Bottom 4 certains

[Firey_Dragon]

Think the Dragons have a pretty decent starting side but have a few guys who are a bit vulnerable to injury who they need big years from...i.e Weyman....Dean Young & Kyle Stanley. Losses from 2011 include Gaz...Darius Boyd....Cuthbo and Jon Green....and of course Wayne bennett. Not sure who their replacements are but happy to hear your comments. Not trying to death ride them but dont see how they've inproved their cattle from last year.

Cuthbertson is a loss, but coverable. Green has been replaced with better alternatives... Jack De Belin will see more game time this year, and we've added the likes of Atelea Vea, Leeson Ah Mau, Josh Miller and Jake Stockwell coming through. A few of them are hard hitters and runners which we missed sorely in 2011 as the season wore on. There's definitely more depth there in the forwards, and our backline has lost some obvious talent in Gaz and Boyd, but I think Kyle Stanley if he can keep fit will be a great fullback (we have Goodwin and Kemp as depth if that fails), and Vidot or Chase Stanley will fill the void pretty well at right center.

Forwards is definitely a marked improvement, especially considering our junior talent that have been in the pipeline for a few years. Backline we've lost talent, but we probably have a little more depth and the replacements are pretty decent, albeit not superstars.

 

[super_coach]

Their will not be many points between no1 and no16 by the end of the season. The salary cap has got the sides so even. Really the top four could finish bottom four and visa versa . Penrith and gold coast could struggle but the rest are all pretty equal

 

[franklin2323]

I cant see how Penrith are going to avoid the spoon this year.

Nothings certain but we clearly have a weak roster. If we keep Gordon, Lewis & Jennings fit & someone like Tia-Kilifi makes the step up we are a chance of being higher Up. The fact Cleary got a Rovelli led team to the finals gives me hope.

 

[umina panther]

We also lost the worst coach in the comp and his geniused best mate Purtell

 

[murraymob]

i just love everyone jumping on penrith .Bag us all you want.All we need is cleary to drop the 2 halves and bring in the 2 kids and you will see the difference My bottom 4

Canberra
cowboys
manly
parra just because we hate parra with a passion

 

[skeepe]

If Vidot can straighten up and keep his nose clean, he'll be a great pickup for the Dragons.

 

[Danny-Boy]

The only teams I am certain of is Cronulla and Penrith. They are dead set guaranteed to finish bottom 4 and I'd be prepared to put money on both.

The other 2 spots will go to any of these teams;
Parramatta
Roosters
Titans
Canberra
Canterbury
Cowboys (if Thurston goes down)
LOL@50UFF$

Forget the rest, they will finish 12th or higher.

 

[adamkungl]

Cronulla won't be bottom 4.

 

[thommo4pm]

True, you've replaced 2 internationals with a bloke playing in the Illawarra cup and another from the qld cup

Awesome swap there

That's a bit ignorant of you Vic.
Yes Gaz and Boyd are gone, and we've lost a few depth forwards also.

We've picked up a stack of decent forwards and we have the young crop coming through. Got some decent depth in the outside backs now also which we didn't have previously.
Kyle Stanley likely to replace Boyd which most Dragons fans are more than happy about. Chase Stanley or Vidot will replace Gaz in the centres. Yes it's likely a loss at this stage, but it's not earth shattering.
Evander Cummins is a super start in the making, training with the full time squad, but still eligible for the Toyota Cup this season. He is a quality fullback who can also play in the halves.

Our forward depth is great.
Young blokes coming through like De Bellin (Toyota Cup player of the year last season), Stockwell who many rate as good as De Bellin (among Dragons fans). King & Rein fighting it out for the hooking role, both young guys with King a standout throughout the junior ranks and was good enough to be picked by Bennett in our top 17 for the world club challenge before tearing his pec muscle.
All of these young guys are under 21.
Merrin is only 22 this year.
Then we signed Ah Mau (who has lost 7kg's in pre season training), Miller, Vea, Latimore, Matthews....Vea was good enough to be picked on the bench for Melbourne last season, and has some mongrel.

 

[legend]

Agreed. Carney and Gallen will make sure they finish higher than that.

I'm not sure abuot the Panthers. Backline looks ok but they will need luck with injuries.

Saints don't look anywhere near as threatening but being the media darlings they are, Channel nine will be all over them for the first ten rounds at least. I think they miss the eight this year.

 

[firechild]

i just love everyone jumping on penrith .Bag us all you want.All we need is cleary to drop the 2 halves and bring in the 2 kids and you will see the difference My bottom 4

Canberra
cowboys
manly
parra just because we hate parra with a passion

Surely this is a pisstake? Even when Manly was decimated by injuries and playing with a half-arsed halfback in 2010 they still made the top 8. They will eventually slide but it won't be bottom 8 this year. I'd be very surprised if they fall below 8th.

 

[Big Pete]

Warriors
Bulldogs
St. George Illawarra
Manly

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Answer me honestly, doggiesbro....do you think Blair is worth half a mill a year?

He is probably overpaid if the reported figures are correct, but I think he was bought for a reason. He is an excellent player: can play 80 minutes, tough, and one of the best wrestlers in the NRL. This is why I think the club wanted him: IMO we are one of the weakest sides in the NRL when it comes to the wrestle. Blair is dominant in the play the ball, one of the best forwards I've seen at slowing it right down. He is also a leader, vice captain of NZ and from all reports has a great attitude on and off the park. Will be an example for our younger forwards to follow.

IMO he will be as good for us as Gareth Ellis.

 

[firechild]

He is an excellent player: can play 80 minutes, tough, and one of the best wrestlers in the NRL.

Chicken wings, crushers and potential dislocated joints, all coming soon to a Wests Tigers game near you...

 

[saint_marto88]

It obviously comes down to Carney for the Sharks. If he plays well all season, Sharks are around 6-10. If he doesn't, we saw what happened to the Roosters last year, and that was arguably with a better team around him

 

[thommo4pm]

It obviously comes down to Carney for the Sharks. If he plays well all season, Sharks are around 6-10. If he doesn't, we saw what happened to the Roosters last year, and that was arguably with a better team around him

The Sharks have a good forward pack, they also have some decent players in the backline now.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the 8, and quite possibly knock off the Tigers to start the season.

 

[DoggiesBro]

wow....a NZ rep. So is Chase Stanley.

Making rep teams really means so much to you, hey? And what success has Melbourne had over the last few years?

Oh, and Blair had no choice in taking on 3 or 4 Manly players....they jumped him.

Forgot Chase Stanley is also a Vice Captain for his country.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[saint_marto88]

The Sharks have a good forward pack, they also have some decent players in the backline now.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the 8, and quite possibly knock off the Tigers to start the season.

I think Tiger's record against the Sharks is almost better than Canberra's against us

 

[newman]

I think Tiger's record against the Sharks is almost better than Canberra's against us

We cant beat them. It is simply impossible.

 

[M2D2]

they also have some decent players in the backline now.

We do? :lol: