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FORMER NRL firebrand Mark Geyer has predicted premiers St George Illawarra will miss the top eight - declaring yesterday the Dragons' pack was a shadow of that which broke the club's 21-year title drought last year.
Geyer said the loss of tough trio Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan and Jarrod Saffy and concern over big man Michael Weyman (groin injury) had him convinced the Dragons will become the first premiers since Wests Tigers in 2006 to miss the finals.
The Panthers legend made the call as St George Illawarra veteran Matt Cooper yesterday backed his forwards, who will also be without the suspended Beau Scott this week, to aim up against the Warriors following the mauling at the hands of Cronulla on Monday night.
But Geyer pulled no punches over the Dragons' title defence, declaring on 2MMM: "The Dragons won't make the eight.
"They've lost Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan, Jarrod Saffy, now Michael Weyman [and] they've got a bloke in the pack now called David Gower ... wasn't he a cricketer?"
With Weyman injured in the 17th minute, the normally ruthless Dragons were outmuscled by the Sharks forwards in a 16-10 loss that Geyer says underlines the premiers' soft underbelly without the Kangaroos prop.
Weyman is facing four to six weeks on the sidelines, but after undergoing surgery in the off-season Geyer has doubts he can completely shake the injury.
He said lifting the Dragons without Smith, Costigan, Saffy and possibly Weyman would be Wayne Bennett's greatest challenge.
But Cooper yesterday stood by his pack to deliver without Weyman and the suspended Scott.
"We've just got to play our normal Dragons football, not the style of football we tossed up on Monday night, [but] we're confident we can do it," he said
Geyer said the loss of tough trio Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan and Jarrod Saffy and concern over big man Michael Weyman (groin injury) had him convinced the Dragons will become the first premiers since Wests Tigers in 2006 to miss the finals.
The Panthers legend made the call as St George Illawarra veteran Matt Cooper yesterday backed his forwards, who will also be without the suspended Beau Scott this week, to aim up against the Warriors following the mauling at the hands of Cronulla on Monday night.
But Geyer pulled no punches over the Dragons' title defence, declaring on 2MMM: "The Dragons won't make the eight.
"They've lost Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan, Jarrod Saffy, now Michael Weyman [and] they've got a bloke in the pack now called David Gower ... wasn't he a cricketer?"
With Weyman injured in the 17th minute, the normally ruthless Dragons were outmuscled by the Sharks forwards in a 16-10 loss that Geyer says underlines the premiers' soft underbelly without the Kangaroos prop.
Weyman is facing four to six weeks on the sidelines, but after undergoing surgery in the off-season Geyer has doubts he can completely shake the injury.
He said lifting the Dragons without Smith, Costigan, Saffy and possibly Weyman would be Wayne Bennett's greatest challenge.
But Cooper yesterday stood by his pack to deliver without Weyman and the suspended Scott.
"We've just got to play our normal Dragons football, not the style of football we tossed up on Monday night, [but] we're confident we can do it," he said
As for David Gower he's probably one of the pick ups of the season, awesome prop who got stuffed around by Sheens. Nothing new there Sheens left players like Cashmere & Lima to rot in reserve grade too. This guy picked up the NSW Cup player of the year, watch him go now he has a chance. Geyer has no clue.
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