Marshall says Dragons are "in for a big year"

It is so easy to criticize any team with their roster. I have seen a team of internationals fail and I have seen a team of has beens go well. it is hard enough to win the grand final at any time. The most important is that the players improve and that that they improve on last year.

how do the dragons end up broke with the roster they've got? Some big money must have gone on ordinary players, it can't all be in the pockets of Marshall & Widdop. I wonder if Widdop is rueing his choice of the dragons over the broncos now? he'd look good at 5/8 for the broncos with Milford out the back and eventually Darius Boyd in the centres to replace Hodges when he goes. Dan Hunt & Ben Creagh work hard but they're so small for front rowers that they would struggle to dent a custard. Rose was a disaster at the Storm & that's likely to be replicated at the Dragons.

The big worry (and please correct me if I'm wrong) for the Dragons is that there doesn't even seem to be a lot of top quality young talent coming through, either. As a Tigers fan I can admit that our roster looks a bit thin for 2015, but at least you can see what the club is trying to do. They have secured, essentially, all the young talent coming though the club (as well as adding Matthew Lodge, who is clearly the best young front rower in the game) with a view to the future. But the Dragons... I really can't see the long term plan in their roster.

There are naturally a number of concerns with the Dragons roster which will test them out for 2015. Players like Ben Creagh will need to add some more beef if in the front row or the coach will have to work around that. George Rose may prove to be a good assett if he is training well. The halves should be a sensation now that they have a better understanding of each other. We have Mitch Rein doing well as hooker. Dugan should keep working as a centre but all depends who they choose for fullback. This position to me shows the most concern if Dugan stays centre. We have a couple of players for both centres and the wing. I think we will do much better then last year by being in the top eight.

Joel Thompson is much better as a bench player. He has one great game a year, which isn't enough. If he doesn't get consistent in 2015, he'll be struggling for a contract next time.

The Dragons got what they deserved when they took Dugan on. He walked out on the Raiders into a $2.8m contract 5 weeks later, and Dugan still thinks he got a raw deal. Steve Price continually stuck it up the Raiders by saying what a nice young responsible guy Dugan is. The Raiders had to replace the printer ink each week after printing out his list of indiscretions, but no, he's an angel. He may well be an angel now, that would be good, but St George should have just quietly giggled that they got an excellent player handed to them, no need to stick it up the Raiders (where IS Steve Price now btw). I hope it was the coaches decision that Dugan play at centre and not done just because Dugan couldn't beat Hayne into the No.1 SOO position. Won't be surprised if he's back to being a fullback in 2015 (unless Moylan continues to play like Clive Churchill).

Tell him he's dreaming. The Sharks dodged a bullet when benji turned them down. What a dumb move that was. The Sharks are going places, while the dragons are broke and desperate and will be for a long time.

How about parra a couple of years ago, Paul whatuira, Chris walker etc

If anything happens to Josh Dugan I think they will run last. I cannot recall a worst list of recruitments. 1. Josh Dugan, Adam Quinlan 2. Charly Runciman , Et'o Nabuli 3. Nathan Green, Peter Mata’Utia, 4. Dane Nielsen, Euan Aitken, Yaw Kiti Glymin 5. Jason Nightingale 6 Gareth Widdop 7. Benjy Marshall 8. Dan Hunt , Mike Cooper 9. Mitchell Rein, Craig Garvey, Heath L'Estrange 10. Ben Creagh 11. Joel Thompson 12. Tyson Frizell 13. Trent Merrin 14. Leeson Ah Mau, Adam Tuimavave 15. Jack De Belin, Shannon Wakeman, Addin Fonua -Blake 16. Michael Greenfield, Atelea Vea, Rory O’Brien 17. George Rose, Will Matthews, Josh Ailaomai

I too Guru... 50 years. It is sad to see such a great and famous club struggling. I can remember when I was about nine I brazenly fronted up at the Norm Provan electrical shop in Carlton, I think it was, and the big fellar kindly signed my Dragon scrap book. It was the most exciting day of my young life. It was sometime in the early sixties and the Dragons were nearing the end of their world record reign..if I remember correctly.

Rose and the no names signed are all the cash-strapped Dragons could afford after the salary cap debacle by Doust and Joel Thompson.

Get a grip Marshall. If you play as badly as you did in some games last season god help us again. You might be excited for the upcoming season...but unless you and the clever Gareth Widdop gel the Dragons are again destined for a poor year. The first thing Marshall has to do is go back to school to learn how to pass a ball and to tackle. The amount of times that the Dragons were looking good in games before Marshall threw a shocker or missed a vital tackle were numerous, and helped blow games the Dragons should have won. Yes Doust and his incompents have bought some size for the 'engine room' but apart from Rose they are a bunch of no names...not one first tier player among them. I,n turn they have let respected first graders like Dan Hunt and Michael Weyman plus young local juniors Jack Bird and Jack Stockwell to go. The 'straw that broke the camels back' and the biggest blunder Doust has made since allowing Canterbury to poach Josh Morris, is to let twin Brett also leave the club. Just for the record it is I who started the OUST DOUST social media campaign this year when I heard Doust was about to let B Mozz leave. Will make no difference to club policy but it is a way for disgruntled Dragon supporters to vent their anger at the Dragons hieracy.

They won't reduce the interchange this year, maybe next. Have to think it should be announced a year before it happens (though as a Bulldogs fan, sooner the better -- reduced interchange makes Graham and Tolman the two best props in the competition).

rose is a terrible signing, especially with speculation over reducing interchange. They'll probably pick up the spoon.

Not a Dragons fan, but wouldn't be so down on their chances, at least they've signed some props this year.

I think Benji has been on the Kava.The Dragons roster looks like bottom 4 material to me.

Whilst I understand some of the negativity surrounding our playlist I like what I saw when Mary took over last year. Many so called Dragons supporters bagged the purchase of Benji but he proved he can still deliver & with a limited preparation. Of coarse I would love to see the purchase of higher profile players but we have more depth for 2015, more size, some great young players, new coaching staff & facilities & hopefully a new attitude. The dragons may surprise come 2015 & they in a rebuilding phase. Time will tell. It would be great to see these so called Dragons supporters getting behind the team rather than all the negativity. Hopefully they will do us proud next year as they fly under the radar in preparation. Here's hoping.

I'd have kept that young Bird from the under 20s. He looks like Dugan and is very highly skilled, I hope he's got a mature brain though. Why would they let him go??? The Dragons will have the type of year the mighty Raiders had this year.

I'm a life long Dragon fan and I can honestly say I see us finishing in the bottom three, if not picking up the spoon. I look at our new recruits and just shake my head and think why?

How ?? Morris gone to bulldogs and sharks got bird, beale and stanley!