St George Illawarra’s best 17 for 2019 NRL season: Welcome headaches and backline dilemmas for Red V
Dragons
The Dragons' best 17 for 2019.Source: FOX SPORTS
Paul McGregor once again has a roster brimming with talent.
The challenge for the St George Illawarra coach is working out the right combinations between players in order to make sure he’s got his strongest side on the park.
Therein lies the welcome headache — for 2019 anyway.
McGregor now has Corey Norman at his disposal following the playmaker’s release from Parramatta.
Round 1
Norman’s signing will make the Dragons even more of an attacking threat, but his addition to the line-up means someone will miss out.
St George Illawarra Dragons player Gareth Widdop, who will leave at the end of the 2019 season, with head coach Paul McGregor.Source: AAP
The good money is on Norman slotting into five-eighth to play alongside his former Brisbane teammate in Ben Hunt, with skipper Gareth Widdop shifting to fullback where he’s played intermittently throughout his career.
With Widdop to leave at the end of the season, it would allow Norman and Hunt to form their combination a year in advance.
If that’s the case, livewire fullback Matt Dufty faces the prospect of a season biding his time in reserve grade, unless McGregor finds a suitable way to use him off the bench.
Elsewhere in the backline, there’s a curious case as to how the outside backs will line-up in 2019.
Nene Macdonald (North Queensland) and Jason Nightingale (retired) are no longer there, so a wing spot is up for grabs — if Jordan Pereira grabs the other.
While Euan Aitken was injured last season, Zac Lomax showed last season he’s got what it takes to be a star at NRL level.
Lomax could move out to the wing, but many consider him to be a representative centre in the making.
Should Lomax oust Aitken, it leaves the likes of new faces Mikaela Ravalawa and Jonus Pearson competing for a wing spot.
Pre-season trials could decide a number of these dilemmas, but they’re good ones to have for a team that looks likely to give the top eight a red hot crack again.
Zac Lomax made his NRL debut in 2018. Picture: Richard DobsonSource: News Corp Australia
THE STRENGTH
Forward pack.
This is nothing new for the Red V, who boast one of the most agile packs in the competition.
The likes of Paul Vaughan and Tariq Sims will be full of confidence after making their NSW Origin debuts last year, while youngsters Luciano Leilua and Blake Lawrie will be better after more NRL game time.
The biggest absence will be Ah Mau who has joined the Warriors, but Korbin Sims has been brought in to fill that void.
There is still a huge question mark over the future of star lock Jack de Belin who faces a aggravated sexual assault charge.
PRESSURE IS ON
Corey Norman.
Plenty of attention will be on the Dragons’ high profile off-season recruit following his release from the Eels.
Norman is a player who has shown glimpses of brilliance over his career, but has struggled to find the consistency to go with it.
His chequered off-field behaviour also hasn’t helped, but perhaps a change of scenery is what he needs.
He’ll need to find his feet quickly at the Dragons because they’ll be relying on him to produce success once Widdop leaves in 2020 and beyond.
THE RISING STAR
Mikaela Ravalawa.
Hailing from Fiji, the 21-year-old flyer has joined the Dragons on a two-year deal as he chases an NRL berth.
Ravalawa has a rugby union background and even captained Fiji’s under-18s sevens team before being scouted by Canberra.
In 2017, he was named the Raiders under-20s player of year after scoring 12 tries in 22 games.
He spent the 2018 season mostly playing for Mounties in the Intrust Super Premiership where he scored 11 tries in 13 games.
THE UNLUCKY ONES
Matt Dufty, Jonus Pearson, Reece Robson, Jacob Host and Josh Kerr.
The biggest loser from Norman’s arrival is quite clearly Dufty, who played a full season at fullback in 2018.
Whether McGregor sees utility value in the speedster remains to be seen, but it appears likely he’ll have to bide his time in reserve grade.
Pearson provides good cover for the outside backs and could push for a starting spot if Lomax secures a place in the centres as opposed to wing.
Robson will keep Cameron McInnes on his toes and could be a bench option, while Host and Kerr will also push for spots on the bench.
Matt Dufty could find himself in reserve grade in 2018 after Corey Norman’s arrival. Picture. Phil HillyardSource: News Corp Australia
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR
Paul McGregor.
The premiership window is wide open for the Dragons, but McGregor must figure out a way to eradicate his side’s late-season fades after promising starts.
It’s also the last year he’ll have to work with one of the game’s best playmakers, Widdop.
If he manages to do this and the team stay injury-free, a title is a real possibility for the Dragons.
McGregor is also off-contract at the end of 2019, so this year looms as a crucial one in his coaching career.
DRAGONS’ BEST 17
1. Gareth Widdop
2. Zac Lomax
3. Euan Aitken
4. Tim Lafai
5. Jordan Pereira
6. Corey Norman
7. Ben Hunt
8. James Graham
9. Cameron McInnes
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Tariq Sims
13. Jack de Belin
14. Korbin Sims
15. Luciano Leilua
16. Jeremy Latimore
17. Blake Lawrie
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...v/news-story/64b0514c05fa120902477d5a04b79658
