2021 - Squad, Signings, Re-signings

[ALSGI]

Anyone would think that for some people in here signing AM is a wrist slitting event.

So, he had a couple of injuries last year, big deal he has knocked out 20+ games a year forever so obviously he is a good trainer, manages his injuries and recovers well so why all the panic?

To see all the negativity about AM as against all the applause and positivity about signing the likes of Lafai, Fuimaono, Williame, K Sims, J Graham etc etc oh and let's not forget those that openly supported and derided the nay sayers about Lattimore's resigning just astounds me.

AM needs to be judged on what he brings to the club not what others didn't bring to it so give the bloke some breathing space and a fair go to exhibit his wears.

With all the shit that has happened the supporters should have his back until such times it may be "proven" otherwise.

By all accounts this bloke is a great person all round and will provide much needed quality input to our leadership group and on field efforts so I cant wait to see him out there in the Big Red V and will make sure my expectations of him are not so high that he gets an instant fail.

Time for some supporters to wake up and get with the programme instead of trying to undermine it and provide the skanky media with easy things to write about.

Some great points OT especially from someone I considered one of the most negative posters over the years albeit very knowledgeable.

Good to see you calling out the doomsday brigade at least until the guy has actually played some games for us.

Some balance is needed in the team especially if we want the young guns to thrive.

Some balance is also needed in the forum on AM. People talking him down before he even plays is sad but understandable given our last 10 years.

FFS you being positive and Crush being negative is a little confusing.

We need to calm the farm, let the new staff and our squad do their thing with us getting behind the team.

 

[ALSGI]

I am sure that Hook would have done his due diligence on McCullough before the back and forth negotiations with the Broncos. He is one guy that Hook wanted who he thought would be great for our team's game management. So even though McCullough turned 31 in January, Hook must be confident that he has good 2-3 yrs in him for what our team needs.

Agree, and despite their history Peter Gentle would have been a big part of that decision making.

 

[boardlumps62]

I'm just hoping we show some steel in our defence when we play Souths. Not like last year's debacle. This will set the tone for the year I hope.

 

[Como Connection]

I am sure that Hook would have done his due diligence on McCullough before the back and forth negotiations with the Broncos. He is one guy that Hook wanted who he thought would be great for our team's game management. So even though McCullough turned 31 in January, Hook must be confident that he has good 2-3 yrs in him for what our team needs.

Peter Gentle would have a complete story on AM.
CC

 

[Dragon David]

Griffin opens up on Dragons' hellish off-season

Zachary Gates
9 hrs ago

Anthony Griffin's time at the Panthers ended in chaos and life as a coach continued to haunt him when he returned from the wilderness to lead the Dragons before Christmas.

The veteran mentor has endured a hellish off-season at St George Illawarra, which first turned ugly when playmaker Corey Norman was involved in a street fight in January. Norman and former NRL star James Segeyaro have since claimed to be innocent.


Drama again broke out when news surfaced of the club lodging an official submission to the NRL about signing controversial code-hopper Israel Folau, despite his history of making homophobic slurs on social media. That was followed by the Dragons' decision to abandon Folau but only closing out their pursuit with a two-line statement, prompting a roasting from rugby league great Mark Geyer.

Getty Israel Folau in action for Catalans Dragons in the Super League.
The blows continued to pound the club when inspirational skipper Cameron McInnes signed with arch-rivals Cronulla on a four-year deal from 2022, before the fringe NSW Blues hooker was ruled out of the 2021 season with the rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament.

And the latest controversy concerned the signing of former Brisbane and Newcastle hooker Andrew McCullough, which was questioned by Geyer and legendary code-hopper Wendell Sailor.

Getty Andrew McCullough at Broncos training.
Griffin addressed the avalanche of drama in an interview with WWOS Radio.

"The players are in great physical and mental condition. They're just busting to play as everyone is at this time of the year," Griffin said.

"Our club's going well. We did a couple of things over the last few weeks that in the short term might seem unusual but in the long term were all about making our club better.

"It's all going very well. Today was a good day to welcome Andrew to the club.

"We're looking forward to getting our game going in a couple of weeks' time.

"The big rehearsal is Souths in Mudgee next Saturday night, and then we've got two weeks to get prepared for Cronulla in Round One."

Getty Dragons captain Cameron McInnes.
The Dragons haven't played finals footy since 2018, having crashed to 15th on the ladder in 2019 and 12th in 2020.

Their quest for redemption copped a crushing blow when McInnes suffered his season-ending injury at training last Friday, with which Griffin has empathised.

"It was a terrible day on Friday for Cam," Griffin said.

"I really feel for him, he's a lovely kid, he's done a lot for the club over the years and for him to go down in his last year like that - it was one of those real tragedies that you unfortunately come across in rugby league."

The Dragons will get their 2021 campaign underway in a clash with the Sharks at Kogarah Oval on March 14.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/mor...iwhgIDAJEp9pgmKin3--n1KoVB8Xa3zSMqgNADgL6BRyc

On the subject of Folau, I've read in Foxsports.com that -

Controversial football star Israel Folau has reportedly requested a sit-down with the NRL to discuss whether he may be allowed back in the competition.
Channel 7 reporter Michell Bishop broke the news on Tuesday that Folau wants to meet with Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys and NRL boss Andrew Abdo face-to-face to “see whether he has a future in the code”.

Folau is contracted to Super League club Catalans Dragons but they are said to be keen to offload him if he finds a deal in Australia.

“An application for a meeting has been made, (and the NRL’s) position has always been they will consider any application once it is made.

“One of those NRL clubs, one of those interested parties must make an application for a contract with the NRL before this process can continue.”

The NRL has previously vetoed a potential Folau return to the game.

In 2019 V’landys said he would not allow Folau to return to the NRL given his harmful views.

“The game is inclusive. Israel’s comments are not inclusive,” V’landys said.

Abdo recently said the NRL will take due process and consider any application that came their way, but he would not say whether Folau may return or not.

What sort of backlash would any other club face if they pursued Folau - say the Roosters or the Broncos? None I'm guessing.

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons generation next out to follow Panthers blueprint

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Dragons Den

SLICK: Jayden Sullivan. Picture: NRL Imagery
LOOKING in-house worked for the Panthers in 2020 and St George Illawarra could do a lot worse than follow the blueprint given the glut of talent coming through the ranks in Wollongong.

Fans got a glimpse of it last week in the Dragons first trial outing, with the likes of Jayden Sullivan, Mat and Max Feagai, Junior Amone, Josh Coric and Tyrell Sloan all turning heads with their performances.

It was first in the full red v for the home-grown crop, but would've felt pretty familiar given all were part of the Illawarra Steelers side that claimed the 2019 SG Ball title. COVID slowed them up in 2020, though Sullivan and Max Feagai got a taste of top grade action.

The development pathway may not fully bear fruit this season, but long-suffering Dragons fans will be hoping they can emulate the likes of Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Liam Martin and Brian To'o in carrying junior success through to NRL level.

It runs contrary to statistics that show even the most successful junior rep teams ultimately produce just one or two NRL players, but Sullivan sees no reason the Steelers class of 2019 can't front a fresh generation for the club.

"I actually remember that talk," Sullivan said.

"Someone from the NRL came down and gave us that statistics talk and it was bit of a shock to us because it's every kid's dream to play NRL. For Max and I, and Cody [Rasmey], to achieve that [first grade] goal last season was awesome.

"Seeing how good Tyrell, Junior, the [Feagai] twins are all going is exciting to see because I played all my junior reps with all of them. I was lucky enough to captain our SG Ball team and I've got a really close bond with pretty much all the boys in that team. You saw how good they went in the trial and I just thought 'wow, we can really make something special here'."

All will be back in action against Parramatta on Thursday night, a squad that also includes returning local junior in Jack Bird and new addition Andrew McCullough.

There's no doubting the fact that Sullivan has been the most exciting prospect for the red v faithful, with many clamouring for the 19-year-old to get a start in round one after he escaped suspension for a dangerous throw with an early guilty plea on Tuesday.

Read more: McCullough to Dragons officially a done deal

In reality, he's tipped to sit behind veteran pair Ben Hunt and Corey Norman - though an NRL Integrity Unit investigation into latter's involvement in a Crounulla street brawl could see him facing suspension.

It could see Sullivan retain his spot after debuting in round 20 last season, but the Port Kembla product had a somewhat surprising answer when asked if he was gunning for a starting jersey in his side's season-opener.

"I'll happily sit behind anyone just as long as the team's playing well," Sullivan said.

"It's obviously the goal to play six or seven but I'm no rush, I'm 19 and I'm just loving playing footy. I had the one [NRL] game last year but pretty much went the whole year without playing.

"I played the Nines at the start of the year and injured myself before the trials so I didn't play any trials and didn't end up playing [NSW] Cup or 20s. I was lucky enough to get my debut in round 20 against the Storm and it was just good to get an opportunity to show some of the boys I can play footy, because I still haven't even played reserve grade yet."

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/7127180/dragons-generation-next-out-to-follow-panthers-blueprint/

 

[draco]

NRL: Family matters to loyal young St George Dragon Junior Amone

He’s part of a pack of young guns NRL clubs are eyeing with interest. But there’s six reasons there’s no chance this teen tyro will ever get big headed about his talent.


Family, his mates, playing footy and doing the right thing by others are important to Junior Amone. So is being loyal.

It’s why, despite being one of the hottest young future talents of the game, he is staying put with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

And it’s thanks to his family - including his six sisters - that’s there little chance Amone will ever get a big head no matter how much interest there is in him from clubs.

“One hundred per cent my sisters would stop it. They would pull me down if I got too big headed,” he said of Lose 22, Angie 21, Eleni, 20, Teresa 16, Taliana, 10, and Veronica, 4.

“I get excited when I get a write up. But they say ‘keep on doing you, you haven’t made it yet’.

“They boss me around a lot but now I look out for them. When I was younger they looked out for me.”

Amone feels right at home at the Dragons, surrounded by mates he has known for most of his life, including Jayden Sullivan, Tyrell Sloan and twins Max and Mat Feagai.

Amone, Sullivan, Sloan and the brothers have played football together since their junior days and were part of a special group of players who won the SG Ball together back in 2019 for the Illawarra Steelers.

More recently all three turned heads in the Dragons trial against the Cronulla Sharks, with Sullivan scoring a try, Sloan also going over and Amone creating opportunity for a teammate.

“Five of us who have all signed on from the that SG comp and it’s great having my mates with me doing all this together, bringing our relationship through. We have a special bond,’’ said the 18-year-old, who played his junior foot with the Berkley Eagles and Western Suburbs Red Devils before joining the Steelers.


“There was a bit of interest in me. I was happy with that, people noticing me, but the main reason I stayed here was my family.


“I am a family man. They mean so much to me. Having to move to a Sydney team, I would have had to move away and it would have been really tough.


“Family is everything. Everything I do is for my family. I love footy, I love doing it but every football decision is based on my family.

“And the Dragons looked after me as a junior. I am 100 per cent loyal. Growing up my dad said look after the people who look after you so I want to give back to the Dragons.’’

Along with his six sisters, Amone also has two younger brothers, Viliami, 15, and Api, 11, and a desire to be a role model for other youngsters in the area.

“The area I come from there’s not a lot of kids coming through the ranks, Warrawong, there’s not a lot from around here that make it to the NRL,’’ said the five eighth.

“Sometimes people get caught up in the wrong lifestyle. There were times when I wanted to do things and that but mum and dad kept me in line. I had the right guidance.

“If me making it would show them they can do it, if you see someone else doing it, it motivates you. I’d like that.’’

“I want to set a good standard for my brothers too.’’

Amone and Sloan are in the Dragons 2021 development squad with centre Shaun Sauni-Esau and utility forward Hayden Lomax.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/996241334a3952c4b4d1e8202244ba71

 

[getsmarty]

NRL: Family matters to loyal young St George Dragon Junior Amone

He’s part of a pack of young guns NRL clubs are eyeing with interest. But there’s six reasons there’s no chance this teen tyro will ever get big headed about his talent.


Family, his mates, playing footy and doing the right thing by others are important to Junior Amone. So is being loyal.

It’s why, despite being one of the hottest young future talents of the game, he is staying put with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

And it’s thanks to his family - including his six sisters - that’s there little chance Amone will ever get a big head no matter how much interest there is in him from clubs.

“One hundred per cent my sisters would stop it. They would pull me down if I got too big headed,” he said of Lose 22, Angie 21, Eleni, 20, Teresa 16, Taliana, 10, and Veronica, 4.

“I get excited when I get a write up. But they say ‘keep on doing you, you haven’t made it yet’.

“They boss me around a lot but now I look out for them. When I was younger they looked out for me.”

Amone feels right at home at the Dragons, surrounded by mates he has known for most of his life, including Jayden Sullivan, Tyrell Sloan and twins Max and Mat Feagai.

Amone, Sullivan, Sloan and the brothers have played football together since their junior days and were part of a special group of players who won the SG Ball together back in 2019 for the Illawarra Steelers.

More recently all three turned heads in the Dragons trial against the Cronulla Sharks, with Sullivan scoring a try, Sloan also going over and Amone creating opportunity for a teammate.

“Five of us who have all signed on from the that SG comp and it’s great having my mates with me doing all this together, bringing our relationship through. We have a special bond,’’ said the 18-year-old, who played his junior foot with the Berkley Eagles and Western Suburbs Red Devils before joining the Steelers.


“There was a bit of interest in me. I was happy with that, people noticing me, but the main reason I stayed here was my family.


“I am a family man. They mean so much to me. Having to move to a Sydney team, I would have had to move away and it would have been really tough.


“Family is everything. Everything I do is for my family. I love footy, I love doing it but every football decision is based on my family.

“And the Dragons looked after me as a junior. I am 100 per cent loyal. Growing up my dad said look after the people who look after you so I want to give back to the Dragons.’’

Along with his six sisters, Amone also has two younger brothers, Viliami, 15, and Api, 11, and a desire to be a role model for other youngsters in the area.

“The area I come from there’s not a lot of kids coming through the ranks, Warrawong, there’s not a lot from around here that make it to the NRL,’’ said the five eighth.

“Sometimes people get caught up in the wrong lifestyle. There were times when I wanted to do things and that but mum and dad kept me in line. I had the right guidance.

“If me making it would show them they can do it, if you see someone else doing it, it motivates you. I’d like that.’’

“I want to set a good standard for my brothers too.’’

Amone and Sloan are in the Dragons 2021 development squad with centre Shaun Sauni-Esau and utility forward Hayden Lomax.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/996241334a3952c4b4d1e8202244ba71

Thanks for posting @draco

Good to see the club is keeping the right Juniors. Future looks promising.

 

[draco]

Thanks for posting @draco

Good to see the club is keeping the right Juniors. Future looks promising.

Cheers getsmarty. Glad to help. Appreciate all your many updates.

Agree with you re our Juniors.

 

[denis preston]

The mole reported
Cam was to swap with Magoulias from the sharks before his injury.
Magoulias might still sign this year or in 22.

Is Magoulias a first grader ? Didn't impress me last Friday albeit in a trial.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Is Magoulias a first grader ? Didn't impress me last Friday albeit in a trial.

If we get him fine but I’d rather see the result of the JDB trial. If he comes through we have a ten times better player if not we can buy an 8 times better player at lock.

 

[RedV Resurgence]

Couple of Dogs players may be available.

FMD

Is that what they call "taking one for the team"?

 

[TruSaint]

Is that what they call "taking one for the team"?

In Belmore it is ...

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons: Sloan banking on extra miles after stint with Swans

• 
  Mitch Jennings

Dragons Den

ON THE FLY: Dragons young-gun Tyrell-Sloan. Picture: Dragons Media
FEAR not Dragons fans, young-gun Tyrell Sloan isn't contemplating a code switch, but he'll owe some gratitude to the Sydney Swans if he can force his way into first grade season.

The teenager was impressive in his first top-grade hit-out last week, grabbing the first try and impressing with his ability to cover the ground. That ability turned heads through the preseason, with the Dapto product virtually cruising through the distance running.

It included that of coach Anthony Griffin, something Sloan puts down to some gruelling preseason sessions with the Swans after tagging along with good mate, and Shellharbour product, James Bell.

"The preseason training suited me, I'm more of a long-distance runner and I did some preseason with the Sydney Swans," Sloan said.

"One of my mates, James Bell, is in the top-grade up there. He's a bit of an idol for me, he's a young indigenous boy that plays first grade up there and this year he's trying to cement first grade.

"He invited me along and said 'let's just get ready for preseason, this is your year to have a big year'. He helped me try and be a professional athlete. Now I'm ticking boxes with that so he helped a lot, he's like an older brother to me.

"The running they were doing was the sort of running we were doing at the start of [preseason]. It was all long distance, two-k runs. Their training is a lot different to ours, but the running we did to start [preseason] was all two kilometres, one-kilometre time trials.

"That's what I did up there and the times they run are a lot quicker. It was really hard [at the Dragons], but the times I was doing were comfortable for me. I just tried to get on the front foot at the start of the season and impress. Hopefully I did that."

It was a nice springboard into his first full preseason with the Dragons, but he's certainly not contemplating a code switch, despite mixing with the likes of Adam Goodes via the stint.

"I'll try and make it here first," he said.

"I've never played AFL, I started getting into it last year because I was hanging out with Jimmy a lot. I got to meet Adam Goodes and had dinner with them. They're Aboriginal icons for myself but they were just normal people, it's just 'hi I'm Adam'. It was awesome."

Sloan, who good judges have likened to Sharks legend David Peachey, is part of an emerging new guard at the club that fans saw in the club's first trial outing last week. They'll get another glimpse of it against Parramatta on Thursday night and Sloan is feeling right at home among a host of familiar faces.

"To play with Junior [Amone] and Bud [Jayden Sullivan] was great," Sloan said.

" I grew up playing with them so to get on that stage was really special. At the start of the game me and Junior just looked at each other and said 'this is our time'. There's a really good aura around the group. If we can bring that into first grade we can have a lot of success.

"Even when I came into preseason the first couple of weeks were easier. I spoke to the Feagai boys and Bud before and they didn't really have any [other] young guys coming through in their first preseason. I just jumped in really easy and the group just bonded really well. That transition was great."


With Matt Dufty and Cody Ramsey above him in the fullback pecking order, a first grade debut this season would likely come on the wing, something he's more than comfortable with.

"Wherever I play this year I just want to play consistent footy," Sloan said.

"I played a bit of wing in the SG Ball and enjoyed it. I had the Feagais' as my centres in that squad so I didn't have to do much defence and I scored a couple of tries because it was an easy pass and score.

"Having Duft and Cody in front of me [at fullback] really helps me a lot. The competition's really healthy. It's not 'I'm better than you' it's to better yourself. If I can learn a lot from Cody and Duft it's helping my game and I'm going to try and help their game too."

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...n-extra-miles-after-stint-with-swans/?cs=3713

 

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS


How Sydney Swans helped blood Sloan for Dragons rookie season
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Wed 17 Feb 2021, 02:42 PM

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Teenage Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan has credited his impressive pre-season campaign to gruelling running sessions he did with the Sydney Swans before St George Illawarra training began.

Sloan, who played under 18s for Dapto last year after the NSWRL senior competitions were cancelled, wanted to give himself a head-start for pre-season training so he accepted an invitation to join the Swans players for some distance running.

The 18-year-old has never played AFL and is not interested in a code switch but he is good friends with Swans forward James Bell, who suggested he train with the Moore Park-based club to prepare him for his first season in St George Illawarra's NRL squad.

"He's kind of an idol for myself because he is a young Indigenous boy that plays first grade up there and this year he's trying to cement first grade," Sloan said of Bell, who has played 10 AFL matches for the Swans.

"I've never played AFL, I started getting into it last year because I was hanging out with Jimmy a lot. I got to meet Adam Goodes and had dinner with them. They're Aboriginal icons for myself but they were just normal people.

James Bell and Tyrell Sloan during the Sydney Swans' off-season training campaign.
"Jimmy is like an older brother to me. He said ‘let’s get ready for pre-season, this is your year to have a big year' and he helped me to try and be a professional athlete. Now I'm ticking boxes with that so he helped a lot."

At Swans training, Sloan took part in 2km and 1km time trials and when St George Illawarra players got together for the first time under new coach Anthony Griffin he made an immediate impression.

With a running style that has drawn comparisons with former Cronulla fullback David Peachey by some who have watched him in juniors, Sloan finished 5th among Dragons playeers in a 1.2km time trial at the first pre-season session.

"That's what I did up there and the times they run are a lot quicker," he said of Swans training. "It was really hard [at Dragons training], but the times I was doing were comfortable for me. I’m more of a distance runner.

"I just tried to get on the front foot at the start of the season and impress. Hopefully I did that."

After signing a three-year Dragons contract, Sloan has joined the top squad as a development player but his performance in last Friday night’s trial against Cronulla suggested he could be ready for his Telstra Premiership debut this season.

Sloan scored the opening try of the match and his combination with precocious playmaker Jayden Sullivan was evident after years of playing together at junior level.

The pair were members of the Illawarra Steelers' 2019 SG Ball winning team, along with centres Mat and Max Feagai and five-eighth Junior Amone.

Tyrell Sloan during the 2019 SG Ball premiership-winning season. Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos
"I found the footy really fast and a lot different to what I have played so far but to play with Junior and Bud [Sullivan], I grew up playing with them and to get on that stage was really special," Sloan said.

"At the start of the game we just looked at each other and said ‘this is our time’, so it was a good feeling.

"It made it so much easier, and even when I first came into pre-season the first couple of weeks were easy. I spoke to the Feagai twins and Bud and they didn’t really have any young guys coming through in their first pre-season but for me the transition was good."

All Stars: Where it all began


All Stars: Where it all began

Matt Dufty and Cody Ramsey are likely to be Griffin’s preferred fullback options, but Sloan can also play on the wing.

"Wherever I play this year I just want to play consistent footy and having Duft and Cody in front of me really helps me a lot," he said. "If I can learn from them it is going to help my game and I want to try and help theirs’ too.

"I played a bit of wing in the SG Ball side and I like it on the wing. I had the Feagais as my centres so I didn’t have to do much defence, because they do it all, and I scored a couple of tries as well."

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/202...helped-blood-sloan-for-dragons-rookie-season/

 

[getsmarty]

Cam McInnes' completely unsurprising reaction to ACL injury revealed

Written By Tom Naghten
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NRL Imagery/Grant Trouville


Cam McInnes plays his footy in a no-frills manner and it seems he deals with season-ending injuries in a similar way.

The St George Illawarra captain ruptured his ACL at training last week, less than a fortnight after signing a four-year deal with rivals Cronulla from 2022.




Fans won't be surprised to hear of McInnes' poker face after the injury occurred.


Dragons centre Zac Lomax revealed how it happened and the 27-year-old's immediate reaction, or lack of.

"It was so unlucky. I was at dummy half, I'd just passed the ball to (Matt Dufty) and we were doing this little drill with three defenders and he was at A defender and he rushed up to tackle Duff and they almost clashed knees and he just sort of buckled a little bit," Lomax said on SEN.

"He didn't show any signs. He's the toughest person you've ever seen. He was just like 'my knee, I've done it'."

McInnes has since undergone surgery and will miss the entire 2021 season, his final campaign for the club.

It's a difficult way to go out for the man who has skippered the Dragons for the past two seasons, taking out their player of the year award in both.

Somewhat mitigating McInnes' loss in 2021 will be the presence of veteran hooker Andrew McCullough, who this week joined the club from Brisbane on a three-year deal.

Lomax said the 31-year-old has settled in well, thanks in part to his former Broncos teammate.

"He's been unreal, Macca. He's a legend," he said.


"Himself and Ben Hunt, they're two peas in a pod.

"They look like brothers, they sound the same, they move the same - two little kegs on legs.

"He's a legend and he's going to be unreal for our team."

https://www.nospam47.com/au/league/...e-illawarra-dragons/19bredsgcq0afzmnexs6vhjfy

 

[BLM01]

The more I read, see and hear about these young guns as players it is clear to me we are adopting the Penrith model to keep these young stars that played together through juniors at our club in seniors, as best as physically and finacially possible, especially if they match the hype.
They will cost big $$$ to keep and that is our focus
I see Cam as much as he is a wholehearted solid player with a 80 min high worth ethic, replaceable at 13 in the middle to firm up the middle.(not easy) but someone with a similar work ethic for less money...JDB?
Norman is next to go on similar $$$ money, maybe Dufty..maybe JDB if court does not go his way..
That will just leave Hunt as the only player currently earning likely above the $600K mark after Vaughan (for only 2-3 more years) until these young guys demand it in the market.

If we all remember the hysteria when Panthers let some of their favourite sons and higher paid players go like Lewis, Gordon, Coote, Graham, Clinton and in more recent times Soward, Merrin, Moylan, Tamou and Mansour to allow them to keep the young (and a sprinkling of the experienced) band together and only pay the top $$$ to the real key gamne winners
Cam at the money he is getting to plug a hole can hopefully be spent wiser..as Hook said it will be clear in the short to medium term why these decisions appear unusual now.!.
It is clear to me or we will lose these next gen stars if they are developed correctly.

 

[Inisai Toga]

The more I read, see and hear about these young guns as players it is clear to me we are adopting the Penrith model to keep these young stars that played together through juniors at our club in seniors, as best as physically and finacially possible, especially if they match the hype.
They will cost big $$$ to keep and that is our focus
I see Cam as much as he is a wholehearted solid player with a 80 min high worth ethic, replaceable at 13 in the middle to firm up the middle.(not easy) but someone with a similar work ethic for less money...JDB?
Norman is next to go on similar $$$ money, maybe Dufty..maybe JDB if court does not go his way..
That will just leave Hunt as the only player currently earning likely above the $600K mark after Vaughan (for only 2-3 more years) until these young guys demand it in the market.

If we all remember the hysteria when Panthers let some of their favourite sons and higher paid players go like Lewis, Gordon, Coote, Graham, Clinton and in more recent times Soward, Merrin, Moylan, Tamou and Mansour to allow them to keep the young (and a sprinkling of the experienced) band together and only pay the top $$$ to the real key gamne winners
Cam at the money he is getting to plug a hole can hopefully be spent wiser..as Hook said it will be clear in the short to medium term why these decisions appear unusual now.!.
It is clear to me or we will lose these next gen stars if they are developed correctly.

Agree BLM01, ..think Michael Jennings was another in that list..anyway, hopefully exciting times ahead .

 

[Adolf_Spritzer]

Cam McInnes' completely unsurprising reaction to ACL injury revealed

Written By Tom Naghten
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NRL Imagery/Grant Trouville


Cam McInnes plays his footy in a no-frills manner and it seems he deals with season-ending injuries in a similar way.

The St George Illawarra captain ruptured his ACL at training last week, less than a fortnight after signing a four-year deal with rivals Cronulla from 2022.




Fans won't be surprised to hear of McInnes' poker face after the injury occurred.


Dragons centre Zac Lomax revealed how it happened and the 27-year-old's immediate reaction, or lack of.

"It was so unlucky. I was at dummy half, I'd just passed the ball to (Matt Dufty) and we were doing this little drill with three defenders and he was at A defender and he rushed up to tackle Duff and they almost clashed knees and he just sort of buckled a little bit," Lomax said on SEN.

"He didn't show any signs. He's the toughest person you've ever seen. He was just like 'my knee, I've done it'."

McInnes has since undergone surgery and will miss the entire 2021 season, his final campaign for the club.

It's a difficult way to go out for the man who has skippered the Dragons for the past two seasons, taking out their player of the year award in both.

Somewhat mitigating McInnes' loss in 2021 will be the presence of veteran hooker Andrew McCullough, who this week joined the club from Brisbane on a three-year deal.

Lomax said the 31-year-old has settled in well, thanks in part to his former Broncos teammate.

"He's been unreal, Macca. He's a legend," he said.


"Himself and Ben Hunt, they're two peas in a pod.

"They look like brothers, they sound the same, they move the same - two little kegs on legs.

"He's a legend and he's going to be unreal for our team."

https://www.nospam47.com/au/league/...e-illawarra-dragons/19bredsgcq0afzmnexs6vhjfy

Unreal.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Looking so forward to this Hunt/McCullough combo taking off. Both would be itching to play in the same squad again that is for sure.

Bronco's will be spewing if they go well and will be disapointed that they made no attempt to take Ben Hunt back off Saints as they probably could have done so easily last year after his poor season. He would have jumped at the chance and I dare say Saints may have as well but Griffin came in and went the other way and brought in AM. He could potentially be the best buy of the season.

Imagine if Saints got David Fifita and Joe Ofahengaue as well from the Bronco's which looking back they quite easily could have with Frizell, JDB and others off their books for 2021. I still can't believe they missed out on Joe to the Tigers.