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s this the start of another long year for the Dragons?
Roar Pro
By Walter Penninger, 25 Feb 2014 Walter Penninger is a Roar Pro
Tagged: Gareth Widdop, NRL, Rugby League, St George Illawarra Dragons, Steve Price
Numerous commentators (including myself) have suggested that St George Illawarra are candidates for the wooden spoon, but what hope do the Dragons realistically have in season 2014?
Lets start by looking at last year. They finished 14th on 18 points and 10 points out of the Top 8, and with a miserable for and against record that would have put them further out of the 8.
They have bought big for 2014, but there are some doubts about the quality of their purchases.
English international and former Melbourne five-eighth Gareth Widdop is regarded as the jewel in the crown, but he needs forwards in front of him and time to work a combination in the backline.
Not everyone fits straight into a team as Josh Dugan did for the Dragons last year. Widdop has so far had little real game time with the Dragons.
If we look at the backline, Dugan (currently injured), Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale look very strong on paper, but a question hangs over the centres and halves combination.
Coach Steve Price has been focusing on the centre pairing of former Broncos fullback Gerard Beale and Dylan Farrell from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Beale missed the Charity Shield clash against Souths through injury and Charly Runciman, a St George junior, took his place in the starting side. Peter Matautia replaced Farrell as the game went on and celebrated by scoring two tries.
So I assume the centre pairing will come from these four players.
In the halves, Widdops place at five-eighth is secure, with competition being for the halfback spot between former Raider Sam Williams, Chase Stanley (out last year with injuries) and Michael Witt, who at 30 this year would substantially increase the average age of the Dragons team.
Price has favoured Williams to date, but Witt played well in both the Nines and his appearance in the Charity Shield. Whatever the combination, it will be untried.
The forwards led by captain Ben Creagh contain a host of good players, albeit a bit on the light side. The St George Illawarra forwards were trampled by Souths in the Charity Shield and this will be an ongoing problem for the Dragons this year.
Both Ben Creagh and Steve Price are quoted as saying they need to work on defence after the Charity Shield defeat, which leaves me wondering what they were doing all pre-season.
Price has already been nominated as a candidate for removal mid-season. He is coaching a team that lacks both confidence and the basics, with a full inventory of errors and bad habits which needs reducing.
In many respects the Dragons team this year, despite the buys, has the same feel about it as the team that came 14th last year. Sure, they may win a big match on occasion, but they have no consistency and they will fall apart in other matches.
The first test for the Dragons comes against the Wests Tigers in Round 1. Normally, one might have picked the Dragons to win this without thinking much about it, but the Tigers beat the Dragons in their last encounter last year and have looked good in the pre-season despite some key injuries.
If the Dragons lose this match against the Tigers theyll have racked up seven consecutive NRL losses going into the second round match against the Warriors.
At this stage I am inclined towards the Tigers to win, but I will reserve judgment until we see the team sheets.
Roar Pro By Walter Penninger, 25 Feb 2014 Walter Penninger is a Roar Pro
Tagged: Gareth Widdop, NRL, Rugby League, St George Illawarra Dragons, Steve Price
Numerous commentators (including myself) have suggested that St George Illawarra are candidates for the wooden spoon, but what hope do the Dragons realistically have in season 2014?
Lets start by looking at last year. They finished 14th on 18 points and 10 points out of the Top 8, and with a miserable for and against record that would have put them further out of the 8.
They have bought big for 2014, but there are some doubts about the quality of their purchases.
English international and former Melbourne five-eighth Gareth Widdop is regarded as the jewel in the crown, but he needs forwards in front of him and time to work a combination in the backline.
Not everyone fits straight into a team as Josh Dugan did for the Dragons last year. Widdop has so far had little real game time with the Dragons.
If we look at the backline, Dugan (currently injured), Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale look very strong on paper, but a question hangs over the centres and halves combination.
Coach Steve Price has been focusing on the centre pairing of former Broncos fullback Gerard Beale and Dylan Farrell from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Beale missed the Charity Shield clash against Souths through injury and Charly Runciman, a St George junior, took his place in the starting side. Peter Matautia replaced Farrell as the game went on and celebrated by scoring two tries.
So I assume the centre pairing will come from these four players.
In the halves, Widdops place at five-eighth is secure, with competition being for the halfback spot between former Raider Sam Williams, Chase Stanley (out last year with injuries) and Michael Witt, who at 30 this year would substantially increase the average age of the Dragons team.
Price has favoured Williams to date, but Witt played well in both the Nines and his appearance in the Charity Shield. Whatever the combination, it will be untried.
The forwards led by captain Ben Creagh contain a host of good players, albeit a bit on the light side. The St George Illawarra forwards were trampled by Souths in the Charity Shield and this will be an ongoing problem for the Dragons this year.
Both Ben Creagh and Steve Price are quoted as saying they need to work on defence after the Charity Shield defeat, which leaves me wondering what they were doing all pre-season.
Price has already been nominated as a candidate for removal mid-season. He is coaching a team that lacks both confidence and the basics, with a full inventory of errors and bad habits which needs reducing.
In many respects the Dragons team this year, despite the buys, has the same feel about it as the team that came 14th last year. Sure, they may win a big match on occasion, but they have no consistency and they will fall apart in other matches.
The first test for the Dragons comes against the Wests Tigers in Round 1. Normally, one might have picked the Dragons to win this without thinking much about it, but the Tigers beat the Dragons in their last encounter last year and have looked good in the pre-season despite some key injuries.
If the Dragons lose this match against the Tigers theyll have racked up seven consecutive NRL losses going into the second round match against the Warriors.
At this stage I am inclined towards the Tigers to win, but I will reserve judgment until we see the team sheets.
