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New recruits for 2023

justadragon

Bench
Messages
2,777
Exactly, justa. There is no reason now to go over what has happened. We are one team representing the City of Kogarah and the South Coast Regions.

I was born at St George Hospital in 1947 and lived in the Hurstville area for a short time but had lots of relatives living in Hurstville who were mad Dragons supporters.

I have lived in a few suburbs since and a period in the UK and while I'm not in the Dragons area, I have followed them loyally for about 63 years.

We have been through a tough 11 years but I'm sure things will turn around for the better one day. When that one day is let's hope it is soon.
Goodonya Dave, what we need is the older brigade to hold steadfast against all this turmoil associated with what the Dragons are currently doing but who the Dragons are, you have witnessed the bigtime glory years and now we couldnt be further from that point, but as you have said there is hope that one day things will be brighter again, when that day is who knows and I suppose that is what is so frustrating, myself included in the frustration, but one thing for sure division doesn't work and never will.
 

Trifili13

Juniors
Messages
790
Not apportioning any blame, but interesting how the 2 merged clubs have struggled while the 3rd merger was very short lived. Apart from 2 premierships in over 20 years, the mergers don't seem to be the powerhouses they were sold as. Neither can attract decent players on a regular basis even if a truckload of cash is thrown at them. Top players we hear are happy to stay for "unders" at better clubs. Both us and the Tigpies have huge recruitment areas yet can't seem to get it right.

Don't have the answers to our problems but hope someone in power at the club does before the older supporters drop off the perch as our performances in recent years is hardly attracting any new supporters to replace them and we go the same way as the Jets and Bears.
 

justadragon

Bench
Messages
2,777
Not apportioning any blame, but interesting how the 2 merged clubs have struggled while the 3rd merger was very short lived. Apart from 2 premierships in over 20 years, the mergers don't seem to be the powerhouses they were sold as. Neither can attract decent players on a regular basis even if a truckload of cash is thrown at them. Top players we hear are happy to stay for "unders" at better clubs. Both us and the Tigpies have huge recruitment areas yet can't seem to get it right.

Don't have the answers to our problems but hope someone in power at the club does before the older supporters drop off the perch as our performances in recent years is hardly attracting any new supporters to replace them and we go the same way as the Jets and Bears.
Agree with what you are saying, I think its the personnel on both sides of the board that are the problem, if they care or dont or realise they have issues at upper level, its irrelevant to them.
 

Kiama_Dragon

Juniors
Messages
19
The Bulldogs will be a force next year. Since they hired Gould and Barrett quitting, they are just a different team with Mick Potter as the interim coach and they will be better with who they will get for next year like Reed Mahoney, Viliame Kikau and Matt King for starters and they look like getting Cameron Ciraldo to be their head coach from 2023. Ciraldo will tighten up their defence and Craig Sanderock most probably continue as their attacking coach. Potter will fit in somewhere.

We on the other hand are so depressing it is just unbelievable how we just continue to "stand still" while most other clubs are moving and moving fast to improve for the new season ahead. Their fans have got something to look forward to while we, well I'm afraid to say it, continue to look like losers in a big way.

Please Dragons club officials, please get your act together and do something that will give us some hope for the future.
Yeah I read an article this morning about how much the dogs have improved since they got rid of Barrett and signed Potter as coach. Players saying they are getting encouraged to play what they see in front of them and the coach backs them. Unfortunately our players look like the footy has been coached out of them by how predictable we are. I can’t see anything changing while Hooks I’m charge.
 
Messages
1,527
I looked through the list off Off-Contract players at zerotackle & it was a depressing read.
If we had any ambition we'd be making overtures to Angus Chrichton. Things being what they are our "big"recruit will be someone like Klemmer.
I think Jackson Topine (Dogs) has a bit of fight in him. Maybe Matt Eisenhuth...?
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,592
I looked through the list off Off-Contract players at zerotackle & it was a depressing read.
If we had any ambition we'd be making overtures to Angus Chrichton. Things being what they are our "big"recruit will be someone like Klemmer.
I think Jackson Topine (Dogs) has a bit of fight in him. Maybe Matt Eisenhuth...?
Yuk.

Some time ago when Scott Drinkwater was coming off contract I said we should sign him up. Someone on here gave him the thumbs down and rubbished him. He is a player with versatility and can score tries. A player that would have come in handy for us but maybe would have ended up playing Dragons footy anyway.
 

Gourley's Socks

Juniors
Messages
410
I looked through the list off Off-Contract players at zerotackle & it was a depressing read.
If we had any ambition we'd be making overtures to Angus Chrichton. Things being what they are our "big"recruit will be someone like Klemmer.
I think Jackson Topine (Dogs) has a bit of fight in him. Maybe Matt Eisenhuth...?
I don't particularly rate Crichton. He may be an "Origin player" but for the past few years that's only because Freddy is Uncle Nick's best TPA sponsor.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
We have a relatively long list of good-for-nothing props recruited purely for depth. So we have seen what that turns out like.

Buy the best 17 players we can and then backfill with promising local juniors. We have the junior nursery and all though this might not be the answer straight up, it will definitely serve us well over time. The main thing is to forget about buying washed-up or reserve-grade players in the hope we can turn them into good first-grade players. We have been doing this for years and it rarely works out unless you have a Bennett or Belly ache as a coach.

The owners of our club had the opportunity to obtain Bennett's services when it was floated that he was leaving South Sydney but instead, we kept Mary on and then hired Griffin instead. 'All about Mary' and then dollars.
 

Qdf

Juniors
Messages
422
We have a relatively long list of good-for-nothing props recruited purely for depth. So we have seen what that turns out like.

Buy the best 17 players we can and then backfill with promising local juniors. We have the junior nursery and all though this might not be the answer straight up, it will definitely serve us well over time. The main thing is to forget about buying washed-up or reserve-grade players in the hope we can turn them into good first-grade players. We have been doing this for years and it rarely works out unless you have a Bennett or Belly ache as a coach.

The owners of our club had the opportunity to obtain Bennett's services when it was floated that he was leaving South Sydney but instead, we kept Mary on and then hired Griffin instead. 'All about Mary' and then dollars.
Bunch of hopeless idiots running our club. Don't know their arse from their elbow.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,991
Yuk.

Some time ago when Scott Drinkwater was coming off contract I said we should sign him up. Someone on here gave him the thumbs down and rubbished him. He is a player with versatility and can score tries. A player that would have come in handy for us but maybe would have ended up playing Dragons footy anyway.
And a face just asking to be hit.
Not that I condone violence.
But yes he’s certainly an X factor.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,930

thebigredv

First Grade
Messages
5,394
Mitch Rein.

Meant in jest I'm sure but exactly the kind of signing the club would make.

Next season already looks like a lot like the last two. Can't even call it rebuilding. It's just existence. Existence without any credibility left. Meanwhile the young guys we placed our hopes on are not exactly setting the world alight bar Cody.

Storm wanted Nofoluma, done. Already playing for them.

Roosters wanted Brandon Smith. Done.

Tigers wanted Pa'pali. Done.

Bulldogs wanted Mahoney. Done, sign sealed and delivered months ago.

Sharks looking very smitten with Hynes and Finnucane setting the tone.

Us. "Umm yeah the fans were right, should we ask Macca to leave politely? What should we do, hmmm, ah..."
 
Messages
17,304
Meant in jest I'm sure but exactly the kind of signing the club would make.

Next season already looks like a lot like the last two. Can't even call it rebuilding. It's just existence. Existence without any credibility left. Meanwhile the young guys we placed our hopes on are not exactly setting the world alight bar Cody.

Storm wanted Nofoluma, done. Already playing for them.

Roosters wanted Brandon Smith. Done.

Tigers wanted Pa'pali. Done.

Bulldogs wanted Mahoney. Done, sign sealed and delivered months ago.

Sharks looking very smitten with Hynes and Finnucane setting the tone.

Us. "Umm yeah the fans were right, should we ask Macca to leave politely? What should we do, hmmm, ah..."
Oi, don't forget Sharks wanted Kafusi from Parra, Done
 

justadragon

Bench
Messages
2,777

Nothing personal but gee I hope he does us all a favour, the only question then been can we find a suitable 30 year old to replace him!
as far as im concerned he shouldn't have been given the option for retirement, he should have had it handed to him
 
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