to be given a go.
Another waste.
CC

There will not be a complete cleanout anytime soon so what needs to happen instead is:

• Appoint a Director of football and leave all decisions regarding football to be approved by him.
• Make it so that the Board's only responsibility when it comes to football is to approve the football budget and make the funds available.
• Sack Mary asap and appoint Shepard as head coach with Flanagan and Matt Head as his assistants.
• Give Dean Young the job of coaching the CC team. Hold him accountable for the results.
• Drop Aitken and Lafai to CC and promote William and a right centre from within the club to first grade; maybe Ford, Ravalawa, Sailor, Norman or one our young guns after June 30.
• Retain Frizell and sign A. Fifita for 2021

 

[2010]

2020 is going to be like 2019, but I hope that the club uses this season of change.
They need to take a hard look at what players are performing and those who are not.
If a player is not considered essential to our team going forward see if we have a player coming through the system the focus on his transition to first grade in 2021.
If we need to recruit a player from another team, only look for players who have first grade experience but don't sign someone who is looking for a contract then will retire at the end of the contract,
We have a lot of juniors in the system, we should be looking at giving them their chance in first grade, but don't use them as bench warmers.

 

[muzby]

• Retain Frizell and sign A. Fifita for 2021

By that do you mean Andrew Fifita or just a Fifita in general?

If it’s the latter, I say we go after David.

 

[possm]

By that do you mean Andrew Fifita or just a Fifita in general?

If it’s the latter, I say we go after David.

I've already corrected this mistake under another post in response to 'frankfacer'. I meant to say David Fifita from the Broncos.

 

[muzby]

I've already corrected this mistake under another post in response to 'frankfacer'.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

So Cody Ramsay signed on a 3 year deal !!!

Didnt realise it was that long