Brett Morris gap can be filled: Josh Dugan
By MITCH JENNINGS
Oct. 31, 2014, 6:23 p.m.
Josh Dugan
The departure of star winger Brett Morris has left Dragons fans disgruntled, but rep teammate Josh Dugan is confident the club has the depth to cover for the loss of the Test star.
Though Fijian flyer Eto Nabuli and former NYC star Yaw Kiti Glymin have been touted as possible replacements for Morris, both are yet to notch an NRL game.
The likes of Peter Mata'utia and Charly Runciman, who both featured on the wing and in the centres during the 2014 season, could also come into consideration for Paul McGregor.
It's unlikely all candidates combined could come close to matching Morris' 169 NRL games, but Dugan is confident there are a host of players ready to put their hands up to claim the vacant spot.
"[Morris] is a very big loss for the club," Dugan said.
"He's a great bloke and a great player to play alongside. At the same time, you've got blokes like Kiti Glymin, Euan Aitken, Charly Runicman, Peter Mata'utia. Charly has played first grade for two years and Pete has been there for a while as well. We can definitely fill that gap."
After earning his first call-up to the top squad, junior Kangaroos rep Aitken is now keen to use the pre-season to establish himself in the pecking order after reaching the preliminary final with the Dragons NYC team last season.
"This is the first chance I've had to train with the top squad so it's been a good opportunity," Aitken said.
"Mary's thrown me in there with the big boys, which is an exciting thing for this year.
"It's always a good experience to compete against the people that are playing NRL.
"It's a good opportunity to put myself up against those players and hopefully try to earn a spot at some stage next year.
"There is a pecking order, but I'm definitely going to try to compete for that spot."
Aitken isn't the only junior rep star to join the Dragons top squad this year, with NYC captain and junior Kiwi Addin Fonua-Blake and junior Kangaroos half Drew Hutchison also promoted.
The departure of Josh Drinkwater and Sam Williams overseas and a career-ending injury to Michael Witt saw Hutchison, out of necessity, promoted to the Illawarra Cutters for the second half of the 2014 season.
He impressed with his composure, steering the Cutters to one game shy of the grand final, and will assume the role of full-time understudy to NRL halves Gareth Widdop and Benji Marshall this year.
"It was a pretty successful year for the Cutters," Hutchison said.
He said he hoped to break into the first grade squad next year.
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