jodragon40
Staff
Just got to work on his defence. I'm picking the Dragons for top 8 next season injuries apart and a GF 2027/2028. If we can get a genuine 7 and prop
Round 24 vs Warriors
- Thread starter Dragon David
- Start date
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
LKT has had 17 games in 1st grade, and is still getting better.. I still don't think he will ever be god-mode cause I don't think he has the acceleration.. but if he keeps getting better who knows.. we definitely havent found his ceiling yet.
The topic of Amone came up today in comparison.. he had nrly 60 games in 1st grade.. imo he plateaued almost from the early games... and I rly wanted him dropped back for Sullivan...
Then someone like Ethan Strange, nrly 21 and 43 games in 1st grade.. I think hes a class above.. but.. but in terms of experience, it'll be 2027 before LKT has a similar amount of experience...
The topic of Amone came up today in comparison.. he had nrly 60 games in 1st grade.. imo he plateaued almost from the early games... and I rly wanted him dropped back for Sullivan...
Then someone like Ethan Strange, nrly 21 and 43 games in 1st grade.. I think hes a class above.. but.. but in terms of experience, it'll be 2027 before LKT has a similar amount of experience...
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Looks like he's a bit faster or the same speed as Munster.
Agree about Amone and Sullivan. I was blowing up about Griffin not dropping Amome for Sullivan.
LKT gave Strange a bath a couple of weeks ago.
jodragon40
Staff
Off season sprint training and tackling bags and next year we will see how good his football brain is. Just my views
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Physically Ethan Strange is elite, fast, strong and footwork + defence is great
can’t ball play for shit at the moment but it’ll get better as he evolves as a player
Junior amone is one of the biggest what ifs we’ve ever had as a club, he was much better than LKT but played in a worse team + obviously he’s a flog off field and it’s cost him
I really do hope we go with Atkinson and LKT in the halves next year, it’ll give us a really good idea of where LKT is tracking as a player after he’s played 40+ nrl games.
you never know when it clicks for a player to become elite
If it were up to me I’d want to have him with his hands on the ball as much as possible next year
He averages one of the highest try assist rates per touch of any half in the game which is absurdly good
That leaves Atkinson to stick to what he does best with his running game + long kicking
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
I think there is a good chance this will be our combination.. that said it sux we didnt get Doueihi who would have been an excellent injury cover while playing another position... I spose Kyle is also a fallback..
Does leave us thin though.. pretty easy to get a serious injury or 2 and were in trouble.. and we did say we were after a marquee 7.. but given it seems we didnt chase Sandon Smith.. that hints that we wont buy anyone unless theyre a proper 7..
Eric
Staff
I haven't seem much of Strange. From the little I've seen, I can't understand the fuss but I know there is a fuss.
Having said that, if he can't ball play for shit now, you think it'll get a lot better?
Ryan
SGI NSW Cup
Looking forward to the game. Been a while since I really looked forward to any games. Kyle hasn't been as crap, Gular and Klemmaer have been much better, LKT and Hamish keep getting better. Now we have Halangahu and LPT. I understand it's hard to make changes unless forced to a winning team but I'd really like CT to come in for Allan.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Depends how hard he works on it, Tedesco early on in his career wasn’t very good at it then he became a good ball playing fullback over time
Dragons Chris
SGI NSW Cup
It's dry over there today. Might get found out for the lack of speed though Buchanan is on the same side and he's no slouch. Might be more of a problem in attack than defence.
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Justa mentioned it was the piece missing from Ollie Burton also.. the ball playing.. everything else is rock solid in a big frame.. got plenty of time to work on it though Age 16-17.. but as a club we can work around things.. like Gutho is our main ball player in this squad.. we use him and its working.. but if we had a Nathan Cleary in our halves or a Sam Walker, we wouldnt need our fullback to be setting everything up... there are lots of ways to score points.
Eric
Staff
I remember that. I think a 16 year-old fullback has both way more potential but way less need to improve ball playing than a 21 year-old 5/8 already in the NRL. Might be wrong. I haven't seen much of Ethan Strange but from what I've seen, at present, I'm pretty happy with the way LKT is progressing and wouldn't swap the two.
Imo LKT creates tries for others while Strange scores tries himself. LKT is already a solid body, he's genuinely breaking tackle now compared to earlier in the season where it was a semi break. Another off-season developing the body, improving defence & kicking game could stamp himself into the 5/8th jersey for a few years.
He's got great timing on his runs & passes, it's hard to develop that area of a players game. He's a natural footy player with good physical attributes imo. He seems to be confident but not arrogant either, I think having confidence is crucial for a younger player otherwise they go into their shell.
He's got great timing on his runs & passes, it's hard to develop that area of a players game. He's a natural footy player with good physical attributes imo. He seems to be confident but not arrogant either, I think having confidence is crucial for a younger player otherwise they go into their shell.
Edward
SGI NSW Cup
Strange also has the benefit of playing with a halfback who is one of the best kickers in the comp.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
He’s also got Kaeo Weekes and Hudson young looming next to him which helps A LOT + a great pack to play off
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Late Mail:
Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 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. Hamish Stewart 13. Jack De Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 16. Hame Sele 17. Loko Pasifiki Tonga 20. Jacob Halangahu 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 22. Christian Tuipulotu
Players cut: 15. Michael Molo 19. Lachlan Ilias 21. Nathan Lawson
Late Mail: Michael Molo has been ruled out due to an ankle injury, opening the door for Jacob Halangahu to join the bench for his second NRL game. Meanwhile, Christian Tuipulotu is set to return to the 17 after missing several weeks with a hamstring injury. Code Sports reports Tuipulotu will play on the wing, which will push either Corey Allan, Mat Feagai or last week’s debutant Hayden Buchanan out of the side. And Jack de Belin will play his 250th NRL game.
Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 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. Hamish Stewart 13. Jack De Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 16. Hame Sele 17. Loko Pasifiki Tonga 20. Jacob Halangahu 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 22. Christian Tuipulotu
Players cut: 15. Michael Molo 19. Lachlan Ilias 21. Nathan Lawson
Late Mail: Michael Molo has been ruled out due to an ankle injury, opening the door for Jacob Halangahu to join the bench for his second NRL game. Meanwhile, Christian Tuipulotu is set to return to the 17 after missing several weeks with a hamstring injury. Code Sports reports Tuipulotu will play on the wing, which will push either Corey Allan, Mat Feagai or last week’s debutant Hayden Buchanan out of the side. And Jack de Belin will play his 250th NRL game.
I think CT will come in, push Allan to centre and Buchanan to 18th man, but I’d be perfectly fine if Allan drops out to 18th man
I think suli massive hole with yardage carries meant we couldn't carry both sloan & Buchanan. Big call but I like it.