Dragons after Hodkinson

[Fire]

Haven't seen Crook before sorry Furball. But has been getting a few mentions so I'll be keeping an eye on him.

Concerning Hodkinson. I hope we don't get him.

Drinkwater is the answer. Just throw him in at the deep end and he'll be comfortable by mid-season. He won't be a Thurston, but he'll be a solid first grade half back with more speed than Fien.

I don't want to rip in Fiensy too much because I love the guy, and he's only had one bad trial. But surely Price must realise that his job hinges (if it even does) on having the balls to drop Fien.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

I recall reading a few seasons back that Bennett rated Shannon Crook as a youngster with plenty of potential.

The fact that he's come through the junior ranks and arrived at the under 20s is encouraging. Will be watching him with great interest this season. He's a decent goalkicker as well.

 

[Fire]

Was it Crook that kicked the field goal at the Charity Shield?

 

[Drain the Dragon]

Was it Crook that kicked the field goal at the Charity Shield?

Yeah kicked 5/7 plus the FG.

 

[Fire]

Yeah kicked 5/7 plus the FG.

Cool. Thanks mate!

 

[Steelman]

As someone mentioned in another thread the bulldogs are after raiders halfback Sam Williams.
i checked with my friend who is a board member at the dogs and he has confirmed this to be correct.
Williams has already asked for an immediate release from the raiders, but due to Campese still not being 100% fit they havent agreed to the terms as yet.
He also revealed to me that the dragons are in negotiations with Trent Hodkinson. The bulldogs have agreed to terms with the dragons for an immediate release, on the proviso that they can get the raiders to release Williams.

here's hoping the raiders DO NOT let Williams leave, as the dragons will drop to new lows if we think Hodkinson is the answer...

Doust price and young have no idea they have given up all hope of signing top quality first graders. Instead now they go for second best disappointing to see how far this once great club has fallen trying to sign bulldogs unwanted..... Greenberg seems to always get his man why can't we? Long time reader first time writer as my frustration grows...

 

[What's Up]

Dragons were after Williams, obviously doesn't want to come to us. Word is Hodkinson is a busted bum with injury hence why he hardly played last year. We would want to be getting him cheap and no wonder the dogs are keen to let him go.

 

[nrlnrl]

it was Dez at manly who decided not to keep him, and Dez at dogs who is again not wanting to keep him..
if a top line coach, and former rep halfback doesnt see Hodkinson as worth keeping then we should take note..

yep, like Wayne Bennett not rating Beau Henry as an NRL player ( moved twice from clubs where he was coach )

 

[64 Dragon]

I read on here somewhere that Sam Williams does not get on with Daniel Vidot. So if it's true about him and Soward, that's two reasons not to come here.

We should wait and see who is supposedly signing Williams, as Ronnie says it's not the Dogs, and have a look at their current half. He would surely be better than Hodkinson.

 

[TALENted]

I don't necessairly agree with Ronnie's posts on this or a few other matters, but perhaps his comments retain a greater level of gravity to yours (ie unridiculed) because he has contributed to a range of different topics in different ways. You post the same shit on the same shit over and over.

You just got to love the double standards on here

I'm sure the likes of guv wouldve been throwing themselves
at this given different circumstances.

Gotta lov it !

Enjoy the dark side boys

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Dragons interested in Hodgkinson...

Now that this has been on this forum you know it won't happen

 

[Breathingfire]

I have to say NO to Hodkinson. We need to stop filling our roster with stop gap and cast offs. You can afford to do this if you have Bennett, Hasler or Bellamy coaching, but everyone else needs a really good roster.

In a lot of ways I think this has been the problem at St George so far under Price. We saw what Bennett did with a bunch of cast offs and the precedent was sent. Lets assemble a squad minus super stars and spead the cap out across the whole 25...only problem is Price is no Wayne Bennett. I think maybe they thought the "systems" Bennett put in place would remain under Price so I guess you can accuse the appoint of Steve, but I have a feeling we are going to need more than a couple of cast off's to dig us out of the rut. Time will tell. I am still hoping we will unearth the next Hasler this season and Steve will rise!

 

[coast_dragons]

Its been going on since 99 and probably before that the Dragons as a club don't go out of their way to go on a spending spree to sign what people precieve as top line players.

They rely heavily on the junior system and it has worked but with Doust at the helm they are losing more than they retain and the question has to be asked why.

 

[tumbidragon]

Its been going on since 99 and probably before that the Dragons as a club don't go out of their way to go on a spending spree to sign what people precieve as top line players.

They rely heavily on the junior system and it has worked but with Doust at the helm they are losing more than they retain and the question has to be asked why.

I think there in lye's the answer mate. Since 99 we have had a very strong core group of juniors e.g. Coops, Gaz, Hornby, Young, Creigh, B Moz etc. Who have all stayed and played out their careers (or the majority of) at the Dragons. Leaving limited opportunities for younger juniors to cement a spot in the side. Which inevitably makes them seek opportunities @ other clubs.

 

[Johnny-b-Goode]

We won't sign hodkinson... Why would we, that would be just silly! The club has made it clear we will be going after a marquee signing or two for 2014...

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Its been going on since 99 and probably before that the Dragons as a club don't go out of their way to go on a spending spree to sign what people precieve as top line players.

They rely heavily on the junior system and it has worked but with Doust at the helm they are losing more than they retain and the question has to be asked why.

1 premiership in 32 years is hardly a measure of success. You want to win comps, you need to sign quality players.

 

[RedVDave]

Hodgkinson has a really long kick but that's about it nothing special plus I am fairly sure I read somewhere he has a bung knee and can't train with the full squad and does seperate training (like Dean Young) a halfback that can't train with the full squad this will create more problems than it solves.

 

[Guvner]

Mate, its not the dark side. You're just a lover of the melodramatic.

These are just my takes on things. Guv and the rest are free to rip and tear as they please. I don't profess to know Doust or Young personally and I don't berate them as such, I just comment on my observations from the outside. I'd love to be totally wrong and torn to pieces in here.

How did I get named here? A lot will recall last year I sent PM's to number of people about Young. You are not wrong in what you have said. But you missed an element. Young backs our ability to develop. We don't pay overs or play games because Young and the club believe we can develop what we need. Right or wrong, they believe it. The problem comes when you need to fill gaps in your development.

 

[Guvner]

Its been going on since 99 and probably before that the Dragons as a club don't go out of their way to go on a spending spree to sign what people precieve as top line players.

They rely heavily on the junior system and it has worked but with Doust at the helm they are losing more than they retain and the question has to be asked why.

Not really accurate at all. Doust is big on junior retention, organic growth ring a bell. We lost a lot between 2008 and 2010, they were Bennett's decisions. It got the result, but we are paying in some areas now.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Dragons should go after Shaun Johnson or Michael Morgan. Because the last thing you would want is for a club like Panthers to get Thursto and then you guys get someone like Walsh. So better off going hard out to get a Johnson or Morgan. Morgan especially could be very useful at the Dragons. I heard the Broncos are chasing him though.