new look 2014 team

[Minh]

I have no idea mate. I haven't really heard anything about us chasing him. And links to any articles indicating otherwise?

There was actually one I saw dated about a month ago in JA stating that we were frontrunners to sign Mateo but it seems pretty quiet lately, but that can be a good thing the way Doust operates I guess.

 

[Saint George of Lydda]

My team for next year would be:

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Beale
4. Farrell
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Chase/Williams
8. Hunt
9. King
10.Merrin
11.Frizzell
12.Thompson
13.Creagh

14.De Belin
15.Stockwell
16.Prior
17.Cooper

Hopefully we sign Rangi Chase or Sam Williams and we can slot one of them into the halfback position. I am hoping we cut Rein and Weyman, and that the Stanley brothers stay as far away from first grade as is humanly possible. Otherwise, I think this is a premiership winning line up! It's a young side with size, speed, aggression and skill, and not one injury prone 30+ year old at the back end of their career!

 

[mmap dragons]

There was actually one I saw dated about a month ago in JA stating that we were frontrunners to sign Mateo but it seems pretty quiet lately, but that can be a good thing the way Doust operates I guess.

Been a couple of editorials in the print media about the Dragons chasing him. Mateo has himself indicated there is some interest from other clubs but was quoted recently he's leaning on staying at the Warriors.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

My team for next year would be:

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Beale
4. Farrell
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Chase/Williams
8. Hunt
9. King
10.Merrin
11.Frizzell
12.Thompson
13.Creagh

14.De Belin
15.Stockwell
16.Prior
17.Cooper

Hopefully we sign Rangi Chase or Sam Williams and we can slot one of them into the halfback position. I am hoping we cut Rein and Weyman, and that the Stanley brothers stay as far away from first grade as is humanly possible. Otherwise, I think this is a premiership winning line up! It's a young side with size, speed, aggression and skill, and not one injury prone 30+ year old at the back end of their career!

whew, this is a formidible side and very capable of a premiership if properly developed.

But them's harsh words re: Stanley Bros and Weyman.

 

[saint.nick]

with the roster price will have at his disposal, he will basically have no excuse to miss the top eight next year

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

....top 4 !

 

[dragonrickjs]

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Beale
4. Farrell
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Chase
8. Hunt
9. Rein
10. Creagh
11. Frizzell
12. De belin
13. Merrin (c)
14. Stockwell
15. Thompson
16. Cooper
17. King/Garvey

 

[Country Dragon]

1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Beale
4. Farrell
5. Nightingale
6. Widdop
7. Chase
8. Hunt
9. Rein
10. Creagh
11. Frizzell
12. De belin
13. Merrin (c)
14. Stockwell
15. Thompson
16. Cooper
17. King/Garvey

A good team, but as if their going to take the captaincy off Ben Creagh!

 

[TheRev]

Mateo halfback and Merrin benched. possm, we've missed you.

I've also been campaigning to get Prior a spot on left wing, we should combine forces!

 

[dragonrickjs]

A good team, but as if their going to take the captaincy off Ben Creagh!

I agree they won't I just feel merrin is more of a leader

 

[hardbaby]

I've also been campaigning to get Prior a spot on left wing, we should combine forces!

I'd vote for that. It's a great idea. Prior would be completely sick on the wing. Maybe have Vidot at centre. What a beautiful pair of pair of hands that would be. The backline would light up.

 

[Dea]

I'm looking forward to our team for next year. However.... Half back still worries me. From what I hear Drinkwater has some way to go before he is ready (and interestingly his name is not mentioned once in this thread). This year I believe was to be a Stanley in the 7. I am unsure if he can actually play in the position and if realistically we can build a team around him. the talk about Rangi coming has been going on for so long he must be almost ready to retire and I've stopped believing he is on the way. We could potentially fail to fire without a quality number 7 and at present the jumper is empty.

 

[hardbaby]

I'm looking forward to our team for next year. However.... Half back still worries me. From what I hear Drinkwater has some way to go before he is ready (and interestingly his name is not mentioned once in this thread). This year I believe was to be a Stanley in the 7. I am unsure if he can actually play in the position and if realistically we can build a team around him. the talk about Rangi coming has been going on for so long he must be almost ready to retire and I've stopped believing he is on the way. We could potentially fail to fire without a quality number 7 and at present the jumper is empty.

I'll be more blunt. Sign a 6/7 or we are f**ked.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

I'll be more blunt. Sign a 6/7 or we are f**ked.

What of the discussion elsewhere on the forum that Widdop is actually a halfback - according to his father (via Cobra I think)?

 

[Lethal25]

Six ans Seven are pretty much the same position, at the moment we have a makeshift seven and a six who runs sideways before passing to an outside man ith cramped space. Widdop will fix that, he plays more direct.

Not sure why people are backing De Belin. He may improve but watching him live, he's slow and one dimensional. He is very rigid so has no natural passing skills, therefore no second phase. I haven't seen break or bend the defensive line unless put into a hole in broken type of play, I'm comfortable to say he is not going to be anything other than average at best at this level.

Also, Rangi may still come. Castleford are running last and literally broke. He has to probably move somewhere and the same issue with his previous manager will still exist. I for one think there is still a strong chance we see him in red and white

 

[dragonrickjs]

Not sure why people are backing De Belin. He may improve but watching him live, he's slow and one dimensional. He is very rigid so has no natural passing skills, therefore no second phase. I haven't seen break or bend the defensive line unless put into a hole in broken type of play, I'm comfortable to say he is not going to be anything other than average at best at this

I disagree I think he will be one of our forward leaders in the years to come. He is just missing confidence. And I can't blame him for that last year some games he was one of our better forwards/players and the following week he was back down playing for cutters. You have to pick and stick with young players if you yo-yo them up and down they will lose confidence. And that's what I'm seeing with de belin at the moment. He is already one of our best defenders and with another preseason in the gym and some confidence from this year we will start seeing the best of him. I'm expecting a huge RED V career from JDB

 

[possm]

De Belin was a star in the under 20s and very impressive when introduced to the NRL team. I believe the problem is with fitness, coaching staff expectations and game plan instructions. It looks to me that he still is not sure of his role within the team; is he mainly a hole running forward who is supposed to also cover tackle or is he supposed to be a soldier performing aggressive hit-ups and defending the centre?

Maybe he is both at the moment depending on the needs of the team on the day and if this is correct, then I believe we will see a marked improvement when his body builds up and takes the shape of a fit, lean, fast and fearsome front-row forward.

Now I think it would be great to allocate mentors to our young up-and-coming players. I think successful former Dragon first graders who played in similar positions would be a great help to young Dragons coming through to first grade.

Players like De Belin have loads of talent but will not realise their full potential until their body takes shape and their charactor matures.

 

[dragondonar1]

my team for next year would be

1. dugan
2. morris
3. beale
4. farrell
5. nightingale
6. widdop
7. williams/drinkwater
8. weyman
9. rein
10. creagh (c)
11. frizzell
12. de belin
13. merrin (co captain)
14. vidot second row or utility
15. cooper
16. thompson
17. king

stockwell needs more size and drinkwater will have widdop to him increase skills

 

[Saint George of Lydda]

De Belin really should be playing a Dallas Johnson/Ryan Hinchcliffe type role. He is not powerful enough to be a front rower and not skillful enough to be an edge runner. He should be playing in the middle of the field as a lock forward that plays 80 minutes, tackles himself to a standstill,and takes the odd hit up when the big boppers are tired. He is not an impact player either so why he is coming off the bench is beyond me. If he is not ready to play 80 minutes then he should run around for the Cutters and gain experience playing full matches.

 

[possm]

If we don't sign Mateo, Chase or another first grade halfback, I think Kyle and Quinlan at 6 could partner Widdop at 7. And I have had a rethink of my starting line up in the forwards going with props Weyman and Merrin up front and Thompson, Frizell and Creagh in the backrow. So my team for round 1 of 2014 would be:
1. Dugan
2. Morris
3. Farrell
4. Beale
5. Nightingale
6. K Stanley
7. Widdop
8. Weyman
9. Rein
10. Merrin
11. Thompson
12. Frizell
13. Creagh

14. Hunt
15. Stockwell
16. De Belin
17. King

We still don’t know if Prior, Matt Cooper, Weyman and Rein are staying on. We also are unsure of the capabilities of Cooper - our new prop. I think the Dragons will let go a number of fringe first graders to make way for some fresh talent.

Reserves for first grade - taken from Cutters and NYC:

1. Cummins
2. Green
3. VaiVai
4. Ranciman
5. Vidot
6. Quinlan
7. Drinkwater
8. Cooper
9. Garvey
10. Prior
11. Harrison
12. Mathews
13. C Stanley
14. Henderson
15. Ah Mau
16. Seru
17. Cook
18. Ryan
19. Hickey
20. Handcock
21. Wakeman