Round 1 2021 semi realistic sides

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

It is that time of the year again for us Dragons fans when we start thinking of next year again. Here is my realistic side for round 1 2021 and some reasons why. What sides do you guys think will be our round 1 side?
1.Dufty
2.Ramsey
3.Max Feagai
4.Lomax
5.Rava
6.Sullivan
7.Clune
8.Ofahengue/McLean
9.McInnes
10.Vaughan
11.Host
12.Ford/Sims (depending on Sims injury and suspension availability)
13.JDB
14.Hunt (For the first month to six weeks Hunt comes on and Cam switches to lock to give JDB a breather until he's match fit. Once fit Hunt moves back to 7 at the expense of whoever is playing worst out of Clune/Sullivan)
15.Kerr
16.Lawrie
17. Fuimaono/Ford (If Sims starts Ford takes this utility role)

Coach would be Griffin, with Young as his assistant and be named by the end of this weekend. With Young still remaining at the club he will be coaching with an eye towards 2021 rather than trying to be head coach and may blood a couple in the later rounds to see how they go. I cant find a place for Norman, and have serious reservations about the experience in our halves, but looking to the future we need to start building a side now like Penrith did. Also not sure if we should recruit a player to replace Friz with or if we should use Host? Asiata would be a good option and could form a nice combo with Lomax and Rava out there.

 

[Mjab]

Sounds good
Id like to get Asiata thats for sure

I like no Norman, but I suspect he will be there

I dont know at all TBH , but I dont know where Sulivan fits in here at this stage of his career and would need others opinions who know better than me . Maybe at moment not ready and I suspect it will be either Norman/Hunt , Clune /Norman , Clune /Hunt . Do we need to give the kid some bench time this season for a 10 mins run on and give him a taste and get a gauge of him Vs we dont want to destroy the kids confidence.
If its Griffin at least he seems to bring kids thru

 

[This Year?]

Seeing how the youth go would be the only highlight. Hunt I feel is only bringing us down, Sims is injury prone and the JDB thing is still pending.
Still better than 2020 hopefully.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Sounds good
Id like to get Asiata thats for sure

I like no Norman, but I suspect he will be there

I dont know at all TBH , but I dont know where Sulivan fits in here at this stage of his career and would need others opinions who know better than me . Maybe at moment not ready and I suspect it will be either Norman/Hunt , Clune /Norman , Clune /Hunt . Do we need to give the kid some bench time this season for a 10 mins run on and give him a taste and get a gauge of him Vs we dont want to destroy the kids confidence.
If its Griffin at least he seems to bring kids thru

I forgot we also have Wiliame who I rate much higher than Aitken, he could easily play left centre also. The main thing is we should hopefully have NSW cup back which will allow players to put pressure on the FGers. Ideally Sullivan would have had a year playing against men this season and filled in for Hunt during Origin but it wasn't to be. But he is making our extended squad each week so that is promising. I wouldn't go out buying a heap of journeyman just because we can. They will just be pathway blocking plodders. If we buy players it needs to be with some sort of plan like to mentor our young guys and fill in for a year until they are ready or something like that. Not just so and so cant get a deal anywhere he will do as a backup.

 

[Dragon David]

I can see us going all out to sign a fast winger and big prop to add to our squad. Id like to wait and see who the coach is before I speculate on the 17 man side for round 1 in 2021.

Penrith is now the yardstick team. Winning 12 on the trot is not easy to do and basically did not play in top gear against the Broncos. The club has done the right thing over the past few years and it has now paid dividends. They will be formidable for several years. This is what the new coach of the Dragons must work on - to model something similar to what Penrith has achieved.

If the coach is a decent one he will need a good balance of players to work with - young and old and make them gel.

So, a new coach, a couple of good signings and naming a side will be easier.

 

[Mjab]

I can see us going all out to sign a fast winger and big prop to add to our squad. Id like to wait and see who the coach is before I speculate on the 17 man side for round 1 in 2021.

Penrith is now the yardstick team. Winning 12 on the trot is not easy to do and basically did not play in top gear against the Broncos. The club has done the right thing over the past few years and it has now paid dividends. They will be formidable for several years. This is what the new coach of the Dragons must work on - to model something similar to what Penrith has achieved.

If the coach is a decent one he will need a good balance of players to work with - young and old and make them gel.

So, a new coach, a couple of good signings and naming a side will be easier.

Agree

some of this Penrith success has to be due in part to Griffin, so I hope we get him and not Furner or Young

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Agree

some of this Penrith success has to be due in part to Griffin, so I hope we get him and not Furner or Young

Apparently a lot of players didn't get along with Hook though. Im not sure if this is just media speculation or agendas one way or the other, but he's the best option available unless they give us an early Christmas preset in the form of Wane that they had been holding back to punk us.

 

[qld redvee]

I think a new coach is paramount for re shaping the team , I can see a bit of a problem with us around the numbers in the squad for 2021 . if its down to 28 then at this stage frizzell and aitken are gone and we have to contend with whats on our books . 5 players off contract - Brittain Host Ellis sailor Lovodua - so do we keep any or discard them in order to get a "gun" forward or 2 ... Can we offload any contacted players - in my opinion not really
Read today possibly player swap saab for garrick -- if so then garrick technically one wing with rav on the other . George and samy you guys got any intel on players being moved on regardless of coach ??

 

[Inisai Toga]

Interesting journey Penrith! The academy; the coaches; plenty of Juniors.

Gould sacks Cleary; Gould sacks Griffin; Cleary reinstated why? - too consolidate his son Nathan and then build a team and a game plan around him?

Appears that they’ve gone to another level (so far) So where did they go right or wrong? Who gets the accolades?

Gould? Cleary? Griffin ? Nathan? ; interested in any thoughts and how it compares to us.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

It is that time of the year again for us Dragons fans when we start thinking of next year again. Here is my realistic side for round 1 2021 and some reasons why. What sides do you guys think will be our round 1 side?
1.Dufty
2.Ramsey
3.Max Feagai
4.Lomax
5.Rava
6.Sullivan
7.Clune
8.Ofahengue/McLean
9.McInnes
10.Vaughan
11.Host
12.Ford/Sims (depending on Sims injury and suspension availability)
13.JDB
14.Hunt (For the first month to six weeks Hunt comes on and Cam switches to lock to give JDB a breather until he's match fit. Once fit Hunt moves back to 7 at the expense of whoever is playing worst out of Clune/Sullivan)
15.Kerr
16.Lawrie
17. Fuimaono/Ford (If Sims starts Ford takes this utility role)

Coach would be Griffin, with Young as his assistant and be named by the end of this weekend. With Young still remaining at the club he will be coaching with an eye towards 2021 rather than trying to be head coach and may blood a couple in the later rounds to see how they go. I cant find a place for Norman, and have serious reservations about the experience in our halves, but looking to the future we need to start building a side now like Penrith did. Also not sure if we should recruit a player to replace Friz with or if we should use Host? Asiata would be a good option and could form a nice combo with Lomax and Rava out there.

I take it you've given up on Dragons playing finals footy this year.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I take it you've given up on Dragons playing finals footy this year.

Well and truly, will still watch every game as I always do but yes my mind is firmly on the new coach and new side next year.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Resignings
Host-Rumoured to re-sign for next year.
Ellis-Not sure of retention past this year. I would re-sign him as our forward depth is poor.
Blacker-The coaching staff appear to have no confidence in him. He should have been selected for at least one NRL game to date.
Saab for Garrick swap-Rumoured swap which I would support.
Sailor-Probably leaving due to non-selection.Can do nothing to change the outcome.
Lovodua-Leaving but no great loss.
Over the past few years we have lost numerous forwards with no equivalent replacements being Ah Mau, Frizell, Graham, Kafusi, Luke, Thompson and Timm. Consequently the Dragons forwards are second rate with no decent signings in sight.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Resignings
Host-Rumoured to re-sign for next year.
Ellis-Not sure of retention past this year. I would re-sign him as our forward depth is poor.
Blacker-The coaching staff appear to have no confidence in him. He should have been selected for at least one NRL game to date.
Saab for Garrick swap-Rumoured swap which I would support.
Sailor-Probably leaving due to non-selection.Can do nothing to change the outcome.
Lovodua-Leaving but no great loss.
Over the past few years we have lost numerous forwards with no equivalent replacements being Ah Mau, Frizell, Graham, Kafusi, Luke, Thompson and Timm. Consequently the Dragons forwards are second rate with no decent signings in sight.

On Timm, whatever happened to him? I would have thought the way he was rated in here and looked in CC he would have got a deal elsewhere but I dont think anyone picked him up. Maybe there was something to it?

 

[Dragon Revival]

Lachlan Timm went to the Redcliffe Dolphins wich are a feeder team for the Broncos. Like Ellis he had great stats in the Canterbury Cup. I would recruit Timm again.

 

[Mjab]

Interesting journey Penrith! The academy; the coaches; plenty of Juniors.

Gould sacks Cleary; Gould sacks Griffin; Cleary reinstated why? - too consolidate his son Nathan and then build a team and a game plan around him?

Appears that they’ve gone to another level (so far) So where did they go right or wrong? Who gets the accolades?

Gould? Cleary? Griffin ? Nathan? ; interested in any thoughts and how it compares to us.

Not sure what the answer is mate

other than say it’s the polar opposite to Dragons !,

 

[Dragon Revival]

The last time Dragons met Panthers the score was 28-32 not a shellacking!

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

The last time Dragons met Panthers the score was 28-32 not a shellacking!

Pre Covid we lost both our games but looked quite good. I thought we would come good, but as with most teams the Covid screwed us.

 

[getsmarty]

Jimmy Brings: Dragons set for $1.5m spending spree; Flanagan whispers only getting louder
NRL Premiership

• September 4, 2020 9:23am
• James Hooper
• Source: FOX SPORTS

The Dragons insist Ben Hunt is going nowhere.Source: Getty Images

DRAGONS SHOOT DOWN HUNT EXIT TALK

St George Illawarra chief executive Ryan Webb was quick to shoot down the whole Ben Hunt back to the Brisbane Broncos in 2021 furphy.

“It’s got no legs at all,” Webb told Fox Sports.

“We’ve never spoken about moving Ben Hunt. We’ve been approached by a couple of clubs but it’s never been considered.

“The other thing it’s important to point out is we’re not in any sort of salary cap trouble.

“We’ve got money to spend for next season.”

The Dragons have got about $1.5 million to spend on players for next year.


DRAGONS NARROW IN ON NEW COACH

The Dragons will hold final interviews for the vacant head coaching position on Thursday after the bloke they really wanted, Craig Fitzgibbon, knocked the job back.

Fitzgibbon played in the 1999 grand final for St George Illawarra before joining the Roosters to become a club legend at the Tricolours.

The Roosters assistant coach has now knocked back four NRL coaching positions over the course of the last 12 months – the Dragons, Warriors, Cowboys and Newcastle.

Speaking of the Knights, there’s a red hot tip about Anthony Seibold resurfacing at Newcastle alongside Adam O’Brien.

We almost dropped the telephone initially but we’re assured it’s a good thing.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...y/news-story/7a3dc68ad722cd0cab354ab47c0fa85b

 

[SnowDragon]

If we can't sign good players, invest in youth. Sailor would be a better option in the halves atm, with Sullivan still so young. He needs time in CC. Norman isn't really worth keeping, but getting him off the books may be hard.

 

[blue bags]

I take it you've given up on Dragons playing finals footy this year.

yer after lact week, a disgrace