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Dragons fans – it is time to get excited. Just one sleep to go before you can check out your new and (hopefully) improved St George-Illawarra team in tomorrow afternoon’s Charity Shield duel with South Sydney at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
It has been way too long since the club has been active in the player market but the coffers have finally been prised open and a batch of talented recruits could see the Dragons marching proudly up the premiership table.
Newbies Gerard Beale, Dylan Farrell, Gareth Widdop, Sam Williams and Joel Thompson have been picked for the clash with the Rabbitohs.
I see a vast improvement in the Dragons’ attacking ability which had become boring, almost stagnant, in recent seasons.
Coach Steve Price has finally been given some firepower to work with and the Dragons have the capacity to test highly-rated Souths from all parts of the park.
Pitch in the above-mentioned names with the likes of Josh Dugan, Jason Nightingale, Mitch Rein, Trent Merrin, Kyle Stanley and Jack Stockwell and one would think that tries will be flowing once combinations are formed.
The excitement coming out of St George-Illawarra territory is palpable. Here is a squad that can comfortably grab a top eight berth or better.
I’m tipping a big resurgence from the red and whites this year and Souths could have their work cut out getting their measure in the first Charity Shield game ever played outside of Sydney.
The new halves pairing of Williams and Widdop will be closely watched but don’t discount bench man Kyle Stanley, a highly gifted pivot who is battling back after four (!) knee reconstructions.
I hear Stanley has looked very sharp at pre-season training and that he wants to be given a decent shot at the six or seven jumper.
Ex-Raiders star Thompson also appeals as a key man at the Dragons this year. He can play in the forwards or backs and brings lots of speed and toughness to the club.
With better attacking players around him, watch for some more spark and creativity from livewire hooker Mitch Rein. If he goes for a scoot through the ruck this year, he should have untold options to link, inside or out.
Souths have also named a powerful line-up including big guns Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds, Isaac Luke, John Sutton, and Sam Burgess and they will be keen to add to their tally of six wins in the last nine Charity Shield games.
The Bunnies will miss first choice five-eighth Luke Keary who has been sidelined for three or four months with a major shoulder injury. Dylan Walker, one of the code’s rising stars, gets a crack at the No 6 jumper with playmaker Sutton moving to lock.
The Dragons were dreadful in the Auckland Nines while the Rabbitohs looked well organised and dangerous. I am going to disregard Nines ‘form’ and pick the Dragons to spring an upset on their home ground at the ‘Gong.
To perfectly honest, I am in two minds about the World Club Challenge game between the NRL premiers Sydney Roosters and the England SL champs, Wigan Warriors.
This game will be played at 8pm at Allianz Stadium but I just can’t get enthused about it.
The Roosters will send out the bulk of their 2013 title-winning team. Their galaxy of stars will be up against . . . who? Not too many household names in this Wigan outfit (which used to house superstar, Sam Tomkins).
Ah yes, but they do have ex-Cowboy Matty Bowen and, wait for it, Eddy Pettybourne and Blake Green.
I realise that Wigan winger Josh Charnley is a try merchant but that’s in the English Super League. The Roosters don’t go too badly at the tackling caper and I’m guessing he won’t see much daylight in this game.
Nup, Roosters by 20-plus in pretty much a training gallop. Not sure that I’ll be watching . . .
On the same night, however, I am rather interested in the Manly Warringah v Parramatta trial at Brookvale (7.30 kickoff).
This will feature the return to league by Parra’s Will Hopoate after a two year sabbatical as a Mormon missionary. When he left the game he was a rising superstar. Now that he’s back, what can we expect, what will we see?
Eels’ coach Brad Arthur has stated publicly that he wants Hoppa to just enjoy himself and work on a few new combinations.
Inwardly, Arthur is hoping that he is coaching a superstar category player to complement his main man, Jarryd Hayne, who is playing his first trial of the season.
Corey Norman, the former Bronco, will be trotting out for the Eels. He looked pretty classy in the Nines and has the skills to answer some more prayers from coach Arthur.
Manly fans will also be watching this trial with special interest. Is there are front rower in the joint? Mobile bookends who can tackle are badly needed in the place they call God’s Country.
There are numerous league trials around the nation (and abroad) this weekend but space does not allow me to discuss all of them here on this website. If you have a thought or a prediction about any of these, feel free to contribute right here on The Roar.
The other games are: Sharks v Tigers (Remondis Stadium Sat 7pm), Raiders v Knights (Scully Park, Tamworth Sat 7.30pm), Titans v Cowboys (Townsville, Sat 7.30pm), Warriors v Broncos (Dunedin, Sun 3pm), Panthers v Newtown (Centrebet Stadium, Sun 4pm), Bulldogs v Storm (Suncorp Sun 5pm).
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