Ponga

[possm]

Should the Dragos sign Ponga as the replacement for Dufty at fullback?

Surely this move would solve many problems for the Dragons. The following side would surely be very competitive in 2022.:

Run-on side:
1. Ponga - 1m
2. Ramsey
3. Max Feagai
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa
6. Sullivan
7. Hunt
8. A new top-line prop - 600k
9. B Smith - 600k
10. Vaughan
11. Sims
12. Bird
13. De Belin

14. Wishart
15. Lawrie
16. Kerr
17. McGuire

Spend - 2.2m

KOE Cup:
1. Sloan
2. Perier
3. Schiller
4. Sauni-Esau has
5. Matt Feagai
6. Amone
7. Clune
8. Alvaro
9. McCullough
10. Faamausili
11. Ford
12. Burns
13. Fuimaono

Gone:
Norman - 850k
McInnes - 450k
Williame - 200k
Brittain - 200k
Merin - 600k
Ellis - 200k
Dufty - 350k

Save - 2.85m

NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos target Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses and Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga, Tom Dearden exit | Fox Sports

What a difference these 3 new players would make to our squad!

 

[Walpole]

FFS

 

[Inisai Toga]

FFS

Who does he play for...?

 

[Walpole]

Who does he play for...?

Captain of the St George Possums.

 

[Illusion]

Yea we should and throw in Bellamy as well ......

 

[TomRedVRiver]

1. New top-line FB - $1m
2. New elite winger - $700k
3. New better-than-Zac Lomax centre - $750k
4. New dynamic centre - $800k
5. New next-big-thing winger - $700k
6. New Origin 5/8 - $1m
7. New future immortal halfback - $1.2m
8. New high-quality prop - $700k
9. New hooker sensation - $900k
10. New prop extraordinaire - $750k
11. New tackle-busting, rib crunching edge forward - $800k
12. New line-hitting, never-quitting edge forward - $750k
13. New next-Bradley Clyde lock forward - $900k

14. New all-purpose, mr-fix-it (and also sexiest man in league 2022) bench utility - $1.5m
15. New extreme impact bench forward - $600k
16. New future-captain bench edge forward - $800k
17. New mongrel-in-the-jungle impact forward - $2m

18. Jason Taumalolo

Coach: Wayne Bellamy

 

[thebigredv]

Interesting here watching how conditioned our fans are to dropping the bar low. We can do better than everyone else's sloppy seconds. If South's were to go after Ponga and B Smith no one would bat an eyelid.

I hope we do go after Ponga and Smith. We need such quality at our club and that's the main point.

 

[Inisai Toga]

1. New top-line FB - $1m
2. New elite winger - $700k
3. New better-than-Zac Lomax centre - $750k
4. New dynamic centre - $800k
5. New next-big-thing winger - $700k
6. New Origin 5/8 - $1m
7. New future immortal halfback - $1.2m
8. New high-quality prop - $700k
9. New hooker sensation - $900k
10. New prop extraordinaire - $750k
11. New tackle-busting, rib crunching edge forward - $800k
12. New line-hitting, never-quitting edge forward - $750k
13. New next-Bradley Clyde lock forward - $900k

14. New all-purpose, mr-fix-it (and also sexiest man in league 2022) bench utility - $1.5m
15. New extreme impact bench forward - $600k
16. New future-captain bench edge forward - $800k
17. New mongrel-in-the-jungle impact forward - $2m

18. Jason Taumalolo

Coach: Wayne Bellamy

i feel this side lacks experience!

 

[Jersey No 14]

Dragons should sign - Drinkwater!!!
He'd be after a new home

 

[SBD82]

Interesting here watching how conditioned our fans are to dropping the bar low. We can do better than everyone else's sloppy seconds. If South's were to go after Ponga and B Smith no one would bat an eyelid.

I hope we do go after Ponga and Smith. We need such quality at our club and that's the main point.

If Ponga wasn’t already signed for 2022, you might have a point.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Ponga is signed at the Knights for next year. He has player options for '23 and '24. He has expressed a desire to play for the All Blacks.

I thi k this sudden interest was sparked by an article about the Broncos preparing to 'throw the book' at Ponga for after 2022.
https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/b...l/news-story/8d5b2758f28558e404349156b5333ad9

The Broncos want to have Ponga as the face of the club for many years, the issue is that players on excessive long tern deals ie DCE and JT, can they maintain the form over such a long time at such big money.

I notice the thread about Matt Lodge who's name also appears in this article.

 

[BLM01]

No to Ponga. Injury prone.
Dufty far better option

 

[thebigredv]

My point is about aiming high not just settling for the 2nd tier players that the lesser clubs likes ours seem to do these days.

 

[Dragsters]

It would probably take 1.5mil a year, so under the current cap, no...

 

[True_Believer]

This was on NRL360 last night and one thing the article hints at but doesn't specifically say that was brought up on the show was that they will be paying significant overs to secure any of these players.

This is the same situation for us. Overs is something we can't afford to continue to do. We need to build from within and by using shrewd buys to build a club that these players want to come to. We've alluded to it in other threads - this is going to take a few years to get to this point. We need to be smart about it and not just throw money at 1 or 2 name players in the hope they will pull us from the shit.

I think we are on the right path.

 

[SBD82]

This was on NRL360 last night and one thing the article hints at but doesn't specifically say that was brought up on the show was that they will be paying significant overs to secure any of these players.

This is the same situation for us. Overs is something we can't afford to continue to do. We need to build from within and by using shrewd buys to build a club that these players want to come to. We've alluded to it in other threads - this is going to take a few years to get to this point. We need to be smart about it and not just throw money at 1 or 2 name players in the hope they will pull us from the shit.

I think we are on the right path.

We have already spent overs to secure a marquee player when we signed Hunt. It’s an extravagance that most teams can afford, but it can only be done every few years.

 

[True_Believer]

We have already spent overs to secure a marquee player when we signed Hunt. It’s an extravagance that most teams can afford, but it can only be done every few years.

Yeah exactly - but 1 player will not make the difference - as is the Hunt situation here AND Ponga in Newcastle and many other teams. You need to get those good players at a reasonable price so that you can get more of them or at least fill the rest of the team with better quality.

 

[Adolf_Spritzer]

We have already spent overs to secure a marquee player when we signed Hunt. It’s an extravagance that most teams can afford, but it can only be done every few years.

I should preface this with the fact I like Hunt and I don't blame him for ultimately the boards bad decision, but as a marquee player what has he brought to us except a few bronco rejects?

 

[saintly1996]

1. New top-line FB - $1m
2. New elite winger - $700k
3. New better-than-Zac Lomax centre - $750k
4. New dynamic centre - $800k
5. New next-big-thing winger - $700k
6. New Origin 5/8 - $1m
7. New future immortal halfback - $1.2m
8. New high-quality prop - $700k
9. New hooker sensation - $900k
10. New prop extraordinaire - $750k
11. New tackle-busting, rib crunching edge forward - $800k
12. New line-hitting, never-quitting edge forward - $750k
13. New next-Bradley Clyde lock forward - $900k

14. New all-purpose, mr-fix-it (and also sexiest man in league 2022) bench utility - $1.5m
15. New extreme impact bench forward - $600k
16. New future-captain bench edge forward - $800k
17. New mongrel-in-the-jungle impact forward - $2m

18. Jason Taumalolo

Coach: Wayne Bellamy

and thats just the NSW Cup team, just wait for the 1st grade team

 

[SBD82]

I should preface this with the fact I like Hunt and I don't blame him for ultimately the boards bad decision, but as a marquee player what has he brought to us except a few bronco rejects?

It’s a good point, but has probably been thoroughly explored elsewhere.

The club identified him as a marquee target and got their man, as they did with Widdop before. Whether the marquee signing fulfils the identified needs is probably a reflection of the recruitment team’s decision, and the coaching staff’s ability to work with the player.