Newport Gwent Dragons players released

[Draggs]

Newport Gwent Dragons have confirmed the players released from the region at the end of the 2010/11 season.

Ali McKenzie, Pat Palmer, Duane Goodfield (Retired) Arthur Ellis, Adam Brown, James Thomas, Craig Attwell, Rhydian Wilson, Tom Cooper, Matthew Watkins, Rhodri Gomer Davies, Nathan Brew, James Davies, Matt Evans, Joe Bearman and Nicky Griffiths are all leaving Rodney Parade this summer.

“It is a part of rugby that the end of each season sees a certain amount of player movement,†said Dragons Director of Rugby Robert Beale. “These players have all put in a great deal of effort for the Dragons and we would like to thank them for the commitment they have shown to the region during their time here.â€

Newport Gwent Dragons

No surprises really, all the best to the lads though.

 

[Jockstap]

17 players gone, how big is the Dragons squad or are they just recruiting like crazy?

 

[Draggs]

The majority of the players released are fringe players and see very little time.
-McKenzie has struggled with injury and is a pretty poor scrummager.
-Ellis has been released due to Uni I believe.
-Watkins is getting up there and will probably still play for Newport RFC.
-Matt Evans is not great to be honest.
-RGD, likewise, isn't that great either.
-Same with Nathan Brew.
-Bearman is off the the Ospreys.
-Nicky Griffiths has had injury issues as well.
Also, Robin Sowden-Taylor retired midseason.

 

[psychic duck]

-Matt Evans is not great to be honest.

I think your being generous there, he was absolutely awful in his one start he got

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Tom Cooper is off to the Cornish Pirates.

 

[profitius]

They're doing the right thing. Get rid of failed players, bring in new players and hope some of those come good.

 

[Draggs]

They're doing the right thing. Get rid of failed players, bring in new players and hope some of those come good.

Hopefully.
We have a few players step up this year (Hughes, Faletau, Lewis Evans, Dan Way) and others that will have more to offer this coming season (Steffan Jones, Martyn Thomas)

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Matt Evans looked great for Canada in the Churchill Cupo last year, shame he was a bit of a flop for the Dragons. All in all, fair enough though. As said, clear out the deadwood, keeping the good stuff coming through. Perhaps would have kept either RDG or MJW for the sake of depth, but I hear that RDG is on his way to the Scarlets anyway.

 

[MichaelBoard]

Matt Evans looked great for Canada in the Churchill Cupo last year, shame he was a bit of a flop for the Dragons. All in all, fair enough though. As said, clear out the deadwood, keeping the good stuff coming through. Perhaps would have kept either RDG or MJW for the sake of depth, but I hear that RDG is on his way to the Scarlets anyway.

Yeah I'm a bit surprised that Matthew Watkins wasn't kept. Although he is on the wrong side of 30 now and hasn't been an ever present this season he is still a decent player and would have provided decent cover for us. We are definitely going the right way at the Dragons (the Scarlets are doing the same thing with youngsters) bringing through more and more of our talented young players from Academy. I'm sure a few more youngsters will emerge next season and establish themselves. I can see the Ospreys are beginning to follow suit in letting their big oversea players go and bringing through their younger welsh players and I'm sure the Blues will eventually as well. I just think that us and the Scarlets have the advantage now as we are already making progress with our youngsters and molding young talented squads while the Blues and Ospreys are starting from the beginning in terms of selecting young Welsh players. But they will get there soon I'm sure.

 

[Draggs]

Yeah I'm a bit surprised that Matthew Watkins wasn't kept. Although he is on the wrong side of 30 now and hasn't been an ever present this season he is still a decent player and would have provided decent cover for us. We are definitely going the right way at the Dragons (the Scarlets are doing the same thing with youngsters) bringing through more and more of our talented young players from Academy. I'm sure a few more youngsters will emerge next season and establish themselves. I can see the Ospreys are beginning to follow suit in letting their big oversea players go and bringing through their younger welsh players and I'm sure the Blues will eventually as well. I just think that us and the Scarlets have the advantage now as we are already making progress with our youngsters and molding young talented squads while the Blues and Ospreys are starting from the beginning in terms of selecting young Welsh players. But they will get there soon I'm sure.

I hope so. I'd like to see the Dragons and Scarlets as the two leading Welsh clubs. Watkins will probably play for Newport RFC, and perhaps return if in dire need of a centre. I rate him over Riley. I really want to see Smith and Hughes together for a season. Pat Leach isn't bad, good bench cover, and he won't be messed around at fullback with Steffan Jones doing a decent job. Now we need to keep Tovey fit and get Harries and Thomas back!

 

[MichaelBoard]

Yep, future is looking bright for us and bringing through youngsters is definitely the right way (if not the only way due to our financial restrictions) to move forward and start to realistically challenge teams. A few more youngsters coming through the rank next season and we could be in a very good position. I totally agree with what you say about Dragons/Scarlets. As the only 2 welsh regional sides at the moment willing to take a risk and blood new local players I think we will (eventually) go on to become the 2 most successful regions in the long-term based on the way both regions are going about it. Its been proven that pumping money into teams (Ospreys, Blues) may in the short term be a solution but long term it isn't any good.

 

[Draggs]

James Leadbeater and Steffan Jones have signed new contracts (1 and 2 years respectively). The Ospreys were apparently after Stef!
Leadbeater showed some signs of improvement, but I think Jonathan Evans will be our future scrum half.

Pleased about both though; Steffan seems to have a bit about him.

 

[Jayatron]

Yep, future is looking bright for us and bringing through youngsters is definitely the right way (if not the only way due to our financial restrictions) to move forward and start to realistically challenge teams. A few more youngsters coming through the rank next season and we could be in a very good position. I totally agree with what you say about Dragons/Scarlets. As the only 2 welsh regional sides at the moment willing to take a risk and blood new local players I think we will (eventually) go on to become the 2 most successful regions in the long-term based on the way both regions are going about it. Its been proven that pumping money into teams (Ospreys, Blues) may in the short term be a solution but long term it isn't any good.

Have to agree as a outsider looking in. My girlfriend is a Osprey supporter and watching them play is like watching a typewriter. Both Dragons and Scarlets are playing exciting rugby with young talented Welsh players. One thing I picked up on is the Dragons development of Rodney Parade. I think you can tell the ambition of a club by their home ground. And even though the Dragons finished mid-table good crowd numbers are still showing up because of that attacking free flowing rugby, which will be soon watched in a modern stadium. Good times to be a Dragons supported me thinks.