2025 Round 1 vs Canterbury

RedVictory

SGI Jersey Flegg
I wish those players the very best and hope that they prove me wrong but to my eye young Couchman is too light at the moment to start a game as a bookend. I hope he holds his own and I eat my words. As I said the coach knows better than me but we are short a prop and blooding Stewart in the 1st game of the competition is out of right field.
You’re talking as though Bulldogs have a massive pack. The Couchmans are only slightly lighter then the Dogs biggest prop.
 

Eric

Staff

Dragons team:​

  1. Clinton Gutherson
  2. Mathew Feagai
  3. Moses Suli
  4. Valentine Holmes
  5. Christian Tuipulotu
  6. Kyle Flanagan
  7. Lachlan Ilias
  8. Toby Couchman
  9. Damien Cook
  10. Emre Guler
  11. Luciano Leilua
  12. Jaydn Su’A
  13. Jack de Belin

  14. Jacob Liddle
  15. Ryan Couchman
  16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
  17. Hamish Stewart

  18. Dylan Egan
  19. Tyrell Sloan
  20. Lyhkan King-Togia
  21. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga
  22. Tom Eisenhuth

A few things stood out to me. firstly obviously no Finau. I don't know what's going on there. He'd be my first winger picked.
A lot of talk about Dragons middle forwards not being good enough but JDB and two Couchmans very good in the middle.
#20 on the extended bench is interesting. Pressure is on #7 and #6 to perform.
 

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
No Klemmer definitely opens up a bench spot.. feel like there are a few on that extended bench that might yet grab it.. but it would be Stewarts debut, so if they have named him I cant imagine they'd take it off him...

And yah no Sele even on the extended is interesting.. maybe there is more to that..
 

Illusion

SGI NSW Cup
No Klemmer definitely opens up a bench spot.. feel like there are a few on that extended bench that might yet grab it.. but it would be Stewarts debut, so if they have named him I cant imagine they'd take it off him...

And yah no Sele even on the extended is interesting.. maybe there is more to that..
Him and Lawrie injured .........
 

TheRev

SGI Jersey Flegg
Him and Lawrie injured .........
someone said Seles hamstring is now a calf injury.. omg.. hes killing me.. I assume his heart is ok.. but hes only 27.. this is his prime.. yet it feels like hes close to medical retirement.. but hes too young for that..
 

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg

Dogs team:​

1. Connor Tracey
2. Blake Wilson
3. Bronson Xerri
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Matt Burton
7. Toby Sexton
8. Max King
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Samuel Hughes
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Jacob Preston
13. Kurt Mann

14. Bailey Hayward
15. Sitili Tupouniua
16. Harry Hayes
17. Jaeman Salmon

Good second rowers if Kikau doesn't go missing. Burton is a good centre but overrated as a 5/8.
 
someone said Seles hamstring is now a calf injury.. omg.. hes killing me.. I assume his heart is ok.. but hes only 27.. this is his prime.. yet it feels like hes close to medical retirement.. but hes too young for that..
Hes unfortunately too injury and illness prone
 

Dogs team:​

1. Connor Tracey
2. Blake Wilson
3. Bronson Xerri
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Matt Burton
7. Toby Sexton
8. Max King
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Samuel Hughes
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Jacob Preston
13. Kurt Mann

14. Bailey Hayward
15. Sitili Tupouniua
16. Harry Hayes
17. Jaeman Salmon

Good second rowers if Kikau doesn't go missing. Burton is a good centre but overrated as a 5/8.
Unfortunately I think Montoya will do a number on Feigai and Wilson is very quick against CT who will be doing it tough in his first game of the season.
 

Ryan

SGI NSW Cup
Dogs bench is quite strange, not much size on it. As for Montoya, he’s shite. There’s a reason warriors were happy to let him go.

Very keen to see Liddle play again, was one of the best hookers in the comp the back half of 2024
As much as I rate Cook, I thought better to spend the money elsewhere and rely on Liddle more. I know Flanno thinks he's not an 80 min hooker but is he going to be a 40 or 30 min hooker now?
 

Wild383

SGI Jersey Flegg

Dragons team:​

  1. Clinton Gutherson
  2. Mathew Feagai
  3. Moses Suli
  4. Valentine Holmes
  5. Christian Tuipulotu
  6. Kyle Flanagan
  7. Lachlan Ilias
  8. Toby Couchman
  9. Damien Cook
  10. Emre Guler
  11. Luciano Leilua
  12. Jaydn Su’A
  13. Jack de Belin

  14. Jacob Liddle
  15. Ryan Couchman
  16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
  17. Hamish Stewart

  18. Dylan Egan
  19. Tyrell Sloan
  20. Lyhkan King-Togia
  21. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga
  22. Tom Eisenhuth

A few things stood out to me. firstly obviously no Finau. I don't know what's going on there. He'd be my first winger picked.
A lot of talk about Dragons middle forwards not being good enough but JDB and two Couchmans very good in the middle.
#20 on the extended bench is interesting. Pressure is on #7 and #6 to perform.
We always carry a half option on the extended like most teams, nothing to do with pressure usually just to cover injury in the lead up. He was the option there for a good chunk of last year as well.
Unfortunately I think Montoya will do a number on Feigai and Wilson is very quick against CT who will be doing it tough in his first game of the season.
Personally don't rate Montoya at all but think this one will come down to the Critta vs Holmes show which will be a good watch. Plus we know he'll be getting in Flannos face again as well so it might get fiery.
As much as I rate Cook, I thought better to spend the money elsewhere and rely on Liddle more. I know Flanno thinks he's not an 80 min hooker but is he going to be a 40 or 30 min hooker now?
Lidds was top 2 for us last year in my book but it was evident how much it hurt us when he wasn't on the field, relying on him having to play 80 every game is a big risk especially with a history of head knocks. Cookie can only be a good thing and I think they'll both see plenty of minutes sharing multiple roles, this should be our biggest strength this year.
 
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Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
We always carry a half option on the extended like most teams, nothing to do with pressure usually just to cover injury in the lead up. He was the option there for a good chunk of last year as well.
If there isn't pressure on the halves, there should be. We all know about the problems they have had at previous clubs. Personally I would start LKT, not sign Cook and have Kyle on the bench coming on to give Liddle a rest.
 

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Apart from Finau who I can only guess is not fit,
Both of us w'd like to believe this, but I find it a sham if he is fit. CT has not even spent a minute on the field this season but we all know both he and Feagai are teachers pets. They both better have blinders..ha ha.
 

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
Both of us w'd like to believe this, but I find it a sham if he is fit. CT has not even spent a minute on the field this season but we all know both he and Feagai are teachers pets. They both better have blinders..ha ha.
I think the best we can hope for, for both of them is a good game. I don't think either are capable of blinders. On the wing anyway. I know most people disagree with me but I still think CT could be retrained to be a good prop. God knows how Feagai got a spot in front of Finau unless, on another thread there is a suggestion Finau is unfit because he wasn't named in the NSW Cup team.
 

Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
Soo happy for Hamish Stewart, another NRL debut for the Red V, a local south coast kid too.

Pretty happy with the team, no obvious shocking selections. Pretty much everyone has played multiple trials apart from CT & Lidds who were both top 5 players for us last year.
 

Edward

SGI Jersey Flegg
Soo happy for Hamish Stewart, another NRL debut for the Red V, a local south coast kid too.

Pretty happy with the team, no obvious shocking selections. Pretty much everyone has played multiple trials apart from CT & Lidds who were both top 5 players for us last year.
Me too. Would be nice to have Klemmer on the books already but even without Hunt, or especially being without Hunt, I think this team is much better than last years. Or the team that took the field for most of last year.
 
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