Player swap Norman for Widdop

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

Nathan Cleary is 22.
He is already 4th highest point scorer in Panthers history.
He has played for his state and country.
He has another decade of football ahead of him.
Meanwhile at the Dragons, Clune, Norman, Sailor, Hunt, Widdop......

Easy fix. Get possm on the job. He will work out how we can sign NCleary, and fit him in our cap.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Just watching Penrith vs Raiders and the Penrith halves putting on an absolute display.
And here we are contemplating Widdop back.
Nathan Cleary has done more in this game than Widdop has done in his whole career.
Deadset we are a joke.

If Cleary and Keary ever get to play together for NSW it’s going to be some combo. Cleary is going to be special. Having state of the art facilities at Penrith doesn’t hurt. A fresh coat of paint on our gym just doesn’t cut it in 2020.

 

[Crush]

If Cleary and Keary ever get to play together for NSW it’s going to be some combo. Cleary is going to be special. Having state of the art facilities at Penrith doesn’t hurt. A fresh coat of paint on our gym just doesn’t cut it in 2020.

Cleary is already special. So much confidence in his ability.
If only Hunt and Norman had that kind of confidence.

 

[hazzbeen]

Cleary is already special. So much confidence in his ability.
If only Hunt and Norman had that kind of confidence.

Hunt tries , the other bloke is a show pony ....

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Cleary is already special. So much confidence in his ability.
If only Hunt and Norman had that kind of confidence.

Imagine when he’s 25-26. He’s adding new strings to his bow every year. Hopefully Sullivan can reach those heights. Hunt, Norman or Clune never will.

 

[getsmarty]

Imagine when he’s 25-26. He’s adding new strings to his bow every year. Hopefully Sullivan can reach those heights. Hunt, Norman or Clune never will.

Clune...will get better....good direct player...great pass and kicking game...just watch him next year under a new coach.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Clune...will get better....good direct player...great pass and kicking game...just watch him next year under a new coach.

Yeah he will be quite good but at 25 already he’s not going to get to Cleary levels, who at 22 is likely better than what he will become.

 

[Gareth67]

Clune...will get better....good direct player...great pass and kicking game...just watch him next year under a new coach.

Agree getsmarty with all you have said about the young man , his passing is crisp and sharp and is not afraid to take the line on .

Really hope that you are correct about the new coach .

 

[getsmarty]

Yeah he will be quite good but at 25 already he’s not going to get to Cleary levels, who at 22 is likely better than what he will become.

Correct, but Clune will eventually make way for Sullivan. currently, he is our best option at 7 I.M.H.O

I understand what you are saying Re Cleary, but Clune would be on nowhere near the type of money that cleary is on.

 

[Kylez3]

correct, but Clune will eventually make way for Sullivan. currently, he is our best option at 7 I.M.H.O

Nah it will be both Cluney and Sullivan combining in the halves eventually IMO.

 

[Crush]

Hunt tries , the other bloke is a show pony ....

Yeah but there is a difference between effort and confidence. I don't doubt that Hunt tries, he just doesn't have confidence.
Norman doesn't have either.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Yeah but there is a difference between effort and confidence. I don't doubt that Hunt tries, he just doesn't have confidence.
Norman doesn't have either.

Also doesn’t matter how how much you try, most people are just not born with that vision that an Andrew Johns or JT had. That kind of speed between the ears or whatever it is, is a pretty rare thing. Every generation will have 2-3 players max in the while comp with it. Now that JT and Cronk have retired I guess DCE, Cleary and Keary are the top dogs. To a lesser extent you have Moses and Johnson but neither is consistent enough. We are far from the only team to not have a truly great 7 though. Melbourne still don’t, the Tigers have yet to settle on one and so on. Long story short, if we can get Sullivan up and running in 2-3 years we could finally have a match winning half.

 

[Crush]

Also doesn’t matter how how much you try, most people are just not born with that vision that an Andrew Johns or JT had. That kind of speed between the ears or whatever it is, is a pretty rare thing. Every generation will have 2-3 players max in the while comp with it. Now that JT and Cronk have retired I guess DCE, Cleary and Keary are the top dogs. To a lesser extent you have Moses and Johnson but neither is consistent enough. We are far from the only team to not have a truly great 7 though. Melbourne still don’t, the Tigers have yet to settle on one and so on. Long story short, if we can get Sullivan up and running in 2-3 years we could finally have a match winning half.

We used to talk about Jai Field being our match winning half at one stage.
Luciano was going to be special.
It doesn't always turn out, actually it rarely does.
I don't think that you can pin your hopes on a Sullivan, Ramsey, Fegai etc when we don't know whether they will A. make first grade and B. play first grade at SGI.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

We used to talk about Jai Field being our match winning half at one stage.
Luciano was going to be special.
It doesn't always turn out, actually it rarely does.
I don't think that you can pin your hopes on a Sullivan, Ramsey, Fegai etc when we don't know whether they will A. make first grade and B. play first grade at SGI.

Yeah no doubt but we have to try, and not only try but actually give them a fair run not 10 minutes off the bench for 5 games. A good red hot crack like we have given Rava. No one is coming here, we have no choice. The sooner we blood these guys the better. Short term pain for long term gain. Especially given our season is gone now.

 

[possm]

We used to talk about Jai Field being our match winning half at one stage.
Luciano was going to be special.
It doesn't always turn out, actually it rarely does.
I don't think that you can pin your hopes on a Sullivan, Ramsey, Fegai etc when we don't know whether they will A. make first grade and B. play first grade at SGI.

The players you mentioned have excelled at junior level and represented Australia. With a new coaching staff, there is no reason we should not have confidence these players being good first-graders.

 

[Banjo2014]

Hope Trent Robinson keeps picking Lachlan Lam - Kyle Flanagan chucks a wobbly and seeks a release stating that he wants to go and play under his father at the Saints.

 

[possm]

Hope Trent Robinson keeps picking Lachlan Lam - Kyle Flanagan chucks a wobbly and seeks a release stating that he wants to go and play under his father at the Saints.

I was thinking the same. A Flanagan / Sullivan solution may well be the Draon's long term halves combination.

 

[Gareth67]

Hope Trent Robinson keeps picking Lachlan Lam - Kyle Flanagan chucks a wobbly and seeks a release stating that he wants to go and play under his father at the Saints.

Good to see that your not just a pretty face !

 

[hewi]

No Widdop

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/dr...n-after-signing-gun-half-20200814-p55lu5.html

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons close door on Widdop return after signing gun half
Adrian Proszenko
August 14, 2020 — 3.55pm

St George Illawarra have officially shut the door on a return for Gareth Widdop after securing the services of one of the game’s most promising playmakers.

The Dragons have re-signed local product Junior Amone to a three-year deal that will result in him being guaranteed a top-30 spot no later than 2022.


Gould says Dragons decision to sack McGregor was inevitable
St George Illawarra has plenty of issues to resolve after sacking coach Paul McGregor according to Phil Gould.

Several rival clubs were jockeying for Amone’s signature, but the 18-year-old opted to stay put.

Amone is related to South Sydney prop Tom Amone and Manly’s Fainu brothers, Manase and Sione. The Illawarra junior steered the club’s SG Ball side to last year’s premiership playing alongside halves partner Jayden Sullivan, another gun junior who could be in contention for an NRL debut in coming weeks.

The opportunity to potentially play first grade alongside Sullivan, who is also signed to the Red V long term, was too enticing for the five-eighth to turn down.

Widdop is considering an NRL return for family reasons, just 18 months after leaving the Dragons to join Warrington. Suggestions of a player swap with Corey Norman were quickly torpedoed after the Wolves indicated they have no interest in the out-of-favour Dragon.

There won't be a Dragons homecoming for Gareth Widdop.Credit:ninevms

The joint-venture outfit is resigned to having Norman on its books for next year, unable to offload him because of his $850,000 price tag. Rival teams have shown no interest even if his wage is heavily subsidised.

The Dragons want to focus on developing their own talent and are banking on late bloomer Adam Clune, who recently recommitted to the Red V, and the young playmakers to steer the club back to the top.


Dragons seek clarity over Flanagan as Fitzgibbon ruled out of running
It remains unclear who will take over permanently from departing coach Paul McGregor, but the Dragons won’t wait for a decision to bolster their roster.

The club is on the lookout for a prop with Melbourne’s Christian Welch a potential target. The former Maroons forward has made a strong comeback this season from an ACL injury and isn’t yet contracted for 2021.

The Dragons are also hoping to re-sign Jack de Belin, who is expected to learn if and when his court case will proceed later this month.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/dr...n-after-signing-gun-half-20200814-p55lu5.html