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Giant gun Jason Saab to ditch Mary’s Dragons as rivals circle

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
Giant gun Jason Saab to ditch Mary’s Dragons as rivals circle
DRAGONS

  • June 4, 2020 6:01pm
  • by GEORGE CLARKE
  • Source: FOX SPORTS
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More bad news for Dragons fans with winger Jason Saab understood to be wanting a release. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Exclusive - The problems of besieged St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor look set to go from bad to worse this week with giant winger Jason Saab expected to ask for a release as rival NRL clubs circle.

Saab, 19, is contracted to the Dragons until the end of 2022 but wants to explore his options in the coming days owing to his lack of gametime under McGregor’s tenure.

Foxsports.com.au understands that the 200cm tall winger, who bulked up to 110kg over the summer, has grown frustrated at McGregor’s unwillingness to back him in the top grade with other clubs after his services.

Saab, an Origin under-20s player for NSW, was part of the B Team that beat the Dragons A Team in a training session in Wollongong last week prior to the club’s embarrassing loss to the Warriors.

McGregor has persisted with wing combinations involving Zac Lomax, Jordan Pereira and Mikaele Ravalawa in the opening rounds.

Saab, who made his NRL debut last year and has scored three tries in as many games, has not been picked in the opening three rounds and that has led to sustained interest from rival clubs.

His size, aerial threat under the new rules, and ability to find the try-line has put plenty of clubs on red alert.

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Jason Saab isn’t getting a look in for first grade. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)Source: AAP
As it stands, only a handful of sides have top 30 spots available.

Melbourne, who are set to lose Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu next year, have one space open and are said to be one potential suitor

The Wests Tigers, who are expected to release Corey Thompson to the Gold Coast, could also be an option.

Souths, the Warriors and Manly are also believed to have taken an interest in Saab but, like the Tigers, don’t have the current space in their roster as it stands, unless they were to move a player on.



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Clune's ill-timed break

0:56
Saab is not the only rising star to have struggled for an opportunity during the last year of McGregor’s reign.

Tristan Sailor, Jackson Ford and Lachlan Timm have all impressed in the lower grades over the last 12 months but have not received a sustained crack at the top grade.

Foxsports.com.au revealed earlier this year that the Dragons tabled a three-year deal worth close to $2million for Manly’s Moses Suli.

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Jason Saab is understood to be asking for a release. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)Source: AAP
And it paints a pretty damning picture that he took unders to stay at Brookvale and snubbed the Red V.

McGregor reportedly has two games to save his job, beginning with Monday’s clash with the misfiring Bulldogs.

The coach has been under the pump since he re-signed a contract last year, with the club scraping two wins with both of them coming against the equally-poor Titans.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/e1759e03d29e287e32b4681ffc83c5a9
 

qld redvee

Juniors
Messages
1,318
if he is 110 kg then WHY hasnt supercoach given him a run ????? Okay he is young so therefore doesnt fit into supercoaches philosophy

George or company who is Saabs manager -- maybe its shades of we can get a better deal - any idea

We must keep the Kid and give him a go his size and pace are something we NEED
 

George Dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,985
if he is 110 kg then WHY hasnt supercoach given him a run ????? Okay he is young so therefore doesnt fit into supercoaches philosophy

George or company who is Saabs manager -- maybe its shades of we can get a better deal - any idea

We must keep the Kid and give him a go his size and pace are something we NEED
Jason is with Mario at Crown Management and he is not after a better deal he is not happy and wants out.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
How Rava and JP have got the nod over Saab truly boggles the mind. He played really well in his limited games last season.

Here's the problem as i see it with player selections.

Its happened way too often for it to be a co-incidence. They get one crack or maybe two, and then he reverts to what he must believe is the "safer" option.

Young players feel that they dont get a chance to prove themselves, and every game for them is "do or die". Yet our coaches favourites, always get on the field. Maybe in Aitkens case on the bench.

Lomax FB one day.. centre the next.
Dufty dropped... back to FB.
Rava one poor game.. dropped... then returned at the cost of others.

Mann went through the same.

Our halves will never be dropped. They may play ( like Norman ) in a different posy, but they are in the 17.

 

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