2025 Squad List

[BLM01]

Yes a wise move by the Dogs that they have now hired Liam Ayoub in their Recruitment Department. He was Jahream Bula's manager. Yes, what player manager could the Dragons get to be part of our Recruitment Department?

Riolo

 

[BLM01]

Yes a wise move by the Dogs that they have now hired Liam Ayoub in their Recruitment Department. He was Jahream Bula's manager. Yes, what player manager could the Dragons get to be part of our Recruitment Department?

Talking about Tigers again and how much they over pay players..Bula is reportedly on 900K..if you can believe that
What a great player manager he was . No wonder Dogs hired him
I suppose Sullo reportedly is on a mix of 550K-600K playing reggies
Good luck to them but that is how they attract
Now if Bateman goes they have to chip in reportedly 300K a year.. my God

 

[TheRev]

What I read today was that if Bula has a clause that if he was not on 900k in that final year of contract, then he was free to look elsewhere.. something like that.. no way they are already paying him that, as good as he is.

 

[Jubilee]

What I read today was that if Bula has a clause that if he was not on 900k in that final year of contract, then he was free to look elsewhere.. something like that.. no way they are already paying him that, as good as he is.

$900k. Okay, but will he be worth that next year or the year after? Clubs get distracted by players like Bula or - before him - Jayden Campbell, and before him AJ Brimson (8 year contract?) and now Kiano Kini is the new "superstar" at the Titans...should he get $900k? Brimson - a fine player - is now in reserves.

Every year it's a new flashy 21 y.o. runner demanding $1m like Cobbo. But there is a salary cap. And these kids are not game controllers. And they don't get better year after year like the best halves. And next year another young one will come along.

It doesn't make much sense to throw all that money at them. And don't mention the options. How do you plan with all of those possibilities on the menu?

 

[TheRev]

$900k. Okay, but will he be worth that next year or the year after? Clubs get distracted by players like Bula or - before him - Jayden Campbell, and before him AJ Brimson (8 year contract?) and now Kiano Kini is the new "superstar" at the Titans...should he get $900k? Brimson - a fine player - is now in reserves.

Every year it's a new flashy 21 y.o. runner demanding $1m like Cobbo. But there is a salary cap. And these kids are not game controllers. And they don't get better year after year like the best halves. And next year another young one will come along.

It doesn't make much sense to throw all that money at them. And don't mention the options. How do you plan with all of those possibilities on the menu?

I think Bula will probably be a 900k fullback.. but it might be 2-3-4 yrs away... this is just a player option like any other player is doing, just written a bit differently.

Saints fans cant get c*cky though.. make no mistake we are going to have heaps of dramas keeping our kids over the coming 3-5 years.... some kids are patient, a lot are not.. and there is often 2 or 3 contracts/extensions between that 17yr to 23yr period.. where they are becoming first graders.. its brutal, especially with new clubs coming in as well thinning out the player talent.

 

[BLM01]

I think Bula will probably be a 900k fullback.. but it might be 2-3-4 yrs away... this is just a player option like any other player is doing, just written a bit differently.

Saints fans cant get c*cky though.. make no mistake we are going to have heaps of dramas keeping our kids over the coming 3-5 years.... some kids are patient, a lot are not.. and there is often 2 or 3 contracts/extensions between that 17yr to 23yr period.. where they are becoming first graders.. its brutal, especially with new clubs coming in as well thinning out the player talent.

Not getting ahead of ourselves, there will always be decisions of who to keep, who to go
you cant have em all
That includes existing NRL players under contract who fall away with form
Just have to be smart with all things recruitment / retention and keep value for money foremost so as to keep your cap in shape
not overpay and not long contracts etc which we are doing now..no bidding wars etc as Flanno puts it
Our cap needed correction and we are on our way. We may have to overpay a tad but that is OK ATM

As for Tigers so did theirs in a bigger way but I feel they will still get themselves in to trouble again
They have and still are overpaying.. whilst understandable to build and get off the bottom
The positive I see for them now is they are buying the right players but if they dont meet form expectations they will be back to Sq 1.

 

[Jubilee]

The positive I see for them now is they are buying the right players but if they dont meet form expectations they will be back to Sq 1.

Or the other side of the coin, having to keep a player like AJ Brimson in reserves on a big contract!

 

[BLM01]

Or the other side of the coin, having to keep a player like AJ Brimson in reserves on a big contract!

I think he will play 1sts injury free which held him back last year at centre / five-eighth
Campbell will have to play 14. They probably cant move Kini now

 

[Jim Dragons]

The new "couch" men twins

Speaking of the Couchman's... is it just me or does Lachlan Ilias look like the Couchman's little Twin

 

[Dragon David]

Not getting ahead of ourselves, there will always be decisions of who to keep, who to go
you cant have em all
That includes existing NRL players under contract who fall away with form
Just have to be smart with all things recruitment / retention and keep value for money foremost so as to keep your cap in shape
not overpay and not long contracts etc which we are doing now..no bidding wars etc as Flanno puts it
Our cap needed correction and we are on our way. We may have to overpay a tad but that is OK ATM

As for Tigers so did theirs in a bigger way but I feel they will still get themselves in to trouble again
They have and still are overpaying.. whilst understandable to build and get off the bottom
The positive I see for them now is they are buying the right players but if they dont meet form expectations they will be back to Sq 1.

A good read BLM01.

 

[getsmarty]

Sons of guns, schoolboys sensations and code switchers: Every NRL club’s train-and-trial lists

Sons of guns, schoolboys sensations and code switchers: Every NRL club’s train-and-trial lists

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[getsmarty]

NRL 2025: Every club's top 30 squad and development list for the season​

MSN

 

[getsmarty]

'It's extra motivation' - Dragons recruit hits back at criticism over 'worst halves pairing' comments

St George Illawarra Dragons Recruit Lachlan Ilias speaks with Mark Levy about the betting agencies having the team listed as the “worst halves pairing in the competition”. “It lights a fire in the belly.” Listen to more from Wide World of Sports below:

www.2gb.com

 

[Jubilee]

'It's extra motivation' - Dragons recruit hits back at criticism over 'worst halves pairing' comments

St George Illawarra Dragons Recruit Lachlan Ilias speaks with Mark Levy about the betting agencies having the team listed as the “worst halves pairing in the competition”. “It lights a fire in the belly.” Listen to more from Wide World of Sports below:

www.2gb.com

Correct attitude.

 

[KingFlanno7]

Thought I'd add this in, Rava looks fit as I've ever seen him and I was thinking with Gutho leading us around, he knew how to unlock Maiko sivo, if Flanno gets Ravas head right he could be an absolute weapon next year. Season can't come quick enough

 

[Dragon David]

Thought I'd add this in, Rava looks fit as I've ever seen him and I was thinking with Gutho leading us around, he knew how to unlock Maiko sivo, if Flanno gets Ravas head right he could be an absolute weapon next year. Season can't come quick enough

Exactly to everything you said KingFlanno.

We will have quite a few wingers to choose from so our backline will be fantastic. Our halves could be anything and when we get that big middle forward and those big young ones firing, we will be so much threat to other teams. Defence and attack will be improved next year I feel sure. Can't wait.

 

[redv13]

Thought I'd add this in, Rava looks fit as I've ever seen him and I was thinking with Gutho leading us around, he knew how to unlock Maiko sivo, if Flanno gets Ravas head right he could be an absolute weapon next year. Season can't come quick enough

I haven’t completely given up on Rava, when he’s in beast mode he is great to watch. Hopefully it’s the wake up call he needed but a repeat performance from some of his games this year and it’s bye bye Rava

 

[getsmarty]

'We needed leaders': Inside Flanagan's Dragons rebuild

St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has opened up on the recruitment strategy driving the Dragons roster overhaul.

www.nrl.com

 

[Jubilee]

I haven’t completely given up on Rava, when he’s in beast mode he is great to watch.

If he can be taught how to behave in defence, he could find himself back in firsts. But our wing competition is fierce.

 

[George Sancti]

I am starting to think that coach Flanno is seeing significant improvement in our existing group of forwards and has decided he will persevere with what we have, unless he can sign a current representative level prop. He may be holding the remaining top thirty position on our roster for the possible early release of young DA from the Sharks, as they are most likely struggling to manage their salary cap.