NRL 2012- 6th Position

Dragons fans, before I get slaughtered, 6th is not a bad position. It simply means 5 teams had greater consistency than we did. 2012 brings a new journey for the Saints. After 3 successful years under Master Coach Wayne Bennett, the incoming Steve Price, whom has been honing his coaching skills since the age of 21 has a big challenge on his hands. Continuing the success is one thing, appeasing the Dragons faithful is another.

Whilst the coach may have gone, the Saints have managed to hold onto most of what made the team what it is over the past  3 years. With plenty of experience in the Red V, 2012 might not be as bad as some pundits are predicting. Steve Price will put his own spin on things, allowing the Saints to open up in attack whilst still holding onto the wall of defence built by Bennett.

The Key Signing- Daniel Vidot proved he had plenty of potential and talent at Canberra. However a fall out with Coach Furner restricted Vidot to minimal playing time, with a few off the field indiscretions adding to the cause. With the departure of Mark Gasnier, the signing of Vidot was a shrewd move, hopefully the young man can grasp at the opportunity and make the famous number 3 jersey his own.

The Key Loss- Whilst those outside the club might think the man in the number 1 jersey is the loss, lets look up front. The mobility of Adam Cuthbertson added an extra edge to the Dragons forward pack. His uncanny ability to accurately offload after drawing in 2 to 3 men per tackle had the defensive line back pedalling. After resurrecting his career at St George, Cuthbertson now has the opportunity to reestablish himself as a starting first grade footballer at Newcastle.

Strengths- The Saints have managed to breed a group of talent who all achieved significant game time in 2011. The likes of Stanley, De Belin, King and Rein all have the opportunity to cement their places in the the squad. Mix that in with the experience of Hornby, Cooper, Weyman, Creagh  and Nightingale, the Saints do have the perfect mix.

Weakness- The over-reliance on the man in the number 6 jersey is something of concern. If Soward does not fire, the Saints often struggle. His all round game is paramount to the success of the Dragons. Soward will need to start the season well, with the support of Hornby, Stanley, Fien and King/Rein easing the workload on the little man. Whilst his name will be floated around for Origin, I feel he will miss out and hopefully it does not his confidence too hard

The X Factor- When talking football with friends and strangers, every body mentions how much of a loss Darius Boyd will be. Yet I chuckle it off every single time. As good as a player Boyd was, he had his limitations. Step up Kyle Stanley, one of the most naturally talented footballers emerging in the ranks today. Stanley offers plenty which Boyd doesn't. Stanley can kick, run, pass, tackle and anticipate. Early comparisons are being made with Darren Lockyer, a play maker in the custodians jersey. Whilst this is a lot of pressure on the young man, his appearances in previous seasons has shown he is ready to make the number 1 jersey his own

One to Watch- When Trevor Gillmeister calls you tough, then you know you have something going for you. After a successful stint at the Titans, Will Matthews makes his way to the Saints in 2012 and is our one to watch. The ability to hit the line hard and offload, similar to Cuthbertson, is something the Saints require. A hard hitter and good in the defensive line, Matthews has the ability to play 60 to 80 minutes a game.