Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Is it just that no decent players want to play under Griffin or is he really satisfied with what he has?
Top 30 for 2023
- Thread starter GCRV
- Start date
Edward
SGI Jersey Flegg
Probably have to pay overs to recruit any good players to come and play under Hook.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
I'm so sick of hearing about that. There was nothing in it. Just spur of the moment having a bit of what he thought was harmless fun. It was dumb and Frizell overreacted. Move of FFS.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Tyson and Newcastle fans have every reason to be angry. Since his big money deal to go to Newcastle, his form has gone off a cliff. If things keep going the way they were going last season, I expect he will be dropped . So yeah, he should be angry but not with Zac. He should be angry with the man in the mirror.
jodragon40
Staff
Here here we are running on 3 cylinders instead of 6
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
And Lawrie might be the best of the props at the club right now but he's hardly another Mick Weyman. His name won't feature when selectors meet to discuss SOO teams.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
In the first half of last season, he would have been dropped if the club wasn't so poor for front rowers. In the second half he was regularly pumping out 150m or more a game. That was impressive. There is still the possibility of the young prop, Johnson being in the team. Also the possibility J. Hunt will come good. Frank Molo should be good. Big, mobile and skillful for a front rower but he seems to have a touch of Josh Kerr in him. Why can't he be much better than he is?
Illusion
SGI Jersey Flegg
Mongrel ........
jodragon40
Staff
I was pleased with his progress as a prop forward. He changed his running style lowering his centre of gravity making him harder to tackle. He is a toiler, he is not a line buster something we need very badly. The opposition will adjust their tackling style and marking of him this season and if this is the case he will undoubtedly find it harder to achieve the 100m as a coach I require from him. I have been consistently saying you need 3 forwards running that 100m a game to make you competitive 4 gives you a better chance of success. I can't see us achieving that with our present engine room unfortunately.
Edward
SGI Jersey Flegg
Right now maybe its good to say 'No news is good news'.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Lost big names but dead wood well past their best. But how will Lomax go really well when the forwards are constantly on the backfoot?
Lomax has to stop listening to his mum telling him that he is good and start playing at the level she has led him to believe he is at.
The Red V have lost some big names in Tariq Sims, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough and George Burgess. There will be a lot of inexperienced faces around him, and the veteran Ben Hunt simply cannot be expected to do everything again.
Heading into his sixth season with the Red V, Lomax needs to lose the attitude, stop the in-fighting, take a good hard look in the mirror and become a leader for his side.
St. George Illawarra Dragons – Zac Lomax
This club is in so much strife, you probably could have named a number of different players.Lomax has to stop listening to his mum telling him that he is good and start playing at the level she has led him to believe he is at.
The Red V have lost some big names in Tariq Sims, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough and George Burgess. There will be a lot of inexperienced faces around him, and the veteran Ben Hunt simply cannot be expected to do everything again.
Heading into his sixth season with the Red V, Lomax needs to lose the attitude, stop the in-fighting, take a good hard look in the mirror and become a leader for his side.
Eric
Staff
ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
The fact they have so much talent on the way up suggests the Dragons are a side that should not be counted out heading into the new year. It certainly wouldn’t surprise to see them jag a spot in the bottom half of the eight, and if they don’t then they’ve probably underachieved.But in saying that there’s still no denying this squad’s best football is probably a couple of years away when you factor in age and experience of some of this young talent.
What young talent are they talking about? Now Amone is out, there is only Sloan and Sullivan in the top 30 at present.
Finish the last five years:
- 2022: 10th
- 2021: 11th
- 2020: 12th
- 2019: 15th
- 2018: 7th
2023 odds:
- Premiership: $41
- Minor premiership: $81
- To make grand final: $19
- Top four: $12
- Top eight: $3.75
- Most losses: $8
Ryan
SGI Jersey Flegg
Feagai x 2 are only 21. I think that is a year younger than Bud Sullivan.
jodragon40
Staff
I have consistently said 2025 before we are competitive enough for a tilt at semi finals football. I have also been consistent based on my own experience that the engine room is the most important part of any team. I have said we could have the kangaroos backline in our team and it would only be an advantage if our forwards were competitive enough to consistently make and surpass the advantage line. I love a punt and I know a few SP Bookies in my time. This is my take on the current club and team culture and talent in framing a more realistic market.
Premiership - $250-1
Minor Premiers - $250-1
Grand Finalists - $250-1
Top 4 - $250-1
Top 8 - $100-1
Most losses - $5-1
Finishing Position between 10th - 17th - $1.50-1(best odds by far). Very sad to frame such a market as this year marks 53 yrs of support the big Red V.
jodragon40
Staff
Undoubtedly he is talented but unfortunately he is still developing a football brain. He makes rash decisions that leave his teamates confused. He needs a different more authoritarian coach to bring the best out of him. Griffin is not that coach.
Eric
Staff
Spine rating
Dragons
Three-quarters of our predicted round-one spine either didn’t finish the season in their respective position, or, in Liddle’s case, hadn’t signed with the club at the time. An illness to Ramsey, the standing down of Amone, and retirement of Andrew McCullough has forced coach Anthony Griffin to reach into his depth chart. The Dragons may need another unbelievable season from Hunt to merely stay in touch with the top eight.FULLBACK: Tyrell Sloan
Sloan rocketed into favouritism for the fullback spot due to the most unfortunate of circumstances. A rare illness over summer has seen Cody Ramsey ruled out for the 2023 season. The wiry no.1 made the jumper his own playing in 11 of the final 13 games for Saints at the back. However, it’s Sloan who has taken over the role in Ramsey’s absence throughout the pre-season. The 20-year old was actually the preferred fullback to start last season, beginning the year with the first three rounds before he was dropped to develop his gameNext best: Moses Mbye
FIVE-EIGHTH: Jayden Sullivan
Junior Amone was slated for a second season at five-eighth but has been stood down indefinitely for his alleged hammer attack last November. His unavailable opens the door for Sullivan, who requested an immediate release in search of a starting gig elsewhere, only to backflip and remain in Wollongong. The 21-year-old now gets his chance. Sullivan possesses a strong awareness and feel for the game that unlocks his instinctual attacking skills either with a long ball or deft kicking game. The key will be how he handles the workload in defence.Next best: Moses Mbye, Junior Amone*
HALFBACK: Ben Hunt
Superb in 2022, the Dragons best player finished the year with a World Cup win with Australia. Hunt is by far and away the Dragons most influential figure as evident by his 2022 season that saw him finish with the team’s most try assists, most line-break assists, most offloads, most forced drop-outs and five 40/20s. Hunt turns 33 in March, however, there’s no sign whatsoever of his physicality dipping.Next best: Jayden Sullivan, Moses Mbye
HOOKER: Jacob Liddle
So often we see a player make a career move that turns out to be the best decision of his career. Liddle could fit that mould for Saints. In and out of the Wests Tigers hooker position since 2016, Liddle arrives at the Dragons without head noise or uncertainty, knowing that he will be the club’s first-choice hooker. Confidence can do wonders for a player and with 70-games of NRL experience, Liddle is in the sweet spot to prove he belongs to be a weekly NRL player.Next best: Moses Mbye, Haele Finau
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
If Sullivan comes good as a 5/8, that spine isn't that bad. Liddle is the only problem.
jodragon40
Staff
People get lost in the meaning of a spine. There was no such thing in my day. The difference now days is that those positions combine, whereas in the past it was solely based around your 6 & 7 and the combinations they formed with your edges and the fullback chiming into the backline. It is now the nucleus of both a teams attack and defence, and in my view over reliant to the success of a team but this is the new world order. I would always say if asked what was my most important positions, it was my front row 11, 12 and 13. Our current spine holds no fears to the opposition
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
I'm hopeful Sloan with several more kgs on him and more confidence in taking the ball back will be a gun this year.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Zero Tackle is tentatively now listing Shereb as a top 30 player. That may explain Bird training at 5/8. They are planning to play Shereb in the second row with Sua.