Phil Gould Cautions Dragons to Proceed with Caution Following Reality Check for Club’s Young Talent

Phil Gould has cautioned the Dragons to exercise “extreme care” in integrating their young talent into the team, with the club still on the hunt for its first win of the season.

The Dragons suffered a heavy 62-16 defeat on Anzac Day to the Roosters, featuring debutant Kade Reed, while young prop Loko Pasifiki Tonga made a return to the squad.

The team that faced the Roosters included recent graduates from the club’s junior ranks, such as Jacob Halangahu, the Couchman brothers, and Hamish Stewart, signalling that there are indeed positives to be found within the club’s development pathway.

However, Gould, who was instrumental in developing Penrith’s successful junior program, emphasised the importance of safeguarding these young Dragons players.

“The club must be extremely cautious with its young talent. They possess significant skill,” he remarked during Nine’s Anzac Day broadcast.

“It’s essential to create a constructive experience for them, rather than a negative one. There’s nothing more daunting than stepping onto the NRL stage, especially when faced with lopsided scorelines and facing eight games without a win. It can lead to detrimental experiences.”

“It falls upon the coaches and the club to safeguard them and ensure that their experiences contribute positively to their development, without instilling fear or undue stress.”

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Reed impressed during his outing for the Dragons, particularly following Dean Young’s decision as interim head coach to replace Kyle Flanagan with him.

The 20-year-old delivered a spectacular cut-out pass early on, which seemed destined for the first try of the match, only for it to be disallowed due to a knock-on.

While Reed had some lapses in defence, which is understandable given his slight build, he recorded six missed tackles overall.

Gould pointed out that Reed and other novices were gaining invaluable exposure to first-grade football.

“It’s a tough lesson — realising we’re not the best in the game,” he noted.

“The journey to truly understand NRL rugby league is lengthy. As challenging as the Roosters can be, they’ve all faced these obstacles in their own careers.”