Problems at the Dragons?

[skeepe]

No, not trolling, just interested in what's going on there. I'm not talking about on-field performances or the antics of Nathan Brown, but rather the haemorraghing of players that appears to be going on at the club.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but for next year you've lost:

Luke Bailey
Trent Barrett
Shaun Timmins
Colin Best
Clint Greenshields
Michael Henderson
Daryll Millard
Ryan Millard
Aaron Wheatley
Lee Te Maari
Tom Haberecht

and signed

Simon Woolford
Beau Scott
Luke MacDougall

Is it simply a case of clearing out the dead wood? I've always had a soft spot for the Dragons and am interested in how you loyal supporters view the position of the club from 2007 onwards?

 

[Godz Illa]

The salary cap is wonderful, Bailey and Barrett are victims. The rest are replaceable. Our junior development/recruitment is one of the best in the league - the Jersey Flegg is always near the top of the ladder and 2006 is no exception. The 'production line' is well lubricated and continues to roll.

Current form and fickle perception aside, we are in good shape.

 

[drake]

It's a salary cap.

It helps other teams get decent players after Saints have developed them.

 

[Southernsaint]

How good would a transfer fee be?! At least Saints would get some beneft from developing players then...

 

[petetheileet]

How good would a transfer fee be?! At least Saints would get some beneft from developing players then...

I remember posting a suggestion like this not long ago yet it took me a page of writing to do what you have summarised in one line!!! lol

I believe we are still in good shape and these things cant be helped...not worried at all, we will be at the top for a while to come yet

 

[drake]

How good would a transfer fee be?! At least Saints would get some beneft from developing players then...

If we got a transfer fee for every player poached, well, we could get the boys gold plated training equipment, the team bus would be a stretch limo and buy a newspaper to give us some decent press.

 

[Saint 60]

If Mr Barrett had told Saints he was leaving for somebody elses money some six - 12 months earlier we could of kept Bails grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

apart from the rest Timmins and Best are the only regulars.....

 

[scarcev]

How good would a transfer fee be?! At least Saints would get some beneft from developing players then...

Agree

 

[Corkie292]

And Daniel "Buy Of The Season" Holdsworth !!!

 

[RiotAct]

And Daniel "Buy Of The Season" Holdsworth !!!

stay away from our daniel!

 

[Steel Dragon]

My thoughts on the matter are reflected in my esteemed collegues comments in the previous postings.

The only thing that disturbs me for season 2006 is the lack of a recognised 5/8 and Simon Woolford replacing Aaron Gorrell.
Many people in these parts know of my extreme dislike for Woolford, and those who dont now do.

 

[petetheileet]

i think its obvious from his performances ndaira will be playing a much larger role in the top grade nxt year....he has been absolutely carving it up and cant wait to see him get some more game time nxt year

 

[Willow]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but for next year you've lost:

Luke Bailey
Trent Barrett
Shaun Timmins
Colin Best
Clint Greenshields
Michael Henderson
Daryll Millard
Ryan Millard
Aaron Wheatley
Lee Te Maari
Tom Haberecht

and signed

Simon Woolford
Beau Scott
Luke MacDougall

Lee Ta Maari and Tom Haberecht are still unknown quantities at first grade level and have yet to establish themselves. Good players and good luck to them but they were simply not established first graders so its difficult to gauge how much of a loss they would have been for the club in the long term.

Of the rest, in my opinion the only proven performer we'll miss is Luke Bailey. The rest are either ready to move on or their positions are already taken in the first grade.... or they fall into the salary cap category of 'we can't keep them all'.

Of the players you say we signed, well there's more than that and there'll be more later - in the last few seasons Saints have have had a tendancy to announce signings late in the year and they are usually low fee professionals who still find themselves on the open market. But that's not really the issue.

Worrying about signing up new players seems to be something that other clubs are overly concerned with. In your post you have forgotten that Saints have recently re-signed a whole list of players, many of whom are are juniors.
Players like Ashton Sims, Ben Creagh, Mathew Head, Matt Cooper, Mark Gasnier, Justin Poore, and Dean Young are top quality locals and recently re-signed, and none of them will play for nothing.

 

[Godz Illa]

Simon Woolford replacing Aaron Gorrell.

I wish we could get Woolford a few months early. Gorrell has not been cutting it lately.

 

[The Preacher]

If Mr Barrett had told Saints he was leaving for somebody elses money some six - 12 months earlier we could of kept Bails grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

apart from the rest Timmins and Best are the only regulars.....

Do we know for sure that "Barrett told the club" ??? Could it have been that the CLUB TOLD BARRETT that he was going to be exercising his ESL get out clause ????? :?

 

[Saint 60]

lol... the way we been going since hes come back from his 6 weeks holiday...
Good

PS....and i hope i eat my words for the rest of the season
but i dont think so

 

[wildmooka]

If Mr Barrett had told Saints he was leaving for somebody elses money some six - 12 months earlier we could of kept Bails grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

apart from the rest Timmins and Best are the only regulars.....

Untrue. We were never going to be able to offer Bailey the 4 year deal he was after, regardless of whether Barrett decided his future earlier or not. Please people, stop blaming Barrett for Bailey's departure.

 

[Saint 60]

Wildmooka...is that right....?

hmmm hardly worth argueing about it...but a spare 500K would certainly of helped that situation...

 

[Father Ted]

Do we know for sure that "Barrett told the club" ??? Could it have been that the CLUB TOLD BARRETT that he was going to be exercising his ESL get out clause ????? :?

I have a hunch that our players sign with us because of the " get out clause's " I think thats why Doustie has a good retention record this year . A player manager would /could say the Dragons are good to be with because if you get a better offer from anywhere else you can take it . Conversely it may allow the dragons to release players with greater ease ie Thompson and others .

 

[Wobbygong]

Apart from Bailey none of those blokes will be missed.

Skeepe it's about getting the balance right and retaining the young talent coming through which the club has done remarkably well. When you compare that to the Raiders, it's more a case of who haven't they lost, rather than who have they lost. Croker I think went today as well...............