St George Illawarra Dragons 2017

[pickles]

A few forwards won't save you if your spine isn't up to scratch and the dragons have widdop and either a choice of rookies or mccrone.

It's hard to imagine the dragons attack being more insipid than it was last year but I can't imagine them being much more than nuisance value.

[Notaroboticfish]

1. Dugan
6. Widdop
7. Mccrone
9. McInnes

Couple that with below average outside backs and only a slightly above average forward pack, and it's a bottom 4 team for sure

[DJ89]

McInnes and McCrone are shocking players to have as your number one choice. I could never work out the hype around McInnes.


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[Notaroboticfish]

McInnes and McCrone are shocking players to have as your number one choice. I could never work out the hype around McInnes.


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It completely stopped (the hype) last year. Every Souths fan I knew wanted him gone straight away.
Rein is not a good hooker, but he's a **** load better than McInnes

[El_Capitano]

If Widdop can get the form he had at the beginning of 15 (I think, 1st dragons year) then they'll be good, if anything like last year then they'll be poop.


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[zim]

McInnes and McCrone are shocking players to have as your number one choice. I could never work out the hype around McInnes.


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It completely stopped (the hype) last year. Every Souths fan I knew wanted him gone straight away.
Rein is not a good hooker, but he's a **** load better than McInnes

It's the difference between 20s and first grade. People see a kid destroy 20s and he's suddenly a god. It's very rare they hit that same level within the first 3 years of being in 1st grade. Though maybe McInnes will never be a good 1st grader.

[bonehead]

Clydesdale was dominant in 20s and nsw cup

[DJ89]

McInnes and McCrone are shocking players to have as your number one choice. I could never work out the hype around McInnes.


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It completely stopped (the hype) last year. Every Souths fan I knew wanted him gone straight away.
Rein is not a good hooker, but he's a **** load better than McInnes

It's the difference between 20s and first grade. People see a kid destroy 20s and he's suddenly a god. It's very rare they hit that same level within the first 3 years of being in 1st grade. Though maybe McInnes will never be a good 1st grader.

Didn't the dragons sign him, he reneged and stayed with Souths THEN Souths wanted Farah so released McInnes to STII?

Sounds to me like the dragons have massive plans for him and 'got their man'.

It's not gunna pan out that way. Massive downgrade on Rein.


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[Northern Raider]

1. Dugan
6. Widdop
7. Mccrone
9. McInnes

Couple that with below average outside backs and only a slightly above average forward pack, and it's a bottom 4 team for sure

Widdop needs goo players around him to shine. Dugan only plays when he feels like it. The other 2 are NSW Cup level. Wouldn't want to be a Dragons fan in 2017.

[pickles]

The Dragons fans I know want to see field in there over McCrone but it is hard to see how you could hide someone that small in the NRL and he won't be as fast after spending all day tackling Dave Taylor and Junior Paulo. Surprisingly they are also talking up McCrone as a hooker playing off the bench! Maybe I should send them back in time here to read a few threads!

It doesn't matter how good your pack is if your hooker isn't any good, the difference that Hodgson has made to our entire pack is a fantastic example of that.

[julian87]

People using 9s performances to indicate NRL form is hilarious at times.

[BJ123]

McCrone is the kind of guy you want at your Mounties or Cutters, call him up to fill in for injuries and suspensions. But he won't win you a premiership if he is your starting spine player.

I imagine Dragons won a bigger percentage of their games last season with Mccrone playing than Benji or someone else. That's probably more because he didn't get in Widdop's way (whereas Benji overruled the other players)

[Notaroboticfish]

McCrone is the kind of guy you want at your Mounties or Cutters, call him up to fill in for injuries and suspensions. But he won't win you a premiership if he is your starting spine player.

I imagine Dragons won a bigger percentage of their games last season with Mccrone playing than Benji or someone else. That's probably more because he didn't get in Widdop's way (whereas Benji overruled the other players)

I think he won 4/7


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[greeneyed]

St George Illawarra Dragons Matt Dufty out for 4-6 weeks

Young Dragons fullback Matt Dufty has been sidelined for four to six weeks with a knee injury suffered at the Downer NRL Auckland Nines.

Read more: http://www.nrl.com/dragon-dufty-out-for ... fault.aspx

[BrisbaneRaider]

Clydesdale was dominant in 20s and nsw cup

Travis Waddell was dominant in the 20s and QLD cup

[bonehead]

Clydesdale was dominant in 20s and nsw cup

Travis Waddell was dominant in the 20s and QLD cup

And mcilwrick looked incredible too

[-GD-]

Dragons get their man: Euan Aitken re-signs until the end of 2020

ST George Illawarra have re-signed centre Euan Aitken, tying the 21-year-old up until the end of the 2020 NRL season.

“It was an easy decision to re-sign for a further three years,” Aitken said in a statement. “I really enjoy it here and I really like the direction the club is heading and I want to be a part of it.”

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/dragon ... db5f97a885

[-GD-]

Paul McGregor reveals how Drew Hutchison injury affected him

ST GEORGE Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has revealed just how badly Drew Hutchison’s season-crippling knee injury affected him personally.

Hutchison, a former Junior Kangaroos representative, was set to replace Benji Marshall in the halves for the Dragons this season before his left knee buckled on him in training last December, tearing his anterior-cruciate ligament.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/dragon ... ebab166d8b

[greeneyed]

Josh McCrone suits my halves style: St George Illawarra Dragons Gareth Widdop

St George Illawarra captain Gareth Widdop has embraced the challenge of becoming the main man to transform his team's lacklustre attack this upcoming NRL season.

"It's changed a hell of a lot since last year. Josh is a bit more like halfback, which will probably suit me, play my natural game a little bit more," Widdop said.

Read more: https://au.sports.yahoo.com/league/a/34 ... dop/#page1

[simo]

"I like it when my halves partner is horrible so i can look half decent" said gareth


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[Ginga]

Gareth elaborated further on what he likes about Josh"I think the ability to hit a player in the head with the ball is a vastly underestimated skill set of McCrone's and I can't wait to see it in action, besides with Benji gone I need a fall guy for our terrible attack"

[Rick]

"McCrone wears the bucket hat better than any other half I have seen"


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[kiwi raider]

Gareth elaborated further on what he likes about Josh"I think the ability to hit a player in the head with the ball is a vastly underestimated skill set of McCrone's and I can't wait to see it in action, besides with Benji gone I need a fall guy for our terrible attack"

Would probably be there most effective attacking play

[-PJ-]

StGeorge won't give Dugan the $100mil he believes he's worth and I'm hearing he's looking at French Rugby.

I hate this muppet.

[BJ123]

StGeorge won't give Dugan the $100mil he believes he's worth and I'm hearing he's looking at French Rugby.

I hate this muppet.

Josh was ready to accept $100
Million but he just heard some bloke called Lionel Messi was earning more, so Dugan will have to raise his self imposed pay tag.

[Ginga]

He needs all the money he can get because now he's out of room on his own skin he has to pay someone to get the tattooed and follow him around so Dugan can keep "telling his story" via his stickers... #@$! head

[cat]

But he was happy to earn money painting walls ???

He should take the money on offer , hasn't really performed for them

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[Postman Pat]

But he was happy to earn money painting walls ???

He should take the money on offer , hasn't really performed for them

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He's been poor, as unlikely as it seemed at the time we dodged a bullet with him leaving.

[Northern Raider]

Hasn't performed but continues to get selected in the centres for NSW and Australia.

[RTW]

It is a really smart decision to offer him less from the Dragons. I can't see any NRL clubs who are going to come in and offer more*. So they either get him closer to what he is worth and they can throw a bit more cash at another player or he goes to French Rugby and they have a large chunk of cash to splash at someone who fits the team better.

*Note no club will offer more but Broncos may offer a pie and coke....which for some reason is very tempting.


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[Botman]

He needs to go back to playing fullback, he's a pretty ordinary centre.

[cat]

He needs a good kick up the bottom and to train hard and play hard

He believes he is better then he is

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[Botman]

Yeah I don't really buy into the "kick up the bottom" stuff
This is professional sport, even someone as woefully out of their depth as Mary McGregor is pushing Dugan as hard as he can, I've not noticed effort being an issue with him at saints

His play at centre mirrors his talent at centre. It's that simple. He's not a centre and plays like it

[cat]

Pig, he still goes down "injured" when it all gets too tough or boring "
Guy is soft and would never make it at a club coached by Bellamy, Stuart, cleary etc

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[Botman]

Well Ricky Stuart was the coach when he made his debut at SOO level so I'm sure that last sentence holds up really. I think those coaches would love to get their hands on him and trust they could put him in a position to succeed

No one is denying he's soft after taking hits, but that speaks to his body rather than effort
Having the talent to play a certain level doesn't mean your body is made to withstand the hits, Mick Weyman is a good example of this

his issues at saints aren't effort or playing hard, and a kick up the bum isn't going to solve those issues haha, that's such a silly 50's troupe