Dragons team vs Knights at Kogarah

[Anonymous]

Firman Only Change to Dragons Starting Line-Up
Dragons media release

Dragons halfback Brett Firman has overcome a hamstring injury to play in the club’s must-win round 25 Telstra Premiership clash with the Knights at Oki Jubilee Stadium on Sunday.

Firman, 21, was withdrawn just hours before last Friday’s 22-14 loss to Melbourne, and was sorely missed. He replaces Dean Byrne who filled the gap last week.

Dragons coach Nathan Brown is confident centre Mark Gasnier will play despite soreness in his quad. Gasnier, 22, thought he had re-injured the muscle which had sidelined him for four weeks prior to the Storm game, but he had just pulled up sore.

The only other change is the addition of Mathew Head to the bench of five (one to be omitted), in place of Craig Stapleton. The bench also includes John Cross, who was named on the interchange list early last week but not selected to play.

TEAM LIST – Sunday, August 31 – Oki Jubilee Stadium
3pm NRL: DRAGONS V KNIGHTS; 1pm Premier League: Dragons v Knights


NRL (Rd 25)
Coach: Nathan Brown

1 Ben HORNBY
2. Nathan BLACKLOCK
3. Mark GASNIER
4. Matt COOPER
5. Ben CREAGH
6. Shaun TIMMINS
7. Brett FIRMAN
8. Chris LEIKVOLL
9. Mark RIDDELL
10. Luke BAILEY
11. Brent KITE
12. Lance THOMPSON (c)
13. Dean YOUNG
INTERCHANGE
14. Ashton SIMS
15. John CROSS
16. Henry PERENARA
17. Damien BOWER
18. Mathew HEAD

*ONE TO BE OMITTED

Premier League (Rd 21)
Coach: Michael Potter

1. Mark CHRISTENSEN
2. Hassan SALEH
3. Chris NERO
4. John WILSHERE
5 Etuate UAISELE
6. Lachlan RUSSELL
7. Dean BYRNE (c)
8. Ian DONNELLY
9. Peter ELLIS
10. Craig STAPLETON
11. Justin POORE
12. Gary McBRIDE
13. Ryan POWELL
INTERCHANGE
14. Jason ELLEM
15. Mark DALLE CORT
16. Shannon FISH
17. Brendan WALL
18. Bryan NORRIE
20. Robbie SIMPSON

 

[flip]

Firman is a big boost

 

[Southernsaint]

It looks like Gasnier will be withdrawing with an injured quadricep...

First He giveth, then He taketh away...

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[Anonymous]

Was he ever really in?

Two backs named on a five man bench. Any ideas who is going into the centres?

 

[the one]

would have to think nero there seems to be no other option

 

[roopy]

Knights teams;

Hughes is out from the side named in the paper

O'Davis
Tahu
Matt Gidley
McDougal
Quinn
Rudder
Kidley
Kennedy
Abraham
Simpson
Perry
Buderus
Parsons

Woolnough
Jobson
Price
Hall

Reggies

Young - A great prospect - 19 yo
Taylor - hopeless but fast - supposed to have played firstgrade for Sharks early this season.
Brown - bench forward for NSW u19 side - playing his 4th game as a back - scores lots of tries from lock - 12 tries in the Flegg season
Gavin Quinn - 23 yo - played 1 game of firstgrade - should be dropped at the end of the season.
Smith - oldest and most experienced player - should be dropped at the end of the season
Ennis - 18 yo who normally plays hooker - he has scored at better than a try a game this season - our best junior
Tyrie - was the best half in flegg last season, but has struggled all year in the seniors because he is very small
Lowrie - a great prospect - has been good in firstgrade for the last three games
Mueller - hard working captain of the side - has played a few games of first grade and went well
Bartlett - 18 yo with a high workrate
Matt Kennedy - normally plays firstgrade, but we have all our forwards available this week
Quigley - will be the Broncos firstgrade hooker next year
Tanner - has played half the season in firstgrade

Tilse - 18 yo who is as tall as Matt Parsons and 110 kg - an impact player
Worth - 18 yo prop who works hard
White - see worth - they are twins I think
Bates - was NSW u17 captain - he is our alternate playmaker
Jaques - barging impact forward
Wallace - Australian schoolboys halfback


The Knights are in the odd position of having all forwards available in both grades for the first time this season.
That means that every forward in firstgrade starting team is a rep player and our reggies pack includes five guys who have played well in firstgrade this year.
The firstgrade pack looked better than the strong Canberra pack last week, and the reggies team knocked over the comp leaders in Canberra last week. They kept the Canberra reggies scoreless after Canberra had scored 25 tries in the previous two games (12 v Norths, 13 v Manly).

 

[Anonymous]

Thats a strong side roopy... even without Johns.
It'll be interesting to see if they stack the flanks like they did in the previous Saints v Knights match.

 

[Southernsaint]

would have to think nero there seems to be no other option

Well, it could be his last game for the club. I just read in SMH's "Late Mail" that he's off to Bradford next season.

What a shame, he was under-utilised in his time at the club. It's probably better for his football development to get out. That say a lot about our club, doesn't it!?

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[ForestDragon]

Glad te see Firmo will be out there,he is so important for making things happen.A Tingha hat-trick would go down nicely.

 

[roopy]

Thats a strong side roopy... even without Johns.
It'll be interesting to see if they stack the flanks like they did in the previous Saints v Knights match.

The post Johns style of play is pretty simple. It is basically forwards hitting the ball up for most of the game, with Kidley confining himself to the role of ball distributor on the 4th or 5th tackle (he will try to get it out wide to either Tahu or Doogs)and a kick on the sixth.
Late in the game Kidley and Buderus will take on the line for sure, and Buderus might do it early in the game if he sees a weakness.
Kidley will not be doing probing runs and late, flat passes like Johns. He will be getting the ball out wide in a hurry when he gets it.

 

[DRRRAGONS]

Lightbulb & Cross :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

Lightbulb & Cross :evil:

Your joking? More experience perhaps but neither of these guys will be there next year. I'm glad that Leikvoll is off to Warrigton.. he'll do 10 minutes work and then take a bludge. It's frustrating seeing forwards passing the ball to backs to take the hit up.

 

[DRRRAGONS]

Lightbulb & Cross :evil:

Your joking? More experience perhaps but neither of these guys will be there next year. I'm glad that Leikvoll is off to Warrigton.. he'll do 10 minutes work and then take a bludge. It's frustrating seeing forwards passing the ball to backs to take the hit up.

Lightbulb & Cross = Evil

You cant win with thses guys

 

[paladinsunicorn]

:shock:

Brownie? You're a nut!!
No Donnelly = Half way to a loss!! What are you doing? This guy should be in the game today!!