Saints have signed Billy Brittain

[Warabrook saint]

We sign a lot of rejects and there are some rejects from other clubs rejecting us. I guess we have become the Reject Shop of the NRL.

We have to start looking for more butchers in the bush

 

[BLM01]

We sign a lot of rejects and there are some rejects from other clubs rejecting us. I guess we have become the Reject Shop of the NRL.

Thx to Mc9 Career Coach at the helm it will continue. Poor Millward how does he lure anyone of decent quality to the Dragons

 

[redandwhite4evr]

If Merrin is at 98kg's then he is full on being groomed into the lock position. He needs more mobility for that role and given his height, listed at 181cm, he really needs the right height/weight ratio.

Cameron Murray for example is 184cm and 90kg's

Back in the 60s and 70s, the Poms used to refer to their "lock" forwards as loose forwards- their 13 (at the time) and our number 8 were very different. Our lock forwards were mostly very mobile- strong in attack on the edges and speedy enough to run down wingers in cover defence. Ron Coote was probably the best example of this prototype.

Our great Johnny Raper was more like the clever English loose forwards- particularly in attack and as he aged and the injuries piled up. Two of the best examples of that type of English "loose forward" who played in Australia after Raper retired were Malcolm Reilly and Steve Norton. They were clever with the ball in hand but brutal (and often illegal) middle defenders. Raper, like them, would run to the line and put players through gaps. While he was a typically Australian speedy cover defender in his early years, this changed as he slowed and he became quite a tough- but always legal- middle defender.

Australia moved to the international numbering system and obviously, the No 13 position has evolved since that time. But, if Merrin is being groomed as De Belin's No 13 replacement, I see him as something of a throw-back to that clever English ball playing loose forward of yesteryear. That is why he was (briefly) feted at Leeds but then despised for back flipping on his commitment to the club. However, I don't recall him possessing the tough defence of a yesteryear Reilly or a current De Belin.

The word is that Flanno has responsibility for our defensive systems so it will be interesting to see how he accommodates Merrin at No 13 -if that is the plan- to ensure that our porous defence from last year is much tighter.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Robson was Canterbury Cup hooker of the year too. I would have rather we signed Brittian before Luke. I know there were some rapts on Brittian at Souths. I don't see him as a bad signing. I still see Luke as a bad signing. I would rather see Brittian given a run than Luke.

Agree Frank-have you ever seen such a contrast between a starting hooker (Brandon Smith) and his replacement?- Luke was bog average. And please come back to be our CEO again- only you could sign the big name players we so desperately need.

PS I still believe in miracles.

 

[Frank Facer]

So now we have 5 hookers:
McInnes
Hunt
Luke
Lovadova
Brittian

Would have rather we had used the salary for Lovadova and Brittian and just kept Robson:
McInnes
Robson
Hunt - for an emergency

We should have let McInnes go and not bought Luke.

We already have a state of origin hooker. There is a good chance that Robson will also be a future state of origin hooker.

 

[Slackboy72]

So now we have 5 hookers:

I think I downloaded this movie...

 

[BLM01]

We should have let McInnes go and not bought Luke.

We already have a state of origin hooker. There is a good chance that Robson will also be a future state of origin hooker.

So we shouls have let Mcinnes go?. Replace him with whom?...Robson, Lovudua for regular 1st grade
Ha...I know.... when Robson takes Cook's spot in origin you were the 1st to call it
Sailor to centre?...That too!
Frank.........

 

[Frank Facer]

So we shouls have let Mcinnes go?. Replace him with whom?...Robson, Lovudua for regular 1st grade
Ha...I know.... when Robson takes Cook's spot in origin you were the 1st to call it
Sailor to centre?...That too!
Frank.........

I would have let McInnes go. I would have had Robson pencilled in 80 minutes at hooker. Hunt would have been pencilled in for 5/8. He would have also be my next hooker option, with either Clune or Sailor partnering Norman in the halves. Tariq would have been my captain.

Yep, When Robson takes Cook's origin spot, I will probably have been the first to call it. Although I know there a few on this site who also have a very high opinion of Robson and think he will play origin in the future.

As for Sailor at centre. I haven't given it any consideration, except when someone else suggested it and I said that it would be worth a try, instead of playing Aitken and Lafai. You should know by now that I view Sailor as a 5/8.

 

[blue bags]

Didn’t Billy Birmingham do the 12th man?
Didn’t know he played.
Marvellous that, Richie.
It’s all happening.....

12th mann. 12 hookers, 12 players, 24 + 12 = 36 ?

 

[SnowDragon]

I didn’t see Billy on the park today. Was he? Is he injured? Or is there a sign here?
How do I read this?

 

[redv13]

I didn’t see Billy on the park today. Was he? Is he injured? Or is there a sign here?
How do I read this?

George Dragon said he was carrying a shoulder injury. Wasn’t named

 

[Maddragon99]

George Dragon said he was carrying a shoulder injury. Wasn’t named

My mine McCullough isn’t worth the hassle or the price. I want to start with Brittian, Nathan Peats is unsigned & would be very cheap failing that perhaps a mid season signing from the UK? Hodgson from Canberra goes pretty well.

 

[blacksafake]

My mine McCullough isn’t worth the hassle or the price. I want to start with Brittian, Nathan Peats is unsigned & would be very cheap failing that perhaps a mid season signing from the UK? Hodgson from Canberra goes pretty well.

Would like to see Billy get more game time.
Pests I can do without.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Would like to see Billy get more game time.
Pests I can do without.

Yeah I like BB, I thought Wishart had a few nice touches tonight but he obviously hasn't played for a long long time. I know coming through the ranks he was a 5/8 but who knows he's young enough got a little a bit of size about him, especially in the legs and looked pretty speedy out of dummy half. With a bit of work who knows he could make a nice 9. How nice would it be to have a Wishart junior in the ranks.

 

[redv13]

Yeah I like BB, I thought Wishart had a few nice touches tonight but he obviously hasn't played for a long long time. I know coming through the ranks he was a 5/8 but who knows he's young enough got a little a bit of size about him, especially in the legs and looked pretty speedy out of dummy half. With a bit of work who knows he could make a nice 9. How nice would it be to have a Wishart junior in the ranks.

I like BB but I’m concerned with so many head knocks so early. Not good

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I like BB but I’m concerned with so many head knocks so early. Not good

He’s 26 odd.

 

[redv13]

He’s 26 odd.

I meant games wise. Only played 7 FG games

 

[Maddragon99]

Would like to see Billy get more game time.
Pests I can do without.

Agree with you about Peats but he is available as a backup & would be minimum wage.

Assuming McCullough isn’t available plus he’s 32 next year Brandon Smith is starting to look very good for ‘22 & beyond.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Agree with you about Peats but he is available as a backup & would be minimum wage.

Assuming McCullough isn’t available plus he’s 32 next year Brandon Smith is starting to look very good for ‘22 & beyond.

The fact we have signed Macca for 3 years says to me the cheese is well and truly off the platter.

 

[Maddragon99]

I meant games wise. Only played 7 FG games

Anyway, now McInnes is out of the picture Hunt to 9 & Clune to 7.

Very cruel thing to say I know but I wish it was Corey Norman who did his knee