Round 1 2021 semi realistic sides

[SBD82]

Fui should get first crack at 13. Strong front on defender and would go well in the middle.

I can get on board with this. Give him a job to hit everything that moves.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Hunt is the perfect 14 and would be an absolute critical part of our team.
Unfortunaty, he is not a starting 9 and there are many stats to prove this. The only stat that he is tavourable at 9 is his kicking game, but lets be honest here, how often does a 9 kick the ball? For example how many times do you see Cook kick?

McInnes (or whoever) at 9, and a effective halves paring (who can actually kick to advantage eg: Walker and Reynolds at Souths) like Sullivan and Clune, would be far more adventageous to our team.

The missing piece of our puzzle is lock.

 

[Crush]

I would like to see Bird selected at centre. Its been so long since we've had potent centres.
Imagine Lomax on one side with Bird on the other. Ramsey and Rava on their outside.
Also Fuimaono and Sims on the edges. I know Fuimaono had some poor games in 20 but he showed some real aggression, I like him.

 

[Maddragon99]

I would like to see Bird selected at centre. Its been so long since we've had potent centres.
Imagine Lomax on one side with Bird on the other. Ramsey and Rava on their outside.
Also Fuimaono and Sims on the edges. I know Fuimaono had some poor games in 20 but he showed some real aggression, I like him.

A lot of moving pieces that’s for sure. Max Feagai is the left centre for the next decade. A Max/Ramsey combo on the left could be electric. Bird will start off the bench & then play lock. Ford & Sims will be the second rowers. Fuimaono could have a role to play but he’ll have to prove himself first.

 

[SBD82]

I would like to see Bird selected at centre. Its been so long since we've had potent centres.
Imagine Lomax on one side with Bird on the other. Ramsey and Rava on their outside.
Also Fuimaono and Sims on the edges. I know Fuimaono had some poor games in 20 but he showed some real aggression, I like him.

My only real issue with this is that Bird and Lomax are both natural right side players.

Given time either one is probably talented enough to make the switch. But I wonder whether it’s worthwhile when we have Feagai there who looks ready, and we can fit both into the side on the right.

 

[possm]

I can get on board with this. Give him a job to hit everything that moves.

I'm still hopeing De Belin will be available to play 13 in 2021. Until he is available it should be a new backrow forward in tandem with Jack Bird who will scome off the bench.

Unless something dramatic happens in this off-season, I can't see the likes of Fui and Merrin getting much first grade time. Even Lawrie will have some difficulties if Griffin does not select 4 forwards on the bench - although Lawrie can play both prop and backrow.

My prop rotation is:
Kerr
Vaughan
Alvaro
Faamausili

In my opein Bird and one othr player will be on the bench with Lawrie and Ellis fighting hard to get a spot in first grade.

 

[Dragons2020]

My crack
1. Dufty
2. Ramsey
3. Fegai
4. Lomax
5. Fegai/Ravawala/Peraria
6. Hunt
7. Clune
8. Faamausili
9. McInnes
10.Vaughan
11.Sims
12. Is there anyone on the market still if not Ford
13. Bird

14. Alvaro
15. Ellis
16. Lawrie
17. Sullivan

not optimistic for this season but clear out some players in 2022 and might go ok

 

[Dragons2020]

My crack
1. Dufty
2. Ramsey
3. Fegai
4. Lomax
5. Fegai/Ravawala/Peraria
6. Hunt
7. Clune
8. Faamausili
9. McInnes
10.Vaughan
11.Sims
12. Is there anyone on the market still if not Ford
13. Bird

14. Alvaro
15. Ellis
16. Lawrie
17. Sullivan

not optimistic for this season but clear out some players in 2022 and might go ok

Oh I forgot Kerr. Drop Ellis

 

[possm]

My crack
1. Dufty
2. Ramsey
3. Fegai
4. Lomax
5. Fegai/Ravawala/Peraria
6. Hunt
7. Clune
8. Faamausili
9. McInnes
10.Vaughan
11.Sims
12. Is there anyone on the market still if not Ford
13. Bird

14. Alvaro
15. Ellis
16. Lawrie
17. Sullivan

not optimistic for this season but clear out some players in 2022 and might go ok

Which players do you want to clear out?

 

[redv13]

I'm still hopeing De Belin will be available to play 13 in 2021. Until he is available it should be a new backrow forward in tandem with Jack Bird who will scome off the bench.

Unless something dramatic happens in this off-season, I can't see the likes of Fui and Merrin getting much first grade time. Even Lawrie will have some difficulties if Griffin does not select 4 forwards on the bench - although Lawrie can play both prop and backrow.

My prop rotation is:
Kerr
Vaughan
Alvaro
Faamausili

In my opein Bird and one othr player will be on the bench with Lawrie and Ellis fighting hard to get a spot in first grade.

I think Lawrie showed more than enough last year that he will be in the 17 and he deserves to be there

 

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS


Late bloomer Clune goes all in on Red 7 as halves battle looms
Author
Troy Whittaker NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Tue 5 Jan 2021, 04:32 PM
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The late-blooming Adam Clune finally broke into first grade last season, but the incumbent Dragons halfback now has to prove himself to new coach Anthony Griffin.

Clune, who played 15 NRL matches after debuting in round four under Paul McGregor, isn't sure where he stands in Griffin's pecking order but said the coach has declared all spots up for grabs.

The 25-year-old developed steadily in 2020, fitting into the team because Origin star Ben Hunt often shifted from the halves to hooker, in turn pushing captain Cameron McInnes to lock.

Griffin believes he can get Hunt firing - so too five-eighth Corey Norman, having coached the pair at under-20s and NRL level for Brisbane - but hasn't given a firm indication on where he'll be used.

"We've got a new coaching staff here, some new systems, and we've got some great other players vying for the halves," Clune said.

"I've got to put my best foot forward at training every day, try to get better, because it's going to help my chances of getting a spot.

"I've got to trial well, train well, and if things fall into place then I'll be looking to take the opportunity. But I definitely don't feel like it's my jumper or I earnt that or I should get the first crack.

Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw


Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw

"I've got a lot of work to do to get that."

Clune said he hadn't yet spoken at length with Griffin about his potential role for the upcoming season.

"In terms of individual talk, I haven't had a whole lot to do. I've asked for a little bit of feedback and he's given me a little bit," he said.

"He's sort of said keep working hard and I need to keep talking on the field, obviously that's super important as a half."

Despite Griffin's deep-rooted connections with Hunt and Norman, Clune is confident that he'll have every chance to earn a jumper.

"I think Hook [Griffin] is a man of his word - that seems to be the case in terms of how we're approaching training. Everyone seems to be fighting for the spot, no one's really guaranteed a position," he said.

Having been on a part-time contract for several years until last season - subsequently earning a deal until the end of 2022 - Clune is feeling increasingly assured.

"Obviously very proud to get there and really stoked to be here, but hopefully that's just the start - I don't want to come and [only] play 15 games," he said.

"I really want to push for a long career. I love playing footy and I feel like I have something to offer the Dragons. I want to be here for a long time and help get the club to a premiership.

Clinical Clune sets up Pereira


Clinical Clune sets up Pereira

"I think coming into the 2021 pre-season, more so than even when I was playing last year, [I have] that belief. That's still something I'm really looking to build. It took me a while [to debut] and probably looked like it wasn't going to happen there at one stage.

"But I've really got that belief now that I can come in, help guide the team around and do a job as a seven, or a six if need be."

The addition of 2010 premiership-winning pivot Jamie Soward as a halves and kicking coach has helped Clune.

"Having Jamie coming here once each week and really focusing on kicking and giving us feedback while we're kicking has been super beneficial," he said.

"You can sort of tell from the way we started kicking in mid-November when he first came in to now, just little things and little comments that he's made have helped everyone."


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/202...-goes-all-in-on-red-7-as-halves-battle-looms/

 

[Dragonslayer]

I still think left centre is a position up for grabs at the moment.

We have 2 "specialist" left centres at the club.
The forgotten man in Sauni-Esau and the other being Williame. Both could easily play left wing.

We have the "not so specialist, but can play" left centres in the Feagai twins. Both also can play wing.

Then there's the untapped talent of Sloan, where do you play him when his time comes?

Noted that both SSE and Sloan only have DS contracts at this time.

Throw Schiller into the equation (hopefully sooner than later) and suddenly our backline is very congested.

At this stage, I think our rd 1 backline will look something like:

1. Dufty
2. Periera or Ravalawa
3. Max Feagai
4. Lomax
5. Ramsey

It wouldn't surprise me tbh, if Ramsey actually start the season in CC.

 

[ALSGI]

Really enjoyed reading Clune’s comments re Jamie Soward. Wish he could be engaged to coach more than once a week.

Hope Jamie is having same impact on Hunt, Norman, Sullivan, Dufty, Lomax and especially McInnes.

"Having Jamie coming here once each week and really focusing on kicking and giving us feedback while we're kicking has been super beneficial," he said.

"You can sort of tell from the way we started kicking in mid-November when he first came in to now, just little things and little comments that he's made have helped everyone."

 

[kit66]

I've spent part of my holidays at home watching some Dragons late season 2020 games and a few take-aways were ;
1. Ellis is very ordinary, not a bad defender but not much chop at making metres or ball playing and has a low work rate. He was very poor in our last game against a 2nd string Storm side. I can't find a spot for him in the 17 without massive improvement. We have better options.
2. Max Feagai is a very capable defender who I'd like to see in the 17 at centre if Bird plays lock or on the bench as utility back otherwise. Great tackling technique and good positionally.
3. Kerr is good enough to start at prop next to Vaughan, probably our best option for starting with good momentum with Alvaro and Faamausili on the bench - I'm expecting a big year from Josh.
4. Clune could play 5/8 and do pretty much what Widdop did for us - he plays those sweeping raids left or right exactly as Wids did and links well with our outside backs - he get's the importance of early ball out wide, among other things. Him at 6 and given more responsibility for organizing the side with Hunt at 7 with more freedom to play what he sees, worth a try. Clune and Dufty could tear teams apart given some good coaching.
5. Vaughan or someone needs to fill JDB's shoes as a ball playing forward and 1st receiver in the middle passing wide to the halves or short to his pack mates - like JDB did so well in 2018. This is something we lack badly.
6. Fuimaono is worth persisting with, he's an excellent, hard hitting defender, a handful for the opposition and he's only 24 with the potential to be a very good backrow partner for Tariq. I like Ford a lot but he needs to improve and learn to pass as well.
7. Sullivan has a bright future but will need constant protection in defence - same as Sowie back in the day - just need tight reliable defence around him a la Beau Scott, J.Smith and Costigan, run at Sullivan and you're going to get hit needs to be the message. In our last game against the Storm the opposition just kept running at him and making big metres every time, no-one stood up for him, can't let that happen ( of course that was partly Bellamy vs Young and our usual poor defensive structures ). I should add that Sullivan tried his best and was very brave on occasion in defence.
8. Losing Frizell, Host and Aitken is tough but also an opportunity for others to step up and I actually think that we can do better for 2 of those 3 with Frizell being the only real loss. We have no-one to replace him yet but I'm hoping that is our main target recruitment wise.
9. I hope we never see D.Young anywhere near our team again.
10. We have the players to make the 8 provided Hook settles on our best team asap and backs them for the whole season without much tinkering. Part of a necessary cultural change at the Dragons is to build confidence by backing our top 17 - 21 players all year, all the way. Players like Hunt and Dufty for example need that show of faith and they'll pay it back in spades.

 

[SBD82]

@kit66

Great post mate. Agree on almost all of it. But...

I've spent part of my holidays at home watching some Dragons late season 2020 games.

JFC mate. You’re a tougher person than I am.

 

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS


Less talk, more action needed as part of reboot: Kerr
Author
Troy Whittaker NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Wed 6 Jan 2021, 12:29 PM
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Josh Kerr is sick of the "empty words" from St George Illawarra and wants the team's actions to do the talking in 2021.

After disappointing finishes of 12th and 15th over the past two seasons, Kerr says it's time to put up or shut up.

"How many years, honestly, have you seen the Dragons say, 'We've got all these Origin players, how great we are', and we can't even make the [top] eight?" the prop said after training on Tuesday.

"That's the sort of thing I want to change. We need to actually start doing it instead of just talking about how good we can be.

"To be honest, it's embarrassing. We've just got to get it done. We've had a lot of experience walk out the door, but you look at Penrith and how young their side was and how well they did [in 2020]."

He may be reluctant to make any bold predictions on how the team will fare, but Kerr noted the good vibes under new coach Anthony Griffin and assistants Matthew Elliott and Peter Gentle.

Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw


Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw

The 24-year-old, who started his pre-season on Monday after a longer break, says he wasn't intending to disparage ex-mentor Paul McGregor but an overhaul was necessary.

"We weren't getting the results that we needed, so we needed a kick up the backside and a cleanout," he said.

"Pre-season's pre-season - you always hear about how everyone's dreading it, but everyone's loving rocking up. Yeah, it's tough as, but [the staff] actually make it more enjoyable by being more positive.

Dragons' top five tries of 2020


Dragons' top five tries of 2020

"Everyone's trying hard, everyone's doing it tough, and these blokes that are here coaching us and helping us ... I won't go into detail about years past, but you hear the old stories about [when] you're not doing so well, you're sort of getting sprayed.

"And these blokes, they're more understanding. It's a refresh of thinking, a new train of thinking.

"I don't want to go into detail or anything because it sounds like I'm saying how bad it used to be ... It's hard because I had a lot to do with Mary [McGregor] and I really liked him. He gave me my debut and he had a lot to do with me becoming a first-grader."

Kerr enjoyed a strong 2020 season despite St George Illawarra's poor results, earning a spot in the Maroons' triumphant State of Origin squad. He didn't play in the November series but won the Peter Jackson Memorial award for displaying Queensland spirit.

"It was honestly the best month of my life. It's literally a dream come true ... To go in there and meet those blokes and just to be a part of an environment that was like none other than I've seen before," he said.

To be honest, it's embarrassing. We've just got to go get it done

Dragons prop Josh Kerr
Having now played 27 NRL games and bolstered by his Maroons experience, Kerr hopes to step up for the Dragons and foster a similar feeling to the tight-knit Queensland camp.

"The boys have already started, they've already done an amazing job with the different culture that I've come back to," he said.

"I just want to try and be a leader as much as possible. I'm not a big fan of saying what I want to do, I'd rather just do it."


https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/01/06/less-talk-more-action-needed-as-part-of-reboot-kerr/

 

[kit66]

@kit66

Great post mate. Agree on almost all of it. But...

JFC mate. You’re a tougher person than I am.

I missed our last 5 or 6 games but wanted to see some of the young guys in action. I skipped the Newcastle game. I'm meant to be driving down to Newcastle and Sydney ( from Brisbane ) to see the family but don't want to get stuck anywhere so time to do my own 2020 Dragons Review - verdict - we sucked.....again.

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

I've spent part of my holidays at home watching some Dragons late season 2020 games and a few take-aways were ;
1. Ellis is very ordinary, not a bad defender but not much chop at making metres or ball playing and has a low work rate. He was very poor in our last game against a 2nd string Storm side. I can't find a spot for him in the 17 without massive improvement. We have better options.
2. Max Feagai is a very capable defender who I'd like to see in the 17 at centre if Bird plays lock or on the bench as utility back otherwise. Great tackling technique and good positionally.
3. Kerr is good enough to start at prop next to Vaughan, probably our best option for starting with good momentum with Alvaro and Faamausili on the bench - I'm expecting a big year from Josh.
4. Clune could play 5/8 and do pretty much what Widdop did for us - he plays those sweeping raids left or right exactly as Wids did and links well with our outside backs - he get's the importance of early ball out wide, among other things. Him at 6 and given more responsibility for organizing the side with Hunt at 7 with more freedom to play what he sees, worth a try. Clune and Dufty could tear teams apart given some good coaching.
5. Vaughan or someone needs to fill JDB's shoes as a ball playing forward and 1st receiver in the middle passing wide to the halves or short to his pack mates - like JDB did so well in 2018. This is something we lack badly.
6. Fuimaono is worth persisting with, he's an excellent, hard hitting defender, a handful for the opposition and he's only 24 with the potential to be a very good backrow partner for Tariq. I like Ford a lot but he needs to improve and learn to pass as well.
7. Sullivan has a bright future but will need constant protection in defence - same as Sowie back in the day - just need tight reliable defence around him a la Beau Scott, J.Smith and Costigan, run at Sullivan and you're going to get hit needs to be the message. In our last game against the Storm the opposition just kept running at him and making big metres every time, no-one stood up for him, can't let that happen ( of course that was partly Bellamy vs Young and our usual poor defensive structures ). I should add that Sullivan tried his best and was very brave on occasion in defence.
8. Losing Frizell, Host and Aitken is tough but also an opportunity for others to step up and I actually think that we can do better for 2 of those 3 with Frizell being the only real loss. We have no-one to replace him yet but I'm hoping that is our main target recruitment wise.
9. I hope we never see D.Young anywhere near our team again.
10. We have the players to make the 8 provided Hook settles on our best team asap and backs them for the whole season without much tinkering. Part of a necessary cultural change at the Dragons is to build confidence by backing our top 17 - 21 players all year, all the way. Players like Hunt and Dufty for example need that show of faith and they'll pay it back in spades.

Agree with all of this except having Hunt at 7 and that losing Aitkin is "tough".

 

[kit66]

Agree with all of this except having Hunt at 7 and that losing Aitkin is "tough".

It's a tough call, I like Hunt at 9 too but then I remember the first half of 2018 when the Hunt / Widdop combo were the form halves in the comp with Wids controlling the game and Hunt creating off the back of that ( and a strong pack giving him space ). We were unbeatable for a while there.

 

[redVinme]

It's a tough call, I like Hunt at 9 too but then I remember the first half of 2018 when the Hunt / Widdop combo were the form halves in the comp with Wids controlling the game and Hunt creating off the back of that ( and a strong pack giving him space ). We were unbeatable for a while there.

Even though we did play some exciting football at the start of 18 I honestly believe it was more due to the refs cracking down on ruck early in the year. We haven't had ruck control for years so it suited us as we don't like to get a lot of players in tackles and peel off slowly or test the refs. Teams like roosters (who had a terrible Start if I recall), storm etc who control the ruck well and wrestle were heavily penalised and not used to the tempo. After a while the game went back to WWE as the nrl couldn't let the poor roosters etc suffer.

On top of that it really proved to me that both Widdop and hunt are front foot players who thrived with a quick ruck and were probably too similar for long term success.

The good teams improved and we fell in a heap and limped in.

You didn't ask for my opinion but I see a lot of posters mention it and I've always seen it differently.