The Rumours Thread

[justadragon]

I mean us forcing clubs to overpay or even pay more for there stars now helps us long term eventually if we keep fishing using the same bait something will bite let’s hope it’s a superstar we all can cheer about and bring on the new era for the MIGHTY RED V

When you find a superstar that will come to the Dragons for any reason barr money please let me know. We have a bad habit of picking up players and topping up their retirement funds.

 

[Gippsy]

I'd be okay with Barrett as an assistant, I think he's a clueless head coach though. Other than him and Hornby I really don't know who they might target. As i say though, I really hope it isn't the latter who gets the gig

Sorry but I think Barrett is clueless full stop.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Sorry but I think Barrett is clueless full stop.

He’s the equivalent of our former Peanut of a coach, except with hair!

 

[dragonsornothing]

When you find a superstar that will come to the Dragons for any reason barr money please let me know. We have a bad habit of picking up players and topping up their retirement funds.

Wish I could help but happy to leave it up to Flanagan and support

 

[John moz]

Flanagan looking to get joseph sualli from Roosters for a season.

 

[Dragon David]

NRL 2023: Incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan reaches out to Roosters star Joseph Aukuso Sua’ali’i​

• By PHIL ROTHFIELD​

• NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA SPORTS NEWSROOM
• 6:00PM AUGUST 19, 2023

Incoming St George-Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has expressed interest in signing boom Sydney Roosters’ teenager Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i to join the Dragons next year.
Flanagan has heard the rumours that the Roosters are to consider releasing Suaalii at the end of the season — 12 months before he is due to join rugby union.
The 2016 Sharks premiership-winning coach recently spoke to his own agent Isaac Moses — who also manages Sua’ali’i.
Flanagan told Moses he would be interested in having Sua’ali’i at Saints if the Roosters wanted to offload him.
The Roosters next year have speedster Dom Young arriving from the Newcastle Knights and veteran Daniel Tupou to play on the left wing. Billy Smith and Joseph Manu will play in the centres in a star-studded backline.

This puts the Roosters in a position where they can save $700,000 in their salary cap by releasing Sua’ali’i early, although he is now playing much better than earlier in the season.
Plus Nick Politis’ initial anger and disappointment around his code switch on a $5 million contract has now subsided.
Six weeks ago Flanagan would have had a better chance of making this happen.
It’s interesting that the incoming coach is keen on signing the boom teenager knowing he is available for only 12 months, rather than look around for a long-term signing.
The problem is, there are few options for next year.
At least Suaalii could add something to a side desperately short on quality players before Flanagan chases a more permanent solution when more big names become available for 2025.
Flanagan’s only signing to date is South Sydney star Hame Sele.

The above from The Australian. Flanagan's thinking is "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"

 

[Carrera28]

Sorry but I think Barrett is clueless full stop.

I think Barrett as a coach is similar to how Barrett was as a player.

He has all the skills, all the talent and a really strong ability to read the game.

However, there is something about his attitude, and I suspect selfishness, that made him an average Dragons captain and which as a coach where he can't compensate with his own ball skills will make him a poor coach.

Given the playing squad are not strong on attitude and do not seem to want to play for each other, I would prefer if Trent Barrett was not allowed anywhere near our squad. I would rather Soward was brought in as a specialist halves coach (he is already a Dragons employee after all) even if he was not as talented as Barrett, he was a player who managed to get the most out of his talent and left little in reserve and this is something he could share with young halves striving to get the most out of their game.

I think bringing in Nathan Brown for a role in recruitment/player development along with Ryan Carr and Dean Young as assistant coaches and who whoever Flanno wants as fitness staff (we have to back the coach and he needs a fitness coach who builds the level of fitness Flanno wants for his preferred playing style) we have the foundation of decent off field staff.

If Ryan Carr goes to the Tigers I think the Tigers will be lucky to have him, and he will learn from Benji Marshall a different perspective and there is nothing to say we cannot get him back.

If he leaves, TBH I would rather we did not try to bring Hornby back. I think in Flanno's first year we don't want to many 'old boys' clouding things with "the way we do things around here" and another year or two somewhere else will make him a better coach and allow us to decide if Dean Young is our next head coach or not and then if we do not think he is, then perhaps then we should bring Hornby back.

Sam Williams might be an option as an assistant coach as while he was never a superstar player, he was apparently a great clubman at the Raiders and spent a lot of time working with Ricky Stuart in helping the team in training and if he has some of Stuart's grit and determination, and is able to express it to players, that would go a long way towards improving the squad's attitude.

Realistically next year is going to be about getting the squad to improve its attitude, its discipline and to play for 80 minutes. There are at least four games we should have won this year if the players dug in played for each other for 80 minutes. If we have a squad of young players who play with heart and determination and an off field coaching staff who are demanding, but demonstrate genuine leadership, we can create an environment that we can slot in some good players as they become available.

If we have a team that is playing with unity and discipline then it might be time to go back to our old well worn path of approaching Raiders players mid winter in 2024. Inviting them down to Wollongong and showing them, and their partner's, the beach and the apartment they will be living in with beach views, warm weather etc then I suspect their girlfriends might be quite keen to escape Canberra's icy winters Tapine or Horsbough for example would slot in nicely to add some muscle and consistency to our pack.

In terms of halves we may have to be creative and look at the halves in Rugby who didn't make the World Cup squad and see if any of them have potential. Not being selected in the WC may leave vulnerable to RL offers? TBH I wouldn't have a clue who is out there and they may not be suitable, as a for every Michael O'Connor who comes over from Rugby there is also a Garrick Morgan.

9 or 10 wins would be a significant improvement over this year and is something that is eminently achievable and with a little bit of luck (surely eventually some of our luck has to be good) we could pick up an extra win or two during the Origin period and 11 wins would have us on the edge of eight and ready for a step up with a couple of stars on exorbitant salaries in 2025.

 

[TheRev]

Sua’ali’i is a tricky one.. I feel like we are doing the roosters more of a favour than we would be doing ourselves.. but we have money we cant spend.. and hes a quality 1st grader for a year.. I just dont love investing time on someone whos leaving.. he probably plays fullback.. so I suppose it gives us a year to figure out what the hell we r doing with Sloane, Rumble, Lomax, whoever.

 

[redVinme]

Sua’ali’i is a tricky one.. I feel like we are doing the roosters more of a favour than we would be doing ourselves.. but we have money we cant spend.. and hes a quality 1st grader for a year.. I just dont love investing time on someone whos leaving.. he probably plays fullback.. so I suppose it gives us a year to figure out what the hell we r doing with Sloane, Rumble, Lomax, whoever.

It's a cap hold well thats what I think and kinda what you are saying too. Gotta spend the cap and I'd rather him than a couple of av players on multiple year deals we have to sign to reach the cap min and then be stuck with. There's just not much on offer for 24.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Suaali for sure as a winger or FB even just for 12months

We need more class and we have the budget we won’t be able to spend in 2024 most likely

 

[dragonsornothing]

Anyone thinking Mary might be the experienced head that ends up with benji ?

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Anyone thinking Mary might be the experienced head that ends up with benji ?

Hope so..

 

[carltonsouth79]

Interesting that Schuster seems out of favour at the Seagulls. Benched for the last game after being shifted from 6.I think he is a talent, if not yet realised as an edge back rower. Likely will have connection with Flanno. Attitude of course a big question mark.

 

[Illusion]

Sua’ali’i is a tricky one.. I feel like we are doing the roosters more of a favour than we would be doing ourselves.. but we have money we cant spend.. and hes a quality 1st grader for a year.. I just dont love investing time on someone whos leaving.. he probably plays fullback.. so I suppose it gives us a year to figure out what the hell we r doing with Sloane, Rumble, Lomax, whoever.

It's a no for me , not for a year , I'd rather experiment with players that will be around for more than a year .....

 

[twinkletoes]

Wreaks of desperation...the club have sat back for so long and not recruited any substantial talent and now find there's not too much out there...Desperate time require deSperate actions...A BIG YES FROM ME

 

[baggygreen man]

Sloan Wing

Unless Sloan adds a minimum 5ks of muscle to that scrawny frame over the off season, I can seen him being bundled unceremoniously into touch on a regular basis given the ability of our so called play makers. Plus his obvious ball skills will be largely wasted out there.

 

[thebigredv]

Wreaks of desperation...the club have sat back for so long and not recruited any substantial talent and now find there's not too much out there...Desperate time require deSperate actions...A BIG YES FROM ME

Flanno “doesn’t want to rush out and just buy players” but he wants to sign Suali on big money even when he will not be mentally in the game. Him and Hunt can take us for a ride.

I honestly don’t know anymore. Another year where we can’t/won’t/ don’t sign anyone. Might as well try sign him and have another crack at Folau just for fun. George Burgess’ hip any better? We could get him too. Might get a game out of him.

circus

 

[baggygreen man]

Maybe someone like John Morris could replace him? Although I think he's more a defensive coach.

Seems Ben Woolf has failed miserably as our current defensive coach so I can live with Carr leaving if it means we get someone to fix our abysmal middle defense and drum into the thick heads of Feagai and Rava, TO STAY ON YOUR WING!!!

 

[baggygreen man]

. George Burgess’ hip any better? We could get him too.

You mean drag him out of retirement. I expect that was a tongue in cheek comment, yet not totally crazy as we certainly did not get the best out of him with Griffin short changing him IMHO. If back to full fitness and he is still keen , we could sure use his big frame in the middle.

 

[baggygreen man]

if any former Dragons players want to resign, the door is open.

Who: Robson, Frizell, Garrick, Leilua, McGuiness, Sims???