Flanno's New Signings

[lombard]

Stefano to Bulldogs is the rumour tonight.
Tomorrow could be interesting

 

[dungay dragon]

Stefano to Bulldogs is the rumour tonight.
Tomorrow could be interesting

Was mentioned on Fox Shows there was a late offer from a Sydney based Club
Most thought it to be either Dogs or Panthers
They 'll rip the joint down if its the Chooks and they nail their Man

 

[redv13]

Stefano to Bulldogs is the rumour tonight.
Tomorrow could be interesting

For 1 million a season, he’s an absolute bludger. Glad he’s not coming to Saints, absolute highway robbery at that price. If he has half a brain he will head to Melbourne and give Bellamy a chance at turning him into a beast. Looks like Tarzan but unfortunately plays like Jane

 

[Budpower]

our young guns like Loko and Halangahu will run rings round him in a few years

 

[Hound of Dracula]

I.e. Before we talk extension, "you will demonstrate a short kicking game" and "you will manage a close game for a victory". "You will stop panic passing as your preferred 5th tackle attacking option".

How about - Sure, you get extension. You play 6 and focus on ur running game. Let Kyle look after the rest.

 

[TheRev]

if the dogs get him.. itll surely be 600k tops with various pub shares and what not.. the journos keep saying " a sydney club on the up"it rly only points to the dogs.. what makes it even more the case is the fact no one is saying who it is.. nor did they ask gus on 100% footy to confirm it.

That said Storm arent out of the running by all accounts.

 

[TheRev]

You would think that they would have people signed up or ready to be before they get rid of any players. It's like you have an OK car but you want to upgrade it and you still need it to get to work but you do a stupid thing and sell it and become a silly idiot because you don't have your own transport and need to catch 2 buses and a train to get to work taking 2 bloody hours and if you had the car you would be at work in half an hour and the better car you have pondered over to buy for yonks is sold to someone else. Oh NO!!

I must say I'm realising how tricky trading can be.... if u have a top notch roster.. u need a spot free before the NRL will let u register a new contract.. but then how do u offload a player to free the spot? Because whoever is buying him.. they need a free slot also.. so if they need to offload, the 3rd club needs a spot and needs to offload.. and so on.

Of course not all clubs are in that situation.. we have a few slots free for 2025 still... but once we sign these last few, we are then stuck until we find buyers for our on-contract guys we want moved on.

 

[Dragon David]

I must say I'm realising how tricky trading can be.... if u have a top notch roster.. u need a spot free before the NRL will let u register a new contract.. but then how do u offload a player to free the spot? Because whoever is buying him.. they need a free slot also.. so if they need to offload, the 3rd club needs a spot and needs to offload.. and so on.

Of course not all clubs are in that situation.. we have a few slots free for 2025 still... but once we sign these last few, we are then stuck until we find buyers for our on-contract guys we want moved on.

Yes I know things are tricky and I know that is the case for the Dragons. I wish it wasn't though.

With all of this trickery its no wonder we end up with (I really don't want to say it) the rejects and journeymen who might be a tad better than the other rejects and journeymen we want to release.

 

[TheRev]

Yes I know things are tricky and I know that is the case for the Dragons. I wish it wasn't though.

With all of this trickery its no wonder we end up with (I really don't want to say it) the rejects and journeymen who might be a tad better than the other rejects and journeymen we want to release.

Totally agree on all fronts! Rly hoping we finally get a win or 2 in coming weeks.. feel like Flanno has done enough to get more than just scraps now.. we should be able to attract a rung or two up..

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

How about - Sure, you get extension. You play 6 and focus on ur running game. Let Kyle look after the rest.

That works for me

 

[Desperate Dragon]

The reality is most of the players the Dragons are chasing are still under Contract
Some have been given permission to negotiate then the wheeling n dealing starts between the two Clubs
It doesnt also mean the Club will let them go .....
Terribly frustrating for all
Hopefully some "light" soon
Talagi and Stefano as early as tomorrow
If Stefano goes to Storm , expect some releases from the Storm , as prev mentioned
Big Nelson keeps dipping his toe in the water , and letting all know hes about
Papps is the sleeper....

We are the only club to have offered both the Talagi brothers a package deal to come to the Dragons.
Think we will get an answer prior to the weekend.

 

[offiah]

What about the eels? Surely they have too?

 

[rasaint]

This Talagai ‘rumour’ has been around that long it is just that and as we often say ‘ stay calm everyone noone is coming’.

 

[dungay dragon]

We are the only club to have offered both the Talagi brothers a package deal to come to the Dragons.
Think we will get an answer prior to the weekend.

An answer from both was imminent , and then as courtesy , waited till new Coach came in and gave him time to spruik his gospel for the future
With a lot of agitation and uncertainty at the Eels still believe both are big hopes are coming to Us

 

[Coffs dragon]

This Talagai ‘rumour’ has been around that long it is just that and as we often say ‘ stay calm everyone noone is coming’.

We won’t get Talagai, but we’ll probably land Safiti as he meets Dragons criteria. Reject from previous club that is overrated & overpriced.
Easy peasy for Haran negotiation process & the sell.

 

[matPORTS]

I don't think Flanno is the type of coach who is going to throw one million of his eggs into his front row basket.

Using Cookie as the blueprint for where things might be going - getting Daniel Saifiti and RCG, with some of the freight being taken up by their current clubs, potentially gets us a State of Origin level starting front row (that could just as easily be used as a rotating front row off the bench depending on how others go this coming pre-season) vs one prop for more or less the same amount of cap space.

Will we land our targets? That remains to be seen. But what is absolutely fantastic to see is that we finally seem to be making some smarter moves within the market (including putting the blow torch on elsewhere and forcing other clubs to beat our offers). Even if we are forced to go after players "a level below" our current targets, we won't be paying overs like in years gone past.

 

[Slippery Morris]

If Talagi stays I have this feeling that Saints may go after Gutho as he seems to fit the Flanno mould. Similar to Cookie he seems a good clubman and Flanno is looking to change the culture. Probably won't happen but you never know as Gutho I feel is being pushed out and it is a shame as I think he has played well for the Eels at Fullback. He is someone who can come in and help Sloan for the future.

For outside backs I see guys like Bostock, Saab and Garrick who are playing well in the NRL and were let go early from Saints. Maybe they don't want to make the same mistake and bring in others from other teams and would rather bank on the good youngsters coming through. There seems to be a few good ones. It was Flanno's first season at the Dragons so he is still learning all the players and working out which will be part of the future.

Talagi is the exception if they land him, because he can play multiple spots and is looking pretty solid but if they fail to land him I can see why they won't chase any other outside back. Saifiti I see as a typical Flanno type player. He will do a similar job as to what Andrew Fafita did at the Sharks. I can sort of see some similarities. I never rated Saifiti until he played Origin and I thought he was quite good when he played. He did not look out of place. Not sure why he was never picked again.

 

[shiloh dc]

Always remember when a decent player moves to another club its usually for a lot more that is reported.
The Bulldogs have bought like 2 dozen players over the past 3 years. Clearly their Mr fixit Mr Laundy has assisted in many of these transactions. NRL integrity should be all over this like a rash!

 

[justadragon]

If Talagi stays I have this feeling that Saints may go after Gutho as he seems to fit the Flanno mould. Similar to Cookie he seems a good clubman and Flanno is looking to change the culture. Probably won't happen but you never know as Gutho I feel is being pushed out and it is a shame as I think he has played well for the Eels at Fullback. He is someone who can come in and help Sloan for the future.

For outside backs I see guys like Bostock, Saab and Garrick who are playing well in the NRL and were let go early from Saints. Maybe they don't want to make the same mistake and bring in others from other teams and would rather bank on the good youngsters coming through. There seems to be a few good ones. It was Flanno's first season at the Dragons so he is still learning all the players and working out which will be part of the future.

Talagi is the exception if they land him, because he can play multiple spots and is looking pretty solid but if they fail to land him I can see why they won't chase any other outside back. Saifiti I see as a typical Flanno type player. He will do a similar job as to what Andrew Fafita did at the Sharks. I can sort of see some similarities. I never rated Saifiti until he played Origin and I thought he was quite good when he played. He did not look out of place. Not sure why he was never picked again.

I'm always of the opinion that if a club want to let a player go or are forcing him out , its always for a good reason. The risk is maybe we can do something with those players and maybe they just remain duds. I'm sure flanno will have a clear indication of what he can and cant do and above all what he wants to pay. When RFM came to the dragons it caused a stir on here but generally I think he has performed well , same as Eisenhuth, nothing great but just does his job.

 

[Dragon David]

I don't think Flanno is the type of coach who is going to throw one million of his eggs into his front row basket.

Using Cookie as the blueprint for where things might be going - getting Daniel Saifiti and RCG, with some of the freight being taken up by their current clubs, potentially gets us a State of Origin level starting front row (that could just as easily be used as a rotating front row off the bench depending on how others go this coming pre-season) vs one prop for more or less the same amount of cap space.

Will we land our targets? That remains to be seen. But what is absolutely fantastic to see is that we finally seem to be making some smarter moves within the market (including putting the blow torch on elsewhere and forcing other clubs to beat our offers). Even if we are forced to go after players "a level below" our current targets, we won't be paying overs like in years gone past.

Getting new players just that much better than some that we have will improve us and Flanno can make sure of that. No use going overboard and paying outrageous money on a player like Stefano when I don't think he would be good value. Maybe Bellamy can do it but even he can do something magical to an average player and keep the costs down.