Personally I won't feel it is necessarily a failure if we are anywhere other the top 8.
Simply because we have a halves combination that has potential and a lot of blue sky but which has no proven history and which also has the potential to just be solid.
Further as acknowledged by Flano we are one forward short, we really need a big bopper.
For me success or failure is measured by the following:
i) Being
in the running for the top 8
ii) We deliver
solid and consistent defence across the season
iii) Being a
team that puts in for 80 minutes
iv) Being a team that is consistently
hard to beat at home
v) Being a team where our
players put in for each other and if we lose its because we just were not good enough not because the majority of our team did not turn up.
vi) We
play strongly against the Sharks at home and if we don't win, no Dragons player should walk off field having given anything other than their best. Losing tot he Sharks at home should hurt and players should step up in that game. Same thing for ANZAC day game.
Each player should circle ANZAC day and Sharks at home as games they want to give their absolute best for. If our team gives it all and plays with skill and passion and loses, that is alright that is sport. But for last couple of seasons the team has not always turned up ready to play in these games.
vii) The team shows
progress across the season
viii)
Players are disciplined. Minimise stupid penalties, minimise send offs and kick on the last tackle
Bonus points if we beat Souths and remind Wayne he made a mistake leaving us
Realistically there are 4 or 5 teams challenging on paper for 7th and 8th position and with a less glamourous halves combination we may end up winning games closely and therefore we could be in the position where our for and against may not be as strong as teams who have a more glamorous halves combination.
