Flanno's New Signings

[TruSaint]

H

Hunt is a 5/8 killer

Take out 5/8.. Perfect post.

 

[hewi]

I watched Katoa play rugby for Barker, he is exceptional and a future Captain. Would love him but can’t see it happening.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Early days, but so far it looks like the same old shite in 2025. Roll out the same team plus Holmes minus Lomax. Should finish 11th again. Oh, and Hunt will be one year older and stupider. Make that 12th.

Think I'll skip 2025 and come back in 2026.

 

[Jubilee]

Haven’t we done that with the ex Bulldogs junior Now with us ?

That does ring a bell. Recently, that was, I think. So I think we can see some of Flanno's long term thinking at work here. Unfortunately, with 3 yr contracts, Laurie and Ravawala could still be stinking up the place even in 2027.

Long contracts aren't usually good for clubs. Lots of examples where players deteriorate and just become unwanted barbacles.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

We should be looking at basically anyone that has come out of either the Penrith or Storm system. Scan over whoever is on the bench or reserves, they surely can’t keep them all.

Poor Flanno, he is doing it all, coaching, recruiting, coffee runs. What if one of these new franchise clubs taps Flanno on the shoulder? Would you blame him for leaving?
The CEO and board should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[TruSaint]

We should be looking at basically anyone that has come out of either the Penrith or Storm system. Scan over whoever is on the bench or reserves, they surely can’t keep them all.

Poor Flanno, he is doing it all, coaching, recruiting, coffee runs. What if one of these new franchise clubs taps Flanno on the shoulder? Would you blame him for leaving?
The CEO and board should be ashamed of themselves.

THe CEO and board have a decade plus of work to do.make up for. However, Flanno is not a concern. We judged Hook, Price and Mary under the same regime. He knew the job was difficult when he took it.

 

[Trifili13]

Send then Benny gift wrapped with a ‘ Best Wishes ‘ card.

First of all I wouldn't spend the extra money on a card for the Rooster's. And secondly, I'd be f@#ked if I ever wished that club best wishes.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

A lot of our planning post the finals series completion has to centre around using the additional dollars tied up in lawrie, Rava and Hunt to truly reshape the squad.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Dragonslayer tells us that we have signed 17 year old halfback/five eight Marley McLaren. Checked out his highlights on youtube. He is a representative team captain, a biggish body for the position but with plenty of growing ahead of him, passes and runs well, has a good boot, short and long, and well-placed. He is a keen and solid tackler and not scared of contact, and he is a goal kicker. In his headgear he also looks like Ponga or Burton, if that helps.

Is he going to be Hunt's replacement in 2026 partnered with LKT? Ofc he would still be young but think of Tiger's current young half. He is handling it.

Anyway, looking at his youtube highlight videos - there are four, I think, I have linked two below - this young man looks to be quite the package. So the current discussion of young Wishart may be moot, bcs McLaren + LKT may be the future for 2026 or at least 2027.

No, he won't be playing 1st grade in 2026, he actually played today in the Schoolboys National Final, playing as a 6, the 7 Zane Harrison was very dominant, Marley over read in defence and they scored by stepping back in the inside, couple of bad passes, i think he set up one try, in the 2nd half was MIA.

 

[Dragon David]

Who in our club has the good eye needed to scout out the best kids externally and keep close tabs of the good ones internally? Who has the final say about who should be targeted and on what terms/money to be offered? Does he look at highlight reels like us?

I know that we are after some good props and those that are available mostly are either heading into their thirties and therefore only good for 2 years and have been told they are not wanted or younger ones just like we have turfed out. If we end up with a couple of guys that have been rejected by their former clubs, will they be a like for like replacement for our rejects?

I think that at this stage of our not getting anywhere situation with second rate players being signed, that the club has GOT to lean towards getting a couple of more than better guys to augment our squad and pay more and for decent terms. The idea that we get a couple for short term and just above average for a bit less coin to enable the young ones to be ready in a few years time, is that going to really benefit us at all. We seem to have been doing this for ages and just failing.

No, if I was in charge, spend big now. It is now that we need to fire and turn up the gas, not in 2-3 years time.

 

[st.phil]

We Need Forwards

 

[Get2dachopper!]

THe CEO and board have a decade plus of work to do.make up for. However, Flanno is not a concern. We judged Hook, Price and Mary under the same regime. He knew the job was difficult when he took it.

They threw a lot of resources at Mary, gave him the best opportunity to succeed. There were 6 or so different assistants, including a premiership winner in Steve Folkes. That roster between 2017-2018 was very good.

 

[since77]

They threw a lot of resources at Mary, gave him the best opportunity to succeed. There were 6 or so different assistants, including a premiership winner in Steve Folkes. That roster between 2017-2018 was very good.

Which is why the decision to appoint McGregor as coach was f&*king braindead. Had we had an actual NRL quality coach, we might have jagged a very unlikely premiership in 2018. Zero chance of that with McIdiot in charge.

 

[mattw5]

If Saints want a solid halves pairing I would tempt Dolphins for a player swap and give them Ben Hunt for Isaiya Katoa. This kid will be really good as he was moulded into the Penrith system and they had huge hopes for him to take over from Nathan Cleary. They were pi$$ed when Dolphins snuck in and got him. I would offer the kid a 5 year deal. The fact they dropped him may help get the deal across and they have a few options in the halves.

I would then bring in Te Maire Martin. Give him 3 years. He is pretty good, a journeyman which is surprising but has played well wherever he has landed. Those 2 would be a really good halves combo with KFlanno as backup. These 2 would offer so much more in attack than what Saints have now. I feel they are realistic targets that Saints should be gunning for as the halves need strengthening more than any other spots if they want to win a comp. Saints won't win a comp as long as Hunt is in the halves.

No way would they entertain that.