Round 1 team so far in 2026

[HaydoM8]

Copy and paste from the NSW Cup Jersey Flegg thread
1 Gutho
2 Fale (unseen besides highlights reel, but apparently training on one wing)
3 Holmes
4 Suli (I think he is better suited to edge backrow, but we are stacked with them now)
5 Setu Tu (unseen, but training on the other wing)
6 Flannagan
7 Atkinson
13 Stewart
12 Su'a
11 Leilua (start with the experience. Halangahu or R Couchman could start if preseason really good)
10 T Couchman
9 Liddle (could start with Cook, as Liddle is great off the bench, but he should play at least 50 mins a game.
8 Guler
14 Cook (would be good impact off the bench or start with him for the first 30 minutes)
15 Pasifika Tonga
16 Kerr
17 R Couchman

I think one of Ryan/loko drop out for Sele in the 27 we have now. Output per minute from Sele is sone of the best in the squad … getting minutes from him is the issue

hoping that in the three extra players we get some starters

 

[Justadragon]

All these new wingers and centers that we have got so far are ressie players and from what i read all have suspect defence So along with Sloan who is the same and CT who isn’t fast we are in a world of hurt. Let’s hope we get that winger from the cowboys.

 

[Dragons Chris]

Copy and paste from the NSW Cup Jersey Flegg thread
1 Gutho
2 Fale (unseen besides highlights reel, but apparently training on one wing)
3 Holmes
4 Suli (I think he is better suited to edge backrow, but we are stacked with them now)
5 Setu Tu (unseen, but training on the other wing)
6 Flannagan
7 Atkinson
13 Stewart
12 Su'a
11 Leilua (start with the experience. Halangahu or R Couchman could start if preseason really good)
10 T Couchman
9 Liddle (could start with Cook, as Liddle is great off the bench, but he should play at least 50 mins a game.
8 Guler
14 Cook (would be good impact off the bench or start with him for the first 30 minutes)
15 Pasifika Tonga
16 Kerr
17 R Couchman

If LKT isn't better than Kyle, I'm Shane Flanagan.

 

[Dragons Chris]

I think one of Ryan/loko drop out for Sele in the 27 we have now. Output per minute from Sele is sone of the best in the squad … getting minutes from him is the issue

hoping that in the three extra players we get some starters

probably only get 1 or 2 before the season starts with 1 or 2 places left vacant.

 

[RandomDragon]

We are chasing a FB, don’t know what the plan is if we land him but could walk into the team moving gutho to centre/5/8

 

[Dragons Chris]

We are chasing a FB, don’t know what the plan is if we land him but could walk into the team moving gutho to centre/5/8

What fullback on the market could possibly be better than Gutho?

 

[Frank Facer]

We are chasing a FB, don’t know what the plan is if we land him but could walk into the team moving gutho to centre/5/8

I am thinking along the same lines as Dragon Chris. I think Gutho only has another 2 season at the max at fullback. Who are the options, that we could sign?
Then I thought of Pappy as a short term solution, but he still may end up playing in the Rugby 360 comp in 2028. Today there is more newspaper talk of Ponga to Easts, when Tedesco retires at the end of 2027. That is another 2 seasons away.

 

[jodragon40]

Well there you go Liddle chasing a long kick at training today sustains a grade 3 hamstring tear. He shouldn't be on the plane to LV.

 

[Eric]

Jacob Liddle most likely missing the early rounds after suffering a grade 3 hamstring injury

Normally an 8 week recovery period and Vegas is in 5 weeks

Big loss. He's been so underrated over the past few years. But what does Flanno do now Connor M is also unavailable? As Watsford said, Kyle to No.14 and LKT to 5/8?

 

[jodragon40]

Big loss. He's been so underrated over the past few years. But what does Flanno do now Connor M is also unavailable? As Watsford said, Kyle to No.14 and LKT to 5/8?

Be very interesting but Flano will be our 6 you would believe watching the training

 

[HaydoM8]

Be very interesting but Flano will be our 6 you would believe watching the training

Scrimmage tomorrow will be interesting.

 

[Dave03]

Be very interesting but Flano will be our 6 you would believe watching the training

Surely lkt to 5/8th and Kyle to 14 or 9 and then cook to 14. Let Kyle do the early defensive stuff in the middle then bring on the speed and fresh legs of cook. Atleast we have a few trials to sort it out.

 

[jodragon40]

Surely lkt to 5/8th and Kyle to 14 or 9 and then cook to 14. Let Kyle do the early defensive stuff in the middle then bring on the speed and fresh legs of cook. Atleast we have a few trials to sort it out.

Flanno was saying he's a quick healer, bloody well hope so because he's 29 old and a grade 3 tear is usually a 8 - 12 week recovery unless it's not a full rupture

 

[Morgan]

Big loss. He's been so underrated over the past few years. But what does Flanno do now Connor M is also unavailable? As Watsford said, Kyle to No.14 and LKT to 5/8?

What else can he do? Who elae is even remotely suitable to play hooker?

 

[Frank Facer]

Well there you go Liddle chasing a long kick at training today sustains a grade 3 hamstring tear. He shouldn't be on the plane to LV.

Now it is "lucky" we have Cook in our roster. But who will be the second hooker we carry on the bench? Maybe it is time to blood young Issah Fagalilo? I looked him up to see how old he is and this is the result I got. Most interesting is it says he is a fullback or 5/8. It could be Damien Cook version 2. Cook was a fullback and halfback, when playing lower grades for us, before being moved to hooker. It may work, but 18 is quite young for a hooker.

Isaiah Fagalilo is 18 years old, born on October 23, 2007. He plays as a five-eighth and fullback for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the SG Ball Cup and has also represented the club in the Jersey Flegg Cup and Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

 

[Frank Facer]

Big loss. He's been so underrated over the past few years. But what does Flanno do now Connor M is also unavailable? As Watsford said, Kyle to No.14 and LKT to 5/8?

Liddle may be underrated to others, but not to me. I rate him one of the best hookers in the game and possibly the best impact hooker in the comp. I even had him in "my" NSW team last year. How long is a grade 3 hamstring injury. It shouldn't be any longer than 8 weeks, which should see him only miss the first 3 rounds or so.

I didn't even think of Kyle to play in the hooker rotation, but it may be the best option right now. I can't see Flanno moving Kyle from the halves after training all off season there. After a bit of thought, it is something I would seriously consider, then it would be out of LKT or O'Neil to partner Acko in the halves. I am thinking that could now be our best option, but if O'Neil or LKT were to perform really well, it would make it difficult to find a spot for Kyle when Liddle returns.

If Watsford said, Kyle to hooker and LKT to 5/8, then he must have some inside info?

 

[Frank Facer]

Flanno was saying he's a quick healer, bloody well hope so because he's 29 old and a grade 3 tear is usually a 8 - 12 week recovery unless it's not a full rupture

I would give all players with hamstring injuries an extra week or 2 as they are often recurring injuries.

 

[TSP]

I’d suspect with Cooky showing signs of decay last season, Flanno would’ve been sizing up replacements.

Then you’ve got DA who is an expert on selecting youngsters in all roles.

Add the expectation of injuries to players in every position.

I’d be surprised if SGI wasn’t better prepared than many think. It’s not ideal, it’s a nuisance, but it’s not as important as the halves combo.

 

[Dragons Chris]

I’d suspect with Cooky showing signs of decay last season, Flanno would’ve been sizing up replacements.

Then you’ve got DA who is an expert on selecting youngsters in all roles.

Add the expectation of injuries to players in every position.

I’d be surprised if SGI wasn’t better prepared than many think. It’s not ideal, it’s a nuisance, but it’s not as important as the halves combo.

Maybe Muhleisen who I always thought was underrated. But he's out for the first half a season.

 

[Eric]

I’d suspect with Cooky showing signs of decay last season, Flanno would’ve been sizing up replacements.

Then you’ve got DA who is an expert on selecting youngsters in all roles.

Add the expectation of injuries to players in every position.

I’d be surprised if SGI wasn’t better prepared than many think. It’s not ideal, it’s a nuisance, but it’s not as important as the halves combo.

Cook wants one more year after this year. I think he's being a bit optimistic.

I think both NSW Cup hookers from last year could play NRL. Neither superstars but not bad either. But Connor is out and Finau isn't in the top 30 or on a development contract.