Round 2 v storm

[Bayside Dragon]

This is now very much his own roster so there are no excuses.

Over the last couple of years he wanted CT, EG, JK, LL, MS, KF, DC, VH, CG, TS, HS, DA, ST, LI and probably a few others as well. FFS he even wanted DY on his coaching staff.

He is surrounded by his own picks so are you telling us that he signed and retained players that are so mistake riddled they can’t be coached so therefore it’s not his problem?

Are you telling us it’s a bad roster and no one can do anything with it but at the same time somehow Flanno is not responsible?

Leilua is a prime example of Flanno’s coaching style. 2 years totally out of condition and now that he is fitter he’s become a clone of his elder brother capable of anything especially brain farts and dumb penalties that change the momentum of a game at a critical moment for us, yet like Kyle he is guaranteed a starting spot.

So you see ZERO positives for that 60 minutes to show we havent improved?

forget about that final 20!! Was poor everyone knows that’s.

But in previous 10 f**king years that 12-0 lead Melb had would’ve ended up 50-0..

A lot don’t take the positives, always looking for the negatives .
Anyway sometimes hard to read comments on here.

I think some of us are getting ahead of ourselves.
As coach Cleary said last year, let's see where things are at in May.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over our premiership start. For me, I'm enjoying the brand of footy the boys are playing. They seem to be going after the game a lot more than in the Griffin - Mary years. I'm happy with Kyle too. His job in attack is to feed our left edge which think he has done quite well. Not a star runner of the ball...but neither was Cronk. Be nice to have better....but at the moment, we don't.

If people have a pathological need to be following a premiership contender, may I suggest you follow another team and then come back in a few years time. You'll lead happier lives.

Oops, my bad....judging by the posts I've seen, - most of you won't live that long. Looks like those people will just have to keep living in their own private hell.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

Yes it’s very noticeable that Ford and Burns have really gone on since leaving us and going to the Warriors and Sharks.

Shits me.

And who were their coaches at the time?

 

[thebigredv]

I think some of us are getting ahead of ourselves.
As coach Cleary said last year, let's see where things are at in May.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over our premiership start. For me, I'm enjoying the brand of footy the boys are playing. They seem to be going after the game a lot more than in the Griffin - Mary years. I'm happy with Kyle too. His job in attack is to feed our left edge which think he has done quite well. Not a star runner of the ball...but neither was Cronk. Be nice to have better....but at the moment, we don't.

If people have a pathological need to be following a premiership contender, may I suggest you follow another team and then come back in a few years time. You'll lead happier lives.

Oops, my bad....judging by the posts I've seen, - most of you won't live that long. Looks like those people will just have to keep living in their own private hell.

In May you will be crying in your Cornflakes like the rest of us.

The players and coach have had the necessary time to enact change and get results.

 

[jeffdragon]

You need to look at how many games we have led at the 60 minute mark to come up with a duck egg and the obligatory "oh but we were in the game until " posts.

The game is played over 80 minutes and 27 club rounds minus byes.

We are not employing coaches to be 60 minute geniuses or May premiers.

Other teams playing us seem to be able to find another gear when necessary whilst we find reverse.

An improved 60 minutes you say well please tell me what actually improved, did our forwards constantly bust into the back play and set our attack on fire, did our backs make tackle busts and set up 80 metre tries, did our defence hold firm in the tightest moments, did one of our players stand up and take the game by the throat, did we look cohesive and well drilled, did our halves take on the line creating panic in the opposition, did we get the bench right or did we stick with proven duds?

We saw a great pass from DA and a somewhat better kicking game which unfortunately included a couple of absolute blunders other than that we were pretty much the same old Dargons.

When the above points I made are realized on a week to week basis then by all means tell me we are improving but doing it every pancake day is anything but acceptable but obviously for you things are different.

We are a bunch of scrappers playing a totally different brand of footy to any reasonable team.

Its,

You need to look at how many games we have led at the 60 minute mark to come up with a duck egg and the obligatory "oh but we were in the game until " posts.

The game is played over 80 minutes and 27 club rounds minus byes.

We are not employing coaches to be 60 minute geniuses or May premiers.

Other teams playing us seem to be able to find another gear when necessary whilst we find reverse.

An improved 60 minutes you say well please tell me what actually improved, did our forwards constantly bust into the back play and set our attack on fire, did our backs make tackle busts and set up 80 metre tries, did our defence hold firm in the tightest moments, did one of our players stand up and take the game by the throat, did we look cohesive and well drilled, did our halves take on the line creating panic in the opposition, did we get the bench right or did we stick with proven duds?

We saw a great pass from DA and a somewhat better kicking game which unfortunately included a couple of absolute blunders other than that we were pretty much the same old Dargons.

When the above points I made are realized on a week to week basis then by all means tell me we are improving but doing it every pancake day is anything but acceptable but obviously for you things are different.

We are a bunch of scrappers playing a totally different brand of footy to any reasonable team.

Its a shame the game is 80min not 60.
We be in the gf for sure.

 

[John moz]

Coach and Yound has had 3 years together no change to defence and structure .
So again our team compared to Bulldogs and Tigers have improved and on the up with players signings.
Dragons in 2 games have again shown that we dont have match winners and no speed to compete .
Every Nrl team has quality no 6 no 7 and a no 1 with speed we lack all 3 positions.
This Melbourne game at home with 20 minutes 20 .18 up and got thumped by 1 player at fullback with speed that changed the game 46 .20 not excepted as a club the Coach is fully responsible in 3 years losing games in the last 20 minutes of games not playing to 80 minutes.
The Club needs to make a big call in coming weeks if we are 0 in 4 games .

 

[Old Timer]

Wouldn't say that it's Flannos' own roster Can't have your own roster when people you want won't come here.

This is 2026....not 1966.

Quality players want to go to quality teams. Like how many current Origin players do we have? And how many years since we had a top 4 team? It's been 15yrs since we won a premiership. Seems we're been going backwards -with few exceptions- ever since. And we had plenty of rep players in that time, too. To say that Flanno has his own team is a bit of a stretch for mine.
With the utmost respect, Old Timer - you might want to check your meds.... or bring yourself up to date with how the NRL runs in 2026.

Please share your thoughts on the squad that you would have put together if you were Flanno.

I never wanted him to come because I see him as a flawed, pig headed character who has next to no attraction for good quality young players.

He had options but everyone cheered him on while he was low balling every decent player we looked at, then signing pensioners and known duds but talking that all up, and to top it off signing and then extending his son, ffs what signal does that send to player managers?

I believe we are who we are because of Flanno as simple as that, he signed or extended the vast majority of the squad that he has because he is Flanno.

Now, if I was any other coach other than Flanno I would have signed Holmes, DA, KK and avoided almost all the rest of the shitters we have accumulated or kept and please don't think I am calling everyone else a shitter but those that are, are well known to us all. There was enough player movement over the last few years to nab a somewhat decent half, full back and a prop while keeping a winger or two.

Can't wait for Cook to get another year plus a player option wooo f**king hooo.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

In May you will be crying in your Cornflakes like the rest of us.

The players and coach have had the necessary time to enact change and get results.

Obviously you don't believe that.

Why would anyone passionately keep following a team when all they see is doom and gloom? You do know there are 16 other teams to choose from?

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I never wanted him to come because I see him as a flawed, pig headed character who has next to no attraction for good quality young players.

He had options but everyone cheered him on while he was low balling every decent player we looked at, then signing pensioners and known duds but talking that all up, and to top it off signing and then extending his son, ffs what signal does that send to player managers?

I believe we are who we are because of Flanno as simple as that, he signed or extended the vast majority of the squad that he has because he is Flanno.

Now, if I was any other coach other than Flanno I would have signed Holmes, DA, KK and avoided almost all the rest of the shitters we have accumulated or kept and please don't think I am calling everyone else a shitter but those that are, are well known to us all. There was enough player movement over the last few years to nab a somewhat decent half, full back and a prop while keeping a winger or two.

Can't wait for Cook to get another year plus a player option wooo f**king hooo.

So who were those great coaches that we knocked back in favour of Flanno?

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I never wanted him to come because I see him as a flawed, pig headed character who has next to no attraction for good quality young players.

He had options but everyone cheered him on while he was low balling every decent player we looked at, then signing pensioners and known duds but talking that all up, and to top it off signing and then extending his son, ffs what signal does that send to player managers?

I believe we are who we are because of Flanno as simple as that, he signed or extended the vast majority of the squad that he has because he is Flanno.

Now, if I was any other coach other than Flanno I would have signed Holmes, DA, KK and avoided almost all the rest of the shitters we have accumulated or kept and please don't think I am calling everyone else a shitter but those that are, are well known to us all. There was enough player movement over the last few years to nab a somewhat decent half, full back and a prop while keeping a winger or two.

Can't wait for Cook to get another year plus a player option wooo f**king hooo.

So who were those great coaches that we knocked back in favour of Flanno? And about Kyle...tell me again about the team results after he was suspended at the end of 2024?

 

[jeffdragon]

Only reason a coach should get an extension is because of the results.
That's the problem extended Mary also.
This will be the 3rd year.
Got off to a bad start.
We dont know where our next win will be.
We had a huge chance in Vegas and it turned out a loss.

 

[Old Timer]

So who were those great coaches that we knocked back in favour of Flanno? And about Kyle...tell me again about the team results after he was suspended at the end of 2024?

1. I am not aware exactly who did or did not apply but I was always on the Ryles bus as compared to Flanno. I would have taken Hannay or Madge if available in preference to Flanno as well.
2. You are therefore suggesting that KF is an influential / game changing player who orchestrates wins as you are suggesting his absence has caused losses, so tell me how many games did "he" win for us prior to his suspension?

 

[InFlannoWeTrust]

I think some of us are getting ahead of ourselves.
As coach Cleary said last year, let's see where things are at in May.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over our premiership start. For me, I'm enjoying the brand of footy the boys are playing. They seem to be going after the game a lot more than in the Griffin - Mary years. I'm happy with Kyle too. His job in attack is to feed our left edge which think he has done quite well. Not a star runner of the ball...but neither was Cronk. Be nice to have better....but at the moment, we don't.

If people have a pathological need to be following a premiership contender, may I suggest you follow another team and then come back in a few years time. You'll lead happier lives.

Oops, my bad....judging by the posts I've seen, - most of you won't live that long. Looks like those people will just have to keep living in their own private hell.

Good post .. definitely attacking much better and running harder onto the ball.

 

[InFlannoWeTrust]

Only reason a coach should get an extension is because of the results.
That's the problem extended Mary also.
This will be the 3rd year.
Got off to a bad start.
We dont know where our next win will be.
We had a huge chance in Vegas and it turned out a loss.

A coach is also extended when we see some improvement . Which I think we have (maybe not on ladder) but fitter/playing quicker and staying in contest for much much longer. Starting to give SOME hope

 

[SEAT 1A]

The good, we took it up to the Storm for sixty minutes, Ya.

The bad, we feel to pieces in the last twenty minutes, Boo.

The boys are playing their guts out. Anyway, there looks like there are going to be some forced changes. Not good ones though, so 0-3 start. it's going to be a long year again.

 

[InFlannoWeTrust]

if anyone on here thought we will be a top 4 team this year you have rocks in your head.
When Flanno said we won’t win in 26, I could’ve told you that. Stating the obvious ..

Until we vs teams who should be around 5-8th on the ladder then I’ll have more of a judgement .

Then contested for 60 against a 2025 grand finalist and a team who has 8 representative players.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

1. I am not aware exactly who did or did not apply but I was always on the Ryles bus as compared to Flanno. I would have taken Hannay or Madge if available in preference to Flanno as well.
2. You are therefore suggesting that KF is an influential / game changing player who orchestrates wins as you are suggesting his absence has caused losses, so tell me how many games did "he" win for us prior to his suspension?

I sympathise with your dilemma. I believe no one else applied, though there was a strong rumour the Lithgow Shamrocks U10 coach was very keen. Fact is, 3 of our celebrated ex-players in Ryles, Hornby and Fitzgibbon turned us down speaks volumes to me.
My preferred coach would have been Bellamy but as you say "if he was available". In other words, a nonsense thing to say. For ex-club luminaries to say; "I'd rather stay an assistant coach than lead the Dragons" is about as sad as it gets.

As far as Shane goes, I expect taking on Young was a condition of his appointment. I daresay getting Watsford and Anderson onboard was all about what they thought about Shane. Don't think it was about our wonderful BOD or awesome player roster.

But of course, there are lots of keyboard warriors who know so much better.

I even remember some of them calling Sloan the next Langlands.....amongst heaps of other predictions that history has consigned to the dustbin.

Regards to Kyle, nobody - even his dad -has called him a match winner. Classic case of you don't miss him until he's not there.

We only had to win just one of those last 4 games to make the 8. With everything to gain, we lost them all. Without Kyle we went from beating a full strength Melbourne in Melbourne to a completely disorganised, wooden spoon worthy rabble in the blink of an eye. Nothing else changed.

That's why he was upgraded from his 300k, 14th man contract. Even Hunt, Sua and Lomax couldn't save us.

Kyle didn't necessarily win us games, he just kept us in games..... that none of our "better" players could go on to win. "Game- breaker" probably was never in his job description.

 

[John moz]

We are over all the excuses year after year . We can't match other clubs when our board are comfortable with not making finals since 2011 after Wayne Bennett moved to knights .

 

[UDGE]

Well I’m not laughing.
I’m with you!!
He (duff) is worth a look.
Certainly still an X factor.
When last with us, he had issues with kick returns and defence.
And we had to cut him.

But now, if he has at least addressed his ball catching and kick returns, he is worth a shot.
He could be keen if it was an NRL contract.

I have no idea of the contract he is on with Souths - some sort of KOE thing.
But give him a call and get the legals onto it.

Anyone know how Cody is going with Easts.

Dufty got booted off mainly because he was a disruptive pest . Unfortunately Cody isn't knocking any of the back 3 off their perches anytime soon . Should have taken the offer here . Was very upsetting to see him walk after everything this club did for him , but at the end of the day he has to look after himself and his family but i think he made the wrong choice.

 

[UDGE]

I sympathise with your dilemma. I believe no one else applied, though there was a strong rumour the Lithgow Shamrocks U10 coach was very keen. Fact is, 3 of our celebrated ex-players in Ryles, Hornby and Fitzgibbon turned us down speaks volumes to me.
My preferred coach would have been Bellamy but as you say "if he was available". In other words, a nonsense thing to say. For ex-club luminaries to say; "I'd rather stay an assistant coach than lead the Dragons" is about as sad as it gets.

As far as Shane goes, I expect taking on Young was a condition of his appointment. I daresay getting Watsford and Anderson onboard was all about what they thought about Shane. Don't think it was about our wonderful BOD or awesome player roster.

But of course, there are lots of keyboard warriors who know so much better.

I even remember some of them calling Sloan the next Langlands.....amongst heaps of other predictions that history has consigned to the dustbin.

Regards to Kyle, nobody - even his dad -has called him a match winner. Classic case of you don't miss him until he's not there.

We only had to win just one of those last 4 games to make the 8. With everything to gain, we lost them all. Without Kyle we went from beating a full strength Melbourne in Melbourne to a completely disorganised, wooden spoon worthy rabble in the blink of an eye. Nothing else changed.

That's why he was upgraded from his 300k, 14th man contract. Even Hunt, Sua and Lomax couldn't save us.

Kyle didn't necessarily win us games, he just kept us in games..... that none of our "better" players could go on to win. "Game- breaker" probably was never in his job description.

Well said , anyone even bother to look at the fact that once Kyle was injured yesterday and Gutho went off our defense was shot without them . Kyle and Gutho both saved certain tries against the dogs . Fact .

 

[Bayside Dragon]

We are over all the excuses year after year . We can't match other clubs when our board are comfortable with not making finals since 2011 after Wayne Bennett moved to knights .

And how did Wayne go at the Knights? As they say, you have to have the cattle.

Our current problems stem from the terrible BOD. When Wayne left, they should have had a great recruiting team in place. The strong clubs have strong mature youngsters coming through....while their clubs are attractive to the good prospects.

Instead, the BOD ran the joint into the ground. Wouldn't spend on players or facilities. Here we are 15yrs later with everybody expecting an instant renaissance. Gould with his report was right. As someone famously said, "winning starts in the front office." We have started but redemption is still someways off.