The Rumours Thread

[Auntie.Gerald]

Lodge wasn't our first choice.. but we missed the rest (only barely on RCG who i think we chose to target over DSaf).. Lodge showed in the finals he is a starting prop capable of winning against Top 8 sides.. hes a hard man... by no means is he a Top 20 Prop in the game, but you take Lawrie out and put Lodge in, and things look very different.

I looked at his stats this year, he only plays 35-40minutes ever for Manly.. not sure if thats his limit or just the team rotation.. but he only played in 9 first grade games all year.. plus 3 in NSW Cup.. so his injuries are obviously the limiter for him.. but maybe that has helped us pick up a bargain..

For me Lodge is the only non-negotiable of the gutho/jac/lodge trilogy.. I dont think we can compete with the other 16 teams next year without atleast 1 decent prop added.. and hopefully we got him.. if we can get a 2nd.. that would be superb.

he did come from an ACL mid season after 12months

hence limited games and a tough front row combo to crack at Manly on return from a serious injury no doubt managed

I would only want Lodge out there for 35-40mins a game given his role the speed of the game last 12months has been electrifying. I mean the Dogs have generally had a small pack but their line speed in defence has countered their lack of dominant props gaining metres.

I think Lodge if keen to travel.........is an important piece in the puzzle. Maybe one year and a slightly higher $ to make it worth his while......especially given we have a decent sal cap to use for 2025.

Thompson would be ideal for 2026...........cant imagine the knights letting him go for 2025.

I honestly dont mind BMM off the bench for his 20mins like RHunt did for the Sharks each week..........BMM is cheap and still has some speed off the mark for a 115kg player..........this would enable us to go hard with more dollars for our ideal target Leo Thompson for 2026 given BMM would only be a 2025 contract

 

[since77]

Good luck, but I doubt you'll be truly happy. There'll just be someone else for you to hate

Not if Hunt goes.

 

[Biglance]

he did come from an ACL mid season after 12months

hence limited games and a tough front row combo to crack at Manly on return from a serious injury no doubt managed

I would only want Lodge out there for 35-40mins a game given his role the speed of the game last 12months has been electrifying. I mean the Dogs have generally had a small pack but their line speed in defence has countered their lack of dominant props gaining metres.

I think Lodge if keen to travel.........is an important piece in the puzzle. Maybe one year and a slightly higher $ to make it worth his while......especially given we have a decent sal cap to use for 2025.

Thompson would be ideal for 2026...........cant imagine the knights letting him go for 2025.

I honestly dont mind BMM off the bench for his 20mins like RHunt did for the Sharks each week..........BMM is cheap and still has some speed off the mark for a 115kg player..........this would enable us to go hard with more dollars for our ideal target Leo Thompson for 2026 given BMM would only be a 2025 contract

I actually loved BMMs stuff off the bench.

I hope we can keep him around the club, i had been told he would stay on in mentorship role and possible play some Reserves to help the transition of youngsters

 

[TheRev]

Yes there is definitely room for a big man on the bench.. Tonga might be that man by late next season.. and whether we can carry him + 2 couchmans on the bench as well, im not sure.

I think for their age, Toby & Ryan r above expectation.. but if we do sign 2 big experienced middles (plus jack, frank, sele).. thats 5 props not counting the couchies.. meaning 1 or both of them are likely back in reserve grade until we get injuries again.. this is the reason I suspect that they are keen to hold off on the re-contract.. or it could just be money expectations.

But whatever happens with the couchies contracts.. ive stopped worrying about it, what will be will be.. this is Flannos problem to work out... and it wont be easy to juggle them.

Note: Im pretty sure the TomE extension was fake news.. its not on any official challenges.. unless he is hobering around as a backup plan for if they cant secure a 2nd middle.

 

[Biglance]

Yes there is definitely room for a big man on the bench.. Tonga might be that man by late next season.. and whether we can carry him + 2 couchmans on the bench as well, im not sure.

I think for their age, Toby & Ryan r above expectation.. but if we do sign 2 big experienced middles (plus jack, frank, sele).. thats 5 props not counting the couchies.. meaning 1 or both of them are likely back in reserve grade until we get injuries again.. this is the reason I suspect that they are keen to hold off on the re-contract.. or it could just be money expectations.

But whatever happens with the couchies contracts.. ive stopped worrying about it, what will be will be.. this is Flannos problem to work out... and it wont be easy to juggle them.

Note: Im pretty sure the TomE extension was fake news.. its not on any official challenges.. unless he is hobering around as a backup plan for if they cant secure a 2nd middle.

On Tom i wonder if its signed and not registered with the nrl yet as we are keeping spots open to sign marquee like Gutho until we can officially move on other players. If we use all our spots up before being able to move on players then we miss out on the gold because the nrl wont allow a registered contract if you dont have the spots.

Kind of like what i suspect if happening with lodge.

 

[st george tragic]

I just watched an old Australia v NZ on fox. Nightingale on NZ wing and Morris twins on Aussies. They were magnificent dragons. Ah how I pine for the good old days. I live in hope we can get some pride back into the red V. Once Hunt is gone i think we will start to rebuild. It may take time but I think flanno is the man for the job. Won't happen over night but can be done over time.

 

[st george tragic]

MSN

A good home for Hunt go on hunt p off back to Queensland pleeeese

 

[Gareth67]

Hunt will only go to QLD but the only club interested is Bulldogs & we're open to that swap. Which one is it? Hunt has to okay the move too.

Perhaps our man Hunt needs to broaden his horizons somewhat ?

England is nice at this time of the year , or perhaps the south of France .

 

[Biglance]

MSN

A good home for Hunt go on hunt p off back to Queensland pleeeese

sadly i dont feel that they have anything we want in return?

Maybe averillo or bostock?

They wont give us katoa, i could live with osullivan in the mix or nikorima.

 

[TheRev]

i think its possible we will settle for a middle forward trade instead, and get our half from the sharks (or elsewhere).. but a few things have to fall into place for that.. esp given we cant even be talking to players till Nov 1.

The thing is.. we need a trade player that is keen to come back to sydney.. I cant see anyone jumping up and down to leave their club at short-notice.. not someone decent anyway.

 

[RedVee]

Do we know that the club wants a player in the deal with Hunt? Maybe they are just happy to see him gone?

 

[Macedonian Dragon]

If Hunt only wants to go QLD, what about a swap for Xavier Willison with Broncos. Big young explosive prop. Him and Loko in the future would be insane.

 

[Jubilee]

Do we know that the club wants a player in the deal with Hunt? Maybe they are just happy to see him gone?

I am sure that Flanno is always trying to get more but for me it would be enough just to scrape off that barnacle.

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

If Hunt is seeing out his contract with us one thing for sure; we are just completely wasting another season pretending to be trying to win the comp. He is bad business for us plain and simple and that ship has sailed.

Be done with him.

 

[TheRev]

Do we know that the club wants a player in the deal with Hunt? Maybe they are just happy to see him gone?

bit of A & B, it all depends what our options are (pray we have 2 or more to play off eachother).. but this is really a one-off opportunity to leverage someone half decent in return..

If Hunt only wants to go QLD, what about a swap for Xavier Willison with Broncos. Big young explosive prop. Him and Loko in the future would be insane.

Looks like hes going to market Nov 1, so yes a perfect trade.. if indeed the broncos have any interest... noting they have Reynolds & Maam in the halves.. hooker maybe..

 

[Saints Forever]

My greatest fear is ultimately no club will take Hunt off our hands

need to be moved immediately

If he remains with us the atmosphere will be even more toxic

 

[jak]

with the sad news that big rig gave us yesterday regarding young cody ramsey having to retire does this give us another spot in our top 30

 

[TheRev]

with the sad news that big rig gave us yesterday regarding young cody ramsey having to retire does this give us another spot in our top 30

If it and the interest in Rava is correct, we have 5 spots to fill.. 6 if Hunt goes.

 

[jak]

If it and the interest in Rava is correct, we have 5 spots to fill.. 6 if Hunt goes.

so we do get one for cody, wasn't sure he was still counted in the top 30

 

[TheRev]

so we do get one for cody, wasn't sure he was still counted in the top 30

yar he was locked into the 30.. shame for the kid though, he seemed to have gotten a lot closer to returning than I think any of us imagined possible.