Flanno's New Signings

[baggygreen man]

His Name is Jacob Liddle , not happy about that.

Liddle is by far the best hooker/dummy half we have but is now being forced out due to a master stroke by our esteemed coach in bringing a has been Cook here.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Cook will be 35 when his contract expires next year.

Who then will be our starting hooker in '27?

Lids has a MO for '26. He, or us, have to come to the negotiating table at sometime during this season.

Are we pinning our hopes on the young JF hooker Fagalilo? Or, is the young hooker we signed from the Dogs on an express pass to first grade?

 

[Illusion]

Liddle is by far the best hooker/dummy half we have but is now being forced out by a master stroke by our esteemed coach in bringing a has been Cook here.

X2 ........ Liddle has been one of our better players last year and this year , makes no sense , at least should be coming on after 30 min then stays on ........

 

[baggygreen man]

No doubt Ilias needs to lift his overall game as half cops so much scrutiny and if you are below your best, so much flack. He definitely needs to give some time to the fundamentals a good half needs to succeed in the dog eat dog world of NRL. And his class room for the time being will have to be Ressies, which could just give him the head space to let himself go and play heads up footy. One thing is certain he will have a more willing and bigger pack behind him.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Well we can bitch and moan about our halves but without field position, DCE & Luke Brooks would fail.

What's depressing is looking at the availability of NRL middles end of 2025, 2026 and, god forbid, 2027 - Not to mention two more teams competing in the market.
Our juniors, though promising, are away off and no guarantee

We need a minor miracle. (Payne Haas for 2027)

100% this.

No halves combo can succeed without the go forward of their pack. To which we don't have any consistency with.

People shouting from the roof tops that our pack lacks grunt and aggression, and I agree.

Yet, at the same time, say our halves are shit also.

One is not mutually exclusive of the other.

There's worry about a long kicking game, fmd, if our forwards could make 50m or more a set we wouldn't necessarily need one. Also, as already mentioned, our forwards are gassed after 15 minutes. We don't have a Haas, or even a May that can play large minutes at pace. Maybe young Couchman could fit that bill, but he's not built like Has or even AFB, for that matter.

Finally, just some stats to mull over:
ILIAS:
TRIES: 0
TE: 86.9%
TA: 2
LBA: 1
KFLAN:
TRIES: 4
TE: 92.5%
TA: 2
LBA: 4
LKT (in Koe Cup)
Tries: 3
TE: 95%
TA: 9
LBA: 10

 

[dungay dragon]

X2 ........ Liddle has been one of our better players last year and this year , makes no sense , at least should be coming on after 30 min then stays on ........

The Coach has a wonderful opportunity to prove to this playing group that no one is safe from the AXE by switching Lidds n Cook for this week
Barring injury or run of play , not too difficult to give both 40 mins ea
in some games Cook has played all first half and early 2nd , looking totally wasted , then he brings on lidds ffs
On top of this both look totally confused when on the paddock at the same time

 

[hewi]

100% this.

No halves combo can succeed without the go forward of their pack. To which we don't have any consistency with.

People shouting from the roof tops that our pack lacks grunt and aggression, and I agree.

Yet, at the same time, say our halves are shit also.

One is not mutually exclusive of the other.

There's worry about a long kicking game, fmd, if our forwards could make 50m or more a set we wouldn't necessarily need one. Also, as already mentioned, our forwards are gassed after 15 minutes. We don't have a Haas, or even a May that can play large minutes at pace. Maybe young Couchman could fit that bill, but he's not built like Has or even AFB, for that matter.

Finally, just some stats to mull over:
ILIAS:
TRIES: 0
TE: 86.9%
TA: 2
LBA: 1
KFLAN:
TRIES: 4
TE: 92.5%
TA: 2
LBA: 4
LKT (in Koe Cup)
Tries: 3
TE: 95%
TA: 9
LBA: 10

Great post but don’t let the facts get in the way of the coach haters.

 

[Kur0]

100% this.

No halves combo can succeed without the go forward of their pack. To which we don't have any consistency with.

People shouting from the roof tops that our pack lacks grunt and aggression, and I agree.

Yet, at the same time, say our halves are shit also.

One is not mutually exclusive of the other.

There's worry about a long kicking game, fmd, if our forwards could make 50m or more a set we wouldn't necessarily need one. Also, as already mentioned, our forwards are gassed after 15 minutes. We don't have a Haas, or even a May that can play large minutes at pace. Maybe young Couchman could fit that bill, but he's not built like Has or even AFB, for that matter.

Finally, just some stats to mull over:
ILIAS:
TRIES: 0
TE: 86.9%
TA: 2
LBA: 1
KFLAN:
TRIES: 4
TE: 92.5%
TA: 2
LBA: 4
LKT (in Koe Cup)
Tries: 3
TE: 95%
TA: 9
LBA: 10

Very intriguing numbers. I haven't watched many KOE Cup games, how are our forwarding fairing at that level?

 

[Slippery Morris]

Illias will kill it in KOE this week. Unfortunately that is his problem, he is simply too good for KOE and not up to speed for NRL. I think this stint is needed though just to get his confidence back.

Saints should really see if they can get Te Marie Martin across from the Warriors ASAP. This guy is not being used with Metcalf and Harris-Tevita in the halves. He is on the bench this week but will only be backup and not a starter. He is the best of what is available at the moment. They seem happy with Jackson Ford, maybe Saints can get them to take Lawrie in a swap deal. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

 

[RedV11]

Cook will be 35 when his contract expires next year.

Who then will be our starting hooker in '27?

Lids has a MO for '26. He, or us, have to come to the negotiating table at sometime during this season.

Are we pinning our hopes on the young JF hooker Fagalilo? Or, is the young hooker we signed from the Dogs on an express pass to first grade?

Hooker probably our weakest position in the lower grades. Can see us letting go of Phillips

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

KF and Lids for 2027 ?

 

[Dragsters]

I sense this correct, liddle will get picked up somewhere else with Kyle at 14 next year. Liddle needs more minutes this year.
Not sure Cook and Liddle on at the same time helps our yardage in the middle.
Should just split the minutes
20 mins cook
20 mins Liddle
Half time
20 mins Liddle
20 mins cook
Then just one interchange unless injuries need a variation

I hope that does not happen and your minutes/interchange suggestion does...

 

[TheRev]

Definitely need to be scouting young hookers.. there is a real void there of quality.. not sure if Phillips is continuing on, Fagalilo is ok and Hjaltason I think was someone they wanted to look at in cup, but the bloke has been injured the entire season thus far.... Muhleissen is having his best year but hes just not at a high enough level in terms of service or running game.. it really highlights the difficulty going from SG to Flegg to Cup to 1sts.. you need to be heads and shoulders above the standard at junior level.

It is possible someone like Ah Kee (the 5/8) transitions into hooker along his journey, he played some time there in his last game of the season which I found fascinating.. I think he wanted his hands on the ball because the team was struggling.. but these are not fixing any issues in the next 3-4 years for us... kid would be 16 or so.

If Liddle is going though, we will need to do more than just scout a young hooker, we would have to go after a marquee.. even if if cook was to stay on 1 more year as a 14 or something.. Kyle maybe.. but Kyle is not an impact hooker.. anyway.. whatever.. I cant be bothered thinking about it, Flanno Snr will figure it out.. we have other problems as a priority, starting with that #30 Middle we are playing without currently.

 

[Mojo]

Definitely need to be scouting young hookers.. there is a real void there of quality.. not sure if Phillips is continuing on, Fagalilo is ok and Hjaltason I think was someone they wanted to look at in cup, but the bloke has been injured the entire season thus far.... Muhleissen is having his best year but hes just not at a high enough level in terms of service or running game.. it really highlights the difficulty going from SG to Flegg to Cup to 1sts.. you need to be heads and shoulders above the standard at junior level.

It is possible someone like Ah Kee (the 5/8) transitions into hooker along his journey, he played some time there in his last game of the season which I found fascinating.. I think he wanted his hands on the ball because the team was struggling.. but these are not fixing any issues in the next 3-4 years for us... kid would be 16 or so.

If Liddle is going though, we will need to do more than just scout a young hooker, we would have to go after a marquee.. even if if cook was to stay on 1 more year as a 14 or something.. Kyle maybe.. but Kyle is not an impact hooker.. anyway.. whatever.. I cant be bothered thinking about it, Flanno Snr will figure it out.. we have other problems as a priority, starting with that #30 Middle we are playing without currently.

In what universe would a team like StGI let a player like Liddle go? I reckon he should be a top priority for retention.

Has Liddle got a kicking game? I wonder how he'd go at 7?

 

[True_Believer]

In what universe would a team like StGI let a player like Liddle go? I reckon he should be a top priority for retention.

Has Liddle got a kicking game? I wonder how he'd go at 7?

No idea where it's come from that he's been kicked out. I mean anyone with eyes could see he struggles to put a full 80 together so we needed to get another hooker in to support him. I think we are still shuffling the halves/hooker combo to get something workable for next year onwards.

 

[TheRev]

Whether liddle wants to go or stay is perhaps the question.. No idea how much truth there is in all the fan views.. Or how passionately liddle feels he should be starting vs an impact role...

But he could be gone on Nov 1st.. Mutual option that we both need to take up.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons teen half’s little-known link to NRL hit man as Flanno explains Ilias axing

Dragons teen half’s little-known link to NRL hit man as Flanno explains Ilias axing

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[mattw5]

Starting to think that all player signings are on hold until the new CEO arrives in June sounds like a typical Dragons thing to do.

 

[baggygreen man]

No halves combo can succeed without the go forward of their pack. To which we don't have any consistency with.

People shouting from the roof tops that our pack lacks grunt and aggression, and I agree.

Yet, at the same time, say our halves are shit also.

One is not mutually exclusive of the other.

This is the reason I see Ilias' dumping as unfair, but in our coaches eyes necessary as if he had not done the act he have copped flack because Ilias is seen as the team game manager. I also see our three new recruits as leaders too. So they also need to be made accountable, but wont be.

 

[baggygreen man]

Some saying Kyle Flanagan should be our 7 and game manager. Gotta chuckle as he has sufficient trouble already managing his own game. This guy has little skill, no vision, no kicking game, he is a trier, nothing else so I can now see why so many clubs jettisoned him. To save him any further embarrassment his old man must have vowed to never drop him again. Meaning that in order to protect his son, other better players are dropped in his place.