Official 2015 squad

[Slippery Morris]

So if Saints hold onto Beale and Farrell which it now looks like they might the will have a backline of Dugan, Mata'Utai, Beale, Farrell and Nightingale. Halves of Widdop and Marshall and forward pack of DeBellin, Merrin, Thompson, Creagh, Rein and Packer. Doesn't look like a bad squad to me. The others they bring in will be bench players like Rose, L'estrange, etc. Not sure why the negativity.

 

[The Commissioner]

So if Saints hold onto Beale and Farrell which it now looks like they might the will have a backline of Dugan, Mata'Utai, Beale, Farrell and Nightingale. Halves of Widdop and Marshall and forward pack of DeBellin, Merrin, Thompson, Creagh, Rein and Packer. Doesn't look like a bad squad to me. The others they bring in will be bench players like Rose, L'estrange, etc. Not sure why the negativity.

Hi Slip,
I think that pack is still a tad on the small side mate.

 

[_Johnsy]

As the indigenous boys up here say, " you don't even know"

I'm sure you mean, "don eeeben"

 

[Slippery Morris]

Who would you replace Commissioner? Creagh? If they can buy a couple of big boppers would you move Creagh and De Bellin to the bench? What do you think?

 

[dragonreddy]

So if Saints hold onto Beale and Farrell which it now looks like they might the will have a backline of Dugan, Mata'Utai, Beale, Farrell and Nightingale. Halves of Widdop and Marshall and forward pack of DeBellin, Merrin, Thompson, Creagh, Rein and Packer. Doesn't look like a bad squad to me. The others they bring in will be bench players like Rose, L'estrange, etc. Not sure why the negativity.

Packer wont have played for 18 months minimum if he is signed ,Rose played 9 forgetable games for Melbourne and the others they are bringing have no 1st grade experience,we have lost one of our best attacking players and finishers in BMOZ, didn't look like a bad side last year either until you look at the points table, not sure why you are so positive when nothings changed and we are worse off in the player stakes.

 

[nontime111]

Im still as as sad as the next Dragons fanatic but man, you gotta get up off the concrete again This lots not TOO rusty for 2015!!!!!

DUGAN
NABULI
FARREL/MATA'UTAI
BEALE/AITKEN
NIGHTINGALE
WIDDOP
MARSHALL

DEBELIN
GARVEY/REIN/L'ESTRANGE
PACKER
CREAGH/COOPER
FRIZZEL
MERRIN

ROSE
AH MAU
TUIMIVAVE-GERRARD
NUTIRA

Whos to say a LOT or even a few of these new guys wont come good or even REALLY great!!! Bottom line is if we can nab BIG Georgie then the size IS pretty massive!! Nutira, Rose, Packer common there huge......
GO DRAGONS GET BACK UP!!!!!!!:lol:

 

[The Commissioner]

Who would you replace Commissioner? Creagh? If they can buy a couple of big boppers would you move Creagh and De Bellin to the bench? What do you think?

Id slip Creagh to the bench and start Frizzell at prop
I really think Wakeman and O'Brien are going to kick on for us.
A solid pre season to get them fit and they might just surprise.

 

[jenninga]

Id slip Creagh to the bench and start Frizzell at prop
I really think Wakeman and O'Brien are going to kick on for us.
A solid pre season to get them fit and they might just surprise.

Hope I'm wrong but Wakeman and O'Brien will be eaten up in first grade

 

[Dr Fruitbasket Returns]

All 15 other teams must be sh!t at it too.....can't see any of them winning it every year.

Fingerbang, some of them are much less shit at it than we are and win it and compete for it more regularly than we do.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Hey Commissioner I agree mate. With Rose, Wakeman and the other forwards they buy they will push Cooper, Frizzell and Au Mau to lift their games as there will be some competition for their spots. Cooper and Frizzell especially were good this past season. I forgot about those 2 forwards. Frizzell is still young and will only get better. Same with Cooper.

 

[The Commissioner]

Hey Commissioner I agree mate. With Rose, Wakeman and the other forwards they buy they will push Cooper, Frizzell and Au Mau to lift their games as there will be some competition for their spots. Cooper and Frizzell especially were good this past season. I forgot about those 2 forwards. Frizzell is still young and will only get better. Same with Cooper.

Spot on mate

 

[hardbaby]

Fact is if the team spirit lifts and we play guys in the right position, it isn't a bad team. Dugan must be fullback. Creagh must be a prop. Frizzel must be in the back row. I'd love to see Merrin at prop and JDB at lock. It's a good halves combination. They have some size now. It's not hopeless.

 

[Jubileeboy]

Fact is if the team spirit lifts and we play guys in the right position, it isn't a bad team. Dugan must be fullback. Creagh must be a prop. Frizzel must be in the back row. I'd love to see Marrin at prop and JDB at lock. It's a good halves combination. It's not hopeless.

Thats how I see it also.
Throw into the mix a couple of 'last chancers' on minimum coin trying to prove a point, a good mix of youth knocking on the door, Hornby and Young and we might just surprise.
Perhaps I will be proven wrong but I won't apologise for being optimistic.
Flame away feckers.....

 

[Minh]

I'm glad to hear some of the optimism...although I'm not that optimistic.

 

[nrlnrl]

Im still as as sad as the next Dragons fanatic but man, you gotta get up off the concrete again This lots not TOO rusty for 2015!!!!!

DUGAN
NABULI
FARREL/MATA'UTAI
BEALE/AITKEN
NIGHTINGALE
WIDDOP
MARSHALL

DEBELIN
GARVEY/REIN/L'ESTRANGE
PACKER
CREAGH/COOPER
FRIZZEL
MERRIN

ROSE
AH MAU
TUIMIVAVE-GERRARD
NUTIRA

Whos to say a LOT or even a few of these new guys wont come good or even REALLY great!!! Bottom line is if we can nab BIG Georgie then the size IS pretty massive!! Nutira, Rose, Packer common there huge......
GO DRAGONS GET BACK UP!!!!!!!:lol:

I admire your passion - don't forget the club's form forward over the final third of the season Joel Thompson. He'll obviously be the left side second rower. Also, Will Matthews will be right in the mix for the bench along with Wakeman, O'Brien & others including Green & Marketo.

As for other spots in the starting pack, Creagh will be one prop with Cooper & DeBelin sharing the other position. Please remember that Packer will need to wait for the NRL to approve any contract the Dragons lodge. Then they will decide whether to register him as a player again & if so, when that will be. He won't play for at least half the season.

Finally, Runciman is in front of Aitken, who might be given some time in NSW Cup & then depending on form, fitness of others who knows ? I'd say 2016 for him, but with a former Australian rep centre as coach, he might be fast tracked. Fonua-Blake has been mentioned by quite a few people on here as well. As a prop, he needs more time to develop & reach NRL standard of fitness & confidence - NSW Cup should be his goal for this year. ( 20 next November )

 

[possm]

Originally Posted by nontime111
Im still as as sad as the next Dragons fanatic but man, you gotta get up off the concrete again This lots not TOO rusty for 2015!!!!!

My preferred side would be:

Dugan
Nabuli - some excitement for the fans
Mata Utai
Beale - If he stays he is our most experienced centre
Nightinggale
Widdop
Marshall

Creagh
L'estrange
Packer - I'd like to think the NRL will clear him to play as he has done his time.
Thompson
Frizell
Merrin

Rose - if they can get him match fit
? - Best performing new big prop during the off-season
De Belin
Rein - short stint on the field may better suit him

 

[Lethal25]

Originally Posted by nontime111
Im still as as sad as the next Dragons fanatic but man, you gotta get up off the concrete again This lots not TOO rusty for 2015!!!!!

My preferred side would be:

Dugan
Nabuli - some excitement for the fans
Mata Utai
Beale - If he stays he is our most experienced centre
Nightinggale
Widdop
Marshall

Creagh
L'estrange
Packer - I'd like to think the NRL will clear him to play as he has done his time.
Thompson
Frizell
Merrin

Rose - if they can get him match fit
? - Best performing new big prop during the off-season
De Belin
Rein - short stint on the field may better suit him

Mike Cooper needs to be in there possm

 

[Get2dachopper!]

1. Dugan
2. Flo
3. Thompson
4 Farrell
5. Mata'tiua/Nabuli
6. Widdop
7. Marshall
8. Rose
9. Rein
10. Merrin
11. Frizell
12. Creagh
13. De'bellin

14. Cooper
15. Le'strange
16. Packer
17. Nutira/O'Brien/Wakeman/Matthews/Marketo

For mine, we are lacking experience in the centres, especially if Beale goes. Thompson needs to play right centre. He will stiffen up the defence on that side, just like beau Scott did in 2009. And he is quicker than scott ever was. If he doesn't like it, he can go back to Canberra.
Same for creagh, he needs to go back to left edge to tighten up the defence. He doesn't have to play 80 minutes, so no excuses about him being ineffective. Mata'tuia on the wing, but Nabuli may be a good option. When is the last time we had a 100kg winger? Sailor? He was like an extra forward. Plus I have a feeling matau'ia ain't hanging around after next season, he probably wants to play with his brothers again.
Merrin and rose to hopefully soften up the opposition in the first 10 minutes. Only worry with these two is defence, both a bit lazy around marker. Creagh and De'bellin will have to do extra defensive work to compensate. Need to compromise if you want big guys In the middle.
We need size right across the park, not just in the forwards.

 

[Hills Dragon]

I don't think it's all doom and gloom for next year, although I would have liked to have seen a couple of decent forwards picked. On the upside, Mary will have the team for the whole pre-season, and Benji will have a pre-season with the team he's trying to guide around the park. Last year was extremely disjointed with poor morale, a change in coaches mid-season, and a new halfback coming in halfway through the season from another code.

On the positive side we actually have two potentially great halves who will gel much better after a pre-season together, and I'm expecting a good season from Merrin, The Duges, Thompson, Creagh, Frizell, De Belin, Cooper, Nightingale, Mata'utia and Beale and/or Farrell if they stick around. These guys should all play better if the halves play well, and if they get good service from the hookers. That's where we really need Rein and Garvey to step up this year.

 

[st.phil]

Thompson cannot pass and finally improved at 2nd row back half of last season - runciman or aitken - throw em in