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The Rumours Thread

2

2218

Juniors
Messages
169
kit66 said:
By all accounts Flanno has been heavily involved in Pathways from day one, making sure all the juniors coaches know what he wants from them and from their charges in future as he looks to get our Club back on track. Not just keeping an eye on talent but also trying to instill some pride and professionalism and build a positive and winning culture. This is something we've sorely missed from past coaches who were more concerned with self preservation and short term success.

Posted by AyiosYiorgos in one of the juniors threads recently;

https://archive.md/Cjkd0
Click to expand...
Good article. Does anyone know more about this?
Millard is newly installed into his role as recruitment and pathways manager, but already has his eye set on building a Dragons academy in New Zealand, which will be run by club legend Jason Nightingale.
“We have started preliminary talks to get that up and running in the next 12 months. We need to make sure we have the resources, things like having eyes and ears on the ground, they have somewhere to train and there are coaches that can go over there,” Millard said.
 
P

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,142
Mojo said:
but.. why NZ?
Click to expand...
Because there's heaps of great talent there. Roosters have unearthed countless great kiwi products by having a big footprint over there. RTS and Manu just to name a couple. It's a great thing, and to have a whole academy setup where these guys won't have to be moved from their families at an early age, yet can still be contracted to the Dragons is an initiative full of positives.
 
P

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,142
Mojo said:
I reckon a set up in PNG would find heaps of great players. Even many of the women could play second row.
Click to expand...
Yes, there are plenty of talented players in PNG. Just a couple of issues amongst a multitude is:

- New Zealand players are generally MORE talented, so why wouldn't you go there first? PNG players generally have a very set style of play, i.e. power game, strength, big hits. They're generally quite limited.

- Who in their right mind would want to move to PNG, let alone Dragons coaches? It's currently unsafe, fairly backwards and the standard of living compared to Aus and NZ is way down the ladder. Logistics nightmare.
 
kit66

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,620
2218 said:
Good article. Does anyone know more about this?
Millard is newly installed into his role as recruitment and pathways manager, but already has his eye set on building a Dragons academy in New Zealand, which will be run by club legend Jason Nightingale.
“We have started preliminary talks to get that up and running in the next 12 months. We need to make sure we have the resources, things like having eyes and ears on the ground, they have somewhere to train and there are coaches that can go over there,” Millard said.
Click to expand...

I looked for more news on this as that article is from back in December ( I only saw it this month). I'd like to know more about the NZ thing and our pathways especially about how we intend to keep all these great young SG Ball players within our system given that they usually get poached.
 
R

redandwhite4evr

Juniors
Messages
1,829
2218 said:
Good article. Does anyone know more about this?
Millard is newly installed into his role as recruitment and pathways manager, but already has his eye set on building a Dragons academy in New Zealand, which will be run by club legend Jason Nightingale.
“We have started preliminary talks to get that up and running in the next 12 months. We need to make sure we have the resources, things like having eyes and ears on the ground, they have somewhere to train and there are coaches that can go over there,” Millard said.
Click to expand...
IMO, we should be targeting the South Island. While Rugby League is played predominantly in the North Island, you'd have to think that the Warriors have set up their own pathway structures there and we would be left with the dregs. The South Island is where there'd be young Rugby playing talent not exposed to Rugby League as much.

The Highlanders forward who is supposed to be joining us after the Super Rugby campaign is a good example of this.
 
Ronnie Dobbs

Ronnie Dobbs

Coach
Messages
17,122
redandwhite4evr said:
IMO, we should be targeting the South Island. While Rugby League is played predominantly in the North Island, you'd have to think that the Warriors have set up their own pathway structures there and we would be left with the dregs. The South Island is where there'd be young Rugby playing talent not exposed to Rugby League as much.

The Highlanders forward who is supposed to be joining us after the Super Rugby campaign is a good example of this.
Click to expand...

Good points. NRL would be mad not to put the Bears there IMO. As they probably won't put them there, it's a good call.

Which Highlanders forward?
 
TheRev

TheRev

First Grade
Messages
8,391
I dont think we would have done it the way we did with signings/extensions for Russell > Eisenhuth > RFM > Luciano.. but once again it is an improvement for 2024..

I think Russell should look to move on too, there is no way he gets a cup jersey.
 
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