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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 3694930, member: 1899"] I have to start rifling through these, we're not too far from trials. Let's look at the Dragons Round 1 opponents: [B]Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2025[/B] 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton (c) 5. Marcelo Montoya/Blake Wilson 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Josh Curran 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Kurt Mann/Jaeman Salmon 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Sam Hughes 16. Harry Hayes/Kurtis Morrin/Daniel Suluka-Fifita 17. Sitili Tupouniua It took Canterbury awhile to find their best line-up but once they were able to bring Tracey, Xerri, Sexton and Curran into the starting side they were one of the form teams in the competition. The question is will they be able to build on that in 2025? It's one thing to give these players time to work their way into the team, but having to do it from the out-set is another challenge. I like the edges at Canterbury. Crichton is a class player and the type of player you can target when the scores are tight and you need to find something special. However if teams try to number up on him, the Bulldogs have that left edge with Kikau, Xerri and Kiraz who are all handfuls in their own right. They've really played into that strength by adopting a bunch of mobile middles. Canterbury aren't going to be a bash and barge team, but they'll try to take you on up-tempo and if you aren't able to absorb their line-speed or control possession they'll just roll through you and target their key players. A lot of their success will rest on the shoulders of Matt Burton. He received a lot more support last year and he was able to make a positive impact but there were times where his limitations showed and he wasn't as robust or dynamic as he should have been. You'd have to think if Canterbury are to be premiers, it'll be off the back of Burton and his class. Last year Canterbury used 31 players and I expect them to continue in a similar vein. I don't think this is a settled line-up and I think the likes of Jack Todd, Mitchell Woods and Lipoi Hopoi will receive game-time. I expect they'll continue to promote from within and we may see some of their train and trial players like Jack Underhill and Danny Gabrael rewaded if their form permits. I don't think they have the class yet to win the premiership but I think they'll be in the finals and their pathways will continue to flourish. I have them around 4th-6th and it may take a risky recruitment move for them to take that next leap. [/QUOTE]

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