Sack Flanagan

[Lovemedragons]

Good luck with that. To date our coach has not been able to entice anyone remotely elite. Gutho and Val were elite but now are past their best. Take a look at the list of players that have knocked him back. Addin-Blake, Reagan-Gillard, Dearden, Terryl May. Any I have missed. Say we had been able to bring two of those three bookends here, what a formidable engine room we'd have had for the next 3/5 yrs while our juniors developed. Now Flanno is being forced to introduce those juniors a touch premature. Still I am all for his youth policy as we are blessed with a great deal of next gen talent, which must make us the envy of some clubs.

I think it’s other factors tabout St George Illawarra than the coach that makes elite players shun a move here. I love Wollongong but I am not a 22 yo elite athlete, don’t think there’s a huge draw on relocating here, for such a target. I think it’s a factor and it’s a hard one to overcome. We need to draw our future from the massive pool of local talent, something we have neglected for years. Flanagan and this club needs to implement a program of identifying and nurturing talent from the 12 year olds on, and keep the good ones well looked after and signed up.

 

[chowiesplatterpoo2]

I know his son is not playing well but is better then the two, do we dump both, suicide!

Agreed... He is the better of the two...

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I think it’s other factors tabout St George Illawarra than the coach that makes elite players shun a move here. I love Wollongong but I am not a 22 yo elite athlete, don’t think there’s a huge draw on relocating here, for such a target. I think it’s a factor and it’s a hard one to overcome. We need to draw our future from the massive pool of local talent, something we have neglected for years. Flanagan and this club needs to implement a program of identifying and nurturing talent from the 12 year olds on, and keep the good ones well looked after and signed up.

Post of the seasoon for mine! Grew up in The Shire. Wollongong was such a let down place to visit. If some people have a face that only a mother could love....then Wollongong was a place that only a local could love. I hope it has changed in the 15-odd years since I've been there. Harsh, but not a hugely attractive place to players with rockstar self-images and "look-at-me" ridiculous haircuts. Selfies at windswept beaches and shopping malls is not their go.

 

[Hound of Dracula]

Good luck with that. To date our coach has not been able to entice anyone remotely elite. Gutho and Val were elite but now are past their best. Take a look at the list of players that have knocked him back. Addin-Blake, Reagan-Gillard, Dearden, Terryl May. Any I have missed. Say we had been able to bring two of those three bookends here, what a formidable engine room we'd have had for the next 3/5 yrs while our juniors developed. Now Flanno is being forced to introduce those juniors a touch premature. Still I am all for his youth policy as we are blessed with a great deal of next gen talent, which must make us the envy of some clubs.

Agree with much you say but Dearden, Terryl May were never coming to the Dragons.
To claim so, exaggerates your point and lessens it's validity.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

I hear a lot about Wollongong being a big factor in not attracting players. Probably an element of truth to it. Still, how do teams like Canberra attract talent? There not much happening in the nations capital either.
We have always done well with signing ex-raiders, doesn’t seem too much of a change, Canberra to Wollongong. Why aren’t we looking at Fogarty? He would be ideal.

 

[thebigredv]

I hear a lot about Wollongong being a big factor in not attracting players. Probably an element of truth to it. Still, how do teams like Canberra attract talent? There not much happening in the nations capital either.
We have always done well with signing ex-raiders, doesn’t seem too much of a change, Canberra to Wollongong. Why aren’t we looking at Fogarty? He would be ideal.

I'd say Canberra have a similar issue hence why they get most of their best recruits from England. They've also developed some good players but don't usually win the prize signings.

I would have thought location would have been less of a factor these days than 20 years ago but it does seem to be a big issue. As already stated, we have to do a Penrith and build from within...which is why losing Latu was such a blow. Luckily many more juniors to look forward to, moreso than in recent years.

We are also on the nose because players also want premierships these days and that's not something we cannot seriously deliver in the near future.

 

[Gardenia]

I'd say Canberra have a similar issue hence why they get most of their best recruits from England. They've also developed some good players but don't usually win the prize signings.

I would have thought location would have been less of a factor these days than 20 years ago but it does seem to be a big issue. As already stated, we have to do a Penrith and build from within...which is why losing Latu was such a blow. Luckily many more juniors to look forward to, moreso than in recent years.

We are also on the nose because players also want premierships these days and that's not something we cannot seriously deliver in the near future.

I know some fans from Wollongong might see this differently, but I’ve always felt like we lost a bit of our original identity when the merger happened. That’s probably why other supporters still call us "St Merge." It’s hard to feel like we’ve fully established a clear, unified identity since then.

 

[Crush]

I don’t think we can blame Wollongong being an unattractive place to live for not recruiting AAA players.
It’s no different from Newcastle for example. A bit quieter life for sure but not a deterrent.
Not being a team that plays regular finals is the deterrent, once we turn that around the players will come.

 

[Lovemedragons]

I know some fans from Wollongong might see this differently, but I’ve always felt like we lost a bit of our original identity when the merger happened. That’s probably why other supporters still call us "St Merge." It’s hard to feel like we’ve fully established a clear, unified identity since then.

I thinks that’s our own fault.

 

[Bayside Dragon]

I don’t think we can blame Wollongong being an unattractive place to live for not recruiting AAA players.
It’s no different from Newcastle for example. A bit quieter life for sure but not a deterrent.
Not being a team that plays regular finals is the deterrent, once we turn that around the players will come.

Bit of chicken and egg stuff there, Crush. People feel we won't make the finals until we have the dominant players...but they won't come until we make the finals!! How does that work.

Apart from the location thing, we must be the least progressive club in the comp over the last 25 yrs with a horribly useless BOD, the most antiquated training facilities -expecting top players and their managers to set aside all of the above for the honour of being part of some sort of Knights Templar society or some sort of weird Masonic Lodge -trading off the deeds and traditions of 50 yrs ago.

For mine, success in the short term is only going to come when we have a forward pack that consistently dominate. As the saying goes: Forwards win matches. Backs determine by how much.

I totally support Flanno in refusing to pay ridiculous overs for players like some other clubs. He obviously would rather sink that money into the juniors. No wonder he was hopping made about not getting a final bid on Latu. He would have paid to keep him if it had come down to money.
Can't wait for the new CEO. He obviously knows how to pitch a deal. He seems like he'd have Eskimos lining up for iceblocks.

 

[Crush]

Bit of chicken and egg stuff there, Crush. People feel we won't make the finals until we have the dominant players...but they won't come until we make the finals!! How does that work.

Apart from the location thing, we must be the least progressive club in the comp over the last 25 yrs with a horribly useless BOD, the most antiquated training facilities -expecting top players and their managers to set aside all of the above for the honour of being part of some sort of Knights Templar society or some sort of weird Masonic Lodge -trading off the deeds and traditions of 50 yrs ago.

For mine, success in the short term is only going to come when we have a forward pack that consistently dominate. As the saying goes: Forwards win matches. Backs determine by how much.

I totally support Flanno in refusing to pay ridiculous overs for players like some other clubs. He obviously would rather sink that money into the juniors. No wonder he was hopping made about not getting a final bid on Latu. He would have paid to keep him if it had come down to money.
Can't wait for the new CEO. He obviously knows how to pitch a deal. He seems like he'd have Eskimos lining up for iceblocks.

Yeah it’s very clear we need middles, Flano has said that repeatedly.
If you’re looking for the positives though, the lack of middles this year is giving tremendous experience to young blokes like Egan, Stewart, Couchie.
With the chicken egg thing, that’s very true.
I feel like though if we can just sneak into the finals this year we may be able to jag a couple of good props then build from there.
I’m optimistic.

 

[Gardenia]

I don’t think we can blame Wollongong being an unattractive place to live for not recruiting AAA players.
It’s no different from Newcastle for example. A bit quieter life for sure but not a deterrent.
Not being a team that plays regular finals is the deterrent, once we turn that around the players will come.

Are there many employment opportunities etc in the gong? I know Newcastle there is a fair bit of industry and work. Not sure if that is a factor for their partners?

 

[raydragon]

I have been a dragons supporter since 1968, I think the biggest issue today is the couch does not have the support of the board, have a look at the other clubs eg. roosters with robby, storm Bellamy. panthers Cleary, even raiders with Ricky,they are always up there with the best, ok Penrith not this year so far but will be back.all these coaches has unwavering support from they're boards. what do we have?. a shit board that only looks after themselves .piss these clowns off and we may have a chance of getting players that want to us.

 

[KogarahWarrior]

I know some fans from Wollongong might see this differently, but I’ve always felt like we lost a bit of our original identity when the merger happened. That’s probably why other supporters still call us "St Merge." It’s hard to feel like we’ve fully established a clear, unified identity since then.

It's not really Wollongong, more the fact that there's 2 training grounds that are so far apart. I think the Tigers have 2 training grounds, but at least both are in Sydney. We have training grounds in 2 different cities which is not only stupid but makes things very difficult.

 

[Hound of Dracula]

It's not really Wollongong, more the fact that there's 2 training grounds that are so far apart. I think the Tigers have 2 training grounds, but at least both are in Sydney. We have training grounds in 2 different cities which is not only stupid but makes things very difficult.

Once our 'centre of excellence' is completed we should just train in Wollongong.
The south coast has just as much as Canberra or Newcastle to offer, if not more.

I love Kogarah oval, the spiritual home of the Saints, but we don't have to train there if splitting training causes so much drama.

P.S. Took my son the 'Taj Mahal' after a game at Kogarah (Once he was 18 of course)
He described it as an "ancient shit-hole"

 

[Daptodragon]

Good luck with that. To date our coach has not been able to entice anyone remotely elite. Gutho and Val were elite but now are past their best. Take a look at the list of players that have knocked him back. Addin-Blake, Reagan-Gillard, Dearden, Terryl May. Any I have missed. Say we had been able to bring two of those three bookends here, what a formidable engine room we'd have had for the next 3/5 yrs while our juniors developed. Now Flanno is being forced to introduce those juniors a touch premature. Still I am all for his youth policy as we are blessed with a great deal of next gen talent, which must make us the envy of some clubs.

Luki and Finefeuiaki from the Cowboys also turned us down.