The Rumours Thread

[Auntie.Gerald]

Fafita
Russell
Finau

Will they be moved on to make room for Flanos ideal top30?

maybe Max Fegai T&T contract for 2025? With some work at the club.

also maybe anothe Flano consideration based on our last swap with Manly.

Fafita wants to return to the Northern Beaches.

northern beaches is unaffordable for Matt Lodge on $135k pa base MRL top30 contract.

117kg prop arrives at the Drgaons 29yrs of age

 

[Desperate Dragon]

Fafita
Russell
Finau

Will they be moved on to make room for Flanos ideal top30?

maybe Max Fegai T&T contract for 2025? With some work at the club.

also maybe anothe Flano consideration based on our last swap with Manly.

Fafita wants to return to the Northern Beaches.

northern beaches is unaffordable for Matt Lodge on $135k pa base MRL top30 contract.

117kg prop arrives at the Drgaons 29yrs of age

As it stands, we know Tamale is definitely gone.
Not sure about Fifita, but think Flanagan wants to give him another year.
If Fifita does go, possibly Tuitavake gets a one year extension.
H Finau not in our top 30, but Sione is contracted till end of 25.
BMM more than likely retires, Russell goes and one of either Brown or Marschke goes.
JDB and Eisenhuth for another 1 year extension, but unsure about JDB staying on.
Out of the Development Squad, Muhleisen, Coric and Sherab will go.
Not doubting your mail Auntie G, but think we can do a lot better than Matthew Lodge.

 

[TheRev]

As it stands, we know Tamale is definitely gone.
Not sure about Fifita, but think Flanagan wants to give him another year.
If Fifita does go, possibly Tuitavake gets a one year extension.
H Finau not in our top 30, but Sione is contracted till end of 25.
BMM more than likely retires, Russell goes and one of either Brown or Marschke goes.
JDB and Eisenhuth for another 1 year extension, but unsure about JDB staying on.
Out of the Development Squad, Muhleisen, Coric and Sherab will go.
Not doubting your mail Auntie G, but think we can do a lot better than Matthew Lodge.

o Right now if Fifita/JDB/Eisenhuth stay, we have 2 spots left, 1 for Lomaxes replacement, 1 for an alpha prop..

o If we can offload Rava & Lawrie.. we get potentially yet another prop (though I think its 1 too many), but more importantly imo we can keep someone like Marshke to cover 6/7/9, I wasnt sure if we will go looking for someone new here.. but we have nothing behind Hunt/Kyle otherwise.. and hooker injuries would mean Cook or Liddle playing 80mins.

o Dev spots we only have 2of6 locked in (i.e. NickT & Ackers), I desperately hope the remaining 4 spots are given to 3 young backs and a young hooker.. we might genuinely need them... my guess is Williams/Buchanan/LKT and maybe Hjaltason (or source externally if they dont want to back him).

 

[FlickFlano]

You are not counting Corey Allan who has a top 30 deal for next year ... if JDB/Eisenhuth stay there is only one left

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I have two spots still open if JDB and TomE sign on.

I suppose the way I am looking at it:

From the top30 in 2025 who will most likely not play FG for the Dragons in 2025?

secondly, if they are in the top30 for 2025 already….but are primarily in the top30 due to retention of future talent ie Tonga, Stewart …..then they stay.

Who is left?

Sione Finau maybe a few FG games in 2025 if at all?

Dan Russell zero games despite a MO for 2025

Fafita could be a zero game contributor in 2025 also?

therefore are we better finding a financial plus other club solution to move them on

or

a T&T solution outside of the top30 at the Dragons plus pay out their 2025 top30 balance $

this frees up a few more spots if required.

ie we can’t find a $1mill prop so we may recruit two x $500k pa props ?

————

Below the 2025 under contract top30 squad plus the players yet to re-sign with ? that we would no doubt try to keep. Plus an * next to the players that may get a tap on the shoulder.

1.Sloan

2.Tui

3.Suli

4.Bird

5.Rava *

6.Flano

7.Hunt

8.Sele

9.Cook

10.FMolo

11.Su’A

12.Luc

13.Esienhuth ?

14.Lids

15.Lawrie *

16.RFM

17.JDB ?

18.Allan

19.TCouchman

20.RCouchman

21.Stewart

22.Egan

23.MMolo

24.SFinau - try to move on?

25.Russell MO? try move on or make into T&T

26. Fafita - try to move on?

27. Pasifiki-Tonga till end of 2026

28.Matt Fegai 2026

29.

30.

 

[denis preston]

Fafita
Russell
Finau

Will they be moved on to make room for Flanos ideal top30?

maybe Max Fegai T&T contract for 2025? With some work at the club.

also maybe anothe Flano consideration based on our last swap with Manly.

Fafita wants to return to the Northern Beaches.

northern beaches is unaffordable for Matt Lodge on $135k pa base MRL top30 contract.

117kg prop arrives at the Drgaons 29yrs of age

What has Finau shown you to suggest he should go ? For me he has had limited opportunities and has pace. Has he been stinking it up in KOE ?

 

[John moz]

What a joke they let lomax go to keep the 2 brothers . Max and Matt have shown over the years nothing no other club would have signed them no speed and can't defend.

 

[denis preston]

What a joke they let lomax go to keep the 2 brothers . Max and Matt have shown over the years nothing no other club would have signed them no speed and can't defend.

We have resigned Max as well Moz ?

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

What has Finau shown you to suggest he should go ? For me he has had limited opportunities and has pace. Has he been stinking it up in KOE ?

Presto

I think the question is two sided

What has he shown that makes him an obvious pick in 2024 in FG? Or 2025?

I do think he is doing much right

But if tank Tui is doing better return metres etc when he plays NSW Cup it makes it hard to pick Sione

 

[TheRev]

You are missing Latu in your list (take Russell out also), but there are 2 spots + whoever we get rid of:


We will clear 1-3 others though for sure, we need coverage for 6/7/9 from someone... and SFinau would be staying I imagine, i think hes our first choice winger next season.

 

[Gippsy]

Geez, we're light in the backs.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

You are missing Latu in your list (take Russell out also), but there are 2 spots + whoever we get rid of:
View attachment 90677

We will clear 1-3 others though for sure, we need coverage for 6/7/9 from someone... and SFinau would be staying I imagine, i think hes our first choice winger next season.

Thanks mate

Latu is the mystery one as such conflicting media reports re him a developmemt player in 2025 (which is most likely) or top30?

Russell reported a few times as a 2025 MO which is confusing but either way u wouldn’t think we will retain him as a top30 in 2025

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

Geez, we're light in the backs.

Massively.

For all we have done to turn things around a little on the field, this complete failure off it is spelling future doldrums for us.

Have failed big time in recruitment. More money to spend than any other club and we will be running around with the likes of Tupuilotu, Feagai and Bird as starting backs. That’s utterly embarrassing.

The coach has done so much to make us look attractive but for whatever reason this club can’t rally enough energy or business acumen to get us a few players we need.

 

[TheRev]

I'm convinced we will put atleast 3 more backs into the 4 remaining development positions.. so atleast if we have serious injury issues, we have something to promote.

 

[FlickFlano]

anyone know what Williams contract is with the extension - he taking a Development spot?

 

[TheRev]

Nothing official re: williams yet, I reckon its Williams/LKT/Buchanan + <hooker> for the 4 dev positions, but not when they would make the decision though.

If not them it would have to be an external recruit..

 

[FlickFlano]

was thinking those three plus halangahu/Tsougranis and Ackers ...

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Below is the Dragons 2024 train and trial player list $1,200 per game and $3k NRL game payment after rd 11 each season

I wonder if our 2025 list maybe larger like the Roosters have done past years at 11 or 12 players


Hayden Buchanan

Finau Latu

Jett Liu 195cm

Lyhkan King-Togia

Loko Pasifiki Tonga

Kade Reed

Nick Tsougranis

Jacob Webster

 

[TheRev]

was thinking those three plus halangahu/Tsougranis and Ackers ...

We have NickT & Ackers locked in for 2025, its just the other 4 slots.. Halangahu is 2026.

Im not sure if the young backs r rdy.. but someones gotta use those slots.. surely they r the best use..

 

[BLM01]

We have resigned Max as well Moz ?

no