St George Illawarra in 2023

Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:

2022 NRL season preview – St George Illawarra Dragons​

The Dragons could finish anywhere on this year’s ladder.​

The St George Illawarra Dragons, coming off a very disappointing finish to 2021, will look to make up for it in 2022 with exciting youth and a slew of experienced signings.

2021 season​

It's tough to spin the Dragons 2021 season as anything other than a let down. They finished 11th so they weren't in the bottom few, but they weren't a great deal better either.

They struggled at both ends of the field, scoring only 19.5 points per game while conceding almost 26. That may not look bad when averaged but they conceded 616 points. That makes for terrible reading.

The Dragons won four of their five opening games, including wins over eventual top four finishers the Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles. They'd then only win four more games all season.

The Matt Dufty situation because comical for everyone other than the fans who were forced to endure such an embarrassing saga drag on. The big upside was the unearthing of Tyrell Sloan who looks a megastar in the making.
That's a pretty fair assessment, IMO. Dufty embarrassed himself. In attack he was excellent but was severely lacking in every other part of a fullbacks game. Griffin probably could have worked with him but it seems correctly concluded Sloan had far more upside so it's better to spend the time, effort and money on developing him rather than Dufty. Nothing personal and Dufty is being disingenuous suggesting anything other than that.

Recruitment Impact​

The Dragons have signed........ strangely

George Burgess was forced into retirement due to injury whilst playing for Wigan. He still looks the part but there are huge questions as to his effectiveness in a sharper, much quicker ruck.

Aaron Woods has multiple Origins and Kangaroo jumpers to his name but became known for throwing his arms up as defenders ran past him in 2021. His ruck defence under the new rules became a running joke for Sharks fans.

How did the club allow their captain and back-to-back player of the year walk to their rivals?

Moses Mbye looks a clever signing but looks a big outlay for a utility. Moses Suli has had his issues but is a bona-fide beast out wide and well worth the risk.

Jaydn Su'a arrives at the club as a run on player both in a grand final and representing Queensland in Origin. His signing shapes as an absolute steal.
This looks patently ridiculous to me.

True about Burgess. Is he still a good player? Who knows but he is apparently on minimal money so it's not a big loss even if he's no longer NRL standard.

Never noticed about Woods' defence but I didn't pay attention to Shonkies games. As long as he knows not to do that anymore, should be fine. Seems like an easily fixable problem. He isn't going to be a superstar and barge over for multiple tries or whatever but he will (hopefully) play for a long time, keep going forward and provide a few offloads.

Great decision by Griffin. IMO he is a good hooker but not great and not worth the money the Shonkies are throwing at him. At lock, I'm sure he'll try hard and give 100% for the Shonkies but no. I'd much prefer JDB, Fuimanon or Bird to play lock.

Agree about Mbye. Why was he signed? Must be backup hooker first and foremost and the a general utility after that.

I hope that's the case for Su'A.
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It must have come down to money alone because McInnes is a good hooker, not great and so is Macca but McInnes is quite a bit younger so obviously would have been better to keep him. As far as playing at lock, he has apparently packed on the kgs so may be better.
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:

2022 NRL season preview – St George Illawarra Dragons​

The Dragons could finish anywhere on this year’s ladder.​

The St George Illawarra Dragons, coming off a very disappointing finish to 2021, will look to make up for it in 2022 with exciting youth and a slew of experienced signings.

2021 season​

It's tough to spin the Dragons 2021 season as anything other than a let down. They finished 11th so they weren't in the bottom few, but they weren't a great deal better either.

They struggled at both ends of the field, scoring only 19.5 points per game while conceding almost 26. That may not look bad when averaged but they conceded 616 points. That makes for terrible reading.

The Dragons won four of their five opening games, including wins over eventual top four finishers the Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles. They'd then only win four more games all season.

The Matt Dufty situation because comical for everyone other than the fans who were forced to endure such an embarrassing saga drag on. The big upside was the unearthing of Tyrell Sloan who looks a megastar in the making.
That's a pretty fair assessment, IMO. Dufty embarrassed himself. In attack he was excellent but was severely lacking in every other part of a fullbacks game. Griffin probably could have worked with him but it seems correctly concluded Sloan had far more upside so it's better to spend the time, effort and money on developing him rather than Dufty. Nothing personal and Dufty is being disingenuous suggesting anything other than that.

Recruitment Impact​

The Dragons have signed........ strangely

George Burgess was forced into retirement due to injury whilst playing for Wigan. He still looks the part but there are huge questions as to his effectiveness in a sharper, much quicker ruck.

Aaron Woods has multiple Origins and Kangaroo jumpers to his name but became known for throwing his arms up as defenders ran past him in 2021. His ruck defence under the new rules became a running joke for Sharks fans.

How did the club allow their captain and back-to-back player of the year walk to their rivals?

Moses Mbye looks a clever signing but looks a big outlay for a utility. Moses Suli has had his issues but is a bona-fide beast out wide and well worth the risk.

Jaydn Su'a arrives at the club as a run on player both in a grand final and representing Queensland in Origin. His signing shapes as an absolute steal.
This looks patently ridiculous to me.

True about Burgess. Is he still a good player? Who knows but he is apparently on minimal money so it's not a big loss even if he's no longer NRL standard.

Never noticed about Woods' defence but I didn't pay attention to Shonkies games. As long as he knows not to do that anymore, should be fine. Seems like an easily fixable problem. He isn't going to be a superstar and barge over for multiple tries or whatever but he will (hopefully) play for a long time, keep going forward and provide a few offloads.

Great decision by Griffin. IMO he is a good hooker but not great and not worth the money the Shonkies are throwing at him. At lock, I'm sure he'll try hard and give 100% for the Shonkies but no. I'd much prefer JDB, Fuimanon or Bird to play lock.

Agree about Mbye. Why was he signed? Must be backup hooker first and foremost and the a general utility after that.

I hope that's the case for Su'A.
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The more I hear about our team for this year, there seems to be a consensus the forwards may be our problem.
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:

Dragons Breakout star​

Tyrell Sloan
We've only had a small sample size but my word the results thus far have been impressive.

Six tries, two try assists and 13 tackle breaks in just five games of NRL football makes for exciting reading.

With a full NRL off-season under his belt and a brand new, upgraded contract to his name, Sloan has the number one jersey from Round 1.

He has all the talent to fill it for a long, long time. One of the game's real excitement machines. I just hope Dragons fans temper their expectations and remember he is still a rookie, albeit a ridiculously talented one.
This guys star just keeps rising but personally I'm not so sure. I think Amone is going to be huge this year. It'll take something special from Sloane to unseat Amone as our "breakout star".

Dragons Fixtures to watch​

Round 3: St George Illawarra vs Sharks: The local derby is always a brilliant occasion. Ladder position means very little heading into a clash between the two southern Sydney sides. Throw in the McInnes move and then you have a recipe for a spicy clash.

Both games in 2021 were won by the Sharks, who will enter this clash as favourites. There's nothing the Dragons hate more than being referred to as little brother by their rivals. They will want to win this one.

Round 7: St George Illawarra vs Roosters: Arguably the marquee game outside of the finals and Origin is the Anzac Day fixture. Regardless of ladder position, form, result etc this is an occasion every player looks forward to. With Covid restrictions easing, there's every chance we'll once again have a sell-out crowd supporting both teams and the most important day on the calendar.

Round 12: St George Illawarra vs Bulldogs: On paper this may seem like a random game but these are the games the Dragons need to win to contend for finals footy. The Dogs have improved dramatically and are expected to be challengers for a return to the top eight. If the Dragons are serious contenders, they'll need to do the job at Belmore in front of a hostile crowd. This will be fun to watch, and carries super importance for the Dragons finals hopes.
All fixtures are to watch for us. In Round 7 I'm looking forward to seeing how our guys can take advantage of Keary and Walker in the front line. One (very) poor defender can be hidden. 2 should be taken advantage of.

Dragons Final Prediction​

I struggled with this final ranking. The Dragons are streets ahead of the two sides below them (the Cowboys and Tigers) but a fair way out of finals contention. I'd guess they'll somewhere in between.

Zac Lomax and Tyrell Sloan have plenty of points in them, but they're going to need to given the defensive make up of this side.

Bird at lock is a target, Woods and Burgess have to adapt to a faster game at advanced ages, while Josh McGuire spends more time suspended than he does on the park.

Ben Hunt needs help creating. Amore or Sullivan need to hit the ground running while the Dragons pack has to prove me, among many many doubters, wrong.

I just can't see them being able to score enough points, consistently (there will be days they rack up scores) to worry the better sides.

14th
JDB will be lock to start the game unless unavailable. Even then, it may be McGuire or Fuimaono.
If Griffin can squeeze another 2 good years out Woods, Burgess, McGuire, McCullough, we'll be very competitive. Top 8 assured if the forwards can at least hold their own.
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Hopefully the Rorters can be exploited by targeting those two.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
RedV01 said:
The more I hear about our team for this year, there seems to be a consensus the forwards may be our problem.
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A lot of negative commentary about our forwards of late. I read somewhere that this might/should/will fire them up. I hope that's the case.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Read that and the writer is assuming that our recruited props cant compete anymore in first grade, thats a bold prediction. If he is correct we will finish well outside the 8 but I believe he is misreading the players named. As I said before motivation is a great tool. When you are considered a hack, over the hill, not good enough I found in my time that brought out the best of any person because people who make 1st grade have great pride and belief in themselves because they are the 1% that make 1st grade. I am hoping Burgess, Woods, Sims and the rest of the pack are reading these predictions and hopefully if good enough will make the writer eat his words. Combinations make a good team, Hunt, Amone, need to combine either side of the ruck last year it was all one side and 1 hit up because we simply didnt have the pack to allow the playmakers time to play what was in front of them. We have points in us this year Lomax, Rav, if Suli gets a start he is capable of breaking the line with ball in hand, Ramsay can finish off the other side of the field as well so combinations are imperative in building a competitive team. Time will tell.
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
Read that and the writer is assuming that our recruited props cant compete anymore in first grade, thats a bold prediction. If he is correct we will finish well outside the 8 but I believe he is misreading the players named. As I said before motivation is a great tool. When you are considered a hack, over the hill, not good enough I found in my time that brought out the best of any person because people who make 1st grade have great pride and belief in themselves because they are the 1% that make 1st grade. I am hoping Burgess, Woods, Sims and the rest of the pack are reading these predictions and hopefully if good enough will make the writer eat his words. Combinations make a good team, Hunt, Amone, need to combine either side of the ruck last year it was all one side and 1 hit up because we simply didnt have the pack to allow the playmakers time to play what was in front of them. We have points in us this year Lomax, Rav, if Suli gets a start he is capable of breaking the line with ball in hand, Ramsay can finish off the other side of the field as well so combinations are imperative in building a competitive team. Time will tell.
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At what level did you coach?
 
Eric

Eric

Staff

The TWO massive calls St George Illawarra Dragons still need to make as veteran stars eye NRL redemption​

No club was celebrating the new year more than St George Illawarra Dragons.​

While there were some positives to take out of 2021 — like winning four of their first five games and the emergence of some future stars — overall it was a season to forget for many of the Red V faithful.

Remember barbecue-gate? The Dragons claimed the throne for arguably the biggest and perhaps most bizarre story of the season when Paul Vaughan hosted 12 teammates at his house in a serious breach of not only NRL Covid-19 protocols but also New South Wales government restrictions.

The fallout was a disaster. The NRL handed out $305,000 worth of fines and every player at the barbecue was suspended for one match, while Vaughan’s $800,000-a-year contract was torn up and he was banned for the rest of the season. Some will argue the club had a small win by gaining $800,000 for their 2022 salary cap, but there’s no denying the disruption the saga caused was extremely costly.
Vaughan was grossly overpaid for sure. That must have made him one of the highest paid props in the competition.
The Dragons didn’t win a game after that now infamous BBQ on a Saturday afternoon in July. But that is now just a mere memory as a new-look Dragons side eyes a redemption in 2022. Coach Anthony Griffin has been busy buying, re-signing and showing the door to some players to put together the squad that will see the Dragons return to finals footy for the first time since 2018.

Now it’s about ensuring that squad can go the distance and to do that a big focus will need to be consistency, according to former Dragons forward and English international James Graham. “I know everyone in the group has really high aspirations but it’s going about their business week-to-week and learning from the lessons last year,” he told foxsports.com.au.
Is he still employed by the club? I thought he was hired for the NRLW team but Soward took over this year.
“I think consistency is the area that needs most improving and the moves coach Griffin made in the off-season will certainly help. “For me, looking at how they went last year, a lot of the focus goes on the end of the season and how it finished. There was positive signs there at the beginning, it’s just whether or not they can maintain. “What I’d like to see is learning from last year and applying themselves consistently.”

DRAGONS NEXT GEN
Griffin cleared the decks last season farewelling the likes of Corey Norman, Matt Dufty and Adam Clune to make way for the Dragons’ next generation of talent.The No.6 and No.1 jerseys are up for grabs in what you could call a new era for the club.

“There’s some really exciting young prospects coming through — Tyrell Sloan, Cody Ramsey, the Feagai twins — there’s a lot to like,” Graham said. “When you throw that in with some of the experience, if they can marry that together it should be good.”

Jayden Sullivan vs Talatau Amone
Two local juniors are vying for the No.6 jersey in Jayden Sullivan and Talatau Amone, while it’d be silly to rule new recruit Moses Mbye out of contention. Sullivan made his NRL debut in 2020 and then added five more games to his name last season — two of those were impressive performances at hooker.

Amone ticked off his debut in Round 9 last season and went on to play a total of 11 NRL games either at five-eighth, centre or off the bench. Graham thinks Amone might just get the jump on Sullivan but can see it going either way.

“If Ben (Hunt) is going to play No.7 I think the natural No.6 would be Amone. He seems more suited to six where I think Jayden is more of a seven,” he said. “But you never know, they both train really well and they’ve got some pressure as well from Moses Mbye too.”
This is obviously nonsense. Mbye is no chance unless both Amone and Sullivan are injured.
Cody Ramsey vs Tyrell Sloan
Another selection headache looming for Griffin with two young, speedy players eyeing the No.1 jersey now available after Dufty’s departure. Who can forget Cody Ramsey’s thrilling performances during the 2020 Perth Nines? The 21-year-old made his debut later that year on the wing and has added a further 20 NRL games to his name — two of those at fullback.

But 19-year-old Tyrell Sloan stepped into the No.1 jersey for five games last season and showed in the final game of the year that he is a star of the future with two tries, six tackle busts, two linebreaks and 141 running metres. Graham believes the decision will come down to the Dragons’ trial games — but stressed the importance of not rushing either of them.

“Sloan and Ramsey have both shown a lot of potential and they’re still learning their trade in the No.1 jersey,” he said. “I think fullback is such an important position in the modern game — the last 10 to 15 years has really shown how integral it is.

“I think we’ve just got to exercise a little bit of patience, especially with those two. We’ve had glimpses of what they can do, there’s already plenty of highlight reel stuff, but it’s more about learning the trade and the one per centres — the stuff that most people wouldn’t pick up on that they’re doing to benefit the team.

“So I think we’ve just got to be patient with those two. “But again, Moses Mbye is probably another option. His versatility will serve the Dragons well, he can play anywhere in that backline. “I imagine Griffin and the rest of the staff have got a starting No.1 in mind but I think with Sloan and Ramsey — they’ve both been training really well up to now — but then with the trials we might get a bit more of an indication of who is really going to seize that opportunity.

“But it’s exciting, having competition for spaces, it’s a great position for the club to be in. “They’ve got two really exciting young players vying for that jersey. They’re both blessed with blistering speed, which is something you’ve got to have genetics for.”
Consensus seems to be and I agree that Sloan's display in the All Stars games sealed for himself the #1 jersey.　
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
Eric said:
Not much more to comment on. So Mbye is happy to play anywhere in the team? Well of course! Otherwise he wouldn't be near the best 17.

www.foxsports.com.au

The TWO huge calls Dragons still need to make as veteran stars eye NRL ‘redemption’

The TWO huge calls Dragons still need to make as veteran stars eye NRL ‘redemption’
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au
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It mostly made for somewhat banal reading but it was interesting Molo was mentioned as a big signing but then omitted from the best 17. Must have been an oversight. Other than that, I think the best 17 is spot on. Just replace Molo with McGuire for the first 6 weeks and after that it'll be a shoot out between Woods, Burgess, Molo, Lawrie, McGuire for 4 spots.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Eric said:
That's pretty impressive.
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It was easy back then it was all about knowing the people in right places, drinking a great deal and having good knowledge of the game. But most importantly I found it didn't matter if you were or believed you were the smartest coach in the world if the team doesn't understand as individuals what their jobs are its an uphill battle. Anyone can coach as long as you have the coaching certificate.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
jodragon40 said:
It was easy back then it was all about knowing the people in right places, drinking a great deal and having good knowledge of the game. But most importantly I found it didn't matter if you were or believed you were the smartest coach in the world if the team doesn't understand as individuals what their jobs are its an uphill battle. Anyone can coach as long as you have the coaching certificate.
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A coaching certificate? Is that a real thing or some kind of metaphor?
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Eric said:
A coaching certificate? Is that a real thing or some kind of metaphor?
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Nope real thing certificate in coaching you had to be accredited at a certain level to coach senior or back in those days open age team. Nowdays I think it goes up to level 4 or high performance level
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
jodragon40 said:
Nope real thing certificate in coaching you had to be accredited at a certain level to coach senior or back in those days open age team. Nowdays I think it goes up to level 4 or high performance level.
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Interesting. Is that still the case? You said, "you had to be accredited". I heard about some degree Seibold got from the US but didn't think it was common or the norm.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Eric said:
Interesting. Is that still the case? You said, "you had to be accredited". I heard about some degree Seibold got from the US but didn't think it was common or the norm.
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It is much so more today. You can't even coach juniors these days without a coaching accreditation. In my day you could also but needed it to only coach opens. NRL run accreditation courses level 4 is what you have to achieve and renew every 3 yrs to coach nrl level
 
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