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Christian Welch

VodkaSaint

VodkaSaint

Juniors
Messages
1,692
I can Only Imaging what Bellamy would have been saying to Welch
Goes something like this
Mate if want to Ruin your career then go right ahead and sign with the dragons
That place reeks with unprofessionalism !
if i where Welch i would use the club to bump my price and thats about it
 
_Johnsy

_Johnsy

Referee
Messages
28,368
Old Timer said:
Webke from another era to Artie but I think of all the modern front rowers Webke is the “1” who could have played in that time of genuine hard men.

Funny how 1/2 time pie eating Artie is the absolute stand out of the front rower fraternity and could have played in any era.
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I'd add Chief to that list too.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,966
VodkaSaint said:
I can Only Imaging what Bellamy would have been saying to Welch
Goes something like this
Mate if want to Ruin your career then go right ahead and sign with the dragons
That place reeks with unprofessionalism !
if i where Welch i would use the club to bump my price and thats about it
Click to expand...
New CEO, new coaching staff and some new young players added to our squad. If Welch watch the Dragons defeat his team in the last round and was offered the 500-600k he deserves, I'm sure he would have signed with us no matter what Bellamey says. After all Bellamy is moving to the Broncos as director of coaching in 2022.

I don't know if or if not Griffin was involved in the talks with Welch. I also don't know if the Dragons are in talks with better alternatives so it was a matter of choice rather than just missing out.

I really hope it was a matter of choice and that we will soon see the signing of at least 3 top forwards (who are maybe still involved in the finals) and a first grade fullback.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
possm said:
New CEO, new coaching staff and some new young players added to our squad. If Welch watch the Dragons defeat his team in the last round and was offered the 500-600k he deserves, I'm sure he would have signed with us no matter what Bellamey says. After all Bellamy is moving to the Broncos as director of coaching in 2022.

I don't know if or if not Griffin was involved in the talks with Welch. I also don't know if the Dragons are in talks with better alternatives so it was a matter of choice rather than just missing out.

I really hope it was a matter of choice and that we will soon see the signing of at least 3 top forwards (who are maybe still involved in the finals) and a first grade fullback.
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We are looking at others....don't be surprised if we don't bring in too many big names...1 forward and outside back is the rumour...we will look to bring through many of our juniors in the next few years...
 
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possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,966
getsmarty said:
We are looking at others....don't be surprised if we don't bring in too many big names...1 forward and outside back is the rumour...we will look to bring through many of our juniors in the next few years...
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I've always believed the way forward is a good salary cap balance between the forward pack and the backline but the over riding thing we should look at is having a competitive team each and every year. Waiting years for a junior or a group of juniors to come through is what we have been doing of late; buying cheap journeymen to cover the time span only to find that the coach of the day could not use them. Garrick, Herbert, Sele and many others are an example of this.

No, we need to spend our cap wisely with a view to winning the competition each and every year, just like the top 4 sides do. Succession planning is fine and the good pathways people can time things so that a junior can come into grade when a first grade players contract ends.

Sometimes the junior might have to spend a season in reserve grade if the timing is a bit out. But never should the circumstance arise that we write off a season or seasons waitnig for juniors to arrive in first grade.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
possm said:
I've always believed the way forward is a good salary cap balance between the forward pack and the backline but the over riding thing we should look at is having a competitive team each and every year. Waiting years for a junior or a group of juniors to come through is what we have been doing of late; buying cheap journeymen to cover the time span only to find that the coach of the day could not use them. Garrick, Herbert, Sele and many others are an example of this.

No, we need to spend our cap wisely with a view to winning the competition each and every year, just like the top 4 sides do. Succession planning is fine and the good pathways people can time things so that a junior can come into grade when a first grade players contract ends.

Sometimes the junior might have to spend a season in reserve grade if the timing is a bit out. But never should the circumstance arise that we write off a season or seasons waitnig for juniors to arrive in first grade.
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With all due respect possm...we have not really allowed many promising juniors to come through the ranks under the previous coach. ...and when he did..ala Lomax..he played him in 5 or 6 different positions including middle forward off the bench.

Griffin is well known in regards to fostering youngsters....hence all the comments from Mr Webb.

I think we will all see a big difference in the coming years in regards to this..I applaud this approach as we have allowed too many young players go without getting their opportunity here.

We all need to be patient...it will be a massive rebuild after the last 8 years of misery...But I feel optimistic that the past is well and truly behind us.

Have a great afternoon.
 
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Dragon David

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
9,322
getsmarty said:
With all due respect possm...we have not really allowed many promising juniors to come through the ranks under the previous coach. ...and when he did..ala Lomax..he played him in 5 or 6 different positions including middle forward off the bench.

Griffin is well known in regards to fostering youngsters....hence all the comments from Mr Webb.

I think we will all see a big difference in the coming years in regards to this..I applaud this approach as we have allowed too many young players go without getting their opportunity here.

We all need to be patient...it will be a massive rebuild after the last 8 years of misery...But i feel optimistic that the past is well and truly behind us.

Have a great afternoon.
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The saying is that Rome wasn't built in a day so in the case of Griffin, he will need time to gradually build his squad to be at a competitive level. He has a lot to do initially as you all can imagine which is mainly to see what players the Dragons have from all of our junior clubs to the experienced ones that have been playing first grade for years. Culling players won't be easy for him so all in all a big job for the new coach.

He has identified the need for the club to sign some forwards so I am sure that he has been checking out who is available and which of those is the best to be signed up - not much around so maybe one now and then go hard next year for a couple of hard as teak ones.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,334
Dragon David said:
The saying is that Rome wasn't built in a day so in the case of Griffin, he will need time to gradually build his squad to be at a competitive level. He has a lot to do initially as you all can imagine which is mainly to see what players the Dragons have from all of our junior clubs to the experienced ones that have been playing first grade for years. Culling players won't be easy for him so all in all a big job for the new coach.

He has identified the need for the club to sign some forwards so I am sure that he has been checking out who is available and which of those is the best to be signed up - not much around so maybe one now and then go hard next year for a couple of hard as teak ones.
Click to expand...

Spot on
 
blacksafake

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,644
getsmarty said:
With all due respect possm...we have not really allowed many promising juniors to come through the ranks under the previous coach. ...and when he did..ala Lomax..he played him in 5 or 6 different positions including middle forward off the bench.

Griffin is well known in regards to fostering youngsters....hence all the comments from Mr Webb.

I think we will all see a big difference in the coming years in regards to this..I applaud this approach as we have allowed too many young players go without getting their opportunity here.

We all need to be patient...it will be a massive rebuild after the last 8 years of misery...But I feel optimistic that the past is well and truly behind us.

Have a great afternoon.
Click to expand...
The lack of blooding & persevering with our juniors under the previous coach was nothing short of disgraceful.
Listening to Hook talk there’s no doubt that will change.
Always enjoy & appreciate your insights Smarty.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,966
blacksafake said:
The lack of blooding & persevering with our juniors under the previous coach was nothing short of disgraceful.
Listening to Hook talk there’s no doubt that will change.
Always enjoy & appreciate your insights Smarty.
Click to expand...
I was not ever happy with the appointment of Mary but on this occasion I would place the blame on our junior pathways system. It is clear to me that the talent is there however, those guiding, coaching and selecting the talent seemed to have don a lot of good work within the halves and generally the backs but very little with young forwards.

Out of the whole system we have produced Lawrie, Host and Ford. We had to recruit Kerr from the Storm, Vaughan from the Raiders and McInnes from the Rabbits. The Sims brothers returned home.

I hope we can fast track some young forwards but right now we need about 3 tough and experienced forwards, plus De Belin if he becomes available. To remedy the wrong done over the past few years we have no choice but to recruit these players from outside the club.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,966
getsmarty said:
Nope....a bit more to it...
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Yes I'm sure all will be revealed very soon. It may be the case that we need a certain amount of cap to recruit certain players and so, those who have contracts ending at the end of the 2020. I believe we had some very ordinary performances from some of our forwards this season and so, I suppose change is a must.

By the looks of it, K Sims, Ellis, Frizell, Host and a few reserve grade forwards are on the way out. I imagine if their contracts were up, Griffin would also let go Merrin and Lawrie as well. This year young forwards Kerr and Blacker will be called on to fill the 4th spot in the prop rotation with two new props recruited to partner Vaughan. I really hope that we recruit a suitable replacement for Frizell.
 
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