2023 Ladder Prediction

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Let's be realistic here. I'm a stat's man and an analyst it's from a bygone era. I envisage 12th this season. I have analysed the first half of the season and this is how I see it.

R1 - bye - 2 pts
R2 - V Titans (home) possible win 2 pts
R3 - V Broncos (away) loss
R4 - V Sharks (home) loss
R5 - V Dolphins (home) win - 2 pts
R6 - V Titans (away) loss

So realistically perhaps 6 pts. Will that be enough to keep the wolves at bay? I mentioned elsewhere by R12 we would have a good idea whether he stays or not
R7 - Raiders - loss
R8 - Roosters - loss
R9 - Bulldogs?
R10 - Tigers - win
R11 - Cowboys - loss
R12 - Roosters - loss

So I envisage we will have between 8 or 10 points by the start of R13 which is the halfway mark in the competition and we should be out of contention. Then someone in the boardroom should say we'll that didn't quite work out. Time will tell and who is going to replace him.

You may be right you may not....if you highlighted The Cowboys stats last year before the season started their win /losses would have been probably worse than your predicting ours to be...anyhow time will tell.....I know one thing If McGregor was still in charge this year his contract would have been extended after our bye in Round 1

 

[st.phil]

so hard to predict - gonna wait until a month in to judge. Nobody saw Cows n Sharks finishing top 4 last year. We are the media's Tigers from 22' - most of which brought on by the clubs actions - but I think it could have a galvanising effect on the team. It's kinda twisted but I see it as a win win - either we start performing and some of Hooks methods are validated OR we tank to bottom 4 (or worse) and he is sacked and we can begin crawling up the mountain.

IMO - we are stronger, in upside at least, in the spine. Sloan, Bud and Liddle can add more to the side than Amone, Ramsey and Macca. There are a lot of if's there and our depth is poor so it could all come crashing down however in a best case scenario of staying fit and building confidence, that spine with Hunt can take us to the finals, just need the forwards to hold their own.

 

[jodragon40]

so hard to predict - gonna wait until a month in to judge. Nobody saw Cows n Sharks finishing top 4 last year. We are the media's Tigers from 22' - most of which brought on by the clubs actions - but I think it could have a galvanising effect on the team. It's kinda twisted but I see it as a win win - either we start performing and some of Hooks methods are validated OR we tank to bottom 4 (or worse) and he is sacked and we can begin crawling up the mountain.

IMO - we are stronger, in upside at least, in the spine. Sloan, Bud and Liddle can add more to the side than Amone, Ramsey and Macca. There are a lot of if's there and our depth is poor so it could all come crashing down however in a best case scenario of staying fit and building confidence, that spine with Hunt can take us to the finals, just need the forwards to hold their own.

And therein lies our problem depth of experienced bookends with size

 

[jodragon40]

This would be my starting 13 v Titans Rd 2
1. Sloan
2. Rav
3. Lomax
4. Suli
5. Feigai
6. Sullivan
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. JDB
11. Sua
12. Murdoch - Masila
13. Bird
Reserves
14. Musgrave
15. Woods
16. Mbye
17. Burns

I'd rather not start JDB as a prop but knowing Griffin he will

 

[charlesv]

This would be my starting 13 v Titans Rd 2
1. Sloan
2. Rav
3. Lomax
4. Suli
5. Feigai
6. Sullivan
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. JDB
11. Sua
12. Murdoch - Masila
13. Bird
Reserves
14. Musgrave
15. Woods
16. Mbye
17. Burns

I'd rather not start JDB as a prop but knowing Griffin he will

i would dump wood and give Michael Molo a go

 

[jodragon40]

i would dump wood and give Michael Molo a go

Agree but this coach won't leave Woods out of the 17

 

[Parko1310]

This would be my starting 13 v Titans Rd 2
1. Sloan
2. Rav
3. Lomax
4. Suli
5. Feigai
6. Sullivan
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. JDB
11. Sua
12. Murdoch - Masila
13. Bird
Reserves
14. Musgrave
15. Woods
16. Mbye
17. Burns

I'd rather not start JDB as a prop but knowing Griffin he will

JDB's days as a lock are past him. He's just a better player when his role is more simple and his task is just to work hard in defence and carry the ball in attack. That's not to say he shouldn't pass the ball in attack, that's actually a key threat in his arsenal, but I think playing him at lock gives him the responsibility to try and be someone like Issah Yeo. He just isn't in that mould.

With him AND Bird in the middle of the field, our attack is more threatening. Both can pass, both can run. De Belin can eat up more metres than Bird, as he should as the front rower, whilst Bird can bounce off tackles and create from the middle of the field. If Sloan is sniffing around the ball, with Hunt or Sullivan as an option out the back, opposition now has to worry about those guys when either Bird or De Belin has the ball in hand. This gives us a little extra time on at least two plays during any set of six these guys are on the field together. Bird also has the ability to do some kicking so some repeat sets close to the line could come through him in the middle of the field which would be very handy. De Belin doesn't possess that ability.

The added threat in the middle of the field should also allow more space for the outside backs that we know can do some serious damage if given time and room. This sort of threat is why I'm especially over the moon that Sullivan's been named at 6 and Bird will start at 13. And just on a side note, as unpopular as it may be, the only other prop in our squad with the ability to ball play aside from De Belin is realistically Aaron Woods. If Hook wants to have that constant threat even when De Belin comes off, we may find Woods being selected, which I don't have a problem with if there is an actual plan for it. He also suits the offloading game we seemed to bring in the charity shield.

So, with that, my predicted round 1 team is:

1. Sloan
2. Feagai
3. Suli
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa
6. Sullivan
7. Hunt (c)
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. De Belin
11. Murdoch-Masilla
12. Su'a
13. Bird
14. Mbye
15. F Molo
16. Musgrove
17. Woods

 

[Gomarchin]

Let's get real. If Hunt misses any football this year we are guaranteed wooden spooners.

If Hunt can stay on the field we'll manage 14/15.

Super club they said....

 

[st.phil]

Let's get real. If Hunt misses any football this year we are guaranteed wooden spooners.

If Hunt can stay on the field we'll manage 14/15.

Super club they said....

I can't see how anyone can confidently say Newy, Dolphins, Warriors, Titans, Dogs, Tigers are that far ahead of the Dragons.

 

[Gomarchin]

I can't see how anyone can confidently say Newy, Dolphins, Warriors, Titans, Dogs, Tigers are that far ahead of the Dragons.

I think these teams have recruited a lot better than we did. Add in that we'll be missing Amone and Ramsey (both spine players) and question marks over their replacements and coach and I can't see us doing anything but struggle this year.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Whats the story with Josh Kerr....in all seriousness this bloke should be a lot lot better than he is....he has been a huge disappointed to me personally as for a while there I really rated the bloke...at 27 and for his size I cant for the life of me see why hes not producing better footy...

 

[jodragon40]

Whats the story with Josh Kerr....in all seriousness this bloke should be a lot lot better than he is....he has been a huge disappointed to me personally as for a while there I really rated the bloke...at 27 and for his size I cant for the life of me see why hes not producing better footy...

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog

Yep your probably right....thats why I commented about hes a huge disappointment ....anyhow another negative on the ledger......next !!!!

 

[jodragon40]

Well today's D. T. has published a season guide. 1st coach to be sacked either Aiden O'Brien, Justin Holbrook or our own Anthony Griffin. Des Hasler has been tipped to replace one of these 3 fetching up to $900k per season. Out of the 18 apparent experts and tipsters 9 or 50% have selected our beloved Dragons to be awarded the wooden spoon. We won't get the spoon is my prediction. In fact I believe and this is based on the premise that we have a new coach by mid season we will finish 12th. I had lunch yesterday with a very old friend of mine who is still involved in the NRL and it is no secret in the RL World that our club is divided both in the boardroom and the team. The very 1st step in reconciliation will be the removal of the coach then a certain board member. We will then see the recruitment of some quality players and the excelleration of some of our home grown talent into our top 30. Time will tell

 

[jodragon40]

My prediction is spoon , how ? ..... Tigers , Dogs , will improve , we have issues even before the comp starts , have bought no one of note , Hunt will not IMO have the same year as last , Hook could be gone sooner than later , talk of a divided group ( it will explode once we drop a few games ) So I for one can see that big spoon ......

Disagree 12th is my prediction

 

[jodragon40]

Yep your probably right....thats why I commented about hes a huge disappointment ....anyhow another negative on the ledger......next !!!!

This is just one example of how the coaching staff have let down a player who was once considered a up and coming talent

 

[rasaint]

I notice that the ‘coaching staff’ let down players etc.Seems a recurring theme which includes others including Zac Lomax. I’m not a big subsciber to this point of view. At the end of the day you have got it or you haven’t.

Josh Kerr was in the Melbourne system without setting the world on fire and came to us where he has floated around in and out of NRL. He is very big and quite quick for his size. Still overall he is unremarkable and doesn’t threaten that much.

 

[jodragon40]

I notice that the ‘coaching staff’ let down players etc.Seems a recurring theme which includes others including Zac Lomax. I’m not a big subsciber to this point of view. At the end of the day you have got it or you haven’t.

Josh Kerr was in the Melbourne system without setting the world on fire and came to us where he has floated around in and out of NRL. He is very big and quite quick for his size. Still overall he is unremarkable and doesn’t threaten that much.

Well that is actually one of the most important things in the coaches handbook. Identify players, identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop their skills.

 

[Illusion]

Disagree 12th is my prediction

Lets wait and see ......

 

[Illusion]

Whats the story with Josh Kerr....in all seriousness this bloke should be a lot lot better than he is....he has been a huge disappointed to me personally as for a while there I really rated the bloke...at 27 and for his size I cant for the life of me see why hes not producing better footy...

Too nice a guy , lacks agression , MONGREL .......