National Rugby League PremiershipBy W D Nicolson - February 26, 2017
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NRL SuperCoach and NRL Fantasy pundits rejoice - your old mate The Postman is back with his take on the 17 Dragons he believes Paul McGregor will pick for Round 1:
- Josh DUGAN
- Nene MACDONALD
- Euan AITKEN
- Tim LAFAI
- Jason NIGHTINGALE
- Gareth WIDDOP
- Josh McCRONE
- Paul VAUGHAN
- Cameron McINNES
- Tariq SIMS
- Tyson FRIZELL
- Joel THOMPSON
- Jack DE BELIN
BENCH - Leeson AH MAU
- Russell PACKER
- Jacob HOST
- Kurt MANN or Jai FIELD
- Josh McCrone will probably win the starting #7 jersey - but Dragons fans I get the feeling you may yet see Jai Field in the squad come Round 1. McCrone won't hold the starting job long (even if Field isn't the guy) and with McInnes wanting to play 80 minutes and McGregor not picking a genuine hooker on the bench for the Charity Shield (Siliva Havili was omitted) - there's a shot for Field to make the 17 and come on as an impact player. That also puts Kurt Mann into the mix for the 17 given his history in the halves. That all said, Havili could yet be the man in the #17 jumper but the injury to Will Matthews (who could cover hooker if he had to) opens this race back up.
- Tim Lafai looks to have won his centre spot back from Taane Milne - with the latter relegated to the bench during the pre-season. Matt Dufty is recovering from a knee injury - so Josh Dugan isn't moving from fullback anytime soon kids.
- Paul Vaughan and Tariq Sims started the Charity Shield - giving us an insight to how Leeson Ah Mau and Russell Packer will probably be used in 2017 - off the bench to spell those two starters and make an immediate impact with their head down butt up running styles.
- Jacob Host will be the backrow coverage on the bench, with Luciano Leilua not even making the Charity Shield squad - seemingly putting him down the depth chart for Round 1.
- Mose Masoe is a while off yet as he recovers from a knee injury, while Kalifa Fai-Fai Loa and Mann are the outside back coverage.
Will Matthews (Hip - Mid-Season), Matt Dufty (Knee - Round 4 on), Mose Masoe (Knee - Mid-Season).
