2020 Squad Analysis

[Slackboy72]

Not sure if posted elsewhere: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/02/22/sowards-say-2020-dragons/

Jamie has us finishing 14th.
Can't really disagree with anything he says.

 

[j0nesy]

Bottom half the comp. the squad lack speed in the outside backs and mobility, power (Friz aside) and depth in the forwards. The halves are ok.

 

[hermidale1]

Not sure if posted elsewhere: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/02/22/sowards-say-2020-dragons/

Jamie has us finishing 14th.
Can't really disagree with anything he says.

Didn’t Soward have us in the top 8 last year?
Another expert giving “their” opinion.

 

[Richard Norton]

Bottom half the comp. the squad lack speed in the outside backs and mobility, power (Friz aside) and depth in the forwards. The halves are ok.

Sailor at fullback, Lomax and Williaame in the centres and our backline now has speed (but our super coach doesnt know this yet after how many years).
Up front, Vaughan, Merrin, Frizz, both Sims boys, Kerr, Host (he has improved 10 fold going off his trial form), Tyrell, Ford, and Graham just for his inspiration.
Once all are available, thats not a bad pack to have up front.

 

[possm]

Bottom half the comp. the squad lack speed in the outside backs and mobility, power (Friz aside) and depth in the forwards. The halves are ok.

Aitken and Lafai lack speed and maybe Pereira is not the quickest winger in the NRL. Replace these 3 with Williame, Ravalawa and Sailor and we have speed to burn.

 

[Old Timer]

Just watched Peter Sterling's appraisal of our team and IMO he is by far and away the most astute commentator of the game.
Not emotional just factual and honest in his comments.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Just watched Peter Sterling's appraisal of our team and IMO he is by far and away the most astute commentator of the game.
Not emotional just factual and honest in his comments.

Except no mention about our outside backs.

 

[RufusRex]

Except no mention about our outside backs.

We dont have any worth mentioning

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

What is the go with the JDB situation? If his case isn’t until after the season concludes why is he still in our top 30 and why aren’t we moving to free up salary cap space ASAP?

 

[RufusRex]

Before the coarts again late March/early April .. expect they will see what happens then and make a decision accordingly

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Before the coarts again late March/early April .. expect they will see what happens then and make a decision accordingly

Fair enough.

 

[BLM01]

Sailor at fullback, Lomax and Williaame in the centres and our backline now has speed (buy our super coach doesnt know this yet after how many years).
Up front, Vaughan, Merrin, Frizz, both Sims boys, Kerr, Host (he has improved 10 fold going off his trial form), Tyrell, Ford, and Graham just for his inspiration.
Once all are available, thats not a bad pack to have up front.

Do I read right that you say Host has improved 10 fold?
What I saw in the charity shield in attack he still has not much impact especially playing at 13?
He does not pass and do not see him busting too many front lines. It maybe just me but I have said before surplus to our needs in the back row.

 

[Old Timer]

Do I read right that you say Host has improved 10 fold?
What I saw in the charity shield in attack he still has not much impact especially playing at 13?
He does not pass and do not see him busting too many front lines. It maybe just me but I have said before surplus to our needs in the back row.

The halves are his issue as they don't hit any of the edge forwards very often just look at Frizz.
Tariq got some good ball when on the left off Widdop (namely short ball near the line) but he struggled when Widdop was out.
Have a close look at the CS game and you will see couple of instances where Host is running hard at the hole and Hunt refuses to give the early ball required but instead pivots and sends the ball to a flat footed Tariq Sims.
The halves are clueless and favour the "big name" players and the number of times our forwards get the ball unexpectedly while they are flat footed is far too often.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

The halves are his issue as they don't hit any of the edge forwards very often just look at Frizz.
Tariq got some good ball when on the left off Widdop (namely short ball near the line) but he struggled when Widdop was out.
Have a close look at the CS game and you will see couple of instances where Host is running hard at the hole and Hunt refuses to give the early ball required but instead pivots and sends the ball to a flat footed Tariq Sims.
The halves are clueless and favour the "big name" players and the number of times our forwards get the ball unexpectedly while they are flat footed is far too often.

Clune would create heaps of line breaks I reckon.

 

[BLM01]

The halves are his issue as they don't hit any of the edge forwards very often just look at Frizz.
Tariq got some good ball when on the left off Widdop (namely short ball near the line) but he struggled when Widdop was out.
Have a close look at the CS game and you will see couple of instances where Host is running hard at the hole and Hunt refuses to give the early ball required but instead pivots and sends the ball to a flat footed Tariq Sims.
The halves are clueless and favour the "big name" players and the number of times our forwards get the ball unexpectedly while they are flat footed is far too often.

Enter the coach. Not hard to vary our plays a bit. Still when Hist gets the ball he troubles little as is well marked as teams see it coming hence why they switch the play. I watched the CS and McNumbnuts had him playing in the middle in the 1st half early on

 

[kit66]

I have a couple of concerns going into the new season ;
1. Graham - I don't think he'll play the whole season, I think he's almost done, he's been a great warrior for us and the Doggies but it might be a case of one season too many. He has the heart and the will but he looked busted many times last year and we know Mary is the worst Bench manager in the game and won't do Graham any favours.
2. Frizell, I reckon we'll hear some bad news soon about him signing with another club and I just hope he doesn't ask for an early release.
3. Injuries in the forwards - we simply can'y afford any, our depth is woeful. Teams like the Bunnies and NQ and others have 8 - 10 Props plus their regular Locks and what have we got. 5 Props including Kerr and Blacker and 2 Locks.

 

[isaiah]

Fullback: Dufty,Lomax,Sailor, Norman

None of the contenders inspire great confidence in this position. Dufty and Sailor are gifted players but physically too small.
Norman is too slow and inconsistent.. Lomax lacks speed off the mark but is reasonably fast over 100 metres.
Verdict: We need a first grade fullback urgently.. Personally I would play Dufty at Fullback.

Wingers: Pereira, Pearson, Ravalawa and Saab

We spend too much time shopping in the bargain bin. Pereira is a strong determined competitor but lacks speed.
Pearson has speed but lacks consistency.
Ravalawa has power and reasonable speed but his handling is poor and he is prone to make errors.
Saab has real speed but needs to improve his handling under the high ball and positioning.
Verdict: Saab when fit to play on one wing. Any of the other three to play on the other. Ravalawa has the most potential of the other three. I would start him first.

Centres: Aitken, Lafai, Lomax

All three are competent centres. with Lomax being the best all round centre.
Aitken has power, but little else. Lafai has a good offload but no speed. Both these guys should not be renewed.
Verdict: We need to recruit or develop a FG quality centre.

Five Eight: Norman and Sailor
Sailor is mercurial. I would shop Norman to ESL to create cap space. Sailor is the future.

Half: Hunt
Much maligned at times, he is a good player who needs his forwards firing on all cylinders to shine.
Verdict: This season the forwards let him down. He will star in 2020.

Lock: Merrin, JDB

Two quality forwards
Verdict: No need to recruit in this position.

Second Row: Frizz, Sims, Host, Ford
All quality forwards.
Verdict: No recruitment necessary

Front Row: Graham, Sims, Vaughan, Lawrie, Blacker, Kerr
Graham has been a tremendous forward in his time. His time has passed unfortunately. Tired legs. Limited minutes this season.
Vaughan is our premier front rower. Needs to play at his very best if we are to reach mid table.
Sims is a solid FG prop. but is far from elite.
Lawrie needs to improve significantly to compete for a stating position. Very determined but does not bend the line.
Kerr and Blacker. Praying one or both of these guys emerge as bolters for top 17 positions. Both huge units who lack the fitness to be imposing FG players.
Verdict. We need at least one more high quality front rower.

Hooker: McInnes, Luke and Lovodua
We have sufficient quality and depth for 2020.
Verdict: No recruitment required.

Too many glaring deficiencies in this squad to make the top half of the table. If we have a bad injury toll this season, McGregor will secure us the spoon.

Best case scenario, some of the kids play consistently out of their skins and we finish 9th.

Wingers: worst in the comp, even the titans have more talent in their feeder clubs

 

[isaiah]

Wingers: worst in the comp, even the titans have more talent in their feeder clubs

Ravalawa injured, convenient for him

 

[isaiah]

Wingers: worst in the comp, even the titans have more talent in their feeder clubs

Cannot wait until you play the titans.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Our squad is a mess. De Belin is unavailable,
Graham and Lafai are over the hill probably along with Merrin, Sims brothers are either injured or suspended, Dufty, Ford, Host, Lomax, Pereira and Sailor are promoted and then demoted, the backline is slow, the forwards are overworked and the halves lack the basic skills. New players come in but their
efforts are blunted by the apathy of the rest of the team. Hopefully one of the four coaches will be terminated after four rounds of ineptitude and six years of ineptitude.