THE Dragons' season may have been stopped in its tracks by coronavirus but Argus readers still get their annual chance to honour their top performer.
Voting is open for the Argus Dragon of the Year with six of Dean Ryan's squad in the running for the honour.
Back row forward Taine Basham, tighthead prop Leon Brown, fly-half Sam Davies, loosehead prop Brok Harris, lock Matthew Screech and scrum-half Rhodri Williams are the candidates after strong campaigns for the region.
Throughout the coming days we are giving the lowdown on the potential winners that are looking to succeed last year's winner Aaron Wainwright. Today's nominee is SAM DAVIES…
The influence of Sam Davies is perhaps best shown by games when he wasn't at 10.
The fly-half was on Wales duty when the Dragons faced Zebre and Benetton. On both occasions the Italian sides dished out drubbings at Rodney Parade.
In the absence of the injured Josh Lewis, the region have been reliant on Davies. He hasn't been spectacular this season, putting in Danny Cipriani style dazzling personal displays, but he has given the Dragons direction and played with calmness.
That is exactly what Dean Ryan wanted when he put the finishing touches on the deal to bring the left-footer to Newport from the Ospreys.
Davies wanted a change and a challenge, to move out of his comfort zone.
He has reaped the rewards to put himself back in Wales contention, especially over the winter period.
Davies helped secure a vital European Challenge Cup win against Worcester at Rodney Parade with a peerless performance from the tee.
He then struck last-gasp winners in the Guinness PRO14 wins against the Scarlets and the Cheetahs, while also helped down his old Ospreys teammates in Newport.
Davies was called up to the Wales squad for the Six Nations and boss Ryan believes the 26-year-old has come of age in the east.
"There's definitely a risk coming to a team that is not as established around senior players, but the opportunity it gives you is huge," said the director of rugby.
"Being front of house, making the decisions, having to learn from them, and having to be involved in the strategy of how a team plays is where all the best players have been at some stage.
"You can't get there by being in the back seat to somebody else, and even if you do, what you tend to inherit is someone else's views.
"It frustrates me when I see players who are more interested in being at a higher profile club with a nicer tracksuit than actually getting out and going 'this is what I am, these are the things I need to learn'.
"We need to be better at that as a game because we're in danger of stockpiling people into situations and they don't play.
"Sam plays and he's moved on massively as a player.
"He's also highlighted some things he needs to be better at, and he's only done that by playing.
"I've only got admiration for people who are prepared to take that risk."
Davies made 16 appearances, all of them starts, and kicked 144 points. The left-footer is third in the PRO14 points chart behind Munster's JJ Hanrahan and Ulster's John Cooney.
Vote for your Dragon of the year: HERE
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