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Millward Recruitment and Retention Update

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/04/17/dragons_recruitment_.html

Some key points from this interview

- It looks like the NRL have screwed over a lot of clubs with their eluding to a salary cap rise. Some clubs were expecting a rise of up to $10m, but now it's looking like it will sit around $8.7 which has sent the market into a little bit of a frenzy.

- There are offers on the table for Josh Dugan and Gareth Widdop. The club is waiting for a response from these two guys before they move on any other players so they know where they are at with the cap. Russell Packer in particular was mentioned, as Widdop, Dugan and Packer all have the same manager.

- There is an offer on the table for Blake Lawrie, which Millward expects to be finalised and locked in within the next week.
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,247
Based on demand and big dollars being thrown around, I cannot see how the club can keep both Widdop, Dugan and Packer. Something tells me that 2 out of the 3 will re-sign and one will be forced to move on.
The fact the NRL squad will increase to 30 contracted players and 6 development players......that's a lot of slices to the pie!!
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
That is bad news . Perhaps we may be able to keep Widdop and Packer with Dugan , most unfortunately , being the player that may leave , purely because of that he could receive more elsewhere .
The only spark of hope is , as already mentioned by ALSGI , that we have not paid as much as first thought for Hunts services , thus allowing the club some room to move . Here's hoping that all of the boys can be resigned to continue playing for the Dragons .
 
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possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Dugan, Widdop De Belin and Packer should have been signed at the same time as Hunt. Then move on to others. I'm sure we already had Thompson, Frizell, Sims and McInnes under contract.

So then move on to the centres, Aitken, Milne, Mann, Lafai.

Then move on to the unsigned juniors, we already had Dufty, Leilua and Field signed.

Millward put the signing of our juniors ahead of the extension of Dugan, Widdop Packer, De Belin, Milne and Mann.

The damage has been done. It seems that with Dugan, Widdop and Packer having the same manager, we are in the same situation as the Tigers found themselves in. All with the same manager and coming off contract at the same time.

I suggest Millward go out to the market and make an offer for a top line:
Fullback - Tedesco
Five-eighth - Foran


Withdraw an offer as one is accepted.
If Tedesco accepts, withdraw the offer put to Dugan.
If Foran or some else accepts then withdraw the offer for Widdop.

There is a possibility we could lose Dugan, Widdop and Packer so, by tabling offers to others, we would mitigate the chance of missing out completely.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
First class by the Dragons in keeping their fans up to date. It will be a minor miracle to keep all unless Dugan accepts 150k less than he is after , which I doubt he will. Dragons playing the stare game with his manager. With the cap not being anywhere near the 10 mill perhaps some offers have been taken off the table but I can't knock our management for the way this looks like it is being handled.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
Dugan, Widdop De Belin and Packer should have been signed at the same time as Hunt. Then move on to others. I'm sure we already had Thompson, Frizell, Sims and McInnes under contract.

So then move on to the centres, Aitken, Milne, Mann, Lafai.

Then move on to the unsigned juniors, we already had Dufty, Leilua and Field signed.

Millward put the signing of our juniors ahead of the extension of Dugan, Widdop Packer, De Belin, Milne and Mann.

The damage has been done. It seems that with Dugan, Widdop and Packer having the same manager, we are in the same situation as the Tigers found themselves in. All with the same manager and coming off contract at the same time.

I suggest Millward go out to the market and make an offer for a top line:
Fullback - Tedesco
Five-eighth - Foran


Withdraw an offer as one is accepted.
If Tedesco accepts, withdraw the offer put to Dugan.
If Foran or some else accepts then withdraw the offer for Widdop.

There is a possibility we could lose Dugan, Widdop and Packer so, by tabling offers to others, we would mitigate the chance of missing out completely.


What ? This is madness. Why would you sign Widdop & Dugan & Debelin in January based on their 2015/16 form ??? You would be a salary cap genius if you could sign & resign players based on what you knew they were to deliver the side !
 

The Doc

Juniors
Messages
762
I think some are missing a vital part of information.
The salary cap will go up... but so will the number of players... from 25 to 30.
5 extra players, average $150-200k means about $750k-$1 million dollars.
Clubs cant automatically spend the extra cap money willy nilly...
They need 5 more players on the books.
So i personally cant see clubs offering gaz and duges "that much more" then what we are offering.
Might not be as bad as its made out to be...
Unless a team pays Widdop "marquee" player contract then we are still in with a chance.
We are lucky... we can promote 5 of the "seles, lawries" etc at minimum contract while still retaining most players.
Fingers crossed it will all fall into place.
 

mickeylane

Bench
Messages
4,894
What about Lafai? Mann?
I guess if Dugan goes those 2 stay if Dugan stays will Dugan move to cebtres? We have all seen how valuable it is to have a specialist left sided centre..if Dugan is moved to Right centre - Aitkren will be asked to move left centre!

Honestly I think let Dugan go sign Lafai, Mann and maybe an experienced fullback like Michael Gordon for 1 year until Field is ready.. Plus he's an amazing linking fullback..
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,412
Dugan, Widdop De Belin and Packer should have been signed at the same time as Hunt. Then move on to others. I'm sure we already had Thompson, Frizell, Sims and McInnes under contract.

So then move on to the centres, Aitken, Milne, Mann, Lafai.

Then move on to the unsigned juniors, we already had Dufty, Leilua and Field signed.

Millward put the signing of our juniors ahead of the extension of Dugan, Widdop Packer, De Belin, Milne and Mann.

The damage has been done. It seems that with Dugan, Widdop and Packer having the same manager, we are in the same situation as the Tigers found themselves in. All with the same manager and coming off contract at the same time.

I suggest Millward go out to the market and make an offer for a top line:
Fullback - Tedesco
Five-eighth - Foran


Withdraw an offer as one is accepted.
If Tedesco accepts, withdraw the offer put to Dugan.
If Foran or some else accepts then withdraw the offer for Widdop.

There is a possibility we could lose Dugan, Widdop and Packer so, by tabling offers to others, we would mitigate the chance of missing out completely.
Geez Poss, you have some imagination mate!
 

verfive

Juniors
Messages
311
What ? This is madness. Why would you sign Widdop & Dugan & Debelin in January based on their 2015/16 form ??? You would be a salary cap genius if you could sign & resign players based on what you knew they were to deliver the side !
Thank you. Common sense finally
What ? This is madness. Why would you sign Widdop & Dugan & Debelin in January based on their 2015/16 form ??? You would be a salary cap genius if you could sign & resign players based on what you knew they were to deliver the side !
What ? This is madness. Why would you sign Widdop & Dugan & Debelin in January based on their 2015/16 form ??? You would be a salary cap genius if you could sign & resign players based on what you knew they were to deliver the side !
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
First class by the Dragons in keeping their fans up to date. It will be a minor miracle to keep all unless Dugan accepts 150k less than he is after , which I doubt he will. Dragons playing the stare game with his manager. With the cap not being anywhere near the 10 mill perhaps some offers have been taken off the table but I can't knock our management for the way this looks like it is being handled.
For the extra 150k you mention, how about a TPA for 150k? We are the Dragons. The best known Club in the world of rugby league. We need people in charge who know what to do.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
What ? This is madness. Why would you sign Widdop & Dugan & Debelin in January based on their 2015/16 form ??? You would be a salary cap genius if you could sign & resign players based on what you knew they were to deliver the side !
There was never any mention in the media of letting go Dugan or Widdop for 2018. If that was the intention, the Dragons should have acted in the off-season signing new players and letting Dugan and Widdop know they were no longer needed for 2018. These two are marquee players and their position is in the spine - very important to manage properly.

So in January they were valued lower than their expectations by the Club. At this stage there were alternative options who also were coming off contract. Make an early play for those players by tabling an offer with their manager. This would hasten the decision of our players and most probably fast track the negotiations. The Club has met it's moral obligations by tabling an offer. It is then up to our players to accept/negotiate or wait with the risk of having the offer withdrawn.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Dugan, Widdop De Belin and Packer should have been signed at the same time as Hunt. Then move on to others. I'm sure we already had Thompson, Frizell, Sims and McInnes under contract.

So then move on to the centres, Aitken, Milne, Mann, Lafai.

Then move on to the unsigned juniors, we already had Dufty, Leilua and Field signed.

Millward put the signing of our juniors ahead of the extension of Dugan, Widdop Packer, De Belin, Milne and Mann.

The damage has been done. It seems that with Dugan, Widdop and Packer having the same manager, we are in the same situation as the Tigers found themselves in. All with the same manager and coming off contract at the same time.

I suggest Millward go out to the market and make an offer for a top line:
Fullback - Tedesco
Five-eighth - Foran


Withdraw an offer as one is accepted.
If Tedesco accepts, withdraw the offer put to Dugan.
If Foran or some else accepts then withdraw the offer for Widdop.

There is a possibility we could lose Dugan, Widdop and Packer so, by tabling offers to others, we would mitigate the chance of missing out completely.

Aitken already re-signed for 3 years I believe.Same with Leilua and Field.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Lol he cant mentioned Third Party Agreements poss! They are meant to be separated from the club.

May as well come out in a shirt that says 'Audit Me'.
Bird was reportedly signed on a 4m deal over 4 years. The cap portion was 700k per year.
 

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