2022 Squad: Gains, Losses & Re-signings.

[Pleasehelpstillchoking]

Didnt wanna open a new thread,...

You need to be a lip reader to watch the interviews

 

[Maddragon99]

Who is Brad Morkos? I’ve never heard of him

Dragons let yet another youngster go

The 18-year-old could be playing first grade next year!

www.zerotackle.com

 

[kit66]

How do you know we didn't chase these guys? Inside info?

Are you working on some kind of conspiracy theory ?

I'm a fan, outside looking in like you. I see other teams signing some great talent, lot's of teams above us or below us on the ladder ( people saying our club in particular is on the nose but others seemingly aren't are just looking for excuses ), e.g. Cronulla - Hynes, McInnes, Finucane / Dogs - Burton, JAC,TPJ, Naden, Asiata / Storm - Meaney, Xavier Coates / Broncos - Reynolds, Capewell, James etc. If we did approach any of these guys our pitch wasn't good enough was it.
You can say we've made a few signings of our own but they're signings that attract comments like "if he can regain his form from 5 years ago" or "if he can overcome his injury woes" or " he's been shit for 7 years but has heaps of potential" or "we have a young gun in that position already, so why.....".

Su'a and Woods are the best of our new guys, we'll see how the others go. We need a topline prop still and a back up hooker ( if we don't wake up and play Hunt, QLD's successful SOO hooker there and give the young fellas a shot - or at least trial that ).

Anyway I'm gonna stop the pointless whinging and just see how we go in 2022. It is what it is.

 

[Dragonslayer]

The prospective signings of Moga, Woods and even Gosiewski are all just depth signings, all coming very cheap and for 1yr to 'prove' themselves.

The top 30 concept is somewhat irrelevant now-a-days, as player from the DS, reserve grade, JF and even SG Ball are eligible to play from round 10 onwards. So, in reality, these 3 guys won't halt any progress of our juniors coming through. If they are good enough, all 3, provide something we haven't had in a very long time, and that is competition for spots. No-one should feel 'comfortable" in first grade knowing we have someone with or without experience waiting to grab their spot. This has been one of the many problems that was inground in our squad previously, certain players just expected to be chosen, and they were, regardless of form.

This is the way for our juniors to also see that hard work and performance = game time at the highest level, not kick-back and expect to be selected on name or previous reputation only.

 

[BIG RIG]

Didn’t you say we would announce woods and moga signing today? What happened to that?

I just heard that from the Telegraph lol

 

[Gareth67]

At the end of the day they are Dragons and this time next season the club must find the necessary quality players that are needed for the Big Red V to progress towards the top of the competition ladder .

However I can only assume that Griffin must feel that these players will do the job (?) as any extension at season’s end will depend upon it .

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Who is Brad Morkos? I’ve never heard of him

Dragons let yet another youngster go

The 18-year-old could be playing first grade next year!

www.zerotackle.com

He’s a case of you can’t keep em all. Suli and Lomax are 23, 22 respectively. If all goes well these two have the potential to be our long term centres for the better part of a decade.

 

[The Word]

He’s a case of you can’t keep em all. Suli and Lomax are 23, 22 respectively. If all goes well these two have the potential to be our long term centres for the better part of a decade.

The Feagai’s are also ahead of him, and apparently there’s some quality coming up behind him as well. Good luck to him with his move, hopefully he does well. But you’re right, they can’t all be signed up.

 

[Dragonslayer]

If we get a Club announcement about signing Woods, Moga and Gosiewski, that would take our squad total to 29 of the 'official' top 30.

The squad would look like this:

Backs: 12
Hunt, Ramsey, Sullivan, Mat F, Max F, Ravalawa, Amone, Sloan, Lomax, Suli Mbye & Moga

Forwards: 17
Maaca, Burns, Lawrie, Alvaro, JDB, Bird, Ford, Kerr, Maguire, Faamasili, Sims, Fuimaono, Burgess, Sua, Molo, Woods & Gosiewski

Some chat around thst we will give Michael Molo (Francis brother) a T&T contract. He was BoG in the recent QCup GF.
The other question mark is on JHunt, not sure what the plan is for him if any.

I think this is the squad, plus those signed in the DS, plus other 'invited' playere that will commence pre-season training in Nov.

 

[kit66]

If we get a Club announcement about signing Woods, Moga and Gosiewski, that would take our squad total to 29 of the 'official' top 30.

The squad would look like this:

Backs: 12
Hunt, Ramsey, Sullivan, Mat F, Max F, Ravalawa, Amone, Sloan, Lomax, Suli Mbye & Moga

Forwards: 17
Maaca, Burns, Lawrie, Alvaro, JDB, Bird, Ford, Kerr, Maguire, Faamasili, Sims, Fuimaono, Burgess, Sua, Molo, Woods & Gosiewski

Some chat around thst we will give Michael Molo (Francis brother) a T&T contract. He was BoG in the recent QCup GF.
The other question mark is on JHunt, not sure what the plan is for him if any.

I think this is the squad, plus those signed in the DS, plus other 'invited' playere that will commence pre-season training in Nov.

Could have left that last spot open a bit longer in case. But Michael Molo is an honest hard worker, doesn't really bend the line but he's a really good defender, takes plenty of hit ups for decent metres, can off load and from what I've seen of him he runs good lines when you're attacking the opposition try line. Scored a great match winning try last Sunday in the Intrust GF. We'll see how he goes in firsts but we might have finally signed a real decent back up here.

 

[baggygreen man]

Yeah, that's the same question our pathetic club decided to ask themselves in early October rather than months ago when they knew they were set to lose a third or more of their Squad of 30. It's part of the problem isn't it. ( they could have easily let more go but that's another debate ). It's because of this complete lapse of management that we're now scraping the absolute bottom of the barrel. The boys club was too busy jostling for the best spots at the trough.
July 6th we sacked our best prop ( a needless knee-jerk overreaction in itself ) and to date haven't replaced him with kind although we could have gone hard and got TPJ, Klemmer or even the Saifiti's with a good offer or poached someone with the money we were paying Vaughan.
There's a long list of players who were still available in June, July, August that we could have chased and given we are currently one of the most cashed up clubs there's plenty of contracted players we could have had a shot at tempting them to seek an early release and join us.
But no, there we were 1st October with 5 empty seats on the bus headed for the last bus stop outside the Special School.

Griffin with his recruit buddies will be known here as the coach that robbed the rejects class.

 

[baggygreen man]

Who is Brad Morkos? I’ve never heard of him

Dragons let yet another youngster go

The 18-year-old could be playing first grade next year!

www.zerotackle.com

If he was one of the Class of 2019.. then we have let a good'n go. Another brilliant call by this dud recruitment team.

 

[be55]

If he was one of the Class of 2019.. then we have let a good'n go. Another brilliant call by this dud recruitment team.

It's unrealistic to think that we can keep all these young kids coming through...

@George Dragon reported that he was leaving over a month ago...he mentioned James Walsh, another young 17 year old centre, who has big wraps on him, will be next in line...

Many of that 2019 SG ball team are still with the club...in fact the backline that took the field in the Grand Final included Sullivan, Amone, the twins and Sloan...All of which have been given a taste of 1st grade. So to suggest that the club and the coaching staff aren't giving these young kids the opportunity to make it in first grade wouldn't be accurate...

Once again...we can't keep them all.

 

[baggygreen man]

Sullivan, Amone, the twins and Sloan

Aware of these blokes.. all backs. Be good to keep some forwards too other than Coric and the bloke with the Middle Eastern name... Be good particularly if they are junior Kangaroos like Morkos..

 

[Crush]

I'm changing my tune a little with our recruitment and prospects for 2022 and beyond.
@kit66 I can see your points regarding buying injury prone journeymen but at least it seems like they are making significant changes to the roster and low risk one year deals mostly.
Next season Hook will have his team or at least the makings of it. He punted those who didn't fit into his plans. Paul Vaughan, for example, was one they were trying to get rid of before the BBQ.
If he can get the best out of this team of misfits and manage the injuries and suspensions then at least we should be able to make the top 8.
Im hopeful that 2022 we play finals, 2023/24 we may do even better, dare to dream.

 

[Trifili13]

I know this is hypothetical but if we had split the games with the Sharks and Tigers and not lost to the Dogs, we would have made the 8. I understand that other teams probably have a similar story but it just goes to show that with all the suspensions, injuries and simply lack of playing talent, we easily could have made the semis this year. I think this speaks about the overall quality of the comp and you don't have to do too much to make the semis.

Now based on player gains and losses, and some of the younger guys having gain 1st grade experience, I think we will have a better year next year, barring injuries and suspensions.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

If we get a Club announcement about signing Woods, Moga and Gosiewski, that would take our squad total to 29 of the 'official' top 30.

The squad would look like this:

Backs: 12
Hunt, Ramsey, Sullivan, Mat F, Max F, Ravalawa, Amone, Sloan, Lomax, Suli Mbye & Moga

Forwards: 17
Maaca, Burns, Lawrie, Alvaro, JDB, Bird, Ford, Kerr, Maguire, Faamasili, Sims, Fuimaono, Burgess, Sua, Molo, Woods & Gosiewski

Some chat around thst we will give Michael Molo (Francis brother) a T&T contract. He was BoG in the recent QCup GF.
The other question mark is on JHunt, not sure what the plan is for him if any.

I think this is the squad, plus those signed in the DS, plus other 'invited' playere that will commence pre-season training in Nov.

Doesn’t that balance of 17/12 look a little under strength for backline coverage?

 

[kit66]

I'm changing my tune a little with our recruitment and prospects for 2022 and beyond.
@kit66 I can see your points regarding buying injury prone journeymen but at least it seems like they are making significant changes to the roster and low risk one year deals mostly.
Next season Hook will have his team or at least the makings of it. He punted those who didn't fit into his plans. Paul Vaughan, for example, was one they were trying to get rid of before the BBQ.
If he can get the best out of this team of misfits and manage the injuries and suspensions then at least we should be able to make the top 8.
Im hopeful that 2022 we play finals, 2023/24 we may do even better, dare to dream.

Yeah, it's not all doom and gloom if we actually work toward the future like Penrith did 4 or 5 years ago, bring through the kids and sign some real quality forwards for 2023. We needed some big fellas up front and we've now got some, not Taumamlolo's or Papalii's but serviceable and you'd think 2022 will see less disruption to the team. Also be good to play some Home games at home. If we stick with a line up of 7. Hunt, 6. Mbye 9. McC we'll be no different from 2021 and finish bottom 8. If we give the kids a shot and work hard on our discipline and defence we've every chance of a top 8 berth.
I'm not sure if this is the team Hook wants or if it's more the team we've managed to scrape together but his job is on the line so he just has to make it work.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Doesn’t that balance of 17/12 look a little under strength for backline coverage?

Players like Fui can play centre as can Bird. That would lessen the 'gap' to 14/15.

We have a couple of backs coming through the system, although i doubt they'd get a run in firsts next year, you never know. These players are:
Treigh Stewart - plays fullback
Alexander Lobb - plays wing and goal kicks.

 

[Maddragon99]

I'm changing my tune a little with our recruitment and prospects for 2022 and beyond.
@kit66 I can see your points regarding buying injury prone journeymen but at least it seems like they are making significant changes to the roster and low risk one year deals mostly.
Next season Hook will have his team or at least the makings of it. He punted those who didn't fit into his plans. Paul Vaughan, for example, was one they were trying to get rid of before the BBQ.
If he can get the best out of this team of misfits and manage the injuries and suspensions then at least we should be able to make the top 8.
Im hopeful that 2022 we play finals, 2023/24 we may do even better, dare to dream.

On paper we have a better squad signed for 2022 so there’s cause for optimism. Norman & Dufty are gone which frees up the opportunity for Amone & Sloan to really shine.

I’m still concerned about Griffin’s selection strategy though, Mbye could easily be the next Corey Norman & I don’t see an immediate role for Jack Bird. But these are issues for discussion next year.