What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

2022 Squad: Gains, Losses & Re-signings.

kit66

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,620
thebigredv said:
The results in 2021 were trash.

That's fact. The way people commentate, defend or criticise it comes down to a difference in one's philosophy and tolerance for pain and mediocrity.

I don't recall, at any point of my 30 odd years of watching Dragons, being so sure we'd lose a game to another mid range team than I did come the second half of last season. I could smell the fetid stench of failure bursting through the TV screen.

There is no refuting this and I'd suggest every honest fan would say they felt the same at one point or another.

It's not Hook's doing. Some of it was avoidable though and there's so many that are happy to excuse that. I'm not all that forgiving for him persisting with a player that no sooner retired stating he was 'over it anyway'. That's poor misjudgement no matter how learned the coach is.

Hook's made a start in rehashing the squad and looks set to give the youth the reigns which will appease all fans. Yes, I'm more circumspect than some about the recruitment but can at least agree our squad has matured and strengthened in some of the areas of need.

To reiterate what Crush said, like never before the proof will be in the pudding. Not one fan will be hoping for anything but success. Merely making finals will be brilliant given the nature of the competition. Another failure and then one can expect to hear the anguish of fans who won't so meekly submit to the obscurity and humiliation which it feels to which we've sunk in years gone by.

Hopefully we are signing Griffin up to extension come end of year and the likes of Sloan and Sua are being mentioned at the Dally Ms
Click to expand...

You make very valid points but you're letting Hook off a little easy. I know we had issues but Hook wasn't blameless. No-one would have been happy with our performances post BBQ-gate or with Hook's approach to picking the teams from there on in and even before that. It worries me that had injuries and the BBQ crap not happened we might not have seen Amone, Sullivan and Sloane get nearly as much game time. Certainly a concern that he didn't give the young halves more of a run early on in the year when Hunt was injured and Norman was putting in such average performances. I'm prepared to put all that behind us but only if Hook uses his squad more astutely, with one eye on September and the other beyond that even if his tenure beyond September isn't assured.
He has to hold his nerve too. Last year we won 4 in a row and won well and then drop a close game against a team that completed 40/41 ( 3 tries a piece ) and Hook made some fundamental changes that really stole our momentum, you can't do that, it's a confidence killer and I hope he doesn't do it to the young guys.
 
randomdragon

randomdragon

Juniors
Messages
1,832
kit66 said:
You make very valid points but you're letting Hook off a little easy. I know we had issues but Hook wasn't blameless. No-one would have been happy with our performances post BBQ-gate or with Hook's approach to picking the teams from there on in and even before that. It worries me that had injuries and the BBQ crap not happened we might not have seen Amone, Sullivan and Sloane get nearly as much game time. Certainly a concern that he didn't give the young halves more of a run early on in the year when Hunt was injured and Norman was putting in such average performances. I'm prepared to put all that behind us but only if Hook uses his squad more astutely, with one eye on September and the other beyond that even if his tenure beyond September isn't assured.
He has to hold his nerve too. Last year we won 4 in a row and won well and then drop a close game against a team that completed 40/41 ( 3 tries a piece ) and Hook made some fundamental changes that really stole our momentum, you can't do that, it's a confidence killer and I hope he doesn't do it to the young guys.
Click to expand...
Have to get to september first. Needs to put the best squad on the field every week to get us there. One step at a time
 
Dragon David

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,582
What i would like to see is Hunt playing hooker. He killed it when he played hooker in SOO in the game Queensland won. This would enable Sullivan to play half and Amone at 5/8th and we need these two to play as many games together in first grade so that their combination could be enhanced and we would have a spine of Sloan, Amone, Sullivan and Hunt which would be formidable. I know that this won't happen as Hook will want McCullough playing hooker for defence and he has always preferred Hunt at half, but you never know!
 
Auntie.Gerald

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
6,518
Hunt coul play till 36yrs of age as a no9

If can convince him to stay and play hooker he could so much pressure off our halves just like cam Smith did for many years in his 30s

But for 2022 Hunt is the best half by a mile

His 2021with all those injuries was extremely strong

2022 injury free and a better pack we should see hunt at his best 👌
 
S

slippery5

Juniors
Messages
1,665
I
SGMax said:
Wow, I thought he was early 20's...mainly due to the term development contract I suppose.
some interesting info here
catholicleader.com.au

Never give up on the dream, says Indigenous mentor - The Catholic Leader

WHEN Jon Reuben speaks to indigenous students about succeeding in school, in sport and in life he asks one simple question: “ How hard do you want it?” Mr Reuben, 27, is a rugby league rising star and the Indigenous Engagement and Cultural Officer at Brisbane’s St James’ College – an inner city...
catholicleader.com.au catholicleader.com.au

in particular,
"In 2019, Mr Reuben was named Queensland’s Intrust Super Cup winger of the year, and has been on the fringes of NRL selection since."

Surprised he hasn't featured regularly already.
In the highlights, I am sure I spotted Nicho Hynes passing to him.

Looks a little less of a tank than Ravs but has speed to burn.
Good addition to the squad. Hope he makes it.
Click to expand...
I've just realised who Reuben is.
After watching him many times playing for the Falcons, I can tell you he was one of there strike weapons & it's no coincidence that the Falcons lacked that when he left & so did there position on the ladder, although the absence of Nicho didn't help either. I went out to a country meet to watch a family friend make his debut in QLD cup & came away thinking " why haven't the Dragons" or someone, signed this guy up, instead we signed Pereira.
 
B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,058
slippery5 said:
I

I've just realised who Reuben is.
After watching him many times playing for the Falcons, I can tell you he was one of there strike weapons & it's no coincidence that the Falcons lacked that when he left & so did there position on the ladder, although the absence of Nicho didn't help either. I went out to a country meet to watch a family friend make his debut in QLD cup & came away thinking " why haven't the Dragons" or someone, signed this guy up, instead we signed Pereira.
Click to expand...
I suppose the answer with hindsight is, until now no other 1st grade club signed the same guy where Brisbane has also seem something in Periera.
 
L

Lindsay Moss

Juniors
Messages
226
hunt to
Dragon David said:
What i would like to see is Hunt playing hooker. He killed it when he played hooker in SOO in the game Queensland won. This would enable Sullivan to play half and Amone at 5/8th and we need these two to play as many games together in first grade so that their combination could be enhanced and we would have a spine of Sloan, Amone, Sullivan and Hunt which would be formidable. I know that this won't happen as Hook will want McCullough playing hooker for defence and he has always preferred Hunt at half, but you never know!
Click to expand...
hunt to start the year at half with the two young guy;s to share the five eight role up till about round twenty then hunt to hooker and the young guy;s in the halves hopefully we are in contention for semi's at this point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top