OPINION
The first sign of madness is continuing to do the same thing time and time again when it’s clearly not working.
Sometimes you’ve got to make the tough decisions and for Dragons coach Steve Price, that time is now.
I’m not saying I’m a know-it-all but if you keep doing the same thing, you’ll keep getting the same result.
And for the Dragons at the moment, those results are not good.
Price needs to rearrange his starting 13.
He needs to bring Gerard Beale into five-eighth, shift Jamie Soward to halfback, move Brett Morris to fullback and put Nathan Fien back to his rightful position of hooker.
I know there’s plenty of arguments against my proposal but I’m telling you, the Red V can’t keep going the way they are or their season will be over before they know it.
Jamie Soward must be shifted to halfback. Pictures: GETTY IMAGES
I understand that the primary reason Beale came to the Dragons was so he could play fullback, and that’s fine, but let me ask you this: what’s best for the team right now?
Good fullbacks can adapt and Beale is definitely a good fullback.
He’s got the speed and the X-factor to make it is a number six.
On top of that, it would free up the fullback role for Morris.
For mine, Morris is one of the most explosive ball runners in the game.
Like Beale, he might not want to move to fullback but if it’s in the best interests of the team, then I’m sure he would happily switch.
Players should not be dictating their position to the coach – it needs to be the other way around.
Behind Greg Inglis, I think Morris is the most explosive ball runner in the game.
Nathan Fien would be better back in his rightful position of hooker.
Beale at six would give added speed, playing alongside Soward who still has that great kicking game, and the power of Morris running the ball back, it could spark the Dragons into action.
It would also allow Fien to shift back to where he belongs, at dummy half.
I’m a big fan of Fien but come on, he’s not a halfback. He’s out of his depth and blind Freddy can see that.
He’s too slow and it’s unfair on him - and the team - that he is being played there by his coach.
Let him play where he plays best, and that’s at hooker. He’s explosive out of dummy half and you need that.
On Soward, I’d be telling him to run three times per half.
He can pick and choose when he runs, I don’t care when, but tell him he’s got to go six times per game.
He can’t always sit back on his heels and shape to kick. It’s too predictable.
If he takes on the line more, his game will improve out of sight.
I’m sure some people will say I’m mad for suggesting such drastic changes because we’re only into round three, but the Saints can’t keep going along as they are.
It’s not working. Simple as that.
If Fien was a young halfback still learning about first-grade football who was a genuine No7 and simply needed time to develop, sure, you’d stick with him and give him six to eight weeks to prove himself, put pressure on him and let him work it out.
But for a bloke like Fien, it’s nothing more than a stop-gap measure and one that’s not working for the Dragons.
Price also has Josh Drinkwater at his disposal in the halves.
However, I think Josh is still a little way away from first-grade standard.
He’s got talent but he needs more development in the NSW Cup before he gets thrust into the NRL limelight.
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