2023 Squad: Gains, Losses & Re-signings.

[St Tangles]

We have to have some cash to attract players

We are letting Sims go apparently on 700K this year
Moose would have to be on fair coin not being re=signed

 

[possm]

listening to triple m up here today and david riccio stated that we havent got a lot in the cap to attract players
he mentioned suli bird and lomax all on 500 thou a year and then add hunts in and that about 2.5 millionish of the cap. so 4 guys for 25% of the cap .. Guys Im afraid we will keep getting bargain priced players until we get our juniors coming thru so we can get the odd marquee player or 2 . As many have mentioned we need to duplicate penrith so we have a continual source of players coming through ( with same quality ) to replace those that go for a higher wage . Until then we will have to keep filling the gaps with "potential " that other teams let go ( for a reason) ie jetski woods .. and remember those gems from yesteryear beale and maranta ... So we need to heavily invest in the juniors and ensure that flanno or whoever are earning their salaries by getting the right players

I'm not sure why we extended Bird however, we are now stuck with that decision. Sims 800k, and a bunch of players taking up about 2m will all be leaving at the of this season. the cap for 2023 is over 10m So let's go for:
Prop - Hass 1m
Edge Forward - Fifita 1m
And if necessary a five-eighth - 800k

Now is the time to:
Test Sullivan at 7 by moving Hunt to 9.
Test Sloan at 6 by moving Amone to 14

The results of the above tests will indicate if we need to buy a 6.

In my opinion, we have big problems in the forwards and need a game manager and some spark in the halves.

 

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS ENFORCER SET TO LINK WITH TWO FORMER TEAMMATES IN CLUB SWITCH

Dragons forward Josh McGuire is tipped to link with former teammates Matt Dufty and Paul Vaughan at the Warrington Wolves in the Super League.

The 32-year-old is off-contract in 2022 and along with Vaughan and Dufty has struggled to attract interest to remain in the NRL beyond this season.

The Bulldogs are set to let Vaughan and Dufty go after only signing them on one-year deals for 2022.

Yorkshire Live reported the former Dragons trio are set to link up at the Warrington Wolves in 2023.

The recruitment drive from Warrington is being touted as one of the biggest in English Super League history, with the club failing to pass the first round of the finals in each of the last two seasons.

McGuire has scored 13 tries in 250 NRL games for the Broncos, Cowboys and Dragons since his debut back in 2009 and has played 14 Origins for Queensland and 15 Tests for Australia and Samoa.

Cowboys’ bid to lure Tigers star after Madge axing’; veteran set for NRL exit: Transfer Whispers

Cowboys’ bid to lure Tigers star after Madge axing’; veteran set for NRL exit: Transfer Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Dragon David]

We had several good players leave our club. Some at Souths have been playing well. Much better than what we have.

 

[possm]

We had several good players leave our club. Some at Souths have been playing well. Much better than what we have.

We have enough average players at our club. How about we aim very high in an effort to improve our standing in the NRL competition.

 

[qld redvee]

We had several good players leave our club. Some at Souths have been playing well. Much better than what we have.

Dragon dave,
thats also the problem we give a player 1 or 2 games and banish them - garrick for example Robson wanted to play first grade prior coach didnt know his name and then sat him on bench for 70 minutes .. We have always lost juniors but seemed to have others coming through to fill the gaps ,, And guys like sele and havili whilst not world beaters are what you need in a top 30 .. we let them go and try and replace with lower quality

 

[Illusion]

After watching the game tonight - I am at a lost in regards to not only the rest of 2022 but also 2023

As of now we have had both Tariq Sims and soon to be Josh McGuire leaving the club both IMO won’t be to big of a loss

but we have some serious deadweight at the club

George Burgess will never get back to any type of first grade form

Aaron Woods is one foot into retirement

Andrew McCullough is one foot into retirement

Zac Lomax is in absolute career worst form and seems to be developing an ego/attitude that is very off putting

Amone has not shown me IMO anything too special to be starting 5/8

Sloan has his problems but can be developed

Blake Lawrie and I cannot stress this enough should never be in the team again , the bloke is lazy , and struggles with the ongoing quickness of the game and is a walking penalty/six again

Moses Mbye just doesn’t have it

But the scary thing is that we don’t seem to have any logical answers to fix these problems in the squad

We are linked to no body and seem to have no answers

With the likes of Fa’amusili , Ford , Moga and Gosiewski off contract I would say the Moga and Gosiewski will be the only ones to get retained

Bright Spots IMO for 2023 include obviously Ben Hunt , Francis Molo , Su’a and Suli

Ramsey also looks good at FB

Add we need a good organizing number 7 which Hunt isn't ..... Like Thurston said, the Cowboys picked up Townsend and it has turned their team around ..... Hunt can stay at 9 and lets look for a proper 7 ( someone like Rynolds) would be great ..... Yea I'm dreaming ...... Sully might just be the answer, but we will never know with this coach .......

 

[possm]

Dragon dave,
thats also the problem we give a player 1 or 2 games and banish them - garrick for example Robson wanted to play first grade prior coach didnt know his name and then sat him on bench for 70 minutes .. We have always lost juniors but seemed to have others coming through to fill the gaps ,, And guys like sele and havili whilst not world beaters are what you need in a top 30 .. we let them go and try and replace with lower quality

Unfortunately, there is often a gap between juniors being ready and the time when we need them in the NRL.

In our case Mary was useless and a poor man manager. If Mary gave McInness and Robson half a game each, there would have been no reason for Robson to leave.

We decided that Cook was not a good fullback so let him go. I turns out he is one of the best hookers in the game. Now we have Ben Hunt who is one of the best hookers in the NRL and yet we don't play him at hooker.

 

[Dragon David]

Dragon dave,
thats also the problem we give a player 1 or 2 games and banish them - garrick for example Robson wanted to play first grade prior coach didnt know his name and then sat him on bench for 70 minutes .. We have always lost juniors but seemed to have others coming through to fill the gaps ,, And guys like sele and havili whilst not world beaters are what you need in a top 30 .. we let them go and try and replace with lower quality

Exactly qld redvee. When people say we cannot keep them all, that is certainly true, but I don't know why we don't keep the right ones. We either re-sign ones that are not worth re-signing only just to save a few dollars or sign journeymen and old farts at low prices to make up the numbers. Doesn't look like they envisage what the players we end up with will turn out to be - we find out when it is too late.

Got to change tack and spend a bit now on players that we should go all out for and keep. Any young ones with plenty of potential, make sure to pick the cream and not let them get away.

 

[Rod Coil]

After watching the game tonight - I am at a lost in regards to not only the rest of 2022 but also 2023

As of now we have had both Tariq Sims and soon to be Josh McGuire leaving the club both IMO won’t be to big of a loss

but we have some serious deadweight at the club

George Burgess will never get back to any type of first grade form

Aaron Woods is one foot into retirement

Andrew McCullough is one foot into retirement

Zac Lomax is in absolute career worst form and seems to be developing an ego/attitude that is very off putting

Amone has not shown me IMO anything too special to be starting 5/8

Sloan has his problems but can be developed

Blake Lawrie and I cannot stress this enough should never be in the team again , the bloke is lazy , and struggles with the ongoing quickness of the game and is a walking penalty/six again

Moses Mbye just doesn’t have it

But the scary thing is that we don’t seem to have any logical answers to fix these problems in the squad

We are linked to no body and seem to have no answers

With the likes of Fa’amusili , Ford , Moga and Gosiewski off contract I would say the Moga and Gosiewski will be the only ones to get retained

Bright Spots IMO for 2023 include obviously Ben Hunt , Francis Molo , Su’a and Suli

Ramsey also looks good at FB

Good summary Big Rig. Nailed exactly where we are at.

 

[possm]

After watching Potter's Dogs thrash the Eels tonight, I would rather the Dragons have recruited Burton than Bird. In fact I would love to see Burton included in the NSW SOO2 side.

 

[I'm Hornby]

So now that we're a bit over halfway in the season, I would say that most of the gaps in our squad lies in the forwards. Our recruitment for next season should be focused around boosting our forwards so blokes like Woods can retire in KOE cup. There are no hookers of decent quality coming off contract at the end of this season it appears, so I haven't included any here. Regardless here are some players off contract that I think we need to target to improve next year.

Ryan Sutton (must) - Good Hard running front rower, made something of himself at the Raiders and will be 27 next season.

Angus Chrichton (must) - he would bring some much needed skills to our edges and is easily the best player coming off contract who is still around to be signed, need to jump on him and fast.

Maybe Pile (probably better than what we have anyway)

Morgan Boyle (manly front rower)
Rhys Kennedy
Matt Lodge
Franklin Pele
Jordan McLean
Mitchell Dunn
Jack Murchie
Keenan Palasia

Over to you Flanno if you're not too busy with any of your other 4 jobs.

 

[BLM01]

So now that we're a bit over halfway in the season, I would say that most of the gaps in our squad lies in the forwards. Our recruitment for next season should be focused around boosting our forwards so blokes like Woods can retire in KOE cup. There are no hookers of decent quality coming off contract at the end of this season it appears, so I haven't included any here. Regardless here are some players off contract that I think we need to target to improve next year.

Ryan Sutton (must) - Good Hard running front rower, made something of himself at the Raiders and will be 27 next season.

Angus Chrichton (must) - he would bring some much needed skills to our edges and is easily the best player coming off contract who is still around to be signed, need to jump on him and fast.

Maybe Pile (probably better than what we have anyway)

Morgan Boyle (manly front rower)
Rhys Kennedy
Matt Lodge
Franklin Pele
Jordan McLean
Mitchell Dunn
Jack Murchie
Keenan Palasia

Over to you Flanno if you're not too busy with any of your other 4 jobs.

Sutton going to Dogs.. signed months ago
Crichton will stay at Chooks and wants to for less?
Kennedy England
Pele resigned Sharks
Palasia supposed to extend at broncs
Dunn coming off another ACL?
You are running out of options

 

[I'm Hornby]

Sutton going to Dogs.. signed months ago
Crichton will stay at Chooks and wants to for less?
Kennedy England
Pele resigned Sharks
Palasia supposed to extend at broncs
Dunn coming off another ACL?
You are running out of options

Ah bugger, didn't realise that about Sutton as he is still in the off contract list on Zero Tackle.

Seems like the others are still fair play though, nothing official announced for any of them other than a few rumours here and there.

 

[BBTB]

After watching Potter's Dogs thrash the Eels tonight, I would rather the Dragons have recruited Burton than Bird. In fact I would love to see Burton included in the NSW SOO2 side.

Yes, Bird has turned out a real fizza.....arm grab tackles,
Sideways running. Not worth a cup full of piss, and we paid him $550k. What another recruitment joke.

 

[Inisai Toga]

…he’s got some friends too, playing both for Saints and other clubs ( see Tigers game). The amount of arm grabs in the game overall is absurd! The need for speed due to the perception that it’s a better game when faster is wrong! It forces the great leg hip tacklers out of the game and promotes holding up so the defensive line can form in time leading to soft tries.

Safer way to tackle is low if done correctly; more effective and great to watch. Slow the game down and you get a better presentation with great tacking and ball distribution and we can throw the bullshit ‘metres gained’ metrics with it.

 

[BBTB]

…he’s got some friends too, playing both for Saints and other clubs ( see Tigers game). The amount of arm grabs in the game overall is absurd! The need for speed due to the perception that it’s a better game when faster is wrong! It forces the great leg hip tacklers out of the game and promotes holding up so the defensive line can form in time leading to soft tries.

Safer way to tackle is low if done correctly; more effective and great to watch. Slow the game down and you get a better presentation with great tacking and ball distribution and we can throw the bullshit ‘metres gained’ metrics with it.

Yes agree, the modern game is so f.ck'n hard to watch.
I've just about had enough.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

After watching the game tonight - I am at a lost in regards to not only the rest of 2022 but also 2023

As of now we have had both Tariq Sims and soon to be Josh McGuire leaving the club both IMO won’t be to big of a loss

but we have some serious deadweight at the club

George Burgess will never get back to any type of first grade form

Aaron Woods is one foot into retirement

Andrew McCullough is one foot into retirement

Zac Lomax is in absolute career worst form and seems to be developing an ego/attitude that is very off putting

Amone has not shown me IMO anything too special to be starting 5/8

Sloan has his problems but can be developed

Blake Lawrie and I cannot stress this enough should never be in the team again , the bloke is lazy , and struggles with the ongoing quickness of the game and is a walking penalty/six again

Moses Mbye just doesn’t have it

But the scary thing is that we don’t seem to have any logical answers to fix these problems in the squad

We are linked to no body and seem to have no answers

With the likes of Fa’amusili , Ford , Moga and Gosiewski off contract I would say the Moga and Gosiewski will be the only ones to get retained

Bright Spots IMO for 2023 include obviously Ben Hunt , Francis Molo , Su’a and Suli

Ramsey also looks good at FB

Unfortunately I have to agree with most of your player assessments. If anything, you've been conservative by not including Fui and Kerr as major disappointments as well. The depressing thought is that, as the Dolphins have discovered, there aren't that many quality players available and what we bring in may not be much of an improvement or could even be worse than what we discard.

 

[BLM01]

Ah bugger, didn't realise that about Sutton as he is still in the off contract list on Zero Tackle.

Seems like the others are still fair play though, nothing official announced for any of them other than a few rumours here and there.

kennedy & pele are done deals

 

[Dragon David]

Sutton going to Dogs.. signed months ago
Crichton will stay at Chooks and wants to for less?
Kennedy England
Pele resigned Sharks
Palasia supposed to extend at broncs
Dunn coming off another ACL?
You are running out of options

Wow, so Sutton to the Dogs as a replacement for Hetherington I presume? Sutton has lots of energy and strength and will bolster the forward pack of the Dogs with Kikau. The Dogs certainly will be a force and I think will zip up the ladder into the top 8 in 2023.