Where will the St George Illawarra Dragons finish in 2019?

[Crush]

I want to be wrong....I really want to to be wrong but bottom 4 for mine. Trust me when I say that I am a "glass half full" sort of person but I have a deep foreboding about this year. I think this is the year that the McGregor charade is fully exposed. With the JDB "distraction" and with your captain wanting out of the club; I think we are in trouble. This might be the year "we have too have" to set the boat on the right course for the next decade.

The good news is that I expect the coaching staff to be terminated and I predict a very strong re-bound in 2020. It is crucial however (as it always is) as to how we manage our promising juniors.

As an aside, and I have mentioned this before BUT (wait for it)....Paul McGregor is our clubs longest serving coach in almost 40 years. Is it just me that find that fact astonishing? How do some of my fellow dragon tragic's feel about that? It makes me feel really nauseous.

Bottom 4 is a massive call mate.
I reckon with our roster that will be out of reach even with the coaching staff we have.
Top 4 brother, or there abouts.

 

[SBD82]

Yeah its a big call I know but I think Shaun Johnson will be the form 5/8 of the comp playing at Sharks. They are a well structured team and he will run riot behind a well drilled forward pack. And Townsend is a good organiser, Johnson will be able to play his natural game and run. I also reckon Morris is a handy pick up at the end of his career, he will be very good if he stays fit. Moylan at the back is potent. If Dugan gets his act together he is a quality centre.
I'll go out on a limb and say Sharks could win the comp in 2019.

While I think you make some valid points, I think they'll be offset by losing their best young 3/4's, Moylan struggling to do the running required at fullback, and their backrow looking weakened following the retirement of Lewis, Graham's injury issues and Gallen another year older and slower.

Unless Morris (or another coach) is much more special than we know, I could see the sharks fighting it out for the bottom of the 8.

As you say, it's a massive call. I can't see it myself, but if they pull it off I'll eat my words.

 

[DragonJ]

Yeah its a big call I know but I think Shaun Johnson will be the form 5/8 of the comp playing at Sharks. They are a well structured team and he will run riot behind a well drilled forward pack. And Townsend is a good organiser, Johnson will be able to play his natural game and run. I also reckon Morris is a handy pick up at the end of his career, he will be very good if he stays fit. Moylan at the back is potent. If Dugan gets his act together he is a quality centre.
I'll go out on a limb and say Sharks could win the comp in 2019.

When you put it like that, I may have to reconsider.

They will have Johnson but I think the rest of the team is a little worse than they were last year. Collectively a lot worse team.

 

[DragonJ]

I can't really see any reason to expect improvement from the panthers this year.

Maloney's best year at a club is usually his first, and with the loss of peachey and Merrin, I'd say they are an overall weaker side.

Panthers are like we should be. Got a steady stream of top local juniors coming through. Merrin has been average for quite a while. McIdiot picked the right time to get rid of him. I'll give him that much. On the flip side, I rate Cleary just behind Bellamy as the best coach. Though his son is overrated.

 

[SBD82]

Panthers are like we should be. Got a steady stream of top local juniors coming through. Merrin has been average for quite a while. McIdiot picked the right time to get rid of him. I'll give him that much. On the flip side, I rate Cleary just behind Bellamy as the best coach. Though his son is overrated.

Cleary has previously had a chance with that nursery, and his results were pretty ordinary.

What do you think is going to make a difference this time?

 

[RufusRex]

Cleary's last panthers team included the likes of
Backs: Tighe/Simmons/Coote/Walsh
Forwards: McKendry, Kingston, Grant, Newton, Ciraldo, Plum

Bench: Weston, Achurch, Robinson, Docker

That is trash


He is going to inherit a team that is so much better than that especially in the pack.

 

[SBD82]

Cleary's last panthers team included the likes of
Backs: Tighe/Simmons/Coote/Walsh
Forwards: McKendry, Kingston, Grant, Newton, Ciraldo, Plum

Bench: Weston, Achurch, Robinson, Docker

That is trash


He is going to inherit a team that is so much better than that especially in the pack.

That list says that he did a really shit job with their nursery last time.

What changes?

 

[Warabrook saint]

I put top 4 but not with much confidence more hope. If Mary was not coach I would be extremely confident. This squad is definitely a top 8 side. If Saints had a top notch coach like Maguire or Demitriou I think they could easily win the comp. Even Barrett would do a better job I feel than Mary but hey you never know, Mary may have learnt more and become the coach everyone but us Saints fans think he is and that is a "good" coach. Not a top coach but a better than average.

I think Tigers, Knights and Titans will surprise a few teams and could push for a top 8. Souths and Bronco's may struggle. Start the year slow and slowly get better because of this off-season coaching circus. Panthers and Chooks will be the teams to beat. Cleary will take the Panthers to the next level.

That's why they need a coaching advisor for him.....but he's like an recalcitrant child,the pr!@k won't listen .He thinks he was a gun player so he feels he can do what he wants

 

[Frank Facer]

When you put it like that, I may have to reconsider.

They will have Johnson but I think the rest of the team is a little worse than they were last year. Collectively a lot worse team.

I think Cronulla are a bit weaker than last year, but I think Flanagan may prove to be a big lose. We should sign him up.

 

[Crush]

I think Cronulla are a bit weaker than last year, but I think Flanagan may prove to be a big lose. We should sign him up.

In what capacity Frank?
You know he has been de-registered as a coach by the NRL?

 

[SBD82]

In what capacity Frank?
You know he has been de-registered as a coach by the NRL?

Employ him under the table as an external consultant and communicate via email?

That's his modus operandi.

 

[Frank Facer]

In what capacity Frank?
You know he has been de-registered as a coach by the NRL?

Yeah, I knew Flanagan has been de-registered, but I hadn't given much thought about the term de-registered. How long will he be de-registered for? I was meaning that when he has been re-registered, then we should sign him as coach.

 

[TruSaint]

Cleary has previously had a chance with that nursery, and his results were pretty ordinary.

What do you think is going to make a difference this time?

Agree, his coaching win record, and he has been coaching since 2006, is below Mary's...... and thats saying something.

NZ / Pennies / Tigers and back to Pennies. Mary is not our answer, but this bloke doesn't have the runs on the board either.

Adf to the pressure he will be under, coaching his son,.. etc, it will be a defining year.

 

[WepnutV]

Panthers are like we should be. Got a steady stream of top local juniors coming through. Merrin has been average for quite a while. McIdiot picked the right time to get rid of him. I'll give him that much. On the flip side, I rate Cleary just behind Bellamy as the best coach. Though his son is overrated.

Hahahaha his son is overated.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Panthers are like we should be. Got a steady stream of top local juniors coming through. Merrin has been average for quite a while. McIdiot picked the right time to get rid of him. I'll give him that much. On the flip side, I rate Cleary just behind Bellamy as the best coach. Though his son is overrated.

Merrin’s career stalled then deteriorated as soon as the absurd decision to turn him into a lock was made.

That wasn’t his fault.

 

[SBD82]

Agree, his coaching win record, and he has been coaching since 2006, is below Mary's...... and thats saying something.

NZ / Pennies / Tigers and back to Pennies. Mary is not our answer, but this bloke doesn't have the runs on the board either.

Adf to the pressure he will be under, coaching his son,.. etc, it will be a defining year.

Agreed.

I used to think very highly of him, because of the success that he had with the warriors, but his stint at the panthers was underwhelming.

I'm not prepared to write him off completely, because he did some good things with the Tigers' attitude and defence last season. But as you say, this year will be defining.

 

[muzby]

Yeah, I knew Flanagan has been de-registered, but I hadn't given much thought about the term de-registered. How long will he be de-registered for? I was meaning that when he has been re-registered, then we should sign him as coach.

You know.. You can always admit you simply just f**ked up...?

 

[gitano]

You know.. You can always admit you simply just f**ked up...?

Is that you Felicia?

 

[DragonJ]

Cleary has previously had a chance with that nursery, and his results were pretty ordinary.

What do you think is going to make a difference this time?

I could be wrong but I thought the first year he cleaned the joint up. Got rid of lots of dead wood and some who weren't "dead wood" but were overpaid. They had to continue paying a lot of them for a season or two. The second year they fell just short. The third year they were decimated by injury.

 

[DragonJ]

Merrin’s career stalled then deteriorated as soon as the absurd decision to turn him into a lock was made.

That wasn’t his fault.

I think it was his only position. He was getting bullied in the front row. Not big enough.