The Backline...

[TheRev]

Next year Saints should make a play for Thurston. If there is 1 player who can get the Dragons a GF it is him. A quality player who fires in the big games.

I mean I do agree with you, id love to see an experienced/superstar half at our club, because we dont know yet if Soward will make the leap... however there is no way I think we could afford a $400+ player like that (if he even stays in the NRL!), also with Henry only 1 year away from 1st grade.. but like I said, Soward has not proven himself in finals or rep football yet, and Henry is probably way too young to get us a premiership anytime soon.

 

[Goddo]

IMO we need to look at Henry at half back and Hornby at Hooker at least in some of the trials. I really think that a lot of our collapse except for the Parra semi was on the back of a lack of go forward from our pack and much if that was to do with the lack of a creative DH. We were also unusually error-ridden sometimes forced but a lot of the time just fundamental mistakes
If Dell wants to stay then it needs to be of the bench I think and apart from Nighty, young Lett really deserves a longer look
We’re definitely still in the mix next year for a top 4 finish and it will be interesting to see if maestro Bennett can concoct a better finish

Agree, except for Wendell. Its time for him to hang up the boots and become a media personality.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

what we actually need is a halfback, no disrespect to hornby, but he is not a halfback that can run the show, we needed a carney or orford or thurston, u no what im getting at. hornby is a great club man, very loyal and reliable, but not classy enough to lead the team around like a champion halfback should.

as for our attack out wide, heres a thought, lett at fullback, he is safe, fast, and strong, tagaive or watever his name is and b.moz on the wings, boyd right centre, and throw nightingale at left centre, sorry, but in my opinion, cooper has struggled in attack the last two seasons, i love the guy, but maybe as was said earlier, put him in the back row aka ben smith at parra. nightingale has been tearing it up whenever he comes on, so he would be a ripper in the centres....

thats just my opinion though.......

I agree witha lot of that in theory. Our attack only went to pieces when we stopped grinding out wins. We scored a lot of points in the back end of games for those seven weeks before our season went off the rails.

I like Hornby at 1. Its his best position. I'd play Lett & B Moz on the wings. Lett is ready after maturing a bit over the last couple years & has real X Factor quality. Tagive can mature into a centre, but he's got a way to go for sure. Very green.

Fien at 7 in the trials to see how we go with him there. Still leaves us a hooker short & thats a big problem.....

I like the look of James Roby from St Helens. Why not? He's class & a great defender. Think outside the square.

 

[watatank]

Hornby's best position is at fullback, but it's also Boyd's best position, Nightingale's best position, arguably Morris' best position...

Roby would be nice, but so would Sam Burgess, James Graham, Jamie Peacock, Leon Pryce, Lee Smith, Thomas Bosc, etc...you're talking about a premier player in Europe...

 

[Red'n'White]

I agree there needs to be more Ingless/Hodges grunt in our backline. There are a few good young players coming through and in time will be NRL quality. I think Henry will take over from Hornby in the next few years and become Australian halfback. As for the centres, JMoz will be back in 2011, problem solved. Nightingale will get Dells spot in 2010, even though I dont want Dell to go, but he needs to think of the team and move into his TV career.

IMO Big W should become a runner and keep the team on their toes just like Langer for Broncs and Toovs does for Manly. The Dragons need Wendels influence and upbeat persona around for years to come, he is an enigma.

 

[Coppo_ForeverYOUNG]

I mean I do agree with you, id love to see an experienced/superstar half at our club, because we dont know yet if Soward will make the leap... however there is no way I think we could afford a $400+ player like that (if he even stays in the NRL!), also with Henry only 1 year away from 1st grade.. but like I said, Soward has not proven himself in finals or rep football yet, and Henry is probably way too young to get us a premiership anytime soon.

What about anyone who said mortimer was too young?
henry carved him up in toyota cup. Now I dont wanna jinx him and I know players are all different, but theres every chance henry can and will be upto the task next year.
Fingers crossed ay

 

[TheRev]

What about anyone who said mortimer was too young?
henry carved him up in toyota cup. Now I dont wanna jinx him and I know players are all different, but theres every chance henry can and will be upto the task next year.
Fingers crossed ay

Ai, I hope your right, although im in no position to understand whether Henry is mature enough to make the jump.

I wouldn't be as worried if we had say a Barrett at 6, i.e. an old head, but we need both halves to be able to fend for themselves in defence, i.e. we cant afford to be covering both.

 

[watatank]

I don't think we should be so quick to rush Henry into first grade. He's a huge talent but is still quite raw. If his game against the Tigers last week is anything to go by he simply isn't ready. In saying that he should at least get a run (like Merrin this year) for Shellharbour and see how he goes.

 

[Goddo]

Ai, I hope your right, although im in no position to understand whether Henry is mature enough to make the jump.

I wouldn't be as worried if we had say a Barrett at 6, i.e. an old head, but we need both halves to be able to fend for themselves in defence, i.e. we cant afford to be covering both.

This is a big problem for us... you can only really have one small half, and we already have one in Jamie.

 

[watatank]

Henry isn't small but he's a terrible defender

 

[butter81]

The answer to all our problems is simple (IMO). Hornby has proven over several season now that he is no threat at halfback. He is definitely too slow for fullback. In saying that, he has great smarts about him, a great passing game, can kick a ball, and is more than solid in defense. Sounds like a hooker to me. Henry will do fine at halfback. Parramatta is a great example. Two young small-ish halfbacks and it works. It's about attitude more than anything. If you have the talent then you need the right attitude to excel. The best teams in the competition seem to play their x-factor player at fullback (slater, hayne, K hunt, bowen, p campbell, stewart, gidley.....) for us, the only player in that league is morris. He will have that much more room and will only increase his potency. This is my lineup:
1. B. Morris
2. Nightingale
3. Boyd
4. Cooper
5. Lett
6. Soward
7. Henry
8. Weyman
9. Hornby
10. Hunt
11. Creagh
12. Scott
13. Young
14. Merrin/Green 15. Greenfield/Saffy 16. Costigan/Smith 17. Fien
I think it's smart, solid and potent....
(Don't bash me too hard!)

 

[Bath's Babes]

i wouldnt mind that as long as henry works out in the halves this early on

 

[TheRev]

I think Bennett would be the best guy to decide whether Henry is ready for 1st grade, he has had experience with Soward & Lockyer, both of which started pretty green.

Hornby to 9 is I think the most crucial move for us, but if Henry cant play 7 then I don't know who else could.

 

[drake]

I know the role of hooker has largely become a third half, but would Hornby be up to the constant tackling?

Also, although I think Nighty or BMoz would be better in the fullback position, I can't see Bennett moving Boyd to the centres.

 

[Godz Illa]

Henry will do fine at halfback. Parramatta is a great example. Two young small-ish halfbacks and it works. It's about attitude more than anything.

This is way too simplistic, and ignores the styles of the players involved, as well as the players around them. Robson isn't that young and does most of the direction of the team. In our set-up Henry would be doing most of the direction as that has been predominantly Hornby's role and Soward has typically been left to his own devices. It also neglects the influence of Jarryd Hayne as a dominant ballplayer and kicker. We have no floating presence like that to assist a halves combination of Henry and Soward, at the moment.

You can't make such black and white comparisons

 

[watatank]

Also, Morris is a different type of fullback (or would be) to those mentioned.

 

[TheRev]

I dont want Morris at fullback, I want him right where he is on his favoured wing.

I dont really understand Boyd at the moment, id like to see him have a run at centre or wing, see if he has what it takes, its like he needs a kind of hard-reset in his footy or something, he clearly has teh skill and speed, but he seems to have forgotten how to use it.

Either Nightingale or Boyd at the back for me, Hornby another option, though I appreciate peoples comments that he is too slow now.

 

[Goddo]

Yeah we have problems in size... we need a bigger back who can tackle and pass well in either hooker, 5/8 or half. having lots of skilled little guys is good, but they become a liability in defence, making the forwards do more work and tired, killing our go forward.......

we have plenty of wings, but not the best options for centre (unlike a year ago) and not an obvious fullback.

I think something we missed in the back end of this year is a really agressive forward like fuifui or thiaday. Paea was really good in the middle of the year in this role. Hopefully Costigan and Smith can lift a bit in this regard.

I really don't see Bennett changing much in the line up, at least until he has had a good off season to look at how they fit together.

 

[watatank]

It will be interesting to see if Scott will stay in the centres or if someone else will be assigned to protect Soward...

 

[TheRev]

It will be interesting to see if Scott will stay in the centres or if someone else will be assigned to protect Soward...

Could Scott do it from the 2nd row? or Lock? Where is Tony Carroll playing thesedays?