Round 25 vs South Sydney

[Eric]

As for this game, keep Mitchell quiet and win. That's the way I see it. I've also thought Jai Arrow is underrated for a while. As for our team, Molo, Lawrie and I guess RFM will come in for Sele, JDB, Stewart. How good is Sele when he's actually on the field? Nothing wrong with the Warriors pack at all but Sele was dominating for the short time he was on.

Personally I'd also go with Sloan on the wing for Allan. Nothing wrong with the way Allan has played but he's retiring at the end of the year, isn't he? Lets see out the season with attacking football. That's the way I see it anyway. Given Allan the last game, maybe centre for Buchanan who needs to again get used to the combinations in NSW Cup for the finals.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

We got Slaughtered by Jye Gray when we played Souths in the gong this year.

He ran for 300+ metres, just can’t allow him to run by having a good kick chase and we’ll give ourselves a decent chance of winning

 

[Dragons Chris]

We got Slaughtered by Jye Gray when we played Souths in the gong this year.

He ran for 300+ metres, just can’t allow him to run by having a good kick chase and we’ll give ourselves a decent chance of winning

I'm not sure exactly when but at some stage in the second half of the season our line speed massively improved.

 

[TheRev]

Grays speed is insane.. so much better imo than Latrell at fullback.. plenty of danger this week, not sure if our remaining pack can get up for it.. but should be a decent contest..

 

[GCRV]

Grays speed is insane.. so much better imo than Latrell at fullback.. plenty of danger this week, not sure if our remaining pack can get up for it.. but should be a decent contest..

I think their pack is also heavily depleted.

 

[GCRV]

We got Slaughtered by Jye Gray when we played Souths in the gong this year.

He ran for 300+ metres, just can’t allow him to run by having a good kick chase and we’ll give ourselves a decent chance of winning

Better team lost that day.

 

[Justadragon]

Better team lost that day.

We were lazy chasing down a FG

 

[Justadragon]

As for this game, keep Mitchell quiet and win. That's the way I see it. I've also thought Jai Arrow is underrated for a while. As for our team, Molo, Lawrie and I guess RFM will come in for Sele, JDB, Stewart. How good is Sele when he's actually on the field? Nothing wrong with the Warriors pack at all but Sele was dominating for the short time he was on.

Personally I'd also go with Sloan on the wing for Allan. Nothing wrong with the way Allan has played but he's retiring at the end of the year, isn't he? Lets see out the season with attacking football. That's the way I see it anyway. Given Allan the last game, maybe centre for Buchanan who needs to again get used to the combinations in NSW Cup for the finals.

Good luck keeping Mitchell quiet especially if Buchanan is on him, he will get rag dolled to the max, big ask for the kid.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

The trick with latrell as Robert Toia (Who Daniel Anderson scouted as a 15 YO) has shown on several occasions this year is to give him zero room to move. Rush up and don’t let him get a roll on where he becomes much harder to handle

He also produces an error or 2 trying to make things happen

 

[Morgan]

Good luck keeping Mitchell quiet especially if Buchanan is on him, he will get rag dolled to the max, big ask for the kid.

Don't underestimate Hayden. Mitchell is bigger but will have to catch Hayden before he rag dolls him. Forwards need good go-forward to give Hayden a bit of room. Didn't do that last game for obvious reasons which made it hard for Hayden.

 

[Mug Fan]

Rabbitohs and Dragons to battle with a staggering 28 players sidelined through injury
An astonishing $12 million - or 28 players - could be sidelined, only increasing fears over the game’s depth to cater for the addition of two new clubs

South Sydney could be without 15 players for Thursday night’s game, while 13 St George Illawarra Dragons are expected to be unavailable.

Never before has a single NRL game been robbed of $12m worth of playing talent through injury with both sides missing up to 60 per cent of their salary cap.

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan was also rocked by his side’s expanding injury toll.

“We have 56 per cent of our salary cap out. I’ve never seen it so bad in my 10 years of coaching in the NRL. I just hope it’s a one-off and a run of bad luck,” Flanagan said.

Dragons
Michael Molo (ankle)
Jaydn Su’A (knee)
Jack de Belin (head knock)
Hamish Stewart (head knock)
Hame Sele (head knock)
Moses Suli (knee)
Nick Tsougranis (ankle)
Ryan Couchman (knee)
Toby Couchman (shoulder)
Dylan Egan (knee)
Valentine Holmes (shoulder)
Sione Finau (shoulder)
Tom Eisenhuth (concussion, retired, part of top 30 this year)

Rabbitohs
Latrell Mitchell (back)
Jack Wighton (suspension)
Cameron Murray (Achilles)
Lachlan Hubner (concussion)
Mikaele Ravalawa (pectoral)
Euan Aitken (calf)
Bailey Bentley-Hape (head knock)
Campbell Graham (back)
Jayden Sullivan (leg)
Keaon Koloamatangi (ankle)
Davvy Moale (wrist)
Tevita Tatola (shoulder)
Ben Lovett (knee)
Liam Le Blanc (shoulder)
Ryan Gray (shoulder)
Josh Schuster (on leave)

 

[Dave03]

Rabbitohs and Dragons to battle with a staggering 28 players sidelined through injury
An astonishing $12 million - or 28 players - could be sidelined, only increasing fears over the game’s depth to cater for the addition of two new clubs

South Sydney could be without 15 players for Thursday night’s game, while 13 St George Illawarra Dragons are expected to be unavailable.

Never before has a single NRL game been robbed of $12m worth of playing talent through injury with both sides missing up to 60 per cent of their salary cap.

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan was also rocked by his side’s expanding injury toll.

“We have 56 per cent of our salary cap out. I’ve never seen it so bad in my 10 years of coaching in the NRL. I just hope it’s a one-off and a run of bad luck,” Flanagan said.

Dragons
Michael Molo (ankle)
Jaydn Su’A (knee)
Jack de Belin (head knock)
Hamish Stewart (head knock)
Hame Sele (head knock)
Moses Suli (knee)
Nick Tsougranis (ankle)
Ryan Couchman (knee)
Toby Couchman (shoulder)
Dylan Egan (knee)
Valentine Holmes (shoulder)
Sione Finau (shoulder)
Tom Eisenhuth (concussion, retired, part of top 30 this year)

Rabbitohs
Latrell Mitchell (back)
Jack Wighton (suspension)
Cameron Murray (Achilles)
Lachlan Hubner (concussion)
Mikaele Ravalawa (pectoral)
Euan Aitken (calf)
Bailey Bentley-Hape (head knock)
Campbell Graham (back)
Jayden Sullivan (leg)
Keaon Koloamatangi (ankle)
Davvy Moale (wrist)
Tevita Tatola (shoulder)
Ben Lovett (knee)
Liam Le Blanc (shoulder)
Ryan Gray (shoulder)
Josh Schuster (on leave)

Roughly half of each team's best 17.

 

[Dragons Chris]

So I guess it's going to be:

1. Gutho
2. CT
3. Feagai
4. Buchanan
5. Allan
6. LKT
7. Kyle
8. Klemmer
9. Cook
10. Gular
11. Halanagahu
12. Leilua
13. ??????
14. Liddle
15. LPT
16. Lawrie
17. Fifita

All this considered, that isn't such a bad side.

 

[TheRev]

First article i've seen talking about our injury situation...

 

[Dragon David]

Rabbitohs and Dragons to battle with a staggering 28 players sidelined through injury
An astonishing $12 million - or 28 players - could be sidelined, only increasing fears over the game’s depth to cater for the addition of two new clubs

South Sydney could be without 15 players for Thursday night’s game, while 13 St George Illawarra Dragons are expected to be unavailable.

Never before has a single NRL game been robbed of $12m worth of playing talent through injury with both sides missing up to 60 per cent of their salary cap.

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan was also rocked by his side’s expanding injury toll.

“We have 56 per cent of our salary cap out. I’ve never seen it so bad in my 10 years of coaching in the NRL. I just hope it’s a one-off and a run of bad luck,” Flanagan said.

Dragons
Michael Molo (ankle)
Jaydn Su’A (knee)
Jack de Belin (head knock)
Hamish Stewart (head knock)
Hame Sele (head knock)
Moses Suli (knee)
Nick Tsougranis (ankle)
Ryan Couchman (knee)
Toby Couchman (shoulder)
Dylan Egan (knee)
Valentine Holmes (shoulder)
Sione Finau (shoulder)
Tom Eisenhuth (concussion, retired, part of top 30 this year)

Rabbitohs
Latrell Mitchell (back)
Jack Wighton (suspension)
Cameron Murray (Achilles)
Lachlan Hubner (concussion)
Mikaele Ravalawa (pectoral)
Euan Aitken (calf)
Bailey Bentley-Hape (head knock)
Campbell Graham (back)
Jayden Sullivan (leg)
Keaon Koloamatangi (ankle)
Davvy Moale (wrist)
Tevita Tatola (shoulder)
Ben Lovett (knee)
Liam Le Blanc (shoulder)
Ryan Gray (shoulder)
Josh Schuster (on leave)

The number of players sidelined through mostly injuries represents virtually two good teams. Player drain will definitely be noticeable when we have the full 20 teams in the NRL Competition from 2028 for future years as far as I can see. This is why I think that Clubs like the Dragons with great catchment areas for players will come in handy.

 

[Eric]

The number of players sidelined through mostly injuries represents virtually two good teams. Player drain will definitely be noticeable when we have the full 20 teams in the NRL Competition from 2028 for future years as far as I can see. This is why I think that Clubs like the Dragons with great catchment areas for players will come in handy.

PNG will begin producing a lot more talent. Perth probably a bit. NZ is producing more talent at almost an exponential rate. I don't think the new teams will dilute talent to a great extent. Or any extent at all. Just my views.

 

[Dragon David]

PNG will begin producing a lot more talent. Perth probably a bit. NZ is producing more talent at almost an exponential rate. I don't think the new teams will dilute talent to a great extent. Or any extent at all. Just my views.

Yes, that is true Eric. Hopefully our crop will be better than those three but I can see that there will be bigger ones from the NZ contingent and fast ones from PNG and Perth a good blending of the new recruits from other NRL Clubs.

 

[Dragons Chris]

Dragons team:​

1. Clinton Gutherson

2. Christian Tuipulotu

3. Hayden Buchanan

4. Mathew Feagai

5. Corey Allan

6. Lyhkan King-Togia

7. Kyle Flanagan

8. Emre Guler

9. Damien Cook

10. David Klemmer

11. Luciano Leilua

12. Jacob Halangahu

13. Ben Murdoch-Masila

14. Jacob Liddle

15. Blake Lawrie

16. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

17. Tyrell Sloan

 

[Justadragon]

Don't underestimate Hayden. Mitchell is bigger but will have to catch Hayden before he rag dolls him. Forwards need good go-forward to give Hayden a bit of room. Didn't do that last game for obvious reasons which made it hard for Hayden.

Agree Morgan , I was probably referring more to stopping him at the line.

 

[Justadragon]

I dont know about carrying Sloan on the bench instead of another forward, I think he should be a starter.