Flanno's New Signings

[justadragon]

Not sure why we gave hunt a release it would have been a better deal on a swap with Dolpins Roosters or Broncos for a no 6

He needed to go and needed to go ASAP. He was like a dark cloud hanging over the club. We got rid of him without paying anything, perfect, just like Lomax.

 

[baggygreen man]

If Saints can get the Couchmans and Fafita to become solid first graders then it will work out best for the fans and club as I would rather a junior coming through the ranks than from another team.

Same here. No doubt the Couchies will become solid first graders, is in the lap of god Dan Lawson whether Vili does. But I am all for elevating the giant Loko Tonga Jr and even his Junior Roo mate Finau Latu to the top grade, not next season but this, if that outside prop we need does not materialize. Back our juniors!!

 

[baggygreen man]

In Flano we trust...but in this instance if money was the reason we missed May I have to disagree with Flano...an extra $100-150K per season I think would have been worthwhile to snare a big, mobile forward that we are missing at the moment....but what do I know..

Was it money alone or reports of Mays 'devil may care' attitude to the game that may have eventually turned off our BOD. If so then perhaps a touch unfair for me to blame Flanno. There had to have been a good reason for uncle Nick to jettison the guy. Did we dodge a bullet.

 

[Desperate Dragon]

Same here. No doubt the Couchies will become solid first graders, is in the lap of god Dan Lawson whether Vili does. But I am all for elevating the giant Loko Tonga Jr and even his Junior Roo mate Finau Latu to the top grade, not next season but this, if that outside prop we need does not materialize. Back our juniors!!

Think with the inclusion of Egan, Stewart, Tonga and Latu in the top 30 Flanagan is backing the young blokes.
Fifita.
Who knows if he will take his last chance or be cut loose??
Think the half back situation will also be a lot clearer in the next several days.
We will either get Atkinson or move on to one of the back up plans such as IIias.

 

[Dragon David]

Same here. No doubt the Couchies will become solid first graders, is in the lap of god Dan Lawson whether Vili does. But I am all for elevating the giant Loko Tonga Jr and even his Junior Roo mate Finau Latu to the top grade, not next season but this, if that outside prop we need does not materialize. Back our juniors!!

Yes, why have some other club's reject signed when we can put plenty of trust in these young ones next year to play. I know people say they are just not ready, well they have to start in first grade sometime and it might as well be in the new year. Have the trust in them and build them up with confidence and give good strength and conditioning management for them. They will be fine.

Players like May, Lodge, RCG, we have them. Just have the guts to play them. They will shine.

 

[56to66]

You just can't rely on juniors, St George would not have won the 2010GF without, Jeremy Smith, Beau Scott, Neville Costigan and Mick Weyman.
Flanno Needs at least Atkinson or Wishart + 2 Beasts up Front to have any chance of being a heavy weight.

 

[chewbacca]

If we don't sign a beast for 2025, I think we should trial Leilua in the middle like keaon kolomantangi. He could be more effective there. We could then look at Ryan Couchman/RFM on the edge or one of our boom youngsters Egan/Latu etc

 

[Old Timer]

If we don't sign a beast for 2025, I think we should trial Leilua in the middle like keaon kolomantangi. He could be more effective there. We could then look at Ryan Couchman/RFM on the edge or one of our boom youngsters Egan/Latu etc

Luc is an out and out edge who can be damaging given space

Put him in the middle and he will tire quickly and start arm grabbing as his lateral movement is not great.

 

[baggygreen man]

I suspect he is going hard at Thompson

He'd be a good mentor to Loko Jr, Finau, Jake and others being a Kiwi international, but sorry he lacks what I rate is a bookends greatest asset outside of a big motor, an offload in traffic.

 

[baggygreen man]

I think we should trial Leilua in the middle

He was trialed last season after returning from injury if memory serves, played a handful of games then moved back to the edge. Luch needs to lose good kilos to be a more effective wide running line breaker for mine. He already has the ball skills.

 

[baggygreen man]

Do we have a Top 30 thread.

 

[kit66]

You just can't rely on juniors, St George would not have won the 2010GF without, Jeremy Smith, Beau Scott, Neville Costigan and Mick Weyman.
Flanno Needs at least Atkinson or Wishart + 2 Beasts up Front to have any chance of being a heavy weight.

I don't think Atkinson is the answer for us, not for 2025 anyway, he's too young and inexperienced to take control of a team especially given he won't have a confident, fully competent halves partner. I like Kyle but he's a follower not a leader or creator. Atkinson needs support still and someone to share the kicking duties with. I wouldn't be signing him long term either if he's the one Flanno really wants.
We should double our efforts to get Brodie Croft over from England for 2025 and then go hard for a star half for 2026 and beyond.
Ilias would be ok is he's physically up to it.

Has anyone been watching Super League, in particular Hull ? Their halfback, Mikey Lewis is a real standout - 27 games, 19 tries, 19 line breaks, 24 try assists, 148 tackle busts, loves to dart out of dummy half, and a good kicking game. He's only 23. We could get him a cosy flat overlooking the Wollongong Ocean and teach him to tackle a bit better. Why not, I'll try anything at this stage.

 

[denis preston]

I would not be giving up hope for Atkinson for 2025. As soon as I heard Sharks were interested in Volkman it makes you feel they are looking for a replacement for Atkinson and once they get someone may be open to releasing hin in 2025.

For Atkinson and Wishart it is a big gamble for them to not push hard for a release for 2025. They are now more or less assured a Starting spot at Saints. If they wait till 2026 you never know what is around the corner as they may cop a serious injury and all of a sudden no club is interested. If I were Saints I would not be giving the option of them coming in 2026 just make it 2025 or never and they will agitate for a release.

Or most likely lose another potential recruit by being dogmatic.

 

[Victoire]

Has anyone been watching Super League, in particular Hull ? Their halfback, Mikey Lewis is a real standout - 27 games, 19 tries, 19 line breaks, 24 try assists, 148 tackle busts, loves to dart out of dummy half, and a good kicking game. He's only 23. We could get him a cosy flat overlooking the Wollongong Ocean and teach him to tackle a bit better. Why not, I'll try anything at this stage.

Yeah he caught my eye in the test matches last year v Tonga. Unfortunately his club extended him on a very long term deal.

 

[st.phil]

He was trialed last season after returning from injury if memory serves, played a handful of games then moved back to the edge. Luch needs to lose good kilos to be a more effective wide running line breaker for mine. He already has the ball skills.

Hmm - I dont recall him playing anything but a couple 10 min spirts at 13 last year. Did well for Samoa and in 23 with NQ in the middle. If it's to accomodate a log term edge, I think it's a smart move

 

[RedVee]

Yes, why have some other club's reject signed when we can put plenty of trust in these young ones next year to play. I know people say they are just not ready, well they have to start in first grade sometime and it might as well be in the new year. Have the trust in them and build them up with confidence and give good strength and conditioning management for them. They will be fine.

Players like May, Lodge, RCG, we have them. Just have the guts to play them. They will shine.

Just explain to them that they can expect to go back to Reggie’s every so often. Playing them only in firsts could be detrimental in the short term

 

[RedVee]

Was it money alone or reports of Mays 'devil may care' attitude to the game that may have eventually turned off our BOD. If so then perhaps a touch unfair for me to blame Flanno. There had to have been a good reason for uncle Nick to jettison the guy. Did we dodge a bullet.

Maybe some of our Board WINners share a laté around the toaster with some of the Chook powerbrokers

 

[Slippery Morris]

Atkinson seem to do alright in one of his first NRL games for the Sharks with no Trindall or Hynes. They put the hooker at 7. They ended up beating the Broncos I think from memory. That shows that this kid will do ok and can manage a team. I would love to get Atkinson ahead of any others. He is probably the best of what is left.

 

[hook hook]

I don't think Atkinson is the answer for us, not for 2025 anyway, he's too young and inexperienced to take control of a team especially given he won't have a confident, fully competent halves partner. I like Kyle but he's a follower not a leader or creator. Atkinson needs support still and someone to share the kicking duties with. I wouldn't be signing him long term either if he's the one Flanno really wants.
We should double our efforts to get Brodie Croft over from England for 2025 and then go hard for a star half for 2026 and beyond.
Ilias would be ok is he's physically up to it.

Has anyone been watching Super League, in particular Hull ? Their halfback, Mikey Lewis is a real standout - 27 games, 19 tries, 19 line breaks, 24 try assists, 148 tackle busts, loves to dart out of dummy half, and a good kicking game. He's only 23. We could get him a cosy flat overlooking the Wollongong Ocean and teach him to tackle a bit better. Why not, I'll try anything at this stage.

Mickey Lewis signed until the end of 2028

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2025-sevens-star-nathan-lawson-in-line-for-stunning-nrl-debut-with-dragons/news-story/3a2867820b4391fd5552416df0a8910a

Rugby Sevens star Nathan Lawson is feverishly learning the Dragons playbook via video sessions as he prepares to make a stunning NRL debut alongside Valentine Holmes and Clint Gutherson next year.
Weeks after winning the Australia’s men’s Sevens player of the year award, Lawson announced his code switch to league after being wooed by Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, and having never played the game before, is now brushing up on his knowledge via software program Hudl.

The Dragons have been trying to offload winger Mikaele Ravalawa, so it’s likely Lawson will battle Tyrell Sloan, Christian Tuipulotu and Sione Finau for a starting wing spot in a revamped Dragons backline that now features former Eels skipper Gutherson and Queensland Origin star Holmes.

“I’ve been in contact with the Dragons got all their Hudl and all their footage so I’m obviously just watching that and getting my head around all their training and everything, just so when I rock up in December it’s not a huge shock to me,” Lawson told this masthead.

“It’s more mentally getting myself ready, I think Sevens will prepare me fitness wise, the physical side should be fine.

“It’s very exciting to think I could (play alongside Holmes and Gutherson). I think if you play outside them, they make a game very easy.

Sevens star Nathan Lawson has revealed he’s been feverishly learning the Dragons playbook ahead of his NRL debut. Picture: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
“I’ve just got to work hard enough to be able to get a spot there, and I think that will just make my game simple as anything.”

The 25-year-old, who began his rugby career in the forwards but transitioned to a power runner in Sevens with a 94kg frame, knew it was time to take a gamble on the NRL after the Paris Olympics.

“After the Olympics I had a good think about it, because the next Olympics is four years away, that’s a commitment to a four-year cycle and I wanted to try something new, I felt like I’d achieved pretty much everything I wanted in Sevens other than winning the Olympics,” Lawson said.

Nathan Lawson scores for Australia during the Paris Olympics. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
“People had always said to me that I’d suit NRL. I’ve just laughed it, but it wasn’t until I sat down with my manager and had a good talk about it that we actually realised it could be a really good option.

“It is a great product that’s so big in Australia and I think that was a pretty clear decision for me . Union at the moment is probably just lacking a little – it is building slowly – but the product in league and where I’d like kind of fit in there is probably a better option.

“Even when I go home, I flick the league on, it’s great to watch, all your friends, everyone loves it and watches it and then I feel like it’s a bit of a struggle to try to convince my friends that rugby and Super Rugby was also a good product.

“Just being able to get the opportunity to maybe be in that team and play some NRL is just huge.

“I had a good meeting with Flanno and I got really excited and saw there was probably a good chance that I could get in and around the squad and learn from them.

“He’d watched a little bit of my footy and I think the Seven skill-set rather than rugby union skill-set is a bit more transferable. I think he likes my pace and the way that I’d probably played a bit in forwards in union at the start but then transitioned a bit more into the wing.”

Excited about the prospect of playing outside Holmes and Gutho. Who wouldn`t be.​