NRL 2023 team previews: St George Illawarra Dragons free agency wrap, crystal ball
Chat at the Dragons inevitably centres around Ben Hunt. But let’s be clear, if this uptapped youngster doesn’t have a big 2023 then neither will the Dragons.
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Are St George Illawarra a club in free-fall, or blessed with a huge junior nursery that is perfectly placed to rebound from a dismal 2022 campaign?
The Dragons missed the finals again last year and are considered outsiders to reverse that trend in 2023, but there are reasons for optimism among one of the NRL’s most passionate fanbases.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Dragons in our exclusive club-by-club deep dive series ahead of the 2023 campaign.
2022 RICH 100 REPS: 10
Ben Hunt (3, $1.1m), Moses Mbye (14, $900k), Jack de Belin (32 ($750k), 49 Zac Lomax (49, $700k), Tariq Sims (64, $650k), Jaydn Su’A (76, $600k), Jack Bird (79, $550k), Moses Suli (88, $550k), Josh McGuire (99, $500k), Francis Molo (101, $500k)
FREE AGENCY WRAP & RATING
Yet again the Dragons have failed to inspire on the recruitment front. Former Tiger Jacob Liddle will add some much needed spark out of dummy half. Journeyman Zane Musgrove arrives with his career at the crossroads, while they have also added Tongan international prop Ben Murdoch-Masila from the Warriors and young front-rower Nick Lui-Toso who is from the Northern Pride and is in his mid-20s and searching for opportunity.
But it’s the departure lounge where Dragons fans have every right to be feeling a little short-changed given the conga line of players brought to the club - most on Anthony Griffin’s watch - who have now been ushered out without any setting the world on fire during their stay.
There’s no question the Dragons have some wonderful juniors and that is obviously what they’re banking on. But are they ready to carry a club that has not made the finals since 2018 back into the play-offs in 2023, time will tell.
Rating: D
COACH STATUS AND SAFETY RATING: Anthony Griffin (2023)
Add to that widespread reports that the club’s hierarchy only convinced young guns Jayden Sullivan and Tyrell Sloan to stick around on the proviso Griffin wouldn’t be in charge beyond 2023, and this has the makings of a ticking time bomb that could go off at any stage.
In Griffin’s two seasons at the Dragons they are yet to make the finals, although his overall win/loss record in that period isn’t exactly horrible at 41.6 per cent (20 wins/28 losses).
The bigger concern is the constant chatter about player unrest. George Burgess and Jack Gosiewski didn’t help ease the tension when they gave the coach a spray on their way out the door.
Of course it was also highlighted by the fact only three NRL players turned up at the presentation night, an absolute embarrassment for one of rugby league’s most iconic brands.
Rating: D
LIKELY DEBUTANTS
Talented brothers Haele and Sione Finau arrive after developing in the Storm system and both will be pushing to be a part of the top squad.
Haele is a hooker on a train-and-trial contract while younger brother Sione is on the development list and plays in the outside backs.
With Andrew McCullough gone, Jacob Liddle is the obvious leading contender for the No.9 jumper. But they reckon Haele has been super impressive during the preseason, while Sione is said to be very talented but up against some stiff opposition with so many exciting outside backs already at the Dragons.
Another young dummy-half looking for a shot is Connor Muhleisen who has come through the Dragons system and is also on a development contract. While he is yet to officially debut he got a crack in a trial last season and looked more than capable.
The other two to keep an eye out for are young props Joshua Coric, who probably would have got his debut in 2022 if not for injury, while new recruit Nick Lui-Toso was obviously brought to the club for a reason.
WHO TAKES THE NEXT STEP?
Let’s put it this way, if Tyrell Sloan doesn’t have a big 2023 then neither will the Dragons. Most of the good judges have been saying for some time Sloan is a superstar in the making, but the burning question is does coach Griffin rank him above Cody Ramsey?
Complicating matters is revelations Ramsey spent weeks in hospital during preseason training in late 2022 battling an illness called ulcerative colitis, which causes inflammation and ulcers on the bowel and digestive tract that may require surgery and long-term treatment.
The fact Wayne Bennett was doing all he could to get Sloan to the Dolphins tells you all you need to know about his potential.
But for some reason Sloan was left out in the cold for the majority of 2022, and in the end the only reason he didn’t follow Bennett to the Dolphins was because the club wouldn’t give him a release.
There’s no question he has some defensive deficiencies but you just can’t ignore Sloan looks to be one of those special players that you can build a club around if you keep him happy.
Whatever was going on between him and the coach this past season needs to be resolved otherwise Sloan will only end up chasing another release come November 1 when he officially becomes a free agent.
And don’t worry, that is already being spoken about.
THE THREE BURNING ISSUES
Will Griffin survive?
The Dragons board and senior executive have put their own heads on the chopping block by not making the tough call with Griffin during the off-season.
We saw last year when Wests Tigers gave Michael Maguire a stay of execution over the summer how it ultimately blew up in their faces when they ended up sacking him mid-season but it was too late to save them, with the club finishing with the wooden spoon.
On the surface the Dragons appear to be in a very similar predicament, and if it turns to mud some very senior people are entitled to be put under the microscope by the fans.
Will Zac Lomax ever realise his true potential?
It’s become a bit of running gag around the game how everyone always goes back to Freddy Fittler spruiking Zac Lomax as “the gifted one”.
The fact is Lomax is now 23 and it’s about time he delivered on that enormous potential, or otherwise he could wake up one day and wonder what the hell happened.
At his best Lomax is State of Origin standard, but he needs to get the mug tactics out of his game first; like that silly incident last season when he tried to get under Tyson Frizell’s skin and it backfired on him badly.
What we’d all love to see is Lomax come back in 2023 and cut the crap out of his game, just concentrate on being the best footballer he can be. You know what Freddy said is right, but only Lomax can deliver on the promise.
Do they have enough experience in the spine?
So much will still depend on Ben Hunt. The veteran halfback had a fabulous year in 2022 and he’ll need to do that next season for the Dragons to have any hope of challenging to top teams.
With either Ramsey or Sloan at fullback, Tautau Amone at five-eighth, and Jacob Liddle the dummy half, on paper it doesn’t look like they have the big guns in the most crucial positions to match the genuine heavyweights just yet.
Still, this is a side that has a stack of players who could easily come out and shock us all by going to the next level in the next year or two.
So if the Dragons can sort out their off-field issues they could be one still end up being one of the real surprise packets in 2023.
Though it could just as easily go pear-shaped if the unrest lingers.
CRYSTAL BALL
The fact they have so much talent on the way up suggests the Dragons are a side that should not be counted out heading into the new year.
It certainly wouldn’t surprise to see them jag a spot in the bottom half of the eight, and if they don’t then they’ve probably under-achieved.
But in saying that there’s still no denying this squad’s best football is probably a couple of years away when you factor in age and experience of some of this young talent.
FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS
2022: 10th
2021: 11th
2020: 12th
2019: 15th
2018: 7th
2023 ODDS
Premiership: $41
Minor premiership: $81
To make grand final: $19
Top four: $12
Top eight: $3.75
Most losses: $8
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