Dragons 2025 versus The Last Team to Make Finals

[thebigredv]

I have been really pining for finals lately and am finding some comfort in watching old games from the nineties as I am sure many of us do indulge in from time-to-time, especially given it has been quite some time since we've achieved much of note in this comp.

More recently I have been admiring some games back in 2018 in which we did come close to a prelim. By that time Mary had had a decent few years to get the team he wanted but I was thinking, if that team could finish 7th and get a roll on in finals, are we more excited and hopeful or less so about our prospects this year. We are near enough if good enough. But can we? Perhaps next year would be more fair assessment but how do we feel the teams stack up against one another?

I have highlighted in green who I believe to be the superior player in the match up at the given time (not potential), and the results are quite clear. It's a different comp but is it realistic to dream of finals this year or do we need to wait another?

2018
1. Matt Dufty
2. Jason Nightingale
3. Euan Aitken/ Zac Lomax
4. Tim Lafai
5. Nene Macdonald
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Ben Hunt
8. Paul Vaughan
9. Cameron McInnes
10. James Graham
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Tariq Sims
13. Jack De Belin

14. Kurt Mann
15. Leeson Ah Mau
16. Jacob Host
17. Luciano Leilua

2025
1. Clint Gutherson
2. Tyrell Sloan
3. Moses Suli
4. Val Holmes
5. Christian Tuipoilotu
6. Lykan King-Tongia
7. Kyle Flanagan
8. David Klemmer
9. Damien Cook
10. Toby Couchman
11. Jadyn Su'a
12. Hamish Stewart (Dylan Egan)
13. Jack De Belin

14. Jacob Liddle
15. Loko Pasifiki Tonga
16. Blake Lawrie
17. Luciano Leilua

 

[Crush]

This year is a development year, we aren’t as good as that 2018 team. But I like what I’m seeing from Flanigan, he’s developing our youth, we are working hard and playing for 80 mins.
If we can drop into that 8th spot somehow then that’s outstanding for recruitment and retention.
We will need to improve though, last night was scrappy.
Having said that though we have beaten some tough opposition this year, maybe I’m being harsh?

 

[Slippery Morris]

2018 had pretty good halves. This year Saints have a young fella starting his NRL career and the coaches son who no matter how bad he plays will get picked. Based on this it will be a bigger challenge to make finals.

Plus Saints have a heap of youngsters starting their careers. They are doing a great job at that and building for a great future but I will not be too surprised if Saints again don't make the 8.