St George Illawarra primed for assault on 2019 NRL premiership

UPDATED: The recruitment of Corey Norman will force a massive shake-up to the St George Illawarra spine. How will the former Eels playmaker's arrival impact one of the strongest rosters in the NRL? FULL ROSTER ANALYSIS

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St George Illawarra look well poised to again be a force in 2019 with one of the strongest rosters in the NRL.

The signing of ex-Eels playmaker Corey Norman adds class to an already formidable attack, but will spark a significant re-shuffle to Paul McGregor's starting side.

Here’s how the Dragons are shaping up for the new year.

St George Illawarra 2019 roster analysis.

Full squad

Euan Aitken, Mitchell Allgood, Jack De Belin, Matthew Dufty, Jai Field, Tyson Frizell, Jackson Ford, James Graham, Jacob Host, Ben Hunt, Josh Kerr, Tim Lafai, Jeremy Latimore, Blake Lawrie, Luciano Leilua, Hayden Lomax, Zac Lomax, Joe Lovodua, Lachlan Maranta, Steven Marsters, Cameron McInnes, Darren Nicholls, Corey Norman, Jonus Pearson, Jordan Pereira, Mikaele Ravalawa, Reece Robson, Tristan Sailor, Jason Saab, Korbin Sims, Tariq Sims, Lachlan Timm, Paul Vaughan, Gareth Widdop.

Ins

Jonus Pearson (Brisbane Broncos, 2020), Mikaele Ravalawa (Canberra Raiders, 2020), Korbin Sims (Brisbane Broncos, 2021), Lachlan Timm (Melbourne Storm, 2019), Lachlan Maranta (Queensland Reds, 2019), Corey Norman (Parramatta Eels, 2021)

Outs

Leeson Ah Mau (New Zealand Warriors), Reuben Garrick (Manly Sea Eagles), Patrick Herbert (released), Nene Macdonald (North Queensland Cowboys), Jason Nightingale (retired), Hame Sele (released), Kurt Mann (Knights)

Matt Dufty is the unlucky loser following the signing of Corey Norman. Picture: Richard Dobson

Best 17

1. Gareth Widdop, 2. Jordan Pereira, 3. Euan Aitken, 4. Zac Lomax, 5. Tim Lafai, 6. Corey Norman, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. James Graham, 9. Cameron McInness, 10. Paul Vaughan, 11. Tariq Sims, 12. Tyson Frizell, 13. Jack De Belin. Interchange: 14. Matt Dufty, 15. Korbin Sims, 16. Jacob Host, 17. Luciano Leilua

Recruitment strength

Leeson Ah Mau is a bigger loss than most will appreciate, however Korbin Sims will provide a similar role and impact off the bench. Nene Macdonald was in career best form in 2018, and his absence out wide will be sorely missed. The addition of Corey Norman adds class and experience to the spine, as well as serious depth with Matt Dufty expected to drop out of the starting side.

Korbin Sims is a strong replacement for Leeson Ah Mau. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Forwards

St George Illawarra will again boast arguably the NRL’s most fearsome forward pack. Like last year, plenty of their success will hinge on the dominance of their big men. Of concern is that last season the pack went flat post Origin with a number of rep players struggling during the run to the finals. Expect Paul McGregor to learn from the mistake in 2019. Korbin Sims adds plenty of punch off the bench, while Luciano Leilua was outstanding in limited stints last season and can take his game to greater heights.

Backs

McGregor has a pleasant headache out wide with three gun centres at his disposal. Euan Aitken will likely remain on the right edge, while Tim Lafai and Zac Lomax will vie for the left centre role. With the departures of Nene Macdonald and Jason Nightingale, expect the odd man out to shift to the wing.

Corey Norman has joined the Dragons from the Eels. Picture: AAP

Spine

The signing of Corey Norman will force a massive shake-up to the spine. Norman's arrival will push Gareth Widdop to fullback, a position he hasn't played since his Melbourne days in the NRL. The move shouldn't hinder his game too dramatically, with the skipper excelling in the role for England in recent years. Widdop's shift and Norman's inclusion will add a further ball-playing dimension to the backline. Matt Dufty is the unlucky loser who will likely shift to the bench in place of the departed Kurt Mann.

Where they’re lacking

On face value, the Red V look like a fairly formidable unit. The well publicised issue they’ve faced in past years is their habit of peaking at the wrong point in the season. Generally they start the year in a strong manner, before petering off to fade at the back end of the competition. Topping the table at the midpoint of the year achieves little. The Dragons need to find ways to manage their squad to ensure they’re peaking at the right end of the season, with an all-important top four finish absolutely essential.

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Originally published as St George Illawarra primed for assault on 2019 NRL premiership