Firstly allow me to dispel a few myths. I don't rate Bird especially. That is true. Would have been good to have in the squad as a utility but not a great loss in my very humble opinion. Hutchinson based on a mere game and 1/3 isn't going to be the player Dragons supporters hope he will be. I hope I'm wrong. Aitken is a good player but not in the league of a Gasnier or Cooper as we hoped he would be and as the current team needs.
As for Dufty one part of it is wishful thinking but also based on the law of averages. It's inconceivable that the Dragons haven't produced a superstar 3/4 in so long. Secondly he is certainly a very fast and elusive ball runner and not a bad ball player. Crook comes across as a sneaky, scheming halfback. Not slow, not small (for his position) and very skillful.
Issac Thompson is a guy I think the coaching staff also have high hopes in. What's not to like? If he were the make first grade next week even though he would be the youngest, he'd be far from the smallest (actually one of the biggest). Gas and Cooper were two centres thrown into first grade on the wing at a very young age. How did it work out for them? Why should it be different for Thompson? At least I hope that is the case.
It seems to me, for some inconceivable reason, a lot of Dragons supporters are still following the playbook of supercoach Price.
All the young players that have already played first grade (either here or elsewhere) have all been highly rated, more so than the players mentioned, so talking up the others as better is wishful thinking.
Dufty is a fullback, so not sure what the comments about the 3/4 are about. He has a very slight frame so there's going to be question marks all over him on that alone. If he gets over that he has the talent to make it as a fullback (not winger).
As for Crook, I have a lot of time for him but he doesn't seem to be rated highly by the club or anyone else. I think he's one of those players that needs a bit of time, someone you hope to keep in NSW Cup for a couple of years and then bring him in later on and he turns out being alright (bit like Josh Reynolds in that respect).
Thompson is highly rated by the club (signed until 2017) but using Gasnier and Cooper as examples is not a reason to debut a player that hasn't earned it. Cooper for example debuted at 21 and then took two years to establish himself in first grade. How is his NYC form? I haven't watched many games this year but he just looks like another player out there. Aitken was playing much better last year and apparently he's only ok.
