Biggest changes needed in 2022

[baggygreen man]

Hook should read it and take a LOT of notes.

Actually eat every word. Pity Mary had not spoken to Johnny King before he took over the reins.
An irresistible force were the Dragons from '56 to '66..

 

[baggygreen man]

Hook said one of his first main foundations was defence so he should be very disappointed with the players and the defence coach.Perhaps the defence coach gets a reprieve due to the worst defensive players getting flicked ?

No repreive if our defense is as woeful next season. He will need lynching from the Taj Mahal gates..

 

[Inisai Toga]

Comparing Storm to Dragons' golden era not too big a stretch

Likening the Melbourne Storm to the great St George sides that won 11 straight premierships between 1956 and 1966 may seem premature, but the comparison is not as far off the mark as it may appear, writes Paul Kennedy.

www.abc.net.au

Great story about the training methods used during the glory days of the Dragons and comparing it to the modern day Storm.

Hook should read it and take a LOT of notes.

Board should read it and resign….

 

[Dragonslayer]

Interesting read for sure, but the comparison falls very short with the intent.

It's like comparing:
Jack Brabham with Michael Scumacher
Martina Navratilova with Serena Williams
Don Bradman with Brian Lara

In all cases the game, equipment, rules and training has changed. We won 11 straight with unlimited possession rule, now we have 6 tackles, and that's even changed over the last 2 years with 7 tackle sets and "6" again.

Melb haven't even strung 2 consecutive premierships, so the comparison to me falls way short.

 

[epDragon62]

No repreive if our defense is as woeful next season. He will need lynching from the Taj Mahal gates..

Harsh but fair...

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Piggy was awesome - like a big rubber brick that would buffet his way through the defence and bounce people off him.

As for other genuine spine players, but products of the Dragons..

Hornby - was a genuine fullback who made good at 7. Won us a comp. Love the bloke
Mundine - best 6 we've had in club history i've seen IMO.
Young was a 9 for a while, but more known as a 13 in his later years..
Barrett - if you count the steelers, he was a gun and played his guts out every game - even though results may not have reflected it

But yeah - it's slim pickings overall for these spots we've produced. Geez..

Mundine and Barrett were both awesome but both St George and Illawarra juniors respectively. Hornby and Young were the only two since the JV and loved both and both were important cogs in a great machine but I don't think either are making any top 10 lists in their position during the the duration of the JV. I am only speaking about since the JV started. How can two seperate clubs in the Steelers and Dragons both produce so many great players now struggle so much once in a joint venture? We should regularly be top 8 and pretty regularly be top 4 with our catchment. In saying that the top two teams of the last decade or two barely produce a junior so maybe the rules of NRL have to change to suit development clubs or we have to focus all our energy into poaching players instead of developing them from grassroots.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Board should read it and resign….

11 in a row is huge, it is such a big achievement its not even funny. They are not close to reaching that level not even in same galaxy.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Mundine and Barrett were both awesome but both St George and Illawarra juniors respectively. Hornby and Young were the only two since the JV and loved both and both were important cogs in a great machine but I don't think either are making any top 10 lists in their position during the the duration of the JV. I am only speaking about since the JV started. How can two seperate clubs in the Steelers and Dragons both produce so many great players now struggle so much once in a joint venture? We should regularly be top 8 and pretty regularly be top 4 with our catchment. In saying that the top two teams of the last decade or two barely produce a junior so maybe the rules of NRL have to change to suit development clubs or we have to focus all our energy into poaching players instead of developing them from grassroots.

Just remembered Brett Stewart was an Illawarra junior, but didn’t go with the Dragons.

Think of any other juniors in these spine positions who really kicked on with other clubs?

That aside I agree with your sentiments.

 

[Trifili13]

11 in a row is huge, it is such a big achievement its not even funny. They are not close to reaching that level not even in same galaxy.

Agree. Next best is 5 by the Rabbits in the 1920s. While Storm might be the benchmark now, they haven't even won 2 in a row.
As far as a I know, no team in any reputable comp around the world has won more titles in a row.
I also get the shits when supporters from other teams say that the Dragon's would not have won in 2010 if the Storm were not punished and could not play for points. If that's the case then why did they not even make the GF the following year?

 

[Trifili13]

Just remembered Brett Stewart was an Illawarra junior, but didn’t go with the Dragons.

Think of any other juniors in these spine positions who really kicked on with other clubs?

That aside I agree with your sentiments.

It has been 10 years since the Illawarra/Dragon's regularly produced high quality 1st grade players. A disgrace really given the nursery that the Illawarra region use to be.