It's Steal City

[God-King Dean]

THEY are the Newcastle Dragons - six players, one legendary coach and three coaching staff members who dumped the famous Red V for the Newcastle Knights.

Mining billionaire Nathan Tinkler did not just pinch Wayne Bennett, the Dragons' first premiership-winning coach in 31 years, but his club has also secured six players from St George Illawarra - Darius Boyd, Adam Cuthbertson, Neville Costigan, Alex McKinnon, Wes Naiqama and Chris Houston.

And the selection of all six for Newcastle gives Thursday night's season-opening blockbuster at Hunter Stadium a lively edge.
Newcastle would have outlayed more than $2 million over time to lure the players from Saints.

Bennett and his six players were at St George Illawarra for a combined total of 257 NRL games.

But that's not all.

Newcastle also lured Dragons coaching staff David Ballard (strength and conditioning), Scott Barker (performance analyst) and Jeremy Hickmans (performance director).

"It is ironic that they meet in round one," Newcastle's 2001 premiership-winning coach Michael Hagan said.

"They will enjoy playing against their old side, no doubt. A lot of players like to get these games out of the way as early in the season as possible.

"It will be strange for Darius, Wayne and Adam Cuthbertson, given they had so much success at Saints in recent years."

Boyd will line up at fullback on Thursday night, alongside Naiqama (centre), Cuthbertson (prop), Houston (second-row), Costigan (lock) and McKinnon (bench).

Boyd, Cuthbertson and McKinnon will be making their Knights debut.

The Bulldogs have been dubbed the Canterbury Sea Eagles because of a Belmore raid on Manly's coaching staff, including head coach Des Hasler.

In yesterday's The Sunday Telegraph, Boyd said having so many ex-Dragons at Newcastle would be an advantage.

"They will know a few things that we do and we will know a few things about them," Boyd said.

St George Illawarra will also be aware of Bennett's coaching style, his tactics and how Boyd will play from fullback.

Dragons coach Steve Price will name his side tomorrow. Newcastle return to training this morning.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226281948366

 

[perverse]

lol Dean. time to change your undies, i bet.

 

[Big Tim]

Gecko of Central Coast NSW Posted at 8:53 AM Today
St George are going to have to put armed men on their borders like some African nations You know? to protect it's little patch from poachers and resource thiefs lol. probably start developing your own patch NC, you have a great Junior base which you seem to like to snub....

Of those 6 players how many are Dragons juniors??

 

[Silent Knight]

Don't you know we have the best coach and all the money Dean?

Whereas all you have is a cheap Chinese steel stadium, a 1970s era dilapidated leagues club that caters for the needs of many bludgers and hangers on, and Brett Morris resigned for another 3 years :lol:.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Of those 6 players how many are Dragons juniors??

Alex, Wes and Chris all made their debuts at the Dragons. The others came from elsewhere

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Good luck Dean. Clearly it is playing on your mind. We'll just enjoy the ride.

 

[aqua_duck]

Don't forget Hickmans is Wayne right hand man, has been since the Broncos days

 

[Big Tim]

Alex, Wes and Chris all made their debuts at the Dragons. The others came from elsewhere

So 3/6 and 1 of those is considered to be "coming home"

Nothing article really, might sell some papers to the tards though. Players have to come from somewhere....

 

[Spot On]

I'm just disappointed we didn't get a few more. Those Stanley boys look as though they can play a bit! The rest ...well..... they can have 'em.

 

[rabble]

Shame Wicksy not playing anymore.

 

[Spot On]

Yeah... that's..... a real tragedy.

 

[IanG]

They love a pun don't they

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Think you'll find our God_King Dean would not give a toss about it boys.

Like many of us, he'd view the article as laughable. Mainly the fact that Brains Hagan alludes to all the success Cuthbo had with Saints in his single season when we didn't win anything.

And then Houston and Naiqama. f**k me. Howard was still PM and Wes was still ahhh, ummm, "protecting" Paulinie when those boys left. McKinnon is a Hunter boy.

Nev and Darbs are legends, the rest of em are journey men or juniors who moved on many moons ago.

I'd slap my son if he turned in dribble like this for fourth grade creative writing.

PS SK - All Leagues clubs are outdated. Except yours. Good luck to your mob with Tinklers cash. No ill will about seeing a team like Newcastke with support and facilities. No guarantees though. And you'd want to hope Tinks bequeaths a lot of scratch to the Knights - the big fella looks like he could keel over at any minute.

 

[Silent Knight]

No genuine ill feeling towards your club Ronnie. It's just a simple fact that your team will be my enemy this week until the result is decided on Thursday night. If you win, you will have my kudos. In the meanwhile I will take pleasure in paying out on the Dragons because in my honest opinion there is nothing better than dishing out some flak to one of your fellow rivals. And every LU team forum needs a loose cannon like me. It's more entertaining that way.

The only team I have real contempt for is Souffs. And maybe the Raiders but only because Skeepe asks for it. And the Maroons at Origin time. Okay I'll stop there.

 

[fortae]

Kevin Naiqama and Korbin Sims also up there, for the moment.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

No genuine ill feeling towards your club Ronnie. It's just a simple fact that your team will be my enemy this week until the result is decided on Thursday night. If you win, you will have my kudos. In the meanwhile I will take pleasure in paying out on the Dragons because in my honest opinion there is nothing better than dishing out some flak to one of your fellow rivals. And every LU team forum needs a loose cannon like me. It's more entertaining that way.

The only team I have real contempt for is Souffs. And maybe the Raiders but only because Skeepe asks for it. And the Maroons at Origin time. Okay I'll stop there.

100% mate. Love it and couldn't imagine life without it. Respect to the Knights fans.You guys deserve success. You will find very soon, as we did a few years back, just how far behind you were and that hard work and mental toughness, not flash play, are what brings success.

And you'll love it.

Bennett will change your club. The Broncos still play with steel. Last year, even when we hit wall and were gone, we played with steel. We'll continue to be a gutsy team and so long as that is the case, talent will optimise and insure, at the least, that you compete to your best ability every week.

I'm confident that Saints will continue to do so under Price. You compete hard for 80 minutes every week and defend for your mate and you will win more than you lose.

What else could you ask for?

Nothing.

 

[muzby]

ronnie & SK, make sure you clean up the bedroom when you're done in there...

what is this, a love-in?

let's get back to the task at hand, pre-basking in glory knowing that we are certainties to win on thursday..

afterall, it's a leap year.. things happen in opposites...

women can ask men to marry them..

mice chase cats..

dragons slay knights..

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Muzby u r antagonising nobody mate. We all know this will be a tough physical grudge match. Less than six in it i reckon.

 

[God-King Dean]

I'm not kidding.

" Newcastle represent all that is wrong & evil in Rugby League. "
-skeepe.

You get the all the money & the best coach, & think you can walk into our city/ies & take our sugar, power & women?

 

[muzby]

You get the all the money & the best coach, & think you can walk into our city/ies & take our sugar, power & women?

to be fair, danny took most of the sugar with him...