Usually, depth is something that coaches welcome, but for St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor managing that playing depth during the season to give competing players a fair chance to develop will make a major difference to retention of players in 2020.
The embarrassment of riches at the Dragons particularly in the forwards again surfaced this week with the selection of Joss Kerr, Dragons ISP front rower, who has yet to make his first NRL appearance, in the All-Stars team to play next week.
With a starting front row of James Graham and Paul Vaughan with Jeremy Latimore and Broncos recruit Korbin Sims likely to warm the bench, it is hard to see Josh Kerr making an NRL appearance for the Dragons this year bar multiple injuries to the front row.
There are of course two spots left on the bench, but one spot is likely to be taken by the Dragons fullback last season Matt Dufty who is likely to lose his position to English fullback Gareth Widdop with Corey Norman taking on Widdop’s place at 5/8.
The remaining spot on the bench in the forwards is a tossup between attack or defence with Dragons attacking second rower Luciana Leilua facing competition from tough front rower Blake Lawrie who played very well towards the end of the season last year.
Whoever loses that battle will join Joss Kerr and a host of other promising Dragons forwards including Jacob Host, Lachlan Timms, Hayden Lomax, and Reese Robson in the ISP.
The embarrassment of riches is slightly less in the backs where the retirement of winger Jason Nightingale and departure of other winger PNG international Nene McDonald to the Cowboys has left two wing positions to fill.
Competition for these two positions is fierce with Matt Dufty possibly having to compete for a wing position if McGregor elects to go with four forwards on the bench.
Dufty will be competing with Dragons finals sensation the Zac Lomax, ex-Bronco Jonas Pearson, promising Fijian Mikaela Ravalava, younger Dragon Jason Saab, and ex-Bronco Lachlan Maranta.
It is of course likely that all these players will get their chance in the trial matches, but more importantly mid last season Paul McGregor introduced a rotation system to the bench which saw one back or forward rotated each week.
Jack De Belin’s criminal charges may open up his lock position later in the season and it is likely that McGregor may test out potential replacements early in the season for De Belin’s spot.
Injuries and origin will provide other opportunities particularly in the forwards.
It is going to be a long season and one thing we can rely on is that coach McGregor will not lose any hair agonizing over selection decisions, but how many young squad members will he lose at the end of 2019?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
They won with Stevens a few weeks before despite your denial. Losing a big young prop in the first minutes was a big blow for the Dragons. Brisbane were lucky Stevens was injured. Wasn't that when they were known as the Canberra Rorters?
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Add Aitken going off the boil.
Rellum
Roar Guru
The Dragons were the Washington Generals to our Harlem Globtrotters. The Raiders were the only team on a similar level to the Broncs. Stephens was not a difference maker.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The Dragons had beaten the the Broncs a week before the 93 finals. They lost the GF in the first few minutes when they lost their big young prop Jason Stevens with a bad hand injury. The half-back usually needs a dominant pack.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Maybe... There were a few things that happened at the same time for about a six week window. Widdop went through a flat spot and then got injured. Hunt looked directionless and without confidence post Origin. Players like JDB and Graham looked like they were playing busted. McInnes and Dufty slowed down after a great start to the season. Attack went stale and they started playing deep like 2017. Vaughan’s injury contributed but I don’t know you can put all that down to missing a front rower.
League4Ever
Roar Rookie
This is an uncommon position among fans as Mary does not appear popular.
Pedro the Saint
Roar Rookie
The depth is fine... I've said this before where Mary needs to rest players on mental fatigue not just the run metres from the gps trackers. I hope he has his contract renewed as early as possible so it's not a mid year distraction. The confidence in the coach flows down to the playing group. Mary has improved slowly ... inch by inch. Patience is a virtue.
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
The Bench in any NRL team mostly has only one or maybe two players who match the quality of the starting side, and ISP players are necessarily mostly young and inexperienced or old and past it. Moreover the salay cap makes your definition of superior depth impossible, depth is primarialy how many players you have that can fill a gap without a significant diminution in performance or major problem emerging. Korbin Sims has already reached his peak performance in my view, but he is 5 years more experienced and hardened than the 22 year old Dragons such as Kerr, so he has his merits.
Wayne Turner
Guest
From an economic and marketing point I believe they can. Especially, when it's short term, he will get to play a bit, and I believe it's best for the team. Norman wil start in 2020. If the Dragons don't give Dufty another chance at fullback, starting in 2019. Dragons could end up losing both him and Widdop for 2020. Of course, if Dufty blows this chance, the Dragons won't want him after 2019, but they should give him this chance.
League4Ever
Roar Rookie
Sorry I don't disagree with your proposition I was meaning that with that much money on a marquee player can they afford to leave on bench from an economic and marketing point of view? Dufty is a conundrum as he has potentially long future but his role for 2019 is murky.
Larry1950
Guest
TB, not sure how much you saw of the dragons but my perception was them going off the boil coincided very closely with Paul Vaughan's absence with injury. I reckon his role in their outstanding early dominance in 2018 has been grossly underestimated. To me he was looking like the buy of the season until injured
Larry1950
Guest
My definition of superior depth would be where a replacement player is every bit as good as an injured or unavailable player & this analysis indicates otherwise with the dragons. As much as it's exciting for Josh Kerr to get a run in the All Star team, his selection is left field & more about emotion than form. Looks like they were running out of options & plucked him out of the blue, so good luck to him for this game and his career. If recruiting Korbin Sims is classed as improving the squad they're in trouble because when needed to lead a bunch of kids in the final with the absence of old heads Gillett & Alex Glenn, he was repeatedly steamrolled. Additionally, if the dragons are counting on improvement In the outside backs by gaining Jonas Pearson & Lachlan Maranta, good luck. I reckon what you had available before injury last season was a far better option to take those wing spots and would happily swap Dufty & Lomax for either of them. Remember, you can only pick 17 on the day with the balance of that depth running around in a lower quality competition.
Wayne Turner
Guest
Fair comment. But,it's for ONLY one season,with Widdop leaving,the coach would tell him that,and during this season Norman would get to start sometimes anyway egs: If/when Hunt plays Origin. Injuries and anyone out of form. Plus,I see it as giving Dufty a chance,and Dragons the chance to keep him.No way Dufty will want to stick around after 2019,if he's coming off the bench or in reserves,and he's way too small to start on the wing.
Rellum
Roar Guru
"It’s not essential to have a champion half as you say but it helps massively. I recall Raiders being strong favorites to win one year until Stuart got injured and the wheels dropped off." That was 93 when they met the Broncs in the semis's. They were not going to roll that Broncos team without Stuart. They MIGHT have done with him.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I agree with all of this. The last Dragons team to win was a bit of an exception to the rule I believe also but on the other hand the Storm were banished from winning the comp that year so it was a distorted season. It's not essential to have a champion half as you say but it helps massively. I recall Raiders being strong favorites to win one year until Stuart got injured and the wheels dropped off. The other way I look at it is when a club has a champion in the half or 5/8 role they almost certainly win a title at some stage but without one you often don't. The last champion half or 5/8 to miss out? I can't think of one unless you include someone like Kevin Hastings but I'm talking the next level up.
League4Ever
Roar Rookie
Given, I presume, Norman's significant salary bill can the Dragons afford to leave him on the bench?
League4Ever
Roar Rookie
That’s undoubtedly true and those halves are all rightly considered club legends. However, the Raiders had Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga and Bradley Clyde as well. I am not doubting Stuart’s skill, talent or particularly his hard work to hone his craft but I would say that Stuart was not the decisive difference in the team and many would say that Daley was at least as important as Stuart. Their 1989 and 1990 teams also had Steve Walters, Glen Lazarus and Gary Belcher. They were champion teams that did not simply depend on Stuart as awesome as he was and still is as a coach. However, the overall point of the importance of a half is influenced when looking back to 2000 the only years that were not won with a dominant half were as follow: Souths won in 2014 with Adam Reynolds, Dragons won in 2010 with Ben Hornby, Sea Eagles won in 2008 with Matt Orford, Broncos won in 2006 with Shane Perry, Bulldogs won in 2004 with Brent Sherwin. Based on that history the Dragons appear to clearly need Hunt to step up and deliver as an A Grade half to have a hope.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Pretty much right. Technically, the Eels have had Peard, Kolc and Simon all represent Australia while playing number 7 for Parra.. They did also sign an incumbent New Zealand halfback, Gary Freeman, but the 'Wiz' became the 'Fiz' pretty quickly as he did nothing in his season at Parra.
Wayne Turner
Guest
You forgot to mention,who should be one of the Dragons starting NRL wingers,who had a great finish for them in 2018:- Jordan Pereira. https://www.dragons.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/st-george-illawarra-dragons/jordan-pereira/ Also: Personally,I would have Dufty start at fullback,Widdop at 5/8,and Norman off the bench to start the season. For a number of reasons:- *Ease Norman into the team.If/When Hunt plays Origin,Norman can slot into the halves.Plus,to start the season,he can come on,if fullback,5/8 and/or half are having a shocker/need rest/get injured. *Dufty is going into his last year of his current contract.He needs to be given the opportunity,to prove himself,and possible re-sign before 2019.If he fails after 5 games or so. egs:Needs to improve his defense,passing game,and catching under the high ball.Then,Norman can replace him at fullback,or Widdop.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Raiders , Parra and Knights have had one top shelf half each in their whole history from what I can see. The 10 titles these clubs have won when combined involve 3 halves only. Sterling, Stuart and Johns.