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This week, Mercury sports writers MITCH JENNINGS and TIM BARROW discuss the Dragons fortunes in the 2021 NRL draw, how the squad is shaping under Anthony Griffin and the ongoing impact of the Jack de Belin court case.
Baz: Well Jenno, the NRL are sticking to their guns in terms of the 'no fault' stand-down policy, after the hung jury in the Jack de Belin sexual assault case.
And while it's still all to play out, potentially with a retrial, it leaves the Dragons in the same position when there was obviously expectation of it being resolved one way or the other this week. With a broader view, I've always agreed with the NRL's policy, which itself has been upheld in court challenges, in protecting the integrity of the game.
But obviously it presents the difficult situation of having de Belin potentially missing another year. Do you think the NRL is right to stick to its guns here?
I think getting Jayden Sullivan into the halves is a must
Jenno: To take a very broad view, I think it had to. Both Peter V'landys and Andrew Abdo had been pretty frank about the fact it was here to stay prior to Monday's developments.
As it stands, the matter's unresolved and I don't see how it can relax its stance. The policy stood up to de Belin's Federal Court challenge in 2019.
The ruling came down in favour of the NRL, with costs, so I don't think the game's stance was ever going to be relaxed.
There's a lot to play out, but I can't see the stance changing at HQ.
In the event of a retrial that would see him sidelined for a third season, it really now comes down to how the Dragons want to handle it.
De Belin's binding NRL contract has expired so it'll depend on the intricacies of the 'in principle' agreement they reached prior to the trial.
Either way, there doesn't look to be an end in sight for a while.
Baz: At least on the field the Dragons can expect to have something like a normal home-and-away season next year, after all the doubt and demands around being in the Covid-19 bubble.
They open the season against the Sharks and then a trip to Townsville, before new coach Anthony Griffin's first game as coach in Wollongong against Manly. After all the pressure on Paul McGregor in recent times, surely Griffin will be itching for a fast start to the season to win over an anxious and frustrated fan base.
Jenno: He'll want one and the fact is he'll need one. The Dragons run home is absolutely as tough as it gets. Given the club's perennial knack of fading out of season's it's almost enough for you to think they'll fall short.
At first glance, it's certainly a win for Illawarra fans.
I've certainly spent my fair share of cold Saturday nights at WIN Stadium watching the Dragons play Melbourne or North Queensland's reserve grade side during the Origin period.
I think fans down here have had their fill as well. As far as the viewing experience goes, the Wollongong faithful will get to see three of last season's four preliminary finalists in action in very family friendly timeslots.
It is something of a double-edged sword though. I can't recall a tougher run home. In their last six games, they've got the Rabbitohs twice, the Raiders on the road, Penrith and the Roosters.
If the Cowboys are traveling OK by then they might be no walk in the park in round 24 either.
Perhaps, under a new regime, the last-season fade may be a thing of the past but, even for a team in top form, that's a tough stretch.
They do have eight Sunday games in a row through the middle stretch of the season but, without a strong start, they won't make the eight.
Baz: Yeah, you do not want to be in the mad scramble of those teams chasing the last couple of finals spots with Souths, Canberra, Penrith and the Roosters still to come.
Griffin has openly declared he sees no need for a rebuild, but with Korbin Sims and Tyson Frizell gone, as well as Euan Aitken now with the Warriors, there are some obvious concerns in the roster, as well as the lingering doubt about their best halves combination.
This feels like it could be a defining year for a few players, including Corey Norman and Ben Hunt in terms of their future at the Dragons. It cannot be another mixed bag of a season when it comes to direction and leadership in the halves.
Jenno: I think getting Jayden Sullivan into the halves is a must so it'll have to come at the expense of someone.
For the first time in a while, there's a cluster of genuinely exciting young guns coming through - Sullivan, the Feagai boys, Cody Ramsey (there's a few others coming behind them too) but you can't rest the outcome of a campaign on such young shoulders.
To be frank, I think Mary was let down by his veterans last season - with the obvious exception of Cam McInnes - so there's a few that need to stand up next year.
With de Belin perhaps not there for the season, and with Korbin Sims departed, there's some money in the cap.
They've also released Jason Saab to that glorious commute from Western Sydney to Narrabeen. I think the Dragons have to go looking for an elite middle forward and probably an outside back.
Poasa FaamausiliI is a great signing, and I really hope the likes of Josh Kerr, Blake Lawrie, Jackson Ford and the like come on but, to me, they're still a couple of pieces short.
Baz: In complete agreement regarding McGregor being let down by some key players, but Griffin is now in a position to boost the squad with some salary cap space in the next couple of seasons.
Griffin's first year will be defined on his halves combination, if it's Hunt and Sullivan then they need to make that decision early.