The Rumours Thread

[Jersey No 14]

I have to say - We Saint George Illawarra are delusional.
we are completely inconsistent. Every year.
truth be told - our coaches were shit.
1st we live in the past. Ie 60’s
Truth be told we mean shit in other people’s eyes
As they are seen by us.
The players no matter who only want to win.
ie Hunt ( though he blew his chance)
Players aren’t loyal like our champions were our champions from the 70’s or 80’s

our first big move - we got a premiership winning coach who can build a solid team. Proven. done
now we have to build a team like Belemey did. or old Wayne has. Look a Penrith home built.
it’s been proven you can’t buy a side as Canterbury has.
its going to take about 3-5 years.
our weakness isn’t the coach ( that’s a strength- along with our junior nursery)
Our weakness is management- they are impatient gamblers.
They showed that attempting to get Ryles.
again 3-5 years.
In that time our we need to retrain our juniors or junior coach’s who clearly can’t coach the fundamentals of tackle or read the play.
look at our current in our squad.
They are not 1st grade worthy.
Flanno will make them better
As a fan - WE NEED PATIENCE
Maturity has helped me with it.
How a bout you guys?

 

[John moz]

Bulldogs keep signing another 3 to 5 players.
Dragons none since November 1st.

 

[Jersey No 14]

Or (current) reputation precedes us.
Hunt hasn’t helped the cause.
All I see in him a treacherous individual- as a captain he should be hauled over the coals.

release him - make him sign a contract he can never play against At George Illawarra

people laugh at our weak skilled players.
Inept efforts to stop a try from individuals who wear a 1st grade jersey - in which are several.
what ?
We have to own our current position.
and management need to stay well out of it.
But they won’t. Again. Weakest link.
Our BUSINESS weakest link more so.

Look at us
Shame!!!!

 

[Jersey No 14]

I haven’t even begun to talk about our decision making process.

 

[TheRev]

Everyone is canning the dogs signings.. every one of those blokes walks into our Top 17.. they will keep the ones that rise, and magically offload the rest. Gus said it himself, we will sign 6 halves and see who steps up. They obviously have dodgy cap practices too, but they all do (bar us).

We are missing out on all of the fringe reserve graders as well as the big names.. its not by our choice or good fortune.. Eisenhuth for what it's worth has an amazing backstory and character, and im sure is the sort of guy Flanno could have relied on.

I can't believe Haran is still employed, but I imagine Flanno is taking a huge role in the recruitment process... I think we are simply being punished hard for the years of inaction.. Flanno doesnt want to pay overs either.. and I get it.... but this is the reality of the situation, our current roster is #17 by a large margin... its nothing to do with how many teams are in the comp.. there could be 50 NRL teams as long as the talent is shared equally.. but its not, most of the other clubs have reserve graders we would kill to have in our 17.

 

[Jersey No 14]

17 teams.
30 players per squad.
——-
510
Out of those 510 are actually 1st grade footballers
A 5th. Maybe
We should only have about 14 teams.
now that will cause some shit
But the football would be good.
Rugby Leagues biggest disease. V’Landy
We are drowning in hype and BS
Reality has left the building.
these players don’t care. It’s an easy meal ticket.
Who I am. What it did - still carve half of them.

 

[Dragon David]

Still we wait in hope of something really good to happen. Anything on the horizon? Will it be the same as for previous years. This club really needs some exciting news to be announced.

 

[Rod Coil]

Flanno personally went O/S to chase & talk directly to AFB. I wouldn’t write that one off just yet. Patience.

 

[Desperate Dragon]

Still we wait in hope of something really good to happen. Anything on the horizon? Will it be the same as for previous years. This club really needs some exciting news to be announced.

It really is frustrating, I agree completely.
But, I am at least prepared to wait and see what transpires during the 2nd half of November into December when there will more than likely be signings news all over the place.
If we continue to have a big duck egg in the incomings column, then I will start to panic.
Again.

 

[Rocket Rod]

Trouble is, there's a good chance we will be without our star fullback for the start of the season, and we could be without our star five-eight for good. In those circumstances, Hutchison or Mann would have been useful pick-ups. Oh well, guess we'll make do with Bird at 5/8 and Paul Turner at fullback.

Trouble is johhno I don’t think our fullback is a star although he does have upside.
I don’t think, actually I know that our five eighth is definitely not a star
I think that young flanno will complement whinger at 5/8
Let’s wait and see what coach comes up with cause I don’t think he’s all talk no action …. Yet anyway
I have more faith in him than any previous since uncle Wayne
It’s early days yet

 

[BLM01]

Mmm

Everyone is canning the dogs signings.. every one of those blokes walks into our Top 17.. they will keep the ones that rise, and magically offload the rest. Gus said it himself, we will sign 6 halves and see who steps up. They obviously have dodgy cap practices too, but they all do (bar us).

We are missing out on all of the fringe reserve graders as well as the big names.. its not by our choice or good fortune.. Eisenhuth for what it's worth has an amazing backstory and character, and im sure is the sort of guy Flanno could have relied on.

I can't believe Haran is still employed, but I imagine Flanno is taking a huge role in the recruitment process... I think we are simply being punished hard for the years of inaction.. Flanno doesnt want to pay overs either.. and I get it.... but this is the reality of the situation, our current roster is #17 by a large margin... its nothing to do with how many teams are in the comp.. there could be 50 NRL teams as long as the talent is shared equally.. but its not, most of the other clubs have reserve graders we would kill to have in our 17.

Tigers might have something to say about that, they went backwards last year and have let their better players go.. we are #16

 

[Cupper]

Not sure why everyone thinks it’s such a mad rush! I would much prefer no signings than those the dogs are dishing up….. yes these guys will improve their squad/team, but they ain’t getting them to the pointy end of the ladder. If flanno is waiting for some guys that will actually make a real difference then we have to just ride it out, might take another year or 2, but there’s no point filling up the cap with mediocrity.

 

[Biglance]

Not sure why everyone thinks it’s such a mad rush! I would much prefer no signings than those the dogs are dishing up….. yes these guys will improve their squad/team, but they ain’t getting them to the pointy end of the ladder. If flanno is waiting for some guys that will actually make a real difference then we have to just ride it out, might take another year or 2, but there’s no point filling up the cap with mediocrity.

Agree

 

[Get2dachopper!]

We should be looking in the the UK for potential signings. We should employ Widdop/Graham as scouts. I’m sure there are a few decent players looking to prove themselves in the NRL. We should sign
2-3 and really look after them, i.e. organise their accomodation, study needs etc.

 

[Trifili13]

If we had signed the 4 players that the Dogs have signed I reckon the Dragon's forum would have gone into meltdown that we have signed a bunch of journeymen and plodders.

 

[blacksafake]

If we had signed the 4 players that the Dogs have signed I reckon the Dragon's forum would have gone into meltdown that we have signed a bunch of journeymen and plodders.

No doubt

 

[TheRev]

We aren't not signing these guys on purpose, we are losing out to the other clubs.. I'm sure we will land Tracey and maybe 1 other, but we are going to go into 2024 2mill under the cap.

 

[Budpower]

our halves will be solid first time since hornby/ soward...then if we sign a fullback like Treacy and a hooker like Ippape at least well have a decent spine, thats a start

 

[Parko1310]

We aren't not signing these guys on purpose, we are losing out to the other clubs.. I'm sure we will land Tracey and maybe 1 other, but we are going to go into 2024 2mill under the cap.

Exactly this. I'm willing to have a level of patience, I want us to to be patient in fact and not just rush into signings. But it isn't like good players haven't been/aren't on the market that Flanno has wanted and not got. It's not like we're just sitting and waiting for particular players to come along in 1-2 years time and then we'll magically be their first choice as well. Curran we missed, Manu we will miss (can't blame anyone for that, he was never leaving), Dearden we'll likely miss, AFB like I've said a few times won't be here once other clubs can offer him a good deal. Maybe Flanno did go and see AFB in the UK or NZ, not sure where he'd be now after the Tonga series. That makes me appreciate Flanno's effort, but it doesn't solve how incompetent some of those above him are, and if I had to be honest, I'm really not confident if we have to go up against other teams for signatures. To the point, we are not sitting back and being incredibly astute right at the minute. Maybe to some level we are, but it's not as if we haven't gone for anyone, we've just lost out to other clubs.

 

[thebigredv]

We aren't not signing these guys on purpose, we are losing out to the other clubs.. I'm sure we will land Tracey and maybe 1 other, but we are going to go into 2024 2mill under the cap.

I agree. Which basically means the new coach is a liar or delusional.

If ever a club needed to bring in some fresh blood, even for the sake of starting with a fresh slate it was the Dragons. Instead all you hear is about other clubs righting their roster like the Dogs. Look at the Roosters, they are organising a replacement centre in Jennings in case Sualli or Manu go down to go with their amazing coup of Young on the wing. As far as I know we are stuck with Feagai who is not a first grader.

I've sat back - with patience - but one of two things will happen next. I'll go ballistic or will withdraw from this mess completely. If we couldn't make the moves Shane promised this off season I am not hanging around for the false promises of 2025. My anger is placed solely at the board who doubled-down on both Mary and Hook with no sense of professionalism or pride. We are a club on the outer and don't the players of the NRL know it!