2025 Squad List

[RufusRex]

I might be jumping to conclusions here but it sounds like he heard latu may be heading out the door ;-)

 

[Jubilee]

I might be jumping to conclusions here but it sounds like he heard latu may be heading out the door ;-)

Did someone suggest that he attend Mad Monday and have an OJ?

 

[Desperate Dragon]

Well it’s not going to get much better - believe latu is heading out the door. Few issues with him club doesn’t seem happy about

Don't like quoting the Mole, but according to him several clubs are queueing up to talk to Latu.
The article also says he cannot negotiate with other clubs until after round 6 of the NSW Cup competition.
Have not ever heard of that rule before.
Does anyone know if that rule applies to a player in the top 30??
Thinking it will be more about the dollars at the end of the day whether he will stay rather than any other issues.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons extend Egan for two years

The Dragons are delighted to announce a two-year contract extension for Dragons Academy graduate Dylan Egan.

www.dragons.com.au

 

[blacksafake]

Maybe the club knows that Latu will be leaving which brought about the signings of Stewart & Egan ??

 

[RufusRex]

Don't like quoting the Mole, but according to him several clubs are queueing up to talk to Latu.
The article also says he cannot negotiate with other clubs until after round 6 of the NSW Cup competition.
Have not ever heard of that rule before.
Does anyone know if that rule applies to a player in the top 30??
Thinking it will be more about the dollars at the end of the day whether he will stay rather than any other issues.

It is a rule around games played in the NRL ... unsure if it is 5 or 3 or 1 .. but basically the rule applies to rookies in the top30 or some such (i think)

 

[RedV11]

Don't like quoting the Mole, but according to him several clubs are queueing up to talk to Latu.
The article also says he cannot negotiate with other clubs until after round 6 of the NSW Cup competition.
Have not ever heard of that rule before.
Does anyone know if that rule applies to a player in the top 30??
Thinking it will be more about the dollars at the end of the day whether he will stay rather than any other issues.

They dont like his attitude/work ethic, wanted to wait and see how he went this year before choosing to extend him like they have with Loko and Halangahu

 

[hook hook]

Maybe the club knows that Latu will be leaving which brought about the signings of Stewart & Egan ??

We signed Stewart to a long term deal in 2023. Around the same time rava got his extension. Was premature IMO should have been one year dev and one year top 30 like the others, it’s probably going to come back and bite us now because although I rate Stewart, Latu will end up the much better player

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

We signed Stewart to a long term deal in 2023. Around the same time rava got his extension. Was premature IMO should have been one year dev and one year top 30 like the others, it’s probably going to come back and bite us now because although I rate Stewart, Latu will end up the much better player

he probably will ......very hard for us to say though just yet and I do want to keep Latu if we can and if he is the right fit for the club

the real questions

how much better vs all our young future contracted middles and at what cost?

what is the opportunity cost of paying overs vs other players we want to keep and or attract?

we have gone in diligently with all the other talent amongst our emerging forwards and their contract extensions have in part been a reward for effort!

For me there is only so many players we can keep as young forwards and a couple more highly regrarded right behind by a season or two

we have 6 of them already thru to 2027

If we also see 18yr old Halangahu who is reportedly already 109kg as a middle...... then we truly cant keep them all. For me Halangahu doesnt really fit the role of an edge forward in the NRL.......but he could be an outlier

TCouchman middle
RCouchman middle
Stewart middle
LPT middle
Egan has been described as a "Lock" by Flano in an interview despite mainly playing edge
Halangahu always an edge but you could argue maybe more suited as he gets older to the middle?

 

[The Word]

I find this whole Latu situation strange. Up until last month he was busy telling everyone how grateful he was for the opportunity at the dragons.

He grew up in Mount Druitt and at u17's his parents decided to move him to the dragons. Whether this was because the Panthers were not interested who knows.

So they've moved all the way down for his footy. And no disrespect to all those from Mt Druitt but you'd take Wollongong over there any day of the week. Either way he's done really well since he moved down.

Now all of a sudden he's talking to a whole line of other clubs?

Such a familiar story, parents / agent desperate to grab any money on offer, disrupting the kids progression, as well as his relationship with the one NRL club that put the time into him.

I guess it's more likely to happen with the kids who grew up elsewhere as they don't have that bond with the club. I hope this is wrong because so often it results in the kid not fulfilling his career potential, and the club losing a good player. This one is not like others we've lost where they don't necessarily look the business, this kid already looks really good. So there must be a reason and most likely it's lack of patience from people in his camp.

 

[KingFlanno7]

Egan and Stewart are both better then Latu. You can't keep everyone and with Halangahu waiting in the wings it wouldn't surprise me to see him move on but I haven't heard of any unrest so we will see

 

[TheRev]

I find this whole Latu situation strange. Up until last month he was busy telling everyone how grateful he was for the opportunity at the dragons.

He grew up in Mount Druitt and at u17's his parents decided to move him to the dragons. Whether this was because the Panthers were not interested who knows.

So they've moved all the way down for his footy. And no disrespect to all those from Mt Druitt but you'd take Wollongong over there any day of the week. Either way he's done really well since he moved down.

Now all of a sudden he's talking to a whole line of other clubs?

Such a familiar story, parents / agent desperate to grab any money on offer, disrupting the kids progression, as well as his relationship with the one NRL club that put the time into him.

I guess it's more likely to happen with the kids who grew up elsewhere as they don't have that bond with the club. I hope this is wrong because so often it results in the kid not fulfilling his career potential, and the club losing a good player. This one is not like others we've lost where they don't necessarily look the business, this kid already looks really good. So there must be a reason and most likely it's lack of patience from people in his camp.

I do agree, but this is kind of how crown play the game.. drum up interest and squeeze clubs.. but if he goes to open market, then who knows who would be in for him.

I am a bit cranky its happening at age 18 though, hes not some gun halfback.. its his next contract in 2-3 years where we should be looking at his worth when we have an idea what hes capable of.... for now he should be focussing on developing his game... and I get that he has bills and a big family to help support.. so I have compassion too.

 

[Harry Bath]

Egan and Stewart are both better then Latu. You can't keep everyone and with Halangahu waiting in the wings it wouldn't surprise me to see him move on but I haven't heard of any unrest so we will see

I disagree I rate Latu better than Eagan and Stewart but behind Halangahu we should resign Latu now and try and push Lawrie or RFM out now

 

[Slippery Morris]

After the trial against Manly, Seibold I think made reference to him. He seemed very impressed with Latu. He may have been tapped up. Let's see if he goes to Manly then if so you never know.

If so, next year in trials, maybe keep away from playing Manly. They like taking Saints juniors and created a real circus with Saab so he can leave the club which they succeeded.

 

[Jubilee]

I disagree I rate Latu better than Eagan and Stewart but behind Halangahu we should resign Latu now and try and push Lawrie or RFM out now

Supposedly we have $3m cap yet to spend. It would take $1m to buy out Lawrie and free up his spot. If we have no one else to spend it on and no slots open anyway, that might be a reasonable move.

 

[Dragsters]

Supposedly we have $3m cap yet to spend. It would take $1m to buy out Lawrie and free up his spot. If we have no one else to spend it on and no slots open anyway, that might be a reasonable move.

Is it correct that as it stands we have one slot open with the Rava deal and FMolo finally gone?

 

[Dribble&Yarn]

considering no one can actually point to any sort of real information on Latu and any supposed discontent, sounds a bit of a nothingburger to me

 

[Jeremy Dragon]

Supposedly we have $3m cap yet to spend

FFS

 

[Desperate Dragon]

FFS

Hey Jeremy,
Do you think Latu will stay with the Dragons??