By Sean Davies

Is this the season that Dragons fans get sick of the "plucky" and "gallant" tag-lines?

DRAGONS PREDICTIONS Celtic League: 8th EDF Energy Cup: Group stage Heineken Cup: Group stage Full season preview

If so, it's unfortunate, because prospects would appear to have changed as little as the state of the Rodney Parade stands, proposed investment plans scaled back and looking bashful to be described as modest.

Coach Paul Turner has again been forced to look to the bargain basement, and he has a job waiting at the BBC if Dom Littlewood ever wakes up to the realisation that extravagance is FUN.

Andy Williams, Rhodri Davies, Richard Mustoe, Adam Jones and Alistair Lyon can be expected to do solid jobs, while Richard Parks will provide an excellent, hard-nosed back-row option with Colin Charvis away on Wales duty.

606: DEBATE What do you think of my predictions? Sean_D

Talented youngsters like Phil Dollman continue to come through the academy, while Wales Sevens international Wayne Evans could develop into an exciting recruit from the Blues.

But when you see the talent that has left the Gwent region this summer - Ian Gough, Aled Brew, Nathan Brew and Gareth Cooper - you understand the restrictions Turner faces in his planning.

Key player: Colin Charvis

Rodney Parade will continue to be a difficult place for anyone to win, the Dragons will always present an obdurate challenge, and they will take notable scalps along the way.

But any talk of them "exceeding expectations" or "punching above their weight" need to be balanced against end-of-season achievements.

To that end, it is difficult to see the Dragons finishing above eighth at the end of a long league season that will stretch resources to the limit.

TRANSFER STORIES Dragons tempt Parks from France Dragons sign Scarlets lock Jones Dragons sign Mustoe & Gustafson Coventry sign Maddocks Ospreys recruit Phillips & Gough Hercus leaves Dragons for US Dragons snap-up centre Davies Dragons' Cooper joins Gloucester Dragons sign Williams from Bath Scarlets sign Dragons back Brew Dragons sign full-back Thomas Dragons release Stewart

The target could be to stay above Edinburgh and Connacht to secure a third successive Heineken Cup play-off.

Two home matches in the group stages of the EDF Energy Cup would appear to offer the Gwent side some hope of Anglo-Welsh glory.

But the battle-hardened squads of Wasps, Newcastle and Gloucester seem likely to be too powerful for Turner's team.

The chief excitement for Dragons fans last year came in Europe, with a thrilling run to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

That proved Turner right when he predicted that being in the second-tier competition would be good for his side.

One to watch: Wayne Evans

The Dragons took some punishing beatings in a tough Heineken Cup pool in 2005/6 that impacted on their form in other competitions.

This year's Heineken draw has been more favourable, with London Irish, Benetton Treviso and Perpignan providing the opposition.

That is arguably the most favourable draw of any of the Welsh teams, but Perpignan will be strong favourites to advance.

In: Martyn Thomas (Scarlets), Andy Williams (Bath), Rhodri Davies (Northampton), Gareth McCarthy (Glamorgan Wanderers), Wayne Evans (Blues), Richard Mustoe (season-long loan from the Ospreys), Hugh Gustafson (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Scarlets), Richard Parks (Perpignan), Alistair Lyon (Racing Club Chalonnais)

Out: Gareth Cooper (Gloucester), Nathan Brew (Scarlets), Mike Hercus (Belmont Shore), Aled Brew (back to the Ospreys after a season-long loan), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Gareth Baber (retiring, taking up coaching role with Cardiff Blues Academy), David Maddocks (Coventry), Bryn Griffiths (Doncaster), Shane Stewart, Ian George, Matt Jess, James Ireland, Andrew Coombs (all released)