KOE (ex Canterbury Cup) and Jersey Flegg

[Parko1310]

What the hell has happened to our JF side, so disappointed with this side, they have just imploded

I wouldn't be too concerned.. yet. A lot of chopping and changing this year with so many of our good SG players moving up to play throughout the year so they'd have been one of the younger teams in the comp.. if not the youngest. They'll be better for the experience and a year older next year and I think you'll find will handle it better. In this last game as well Latu went up to cup, as did Tsougranis and Stewart who has played mostly Flegg this year was in cup too. It's more of a progression thing I think and I'll only be concerned if they're not winning more next year and the year after

 

[TheRev]

Yep not too worried about flegg results.. the mashing of essentially 3 teams together (Existing Flegg + SG Dragons + SG Steelers) is messy.. but what really matters... is making sure our best talent is progressing through.

The other good thing about the competition is players who we previously thought were very promising.. are now having to defend their positions against quite often much better younger kids.. it means whoever does make it out of the washing machine.. will be a better chance of first grade success.

The forwards are looking great.. but the part I havent liked about Flegg however is im still not seeing the backs that are within 12-18mths of first grade.. I dont think theyre there yet.. some have the skill but not the size, some not the skill, some havent worked on their defense or effort areas.. I mean maybe LKT within 12mths could fill a few positions, but the rest just are not ready yet.. there is no 'Bostock v2' ready to go.... I think we should be chasing a halfback for our Top30 and an outside back for one of our spare development positions.. imo we should fill some of these gaps in our development... there are a couple more coming through next year, but these kids are 18 and still do go through SG Ball next year.

 

[Parko1310]

Yep not too worried about flegg results.. the mashing of essentially 3 teams together (Existing Flegg + SG Dragons + SG Steelers) is messy.. but what really matters... is making sure our best talent is progressing through.

The other good thing about the competition is players who we previously thought were very promising.. are now having to defend their positions against quite often much better younger kids.. it means whoever does make it out of the washing machine.. will be a better chance of first grade success.

The forwards are looking great.. but the part I havent liked about Flegg however is im still not seeing the backs that are within 12-18mths of first grade.. I dont think theyre there yet.. some have the skill but not the size, some not the skill, some havent worked on their defense or effort areas.. I mean maybe LKT within 12mths could fill a few positions, but the rest just are not ready yet.. there is no 'Bostock v2' ready to go.... I think we should be chasing a halfback for our Top30 and an outside back for one of our spare development positions.. imo we should fill some of these gaps in our development... there are a couple more coming through next year, but these kids are 18 and still do go through SG Ball next year.

We've signed Saifiti (the winger) from Ipswich to start in Flegg next year, so hopefully that eases some of the headache in the outside backs. I'm pretty high on Hayden Buchanan, very young to already be playing cup and just needs to put on a few kilos. Hopefully hooker covered if Mason Phillips progresses well. For half, I'd be going pretty hard to bring Toby Rodwell back. Walker will re-sign at roosters, Sandon Smith will be in front of him, and I think they've got another kid who's a bit older who might get the jump on Rodwell as well. Genuinely a potential future star halfback, shouldn't have lost him. If we can offer him a clearer path to NRL, maybe he comes back? Reed looks good, but sometimes you've got to be ruthless. Rodwell is simply better and competition is good.

 

[justadragon]

Yep not too worried about flegg results.. the mashing of essentially 3 teams together (Existing Flegg + SG Dragons + SG Steelers) is messy.. but what really matters... is making sure our best talent is progressing through.

The other good thing about the competition is players who we previously thought were very promising.. are now having to defend their positions against quite often much better younger kids.. it means whoever does make it out of the washing machine.. will be a better chance of first grade success.

The forwards are looking great.. but the part I havent liked about Flegg however is im still not seeing the backs that are within 12-18mths of first grade.. I dont think theyre there yet.. some have the skill but not the size, some not the skill, some havent worked on their defense or effort areas.. I mean maybe LKT within 12mths could fill a few positions, but the rest just are not ready yet.. there is no 'Bostock v2' ready to go.... I think we should be chasing a halfback for our Top30 and an outside back for one of our spare development positions.. imo we should fill some of these gaps in our development... there are a couple more coming through next year, but these kids are 18 and still do go through SG Ball next year.

Are we looking like the panthers at all, with their progression of juniors. I do get what you and Parko say, I'll make the call now, I would be grooming LKT to be a 6 and Flanno Jr a 7 for next year, cut Hunt loose or play him as a 14 for next year only.

 

[TheRev]

We've signed Saifiti (the winger) from Ipswich to start in Flegg next year, so hopefully that eases some of the headache in the outside backs. I'm pretty high on Hayden Buchanan, very young to already be playing cup and just needs to put on a few kilos. Hopefully hooker covered if Mason Phillips progresses well. For half, I'd be going pretty hard to bring Toby Rodwell back. Walker will re-sign at roosters, Sandon Smith will be in front of him, and I think they've got another kid who's a bit older who might get the jump on Rodwell as well. Genuinely a potential future star halfback, shouldn't have lost him. If we can offer him a clearer path to NRL, maybe he comes back? Reed looks good, but sometimes you've got to be ruthless. Rodwell is simply better and competition is good.

Saifiti and Reed were the 2 backs I was eluding too as being ~18 still.. 2 promising players but they arent going to help us any time soon.. and Saifiti is still a bit of an unknown.. hes more of a matty utai guy, I dont know if he has the full skillset yet.. Williams I thought was a sure thing but he hasnt grabbed it with 2 hands either..

Buchanan is the best example of a guy whos got all the skill but is too small still to play 1st grade.. all of these guys are talents, but none of them are 12-18mths away from helping us.. we have to keep bridging the gap imo.

I dont know the full Rodwell story, but if we've already lost him.. surely hes not coming back? Was it because we had Kade Reed in front of him? Only 1 of em can play Flegg 7 next year..

 

[TheRev]

Are we looking like the panthers at all, with their progression of juniors. I do get what you and Parko say, I'll make the call now, I would be grooming LKT to be a 6 and Flanno Jr a 7 for next year, cut Hunt loose or play him as a 14 for next year only.

I dont even know if LKT will make it yet.. he needs 12mths, then mid-season next year maybe he is injury cover, maybe he could even fill in at ctr or as a 14.. but we definitely wouldnt start the season relying on him. And I dont know about Flanno Jr, hes very serviceable, but I think maybe peeps r right, hes not enough of a leader to be a first grade 7... not unless there was a Gutho equivalent @6 to do said leading.

 

[hook hook]

Interesting things to play out in these teams, I'm quite excited to see. im gonna post a team list for each of the grades that I'd run with and I'd love to hear your feedback, or whether there is some notable players I left out. I can't find any data on players D.O.Bs so I'm not really sure who is still eligible for flegg next year so the ones moved to cup will be a guess haha. Please correct me

JF
1. TPH
2. J Williams
3. Buchannon (needs a bit more time in Flegg)
4. Afu
5. Saifiti
6. Quinn? (pretty sure he's eligible for one more year but could be wrong)
7. Hammoud
8. Hutchison
9. Mason Philips
10. Ackers
11. Halangahu
12. Stanley-Trail
13. Latu to start the year (Meafu on completion of S.G ball - Latu moves to cup)
14. Fagalilo
15. Treweek
16. Alhazim
17. Leikvoll
18. Kirk

Liu, webster, barrett-hancock all a year old now.

NSW Cup
1. Rumble
2. Finau/Tui (whichever doesn't make the NRL team)
3. Johnson
4. Fegai/Allen
5. Fegai/Allen
6. LKT
7. Ward (not sure on glover's status)
8. LPT
9. Hjaltson (Finau a more impact player)
10. Lui
11. Egan
12. Nick.T
13. Stewart
14. Finau
15. M. Molo
16. Lawrie (let's hope he goes nowhere near the first grade side)
17. V. Fafita
18. Webster

Would have Coric over fafita but not sure on his status for next year. There's so much dead wood in the front row in cup that will hinder the progression of guys like Liu and Webster

 

[Desperate Dragon]

So with the signing of Kalo Kalo from Souths, does anyone else have any information about the make up of our KOE Cup squad for 2025??
Is Coric still with us??
What Flegg players have been promoted??

 

[UnknownDragon]

So with the signing of Kalo Kalo from Souths, does anyone else have any information about the make up of our KOE Cup squad for 2025??
Is Coric still with us??
What Flegg players have been promoted??

no Coric

 

[justadragon]

no Coric

Shame I thought he was playing pretty good football towards the end of the season.

 

[denis preston]

His Dan Hunt / Lawrie type body has gone out of fashion perhaps?

 

[justadragon]

His Dan Hunt / Lawrie type body has gone out of fashion perhaps?

Yeah DP maybe so, but I thought he was playing way better than Fifita, I also thought Tuitavake was worth it from what I have seen of him. Apparently I'm a bad judge and they were both punted for not having big motors. Anyway life goes on.

 

[TheRev]

Tui wasnt in the same realm as Fifita.. was a lot more reliable.. I might put him on par with a MMolo or Lawrie in terms of upper ceiling... but he was an impact prop.. he ran off the back fence.. big collisions.. but has he got 1st grade in him? I dunno if he does.. and he is off-contract so hes easy to move on... we have a lot of young forwards that need those spots this year, next year, the year after.. ppl have to go to make room.

Fifita's quality is elite but there is something wrong with his engineroom.. I mean we can keep working on him, but we have literally a dozen younger guys on the way.. its just a qn of whether we are gonna move Fifita on for 2025.. or 2026.

 

[getsmarty]

Gallery: Young Dragons return for preseason

Check out a collection of preseason pictures as the first wave of returning players put in work.

www.dragons.com.au

 

[Dragon David]

Gallery: Young Dragons return for preseason

Check out a collection of preseason pictures as the first wave of returning players put in work.

www.dragons.com.au

Great bunch of guys. I hope they have lots of success next year.