Jeremy Latimore returns

[jak]

So we had him, let him go & now buy him back.
Cunning stunt (love that old joke) as he learnt nothing here so we let him go to a good coaching structure to actually learn something and now that he has done that he is considered even better value than before.
Simply outstanding and he is just the player we need to stop the youngsters from getting game time.
Luciano must be over the moon about it.

steve price fixed him up and sent him home.

 

[jak]

Mine is not unhappy

ok tell us the secret please sir please.

 

[dragon thomo]

I cant believe we signed this bloke if our young forwards are not as good as him we are stuffed.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Interesting point. Both Marketo and Matthews played not only in the forwards but occasionally at centre and elsewhere during games when they had to. I like Latimore and don't mind signing him, but I don't think he has that versatility.

In his time at the club, Marketo also played some five-eighth for a short period.

His critics, and I acknowledge there are many, need to cut him some slack as I can think of many worse 'contributors' over the past few years.

Dunamis Lui or Bronson Harrison anyone?

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

O

No Doubt Jake always gave 100 %...Big A for effort.. ( and also A for courage ) .in terms of ability he is a fringe first grader. When you look at the way packs have increased in size, he basically is in the "Small " category for a forward and did get man - handled a number of times. Also, My reference to him being played at prop is more a dig at our current coach...DeBelin at Half... etc....

Size isn't everything though. Some of the best second rowers have been "vertically challenged", such as Trevor Gillmeister.

 

[JDHD]

Defending premiers exit the finals early and instantly take to offloading players surplus to requirement and considered not good enough to take them back top the top.
We collapsed half way through the season to miss the eight and take on the former premiers discards in a hope it might get us into the eight.
Absolutely laughable and epitomises the difference between a successful clubs culture and ours.

Oh my god, what part of 'depth player' do you not understand?

 

[Mr Red]

I don't understand this signing.... 31 and not playing anywhere near as good when we was at the club for one season ...before we decided to let him leave and now we bring him back when he's not as effective????
I would have thought Kerr, leilua, host, etc etc would offer more value as depth for first grade and promote a promising junior to fill one of the vacant spots on the roster......
No wonder our promising juniors get pissed off and leave for a better opportunity....

 

[blacksafake]

I'm okay with this as he's only there for insurance & experience. Let's just hope L plate doesn't forget the youngsters because he's experienced, safe & keeps picking him like he did with McCrone. Anyway at least we didn't sign Lillyman who I thought we might have. If the youngsters are good enough then they should have no problems jumping him.

 

[MrDragon007]

Oh my god, what part of 'depth player' do you not understand?

Exactly. He is signed to play reserves, and back up if needed in first grade. Lawrie and Sele still have the jump on him, and Leilua needs to fix his fitness and he will be ok.
But the youngsters in reserves need an experienced head alongside them.
He is a depth signing, Mathews is gone, so have a few players from reserves that had some sort of first grade experience, so he brings experience to the younger guys.
If we lose Frizz, Vaughan, and JDB, to SOO, we will be so skinny up front we would be anorexic.
If Lawrie and Sele step up, Leilua might not be ready, or Kerr for that matter, who do you promote?
Latimore wont be a Taumalolo, but he wont let the team down either if he gets called up.
Its all pure speculation to sook about this signing now. If he gets a run ahead of a junior, then sook all you (not you JDHD) want, if he doesnt, and i can assure you he wont, then all this sooking is for nothing.

 

[MrDragon007]

depth is important.

My ex wife use to say the same thing.

Mine reckons depth and width as well

lmfaoooo the wives of some of the guys (Not you 3) on this forum would add "Distance" also as being important. The more distance from their husbands the better.

 

[mobels]

I don't understand this signing.... 31 and not playing anywhere near as good when we was at the club for one season ...before we decided to let him leave and now we bring him back when he's not as effective????
I would have thought Kerr, leilua, host, etc etc would offer more value as depth for first grade and promote a promising junior to fill one of the vacant spots on the roster......
No wonder our promising juniors get pissed off and leave for a better opportunity....

Leilua and Host are both backrowers and shouldn't be thrown in the deep end by being forced to play prop with their lack of experience in first grade. Kerr still has major deficiencies in his game and isn't ready for first grade yet.

Latimore is nothing more than depth, who can step up and play first grade with ease if we get badly hit with injuries.

 

[Old Timer]

Oh my god, what part of 'depth player' do you not understand?

Ok he is depth in your opinion
So if we get an injury in 1sts only then does he step up
So how do the others like Kerr ever get the experience required to play NRL?
Sign a nuffy dropped from a squad that finished higher than us and we're last seasons premiers
Depth alright bottom of the ocean

 

[coast_dragons]

Leilua goes missing in games and that is at NSW Cup level so imagine that in first grade he would be exsposed even more so.

Kerr in all honestly didn't do alot wrong but also didn't do alot to elevate himself into a first grade spot Hind out played him every single week yet Hind doesn't get a new deal go figure.

Host and Sele are not front rowers as has been said so they will fight for a spot on the bench and imo Host is the more rounded player.

Lawrie is the one latimore's signing may effect some what but again lawrie isn't quite ready for the rigours of week to week first grade but in time he will be.

I rather have 4 genuine props with experience instead of having to use Sims as an out and out prop which he isn't.

 

[Mr Red]

Leilua and Host are both backrowers and shouldn't be thrown in the deep end by being forced to play prop with their lack of experience in first grade. Kerr still has major deficiencies in his game and isn't ready for first grade yet.

Latimore is nothing more than depth, who can step up and play first grade with ease if we get badly hit with injuries.

Yeah ..jack bird wasn't ready either according to our coaching staff and look what happened the following season..
Dufty wasn't ready according to coaching staff and only got a chance due to injuries and what a revelation he was....

Sometimes it's better to blood a player a year early when they are only 80% ready rather than wait until they are 100% ready, only to see them go elsewhere for an opportunity......
If I'm a rising junior in a club and I see the club sign a 31year old hack ahead of me in the pecking order I know what I'd be doing..it definitely sends a message to the junior regarding the thought process of the club...

 

[JDHD]

Ok he is depth in your opinion
So if we get an injury in 1sts only then does he step up
So how do the others like Kerr ever get the experience required to play NRL?
Sign a nuffy dropped from a squad that finished higher than us and we're last seasons premiers
Depth alright bottom of the ocean

If you think Kerr is a Grade player, you're kidding yourself. He's barely making an impact in Cup, how the hell is he going to come up to Grade and make a splash? Besides, to hear you talk, you'd think that we only used broken-down has beens. The Dragons debuted four players from the 2016 U20s this year plus they gave Host decent minutes while rotating him between Grade and Cup to make sure they don't wear out his body.

Millward said Latimore is there to make sure that we don't have three young middles trying to hold the fort during Origin. We can't afford to sacrifice games during Origin like Brisbane or Melbourne can, we need to win the games in that period to have any hope of making the eight. We got messed up during Origin while Frizell and De Belin were gone, if we'd won just one of them we would have made the eight. Having an experienced big bopper in there to help out the kids AND James Graham is only upside.

 

[Old Timer]

If you think Kerr is a Grade player, you're kidding yourself. He's barely making an impact in Cup, how the hell is he going to come up to Grade and make a splash? Besides, to hear you talk, you'd think that we only used broken-down has beens. The Dragons debuted four players from the 2016 U20s this year plus they gave Host decent minutes while rotating him between Grade and Cup to make sure they don't wear out his body.

Millward said Latimore is there to make sure that we don't have three young middles trying to hold the fort during Origin. We can't afford to sacrifice games during Origin like Brisbane or Melbourne can, we need to win the games in that period to have any hope of making the eight. We got messed up during Origin while Frizell and De Belin were gone, if we'd won just one of them we would have made the eight. Having an experienced big bopper in there to help out the kids AND James Graham is only upside.

So all the trumpeting and fan fare about Kerr's signing was therefore incorrect?
When it was questioned by some they were howled down as not having s clue.
If Latimore is a big bopper good for origin back up why are we so lucky to get him and don't the Sharks need one?
Already the acceptance of poor signings is apparent and thus our club will blunder on in the same old way
Excuse making and arse covering still well in vogue and more to come.
Keep up the good work on behalf of the club and 2018 will give you exactly what 2017 gave you

 

[Frank Facer]

Latimore set for St George Illawarra Dragons NRL return

Tim Barrow@@TheBarrow

20 Sep 2017, 12:47 p.m.

Red V return: Forward Jeremy Latimore has signed a one-year deal.


Veteran forward Jeremy Latimore will provide valuable cover during next year’s State of Origin period, Dragons recruitment manager Ian Millward declared in announcing a one-year deal.

Latimore was with the club in 2012 and has played a total of 139 NRL games for Parramatta, New Zealand, Penrith and Cronulla, since making his debut in 2009.

"When we came to the decision with Jeremy, it was more so to see what he could bring to the club off the field just as much as what he could bring on it," Millward said.

“Jeremy is very keen to be involved in that process.

"We were looking for a player who had played over 100 first grade games and who could come into our squad and add some experience and character.

"We also have to anticipate that we may have Paul Vaughan and definitely Tyson Frizell and Jack de Belin out over the Origin series next season, so we wanted to make sure we weren't throwing all of our young boys in over that period."

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4937099/latimore-set-for-dragons-return/?cs=302

I thought that next year origin will be stand alone and played on Sunday night and that no clubs will be missing players during that time? Can anyone confirm if that is true or not?

 

[Brutalitops]

f**king hell at people whining about this.

Not only is he just a depth signing (at minimum wage), but if you read Millward's quote, it specifically says they anticipate being without JDB, Vaughan and Frizzel during Origin. Right after that, he says he isn't just there to cover Origin, but it's also because we are losing 3 forwards at once and he doesn't want to throw THREE young guys in all at once.

And that's correct. If we toss in 3 inexperienced forwards in all together it'll be a disaster. We will play young forwards during Origin, but Latimore will be there as well, not in place of.

Some people will complain about anything. At least we know our recruitment is more forward thinking than this forum

 

[Coffs dragon]

An honest plodder that will be a handy backup and won't let anyone down. No problems with this signing!

 

[dragonssamy61]

ok tell us the secret please sir please.

Jak
Just trade in the old and upgrade every 5 to 10 year lol