Dragons coach Anthony Griffin has dramatically wielded the axe, with Tyrell Sloan dropped in favour of fellow young gun Cody Ramsey for Saturday's clash with the Warriors at Kogarah.
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Sloan was recalled for last Saturday's clash with the Titans after spending six weeks in the NSW Cup, but looks to have paid the price for late errors in a disappointing golden point loss.
Griffin said his more experienced players needed to take their share of responsibility for the defeat, but Sloan was the only player axed from the 17 named on Tuesday.
The call's likely to be met with a mixed reception, with Griffin's approach to bringing through his young stars sparking fierce debate so far this campaign.
Sloan and fellow rising star Talatau Amone started the season at fullback and five-eighth respectively but were dropped after just three rounds following a disappointing loss to the Sharks.
Amone spent the subsequent four weeks on the bench before returning to the No. 6 jumper three weeks ago.
Sloan was sent back to reserve grade with Griffin opting for veteran utility Moses Mbye at the back for the six games that followed.
Mbye remains at hooker this week after being shifted to dummy-half last week in the absence of injured veteran Andrew McCullough.
Sloan was named on an extended bench but, barring a late reshuffle, Ramsey will play his first game since round three in the No. 1 jumper.
The 22-year-old picked up a hamstring injury in that loss to Cronulla but returned to action in the NSW Cup four weeks ago.
It will be just his third career start at fullback having played 20 of his 24 NRL games on the wing.
It's a tough pill to swallow for Sloan, but veteran lock Jack de Belin says patience is always required when bringing emerging stars through to NRL level.
"[Selection's] entirely up to the coach and the coaching staff, as players we just have to go out and do a job whatever team's put out on the paddock," de Belin said.
"It's hard for young fellas coming into first grade. There's these big expectations on them and you forget how young they are.
"They're only 19-20 years of age. I don't think I came good until I was 26 so it takes a long time and you've got to be patient.
"At the same time it's a fine line and winning's what it's all about in the NRL. It is a fine line, but they're such gun juniors, I don't think it'll be too long until they're humming for us week in, week out."
The Dragons face winnable games against the Warriors this week and the strife-torn Bulldogs next weekend heading into a round-13 bye.
Having let one slip to the lowly Titans last week, de Belin says both are must-win to avoid walking a pressure-laden finals tightrope over the back end of the season.
"We need to get the wins and the ones you should be winning you need to put them away," de Belin said.
"It is a long season and wins do stack up but you don't want to get to the point where you're thinking 'we need to win this many from that' or 'geez, we've got to put this one away or our season's done'.
"We need to keep chipping away for those wins and that's what hurt about the Titans game. We were in a position to win, we did all the hard work, but we didn't get the goods."
With Josh McGuire looking three to four weeks on the sideline with a groin injury, Michael Molo has been named to make his NRL debut from the interchange bench in the No. 17.
Francis Molo will wear No. 18, with the No. 8 retired in honour of recently passed club legend and rugby league Immortal Johnny Raper.
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