I think they’re doing the Bulldogs thing.
creating a strong culture off the back of some experienced professionals that’ll pave the way for the youngsters to come thru.
they’ve got some good’uns. Halangahu, Finau Latu, Tonga Jr, Jesse Williams, Hayden Buchanan, Kade Reed. Flanno knows what he’s sitting on.
No doubt they've got a few decent juniors. Halangahu being the pick of the bunch.
I see Flanno's approach as slightly different.
Where the Dogs bought workers to combine with stars with long-term viability (Burton, Kikau, Mahoney, Crighton), I see the Dragons as trying to front-load their squad with yesterday's heroes who still have a bit to offer, hoping to keep them functioning long enough to help the transition to their next crop.
Hunt, Holmes, Faitala-Mariner, Cook, possibly Gutho and Fox and the likes seem to be his target market.
I also think the Bulldogs formula is the exception rather than the rule and I don't expect to see them finish 6th again next year. Much like Canberra, Wahs and Parra over the last 4 years, I think they had their 'catch fire' year and it all clicked (which is still a wonderful effort), but I don't personally see the undeniable change in talent and consistency to continue to march up the ladder.
I can't see the Dragons breaking into the top four anytime soon with their current setup. They've still got to sort out their halfback situation, their hookers are serviceable at best. Their fullback is talented, but inconsistent and their back 5, in general, had career-best years, including the bloke who has now left in Lomax, who single-handedly won them several games this season, including against us.
They'll be fine. But I'm not buying anything close to a premiership push for them anytime soon. I think they're destined to linger between 7th and 15th for a while yet.
...and I say that knowing full well that we're firmly planted to the foot of the ladder, haha.
Great discussion to be had, but difficult to do properly in this type of format. If only there was a vocal-based medium that would be conducive to such a long-winded and detailed discussion, a 'pod- cast' as it where... haha.
