Team vs Eels Trial Game 1

[Dragon David]

We are on the doorstep of the new season with our first trial this weekend and while things seem to be changing at a management level, i guess some things will always stay the same. For years i have complained about the media presentation of things happening around the club and the club catering to the interests of our supporters by way of keeping us feeling involved as to what is going on. Sure i see a couple of pics from training have popped up on twitter today but seriously, it's been over a month since we got some real pictures from training on the clubs website and this is just a complete joke. Here's the news page from the club website...

News

News, video and photos from the St George Illawarra Dragons rugby league football club.

www.dragons.com.au

No pics from training for over a month...The last player interview they did was over 2 weeks ago with Burgess. No junior results. And we've just extended Griffin and not even a video by the club or the man himself. All we get is a worded statement.

Compare that to this...

South Sydney Rabbitohs – News

New Section

www.rabbitohs.com.au

Video stories about junior developmental players, pictures from social events the players attend, a pathways wrap up including 36 photos so fans can at least see what some of these juniors look like, a pre-season rehab report video ( remember we used to get those with Nathan Pickworth, alas no more) and a total of 40 pictures over the last week of their preparations for their trial in Cairns against the Cowboys.

The way our club deals with this type of stuff has annoyed me for years and by the looks of it, even with the new management it hasn't changed. Anyone in business knows it's the little things you do well that count and keeping supporters feeling involved and invested in the team and the goings on around the club, would help no end in growing the supporter base.

I swear if i had anything to do with management at our club i'd fire the media department so fast their heads would spin.

Anyway rant over. Looking forward to how the team goes on Sunday. I'll be sure to watch carefully because i guarantee the wrap up on the club website will be virtually non-existent

My brother sees more stuff about the Dragons on Facebook. I'm not on Facebook so rely on the club adding stuff on their website which isn't much.

An interview with Hook is important as far as I am concerned and more photos of the guys training and mixing socially, if in fact that is what they are doing.

They should do a spread on all of the guys who will play the first trial game - photos of each player and their details would be nice.

 

[BLM01]

he had more than one plan?

He somehow convinced Brad Arthur he has as well as a few whiteboards and plenty of left over butcher paper.

 

[kit66]

Ignoring the bit where he came in off his wing to ineffectually help complete a tackle that resulted in an offload and a try in the corner. Otherwise he was great to watch. I still rate him as a winger rather than a fullback.

I know it's only a trial but I hope that Hook isn't just going to use the random names generator when doing his team selections again this year. Ultimately it's no more effective than McFlop's "copy & paste"method, as 8 losses in a row attests.

Now that his tenure is settled until 2023 I think Hook will be less inclined to adopt a win at all costs mentality. Last year he kept picking Norman because of his experience and superior kicking game and because picking others in that position, particularly inexperienced juniors was too risky (in Hook's eyes). Hopefully, he'll be more inclined to take a chance on those with a lot of potential and more importantly give the kids time to settle in and not panic if we lose a couple of games like he did last year. Cut & pasting isn't so bad if the team he keeps picking keeps winning or improving and competing really well. If he does something like throws Mbye in the halves and just keeps picking him win or lose then we''ll have something to worry about.

 

[kit66]

We are on the doorstep of the new season with our first trial this weekend and while things seem to be changing at a management level, i guess some things will always stay the same. For years i have complained about the media presentation of things happening around the club and the club catering to the interests of our supporters by way of keeping us feeling involved as to what is going on. Sure i see a couple of pics from training have popped up on twitter today but seriously, it's been over a month since we got some real pictures from training on the clubs website and this is just a complete joke. Here's the news page from the club website...

News

News, video and photos from the St George Illawarra Dragons rugby league football club.

www.dragons.com.au

No pics from training for over a month...The last player interview they did was over 2 weeks ago with Burgess. No junior results. And we've just extended Griffin and not even a video by the club or the man himself. All we get is a worded statement.

Compare that to this...

South Sydney Rabbitohs – News

New Section

www.rabbitohs.com.au

Video stories about junior developmental players, pictures from social events the players attend, a pathways wrap up including 36 photos so fans can at least see what some of these juniors look like, a pre-season rehab report video ( remember we used to get those with Nathan Pickworth, alas no more) and a total of 40 pictures over the last week of their preparations for their trial in Cairns against the Cowboys.

The way our club deals with this type of stuff has annoyed me for years and by the looks of it, even with the new management it hasn't changed. Anyone in business knows it's the little things you do well that count and keeping supporters feeling involved and invested in the team and the goings on around the club, would help no end in growing the supporter base.

I swear if i had anything to do with management at our club i'd fire the media department so fast their heads would spin.

Anyway rant over. Looking forward to how the team goes on Sunday. I'll be sure to watch carefully because i guarantee the wrap up on the club website will be virtually non-existent

I think NRL.com runs all the club sites -they're linked and the same format. Apparently NRL.com have a deal with Fox and 9 not cover nrl news, just do basic stuff like game info, signings, match reports etc. You click on NEWS on the NRL.com site now and just a bunch of highlights comes up.

 

[be55]

I think NRL.com runs all the club sites -they're linked and the same format. Apparently NRL.com have a deal with Fox and 9 not cover nrl news, just do basic stuff like game info, signings, match reports etc. You click on NEWS on the NRL.com site now and just a bunch of highlights comes up.

Yes mate you are obviously correct. Each clubs site is formatted the same as NRL.com so you must be correct that they are in charge of this, but surely it is the club that is providing a great deal of the content. When you look at most other teams much more info is being provided.

Here's two more...

News

News, video and photos from the Canberra Raiders rugby league football club.

www.raiders.com.au

News

News, video and photos from the Melbourne Storm rugby league football club.

www.melbournestorm.com.au

More pictures, more interviews, junior team lists and results and just generally more info for the fans to engage with.

Mate...i just want our club to be better. I'm tired of always been behind the eight ball compared to other clubs. I know it just pictures from training and interviews but the more of this that Dragons fans can get their hands on the better...

 

[randomdragon]

No - the clubs run their own sites. Yes they are formatted the same but clubs have dedicated media managers who produce content that they would like too. I will admit dragons videos and content has drastically increased compare to last year however it still has a way to go.

 

[Gareth67]

Here’s to each of the players that they may put their best foot forward , that they all come through without any injuries.

Regardless of the outcome of the match , we need to remember that it is a trial .

 

[kit66]

Yes mate you are obviously correct. Each clubs site is formatted the same as NRL.com so you must be correct that they are in charge of this, but surely it is the club that is providing a great deal of the content. When you look at most other teams much more info is being provided.

Here's two more...

News

News, video and photos from the Canberra Raiders rugby league football club.

www.raiders.com.au

News

News, video and photos from the Melbourne Storm rugby league football club.

www.melbournestorm.com.au

More pictures, more interviews, junior team lists and results and just generally more info for the fans to engage with.

Mate...i just want our club to be better. I'm tired of always been behind the eight ball compared to other clubs. I know it just pictures from training and interviews but the more of this that Dragons fans can get their hands on the better...

Yeah, I know, considering it's the country's premier sport you'd expect better. They're trying to attract new members but our PR is woeful. A couple of weeks until kick off and they still haven't updated the new players photos on the Team page. There's a lot more they could do. I'm sure you or I or many on this forum could do a better job and put a bit of passion into it, at the very least we'd have a better understanding of what the fans want.

 

[Draginzaaar]

No - the clubs run their own sites. Yes they are formatted the same but clubs have dedicated media managers who produce content that they would like too. I will admit dragons videos and content has drastically increased compare to last year however it still has a way to go.

There's heaps of stuff on there. Don't have to over saturate.

 

[baggygreen man]

Come on the mighty Dragons. Surprise us all and have a big year. Win this first one for "Chook".

 

[baggygreen man]

Poasa Faamausili.

When did we sign him from the Roosters. Did he play much first grade?

 

[Crush]

Just looking at the team list, Dragons are playing a lot of our top line players in this trial, many more than other teams. I had a look at the Sharks vs Panthers lists and both teams are only playing 3 or 4 regular starters, Sharks backline is all players that won’t be there round 1.
Can’t wait to see how our boys go, especially Ramsey, Sloan, Suli, Moga….

 

[dragon thomo]

The Dragons maybe playing some first graders but there are a lot of our players not playing. I would not take to much out of this game except for players like moga and burgess

 

[baggygreen man]

Disagree. Gives these unknowns the chance to showcase their talents and potential for first grade.

 

[be55]

Obviously very interesting for all of us to get to see some of these new recruits to the club and we can get a glimpse as to what they can bring to the table. Francis Molo and George Burgess and Moga and i'm particularly interested in Suli. I think he has the potential to be a strike weapon for us at left centre as long as the coaching staff can keep his head in the game. Ball in hand he can be tremendous but my worries will be when it comes to defence. Going by the team lists i think he will be marking up on Will Penisini ,who from memory plays right centre. He is tremendous on his feet and a real strike centre and good test for Suli. He'll only be given limited minutes and it is only our first trial so not too worried about the outcome.

I'll also be interested in some of the lesser names on the interchange list...
20. Michael Molo
21. Josh Coric
22. Connor Muhleisen
23. Jackson Shereb
24. Bailey Antrobus

Michael Molo comes from the Queensland reserve grade comp where he performed well last year. Coric and Shereb are held in very high regard by the club as reported by @George Dragon on many occasions. I think Griffin even mentioned in an interview that it was only injury that kept us from seeing Coric at some stage last year. Connor Muhleisen is a dummy half that, many on here have crowned the heir apparent to the hooking role. And Bailey Antrobus is someone i have always thought highly of. He came through SG ball at around the time Bud and co did but had many injuries as a junior. He and Muhleisen played some reserve grade last year. I went to a juniors game at Leichhardht a few years ago and Antrobus was very good. I've thought highly of him ever since. Most of these guys are still very young and time will tell if they make it to first grade.

Dragons confirm 2022 training contracts

St George Illawarra have confirmed its pre-season training contract squad as the Dragons' preparations for the upcoming 2022 season continue.

www.dragons.com.au

It's only our first trial but great to have the footy back...

 

[kit66]

Poasa Faamausili.

When did we sign him from the Roosters. Did he play much first grade?

We signed him for 2 years at the end of 2020, he's played 11 games for us mostly off the bench ( he played 24 games for the Roosters over 3 years and 4 on loan to the Warriors). At 26 and having failed to fulfill his potential I can't see us extending his contract. He'll be handy in reserves. His defence is OK but he'd have to have close to the worst stats in the league for average metres for a prop.

 

[Jeremy Dragon]

Just looking at the team list, Dragons are playing a lot of our top line players in this trial, many more than other teams. I had a look at the Sharks vs Panthers lists and both teams are only playing 3 or 4 regular starters, Sharks backline is all players that won’t be there round 1.
Can’t wait to see how our boys go, especially Ramsey, Sloan, Suli, Moga….

Did you c the Manly side

 

[Crush]

Did you c the Manly side

Yeah they played quite a few of their stars didn’t they, Tommy looked unstoppable as usual.

 

[OhWhenTheSaints]

Just seeing Mary standing behind Tariq on the sideline wearing blue and gold gave me a sense of optimism.

 

[Dragsters]

Geez, Woods is looking fit!