New recruits for 2023

[saintmar]

Mitch Rein.

 

[Dragons154]

Too play devils advocate. Or not.

Hooks 1 year extension at the start of the year was clearly the wrong decision.

The correct choice would of been to sack him or extend him 2 years.

a 1 year extension immediately puts pressure on the coach to get the Wins at all costs.
this lends itself directly to gritty grinding style wins, which we have struggled to do anyway.

however you’d like to think that with a 2 year extension Hook would of used 2022 to blood juniors and build for ‘23.

probably wishful thinking on my behalf. But either way we are in a worst position going into ‘23 than we were going into this year.

 

[Hard Yards]

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.

This is factually incorrect, Wayne Bennet had come to a verbal agreement to return to StGI (to replace Paul McGregor) for 2015 following his very public falling out with the Knights under Tinklers disastrous tenure. Matters that were well publicised at the time. The agreement, apparently verbal advanced to the point between both party's that saw the club conduct initial discussions as to roster and coaching staff appointments under him. At the very last moment Lachlan Murdoch personally intervened to convince Wayne that he should return to the Broncos, he assured him the feelong of prior animosity between he and the Broncos management was behind them and he was assured of an unhindered open hand. The Dragons management were NOT slow to act on an approach to Bennet, nor were they reponsible for his last minute rejection of a verbal agreement, an issue that understandably caused signifigant personal and professional angst with the StGI board, leaving them completely blindsided. You may not like the current board at the club but your telling of events should be factual and reflect some attempt at being informed and accurate.

 

[dannyt]

This is factually incorrect, Wayne Bennet had come to a verbal agreement to return to StGI (to replace Paul McGregor) for 2015 following his very public falling out with the Knights under Tinklers disastrous tenure. Matters that were well publicised at the time. The agreement, apparently verbal advanced to the point between both party's that saw the club conduct initial discussions as to roster and coaching staff appointments under him. At the very last moment Lachlan Murdoch personally intervened to convince Wayne that he should return to the Broncos, he assured him the feelong of prior animosity between he and the Broncos management was behind them and he was assured of an unhindered open hand. The Dragons management were NOT slow to act on an approach to Bennet, nor were they reponsible for his last minute rejection of a verbal agreement, an issue that understandably caused signifigant personal and professional angst with the StGI board, leaving them completely blindsided. You may not like the current board at the club but your telling of events should be factual and reflect some attempt at being informed and accurate.

You are correct in all you say about Bennett, his agreement to coach us, and the last-minute blindsiding by Lachlan Murdoch.

I've also heard rumours that we also approached Bellamy at the time, and very recently (as in the past few days), I heard a rumour that we also approached Brad Arthur at the time. Indeed, the Brad Arthur rumour allegedly had him contacting Widdop, whom he coached before, to say he would be coaching him again. Bellamy knocked us back, and Brad Arthur was knocked back, presumably because we assumed we had gained Bennett's services, if there was any actual talks between the club and Arthur.

I suppose these are examples that the board having some idea on who should be done, but the problem is the past decade has shown that these examples of good management are swamped by bad management. Take McGregor-he got the job after Bennett knocked us back, but then the board mismanaged his tenure by extending him despite poor performance, before sacking him about a year after his last extension.

@possm raises an interesting point about the possibility of securing Bennett's services after he left South Sydney. I am not aware of that at all, but it's different to the events you describe that occurred around 2015 as this would have occurred around somewhere around 2020-2021.

 

[smi962]

Too play devils advocate. Or not.

Hooks 1 year extension at the start of the year was clearly the wrong decision.

The correct choice would of been to sack him or extend him 2 years.

a 1 year extension immediately puts pressure on the coach to get the Wins at all costs.
this lends itself directly to gritty grinding style wins, which we have struggled to do anyway.

however you’d like to think that with a 2 year extension Hook would of used 2022 to blood juniors and build for ‘23.

probably wishful thinking on my behalf. But either way we are in a worst position going into ‘23 than we were going into this year.

Still not convinced with 2 years that he would have used that time to blood juniors anyway.

 

[Dragons154]

Still not convinced with 2 years that he would have used that time to blood juniors anyway.

That was the general gist of what I was referring to. But you can definitely point to the possibility that this was the only outcome. A coach given a 1 year isn’t going to wait for combo to gel.

Macca really has to be let go, I hope the rumours of him departing a year early is true.

Hunt to 9 makes the most sense, A steady hand to point Bud and Amone in the right direction.

I’m really struggling to find a position for Sloan in the team if Ramsey continues to evolve.

The forward/prop rotation is probably one of the most concerning positions for the club. Blocker has improved this year, and Molo has been average/ solid. We are lacking any sort of game breaker in that department.
while it’s a positive that moose and hopefully woods are leaving we really don’t have anyone on the horizon to jump into the team, and apart from Haas. No other standout forwards will be on the market for the end of the year.

 

[jak]

That was the general gist of what I was referring to. But you can definitely point to the possibility that this was the only outcome. A coach given a 1 year isn’t going to wait for combo to gel.

Macca really has to be let go, I hope the rumours of him departing a year early is true.

Hunt to 9 makes the most sense, A steady hand to point Bud and Amone in the right direction.

I’m really struggling to find a position for Sloan in the team if Ramsey continues to evolve.

The forward/prop rotation is probably one of the most concerning positions for the club. Blocker has improved this year, and Molo has been average/ solid. We are lacking any sort of game breaker in that department.
while it’s a positive that moose and hopefully woods are leaving we really don’t have anyone on the horizon to jump into the team, and apart from Haas. No other standout forwards will be on the market for the end of the year.

agree with you regarding hunt and bud, start bud at half hunt at hooker swap around if and when necessary

 

[possm]

This is factually incorrect, Wayne Bennet had come to a verbal agreement to return to StGI (to replace Paul McGregor) for 2015 following his very public falling out with the Knights under Tinklers disastrous tenure. Matters that were well publicised at the time. The agreement, apparently verbal advanced to the point between both party's that saw the club conduct initial discussions as to roster and coaching staff appointments under him. At the very last moment Lachlan Murdoch personally intervened to convince Wayne that he should return to the Broncos, he assured him the feelong of prior animosity between he and the Broncos management was behind them and he was assured of an unhindered open hand. The Dragons management were NOT slow to act on an approach to Bennet, nor were they reponsible for his last minute rejection of a verbal agreement, an issue that understandably caused signifigant personal and professional angst with the StGI board, leaving them completely blindsided. You may not like the current board at the club but your telling of events should be factual and reflect some attempt at being informed and accurate.

I never indicated the time frame you are speaking about. This is all news to me. I was talking about the time when Doust and Young met with Bennett after disagreements surfaced with the Broncos Board/CEO.

 

[Pleasehelpstillchoking]

Just to get the discussion going!

Some forwards that are off contract that might be worth considering:

Jack Murchie
Royce Hunt
Matt Doorey
Hermen Ese Ese
Francis Pele

All in early to mid 20's. Do any fit the bill, if not who do we go after?

 

[qld redvee]

Just to get the discussion going!

Some forwards that are off contract that might be worth considering:

Jack Murchie
Royce Hunt
Matt Doorey
Hermen Ese Ese
Francis Pele

All in early to mid 20's. Do any fit the bill, if not who do we go after?

pele has gone to the dogs

 

[saintmar]

pele has gone to the dogs

Royce Hunt is the man to chase

 

[Pleasehelpstillchoking]

pele has gone to the dogs

Cross that one out then
Who isn't going to the Dogs at the moment

 

[dannyt]

Cross that one out then
Who isn't going to the Dogs at the moment

Woods
McGuire
McCullough
Moga

 

[Gallen Towers]

it's easy to forget the sharks.

Time for the Dragons to accept their future is as a feeder club to the Sharks. The licence can then be awared to Port Moresby to protect against Chinese influence in the Pacific. It makes sense for the Dragons and serves the national interest of Australia

 

[Qdf]

What we desperately need is a New Coach, a clever & quick Dummy Half, 2 decent bad arse Prop forwards and some speed out wide.
In other words….a miracle, but fingers crossed we get change!

You've nailed it.

 

[Gold_Coast Dragon]

What we desperately need is a New Coach, a clever & quick Dummy Half, 2 decent bad arse Prop forwards and some speed out wide.
In other words….a miracle, but fingers crossed we get change!

I actually think with the right coach our squad is very good. Jack B. and Zac's brain explosions would be ironed out in a week, A.M would be retired and all our near losses become wins.

 

[justadragon]

After watching the game, I had some thought to maybe the answer to 9 rests with Bird, only a thought and the possibility of Lomax and Moga going to the forwards. This would allow Sloan getting a shot at Center and Sullivan to be the 14 and interchange with Hunt during the game. Just my thoughts but we dont seem to have to many options on the horizon .

 

[Illusion]

It's right there in front of him , Hunt to 9 with rotation with Sully it can't be any worse than it has been ..... Yep Hunt has been good this year at 7 ... Yes because everything goes to him he can still be good at 9, yesterday they played what was in front of them when their plan went out the door ( wish Hook would follow ) and Amone benifited from it ...... let's face it we are piss poor .... Can't see Hook getting another gig after this .....

 

[Qdf]

After watching the game, I had some thought to maybe the answer to 9 rests with Bird, only a thought and the possibility of Lomax and Moga going to the forwards. This would allow Sloan getting a shot at Center and Sullivan to be the 14 and interchange with Hunt during the game. Just my thoughts but we dont seem to have to many options on the horizon .

Yes definitely need speed in the backline,& some big fit frontrowers. Including a dumbhalf.

 

[SBD82]

It's right there in front of him , Hunt to 9 with rotation with Sully it can't be any worse than it has been ..... Yep Hunt has been good this year at 7 ... Yes because everything goes to him he can still be good at 9, yesterday they played what was in front of them when their plan went out the door ( wish Hook would follow ) and Amone benifited from it ...... let's face it we are piss poor .... Can't see Hook getting another gig after this .....

We have a talented eyes up running 6 who plays off the cuff and works best with players in motion around him.

So Hook’s genius game plan is to play him in a rigid structure, starve him of ball, and have no outside runners.

With nous like that, how are we not winning games?