First pre-season trial - Dragons Vs Knights - 7:30pm Saturday 7th February - Netstrata Jubliee Stadium Sydney

mullenmagic said:
No Ponga, Young, Gagai, Best, Brown, Crossland, Lucas.

Sullivan and D’Acre the only other two top 30/development players missing.
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There’s a Flegg and Cup trial this weekend against Magpies & Tigers. Fair chance they are playing that for minutes.

Was surprised there was no Winter too, but Lantry has requested top talent available for SG season that includes Winter and Hagan and Seve.
 
slotmachine said:
Hola and Crouch way down the depth chart looks like.

Maybe the phins were onto something not playing Hola even after losing their entire starting pack.
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Might be reading a bit too much into it given that 5/7 players ahead of Hola on the reserves list are backs, who’ll likely probably all get sent on in a bloc once Justin brings Sandon, Fletcher, Schiller etc off.

Is it a huge shock to see them behind Croker, Saulo, Jones and Hopwood?
 
Never know how much to read into the numbering for the bench (and deep extended bench) during trials. Sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn't.

If we're looking at it as some sort of direct ranking system Latu already being ahead of Kepaoa would be notable, too.
 
The Gidley flick said:
Looks like Graham might be the 2nd choice hooker
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Had a feeling he would be & thought before pre-season started he may very well be our 14 in 2026 (I don’t think so anymore, I think Holbrook is just going to use that spot for whoever loses out on a start between Fletch and Sandon). You literally never notice him when he’s playing, which for a 9 can sort of both be a compliment and insult. Holbrook’s track record at the Titans indicates he’s very okay with playing a 9 who’ll just do the basics well.
 
mullenmagic said:
Never know how much to read into the numbering for the bench (and deep extended bench) during trials. Sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn't.

If we're looking at it as some sort of direct ranking system Latu already being ahead of Kepaoa would be notable, too.
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Problably more to do with the sizing of the jersey they're wearing... imagine Hola squeazing into Arthur's gear etc...
 
Flanno said the Dragons were going to go full strength for the trial but that clearly hasn't happened.

A couple of former Knight halves prospects named for the Cowboys - Liam Sutton at centre and Zac Herdegen on the bench.
 
Reckon you can lock in the starters:

8. Saifiti
10. Mooney
11. Lucas
12. McEwen
13. Frizell

If you go off the order they're listed we'd be looking at a some configuration of Croker/Saulo/Jones/Cant for the 3 bench spots which is depressing no matter how you arrange it. Saulo will run straight and hard every time and at least is the size of a real prop, fine with him being in there. Croker/Jones are both now 26+ with close to 200 games between them and still neither can stamp themselves as bonafide first graders. Still unclear what their best roles even are. Their unlimited chances will likely continue because they aren't competing with much but that bench is frightening no one.

I'd at least have Hopwood in there to offer SOME point of difference in the forwards. He's not going to be running over defenders yet but he at least has some size, an offload and a bit of footwork at the line. Then have to hope Salesa-Leaumoana and Manuleleua hit the ground running in reserve grade and push their way in.
 
slotmachine said:
The other concern is that Cant looks to be the backup edge forward, and it's a huge ask for McEwen to play 80 minutes a game and/or a full season as a 20 year old
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Graham is an edge forward and Frizz can go there if need be, so can Jones. Agreed I'd be happy for McEwen to come off bench a few times through out season for workload purposes.
 
Lucas didn't become a firstgrade forward till he was 23.
Cant is 23.
Cant isn't the most gifted natural athlete, but he trains every day, year round, and has been steadily improving through shear hard work.
We haven't heard how anyone is going, so we don't know how Cant has improved, but chances are he'll step up to a new level, like he has every year.
I expect him to give us about the same as Elliott has been giving us when fit.
 
Billy said:
Lucas didn't become a firstgrade forward till he was 23.
Cant is 23.
Cant isn't the most gifted natural athlete, but he trains every day, year round, and has been steadily improving through shear hard work.
We haven't heard how anyone is going, so we don't know how Cant has improved, but chances are he'll step up to a new level, like he has every year.
I expect him to give us about the same as Elliott has been giving us when fit.
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Cant will surprise a lot of people this year. He is a hard worker and he wants to be a regular first grader.
 
Yeah I think cant at edge is a good move. He has a lot of ticker, unfortunately dont think he has shown that he has that good leg drive to play in the middle. So edge, or bench utility could be his spot.
 
Billy said:
Lucas didn't become a firstgrade forward till he was 23.
Cant is 23.
Cant isn't the most gifted natural athlete, but he trains every day, year round, and has been steadily improving through shear hard work.
We haven't heard how anyone is going, so we don't know how Cant has improved, but chances are he'll step up to a new level, like he has every year.
I expect him to give us about the same as Elliott has been giving us when fit.
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This is a really underrated aspect and a great point as to what I believe going to happen to the team in 2026. A lot of young players have first grade experience as a result of the injury tolls we have faced in the last few years. The fact they also have a completely new coaching staff also should mean we see individual improvement in players across various different parts of their game.
 
Totally agree that our coaching staff could also have huge beneficial impacts especially for our attack. Resting Ponga to give him as many first grade games in the season, and he will be very keen to rip in from round one. Remember, Justin Holbrook has the potential to be our Ivan Cleary.
 
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