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New recruits for 2023

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,617
Dragons sign Charlie Leano!
4th tackle talks to Anthony Griffin; " Its really great to be able to break the announcement, we were in talks for a few weeks as hes currently playing in Group 14, I coached Charlie way back at the Hawks, his junior team in Rockhampton and he was a great player back then, the kind of player we need right now going forward, he was really good at catching the ball and running it up back then and still has that ability. He's a very important part of our plans for the next few years with guys like Mcullough leaving, thats a huge dent in experience so he will be good for the younger players like Woodsy and Burgess, Shereb and Coric are still 7 or 8 years off and im looking at being a career coach here at St George so understand how to bring them through." " Flashy play and winning games arent everything, were a work in progress and I aim to have us at about 12 or 10 next year with a possible aim of getting to 8th or 9th spot in 2024." " Im talking to Dave Shillington also for return, hes a good bloke and real role model and a former origin player, hes the kind of experienced player who never takes a backwards step and still has a lot to offer. I have my eye on bringing young Josh Mcrone back, whos been really going well over in Tolouse to play half for us for the next few years, guys like young Sullivan are still 3 or 4 years off so Josh knows the Dragons system well, im very excited about all these 3 new signings theres a lot of experience there. " 4th Tackle.
Charlie Leano
A blast from the past😂
I remember Gus saying he’s so big he has his own postcode.
Another highly touted flop of ours😩
 

Blood Shot Eyes

First Grade
Messages
6,323
Just in, Hook looking to bring Sam Thaiday back, apparently he coached him when he was under 8s playing for the Rockhampton Rockets.
“Sam brings a wealth of experience and will plug a hole for us in the middle”
3 year contract with 4th year player option.
What about bringing George Rose back as well Crush, Im sure he'd plug any holes in our middle that Sam might miss.....neither of them would have to run just stand there...problem is getting shirts to fit em
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,274
The thread title is 'New recruits for 2023'...

Who honestly gives a rat's about new recruits, when we have a coach that can't put together a consistent and effective game plan. When we have a coach that is responsible for an attack that continually dishes up unstructured garbage that resembles headless chickens running around a paddock.

I have to laugh reading some of these posts. Posts that seem to be offering up excuses for Griffin. Excuses for his recruitment strategy and excuses for what we've dished up on the field, which he is directly responsible for. People seem to want to make out that Griffin is paying the price for the last decade.

Give me a break 🙄

If we had a coach, like a Bellamy or Robinson, a coach that was capable of bringing structure in attack and defence, don't you think we would see an immediate improvement with the glaring issues that we have, especially with our attack? Sure we wouldn't be ladder leaders but i reckon we'd be playing finals football, and that, all of a sudden, makes us a much more attractive proposition to any potential recruits. With the style of football Hook has us playing, i doubt anyone would want to be part of our club.

And as far as Hook's recruitment goes, he was the one that went out and signed a broken down, 31 year old, tortoise to a three year deal. With the carrot of the three year deal, we could have enticed someone that provided much more than McCullough out of dummy half. You've only got to look at how much better we look when Bud is playing in that position and HE'S NOT EVEN A DUMMY HALF. But no! Hook knew who he wanted and offered the 3 year deal to get him down here. A blind man would have known that, with the way the game was changing, you needed speed in that position, yet Hook went out and signed the slowest hooker in the competition to a long term deal.

It was also been widely reported in the media that Hook wanted to re-sign Norman last year and we all know he tried to sign Israel Folau. How would that have been good for our juniors? Which of our promising kids would have stuck behind those two? The argument that Hooks recruitment was with the thought of not putting road blocks in front of our juniors is ludicrous.

Basically i think that, sure we had issues when Hook arrived, but far from fixing those issues, he's added to them the last two years. Anybody who thinks Hook is part of the solution and not the problem, is deluded.
We could reincarnate puff and put him in the centres and he'd just be given no room to move, like the rest of our edges and outside backs struggle with. He'd have no room to move because our coach is incapable of providing that room through attacking structure.

Talking about recruitment is basically a waste of time until the club does what needs to be done and moves Hook on. The sooner the better.

I thought he was the way to go. I endorsed him when the club signed him. I was wrong!

Time to fix that mistake...
Great post, nailed it.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,760
The thread title is 'New recruits for 2023'...

Who honestly gives a rat's about new recruits, when we have a coach that can't put together a consistent and effective game plan. When we have a coach that is responsible for an attack that continually dishes up unstructured garbage that resembles headless chickens running around a paddock.

I have to laugh reading some of these posts. Posts that seem to be offering up excuses for Griffin. Excuses for his recruitment strategy and excuses for what we've dished up on the field, which he is directly responsible for. People seem to want to make out that Griffin is paying the price for the last decade.

Give me a break 🙄

If we had a coach, like a Bellamy or Robinson, a coach that was capable of bringing structure in attack and defence, don't you think we would see an immediate improvement with the glaring issues that we have, especially with our attack? Sure we wouldn't be ladder leaders but i reckon we'd be playing finals football, and that, all of a sudden, makes us a much more attractive proposition to any potential recruits. With the style of football Hook has us playing, i doubt anyone would want to be part of our club.

And as far as Hook's recruitment goes, he was the one that went out and signed a broken down, 31 year old, tortoise to a three year deal. With the carrot of the three year deal, we could have enticed someone that provided much more than McCullough out of dummy half. You've only got to look at how much better we look when Bud is playing in that position and HE'S NOT EVEN A DUMMY HALF. But no! Hook knew who he wanted and offered the 3 year deal to get him down here. A blind man would have known that, with the way the game was changing, you needed speed in that position, yet Hook went out and signed the slowest hooker in the competition to a long term deal.

It was also been widely reported in the media that Hook wanted to re-sign Norman last year and we all know he tried to sign Israel Folau. How would that have been good for our juniors? Which of our promising kids would have stuck behind those two? The argument that Hooks recruitment was with the thought of not putting road blocks in front of our juniors is ludicrous.

Basically i think that, sure we had issues when Hook arrived, but far from fixing those issues, he's added to them the last two years. Anybody who thinks Hook is part of the solution and not the problem, is deluded.
We could reincarnate puff and put him in the centres and he'd just be given no room to move, like the rest of our edges and outside backs struggle with. He'd have no room to move because our coach is incapable of providing that room through attacking structure.

Talking about recruitment is basically a waste of time until the club does what needs to be done and moves Hook on. The sooner the better.

I thought he was the way to go. I endorsed him when the club signed him. I was wrong!

Time to fix that mistake...
Jesus, take a breath B5 ! I think you will find that that a lot on here ( me included ) that gave Hook at least mid 22 season to fully gauge his performance , based on a year and a half on the job. That time has elapsed and we are "gauging "!!
 

I'm Hornby

Juniors
Messages
715
Lol, other forum members are just fine with my credibility, ask them, go on.
Bro, you had a whinge a few months back, left in a huff for three weeks and no one realised you were gone for the whole time 😂 Wouldn't say that's a glowing testimony to your posts adding value around here.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,274
Bro, you had a whinge a few months back, left in a huff for three weeks and no one realised you were gone for the whole time 😂 Wouldn't say that's a glowing testimony to your posts adding value around here.
Do you ever post anything other than jibes at other posters? Why don’t you try just posting a few opinions, thoughts, predictions, football related stuff. Tell us who you think will win the comp this year, what late changes are you expecting to today’s lineup vs Broncs, which players do you rate and which ones should we move on etc etc.
Pretty much everything I have ever read from you is having a go at me, or other posters.
And you say I’m not adding value?
Fair dinkum.
 

I'm Hornby

Juniors
Messages
715
Do you ever post anything other than jibes at other posters? Why don’t you try just posting a few opinions, thoughts, predictions, football related stuff. Tell us who you think will win the comp this year, what late changes are you expecting to today’s lineup vs Broncs, which players do you rate and which ones should we move on etc etc.
Pretty much everything I have ever read from you is having a go at me, or other posters.
And you say I’m not adding value?
Fair dinkum.
Oh boo hoo someone criticised the content of my posts, excuse me while I have a sook and leave the forum for three weeks only to come back hat in hand 😂
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,804
Well we have tried everywhere to buy ourselves some half decent players , buuuuut they all knock the Dragons back .

So I reckon the time has come for our recruiting to use their brains and look outside the usual cattle yards , places like Tasmania or even South Australia - what have we to lose ? ? ? 😳
 

jak

Bench
Messages
3,472
Well we have tried everywhere to buy ourselves some half decent players , buuuuut they all knock the Dragons back .

So I reckon the time has come for our recruiting to use their brains and look outside the usual cattle yards , places like Tasmania or even South Australia - what have we to lose ? ? ? 😳
i have a couple of years left in me i will have a run next year if you do,ol fela
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
4,194

be55

Juniors
Messages
614
Through the week someone reported that, other than Liddle, we were taking a look at Jake Turpin for next year as well. I hope the club were watching the first 20 mins last night because his service out of dummy half has to be the worst in the NRL. His passing and pass selection is terrible. As soon as Walters came on they looked much better around the ruck.

I won't make comment on whether to re-sign him or not, but with all the talk of what to do with Hunt's contract, the one thing i hope the club is doing is making sure we have enough room in the salary cap to make a serious play to bring Reece Robson back to the club in 2024. He was outstanding again last night.

Robson has speed and vision out of dummy half, and his service is arguably the best in the league. The speed of his pass and the fact he can throw a long ball, off the deck, to either side of the ruck and hit his man on the chest consistently, is invaluable. If i had anything to do with the club's recruitment, I'd be knocking on his door at 12:01 a.m. on November 1st with a contract in hand asking him to state his terms. Offer him a long term deal on good money. Even as a junior the kid was destined for the highest levels of the game and he'd be a wise investment as he is still only 24. You'd be buying a future Blue, as when Koroisau and Cook retire, he'll be the next one to wear the 9 jersey for NSW.

The Cowboys must be borderline with the salary cap, with players like Holmes, Taumalolo, Leilua and Townsend on big coin and they've just extended Drinkwater till 2026 on 650 a year as well. With the right offer, that he deserves, we might be able to pinch him. He'd be a terrific investment and exactly what we need.

If he'd want to return to the club is another question entirely. Fingers crossed the club can get it done...
 

dannyt

Coach
Messages
14,489
Through the week someone reported that, other than Liddle, we were taking a look at Jake Turpin for next year as well. I hope the club were watching the first 20 mins last night because his service out of dummy half has to be the worst in the NRL. His passing and pass selection is terrible. As soon as Walters came on they looked much better around the ruck.

I won't make comment on whether to re-sign him or not, but with all the talk of what to do with Hunt's contract, the one thing i hope the club is doing is making sure we have enough room in the salary cap to make a serious play to bring Reece Robson back to the club in 2024. He was outstanding again last night.

Robson has speed and vision out of dummy half, and his service is arguably the best in the league. The speed of his pass and the fact he can throw a long ball, off the deck, to either side of the ruck and hit his man on the chest consistently, is invaluable. If i had anything to do with the club's recruitment, I'd be knocking on his door at 12:01 a.m. on November 1st with a contract in hand asking him to state his terms. Offer him a long term deal on good money. Even as a junior the kid was destined for the highest levels of the game and he'd be a wise investment as he is still only 24. You'd be buying a future Blue, as when Koroisau and Cook retire, he'll be the next one to wear the 9 jersey for NSW.

The Cowboys must be borderline with the salary cap, with players like Holmes, Taumalolo, Leilua and Townsend on big coin and they've just extended Drinkwater till 2026 on 650 a year as well. With the right offer, that he deserves, we might be able to pinch him. He'd be a terrific investment and exactly what we need.

If he'd want to return to the club is another question entirely. Fingers crossed the club can get it done...
I'm hoping his problems with our club were really just a problem with our former coach.
 
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