Flanno's New Signings

[Carrera28]

Our best #13 arguably since Raper but he has been leading our pack, albeit by deed and inspiration whether playing lock or prop. Cant officially lead as he has been wrongly banned from captaincy. Jeez he was exonerated and a bloody cop lied under oath which helped trash his reputation. Has the NRL since apologized over his unfair treatment, based on lies.

JDB is a player who definitely gives his all and almost always empties his tank on the field even when team mates do not. JDB is a guy who does not slack off and who does not hog the ball for personal glory. He is an on field leader through effort and hard work.

However I would respectfully suggest it is only recency bias that would rate him on his career to date as the best since The No. 1 and greatest Immortal.

Wayne Bartrim played 5 tests and 9 state of origins. His career coincided with Bradley Clyde and Brad Fittler who played a lot of lock in second half of his career so he went under the radar despite being a gifted and consistent lock forward. I would suggest he is comparable to JDB.

Brad Mackay played 12 tests and 17 Origins and played Origin for NSW at a time where both Fittler and Clyde were in the team. His career was better than JDB's career to date.

Rod Reddy 17 Tests, played on the Invincibles Kangaroo tour of 1982 and played in 77 and 79 Premiership teams. Rod Reddy eclipses JDB significantly only let down by abandoning dragons without coaching a game as head coach to join Adelaide Rams.

 

[possm]

I think were mixing up the two hewi- The Penguin was Graeme Bradley the very much underrated centre- Grahame Buckley was the blonde lock forward a few years earlier; great defensive lock had a terrible run with knee injuries.

Isn't Graham Quinn the penguin?

 

[RufusRex]

wait what ... JDB the clubs best lock since Raper? I mean you were just leaning into the charge right, you couldnt actually mean as a footballer.

 

[maestro1]

As much as I love JDB in our pack ( we'd be a hell of a lot poorer if he wasn't). Rod Reddy, Brad Mackay are definitely in front of him. People forget how JDB was top of the tree when his bad choices and the rape allegations ripped his career apart. Especially in origin. Very dominant.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

bartrim?

wow some of his tries were unlike a no13 !!!!

amazing flash in the pan career

 

[Inisai Toga]

Isn't Graham Quinn the penguin?

No mate, he isn't/wasn't! Quinn was from Qld a decade before partnering Finch in 77 and 79 Grands Finals.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

I think Graham Quinn's nickname was "Magoo"?? But that is severely testing my memory if true!

 

[possm]

I think Graham Quinn's nickname was "Magoo"?? But that is severely testing my memory if true!

Yes your right, thanks.

 

[Old Timer]

I thought Rocket's debut was against Parra at Kogarah 1972 we won 22-0 and there was 'A Star Is Born' headline in RLW - but may be wrong CC and OT are a little older than me

100% correct for his 1st grade debut

Drake debuted against the Bulldogs

CC and I might be confusing with the trial Rocket Rod played

 

[Old Timer]

Bradley was the Penguin
Drake was the Duck
Quinn was Magoo

 

[Slippery Morris]

Brad Mackay was the best 13 for me. I never saw much of Rocket Rod Reddy. Wayne Bartrim another favourite of mine. How about that try in the finals against the Raiders. I am pretty sure he was part of the Qld Maroons team coached by Fatty that everyone thought had no chance of winning origin. Apparently labelled the worst Qld team to play Origin. Only thing about Wayne is he cost us losing Fitzy. Young Fitzy did not want to hang around till Wayne left so Roosters swooped in and the rest is history.

Jeremy Smith was not too shabby either. He was only with Saints a short period during the golden Bennett era but wow, what a player he was.

JDB has been fantastic but the off field stuff unfortunately will overshadow his on field performances which is sad when we look back at his career.

 

[Revesby boy]

I’m lucky enough to have seen them all from about 67 onwards, Raper was so good but he was running on old legs then if I had to pick my best St George team from 1968 to the current day Rocket makes the side easily, what he could do would make him the highest paid player in the league today and he had a great teacher in Billy Smith.

 

[Stan Gorton 2511]

Never saw Raper but everyone says he was the best
Rocket by the length of the straight as a lock ( Saints players) that I've seen
Ron Coote great player also for Souths

 

[possm]

I’m lucky enough to have seen them all from about 67 onwards, Raper was so good but he was running on old legs then if I had to pick my best St George team from 1968 to the current day Rocket makes the side easily, what he could do would make him the highest paid player in the league today and he had a great teacher in Billy Smith.

I was born in 1954 and my grandad (a very vocal Saints fan) used to take me the majority of games. I remember:
Fullback Langlands
Winger King
Center R Gasnier
Five-eighth 6Horthorn
Lock Raper
Second Row Beath
Prop Provan
Hooker Edge

as being my favorites during 50s - 70s.
Smith

 

[Old Timer]

Never saw Raper but everyone says he was the best
Rocket by the length of the straight as a lock ( Saints players) that I've seen
Ron Coote great player also for Souths

The days of Raper and Coote at their best were very different to Reddy and even more so than today.

Raper & Coote were magnificent cover defenders dragging down tear aways with boot lace tackles taking them into touch often taking out the corner post doing so.

A reporter once said that he thought Raper had rabbit holes all over the SCG as he seemed to pop up out of nowhere to deny the opposition a try.

Raper had the additional skill of being a wonderful ball player and reader of a game much like Wally Lewis.

Neither Raper or Coote had the hard edge or physicality of Reddy.

 

[getsmarty]

Eleven straight premierships is Shane Flanagan’s cross to bear

In the first of an occasional series, Roy Masters will go head-to-head with the NRL coaches. Today Shane Flanagan discusses the weight of expectations on being the coach of the Dragons and what he aims to achieve in 2025.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Stan Gorton 2511]

Look at these highlights from 79 for both Rocket and Wynnie https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1YRGHe3p9g/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[Sage63]

The days of Raper and Coote at their best were very different to Reddy and even more so than today.

Raper & Coote were magnificent cover defenders dragging down tear aways with boot lace tackles taking them into touch often taking out the corner post doing so.

A reporter once said that he thought Raper had rabbit holes all over the SCG as he seemed to pop up out of nowhere to deny the opposition a try.

Raper had the additional skill of being a wonderful ball player and reader of a game much like Wally Lewis.

Neither Raper or Coote had the hard edge or physicality of Reddy.

Gee, I don't know if I can agree with you about Ron Coote not having a hard edge OT.
I vividly remember a play-the-ball scuffle between Coote and Billy Bradstreet in the 1970 Grand final.
Coote was pretty wound up, punched Bradstreet & broke his collarbone.
Somehow, Coote was not sent off!

 

[Old Timer]

Gee, I don't know if I can agree with you about Ron Coote not having a hard edge OT.
I vividly remember a play-the-ball scuffle between Coote and Billy Bradstreet in the 1970 Grand final.
Coote was pretty wound up, punched Bradstreet & broke his collarbone.
Somehow, Coote was not sent off!

No doubt Coote was tough but he never had that hard edge confrontational mongrel in him that was in Rocket

 

[possm]

It was hard watching Kerr tonight when you think how much we need a prop like him right now. He would have been a cheap extension and all he needed was a good coach to improve his game.