New recruits for 2023

[baggygreen man]

Surely we start negotiating with Liddle if we haven't already. If Kerr can keep his form up too, I don't see a reason not to re-sign him on either a 1 or 2 year deal, keep him honest and working. At the very least, Kerr will provide better depth than some others in our ranks.

Liddle has been extended by two yrs and Kerr is returning home to Redcliffe. Good riddance, a big hulking man with little heart or skill.

 

[MrRavaLover]

Kerr like Ford a victim of Hook's stupidity. Will be a different player with Wayne.

 

[Parko1310]

Surely you now know Liddle has been extended by two yrs and Kerr is returning home to Redcliffe. Good riddance, a big hulking man with little heart or skill.

This was posted before either had happened

 

[RV2010]

Sloan's skills will be wasted at wing. If not at fullback then in the halves. I reckon he and Amone would make a good combo.. his ball skills with his Three Amigo mate's running skills.
If we can get a marquee half then no need for a makeshift one. Des should be made aware of a half running around in Ball/ Flegg by the name of Nicholas Quinn. Looks a good'n.
Rava or Suli as edge forwards. The Couchman twins could also make good edge forwards.
Not sold on Frank prefer his brother Mike in our pack and give him decent minutes. Instead Hasler should look at Musgrove or our local junior Josh Coric or Alec Tuitavake as starting book ends.
There is only one position for JDB, lock, a position he has made his own his entire career and should finish with it.
If Suli is moved to the pack Des should take a squizz at former Waratah Savelio Tamale to slot into his centre spot, a class act this kid.
Des should immediately reinstate Zac Lomax and either terminate the contract of Murdoch/Masila or send him to Ressies.. ditto Jack Bird.

Not having a crack at you BGM, but our defence is shocking now. Sloan is no doubt a gifted attacking weapon, but his defence is deplorable. Although Amone’s is better, he is struggling at the moment too. Thats not even mentioning our captains ability to defend. Frontline defenders need to want to engage in contact, I don’t see that from Sloan at this stage of his development. We can have all the attacking super stars we want, but until our club club employs players that can tackle as well, we are going to struggle. Maybe Des is just the man to right what’s wrong?

 

[Dragons4me]

Not having a crack at you BGM, but our defence is shocking now. Sloan is no doubt a gifted attacking weapon, but his defence is deplorable. Although Amone’s is better, he is struggling at the moment too. Thats not even mentioning our captains ability to defend. Frontline defenders need to want to engage in contact, I don’t see that from Sloan at this stage of his development. We can have all the attacking super stars we want, but until our club club employs players that can tackle as well, we are going to struggle. Maybe Des is just the man to right what’s wrong?

 

[justadragon]

Not having a crack at you BGM, but our defence is shocking now. Sloan is no doubt a gifted attacking weapon, but his defence is deplorable. Although Amone’s is better, he is struggling at the moment too. Thats not even mentioning our captains ability to defend. Frontline defenders need to want to engage in contact, I don’t see that from Sloan at this stage of his development. We can have all the attacking super stars we want, but until our club club employs players that can tackle as well, we are going to struggle. Maybe Des is just the man to right what’s wrong?

You can squarely blame our pathways for the way our players come through the grades, have a look at all the lower grades and its the same thing all the time, defence is a shocker !!!

 

[Dragon David]

Too bad we weren't able to get Averillo to join the Dragons otherwise he wouldn't have scored those two tries against us. According to Foxsports news, they say - "the Dragons approached the Bulldogs about an early release for Averillo this season but were rejected".

I didn't know that we were after him??

 

[TheRev]

Too bad we weren't able to get Averillo to join the Dragons otherwise he wouldn't have scored those two tries against us. According to Foxsports news, they say - "the Dragons approached the Bulldogs about an early release for Averillo this season but were rejected".

I didn't know that we were after him??

MC let that leak a while back, we went after Taafe > Averillo > Turner.. didnt we pick the short straw on that one.. this was about a week before Amone got his release to play from the NRL.

How different the roster would have looked with an extra gun..

 

[qld redvee]

MC let that leak a while back, we went after Taafe > Averillo > Turner.. didnt we pick the short straw on that one.. this was about a week before Amone got his release to play from the NRL.

How different the roster would have looked with an extra gun..

Rev, you forget our coach would have dumbed down table or aerial and left them languishing in reserve grade. And like you said we get turner for an incredible 2 years

 

[Dragon David]

MC let that leak a while back, we went after Taafe > Averillo > Turner.. didnt we pick the short straw on that one.. this was about a week before Amone got his release to play from the NRL.

How different the roster would have looked with an extra gun..

Of course. This was when the NRL allowed us to sign up a like for like player in the Cody Ramsey matter wasn't it?

 

[TheRev]

Of course. This was when the NRL allowed us to sign up a like for like player in the Cody Ramsey matter wasn't it?

Naa turner came months ago, about a week before amone was allowed back into the nrl. We bought him essentially to replace amone, but kinda Ramsey also.. Turner is a 1 or a 6. We wouldn't have bought him if we knew amone could play..

But turner seems a complete lemon.. Doesn't look fit.. Hes slow.. I dont even think he can get off the ground... Compared to taafe or averillo.. Like I wouldn't have turner in my nsw cup side over Stewart, herring and co..

Ramseys replacement is still to come.

 

[BTB]

Surely you now know Liddle has been extended by two yrs and Kerr is returning home to Redcliffe. Good riddance, a big hulking man with little heart or skill.

Agree, Kerr has had ample opportunities to show us his skills. Nothing, don't let the door hit u on the way out. Goodbye.

 

[baggygreen man]

Sloan is no doubt a gifted attacking weapon, but his defence is deplorable.

Bit harsh. Like I say a fullback as the last line of defense has nowhere to hide, but we have to cut the kid some slack as he is being left with not only one man to take on but two, sometimes three due to our poor middle defense and wingers leaving their post. Jack de Belin and Blake Lawrie are the only forward defenders I'd pay. Young Couchman has done his fair share too in the few mins Griffin has given him.

 

[RV2010]

Bit harsh. Like I say a fullback as the last line of defense has nowhere to hide, but we have to cut the kid some slack as he is being left with not only one man to take on but two, sometimes three due to our poor middle defense and wingers leaving their post. Jack de Belin and Blake Lawrie are the only forward defenders I'd pay. Young Couchman has done his fair share too in the few mins Griffin has given him.

‘Sloan's skills will be wasted at wing. If not at fullback then in the halves.’

My comment was in response to your quote above re: Sloan in the halves. Yes, deplorable is probably a bit harsh. But in reality, if he cannot cope with tackling a player/s from fullback how is he going to cope with edge back rowers running at him all day? I also said at this stage of his development he doesn’t want the contact. He does not use his shoulders at all he only grabs. Until he is willing to put his body in front, defensively nothing is going to change for him. However I am sure our fantastic & innovative coaching staff are working on it at training. Or better still, a new coach will sort out his deficiencies and we can all see him reach his potential. Which would be great for the Dragons

 

[BTB]

Yes , Sloan is a grabber. Absolutely hopeless in defence. Looks like he is scared. Same under the bomb. Have a look at young up and coming Titans fullback J.Campbell
Similarly body type not much older.
Difference is Campbell attacks the ball on bombs
rarely ever let's it bounce.
While in Defence tackles head on, rarely misses his man.
Great prospect.Show a lot of heart.
Not to say Sloan can't be just like Campbell over time.
But atm a winger learning his trade FG or a fullback in Reserve grade.

 

[Crush]

Yes , Sloan is a grabber. Absolutely hopeless in defence. Looks like he is scared. Same under the bomb. Have a look at young up and coming Titans fullback J.Campbell
Similarly body type not much older.
Difference is Campbell attacks the ball on bombs
rarely ever let's it bounce.
While in Defence tackles head on, rarely misses his man.
Great prospect.Show a lot of heart.
Not to say Sloan can't be just like Campbell over time.
But atm a winger learning his trade FG or a fullback in Reserve grade.

I’ve seen examples of Sloan making some fine try saving tackles. He’s finding his feet in NRL, he’s worth persisting with while he works out the defensive side of things because of what he creates in attack, removing Sloan from the team leaves us with zero creativity.

 

[Old Timer]

I’ve seen examples of Sloan making some fine try saving tackles. He’s finding his feet in NRL, he’s worth persisting with while he works out the defensive side of things because of what he creates in attack, removing Sloan from the team leaves us with zero creativity.

That’s exactly how / why we waisted all those years on Dufty

Sloan needs to show commitment and intent and if he makes mistakes doing that then maybe he can improve and should be given some time to do so

However if he has no desire to commit and shows no intent that he is going to do so then we must move on and do so quickly

Drop some bombs, get run over the top over are far more desirable outcomes than just standing around.

 

[Crush]

That’s exactly how / why we waisted all those years on Dufty

Sloan needs to show commitment and intent and if he makes mistakes doing that then maybe he can improve and should be given some time to do so

However if he has no desire to commit and shows no intent that he is going to do so then we must move on and do so quickly

Drop some bombs, get run over the top over are far more desirable outcomes than just standing around.

Funny, I still think back to the Dufty years and while he probably cost us some games with his defensive abilities he definitely won us plenty with his attack.
It’s a very similar situation isn’t it, without Dufty we had absolutely no speed and nothing in attack that would worry opponents.
Now it’s Sloan. I think however Sloan has the potential to get better off the ball, Dufty was always just too little.

 

[Carlton]

I was a big critic of Dufty's shortcomings but it is unfair to be as critical of Sloan. Dufty was 24 or 25 and had played 100 first grade games (or there about) and Sloan is 20, yet Sloan is showing improvement with his physicality while Dufty didnt.

As far as I'm concerned Sloan is showing potential and improvement but he is not there yet and needs to keep improving. At the moment give him the opportunity to show what level he can get to but dont be blinded and make the perserverance mistake that was made with Dufty. If he stops improving show him the door and move on.

For me the five players that I think let us down due to gaps in their games are Hunt, Amone, Lawrie, Lomax and Bird. Mybe also has shortcomings but as a pure utility I dont think he is as detrimental as some posters make out. I dont agree with Mbye as a starter or playing big minutes, he is a interchange and cover for injury.

 

[Illusion]

Funny, I still think back to the Dufty years and while he probably cost us some games with his defensive abilities he definitely won us plenty with his attack.
It’s a very similar situation isn’t it, without Dufty we had absolutely no speed and nothing in attack that would worry opponents.
Now it’s Sloan. I think however Sloan has the potential to get better off the ball, Dufty was always just too little.

Dufty was top try scorer , plus more try assists than Hunt ...... The way the game has changed and got quicker just , dont understand how a coach couldn't utilise his speed coming off the bench in games .........