Dragons' recruits hit training paddock
By David Beniuk
23 Nov 2009 19:18:53
With the spotlight having been on who's not playing for St George Illawarra in 2010, the NRL club's recruits have quietly had the first day on their new jobs.
Wendell Sailor is gone, Justin Poore and Chase Stanley likewise, but for Michael Greenfield, Junior Paulo, Peni Tagive and Jack Bosden life in the red and white is just beginning.
That Dragons coach Wayne Bennett is pinning his hopes on this year's squad getting better is clear from his low key recruitment.
Greenfield, 24, is a talented but injury-plagued prop who previously played for Cronulla and joins the Dragons from South Sydney.
Paulo, 26, is a prop or second-rower from Parramatta, while big 21-year-old winger/centre Tagive joins from the Wests Tigers and 20-year-old back-rower Bosden from the Sharks.
Tagive spent most of 2009 recovering from shoulder injury.
"I've got a personal goal to just get back on the field and get my body right ... I haven't had a full season since I was 17," he told reporters on Monday.
"I just want to get on the field and obviously I'll make new goals after that."
He will compete with the likes of Kiwi international Jason Nightingale for the wing spot vacated by the flamboyant Sailor, who announced his retirement earlier this month.
"I'm a bit shy, I'm not like Wendell," Tagive said.
But like the dual international, coach Bennett has already played a major role in Tagive's career.
"It's probably one of the main reasons why I came here," he said.
The Dragons began their pre-season with a gruelling fitness workout in Wollongong, with Bennett to start his second year at the helm when he returns next week.
NSW prop Poore has joined Parramatta and Stanley, the former schoolboy first-grader once considered a future Dragons star, has linked with Melbourne.
Forward Mickey Paea has joined the Bulldogs while halfback Mathew Head's unfulfilled talent will now be on display as he captain/coaches Illawarra side Dapto.
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