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TOP FOUR BOTTOM FOUR 2020

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
I don’t think he has that much influence on how the team performs to switch us a minimum of 8 places on the ladder..
His playing alone definitely wouldn’t but just to have closure on the issue is underrated for team morale. Another benefit is that he probably will miss Origin with the emergence of a few players so having him Merrin, Ford etc available during that period will be super helpful.
 

FlameThrower

Bench
Messages
3,557
Storm, Souths, Roosters , Raiders my top 4.
Titans, Dragons, Knights, Panthers bottom 4.

I’m really worried that the JDB case will derail the squad again. The team is so fickle and folds when pressure is on. We gave up last season and it was obvious the players did not care. Yes Coach owns most of that, but the Players FFS are paid big money and threw in the towel barely mid season.

I see our squad being weaker this year, our recruitment has been lukewarm at best,
Not renewed membership for 2020, lost all faith in the Club and next CEO may make or break us IMO.

Seasons Greetings...
 

FlameThrower

Bench
Messages
3,557
My Top 4 prediction : Rabbitohs, Eels, Roosters, Raiders
Bottom 4 : Warriors, Titans, Dragons, Tigers

IMO Dragons will lift one position only and finish 14th. I have zero faith in our imbecile coach and Norman as 5/8, let alone a below average back 5.
Mate, you can add zero faith in Board and autopilot CEO. They are a huge part of the problem.
 

FlameThrower

Bench
Messages
3,557
I think Flanagan and Sheppard will make all the difference in 2020. Really our weakest link is our centre pairing and so maybe a couple of youngsters will find their way into the NRL centre positions. Back 5 could become competitive if we discover a couple of good fast centres this off-season.

With Lomax at fullback, Saab and Pereira on the wings, we might just scrape through if we recruit Mitchell to replace Aitken.
Good luck with that last 4 words..
 

SaintPeter

Juniors
Messages
311
I reckon the salary cap will even things out so that all teams have an equal chance of winning, and we don't have teams winning back to back premierships ........... .oh, wait.
 

SBD82

Coach
Messages
17,069
I reckon the salary cap will even things out so that all teams have an equal chance of winning, and we don't have teams winning back to back premierships ........... .oh, wait.
1. That was never the point of the salary cap.

2. That’s the first time it has happened since the salary cap was introduced. Which also kind of negates the point you’re trying to make.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,592
Good luck with that last 4 words..
Well it will depend on the quality of our new signing Williame; he could replace Lafai until one of our young guns comes good. If by some chance we can dig up the coin to attract Mitchell, I'd say we are a top 4 prospect.
Lomax
Pereira
Mitchell
Williame
Saab
Norman
Hunt
Merrin
McInnes
Vaughan
T Sims
Frizell or Ford
De Belin or Frizell


Kerr
T Sims
Lawrie
Luke


A very strong line-up and with the right coaching and game plan, can match it with the best in the competition. I'm banking on Sheppard and Flanagan to make the difference on the coaching side of things.
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Well it will depend on the quality of our new signing Williame; he could replace Lafai until one of our young guns comes good. If by some chance we can dig up the coin to attract Mitchell, I'd say we are a top 4 prospect.
Lomax
Pereira
Mitchell
Williame
Saab
Norman
Hunt
Merrin
McInnes
Vaughan
T Sims
Frizell or Ford
De Belin or Frizell


Kerr
T Sims
Lawrie
Luke


A very strong line-up and with the right coaching and game plan, can match it with the best in the competition. I'm banking on Sheppard and Flanagan to make the difference on the coaching side of things.
Mitchell is not coming, he doesn’t want to come we don’t want him.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,270
Well it will depend on the quality of our new signing Williame; he could replace Lafai until one of our young guns comes good. If by some chance we can dig up the coin to attract Mitchell, I'd say we are a top 4 prospect.
Lomax
Pereira
Mitchell
Williame
Saab
Norman
Hunt
Merrin
McInnes
Vaughan
T Sims
Frizell or Ford
De Belin or Frizell


Kerr
T Sims
Lawrie
Luke


A very strong line-up and with the right coaching and game plan, can match it with the best in the competition. I'm banking on Sheppard and Flanagan to make the difference on the coaching side of things.

For the sake of argument, lets take Mitchell out of this squad.

Consensus would have it we are probably only one of a handful of Cubs he hasn't even spoken to.

Do you consider the side you listed a top 8 side, let alone a top 4 ? Backine on its own is bog average. Lomax, yet to be tested as a 1. Pereira average. Williame is on his 5th club, lets see. Saab untested in first grade.

Now maybe some will surprise us, and that would be nice. But as it stands that is not a squad made for finals footy.
 

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I don’t think he has that much influence on how the team performs to switch us a minimum of 8 places on the ladder..
I do. This year, without DeBelin we came 2nd last. When we were leading the comp last year, DeBelin was the form forward in the comp. He then got an injury and the rest of the team's form dropped too. We are a completely different team when DeBelin is on the field to when he isn't. His defence is so important to us.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,592
For the sake of argument, lets take Mitchell out of this squad.

Consensus would have it we are probably only one of a handful of Cubs he hasn't even spoken to.

Do you consider the side you listed a top 8 side, let alone a top 4 ? Backine on its own is bog average. Lomax, yet to be tested as a 1. Pereira average. Williame is on his 5th club, lets see. Saab untested in first grade.

Now maybe some will surprise us, and that would be nice. But as it stands that is not a squad made for finals footy.
It's very hard to argue againt what you say TrueSaint and so I am not about to do that. All I can say is that this is the hand we have been dealt by Millward and Mary and so we have to do our best with it.

I'm banking on the new assistant coaches, Sheppard and Flanagan, making a difference to the coaching plan and the coaching quality of our squad as a whole and players individually.

If Lomax does not perform, and I believe he will, then there is always the likes of Dufty and Sailor to replace him with Lomax moving to 3.

Saab showed this season that he is up to first grade standard. All that needs to happen now is for him to continue to gain first grade experience.

I would dearly love to have a young tall and speedy winger take the left wing position. For now Pereira is all we have.

I'm sure most on here would agree that Aitken and Lafai are our weakest link and so the sooner we replace them in the centres, the better chance we have of making the 8.

Providing Merrin plays as the run-on bookend to Vaughan, we have made some good improvement to our forward pack. The uncertainty regarding De Belin is a major problem however, if he becomes unavailable, I'd say Frizell to lock and Ford to our right edge.

Our bench with T Sims, Graham, Lawrie, Ford, Kerr and Luke available, is strong enough to maintain the on-field intensity or maybe even step up a little when they they enter the game.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,270
If Lomax does not perform, and I believe he will, then there is always the likes of Dufty and Sailor to replace him with Lomax moving to 3.

I'm sure most on here would agree that Aitken and Lafai are our weakest link and so the sooner we replace them in the centres, the better chance we have of making the 8.

Agree 100% on the highlighted points above.
Enjoy Xmas mate.
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,411
Agree 100% on the highlighted points above.
Enjoy Xmas mate.

Would you believe that todays Sunday Telegraph had a piece on Lafai , about a Christmas present he received when only very young - a football :football: . But other than that not much else. I think it was to let us Dragon supporters know that we are going to have a tremendous 2020 season - I think ?
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,270
Would you believe that todays Sunday Telegraph had a piece on Lafai , about a Christmas present he received when only very young - a football :football: . But other than that not much else. I think it was to let us Dragon supporters know that we are going to have a tremendous 2020 season - I think ?

Yeah, you would be right matey. ;)
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,411
Naturally I would just luv that our Dragons could finish in the final eight , but I am afraid that a combination of corrosive particles will put pay to that .

McGregor inbred non-ability to coach plus a few too many journeymen in the top grade plus the J.D.B.case hanging around may prove too much to overcome for the team to go much further up the ladder .

I sincerely hope that I am wrong but 15th - 12th place is about the best that we can expect - unless there is significant input from Flanagan that is actually listen to and acted upon .
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Would you believe that todays Sunday Telegraph had a piece on Lafai , about a Christmas present he received when only very young - a football :football: . But other than that not much else. I think it was to let us Dragon supporters know that we are going to have a tremendous 2020 season - I think ?
Our best Christmas present as Dragons fans would be for Lafai to be given the opportunity to live in Europe and finish his career on good coin filling Wilimes spot at Catelans. Win win for all.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
It's very hard to argue againt what you say TrueSaint and so I am not about to do that. All I can say is that this is the hand we have been dealt by Millward and Mary and so we have to do our best with it.

I'm banking on the new assistant coaches, Sheppard and Flanagan, making a difference to the coaching plan and the coaching quality of our squad as a whole and players individually.

If Lomax does not perform, and I believe he will, then there is always the likes of Dufty and Sailor to replace him with Lomax moving to 3.

Saab showed this season that he is up to first grade standard. All that needs to happen now is for him to continue to gain first grade experience.

I would dearly love to have a young tall and speedy winger take the left wing position. For now Pereira is all we have.

I'm sure most on here would agree that Aitken and Lafai are our weakest link and so the sooner we replace them in the centres, the better chance we have of making the 8.

Providing Merrin plays as the run-on bookend to Vaughan, we have made some good improvement to our forward pack. The uncertainty regarding De Belin is a major problem however, if he becomes unavailable, I'd say Frizell to lock and Ford to our right edge.

Our bench with T Sims, Graham, Lawrie, Ford, Kerr and Luke available, is strong enough to maintain the on-field intensity or maybe even step up a little when they they enter the game.

Good points...except " All I can say is that this is the hand we have been dealt by Mary and so we have to do our best with it. " would make your entire post factual....
 
Messages
1,054
Well it will depend on the quality of our new signing Williame; he could replace Lafai until one of our young guns comes good. If by some chance we can dig up the coin to attract Mitchell, I'd say we are a top 4 prospect.
Lomax
Pereira
Mitchell
Williame
Saab
Norman
Hunt
Merrin
McInnes
Vaughan
T Sims
Frizell or Ford
De Belin or Frizell


Kerr
T Sims
Lawrie
Luke


A very strong line-up and with the right coaching and game plan, can match it with the best in the competition. I'm banking on Sheppard and Flanagan to make the difference on the coaching side of things.

No Janes Graham.
Tarim Sims is going to be busy.
 
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