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Round 12 vs Souths

Dragon Revival

Juniors
Messages
1,603
The Dragons usually get off to a bad start. I believe that Kerr should start to improve the attack along with Sailor. I thought that Saab was Nigerian.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
team_web12.jpg


TEAM LISTS


Presented By

NRL team: Indigenous Round v South Sydney
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Tue 28 Jul 2020, 03:55 PM

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has named his mandatory 21-man squad ahead of the Dragons' Indigenous Round clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium – Home of the Bidjigal/Bediagal peoples on Thursday, July 30.

Corey Norman will celebrate his 200th NRL game against South Sydney alongside Ben Hunt, who has been named in the halves for the first time since Round 4. Skipper Cameron McInnes returns to hooker while Jackson Ford has been named at lock.

Tariq Sims and Jordan Pereira (both suspension) return in the back row and at wing respectively, with Tyrell Fuimaono dropping back to the bench and Jason Saab shifting outside of the 17.

Fuimaono is joined on the interchange by Tristan Sailor who will play his first game of the 2020 season, with Adam Clune and Trent Merrin both out due to concussion.

All five Dragons indigenous players have been named in this week's 21-man squad given also the selection of Jayden Sullivan in the reserves. He is joined in the wider squad by Kaide Ellis as a potential first time Dragon.


NRL squad for Round 12 v South Sydney Rabbitohs –
1. Matt Dufty – sponsored by EFEX
2. Jordan Pereira – sponsored by Wollongong Jetski
3. Euan Aitken – sponsored by University of Wollongong
4. Zac Lomax – sponsored by Floormania
5. Mikaele Ravalawa – sponsored by Nutrition Station
6. Corey Norman – sponsored by Kingsgrove Sports Centre
7. Ben Hunt – sponsored by Paul's Customs and Forwarding Solutions
8. Blake Lawrie – sponsored by SMAI
9. Cameron McInnes (c) – sponsored by Dincel Construction System
10. Paul Vaughan – sponsored by Fox Property
11. Tyson Frizell – sponsored by Modus Projects
12. Tariq Sims – sponsored by Stonemasons & Landscapers (since 1970)
13. Jackson Ford – sponsored by Bodytech Fitness

Interchange:
14. Tyrell Fuimaono (Wiradjuri) – sponsored by CMG Audio Visual
15. Josh Kerr (Quandamooka) – sponsored by Professionals Padstow
16. Jacob Host – sponsored by TripADeal
17. Tristan Sailor (Erub (Darnley) Island) – sponsored by Baytek Construction
18. Kaide Ellis
19. Jason Saab (Anaiwan) – sponsored by Baytek Construction
20. Jayden Sullivan (Yuin)
21. Korbin Sims


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/07/28/nrl-team-indigenous-round-v-south-sydney/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Paul McGregor turns to rookie to help save St George Illawarra season
Dragons Den
r0_410_4728_3079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

Attacking threat: Tristan Sailor. Picture: NRL Imagery.

St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has turned to the son of an NRL legend to help keep his side's season alive.

Tristan Sailor has been named on the bench for Thursday night's crucial clash with South Sydney, with injuries forcing McGregor into a reshuffle.

Adam Clune and Trent Merrin are unavailable due to concussions, with Ben Hunt returning to halfback, Cameron McInnes named at hooker and Jackson Ford at lock.


The Dragons welcome back Tariq Sims and Jordan Pereira from suspension, with Tyrell Fuimaono shifting to the bench and Jason Saab dropping out of the 17.

Sailor impressed in three games last season and many fans have been clamouring for the son of former dual international Wendell Sailor to receive an opportunity in a challenging year for the Dragons.

That shot will come this weekend and McInnes is confident the exciting prospect will take it with both hands.

"I think last year he showed when he played a few games the occasion doesn't overawe him," McInnes said.

"I thought he played really well on debut against the Roosters and after that as well. The thing about Tristan is he's a very confident kid and very versatile, and quite an exciting attacking player.

"If he gets the opportunity, he'll be really excited to go and pretty threatening out there."

The Dragons reshuffle will see McInnes return to his usual hooker position.

The skipper dispelled earlier reports he is frustrated about the mid-season shift to lock, instead revealing he has enjoyed the move.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I played a fair bit there as a kid, so it's been good to be able to play there lately, especially with Hunty at hooker.

"It's good I can play both. If the team needs me to play hooker, I'll do that.

"Before, I viewed myself as a hooker who could play lock, whereas now I don't really have a preference for either, I really enjoy both."

The Rabbitohs will be bolstered by the return of Latrell Mitchell, the fullback having served a two-game suspension. Liam Knight and Patrick Mago have also been named on the bench.

Thursday's match is shaping as season defining for St George Illawarra, with the side desperate to remain in touch with the top eight.

The Rabbitohs are one of a group of five fighting for two spots, Wayne Bennett's team currently sitting 10th on 10 points. The Dragons are two points back in 11th.

A loss could leave the side six points outside the eight with eight games to play and matches against five of the top six teams still to come.

St George Illawarra have been improving each week, however McInnes said his squad must start to play for the full 80 minutes in order to start winning consistently.

"There's still periods of the games whether it's errors or penalties, or last week I think the Sharks were just more physical for about 20 minutes and took the game over. That's our next step, working on those little periods there.

"We played well in patches, but if you're going to play that way and have 15-20 minutes where you let the other side dominate, you're going to find yourself in games like that.

"You might win one week, but you might lose the next. We need to fix that because you can't just leave it up to chance at the end of the game.

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...okie-to-help-save-st-george-illawarra-season/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
mcinnesc-1gp_6277.jpg


DRAGONS


Why positional switch has McInnes in Origin frame
Author
Brad Walter Reporting from Dharawal nation
Timestamp
Tue 28 Jul 2020, 07:07 PM
walterbrad-head.png

Cameron McInnes no longer regards himself solely as a hooker and his willingness to embrace a new role could help his State of Origin ambitions.

The Dragons captain will return to the hooking role for Thursday's match against South Sydney, the club he appeared destined to captain before the emergence of Blues rake Damien Cook.

The move was forced by Ben Hunt reverting to halfback after Adam Clune was concussed last weekend.

McInnes and Cook are considered the top two hookers in NSW, with little separating them before Cook was given the nod over McInnes in 2018. The Rabbitohs No.9 has since played in back-to-back series wins.



However, the hooking duel is unlikely to help determine the Origin fate of Cook and McInnes, as it may have in recent seasons, because the Dragons star has demonstrated in the last seven weeks that he could also be an option for the NSW interchange in place of injured Roosters lock Victor Radley.

"I guess it's good that I can do both so if the team need me to play hooker I will do that but I think that before I viewed myself as a hooker who could play lock whereas now, to be honest, I don't really have a preference for either," McInnes said.

"I view myself as a footy player more than a positional player so hooker, lock or wherever, I don’t mind. As long as I am playing footy I am happy. I really enjoy both, which is pretty pleasing to come out of this season for me."

The move to lock has enabled McInnes to do slightly less tackling but more running with the ball, and his fellow forwards have spoken about how he has been able to direct them around easier.

Hunt has also revelled in the hooking role after being selected as the interchange utility for the round five win against Cronulla before taking on the dummy-half duties fulltime four weeks later.

"I think the way that Hunty plays hooker and I play hooker is probably very, very different," McInnes said.

"He is so creative, he has got a great kicking game out of there, whereas I suppose the way I play, I pride myself on defence, work-rate and things like that.

“At lock, I feel that I can do the same things in defence but I am able to run the ball a bit more, which I really enjoy doing.

"Sometimes at hooker, I probably get in the mode of where the ball needs to go so I very much enjoy that No.13 role and I feel it has been working very well for the team."


Since St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor handed Clune his debut and made the positional changes, the Dragons have won four of their seven matches and lost in controversial circumstances last weekend after the Bunker incorrectly awarded a try to Sharks forward Jack Williams.

With Clune and interchange forward Trent Merrin ruled out because of the five-day turn-around after failing HIA's last Saturday night, McInnes and Hunt will return to their more traditional positions against the Rabbitohs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

huntb-1gp_6468.jpg

Dragons utility Ben Hunt. :copyright:Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
There had been speculation that rival clubs may make a move for McInnes if he was unhappy not playing hooker but the 26-year-old said he hoped to stay at St George Illawarra beyond next season.

"I'm not looking to go elsewhere. I am only under contract for next year but hopefully, good things happen and we work it out," he said.

While McGregor loses two players, he also welcomes back second-rower Tariq Sims and winger Jordan Pereira from suspension.

Jackson Ford will start at lock, with Tyrell Fuimaono moving to the interchange after deputising for Sims last week, along with prop Josh Kerr, second-rower Jacob Host and back Tristan Sailor.


https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/07/28/why-positional-switch-has-mcinnes-in-origin-frame/
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,335
What a shame we are back to Hunt at halfback. Get ready for kicks into the legs of opposition, kicks out over the sideline on the full, maybe even a miss-kicked goal line drop out?
And at least 1 ball he'll drop cold in a pressure moment.
It would make a fun drinking game.
Skull every time he falls to pieces.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,965
I'm so glad to see Jayden Sullivan make the list of 21. Fair dinkum if Sailor is not committed for 2021 what are we doing. Best to give a young player like Sullivan a taste and see what he can do in first grade.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
17,993
I'm so glad to see Jayden Sullivan make the list of 21. Fair dinkum if Sailor is not committed for 2021 what are we doing. Best to give a young player like Sullivan a taste and see what he can do in first grade.
Why single at Sailor?
There are many in our squad not committed to 2020 let alone 2021.
 

Lethal25

Juniors
Messages
1,502
Anyone take note of Pereiras sponsor. I thought that was reserved for signing the big guns???
 

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