Finau Latu's Move to Canterbury Bulldogs

[dragon thomo]

I thought there was a cooking off period where the original club has a right to counter offer.

 

[True_Believer]

trust me, im happy as all of you they copped it good.
Still, the pricks are making all the right moves, they are stocking there roster with the good up and commers, just like the panthers did.
we heading in the right direction, we are the next best defensive team atm.
we have very good local juniors.

As I said elsewhere, outside of the Sharks, they hadn't played anyone of any consequence. And they've got a pretty good draw this year which will make it easier for them to shine.

 

[SAP58]

I thought there was a cooking off period where the original club has a right to counter offer.

Good point, I expect it has been kept quiet & that period has now finished so it was announced but if so why werent we following it up with the manager. Something smells.....bee sting head !

 

[Hard Yards]

The entry of two new NRL teams will be very unsettling for the retention and promotion of juniors from established clubs, especially those with a strong and talented junior base, the Dragons being one such club, local juniors of worth will be targeted, our retention "committee" need to be up to the task of dealing with player managers and locking in our talented juniors, as well as current NRL standard players. Unfortunately it is dog eat dog existence otherwise.

 

[Tuddy]

Flanno being so public about this may have been because of the cooling off period. One last hail mary pass to Finau saying there’s more money here if you want it. It’s optimistic i know…..

 

[justadragon]

Another disgusting act by a players manager, and a constant reminder of how these scum of the earth are destroying our game. I'm all for players earning what they can, but when did it become all about how much the manager can get to feather his own nest, plus hold clubs to ransom. What happened at the Tigers was truly a despicable act performed by someone who had already been de-registered.

 

[baggygreen man]

but the BOD wanted nothing to do with him.

Please explain. In a recent interview he indicated he was happy being a Dragon.

 

[baggygreen man]

You'd be hard pressed to find somebody else his age absolutely dominating with their carries in cup but he's an absolute beast.

KW. Then pray tell why did our BOD let him go. There has to be something other than only money.

 

[baggygreen man]

Am I the only one that thinks allowing players to test the market then be signed to another club while still under contract, only creates division and acrimony for the host club. This should take place at season end.

 

[baggygreen man]

Latu is now history so who do we replace him with. Do we have any one with as a hi a ceiling as this guy on our books, or will be have to go scouting outside.

 

[RedVee]

This was always a risk while we have Flanno coaching, recruiting, media, washing jerseys, coffee runs etc.
In all seriousness, where is our recruitment manager? Where is he or she? Whom is it?
This is on you board of the directionless. That new CEO can’t start soon enough.

No, that’s wrong. Dean does the coffee run.

<pink text>

 

[baggygreen man]

Btw rev, how do you rate Meafou in comparison to Latu? From what I've seen he's got excellent footwork

What little I have seen of Meafou he has similar leg drive and intent but not the brute power of Latu. But he is still young and should develop over next 12 months. But Latu was a Aussie school boy who we nurtured so I hate Gould and the Grubs with a passion.

 

[RedVee]

Please explain. In a recent interview he indicated he was happy being a Dragon.

They didn’t want a bar of Gould.

KW. Then pray tell why did our BOD let him go. There has to be something other than only money.

What makes you think they “let him go”?
Why do you think they are so salty about it? He was wanted.

We made (supposedly) a good offer but you can’t make a player sign when the manager is wanting to check the market value.

At this point I don’t think anyone really knows the reason. To suit the manager? To suit the family? Gould selling the “vision”?

 

[RedVee]

Latu is now history so who do we replace him with. Do we have any one with as a hi a ceiling as this guy on our books, or will be have to go scouting outside.

I’m guessing Jett Lui (sp?) is next up to replace him as a similar player.

 

[KogarahWarrior]

KW. Then pray tell why did our BOD let him go. There has to be something other than only money.

If you take Flanno's word, RVH, it seems that we weren't even given a chance of securing him. Keep in mind, his manager is Tartak who is not far off Isaac Moses levels of crookedness.

 

[baggygreen man]

What makes you think they “let him go”?

I misunderstood a post that was minus the word Gould. RedVee and KW.

 

[baggygreen man]

I’m guessing Jett Lui

You reckon. Not in same street and that is not to say Liu is not a good prospect, just that Latu was one out of the box and I am spitting chips we were unable to hold onto him. We still have LPT and Jake H tho. I'd be tempted to replace Latu with Jake to make his debut this year. I think LPT is prob next cab off the rank with Liu also to debut.

 

[thebigredv]

You reckon. Not in same street and that is not to say Liu is not a good prospect, just that Latu was one out of the box and I am spitting chips we were unable to hold onto him.

I think you are correct about him. I wouldn't have wanted to lose him or Halangahu out of all those we have been trying to retain. We have a right to be angry and upset and lament our club or player managers...but he is gone now and we move on. Luckily the team is greater than a single player and who knows, maybe the Dogs can bring him up to peak and we can get him back in three years!

 

[matPORTS]

I called this out at the back end of last season, when we had clearly fallen off the cliff in terms of our performances.

Flanno can't be expected to do all of - coaching, recruitment, retention, management & mentoring of the wider coaching + backroom staff, etc. This is not sustainable.

Given how hard it's been for us to recruit in the open market, a problem which was here long before Flanno arrived, is still in existence now, and even with Flanno in and very much established in the head coaching role still does not look like changing, we really can't afford to be losing our most talented juniors.

We can blame the dodgy player managers all day, and they certainly don't help. But, we needed to be getting in an established GM of Football alongside Flanno to help with everything else outside of the day-to-day coaching.

Our roster even right now still needs a lot of overhaul and balancing out if we are to be competitive in the next 3-5 years coming. Flanno, to his great credit, is squeezing every last bit of juice out of the lemon. Not too many other coaches could do what he has done with the 2024 & 2025 rosters.

I know we tried to get Peter O'Sullivan. Why not Scott Fulton? Surely he is a better option than Ben Haran - who is clearly a big problem, considering my earlier point about how we still don't seem to be making any great inroads in terms of recruitment & retention despite Flanno being onboard?

 

[TheRev]

I believe our board weren't up for Fulton, but I 100% agree, we missed out on POS nearly 12 months ago, and nothing seems to have moved in that space.. from both the perspective of a) having someone whos full-time job is building contacts and looking for talent, and b) someone more nuanced/silky with the negotiation process, Flanno is very rough around the edges and not necessarily speaking specifically to this case, but he rubs some managers the wrong way, justified or otherwise.

The CEO is coming.. unfortunately we missed several of our preferred targets... but lets hope this bloke delivers for us... and the GM I assume they are going to try and ride out to the end of the year, but I certainly hope hes not being extended.