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The Rumours Thread

Draginzaaar

Bench
Messages
3,596
Yes Possm, this is what the club is trying to achieve, getting rid of the idea of "joint venture". There might be 2 stadiums, but at the end of the day we're all just one set of fans supporting the same club, probably time we thought that way. Flanagan has alluded to this in a couple of his interviews. He's only been here 5 minutes and he can already see where the divisions lie.

To be successful in future we need to solve the ownership problem. 50/50 ownership simply does not work. Two sides greedily protecting their own self-interests. Unwilling to put proper funding into the club because neither side are majority owners. Ridiculous state of affairs. Allowing one single owner of the club would be the best chance we've got of securing our future.

Could Twiggy's sponsorship be a pre-cursor to some kind of ownership move? Unlikely, but hey, you never know. I've never been a big fan of big mining, but he's a winner, and that we could do with.

And by the way well done Webb getting a significant sponsor in place to replace the bank. He's made a couple of mistakes in his tenure at the dragons, but I've been impressed with a lot of the stuff he's done. If he pulls off the Centre of Excellence and fixes up the stadiums (especially Kogarah) that's a tick. If Flanagan turns out to be a successful coach for us, as I suspect he could be, that's another big tick.
Without mining Australia is broke. Never been a fan....what?
 

The Word

Juniors
Messages
307
Without mining Australia is broke. Never been a fan....what?
Don't have an issue with mining, of course it's what's made us the lucky country. My concern has always been with the gung-ho attitude of mining entrepreneurs towards the land, the lack of care about the environment, and the fact that such a large proportion of the profits end up overseas due to the fact that the majority of shares in our biggest miners are owned by overseas investors.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,868
Dont discount the timing of the Twiggy announcement with the race for AFB and others hotting up
Still dont think AFB is worth $1m a season as why only cellar dwellers and desperate coaches are after him at that price. He plays on average how many minutes? and has bit less impact than a Tino or Haas etc but we certainly need something.
 
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Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
9,138
Dont discount the timing of the Twiggy announcement with the race for AFB and others hotting up
Still dont think AFB is worth $1m a season as why only cellar dwellers and desperate coaches are after him at that price. He plays on average how many minutes? and has bit less impact than a Tino or Haas etc but we certainly need something.
Yes we certainly do need something with the likes of AFB. He may not play long minutes but has good strength and determination when he is on the field. Dollars wise, yes it is unfortunate that his price is high but beggars can't be choosers. We were the first to show interest in him when he wanted a release and now that the Tigers and Dogs have shown interest, his manager is playing the three clubs for the best deal he can get for him.

He has already spoken to the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs. I don't know when he intends to speak to our guys, I presume soon, and then he has the big decision to make with his manager and family. If the Dragons really want this guy, they will need to sell the club to him and now that Twiggy's Squadron Energy is proposed to be the clubs next major sponsor and work on the C of E is going to start early next year, they might help to sway him to us on top of the term and pay that we will offer. We still don't know what the Warriors want if they let him out of the last 2 years of his contract after 2024.

I just couldn't bear it if he decides to join the Dogs.
 

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,452
Dont discount the timing of the Twiggy announcement with the race for AFB and others hotting up
Still dont think AFB is worth $1m a season as why only cellar dwellers and desperate coaches are after him at that price. He plays on average how many minutes? and has bit less impact than a Tino or Haas etc but we certainly need something.
Don't know if I agree with less impact than Tino or Haas. Both of those guys aren't really impact front rowers, they're workhorses with huge motors that just get through a lot of hit-ups, tackles, etc. Great players, but different styles to AFB who provides more impact. AFB is an elite front-rower and with the changing salary cap figure, he is worth $1m in my opinion. Haas and Tino both earn that sort of money and AFB is right up there with those guys. Top 3 front rower in the game.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,558
Yes we certainly do need something with the likes of AFB. He may not play long minutes but has good strength and determination when he is on the field. Dollars wise, yes it is unfortunate that his price is high but beggars can't be choosers. We were the first to show interest in him when he wanted a release and now that the Tigers and Dogs have shown interest, his manager is playing the three clubs for the best deal he can get for him.

He has already spoken to the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs. I don't know when he intends to speak to our guys, I presume soon, and then he has the big decision to make with his manager and family. If the Dragons really want this guy, they will need to sell the club to him and now that Twiggy's Squadron Energy is proposed to be the clubs next major sponsor and work on the C of E is going to start early next year, they might help to sway him to us on top of the term and pay that we will offer. We still don't know what the Warriors want if they let him out of the last 2 years of his contract after 2024.

I just couldn't bear it if he decides to join the Dogs.
I’m sure he spoke with us on Friday DD
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
9,138
There would be a lot of guys at the Dragons who would welcome AFB back to the club. None would have played with him before he left us in 2015 I think and he would be great to have his experience rub off onto the current squad of youngsters.

We have just got to get him to come to this great club again.
 

BlackDuckSaint

Juniors
Messages
704
There would be a lot of guys at the Dragons who would welcome AFB back to the club. None would have played with him before he left us in 2015 I think and he would be great to have his experience rub off onto the current squad of youngsters.

We have just got to get him to come to this great club again.
He played NYC with Hame Sele and was in the same squad as Blocka for the 2015 NYC season but I think he was stood down before they played together.
 

TheRev

Coach
Messages
11,474
With AFB.. I mean does the location matter in regards to his family? Is it mates? Is it TPA's and "life after footy" that Gould will have cooked up (and we cant compete with currently).. Is it the Gould Narrative vs Flannos? Is it the chance to play finals? Is it just the $ value "right now"?

Looking back at 2020:
"Fonua-Blake was granted a release from his deal at Manly at the end of 2020 to join the Warriors on compassionate grounds after requesting a release to leave Sydney."

Maybe he just gets itchy feet every 3 years.. either way I dont think this next contract will be his last.. but I cant see how we will match the dogs dollar wise if there is dodgy pub shares and stuff.. but I also think AFB and Dearden we can easily justify paying overs.. it'll save us in the longer term when we try to recruit others off the back.
 
Messages
49
Don't know if I agree with less impact than Tino or Haas. Both of those guys aren't really impact front rowers, they're workhorses with huge motors that just get through a lot of hit-ups, tackles, etc. Great players, but different styles to AFB who provides more impact. AFB is an elite front-rower and with the changing salary cap figure, he is worth $1m in my opinion. Haas and Tino both earn that sort of money and AFB is right up there with those guys. Top 3 front rower in the game.
We need this guy even if we have to pay overs. I'm sure his signing would make the dragons more attractive to other potential recruits. No elite playmakers or backs want to play behind a popgun pack with no go forward.
 

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