And now are you glad we have signed Ben Hunt ?

[possm]

M


Mansour ?

We won't need him next year. One of our young guns will occupy the right wing after Nightingale retires or is injured.

 

[ouryear]

There is only 1 thing that can fu%$ this side from being a dominant force and that is the coaching. If Mary gets it right they will go well the Saints.

We lack speed and still lack creativity.
I reckon 7th at best, likely 10th.

 

[giboz71]

Guys it was a trial. Our first trial. Too hard to gauge how our season will go based on that. We were rubbish in the Charity Shield last year as well.

We won’t know how our year will pan out till about Round 4-5.

The guys blew some cobwebs out, no injuries and a win to boot. Can’t really complain to be honest.

 

[Gareth67]

Guys it was a trial. Our first trial. Too hard to gauge how our season will go based on that. We were rubbish in the Charity Shield last year as well.

We won’t know how our year will pan out till about Round 4-5.

The guys blew some cobwebs out, no injuries and a win to boot. Can’t really complain to be honest.

You have put it in a nutshell - gizbo71 , a trial and nothing more . I don't understand why there have been so many negative comments about this match , as the main point was to get the boys rolling into season 2018 , to show of their wares and come back intact - mission accomplished .

 

[giboz71]

You have put it in a nutshell - gizbo71 , a trial and nothing more . I don't understand why there have been so many negative comments about this match , as the main point was to get the boys rolling into season 2018 , to show of their wares and come back intact - mission accomplished .

And if there following the same formula as last year, they are in the middle of getting flogged at training before tapering prior to Roind 1.

 

[ouryear]

You have put it in a nutshell - gizbo71 , a trial and nothing more . I don't understand why there have been so many negative comments about this match , as the main point was to get the boys rolling into season 2018 , to show of their wares and come back intact - mission accomplished .

I agree partly, mission accomplished.

The issue is still we have not fixed the lack of backline speed in the off season.

Slow centres, slow winger.

3 slow boys from key back line positions is going to hurt us. Teams will expose them.

 

[giboz71]

I agree partly, mission accomplished.

The issue is still we have not fixed the lack of backline speed in the off season.

Slow centres, slow winger.

3 slow boys from key back line positions is going to hurt us. Teams will expose them.

We still need to fill Thommos spot in the roster. Millward hinted he was after a back.

Not sure where that is thought...who is available??

 

[Gareth67]

I agree partly, mission accomplished.

The issue is still we have not fixed the lack of backline speed in the off season.

Slow centres, slow winger.

3 slow boys from key back line positions is going to hurt us. Teams will expose them.

ouryear , yes that problem remains and shall ( unfortunately) until Mary bites the bullet and , imo, promotes the likes of Lomax ( as did both Bellamy with his 19 year old Curtis Scott from last year , who nows owns a Premiership medal and as did Maguire at Souths when he promoted young Ross at 18 years of age )

So many of our other distinguished colleagues of the forum have said that we require- speed , speed and more speed , well it's there just waiting to be used . The lack of speed in the backs will be eliminated with players such as Duffy , Lomax and Mann , it will then be a case of just whom they will replace .

Get this done now early in the season and those gents will only get better , more so with the likes of Widdop and Hunt there to give them quick service .

 

[getsmarty]

Big name Dragons recruit Ben Hunt admits halves partnership with Gareth Widdop needs work
Dragons

• February 18, 2018 11:32am
• Source: AAP

Ben Hunt wears a look of focus in his first run out with the Dragons.Source: Getty Images
AFTER pulling on the Red V guernsey for the first time, Ben Hunt has vowed to take greater control of his new side.

The Australian playmaker had a promising outing in St George Illawarra’s 24-18 win over English Super League side Hull FC in a pre-season friendly at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

In his 70 minutes on the field, Hunt kicked well and went within centimetres of setting up tries for Tim Lafai and Jeremy Latimore with his boot.

New Dragons handle Hull

2:49
However, he said he was guilty of taking a back seat to five-eighth Gareth Widdop.

“I started a bit slow, I think,” Hunt said.

“I felt my way into the game. Going forward I need to be a bit different and inject myself into the game. I’m the halfback here.

“That’s what they need and hopefully next week I can start getting my hands on the ball earlier.”

Hunt and Widdop were both outshone by 22-year-old fullback Matt Dufty who looked classy and ensured he will start the year wearing the Dragon’s No.1 jumper.

Ben Hunt throws a pass in the Dragons’ trial win.Source: Getty Images
Hunt departed Brisbane after signing a five-year deal with the Dragons while Widdop and hooker Cameron McInnes are on contract until 2021, meaning Paul McGregor has stability in key positions for years to come.

Hunt said the Dragons’ new-look spine was a work in progress and cautioned against expecting too much too soon.

“We’re working pretty hard at it,” Hunt said. “I can’t say how long it’s going to take. We’re working hard on everything.

Dragons fullback Matt Dufty was in good touch against Hull.Source: AAP
“It’s going to take a few weeks to work out how players play. You come into a completely new side and have to work out how everyone plays.”

Hunt said he was generally unhappy with his side’s first outing of the pre- season as they displayed plenty of ring rust.

“We were a bit sloppy, especially in the first half,” he said. “We made too many errors, gave away silly penalties. It wasn’t good enough.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...k/news-story/265bcb12a77370fe2bce06cdc04de5ce

 

[getsmarty]

ew halves will take time to gel: Gasnier

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Local Sport

PATIENCE: Dragons great Mark Gasnier says Ben Hunt will need some time to gel with halves partner Gareth Widdop. Picture: AAP

ST GEORGE Illawarra great Mark Gasnier has urged fans to be patient when it comes to new halves pairing Ben Hunt and Gareth Widdop, saying it could take several rounds for the duo to fully click into gear.

Hunt and Widdop had their first outing as a pair in last week’s trial victory over Hull at ANZ Stadium and will look to build on the performance in Saturday’s Charity Shield clash with Souths at Mudgee.

Having both been involved in last year’s World Cup, they’ve had limited time to gel on the practice track ahead of their season-opener against Brisbane.

Gasnier isn’t expecting a slow start from either man, but says their best work as a combination could be a little while coming.

“I’m not expecting miracles from Hunt and Widdop early,” Gasnier, now an analyst with Fox Sports, said.

“You’re still going to see good things from them but I think, to maximise each other talents, you need time to build that.

“Widdop will get a really good understanding of what Ben will want, Ben will get a better understanding of what Gareth wants, when they want the football and those sort of things.

“After about eight or nine rounds, it just becomes habit. You’re two steps ahead because you know what they’re going to do and that’s when instinct and reaction takes over.

“We saw the way [Anthony] Milford clicked with Ben Hunt when he arrived in Brisbane after about six or seven rounds and you just thought ‘wow’ what a combination.

“I think we’ll see something similar [at the Dragons]. I still expect them to win games but I think, by the time you get to round nine, that’s when we’ll see the best of them.”

Many have been quick to label Hunt’s six-year $6 million deal a gamble on the Dragons’ part, but Gasnier expects it to be win-win for club and player.

“If you get the opportunity to get a half like that why wouldn’t you try lock them into a long-term deal,” he said.

GIVING BACK: Mark Gasnier conducted a coaching clinic for members of the SCORE Dragons team at Corrimal this week as part of of Fox League's Full-On Footy tour. Picture: Adam McLean

“You’ve go to remember they’ve re-signed Gareth for an extra four years and [Cameron] McInnes has re-signed as well so straight away you’ve got stability in your spine. They’re not old by any means.

“You’ve got to back yourself sometimes in recruitment and when you’re in a rebuilding phase and trying to build stability you need to base it around the positions you prioritise.

“Mary obviously identified the halves and wanted to build around that so I think it’s a good move. I think Ben Hunt will be really good for the club.”

The Dragons have made just one finals appearance since Gasnier – a 2010 premiership-winner – retired in 2011, but he’s confident they can return to finals this season.

“It’s a genuine top-eight team. Barring injury or suspension, they should make the eight,” Gasnier said.

“If I’m Paul McGregor I’m really happy with where they’re at. He’s got some genuine punch now in the forwards, he’s got great strike, he’s a got a little bit of depth there to.

“I’d just be hoping to get through the Charity Shield with no injuries and I’d be really happy and confident heading into 2018.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5246945/new-halves-will-take-time-to-gel-gasnier/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt already making difference to Dragons attack: Nightingale
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Sun 25 Feb 2018, 03:00 PM

St George Illawarra Dragons winger Jason Nightingale has admonished himself for failing to score in Saturday night’s Charity Shield loss but believes the fact he had three tries disallowed is a promising sign of things to come with Ben Hunt in the team.

Nightingale was denied three times by the video referee in the 22-18 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mudgee after being ruled to have put a hand into touch on one occasion, losing the ball over the line on another and being held back by Robert Jennings while chasing a kick.

The last one resulted in Jennings being sin-binned but match officials decided against awarding a penalty try as they could not be sure Nightingale would have beaten Dane Gagai to the ball.

“It’s the wingers' job to score tries and I definitely bombed that second one, it is just a case of hanging on to the ball,” Nightingale said.

However, the Kiwi international said playing outside Hunt on the right wing meant he was likely to get many more chances this season, while he had also freed up five-eighth Gareth Widdop to work with the players on the left side of the ruck.

Winger Nene McDonald and fullback Matt Dufty scored tries on the left after receiving passes from Widdop but Hunt repeatedly created opportunities on the right edge, including a cross-field chip taken by an unmarked Nightingale only for his finger to glance the sideline.

Dragons halfback Ben Hunt. Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
“That is the sort of thing he can recognise. It wasn’t a set play, it was just something he saw and reacted to,” Nightingale said of Hunt’s kick.

“Things like that create opportunities and I am very much looking forward to a fruitful year outside him because he will be able to create those type of opportunities on that edge.”

Despite the Dragons' only second-half try being scored after Leeson Ah Mau crashed through the defence near the Rabbitohs line, Nightingale said the players and coaching staff were confident in their attacking ability with Hunt calling the shots.

“I don’t think our attack is a problem at the moment. We are creating plenty of opportunities and we are all seeing plenty of ball, which is great.”

However, their defence is causing concern, particularly after the ease with which Damien Cook and John Sutton broke into the clear around the ruck, and Nightingale said improvement was needed before the round one Telstra Premiership clash with the Brisbane Broncos at Jubilee Oval on March 8.

“It is the way that we are conceding metres and the way we are conceding points that is alarming,” Nightingale said.

“That needs to be addressed but I don’t think it is too big a thing, we have done plenty of contact at training.

“We haven’t change anything at training from last year, if anything we have probably done more. It is just that physicality on game day.”

Graham rattles Johnston's rib cage

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/25...e-illawarra-dragons-attack-jason-nightingale/

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt ready to take on old teammates
Dragons recruit Ben Hunt is eager to face his former club, the Broncos, in Round one

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/01/hunt-ready-to-take-old-teammates/

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt ready to silence old Broncos teammates in season opener
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Fri 2 Mar 2018, 10:55 AM

Ben Hunt was with his former Brisbane Broncos teammates at the recent wedding of hooker Andrew McCullough when the talk inevitably turned to next Thursday night’s Telstra Premiership opener at Jubilee Oval.

''They were saying 'righto, round one. We will be coming for you and stuff like that','' the St George Illawarra Dragons star recruit told NRL.com. ''All the boys were getting into me a bit, all in good fun.

''It's something I never thought I would want to do but I am actually looking forward to it. There is going to be a bit of banter and bit of fun in the game between the boys so it is going to be a real challenge.''

The offer of a five-year contract from the Dragons and the opportunity to play behind a pack Hunt considers one of the best in the NRL was too good to turn down but leaving the Broncos was still a difficult decision.

Since being recruited by legendary former Broncos scout Cyril Connell as a 12-year-old halfback, the Blackwater Crushers junior had never considered he would play anywhere else.

A Cronulla Sharks supporter who idolised Andrew Johns while growing up in Dingo, about 150km west of Rockhampton, Hunt attended his first training camp with the Broncos at 13 and accepted a scholarship when he was 15.

St George Illawarra halfback Ben Hunt. Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
After finishing high school in Yeppoon, he moved to Brisbane and was a member of the Broncos' inaugural under 20s team in 2008, which included McCullough, Josh McGuire, Matt Gillett and Alex Glenn.

''I had been with them for 10 years so letting those boys know that I wouldn't be playing alongside them anymore was the hardest thing,'' Hunt said of his decision to sign with the Dragons.

''It was an extremely hard decision. I had been involved with the Broncos since I was 12 years old and they had been very good to me. I have some great mates from that under 20s team who are still there.

''I told just a few of teammates first. Andrew McCullough was definitely there and certainly the one I had been involved with for a long time. They all really understood and congratulated me.''

Hunt also had to inform Broncos coach Wayne Bennett and his former captain Darren Lockyer, who had mentored him when he first broke into the NRL ranks and is still involved with the club.

Nightingale set to join 250 club

''Going to tell Wayne was pretty tough in itself,'' he said. ''He said he understood my decision and wished me all the best for this season but hoped I wanted to finish my last season there really strong.''

Lockyer tried to convince Hunt to remain with the Broncos.

''We had a few chats here and there,'' Hunt said. ''He just talked about how good it was for him to be a one-club man and what it meant to be a Bronco, that they really wanted me in the team.''

So too did the Dragons, and they had identified Hunt as the star halfback the club had been missing since the formation of the joint venture between St George and Illawarra in 1999.

Other halfbacks were on the market but the Dragons targeted Hunt as the one they wanted and convinced him to sign before the start of the 2017 season.

''Five-year deals don’t come around very often and I think just having that security was massive,'' said Hunt, who took time off from last year’s World Cup with Australia to get married and has a young son, Brady.

''There were a couple of other clubs who were interested but the Dragons just had a lot to offer. Wollongong is a nice place to play footy and I personally believed they had a great roster – then they added James Graham.

''As a halfback that was something I was pretty happy about. I felt like I made the right decision.''

With such a big contract comes expectation but Hunt is used to that as anyone who wears the No.7 jersey for the Broncos has to live with comparisons to Allan Langer.

Hunt admits that he struggled with that during his early career but believes he is prepared to cope with the pressure he will come under at the Dragons.

''Alfie always delivered, he set the standard, he was such a great player for the Broncos for such a long time – and for Queensland and Australia,'' Hunt said.

''Because of him there was always high expectations on whoever played halfback and a lot of pressure from the fans.

''The Dragons have brought me down here for a reason and that is to win footy games.

''My intention in coming here is to be that halfback they have been looking for and cement my spot for as long as they want me.''


https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/02/ben-hunt-ready-to-silence-old-brisbane-broncos-teammates-taunts/

 

[getsmarty]

Ben Hunt confident as St George Illawarra Dragons NRL debut approaches

• Cameron Mee

Local Sport

Set to fire: Ben Hunt. Picture: John Veage.

St George Illawarra Dragons recruit Ben Hunt is confident the team will fire from the first whistle as their season opener approaches.

A lengthy off-season of discussion surrounding the Dragons key signings and the pressure they will face finally comes to an end on Thursday night when St George Illawarra face Brisbane at Jubilee Oval.

The halfback is looking forward to putting on the Red V and letting his play on the field do the talking.

“It’s been a long time coming now, waiting for that game,” Hunt said. “Just waiting for that first whistle, I know there’s going to be some nerves and excitement before it, but once that first whistle goes it’s all on and ready to go.”

The Dragons enter the game having had mixed trial success, with a sluggish 24-18 win over Hull FC followed by a four-point loss to the Rabbitohs in last week’s Charity Shield.

“We’ve played two trials and I don’t think we’ve been anywhere close to where we can get to so far. I think there’s a lot of improvement we’re going to make during the year and I’m pretty keen we can push to the finals.

“I think it should happen pretty quickly though. I can’t be going out taking my time getting into the game against the Broncos. It’s a game we want to win and we’ll be going right from the opening whistle, and I need to be part of that.”

The team’s progress from the first trial to the second was clear, with the Dragons delivering a much improved effort in Mudgee, despite the final scoreline.

“I thought we were a bit off the pace in the first trial and I know we lost the second trial, but I think we improved a hell of a lot to where we were in the first game.

“Defensively, we need to clean up a few things if we want to be a good team.”

The loss to the Rabbitohs came after dummy half Damien Cook ran rampant through the middle of the field and Hunt is confident the issue will be addressed come kick off on Thursday night.

“We’re working on them, we had a bit of work on them this morning [Friday] and we’re going to do a bit more work during the week.

“There’s always going to be issues throughout the year, you get stuck into them at training trying to fix them up.”

While Hunt has been lauded as the missing piece in the Dragons premiership puzzle, the team’s fortunes last season often hinged on the performance of the forwards. It will be vital for the forwards to dominate upfront to provide Hunt and Gareth Widdop with a solid foundation to build off in 2018.

“We have spoken about that,” Forward Leeson Ah Mau said. “If we’re not doing our job in the middle, it’s going to be hard for the halves to play.

“We’ve really made a focus on laying that platform for Gaz [Gareth Widdop] and Benny to do their stuff.”

The arrival of former Bulldogs captain James Graham should fortify the St George Illawarra forward pack and Hunt feels the England international’s impact on the team has been clear both on and off the field.

“The biggest thing James brings is just his leadership,” Hunt said. “I think everyone says that about him, the way he goes about his work, he does all the little things.

“He’s not a huge talker, he just leads by example. He’s that type of player that you really want in your team and want to play for.”


http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5260860/hunt-confident-as-dragons-debut-nears/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt vows to take control straight away
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It's a combination that is supposed to take months to click, but Ben Hunt has vowed he and Gareth Widdop will hit the ground running ahead of his long-anticipated Dragons debut against former club Brisbane.

Far from cautioning against a slow start in a blockbuster NRL season-opener, St George Illawarra's multi-million-dollar halfback has pledged there will be no first-night teething problems for one of the most celebrated halves duos in the competition on Thursday night.

"I think [the combination] should happen pretty quick," Hunt said. "I can't be going out taking my time to get into the game against the Broncos. It's a game we want to win. We'll be going right from the opening whistle and I want to be part of that.

"[Widdop's] everything I've expected. He's a world-class talent and you see him what he does during the game and then you come down to train with him and he's just doing freakish stuff all the time. He's such a great player and I'm really looking forward to playing with him."

Hunt's Red V debut has been more than a year in the making after signing a rich five-year deal to join the Dragons, but he's had less than two months to strike up a partnership with Widdop given the pair's World Cup commitments.

It has led some to caution it will take a while for the Dragons' playmakers to find their mojo, a theory Hunt distanced himself from on Friday as his Brisbane reunion readies to take centre stage at University of Wollongong Jubilee Oval.

While Hunt was reluctant to admit it, much of St George Illawarra's finals fortunes will rest on their star recruit having made scant September appearances in recent years. And Widdop knows their recent record of reaching the finals has been underwhelming.

"You play this game to play in finals and make the big games," Widdop said. "We've played finals once in the last four years. We've put ourselves in position to play finals and it's been really disappointing.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sp...ke-control-straight-away-20180302-p4z2kb.html

 

[getsmarty]

Hunt ready for Broncos reunion
St George Illawarra halfback Ben Hunt on playing his former club in Round 1 at Jubilee Oval Kogarah.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/03/02/round-1-ben-hunt/

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons expect return on $6-million Hunt

Ben Hunt will make his St George Illawarra debut against his former NRL side Brisbane. (AAP)


Ben Hunt's importance at St George Illawarra will be clear from the moment the Dragons open the NRL season against Brisbane on Thursday night.

Updated Updated 26 mins ago

The time has come for Ben Hunt to deliver on his $6-million NRL deal with St George Illawarra.

The Dragons will kick off their new era on Thursday night in Kogarah and Hunt will run out against his former club Brisbane in the NRL season-opener to begin his five-year contract, which has an option for a sixth season.

Only the controversy surrounding the Broncos' Matt Lodge has stopped all the attention this week from being on Hunt and his replacement in Brisbane, Kodi Nikorima.

Hunt's deal kick-started last year's play-making merry-go-round and is the biggest in Dragons' history. However, the 27-year-old's importance to the club can't be understated given he'll end a 121-game wait for a recognised halfback at the club.

Not since Ben Hornby retired at the end of 2012 have Paul McGregor and his predecessors had a traditional and experienced halfback in their No.7 jersey.

Seven men have filled the jumper but the majority of them have been a mixture of five-eighths or better-known play-making utilities.

Benji Marshall played the most games (55) but he will long be regarded as a running five-eighth whose combination with Gareth Widdop never really took off.

Josh McCrone and Nathan Fien also spent just as much time at No.6, hookers or bench utilities as they have in the No.7 role.

"The halfback position was something we hadn't had at the club for a long time so that was our main priority," McGregor said.

"You don't like to lose players along the way like we have but I feel like our squad of 30 now is the best balance of the squad."

Hunt set up 102 tries for the Broncos after taking over their No.7 jersey in 2014 and has guided them to the finals in every year since.

His impact on the Dragons will be seen in not just his actions on the ball but the way he will be able to free up Widdop, who has an experienced organising half outside him for the first time since he paired with Cooper Cronk in Melbourne.

The duo impressed in the Dragons' two pre-season trials without setting the world on fire but McGregor is confident they're ready for Thursday night's clash at Jubilee Oval.

Hunt also has the backing of Wayne Bennett, who said the club had no choice but to let him go following the monster-sized deal from the Dragons last year.

But the master coach expected his former general would have no issues living up to the pressure and expectation of the contract.

"The expectation is so high here (at Brisbane), so he is used to expectation, I don't think it would worry him at all," Bennett said.

"Ben can deliver on all that. I don't think it is something he should worry about."

STATS THAT MATTER

* Brisbane have won 12 of the past 13 matches between the teams.

* The Dragons have won 10 of their last 12 matches at Kogarah.

* Matt Lodge will play his first NRL match since June 2015 for Brisbane.

Source: AAP

 

[getsmarty]

NRL preview: St George Illawarra Dragons need to let Ben Hunt play his own style, says Andrew Johns

By Melanie Dinjaski
6 hours ago

The St George Illawarra Dragons have a lot of improvement to do if they're to be a force in the 2018 season, says Nine NRL commentator Andrew Johns.

While coach Paul McGregor has said the current squad is among the best he's ever coached at the Dragons, Johns says their pre-season form suggested there's still a lot of work to do.

"I saw them play Hull, I thought they were really poor that game and then I watched the Charity Shield, and the Rabbitohs didn't have their best team in and the Rabbitohs smoked 'em," Johns said.

Johns says the major focus for the club has to be allowing $6 million new recruit Ben Hunt to play to his preferred style.

"I have got a problem with the way the Dragons are playing with their attack," Johns said.


"Ben Hunt is a runner of the ball and I compare him when he plays at his best he is exactly the same as the Broncos greatest ever halfback Allan Langer.

"Allan Langer wasn't the best passer or the best kicker, but running the ball off a quick play-the-ball he terrorised opposition forwards.

"Get Alfie trying to ball play and play like Cooper Cronk, it would have been awful.

"First two games I watched Ben Hunt, he didn't play to his strengths at all. He was going to the line and trying to play that Cronk sort of play, playing those out the back plays which doesn't suit his style.

"He's there under a lot of pressure this year. We all know he's on huge money and expectation for him to carry the Dragons forward. I think they have to let him play his natural game. What I saw in the first two games worried me."

Inside ‘Tonya’ the Dragons bus
Play Video
Inside ‘Tonya’ the Dragons bus
Johns also cited some concerns over English veteran James Graham's prospects this season, and said they will feel the loss of another front rower in the off-season.

"At one stage he [Graham] was one of the best front-rowers in the game. But you're only born on this rugby league earth to have so many bumps. So I don't know how much petrol is left in the tank for James.

"I hope he proves me wrong but he is getting on and he has to do a lot of the tough work up front.

"I think a huge loss for the Dragons has been Russell Packer. He was their big strong man in the pack."

The Dragons will be without Josh Dugan this year too, after the NRL star signed with Cronulla. But Johns is confident young up-and-coming players Matt Dufty and Jai Field will be able to pick up the slack.

"Will be interesting to see how they use these young players at the back, whether they free them up and let them play off off-loads, to use their speed and evasion or they just purely use them on these set plays," Johns said.

For the ninth Immortal it all equates to a tough year for the Dragons, still needing time to gel and having lost some key names. He doesn't believe it will make them a finals contender this season.

"I haven't got them in the eight," Johns said.

"I think there's six certainties to make the eight and there's a lot of teams scrapping for that seventh and eighth position, I just can't see the Dragons being there."

https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/03/07/15/03/nrl-news-st-george-illawarra-dragons-2018-season-preview

 

[SBD82]

NRL preview: St George Illawarra Dragons need to let Ben Hunt play his own style, says Andrew Johns

By Melanie Dinjaski
6 hours ago

The St George Illawarra Dragons have a lot of improvement to do if they're to be a force in the 2018 season, says Nine NRL commentator Andrew Johns.

While coach Paul McGregor has said the current squad is among the best he's ever coached at the Dragons, Johns says their pre-season form suggested there's still a lot of work to do.

"I saw them play Hull, I thought they were really poor that game and then I watched the Charity Shield, and the Rabbitohs didn't have their best team in and the Rabbitohs smoked 'em," Johns said.

Johns says the major focus for the club has to be allowing $6 million new recruit Ben Hunt to play to his preferred style.

"I have got a problem with the way the Dragons are playing with their attack," Johns said.


"Ben Hunt is a runner of the ball and I compare him when he plays at his best he is exactly the same as the Broncos greatest ever halfback Allan Langer.

"Allan Langer wasn't the best passer or the best kicker, but running the ball off a quick play-the-ball he terrorised opposition forwards.

"Get Alfie trying to ball play and play like Cooper Cronk, it would have been awful.

"First two games I watched Ben Hunt, he didn't play to his strengths at all. He was going to the line and trying to play that Cronk sort of play, playing those out the back plays which doesn't suit his style.

"He's there under a lot of pressure this year. We all know he's on huge money and expectation for him to carry the Dragons forward. I think they have to let him play his natural game. What I saw in the first two games worried me."

Inside ‘Tonya’ the Dragons bus
Play Video
Inside ‘Tonya’ the Dragons bus
Johns also cited some concerns over English veteran James Graham's prospects this season, and said they will feel the loss of another front rower in the off-season.

"At one stage he [Graham] was one of the best front-rowers in the game. But you're only born on this rugby league earth to have so many bumps. So I don't know how much petrol is left in the tank for James.

"I hope he proves me wrong but he is getting on and he has to do a lot of the tough work up front.

"I think a huge loss for the Dragons has been Russell Packer. He was their big strong man in the pack."

The Dragons will be without Josh Dugan this year too, after the NRL star signed with Cronulla. But Johns is confident young up-and-coming players Matt Dufty and Jai Field will be able to pick up the slack.

"Will be interesting to see how they use these young players at the back, whether they free them up and let them play off off-loads, to use their speed and evasion or they just purely use them on these set plays," Johns said.

For the ninth Immortal it all equates to a tough year for the Dragons, still needing time to gel and having lost some key names. He doesn't believe it will make them a finals contender this season.

"I haven't got them in the eight," Johns said.

"I think there's six certainties to make the eight and there's a lot of teams scrapping for that seventh and eighth position, I just can't see the Dragons being there."

https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/03/07/15/03/nrl-news-st-george-illawarra-dragons-2018-season-preview

A damning article wih possibly some good points.

I'll take it with a grain of salt from the man who annointed luke brooks the new messiah, and has been a vocal supporter of Pearce for NSW.

Hopefully James graham pins this article to the inside of his locker too.

 

[getsmarty]

Beyond the deal: The extraordinary lengths Dragons went to for $1m man Ben Hunt
NRL Premiership

• March 8, 2018 6:00am
• Nathan Ryan@nath_ryan
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Ben Hunt of the Dragons in action.Source: AAP
IT ALL started with a jetski. Or so they say.

Paul McGregor coach pulls up to a beach in Wollongong to meet with his potential marquee signing for the first time while riding on his watercraft.

It’s a story you’ve heard before, from St George Illawarra recruitment boss Ian Millward on the Market Watch podcast. But if you ask Ben Hunt, it’s nothing but a tall tale.

“Just about every player at training has asked me that question and it’s not true,” Hunt said of the jetski story.

Why Hunt will fire in 2018

1:14
The line between fact and fiction here is irrelevant, because the more interesting and important story involves what happened next.

After Hunt inked his six-year, $1-million-a-season contract, the Dragons went to great lengths welcome their new halfback and leader into the Red V family. That relationship started in January last year when Jason Nightingale sent Hunt a text a few days after he’d signed his deal for 2018.

It was a link to real-estate listings in the Sutherland area.

Having met Hunt only on a handful of occasions, Nightingale had his greatest interaction with the former Brisbane playmaker in 2015 when Hunt was part of the small business course he runs for athletes.

“I knew him a little bit and texted him when he signed and even leading up to it,” Nightingale told foxsports.com.au.

“When he signed I said congratulations and he was excited to be coming to us.

“I sent him a few properties to look at. Being a long-term deal, I coerced him into living in Sydney. His wife was keen on that and helped there.

Hunt leaking Broncos secrets?

“As soon as he came down we caught up. He was pretty close with Benji Marshall and we still remain friends.”

Nightingale wasn’t alone in making contact with the Dragons chief.

His wife reached out to Hunt’s wife Bridget as did Tyson Frizell’s wife who sent flowers to their Brisbane home.

It was the start of a relationship which saw Frizell and Hunt grow close while part of the Kangaroos squad in the World Cup.

With Hunt settling in the Shire, weekends are spent with his teammates and their partners on breakfast dates. Even babysitting.

“He’s got a son two months younger than my daughter. She’s 16 months and Brady’s 14 months,” Nightingale said.

“I baby sat Brady the other day. Little things like that. I’m sure we’ll return the favour dropping my daughter off one day soon. That sort of things does help with not having close family around.”

The players’ hitting it off was inevitable but what about the coach and his staff?

Before Hunt joined Mal Meninga’s Australian team, McGregor and Milward made a secret trip to Brisbane to talk tactics.

Over lunch the coach told the 27-year-old the team was his and spent the next few hours discussing how Hunt wants the side to play.

Ben Hunt of the Dragons catches the ball.Source: Getty Images
It was during this meeting the 2018 planning started.

“We just had a little chat over lunch,” Hunt said.

“We talked about the team and what team we’ve got with me and what he expects me to bring to the team. A bit of leadership and direction, being a halfback he wants someone to direct the team around and have a big impact on games.

“We talked about different players and what we can achieve this year.”

For a few weeks Hunt put the Dragons out of his mind while he got married and focused on pulling on the green and gold.

After claiming the World Cup, Hunt and his family left Brisbane for Sydney.

That’s when Hunt’s former Broncos teammate Benji Marshall stepped in.

Having spent three years at the Dragons, Marshall is still close to several players including Nightingale. It’s through this mutual friendship that a winger and half have become inseparable.

“Benji’s great like that,” Nightingale said.

“We organised to meet up for a feed. Benji and his wife and Ben came around for Christmas for a bit to say hello and have a beer.

“I don’t have any family over here and Ben was away from his family so it’s important to have a bit of community.

“Then straight into a car pool full of peer pressure with myself, Tyson, Jeremy Latimore and James Graham. It’s helped him feel more comfortable.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...k=365a0a949f86f90c2de82cb7c31c115d-1520458125