Articles

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS


How volunteering in Kenya helped prepare Clune for a shot at the NRL
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Sat 30 Nov 2019, 02:01 PM

Rookie St George Illawarra playmaker Adam Clune believes an off-season stint volunteering in a remote African village has helped prepare him for his first year as a full-time NRL player.

Clune, who was the 2019 Canterbury Cup halfback of the year after helping the Dragons to the minor premiership, was offered a development contract with the club before travelling to Kenya in mid-October with his partner Bianca O'Neill.

The couple spent three weeks in the western Kenyan village of Yala, which is 42 kilometres from the country's third largest city Kisumu, with Bianca volunteering as a nurse for World Youth International and Clune performing a teacher's aide role.

"We had always wanted to volunteer and Bianca got the opportunity through her work, she saw a program in Kenya and I was able to go with her," Clune said. "It made it a bit easier going with someone I knew, especially going outside my comfort zone, which is something I want to get better at.

"It was a great experience and really different. The place we were in was quite remote, you don't see many cars on the road and people don't have much money.

Dragons playmaker Adam Clune. Robb Cox/NRL Photos
"The way they live was a real eye-opener. There would be a shop and they just build their house or their clay hut behind the shops. There are a lot of clay huts, they are about five-by-five [metres] with tin doors and six-to-10 people living in them."

Having completed a law and finance degree at University of Wollongong in July, Clune works part-time for the RLPA and the 24-year-old said he enjoyed teaching students at the school in Yala about Australia.

"It was after their exam time so it was a bit different than I thought it would be," he said. "We did an Australian education lesson where they asked questions and we played games.

"There is a great disparity between how we live and how they live in what is obviously a developing country and we donated a fair bit of stuff to the school.

"The people were very friendly – all the Kenyans we met – and that was one of my favourite things about the trip. Everyone would say 'hello, how are you', and because you don't have a car you have to walk everywhere and there are always a lot of people on the streets.

"It was awesome to spend some time over there, it was a great experience and something I will never forget so I am really thankful for the opportunity. It was really eye-opening."

After arriving back home on November 9, Clune reported for the start of pre-season training at WIN Stadium less than 36 hours later and is now focused on making his NRL debut.


Five key matchups of the Dragons' 2020 draw

An Albion Park junior, he has been in the Dragons system since 2015 and last season produced 28 try assists in 22 Canterbury Cup appearances.

"The last few years I have been part-time and combined footy with work and uni, which is great because I have been able to keep my mind busy but to be able to just focus on footy and make that my priority is a great opportunity," Clune said.

"If there is an opportunity that comes up in the halves I will be looking take it and my goal is to debut in 2020. That's why you train, that's why you play.

"My focus is to get fitter, faster, stronger and improve each day. There are a lot of experienced players here – especially in the halves, with Corey Norman and Ben Hunt – and I will be looking to learn as much as I can off them and the coaching staff."


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/201...a-helped-prepare-clune-for-a-shot-at-the-nrl/

 

[getsmarty]

The St George Illawarra Dragons have lost their identity

Provided by Sporting News
They are one of the proudest clubs in rugby league history with some of the most passionate fans - but the St George Illawarra Dragons have completely lost their identity.


This has been coming for some time mind you, but heading into the 2020 NRL season it appears that the Red V have lost all sense of what made them great to begin with.

The fall of the Dragons is more complicated than what is happening on the field, where they finished 15th in 2019 - the lowest in their history.

St George's issues are deeper than losing games and players under-performing - it is widespread and it is cultural.

The Saints had one of the lowest average attendances of any NRL club in 2019, and that is clearly a response to the poor management as much as it is the results on the field.

A lot of the blame for the Dragons issues are linked back to Paul McGregor, who in six seasons as head coach has managed to make the finals just twice for a highest finish of 7th.

Ahead of the 2018 season he declared that he 'finally had the squad he wanted' and the side managed to go very close to a preliminary final. We'll give that a pass mark.

In 2019, they picked up Corey Norman and Korbin Sims and looked set to challenge for the NRL premiership - but losing Jack de Belin before the season had even started derailed things.

It set in motion a domino effect, amplified by the injury to Gareth Widdop in round 3 - that almost led to the side boycotting a game against Newcastle during the season.

Players were dropped in and out of the side, and by the time the Origin period finished they had a chance against the Raiders to turn things around and make a run for the finals.

But despite playing against 12 men for the majority of the second half, they were defeated 36-14 and from there the season continued to spiral.

After their season finished, the club held a review - and, apparently, McGregor is still the man to lead the club forward. Since then there have been some huge concerns.


Ben Hornby - a club legend and premiership-winning captain - was made a scapegoat and shown the door despite being well-liked and respected by players.

The former halfback has since moved to South Sydney and will hone his coaching craft under the legendary Wayne Bennett.

The man replacing Hornby is disgraced former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan - who has been at the centre of not one, but TWO cheating scandals for peptides and salary cap anomalies.

When the Dragons were at their peak there is no way that Flanagan, despite his strong coaching record, would have been welcomed so easily into the fold after past indiscretions.

Despite desperately needing outside backs, they opted to sign veteran hooker Issac Luke even though they have an 80-minute rake in Cameron McInnes already at the helm.

Reports surfaced last week that local junior Matt Dufty embarrasingly found out he wouldn't be first-choice fullback for 2020 in the Sunday paper, showing a clear lack of communication from the coach.

The 23-year old has been told he can look elswhere despite a stellar debut season in 2018 that saw him ink a rich new deal until the end of 2021, and is one of the side's biggest threats in attack.

Speaking of threats in attack - the club for some unknown reason released skilful back-rower Luciano Leilua to the Tigers despite the giant reportedly wanting to stay at the club long-term.

Another local junior, Leilua had been in the Dragons system since his early teens and was starting to come into his own in the NRL before being discarded by the Red V.

And his replacement is former Dragon Trent Merrin - who despite having a wealth of experience, is about five seasons past his best football and underperformed in the UK Super League.

The list of baffling decisions and internal issues is a mile long, and it has led to Dragons fans becoming increasingly disheartened with the club they love.

I need ideas on who I can support if I punt the dragons. Any club that sign Issac Luke and plays McInnes in the back row I can no longer commit to. 40+ years gone because of the imbicile running and coaching at the joint

— Benny (@saintbenny63) November 16, 2019
STGEORGE #ILLAWARRAMAFIA DRAGONS RECRUITMENT pic.twitter.com/nJSm5lObbE

— agrothedragon (@agrothedragon1) November 29, 2019
The first thing Wayne Bennett did when arriving at https://t.co/3Z7hM64Ok4 was fire that bum McGregor. Bennett doesn’t suffer fools. Good luck Ben Hornby, you might actually now learn what to do as a coach under Bennett, rather than what not to do under McGregor. @Mcgrexit#redvhttps://t.co/vJ08cFql4w

— Saint Benny (@Saint_Benny) November 28, 2019
Letting Leilua go for a bloke that severely underachieved in the Super League is the clubs way of admitting Mary and his coaching staff cannot develop talent. What a disgraceful decision #themyththatismary#2020spoon#maryout

— Murray23 (@murray23) November 29, 2019
2020 for the Dragons will largely depend on whether or not Jack de Belin successfully fights his sexual assault charges - but the issues are so deeply rooted.

Discarding club legends like Hornby or local juniors like Leilua is a clear sign that the Dragons have lost their way.

If things don't change soon, the once proud club will become even more of a shell of itself than it is right now.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/othe...a-dragons-have-lost-their-identity/ar-BBXCbk8

P.S Thanks Taxidriver

 

[getsmarty]

STATE OF ORIGIN


Six Dragons named in pre-season NSW Blues camp
Author
NRL.com
Timestamp
Tue 3 Dec 2019, 09:28 AM

NSW coach Brad Fittler's preparations for a tilt at a third straight State of Origin series win have commenced with an extended 64-man squad called into camp at Sydney Olympic Park.

The two-day program, set to run on December 12 and 13 at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence, will include a host of players from the Emerging and Future Blues program on the Thursday before they are joined by 34 senior players in line for 2020 Origin honours on the Friday.

The Future squad is made of junior level players including Ben Trbojevic, the younger brother of current Origin stars Jake and Tom, and recent Knights debutant Bradman Best. The Emerging squad includes budding NRL talent such as Bronson Xerri, Reuben Garrick and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

The 34-man senior squad includes 10 players who have been around the past two Origin camps without making their debuts such as Kotoni Staggs, Curtis Sironen, Cameron McInnes, Luke Keary, Victor Radley, Luke Brooks and Eels quartet Nathan Brown, Clint Gutherson, Ryan Matterson and Mitchell Moses.

Full squad lists
NSW Blues Squad: Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos), Jack Wighton, Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders), Wade Graham (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Curtis Sironen, Tom Trbojevic, Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Josh Addo-Carr, Dale Finucane (Melbourne Storm), David Klemmer, Mitchell Pearce, Daniel Saifiti (Newcastle Knights), Nathan Brown, Blake Ferguson, Clint Gutherson, Ryan Matterson, Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels), Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers), Boyd Cordner, Angus Crichton, Luke Keary, Latrell Mitchell, Victor Radley, James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters), Damien Cook, Cameron Murray, James Roberts, Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Cameron McInnes, Tyson Frizell, Tariq Sims, Paul Vaughan (St George Illawarra Dragons), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers).

Emerging Blues: Emre Guler (Canberra Raiders), Bronson Xerri (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Reuben Garrick, Jack Gosiewski (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Ryan Papenhuyzen, Curtis Scott (Melbourne Storm), Matt Burton, Spencer Leniu, Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers), Nat Butcher, Kyle Flanagan, Sam Verrills (Sydney Roosters), Campbell Graham, Liam Knight (South Sydney Rabbitohs).

Future Blues: Brendon Tumeth (Balmain Tigers), Trey Mooney, Clay Webb (Canberra Raiders), Paul Alamoti (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Sione Fainu, Tolu Koula, Ben Trbojevic, Kaeo Weekes (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Bradman Best, Mitch Black, Jonah Pezet (Newcastle Knights), Thomas Weaver, Josh Bevan (Northern Rivers), Jason Saab, Tyrell Sloan (St George Illawarra Dragons), Joseph Suaalii (South Sydney Rabbitohs).


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/03/six-dragons-named-in-pre-season-nsw-blues-camp/

 

[getsmarty]

Voting open for Indigenous v Maori All Stars game
Author
NRL.com
Timestamp
Mon 2 Dec 2019, 04:26 PM

Rugby league fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to voting options for who they want to see in action in the 2020 Indigenous v Maori All Stars fixture on February 22.

The match returns to the Gold Coast's Cbus Super Stadium for the first time since 2015 and for the second year running the format will feature men's and women's Indigenous teams taking on their New Zealand Maori counterparts.

Voting is open for fans to have their say on who should feature in the men's fixture, with Indigenous coach Laurie Daley and Maori coach David Kidwell to have final say in the make-up of the sides.

The halves are one of the areas where there will be several stars vying for the two berths in each team with the likes of Cody Walker, Tyrone Peachey, Jack Wighton, Ash Taylor and Connor Watson in contention for the Indigenous team while Benji Marshall, Kalyn Ponga, Kodi Nikorima and Dylan Brown among the playmaking candidates for the Maori line-up.

The Maori side will be hunting for revenge after being swamped 34-14 at AAMI Park earlier this year as an all-NSW three-quarter line of Josh Addo-Carr, Blake Ferguson, Latrell Mitchell and James Roberts ran amok.

The Maori Women edged out Indigenous Women 8-4 in the first match of the double-header.



Match Highlights: Indigenous All Stars v NZ Maori All Stars

"This is a great way for fans to have input into the selection of the All Stars teams," said the NRL's senior manager Indigenous strategy Mark Deweerd.

"It's a unique opportunity they don't get at any other time of the year and allows them to influence the way coaches think and the type of football they'd like to see played.

"Fans' preferred teams will be provided to both coaches who will use that to come up with the final squads of 20 based on the balance of players across the various positions."

• Vote for the Indigenous and Maori All Stars teams

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/03/voting-open-for-indigenous-v-maori-all-stars-game/

 

[getsmarty]

Sharks circling as Cronulla enter murky waters in enemy territory
Send via EmailCronulla have drawn the battle lines with neighbours St George Illawarra over Kogarah Oval, the long-term spiritual headquarters of the Dragons but now the home of the Sharks for the next two years while their own stadium is built.

The Sharks' new sabre-rattling chief executive, Richard Munro, said of next year’s round 3 clash between the bitter rivals: “I’m looking forward to seeing Dragons in the visitors' change-room at Kogarah Oval.

Bronson Xerri's Sharks will be hoping their move into enemy territory pays dividends over the next two NRL seasons.Credit:Getty

“Cronulla will be the major tenant of Kogarah Oval. We’re playing 11 games there, while the Dragons are only playing five."

Pivotal in the battle is St George Leagues Club, which sits majestically across the road from what is now named Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

Its boss, Danny Robinson, is a wily operator who has long been opposed to football fans, including Dragons supporters, filling up the spacious car park of the “Taj Mahal”.

Robinson reasons that football fans take the car spaces that could be used by poker machine players.

The “members only” sign usually goes up outside the club premises on game day. Sydney FC, who are playing 10 games at Kogarah in the current A-League season, have become accustomed to this. When the game starts, the sign comes down. If you want to park at the club, either miss the start of the A-League game or become a paid-up member of St George Leagues Club.

The Sharks' own licensed club is closed, along with their home ground, while a commercial/residential development proceeds on the site.

They have amalgamated with Kareela Golf Club, 10 minutes' drive from their old clubhouse, hoping members will patronise it until the new premises are expected to open in October 2021.

But will Sharks fans leaving Kogarah Oval divert to Kareela or cross the road, buying drinks on the St George club membership they have taken up in order to guarantee a car park space?

A more significant question is: will the Sharks fans even attend Kogarah Oval?

Cronulla will share Kogarah with the Dragons while their new NRL home is built.Credit:Getty

Cronulla have the second lowest away crowds in the NRL: that is, the total attendance at away venues for a season divided by the number of games.

An enterprising young freelance journalist, Ramy Haidar, has calculated away crowds between 1957 and 2019, for 28 clubs, including now defunct sides like North Sydney Bears, Adelaide Rams and Gold Coast Seagulls.

The Sharks (11,282) sit 19th on the table, ahead of only Penrith (10,514) among existing NRL clubs.

Interestingly, St George Illawarra (19,111) are No.1, while St George (13,857), when it was a stand-alone entity, ranks seventh.

New Sharks boss Richard Munro is bullish but Cronulla rank above only Penrith in terms of travelling support among current NRL clubs.Credit:John Veage

While the away crowd figure captures the neutral supporter as well as the travelling one, it is a sound index of a club’s “brand”, a term former Dragons boss Peter Doust was fond of using.

So, while the Dragons have a 60-year-old record of fans following them to away games, the Sharks have a 50-year history of staying at home.

Perhaps this is why the Sharks have chosen Kogarah as their interim home, the shortest distance for their fans to travel.

Munro, who has been Cronulla chief executive since May, says: “We did a lot of work on different options, such as Bankwest at Parramatta, WIN in Wollongong. Kogarah was the best fit for our members, given its proximity.”

Yet some corporate box holders at Shark Park are already demonstrating resistance. Told that if he didn’t take a box at Kogarah he’d be on the waiting list for a suite at the new Shark Park, one Cronulla businessman said: “But I don’t want to go to Kogarah.”

The Sharks have long been considered the NRL’s endangered species. They have sold off their natural habitat - 10 hectares of land to developer Capital Bluestone who, in turn, recently formalised a deal to become part of Hong Kong-based Aoyuan International.

The development began in 2011 and has seen $57 million transfer to the Sharks, including $12m held in an escrow account specifically to deliver the Leagues Club refurbishment. But the farm has been sold. As chairman Dino Mezzatesta concedes, “The final payment has been made to us.”

Cronulla must rely on Kogarah gate takings and corporate box sales, sponsorships and NRL distributions to survive the next two years before moving to their new ground and licensed club.

“The Sharks are on the way up,” boasts Munro. “We’re happy to go into Dragons territory and upset them.”

The Dragons would say they are entering dangerous waters.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/sh...aters-in-enemy-territory-20191203-p53gdc.html

 

[getsmarty]

ALL STARS


Dragons quartet need your NRL All Stars vote!
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Wed 4 Dec 2019, 10:59 AM

The Indigenous v Maori All Stars fixture returns in 2020, and four Dragons players need your vote to secure selection for the prestigious fixture.

Dragons utility Tristan Sailor, outside back Jonus Pearson and front-rower Josh Kerr are eligible for the Indigenous All Stars, while Red V 2020 recruit Issac Luke can be picked for the Maori All Stars team.

Gold Coast's Cbus Super Stadium will host the fixture on Saturday, February 22.

Voting is now open for fans to have their say on who should feature in the men's fixture, with Indigenous coach Laurie Daley and Maori coach David Kidwell to have final say in the make-up of the sides.

"This is a great way for fans to have input into the selection of the All Stars teams," NRL Indigenous strategy senior manager Mark Deweerd said.

"It's a unique opportunity they don't get at any other time of the year and allows them to influence the way coaches think and the type of football they'd like to see played.

"Fans' preferred teams will be provided to both coaches who will use that to come up with the final squads of 20 based on the balance of players across the various positions."

Vote for the Indigenous and Maori All Stars teams


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/04/dragons-quartet-need-your-nrl-all-stars-vote/

 

[getsmarty]

SIGNINGS

Breaking
Sailor re-signs with Dragons
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Wed 4 Dec 2019, 03:30 PM

St George Illawarra have announced the re-signing of utility back Tristan Sailor for the 2020 season.

The Western Suburbs Red Devils junior graduated from the Illawarra SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams in recent years, and completed the Dragons' pathway following his first grade debut in Round 23 against the Sydney Roosters.

The two-time Queensland Under-20s representative finished the 2019 season with three first grade games to his name, where he featured at both fullback and on the wing.

Sailor was also a permanent fixture in the Dragons' minor-premiership-winning Canterbury Cup NSW team last season and was rewarded with selection in the competition's Team of the Year.

"It means a whole lot to remain a Dragon after coming through the Dragons' junior system here. Being able to debut last year and continue my journey is great especially since I live local and attend the University of Wollongong," Sailor said.

"I've been able to show I'm capable of playing a number of positions now, having also experienced different positions in the NRL, so I'm looking forward to continuing that through to 2020."

An excited Director of Rugby League Pathways and List Management Ian Millward said the 21-year-old's retention was hopefully the beginning of a long and successful career at the Red V.

"We're extremely excited about Tristan re-signing for a further 12 months following his advancement last year. It was exciting to see his physical and mental development on and off the field," Millward said.

"The coaching staff have a very high opinion of Tristan as does everyone else in the organisation. He's heading in the right direction, and with the experiences of last year we're expecting him to be a vital member of our squad in 2020."

Sailor's retention follows the Dragons' signing of Trent Merrin and Issac Luke in recent weeks.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/04/sailor-re-signs-with-dragons/

 

[getsmarty]

MEDIA RELEASE


Breayley, Mooka named in QRL female performance program
Author
Colleen Edwards QRL content producer and female participation media
Timestamp
Mon 2 Dec 2019, 03:29 PM

The Queensland Rugby League has announced the players who will feature in the Queensland Female Performance Program squad for the 2019-2020 season.

Part of a continuing focus of the QRL on developing the female game, the squad will take part in a series of camps which form part of a structured performance program - a key component of the preparation for the recently announced QRL statewide competition.

This will help players work towards a progression into the NRLW competition and to push for selection in the Harvey Norman Maroons State of Origin team, who will play on the Sunshine Coast in June next year.

More than just a training program, the camps will be focused on identifying areas of improvement for all players including their physical and strength performance and how to gain a mental edge, and they will also receive information about nutrition and wellbeing.

“Each player will receive homework and feedback, be it for their skills development, physical performance or game execution, and each player will get back as much as they contribute,” QRL representative programs and female elite pathways manager Mitchell Constance said.

“We expect them to train and do their homework away from the group, and each player will have the potential to be selected and to run out onto Sunshine Coast Stadium for the Harvey Norman Maroons in 2020.

“It is a very exciting time for female rugby league and the Queensland Pathways and Performance staff, Harvey Norman Maroons coaching staff are invested and committed.”

The squad features member of the 2019 Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons squad as well as players who have impressed this year during their regular season games in the SEQ Women’s Division 1 competition and NRLW.

The squad also features some young faces who were part of the inaugural Queensland Under 18 Girls team last year with Jessika Reeves and China Polata being elevated into the senior squad.

Queensland Female Performance Program squad
Tarryn Aiken
Heather Ballinger
Chelsea Baker
Annette Brander
Brittany Breayley
Ali Brigginshaw
Karina Brown
Brianna Clarke
Rangimarie Edwards Bruce
Jessika Elliston
Lavinia Gould
Tazmin Gray
Stephanie Hancock
Tallisha Harden
Jenni-Sue Hoepper
Chelsea Lenarduzzi
Taimane Levu
Stephanie Mooka
Rona Peters
Amber Pilley
China Polata
Shania Power
Jessika Reeves
Julia Robinson
Gemma Schnaubelt
Frieda Seu
Elle Stitt
Mariah Storch
Zahara Temara
Tallulah Tillett
Amy Turner
Tamika Upton
Meg Ward
There will be three formal camps held in 2019-2020 in the lead up to Origin, with the first one taking place in Brisbane where the players will utilise the facilities of the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Queensland Female Performance Program camps
Camp one
Brisbane - December 14-15, 2019

Camp two
Sunshine Coast - January 25-26, 2020

Camp three
Location TBC - February 15-16, 2020 (for players not involved in the NRL Nines tournament)


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/04/breayley-mooka-named-in-qrl-female-performance-program/

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons 2019 season by the numbers
Author
Chris Kennedy NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 5 Dec 2019, 08:01 AM


There can be no question 2019 was an unmitigated disaster for the Red V. More than a few pundits had them finishing in the top eight in pre-season tipping, but from the time Origin lock Jack De Belin was stood down in February, little went right for Paul McGregor's men.

The loss of skipper Gareth Widdop with a serious shoulder injury in round three was another huge blow and did little to settle what the club's best spine looked like, with Matt Dufty shuffled in and out, recruit Corey Norman shifted around and plenty of youngsters blooded along the way.

The Dragons were hit hard by Origin selection as the star-studded forward pack provided Tyson Frizell, Paul Vaughan and Tariq Sims to the Blues while Norman and Ben Hunt each appeared for Queensland.

Some early wins kept them in the finals hunt until about round 16 but they fell away badly to finish just one spot above the wooden spoon.

Home & Away record
4-8 at home, 4-8 away

The Dragons recovered from two losses to start the year (one home and one away) to win four straight games (two away then two at home).

A five-game losing streak between rounds 7-11 was followed by two wins in three weeks from rounds 13-15 but another five-game losing run put paid to any hopes of a top-eight berth.

The Dragons' record against eventual top-eight teams was an abysmal 2-11, with Brisbane (round 3) and Manly (round 6) the only two heavyweights they managed to knock off in 2019.

Their other wins were against Newcastle, North Queensland, the Bulldogs twice and the Titans twice.

Post-contact metres
Kangaroos prop Paul Vaughan was the Dragons' best when it came to pushing past the initial contact, leading the club for PCM per game (45m, with Jackson Ford and Tariq Sims both at 34m per game) and for the season (Euan Aitken 801m was next best).

Tyson Frizell bent the line the most on a per-run basis at 3.21 PCM per carry, ahead of Vaughan (3.06) and Luciano Leilua (2.82).

The best in the NRL in these categories made well over 50 PCM per game and 3.6m per carry, meaning Dragons players were well behind the league leaders in this area.

Tries scored by channel
The Dragons were very right-side heavy with their attack in 2019, scoring 38 tries on the centre-right (19) and right edge (19) channels. A further 17 came through the middle, with just six scored through the centre-left and 10 on the left flank.

The top tryscorer was right-side winger Mikaela Ravalawa with 11, while halfback Ben Hunt was next with eight and operated predominantly on the right edge.

Euan Aitken (six), Zac Lomax (five) and Luciano Leilua (three) also enjoyed attacking on the right side.

Tries conceded by channel
As good as they were in attack, it was the Red V right side that proved the leakiest in defence, with the 28 tries that came via the right flank their worst defensive channel for the season. There were 15 more scored centre-right, although the left edge had its issues with 22 on the left flank, nine in the centre-left channel and a worrying 27 coming through the middle as well.

Their total of 43 tries conceded on the right side was the worst right side record of any club and second worst for either side of the field behind the 48 the Titans conceded on the left.

Tries conceded from penalties
Despite conceding the second-fewest penalties of any club with 139, the Dragons still conceded the fourth-most tries in the set after a penalty, with 28. Wooden spooners Gold Coast had the most with 43 while the other two clubs to concede more tries after penalties – Penrith (30) and Newcastle (29) – were the two most-penalised clubs in 2019.

It wasn't the Red V's biggest problem in 2019 but a lack of resilience in the face of those instances of in-game adversity was certainly an area that will require more discipline in 2020.

 

[getsmarty]

Part 2

Metres gained from offloads
Offloading isn't a pre-requisite for success but some teams certainly do it better than others. The Dragons fell neatly mid-table in this category in 2019, making the ninth-most total offloads (230), and gaining the eighth-most metres from offloads overall with 65 metres per game gained.

They were also eighth-best at metres gained per offload, at 6.8 metres gained per pass.

Tim Lafai (245 run metres) and, perhaps surprisingly, Luciano Leilua (168 run metres) profited most as players receiving the offloads while Cam McInnes (77 metres gained at just four metres per pass) and Gareth Widdop (75 metres gained at 15 metres per pass) added the most value from their offloads.

Goalkicking accuracy
Goalkicking wasn't a worry for the Red V in 2019, with a club season success rate of just over 80% good enough for sixth-best in the NRL. When first-choice kicker Widdop was on, he slotted them at just over 88%.

Goalkicking cost the Dragons no results in 2019, and they would have finished 15th under a hypothetical ladder where they kicked at 100% and also under one where all teams kicked at 100%.

When Widdop was unavailable, Jai Field kicked a perfect seven from seven while Corey Norman slotted nine from 11. Zac Lomax went close to 80% with his 15 goals from 19 attempts while Lafai is probably the last cab off the rank from those names to replace Widdop next year after kicking just 60% (nine from 15) in 2019.

Seven-tackle sets conceded from kicks
The Dragons' three main general player kickers, Gareth Widdop, Ben Hunt and Corey Norman, had serious trouble getting short kicks to sit in the in-goal in 2019.

Hunt gave up nine seven-tackle restarts with kicks in 2019 (sixth-most in NRL), with Norman conceding seven (equal eighth most) and Widdop five, with four other Dragons contributing one each.

All up their 25 seven-tackle restarts from kicks was the worst record of any team, with Brisbane and Melbourne each conceding 24.

Possession percentage
Possession is the key to winning any rugby league game and St George Illawarra's 48.8% share of the ball across 2019 was not good enough.

Even with a watertight defence, it's very hard to win games without a close to even share of the ball. Averaged out over a long season, anything much under a 50% share of the ball will make life very tough.

Seven of the top nine teams for possession finished in the finals, while of the six teams who held below 50% of the ball, just one made the finals. That happened to be premiers the Roosters, who consistently made a big statement with their defence.

Down the bottom, the Bulldogs (48.0%) and Knights (48.4%) gave themselves little chance to win on too many occasions and the Dragons were third-worst.

Penalties awarded
One quirk of the Dragons' season of struggles was a real difficulty earning penalties, finishing last for penalties awarded with just 131.

Part of that is the lack of possession because the vast majority of penalties are against the defensive side. Teams is possession generally draw penalties when they are winning the ruck and force opponents into tactics such as holding down, crowding, lying in the ruck and putting hands on the ball.

The lack of penalties awarded to the Red V points to a general struggle to create and build momentum through their sets of six to force opponents into defensive infringements.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/12/05/dragons-2019-season-by-the-numbers/

 

[getsmarty]

Feeling the heat: Nine NRL coaches under pressure ahead of 2020
NRL Premiership

• December 4, 2019 8:17am
• John Dean@johndean_
• Source: FOX SPORTS

A number of coaches will be feeling the heat ahead of the 2020 NRL season.Source: FOX SPORTS
Every coach in the NRL is under pressure to get their teams performing, but there are a few who might be feeling the heat a little more than their counterparts heading into the 2020 season.

From premiership-winning mentors to rookie NRL coaches, these are the men who need their clubs to fire in 2020.

PAUL McGREGOR (Dragons)

Next season will likely be make or break for McGregor at the Red V.

St George Illawarra are coming off their worst ever finish as a joint venture (15th), and as a result, a host of coaching changes have been made to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The club leaked the second most points in 2019, while continual changes to the spine and outside backs due to injury and form never allowed the side to flourish.

McGregor is back from a leadership camp in the United States and knows the knives will be out for him if his side gets off to a slow start in 2020.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/aff5460b7b0f8326d34695eacb5141be

 

[BLM01]

Feeling the heat: Nine NRL coaches under pressure ahead of 2020
NRL Premiership

• December 4, 2019 8:17am
• John Dean@johndean_
• Source: FOX SPORTS

A number of coaches will be feeling the heat ahead of the 2020 NRL season.Source: FOX SPORTS
Every coach in the NRL is under pressure to get their teams performing, but there are a few who might be feeling the heat a little more than their counterparts heading into the 2020 season.

From premiership-winning mentors to rookie NRL coaches, these are the men who need their clubs to fire in 2020.

PAUL McGREGOR (Dragons)

Next season will likely be make or break for McGregor at the Red V.

St George Illawarra are coming off their worst ever finish as a joint venture (15th), and as a result, a host of coaching changes have been made to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The club leaked the second most points in 2019, while continual changes to the spine and outside backs due to injury and form never allowed the side to flourish.

McGregor is back from a leadership camp in the United States and knows the knives will be out for him if his side gets off to a slow start in 2020.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/aff5460b7b0f8326d34695eacb5141be

Yep..out of those 9...none are really more under the pump than Mc85 (No.1) and Kearney.

Mary has scrapped 2019 so that means everyone else has to forgive and forget that ever happened as it was not him nor his fault and does not want to be judged on it
Least Kearney admits it and is not an excuse man and never says I was 165 minutes from a GF in the same year as McGregor trots his 85 out.

Green's Cowboys have relied on Jt's 3rd parties to provide an open cheque book
Tigers and Broncos spent and re-signed players well.
They will be fine
Penrith, Dogs...hmmm...will be Ok too if they play like they did for most of the year.
The 1st timers....leave em alone they are under no pressure

 

[getsmarty]

Zac and Hayden Lomax re-sign with the Dragons


SIGNINGS


Lomax signs long-term extension
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Thu 5 Dec 2019, 02:30 PM

The St George Illawarra Dragons have announced the long-term contract extension of Zac Lomax.

Already contracted for the 2020 season, Lomax has re-signed with the club for five years and will remain with the Red V until at least the end of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership season.

The Temora Dragons junior has been contracted to the club since he was 13 and is a graduate of the St George Illawarra junior pathway following his NRL debut in Round 10, 2018.

The two-time Junior Kangaroos representative and former Australian Schoolboy and NSWRL Under-18s Player of the Year has since played 17 first grade games.

Lomax said he was excited to confirm his future with St George Illawarra, in what is a period of learning for the 20-year-old as he navigates pre-season training with the intention of commencing the Dragons' 2020 campaign at fullback.

"Being able to go back to Temora at Christmas knowing that my future is settled and that I'm definitely going to be a Dragon for a while yet is very exciting. My family and I are very happy with the decision that's been made," Lomax said.

"With 2020, I've attacked every session possible and soaked up as much information as I can when it comes to playing fullback. I realise I still have a lot to learn but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."

Director of Rugby League Pathways and List Management Ian Millward hailed Lomax as a significant retention for the Dragons' on-field fortunes and succession planning.

"There was a lot of speculation over Zac with numerous clubs in for him and we respected the process he and his management went through," Millward said.

"One thing that hit home over the past couple of weeks was that he wanted to be a Dragon and wanted to stay at the Dragons.

"To have him recommit long term is a no-brainer. Our aim now, and Zac's, is to have him wear the Red V for the rest of his career – he wants to be a one-club player.

"Zac is already the benchmark at training. With his attitude and attention-to-detail we see him as a future leader of our club. The cherry on top is he's an outstanding goal kicker so we are pleased to shore that up too."

The Dragons have also announced that Hayden Lomax has signed a one-year development player contract extension.

The utility forward said he is keen to make up for lost time following an injury disrupted 2019 campaign.

"I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be given another season. I had an interrupted season last year so I'm very grateful," Lomax said.

"I never had an opportunity to play too much footy in 2019 so hopefully I can put my best foot forward and play consistent football in 2020.

"The club has been unreal to my family and I since arriving at the club when I was 15 and I've really appreciated everything since."



Millward on Lomax brothers retention


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/05/lomax-signs-long-term-extension/

 

[getsmarty]

Millward on Lomax brothers retention
Dragons director of Rugby League pathways and list management Ian Millward talks about the substantial contract extension of Zac Lomax, as-well-as the continued development of Hayden Lomax.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/05/millward-on-lomax-brothers-retention/

 

[getsmarty]

Zac and Hayden Lomax re-sign with the Dragons
Dragons fullback Zac Lomax, and utility forward Hayden Lomax, excitedly reveal their extended contracts at the Dragons and talk about how special it is to be playing together in the same team.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/12/05/zac-and-hayden-lomax-re-sign-with-the-dragons/

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons re-sign Zac Lomax to long-term contract

• Local Sport
  
  
  
  Zac Lomax has extended his stay with the Dragons. Picture: Anna Wa
• 
  
• St George Illawarra will look to build their future around Zac Lomax after the exciting young star signed a long-term contract extension with the club, with the Dragons hoping he will remain a one-club player throughout his career.
  
  Lomax has re-signed with the Dragons for another five years, keeping him at the club until at least the end of the 2025 season.
  
  A Temora Dragons junior, Lomax has been contracted to the club since he was 13-years-old. A graduate of St George Illawarra's junior pathway, Lomax made his NRL debut in round 10, 2018.
  
  Dragons coach Paul McGregor will give the 20-year-old the first crack at fullback next season ahead of the seemingly out of favour Matt Dufty, with Lomax keen to make the No.1 jersey his own.
  
  "Being able to go back to Temora at Christmas knowing that my future is settled and that I'm definitely going to be a Dragon for a while yet is very exciting. My family and I are very happy with the decision that's been made," Lomax said.
  
  "With 2020, I've attacked every session possible and soaked up as much information as I can when it comes to playing fullback. I realise I still have a lot to learn but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."
  
  Lomax, a two-time Junior Kangaroos representative and former Australian Schoolboy and NSWRL under-18s player of the year, has already played 17 first grade games in the red V.
  
  Dragons director of rugby league pathways and list management Ian Millward hailed Lomax's re-signing as a significant retention for the Dragons' on-field fortunes and succession planning.
  
  "There was a lot of speculation over Zac with numerous clubs in for him and we respected the process he and his management went through," Millward said.
  
  "One thing that hit home over the past couple of weeks was that he wanted to be a Dragon and wanted to stay at the Dragons.
  
  "To have him recommit long term is a no-brainer. Our aim now, and Zac's, is to have him wear the red V for the rest of his career. He wants to be a one-club player.
  
  "Zac is already the benchmark at training. With his attitude and attention-to-detail we see him as a future leader of our club. The cherry on top is he's an outstanding goal kicker so we are pleased to shore that up too."
  
  Lomax's younger brother, Hayden, has also signed a one-year development player contract extension with the club.
  
  The Dragons have also re-signed utility back Tristan Sailor for the 2020 NRL season.

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/...ub-player-after-long-term-contract-extension/

 

[getsmarty]

Zac Lomax re-signs with St George Illawarra Dragons

• 
  Joshua Bartlett

Local Sport
TRY TIME: Young gun Zac Lomax has committed to the St George Illawarra Dragons. Picture: NRL Imagery
One of the Dragons most promising young talents is sticking around for many years to come.

On Thursday, St George Illawarra announced the long-term contract extension of Zac Lomax will remain with the Red until at least the end of the 2025 NRL season. It is the longest deal in the joint venture's club history.

The 20-year-old had attracted plenty of interest from rival clubs Newcastle Knights and Wests Tigers. Coach Paul Gregor recently confirmed Lomax would get first crack at the Dragons' No.1 jumper next year.

See more: Illawarra Hawks announce signing of import Darington Hobson

The club has also announced Lomax's younger brother Hayden has signed a one-year development player contract extension.

Zac Lomax said he was delighted to re-sign with St George Illawarra.

"Being able to go back to Temora at Christmas knowing that my future is settled and that I'm definitely going to be a Dragon for a while yet is very exciting. My family and I are very happy with the decision that's been made," he said.

"With 2020, I've attacked every session possible and soaked up as much information as I can when it comes to playing fullback. I realise I still have a lot to learn but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."

An early Christmas present... https://t.co/qEbgHhKopC#redvpic.twitter.com/PSS9emfhVY

— St George Illawarra Dragons (@NRL_Dragons) December 5, 2019
Dragons recruitment chief Ian Millward said Lomax was a "significant retention" for the club's on-field fortunes and succession planning.

"There was a lot of speculation over Zac with numerous clubs in for him and we respected the process he and his management went through," Millward said.

"One thing that hit home over the past couple of weeks was that he wanted to be a Dragon and wanted to stay at the Dragons.

"To have him recommit long term is a no-brainer. Our aim now, and Zac's, is to have him wear the Red V for the rest of his career - he wants to be a one-club player.

"Zac is already the benchmark at training. With his attitude and attention-to-detail we see him as a future leader of our club. The cherry on top is he's an outstanding goal kicker so we are pleased to shore that up too."

It's been a busy couple of weeks for the Dragons, who recently announced the signings of veterans Isaac Luke and Trent Merrin.

Young gun Tristan Sailor also re-signed with the Red V earlier this week.


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...igns-with-st-george-illawarra-dragons/?cs=302

 

[getsmarty]

NRL 2020: Zac Lomax signs long-term extension with Dragons

Getty Images
Highly rated outside back Zac Lomax has committed to the Dragons for the extended future, signing a five-year deal with the club that will keep him there until the end of the 2025 NRL season.

Lomax has worked his way through the Dragons system, having been signed as a junior at the age of 13, with the Temora junior making his debut in round 10 in 2018.

The 20-year-old's future at the club appeared to be in doubt, with The Australian reporter Brent Read telling Sporting News that the Canberra Raiders were heavily pursuing his signature.

However, Lomax has recommitted to the club and signed a long-term extension, with the two-time Junior Kangaroos representative excited to have settled his future.

"Being able to go back to Temora at Christmas knowing that my future is settled and that I'm definitely going to be a Dragon for a while yet is very exciting. My family and I are very happy with the decision that's been made," Lomax told the club's website.

"With 2020, I've attacked every session possible and soaked up as much information as I can when it comes to playing fullback.

"I realise I still have a lot to learn but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."

An early Christmas present... https://t.co/qEbgHhKopC#redvpic.twitter.com/PSS9emfhVY

— St George Illawarra Dragons (@NRL_Dragons) December 5, 2019
Director of rugby league pathways and list management Ian Millward hailed Lomax as a crucial piece to retain for their future, envisioning him as a future leader of the club.

"There was a lot of speculation over Zac with numerous clubs in for him and we respected the process he and his management went through," Millward said.

"One thing that hit home over the past couple of weeks was that he wanted to be a Dragon and wanted to stay at the Dragons.

"To have him recommit long term is a no-brainer. Our aim now, and Zac's, is to have him wear the Red V for the rest of his career – he wants to be a one-club player.

"Zac is already the benchmark at training.

"With his attitude and attention-to-detail we see him as a future leader of our club.

"The cherry on top is he's an outstanding goal kicker so we are pleased to shore that up too."

In further positive news for the Lomax family, younger brother Hayden has been signed a one-year extension as a development player for the club.

"I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be given another season. I had an interrupted season last year so I'm very grateful," Lomax said.

"I never had an opportunity to play too much footy in 2019 so hopefully I can put my best foot forward and play consistent football in 2020.

"The club has been unreal to my family and I since arriving at the club when I was 15 and I've really appreciated everything since."

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/othe...s-long-term-extension-with-dragons/ar-BBXMnEo

 

[randomdragon]

Can someone post the ad from Illawarra Mercury about frizell wanting to resign?

 

[getsmarty]

Frizell eyeing new contract with St George Illawarra Dragons

• Cameron Mee

Chasing a new contract: Tyson Frizell has declared his desire to remain with the Dragons. Picture: Anna Warr.
St George Illawarra superstar Tyson Frizell has declared his desire to join boom youngsters Tristan Sailor and Zac Lomax in re-signing with the club.


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...website&utm_medium=index&utm_campaign=sidebar