2021 - The Dragons Again

[Dragon for life]

It is probable that Graham, Aitken's and Lafai's contracts are on the cutting board floor. If De Belin does not win his legal battle then he is another players out the door.

If SGI wants to keep Frizell, then they will but it will take salary cap of Graham and Host to keep him.

De Belin's logical replacement would be Fifita. The salary cap of De Belin and Lafai should cover his recruitment.

With Aitken's salary cap plus one of our outside backs will go towards signing a first grade quality right centre.

In my opinion that will be the end of the purge. Our young guns will have to earn their place from reserve grade performances.

Fifita!! No offense but why would any player want to play for this club other than having to pay ridiculous amounts of money to get them here.

We have some world class players and quite a few of them but can’t seem to put it together as a team. Why is that??

 

[jak]

he would get the chance to play and learn under mary

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

he would get the chance to play and learn under mary

Caution - Please refrain from using the words, ‘learning’ and ‘Mary’ in the same sentence.

As you were.....

 

[muzby]

Caution - Please refrain from using the words, ‘learning’ and ‘Mary’ in the same sentence.

As you were.....

 

[blue bags]

learn under mary, easy peasy , my eyes are burning

 

[Crush]

Why did McIdiot push Lafaii onto the wing, did someone tell McIdiot that there no limits on players off the bench

Probably because he plans to play him on the wing at some stage this year.
He has a very deep and personal relationship with his players and doesn't like to see their feelings hurt. If he really must elevate Williame due to form then he can't just drop Lafai, he'll find a spot for him somewhere, the wing will do.
Same reason Widdop played at the back end of last year in the halves, to show loyalty (long term success comes after loyalty)

 

[redandwhite4evr]

It is probable that Graham, Aitken's and Lafai's contracts are on the cutting board floor. If De Belin does not win his legal battle then he is another players out the door.

If SGI wants to keep Frizell, then they will but it will take salary cap of Graham and Host to keep him.

De Belin's logical replacement would be Fifita. The salary cap of De Belin and Lafai should cover his recruitment.

With Aitken's salary cap plus one of our outside backs will go towards signing a first grade quality right centre.

In my opinion that will be the end of the purge. Our young guns will have to earn their place from reserve grade performances.

This is probably not a popular sentiment but the more I see of Frizzell, the more I am thinking that his best days are behind him. Comparing him to tearaways like Fifita, Kikau and Taumalolo, he barely dents the line anymore. Yes, he is a good defender, a great guy and a team player but he is not the damaging edge running forward of yesteryear.

 

[possm]

Fifita!! No offense but why would any player want to play for this club other than having to pay ridiculous amounts of money to get them here.

We have some world class players and quite a few of them but can’t seem to put it together as a team. Why is that??

Because we pay overs and because we expect less from them. SGI is a much easier lift each week. Which other club could you play like, say Aitken and not get dropped.

 

[Dragon for life]

This is probably not a popular sentiment but the more I see of Frizzell, the more I am thinking that his best days are behind him. Comparing him to tearaways like Fifita, Kikau and Taumalolo, he barely dents the line anymore. Yes, he is a good defender, a great guy and a team player but he is not the damaging edge running forward of yesteryear.

That’s because friz is being used up the middle mostly and not on the edge. He has good pace can hit a hole jist needs to wok on his offload.
They used him on the edge in origin. Mcf**knuckle has no clue

 

[BLM01]

That’s because friz is being used up the middle mostly and not on the edge. He has good pace can hit a hole jist needs to wok on his offload.
They used him on the edge in origin. Mcf**knuckle has no clue

They tried ti use Friz a little bit out wide on the weekend but the problem was giving it to him well before the line instead of trying to create a hole for him and running into it. More brain dead blind stupid attack... unless we are baulking for the round 1

 

[Dragon_psa]

This is probably not a popular sentiment but the more I see of Frizzell, the more I am thinking that his best days are behind him. Comparing him to tearaways like Fifita, Kikau and Taumalolo, he barely dents the line anymore. Yes, he is a good defender, a great guy and a team player but he is not the damaging edge running forward of yesteryear.

I think that has more to do with the fact that Mary insists on using him as a battering ram, rather than playing to his strengths as an edge forward.

 

[matPORTS]

I need to focus on something positive, hence this thread. The board are to answer for allowing Mary another year to screw us over. They are nearly at a place where there is nowhere to hide, and I can't see that they can justify the coach's tenure for much longer. Hopefully we can get the rot out of the way to start the year with some back to back floggings, as much as it hurts to say, and he can pack his bags. Enter interim coach with obviously Flanagan still not available.

Time has taught Dragons fans that it is all about the coach. Nathan Brown had a brilliant team at his disposal, as did Waite and Farrar and the hapless Smith. Nothing. Price and McGregor have changed the face of our club and the nature of what it is to be a Dragons fan. Less said about them, the better.

McGregor will be gone so who do we turn to? That really is the big one. Who will be available at the end of this season?

I can't see Frizell sticking around based on his comments and some by the coach. I agree Fifita would be a great replacement but he will sort himself out a gig before we get the chance. That said I do believe fitting players will become available, and we need to have the right coach in place when they do. If we keep Frizell for a fair price than that's a bonus.

Player-wise we need to cut some dead wood.

Gone...

Norman
DeBelin
Lafai
Aitken
Graham (will be passed it by then)

Lomax and Rawalava need breakout seasons or they can join the list.
Dufty will need to do a 180 with some of his deficiencies or he will be better off at another club. Too many chance for some of these blokes.

On the up and up...

Will be hoping Williame, Fuimaono, Lawrie, Sailor, Saab, Kerr and Ford continue to impress and stamp their place in the competition. They look like some of our most-likely at this early stage though that can be a day-to-day prospect.

Of course much is dependent on the coach in charge so roster is somewhat irrelevant but a nice big clean out of culture and some players who are just cruising along is a great place to start.

Definitely agree with everything said here, and liking the idea that we've already started a 2021 thread.

There is definitely no place left to hide. Despite the end of 2019 'review' yielding us a new set of 'assistants', the same team selections, tactics and use of the bench we've become accustomed to over the last six years were still on show during the Charity Shield. I recall the 2019 Charity Shield where Vaughan went off early due to a failed HIA, but yet we still barely gave the young fellas a run. This year we bought Willame on but kept Lafai on outside him on the left when there was opportunity to put one of the young wingers out there as well. Who is the common denominator in all of this? Lafai still remaining out there on the wing, in a trial match, is a Mary stamp of approval tactic if ever there was one !

At an absolute bare minimum, if we are any less than 50% by the mid-way point of this season (at which time the distractions will also start for us because of Origin), Mary must be moved on an interim installed.

The obvious choices for interim would be Shepherd, Head or Young. Unfortunately if Flanno is banned until 2022, then this interim might need to take the reins for 1.5 seasons (i.e. for the remainder of what was Marys' contract). I'm not sure where Shepherd is at in terms of his experience leading a team as a head coach? Therefore I'd probably be happy with Head taking the reigns as interim. Young can then take over Head with the Canterbury Cup side. No doubt Mary also tried to throw Head under the bus during the post-2019 review, but the club has kept him on thinking they might need him if things start to go belly up - hopefully this is another signal of Mary losing his grip on power.

But if I was the part of the club management and power broker community (lol) - I'd be polling the NRL to lift the ban on Flanno a year earlier, even if it means certain conditions around his pay and contractual obligations having to be met. But off course, we lack the foresight and general ambition to make this happen.

 

[epDragon62]

Well, you don't think they'd be telling us if that was happening, do you?

 

[possm]

Definitely agree with everything said here, and liking the idea that we've already started a 2021 thread.

There is definitely no place left to hide. Despite the end of 2019 'review' yielding us a new set of 'assistants', the same team selections, tactics and use of the bench we've become accustomed to over the last six years were still on show during the Charity Shield. I recall the 2019 Charity Shield where Vaughan went off early due to a failed HIA, but yet we still barely gave the young fellas a run. This year we bought Willame on but kept Lafai on outside him on the left when there was opportunity to put one of the young wingers out there as well. Who is the common denominator in all of this? Lafai still remaining out there on the wing, in a trial match, is a Mary stamp of approval tactic if ever there was one !

At an absolute bare minimum, if we are any less than 50% by the mid-way point of this season (at which time the distractions will also start for us because of Origin), Mary must be moved on an interim installed.

The obvious choices for interim would be Shepherd, Head or Young. Unfortunately if Flanno is banned until 2022, then this interim might need to take the reins for 1.5 seasons (i.e. for the remainder of what was Marys' contract). I'm not sure where Shepherd is at in terms of his experience leading a team as a head coach? Therefore I'd probably be happy with Head taking the reigns as interim. Young can then take over Head with the Canterbury Cup side. No doubt Mary also tried to throw Head under the bus during the post-2019 review, but the club has kept him on thinking they might need him if things start to go belly up - hopefully this is another signal of Mary losing his grip on power.

But if I was the part of the club management and power broker community (lol) - I'd be polling the NRL to lift the ban on Flanno a year earlier, even if it means certain conditions around his pay and contractual obligations having to be met. But off course, we lack the foresight and general ambition to make this happen.

We need the new CEO to approach the NRL with a view to reducing Flanagan's suspension as a matter of urgency.

I would prefer to suffer Mary as head coach until the end of this season if and only if, Flanagan can take over for season 2022.

 

[SAP58]

We need the new CEO to approach the NRL with a view to reducing Flanagan's suspension as a matter of urgency.

I would prefer to suffer Mary as head coach until the end of this season if and only if, Flanagan can take over for season 2022.

I agree with your comments but dont think this will happen whilst Greenberg has the job of CEO. He seems to have a personal vendetta against Flanagan. He did allow him to become an Assistant Coach but I doubt he will let him move any further until his ban is up.

 

[2010]

If we do approach the NRL to reduce Flanagan’s suspension what do we have to lose, nothing.....
It’s worth looking at

 

[matPORTS]

The first mandate of our new CEO must be to poll the NRL about getting Flanagans' ban lifted ASAP. The second mandate will be to make some tough decisions around the future of Jack de Belin.

We must also remember, Flanno only has a one year contract with us at present. No doubt discussions with the NRL will need to take place regardless around any future role he may have with us (whether that is as an assistant or head coach).

As a club, we can't afford another two full seasons in limbo under Mary. Sure, it may transpire (but more unlikely) that we have a good 2020 and make the finals...
But, what progress will have been made to accelerate our junior and fringe players into the top grade with an eye on future seasons (personally I'm happy to have an average 2020 if it means the younger brigade get at least 15-20 games each - and I don't just mean 5-10 minute cameos off the bench when the game is already well lost)?
Who will we have re-signed (i.e. Frizell) and signed from outside the club for future seasons?
Whom will we have moved on?
What's the contingency plan for de Belin (as any potential guilty verdict in November/December will likely be too late for us to have recruited using the salary cap space now free as a result)?

Further to the potential of the NRL allowing Flanagan back a year earlier, they have just as much to lose in all of this as we do - I question whether the NRL can really afford to give the club any more grants or 'prop ups' as a result of a disillusioned bunch of Dragons supporters not buying merchandise, renewing memberships and refusing to walk through the gates at Kogarah or Wollongong. The sensible decision on there part would be to re-instate Flanno as a head coach, under certain conditions for 2021 i.e. not allowed to be directly involved with any supplement or medical programs or anything else that constituted serious reason for his current ban.

 

[possm]

The first mandate of our new CEO must be to poll the NRL about getting Flanagans' ban lifted ASAP. The second mandate will be to make some tough decisions around the future of Jack de Belin.

We must also remember, Flanno only has a one year contract with us at present. No doubt discussions with the NRL will need to take place regardless around any future role he may have with us (whether that is as an assistant or head coach).

As a club, we can't afford another two full seasons in limbo under Mary. Sure, it may transpire (but more unlikely) that we have a good 2020 and make the finals...
But, what progress will have been made to accelerate our junior and fringe players into the top grade with an eye on future seasons (personally I'm happy to have an average 2020 if it means the younger brigade get at least 15-20 games each - and I don't just mean 5-10 minute cameos off the bench when the game is already well lost)?
Who will we have re-signed (i.e. Frizell) and signed from outside the club for future seasons?
Whom will we have moved on?
What's the contingency plan for de Belin (as any potential guilty verdict in November/December will likely be too late for us to have recruited using the salary cap space now free as a result)?

Further to the potential of the NRL allowing Flanagan back a year earlier, they have just as much to lose in all of this as we do - I question whether the NRL can really afford to give the club any more grants or 'prop ups' as a result of a disillusioned bunch of Dragons supporters not buying merchandise, renewing memberships and refusing to walk through the gates at Kogarah or Wollongong. The sensible decision on there part would be to re-instate Flanno as a head coach, under certain conditions for 2021 i.e. not allowed to be directly involved with any supplement or medical programs or anything else that constituted serious reason for his current ban.

SGI need a talented representative to advocate a remedy to our current issues with the NRL. A one year ban would have been more than a fair penalty for Flanagan and although the NRL have the right to stand down a player contracted by SGI, it surely must also have the responsibility of ensuring SGI - who by the way did nothing wrong - also do not suffer financially. Remember, the NRL relied on the the negative financial implications to the NRL being unsustainable if De Belin was not stood down.

 

[True_Believer]

The first mandate of our new CEO must be to poll the NRL about getting Flanagans' ban lifted ASAP. The second mandate will be to make some tough decisions around the future of Jack de Belin.

We must also remember, Flanno only has a one year contract with us at present. No doubt discussions with the NRL will need to take place regardless around any future role he may have with us (whether that is as an assistant or head coach).

As a club, we can't afford another two full seasons in limbo under Mary. Sure, it may transpire (but more unlikely) that we have a good 2020 and make the finals...
But, what progress will have been made to accelerate our junior and fringe players into the top grade with an eye on future seasons (personally I'm happy to have an average 2020 if it means the younger brigade get at least 15-20 games each - and I don't just mean 5-10 minute cameos off the bench when the game is already well lost)?
Who will we have re-signed (i.e. Frizell) and signed from outside the club for future seasons?
Whom will we have moved on?
What's the contingency plan for de Belin (as any potential guilty verdict in November/December will likely be too late for us to have recruited using the salary cap space now free as a result)?

Further to the potential of the NRL allowing Flanagan back a year earlier, they have just as much to lose in all of this as we do - I question whether the NRL can really afford to give the club any more grants or 'prop ups' as a result of a disillusioned bunch of Dragons supporters not buying merchandise, renewing memberships and refusing to walk through the gates at Kogarah or Wollongong. The sensible decision on there part would be to re-instate Flanno as a head coach, under certain conditions for 2021 i.e. not allowed to be directly involved with any supplement or medical programs or anything else that constituted serious reason for his current ban.

You all assume this hasn't already been done and rejected? The fact he is even working for us indicates that some intense discussions have already been had in this space.

 

[blue bags]

dragons can make the 2020 top 8