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WIZ: The Price is right for the Dragons

27th February, 2014
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Dragons coach Steve Price is running out of time. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
Expert
27th February, 2014
30
1814 Reads

Almost everywhere I turn, someone is tipping St George Illawarra’s Steve Price to be the first coach axed in 2014. Frankly, I don’t get it.

This guy has had to wrestle with two of the toughest tasks in the NRL.

Firstly, he succeeded premiership-winning mentor Wayne Bennett at the Dragons, which was always going to be a tall order for a rookie first grade coach.

Then he had the job of ousting the club’s tried and trusted old guard and signing a new breed to take their place. This was never going to be easy as there were some pretty big names involved.

Price has done all of the above but, as I write this column, the Dragons are being freely touted as wooden spoon candidates.

Ok, the club did precious little in the Auckland Nines but they weren’t the only failures across the Tasman. I will make some allowances for that.

I will also excuse their first half effort against the red-hot Rabbitohs in the Charity Shield. Saints had six or seven newcomers in their team and they certainly played like strangers.

However, there was a lot to like in the second half (even allowing for the fact that Souths replaced some of their heavyweights). The Dragons scored some pretty classy tries.

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They are laden with talent in their backline where I think ex-Stormboy Gareth Widdop will come into his own as a top class playmaker.

Up front is where St George Illawarra needs to make an impact and I am looking squarely at the likes of Trent Merrin, Ben Creagh, Jack De Belin, Joel Thompson and Leeson Ah Mau to rip into the tough stuff and lay the platform.

If they can manage a couple of early wins – they play Tigers (ANZ), Warriors (Eden Park), Sharks (Remondis) and Broncos (SCG) in the first month – the red and whites will have a pretty good year.

I cannot, however, go past the Roosters going back-to-back to win this year’s competition.

They have pretty much the same personnel as last season and I really liked the way they went about their business in the World Club Challenge against Wigan.

It was a very impressive hit-out and coach Trent Robinson looks to have his men extremely well prepared.

There are a couple of other things I’d like to mention before closing.

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I tipped the Eels to win the Nines tournament a couple of weeks ago and missed out but in my book, a semi-final spot wasn’t too shabby for a 15/1 shot.

While on this subject, what a magnificent event it turned out to be, I really enjoyed the spectacle. The Nines will get better with bigger names and possibly some English Super League clubs added in 2015.

Brisbane could be one of the teams right in the firing line this year but they won’t achieve anything without Justin Hodges fit and firing.

The Broncos have the nucleus of a top class line-up but Hodges is their vital ingredient, they probably cannot win without him.

To me, the 2014 season is a case of now or never for the Cowboys. The club has had a near-faultless pre-season for new coach Paul Green and they should be a top four contender.

I really like the look of young back-rower Jason Taumalolo. He has the size and skills to become one of the best performers in the NRL this year.

The other youngster I’m especially keen to watch is Knights halfback Tyrone Roberts. He was terrific last season for Newcastle and will need to be that good (and better) now that Jarrod Mullen is sidelined for the first few weeks of the season.

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