WCS squad

[Dragon66]

Definitely a no surprises and no excuses squad.

Good as we've got. I can't think of any body who missed out who should have been in the squad.

Nielsen has to be in the squad because of his experience but I thought he was a log in the CS.

I would have been happier if Runciman had a spot, because he is a player with a future, not a past

 

[Dragon66]

Pretty close to what I picked, *I assume Cooper is staying in Oz with his new baby.

1. Dugan
2. Nabuli
3. Aitkin
4. Farrell
5. Gypsy
6. Widdop
7. Marshall
8. O'Brien
9. Rein
10. Creagh
11. Debelin (Has to be on the field for the softening up period and to stop early roll on)
12. Thompson
13. Merrin

14. L'estrange
15. Rose
16. Frizzell (Could start for O'Brien)
17. Au Mau (Will probably start but I'd have him off the bench)

18. Cooper (Won't be surprised if he replaces O'Brien or Rose)
19. Mata?utia (cover for Centre, Wing and Fullback or could be in the side ahead of Farrell)
20. Hutchinson (A long way to go without a back up half)

Mathews out injured,
Marketo is unlucky to miss out,
Nutira may make some appearances later in the season if he improves his defence
Neilson still may get there, runs good lines off Widdop

Good Point.

 

[tumbidragon]

Pretty sure L'estrange can play a little halves.

 

[BennyV]

Good team. There's an injury cloud over Dugan and JDB, the former would push PM to fullback and Nielsen into centre. otherwise, definitely as strong as we can Get...

 

[Dragonator]

I agree, we have enough quality players to form a decent team this year of course hoping the big boys will improve as the season goes on and the team comes together well on game plans. You must be down the road from me Tumbi, I'm at Killarney Vale.

You must be down the road from me GT, I'm at Long Jetty

 

[Owen Da Saints]

Pretty sure L'estrange can play a little halves.

I know a little half ! He's sitting over there !

 

[rabbitohs95]

After going through the Dragons roster i gotta say, there's a chance for them to crack the 8.

Lots of experience with youth breathing down their necks, a boosted forward pack and Benji and Widdop with another year together in the halves. The only real weakness I can see is hooker. Will definitely upset some big name sides this year. Good luck for 2015.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

After going through the Dragons roster i gotta say, there's a chance for them to crack the 8.

Lots of experience with youth breathing down their necks, a boosted forward pack and Benji and Widdop with another year together in the halves. The only real weakness I can see is hooker. Will definitely upset some big name sides this year. Good luck for 2015.

Cheers man.

We will surprise a few.

Enjoy the premiership glow.

 

[Saints Forever]

Agree Hutchison should have been picked instead of Marketo.

Add Cooper to the pack and we probably are done.

Go you Dragons !

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

The squad for the world club series will be named today. Dugan will be traveling to the UK.

Lets hope the weather warms up by then...apparently its still freezing over there....would hate to see one of the boys sustain an injury
because of cold damp conditions...its bad enough when we have to travel to Canberra to play The Raiders ...then again with our form against them its bad enough any time

 

[dino2170]

everyone is glowing about this team but may i remind you half this team is new and you know what everyone says about new teams IT TAKES TIME TO STRIKE UP COMBINATIONS

 

[Fingerbang]

What's wrong Dino? You never gonna be happy unless the team fails?

I wish my lawn was as emo as you.

 

[GT0007]

Wyong represent homie ;-)

Did you go to the Cutters v Wyong game last season at Morrie Breen mate? The Dragons played some forwards during the bye like Debelin, Thompson and a few others. Debelin was head and shoulders the best player on the field and was a ball player. Will Matthews pulled off one off the biggest hits ever under our goal posts. I really think you have to stand out at that level before you play NRL. Thompson was very average, he's a big part of how we go this year so I hope he mans up again as he did toward the end of last the season.

 

[GT0007]

everyone is glowing about this team but may i remind you half this team is new and you know what everyone says about new teams IT TAKES TIME TO STRIKE UP COMBINATIONS

Fair call Dino, but as supporters we like to be positive

What's wrong Dino? You never gonna be happy unless the team fails?

I wish my lawn was as emo as you.

Also fair call lol but lets start a new season a fresh Finger and wait til the 1st lost to deal with the doom and gloomers?

 

[GT0007]

You must be down the road from me GT, I'm at Long Jetty

Yes mate at K/Vale.

 

[GT0007]

nice, that'd be my top 17.

Not sure who makes way for Cooper when he's back though.

Merrin back to prop, or on the way out, or both?

It's really hard to say but I expect Merrin to play off the bench while he's screwing us around with negotiations as we can cover him in the starting 13. As much as I was a fan he had a few bright moments in the last half of the season maybe due to carrying a shoulder injury but his bouncing out of tackles in SOO was embarassing as it was the previous year.

As much as Cooper had a great season he really went off the boil towards the end. I'm at a loss to why, maybe the intensity wore him down or personal issues. I hope he regroups and comes back hard as his defence became soft. I did notice he is not as effective when starting. Also in the Nines was very ineffective.

 

[tumbidragon]

What's wrong Dino?

I wish my lawn was as emo as you.

:lol::lol::lol: I'm using that. Genius.

 

[possm]

Team announced:

1. Josh Dugan
2. Eto Nabuli
3. Euan Aitken
4. Peter Mata?utia
5. Jason Nightingale
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Benji Marshall
8. Rory O?Brien
9. Mitch Rein
10. Leeson Ah Mau
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Joel Thompson
13. Ben Creagh (c)
14. Trent Merrin
15. Jack de Belin
16. Heath L?Estrange
17. George Rose
18. Dane Nielsen
19. Dylan Farrell
20. Jake Marketo

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2015/02/09/dragons_name_world_c.html

I really like this squad selection. I believe our young players will go really well and be all the better for the experience. Nabuli and Aitkin will gain confidence from this trip.

I predict O'Brien and Rose will be a BIG hit over there.

In my opinion we have the squad to win the game.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons to focus on new strategies at World Club Series

By MITCH JENNINGS

Feb. 11, 2015, 9:30 p.m.





RUGBY LEAGUE


They both involve long hours on a plane but that's where the similarities between this year's journey to the UK and the Dragons' 2011 World Club Challenge trip end according to veteran winger Jason Nightingale.
The last time the Dragons travelled to England they were riding high on the back of the joint-venture's maiden premiership and the club's first in 23 years. They rode the wave all the way to a 21-15 World Club Challenge victory over Wigan, their last piece of silverware.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...d-for-dragons-world-club-series-tilt/?cs=3713
They went 10-1 to start the 2011 NRL season on the way to the club's last finals appearance in Wayne Bennett's final year at the helm. They've since gone three years without tasting finals football.
There's no silverware on the line this time and with a new team and a new coach looking to avoid a fourth straight season without tasting finals football, Nightingale said the objectives are vastly different this time around.
"It made for a good night out on the way home," Nightingale said of 2011 trip.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/sport/dragons-den/
"It was awesome to get the medal for a World Club Challenge but in this instance we're not playing for that. It's something you normally only get to do when you win a comp but this time they've let us do it when we finished 11th.
his time] and what we're doing on the field. It's still a trial at the end of the day and we're just going to try put on the field all the stuff we've been doing in off-season.
''We're not worrying too much about anything else. We only have to play them once, we don't play in their comp, so for this one game we want to put in a good performance heading into round one."
Pre-season form is a notoriously unreliable gauge of a side's prospects come the start of the season but Nightingale said the team's energy levels and defensive will from the Charity Shield match were most pleasing.
The Dragons also announced on Wednesday that former Rabbitohs and Eels winger Justin Hunt has joined the club on a one-year deal. The 26-year-old endured an injury-riddled season last year - his first with the Eels after shifting from the Rabbitohs - that saw just one top-grade appearance. He played 12 of his 14 NRL games for the Rabbitohs in the 2012 season but has seen little NRL action since.



http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/2877550/uk-trip-unlike-2011-ride-says-nightingale/?cs=2382

 

[God-King Dean]

A real shame Cooper won't be able to play against his former team.