The Rumours Thread

[Gardenia]

I just read in an article The Roosters are after a promising young player in preparation for Manu who is been heavily targeted by the Dragons,
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://bit.ly/3GjhZME?fbclid=IwAR0THWIQR0RW4fFGTMtaAb-ks-874ofePhN4l0-Fkurzq87UjzYWvnjZW-w&h=AT3fIqvUZwfL9PJ5_laeaHp62XW8FalK93U_E1f3g6jsZZig2en8ufi-pwZIqm6yCqxwgArAsNazcwW5-7AMvppsoSSW350ALwK9yhVRLaZMoE_Si0nap4jMmwA2etZHaRwR_vFNrAhKePfF8Uih&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2TmtkoK7adHAGm26zG6FbM6rYZI4XCoSss4r_kUdJXlcFp9_oIv3b9NzQRi7zsnaQ7I3wcKkYcO6wNU78bVe5NhGxN-R9NE4DQSBoEjUGPaXE1UIKaKbgjBRZ4pdKRJqu4Jb6pc_BL7Jt_9yQHHDzVO-8qCy87DlIXYkZuMMvO6ilUoDb6PYWmwgXCgxeIeuVWfoeM_4my

what I got from this article was this quote about Tracey - stuff Tracey the flog. Glad he isn't coming if that's how he felt.

"The 27-year-old was also being chased by the Dragons but informed the Sharks that the Bulldogs was his preferred destination."

 

[Gardenia]

Might be somewhat a nothing line in the article, but Telegraph reporting Dogs are frontrunners for AFB

AFB can get stuffed too then

 

[Gardenia]

I think we can all be confident he won't be coming to us at this point in time... as many have said we will need to build from internally but that is a long term project over 3-5 years, if we can snag some better quality players in that time well and good, but the likes of Deardon, Manu, AFB etc won't want to take that risk until they see where we are heading..

The fans and the club cannot I repeat cannot do long term plans anymore. It's gone way past that.

 

[CozDragon]

My initial remarks were a reaction to Sam pre oz. He smashed everything in front of him in attack and D.
As far as backs are concerned, yes this is true, Herbie didn't have a career in ESL as he went from soccer to league at school level.
It is a gamble, even with their so called stars like Wests Tiger's dud Oliver Gildart. The key to recruiting is with good talent scouts and signing the right ones at bargain prices.
As I said before, Balmain had some beauties like Schofield and Ellery to name a few. Just have to pick the best whilst cheap, otherwise I agree, don't bother.

I agree that there would certainly be some backs from the ESL worth giving a look at, with Welsby likely at the top of the list. Only problem is, we would likely encounter the same thing we have trying to recruit anyone of note here. Unless we are the only option or offering an exorbitant amount of money, we are just not an attractive choice.

It is looking more and more likely that we are going to be relying on our juniors for the foreseeable future. Which could work out in a Penrith type dynasty eventually if done correctly, but that will be the test.

 

[BLM01]

All good mate, I'm a guest here.
I was one of the gooses who said Gildart would be good for the Tiges as he was an English rep player with an impressive regime but ended up an NRL dud.... egg on my face.
The main reason poms don't do too well over here is the difference in std of competition.
Branding that as a cut and dry argument is flored as there have been some gems even recently.
As I said if you can pick the diamonds out if the rough and sign them before they get too expensive then all good.
Whilst their price tags has blown out now, imagine having a backline with Farnworth, Young and throw in Welsby (as he's got what it takes imo).
My tiges are just full of KOE Cup std backs so I'd take the whole English backline if I had to. ha ha

Agree with most of all you say. I am bias as I have been involved with a CRL club on all levels for Group 6 and recently G7 but now involved as a spectator
I think there are diamonds but few and far between
I have see a plethora of talent through the metro snd Illawarra team
Yeh potential snd talent does not = NRL a lot but many are lost because of the current structures at clubs poorly run or the NRL itself focus on 1st grade. Just my opinion

 

[Sage63]

I agree that there would certainly be some backs from the ESL worth giving a look at, with Welsby likely at the top of the list. Only problem is, we would likely encounter the same thing we have trying to recruit anyone of note here. Unless we are the only option or offering an exorbitant amount of money, we are just not an attractive choice.

It is looking more and more likely that we are going to be relying on our juniors for the foreseeable future. Which could work out in a Penrith type dynasty eventually if done correctly, but that will be the test.

It's not gonna happen overnight.
we have to give Flannagani time.
as much as I don't particularly like the bloke, I think he does know what he is doing.
and we need to just wait and be patient again and again and again.

 

[Illusion]

It's not gonna happen overnight.
we have to give Flannagani time.
as much as I don't particularly like the bloke, I think he does know what he is doing.
and we need to just wait and be patient again and again and again.

Yep 12 years of being patient , I guess another year or so my patients might just run out ....... He just needs to give us something , that a big name player is on his way .........

 

[justadragon]

Yep 12 years of being patient , I guess another year or so my patients might just run out ....... He just needs to give us something , that a big name player is on his way .........

Hey mate I'm feeling your pain, it took 12 years + to create this mess, my fear is it will take at least half that time to fix it if we are lucky and things go our way.

 

[Slippery Morris]

That 12 years of pain started when we lost a premiership winning coach. We have one now so hopefully we see the good times come back.

 

[RedVee_8]

what I got from this article was this quote about Tracey - stuff Tracey the flog. Glad he isn't coming if that's how he felt.

"The 27-year-old was also being chased by the Dragons but informed the Sharks that the Bulldogs was his preferred destination."

And I saw earlier that Tracey is going to miss the first two months of the season.

Gould: “ it isn’t ideal”

 

[VodkaSaint]

 

[TheRev]

o Tracey's injury does ease the pain of losing his signature.. but it just makes Ciralodo/Guses job easier now.. there would have been fistycuffs over that fullback position.. but now Taafe gets the fullback gig I assume and he has 1 less player revolt to worry about in Round 1.. but if Tracey kills it in reserves its a welcome problem to have.

o As for patience.. yah im a bit tired of waiting too.. but its the reality of our position as a club.. I just need something 30% better than 2023.. 2023 was beyond despair before a ball was kicked off.. the script was written the year before and it was a stinker.

 

[dungay dragon]

AFB can get stuffed too then

Quiet newsday for the Tele writers G
On a more recent post mentioned the Tigers are now in the box seat for AFB with the most innocuous reasons given .
Poor old Hoops has started the off season totally off the boil.......
Dragons still front runners , best mate , former coach and players still gets on with well and family close by .
Got to keep agitating an early Kiwi release

 

[Nutz]

How come this forum doesn't call each other merkins and swear at each other like they do on other forums... interesting.

 

[kit66]

And I saw earlier that Tracey is going to miss the first two months of the season.

Gould: “ it isn’t ideal”

They've also potentially lost rising star five eighth Karl Oloapu until mid 2024 or beyond - if he has the surgery on his spine.
They've been buying up utilities and backline players when their backline this year wasn't that bad, Perham, Kiraz, Avarillo, Alamoti and da Fox, it was their forwards, halves and sht coaching that lost them games.

Perham can play FB or 5/8 and could be a very decent FB if he can get his defence in order, strong at bringing the ball back, setting up his wingers, makes plenty of metres and has some handy ball and kicking skills. We should have a chat with him if Taafe gets his jersey, handy back up if nothing else.

Perham, Avarillo and Alamoti could lose their spots to Taafe, Xerri and Chritchon respectively while their forwards and coach stay the same (there's some speculation on where Burton plays - 5/8 or Centre but if Oloapu is out it'll be the 6 jersey I reckon). I don't think their new recruits will improve their overall performance much, not under Ciraldo. A lot of their attack is individualistic, they don't have much in the way of set plays nor can you say they're well drilled. Mahoney and Burton (in the 6) hog the ball too much, 90% of the play goes through them and them alone and as good as Kikau is he never passes - he's got Addo-Carr to his left but never passes.

Anyway, why worry about the Dogs, we've got plenty of troubles of our own.

 

[maestro1]

They've also potentially lost rising star five eighth Karl Oloapu until mid 2024 or beyond - if he has the surgery on his spine.
They've been buying up utilities and backline players when their backline this year wasn't that bad, Perham, Kiraz, Avarillo, Alamoti and da Fox, it was their forwards, halves and sht coaching that lost them games.

Perham can play FB or 5/8 and could be a very decent FB if he can get his defence in order, strong at bringing the ball back, setting up his wingers, makes plenty of metres and has some handy ball and kicking skills. We should have a chat with him if Taafe gets his jersey, handy back up if nothing else.

Perham, Avarillo and Alamoti could lose their spots to Taafe, Xerri and Chritchon respectively while their forwards and coach stay the same (there's some speculation on where Burton plays - 5/8 or Centre but if Oloapu is out it'll be the 6 jersey I reckon). I don't think their new recruits will improve their overall performance much, not under Ciraldo. A lot of their attack is individualistic, they don't have much in the way of set plays. Mahoney and Burton (in the 6) hog the ball too much, 90% the play goes through them and them alone and as good as Kikau is he never passes - he's got Addo-Carr to his left but never passes.

Anyway, why worry about the Dogs, we've got plenty of troubles of our own.

Avarillo has signed with the Dolphins and Alamoti is now with the Panthers. The Panthers want to convert him to a backrower

 

[maestro1]

o Tracey's injury does ease the pain of losing his signature.. but it just makes Ciralodo/Guses job easier now.. there would have been fistycuffs over that fullback position.. but now Taafe gets the fullback gig I assume and he has 1 less player revolt to worry about in Round 1.. but if Tracey kills it in reserves its a welcome problem to have.

o As for patience.. yah im a bit tired of waiting too.. but its the reality of our position as a club.. I just need something 30% better than 2023.. 2023 was beyond despair before a ball was kicked off.. the script was written the year before and it was a stinker.

Bulldogs have said all along that Chrichton will be their fullback. At least in the beginning

 

[CozDragon]

It's not gonna happen overnight.
we have to give Flannagani time.
as much as I don't particularly like the bloke, I think he does know what he is doing.
and we need to just wait and be patient again and again and again.

Oh I am prepared to give him as much time as he needs. We have had to put up with numpties in charge for the last decade, at least we finally have someone in charge that has had success previously.
My concern is that the club itself has been content with mediocrity for so long, we are stained by it.
I don't see much improvement coming in the way of recruitment for possibly the next two years, but as long as we see improvement in the squad so that they are actually enjoyable to watch, then I will be happy. It had become almost unbearable attempting to watch this team play the last few years.

 

[kit66]

Avarillo has signed with the Dolphins and Alamoti is now with the Panthers. The Panthers want to convert him to a backrower

Cheers, I should have checked those. Still, their replacements aren't that great. Blake Taafe isn't much better than Dufty in what he offers, certainly no better at tackling than Dufty.

 

[Slippery Morris]

One thing to learn over the 2 years, Gus does no due diligence. He just goes in throws his money away then a year later gets rid of what he just bought and starts again.

Crichton will play out of position like Burton does. Burton does not want to move from the halves now and Crichton if he fails will probably do the same. They will be in a similar spot to what the Dragons are with Hunt. Play the position they want and not move for the better of the team.

I really hope Averillo and Alamoti play out of their skins like Marshall-King did this season at the new clubs to really rub in how good their pathways are going under Gus.....