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The Rumours Thread

Dragsters

First Grade
Messages
5,734
Unless we are moving on another winger but I’m interested to let Flanno inact his plans for the squad
Sure but after signing Lawson and the number of spots available, another winger has to be way down the pecking order now.

Half or two, prop or two are surely the priority moving forward.

Plus I also think JAC is a massive gamble on a guy on a downhill slide we just don't need to take...
 

Unsainty79

Juniors
Messages
177
Sorry to disagree, but Lawrie has Never been our best forward. He can't tie Debellin's or Sua's boot laces. I am still in shock how he was awarded player of the year in 2023.
Well, he was. It may not necessarily be a reflection of him, but rather the squad at the time.

Su’a was ordinary in his first year and wanted to leave, De Belin wasn’t fantastic (not a dig at him) in his first 18 months & Molo produced zilch in his first year. Lawrie was our most consistent forward at the time & we could not afford to lose him.

The desperation then has obviously cost us now, but again, I don’t blame the saints for resigning a local junior, who at the time was our most consistent forward and rumoured to he wanted by Wayne Bennett at the Phins.

Regardless of it all, if we go into the season with De Belin, Molo & Sele as our front rowers and T Couchman and Cook (when Liddle is on) as our locks then Lawrie will be playing a lot of first grade in 25. We have no depth in the front row.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
17,755
Well, he was. It may not necessarily be a reflection of him, but rather the squad at the time.

Su’a was ordinary in his first year and wanted to leave, De Belin wasn’t fantastic (not a dig at him) in his first 18 months & Molo produced zilch in his first year. Lawrie was our most consistent forward at the time & we could not afford to lose him.

The desperation then has obviously cost us now, but again, I don’t blame the saints for resigning a local junior, who at the time was our most consistent forward and rumoured to he wanted by Wayne Bennett at the Phins.

Regardless of it all, if we go into the season with De Belin, Molo & Sele as our front rowers and T Couchman and Cook (when Liddle is on) as our locks then Lawrie will be playing a lot of first grade in 25. We have no depth in the front row.
Lawrie was adopted by the fan base because he was a local junior and at that time they had little else to cheer for.

Despite the odd biggish hit here and there his performances overall were generally mediocre and the notion that Bennett would possibly have taken him to the Phins is simply laughable.

For sure he tried to run hard and was passionate but the truth is his output was never good enough for 1st grade.

There will always be those that think passion will overcome ability but the sad reality is that is not the case.
 

TheRev

Coach
Messages
11,536
Key take-away from your comment.
'If' the Couchmans are more that just bench fillers this year, it will make a huge difference..

We lost BMM and we are maybe losing Eisenhuth.. but Ryan hardly got a game last year so thats fine.. and we will sign a Lodge or similar to replace BMM... Tonga will do the occasional game.. not sure on Latu..

I think Lawrie and MMolo will be tasked with leading the NSW Cup forward pack.. I dont think either will be close to 1st grade unless we have numerous injuries.. I also think we will try to get a 2nd middle on top during next year, we need to move a couple on first.. Fifita is another not serving any purpose for us.
 

VodkaSaint

Juniors
Messages
1,677
Lawrie has to be moved on just the same way Roosters did with May . Other nrl clubs are good on moving players on to superleague
May could not be moved on if he dug his heels in, the rumors surrounding his exit may be true and he has no problem getting another club, we have Blake the cake and no one wants him, same as tigers and sullivan, no wants him, so they dug there heels in.
 

maestro1

Bench
Messages
4,428
Well, he was. It may not necessarily be a reflection of him, but rather the squad at the time.

Su’a was ordinary in his first year and wanted to leave, De Belin wasn’t fantastic (not a dig at him) in his first 18 months & Molo produced zilch in his first year. Lawrie was our most consistent forward at the time & we could not afford to lose him.

The desperation then has obviously cost us now, but again, I don’t blame the saints for resigning a local junior, who at the time was our most consistent forward and rumoured to he wanted by Wayne Bennett at the Phins.

Regardless of it all, if we go into the season with De Belin, Molo & Sele as our front rowers and T Couchman and Cook (when Liddle is on) as our locks then Lawrie will be playing a lot of first grade in 25. We have no depth in the front row.
Sorry. Can't agree. Lawrie has NEVER outperformed Debellin or Sua. Even when their form was down, they still out performed him. I cannot for the life of me see why Lawrie has such staunch backers based on no performance. What consistency are you basing this on. Consistently getting rolled on his back, making negative metres on hitups by getting pushed back. Or consistently clogging our attack in the opposition 20 metre zone with ineffectual hitups......sometimes 2 in a set. He might be the BEST bloke in the world, but this is a footy forum not a popularity forum. Do the job or step aside and let the team use your top 30 spot for a prop that can DOMINATE.
 

maestro1

Bench
Messages
4,428
Lawrie has to be moved on just the same way Roosters did with May . Other nrl clubs are good on moving players on to superleague
Difference is that the Roosters can move May on because clubs will line up to take him. Unfortunately,Flanno has been trying to move Lawrie on and the Queue of suitors is non-existent. Nobody wants him.
 
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Illusion

Bench
Messages
3,242
Sorry. Can't agree. Lawrie has NEVER outperformed Debellin or Sua. Even when their form was down, they still out performed him. I cannot for the life of me see why Lawrie has such staunch backers based on no performance. What consistency are you basing this on. Consistently getting rolled on his back, making negative metres on hitups by getting pushed back. Or consistently clogging our attack in the opposition 20 metre zone with ineffectual hitups......sometimes 2 in a set. He might be the BEST bloke in the world, but this is a footy forum not a popularity forum. Do the job or step aside and let the team use your top 30 spot for a prop that can DOMINATE.
This .......... he was just ok but soon as the 6 again rule came in , too slow wrong body shape ........
 

Dragons4me

Juniors
Messages
1,319
May could not be moved on if he dug his heels in, the rumors surrounding his exit may be true and he has no problem getting another club, we have Blake the cake and no one wants him, same as tigers and sullivan, no wants him, so they dug there heels in.


Hang on fellas. A bit over the top here. We're talking about a human being. His friends and family would read these comments, and no doubt find a way of getting back to him. Lawrie always gives 100% in every hit up and every tackle. He proudly wears the Red V and by all means is a top bloke. I've stated on another post that he'd benefit from a step or an offload. I'm not prepared to ridicule and denigrate him like some on here.
And no, I don't know him nor have ever met him!
 
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Unsainty79

Juniors
Messages
177
Sorry. Can't agree. Lawrie has NEVER outperformed Debellin or Sua. Even when their form was down, they still out performed him. I cannot for the life of me see why Lawrie has such staunch backers based on no performance. What consistency are you basing this on. Consistently getting rolled on his back, making negative metres on hitups by getting pushed back. Or consistently clogging our attack in the opposition 20 metre zone with ineffectual hitups......sometimes 2 in a set. He might be the BEST bloke in the world, but this is a footy forum not a popularity forum. Do the job or step aside and let the team use your top 30 spot for a prop that can DOMINATE.
I am not a staunch backer of Lawrie at all. Nowhere in any of my posts have I said I am a backer of Lawrie. I have merely stated that I don't blame the Dragons for resigning him & that he will play first grade in 2025 if we don't sign another forward.

In 2022, Jayd'n Sua missed several games injured and wanted to leave. Jack de Belin was 18 months back from his 2.5 year suspension and was nowhere near the player he was, or at the level he since regained in 2024. Aaron Woods was bog average for us, Tariq Sims form dropped off a cliff, George Burgess didn't play, Josh Kerr was leaving and McGuire spent half the season suspended. At that stage, Lawrie, a local junior with 80 or so first grade games under his belt was a big hope for the club

Your utter nonsense that Lawrie should step aside and forfeit his contract so the Dragons can sign another prop is preposterous. We can sign another prop, we have the space and the money, but unfortunately, they've all rejected the club.

The Dragons can pay Lawrie his contract out, cop the hit in the cap and have a free space, but they haven't and they won't.
 

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