The Rumours Thread

[Gareth67]

We

Yeah, I’m glad you didn’t take the bullying to heart. I was regularly nailed playing footy. Booted in the face, concussed, a broken wrist, impaled in wire fences. All part of growing up in the city.

One of my kids, he’s a geek. He’s going against the family tradition of hopelessness and may yet make something of himself.

Alas he’s a panther fan, I’ve tried many times to belt that out of him ( only kidding). It’s a failure in my book, but he’s still my kid.

Well what do you expect when you are wearing a Tigers jersey around the Parramatta area ? And as for little Silverdale Junior he sounds like he was a smart kid , bet
he never got beat up for wearing a Tigers jersey !

 

[Gareth67]

Did you know that David Cassidy ( I think I love you) was Hopalong Cassidy’s grandson?

No I didn’t, both on screen stars , but in different generations.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

We



Well what do you expect when you are wearing a Tigers jersey around the Parramatta area ? And as for little Silverdale Junior he sounds like he was a smart kid , bet
he never got beat up for wearing a Tigers jersey !

Just like you, Silverdale junior was shown no quarter or compassion during any kind of game. At the same time, I dished out some of the illegal shite, but not overboard. The odd cheap shot to keep the heroes honest.

Lunchtime footy at school was a great social leveller. A good time for the less popular kids to make a (violent) point about their treatment by the cool kids.

But footy was a democracy, no one turned away. No one cared if you were Jewish or Islamic or crap like that.

I wasn’t the most popular or the most despised kid. Just factory kid.

 

[Gareth67]

Meanwhile - let’s get back to the actual footy for 2026 .
I be damned if I know how some of the threads get so far off - track ? ? ?

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Meanwhile - let’s get back to the actual footy for 2026 .
I be damned if I know how some of the threads get so far off - track ? ? ?

Ok, thanks to everyone for the short indulgence and now back on track!

 

[Super Owl]

In the podcast Flanagan said we are after an outside back but yes he said we haven't spoken to Taulagi and Averillo which seems odd considering all the speculation of Taulagi most likely signing with Dragons and still being on the open market. Which outside back is available and better than Taulagi?

Was that the "Saints Podcast" released Jan 1? If so, pretty old info. Alot may have changed.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

For any non SGI folk tuning in, here is the podcast link:


It’s a bit aged, but as @getsmarty says, you can often pick up themes and beliefs in these raw interviews.

A lot of what Flanno knows he cannot share…. because the clubs competitors are watching.

But you hit the odd gem.

 

[possm]

I think Zac has well and truly burnt his bridges at SGI.

One of the indictments against him was that he was so eager to abandon his post that he took a hefty pay cut.

The only other player who has come close to humiliating and berating the good name and integrity of the club in recent times is his lecherous mate Bunt.

Thousands of souls left at the alter, the objective of the salary cap torn up and shoved down flannos throat.

Hes about as welcome as the Trump would be in Greenland atm.

Well, there you go;
The NRL should have compelled the Eels to pay Lomax the same as the SGI contract, given he did not complete the contract term.
In the same way the Broncos should have been committed to pay Hunt the same as what he was earning at SGIJ.

 

[getsmarty]

Flanagan reveals truth behind Taulagi and Averillo links to Dragons

Both stars have been linked to the Red V.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[An Old Westie Dragon]

Thunderbirds were must watch tv.

I could never come at the Thunderbirds. Much rather Gilligan’s Island or F Troop. Possibly Mary Ann and Miss Jane had something to do with that.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Well, there you go;
The NRL should have compelled the Eels to pay Lomax the same as the SGI contract, given he did not complete the contract term.
In the same way the Broncos should have been committed to pay Hunt the same as what he was earning at SGIJ.

Maybe make a player swap compulsory.

So SGI determines who they will accept as a trade in, like Ryles is now.

And on top of that, any player who wants to breach a contract, has to pay 10% of his new annual salary, across the term of his contract, to a fund for abandoned fans.

If you’re doing it tough, you can write in and ask the club to help you out with a jersey or free tickets. Maybe pay 50% off your membership.

10% of that fund to a community charity, lunch for poor kids, gambling rehab, battered wives refuges.

Make selfish players cough up for good things.

Ryles has put his big boy pants on. Let’s see how long it lasts.

 

[possm]

2027

1 Bula
2 TU
3 Holmes
4 Suli
5 Fale
6 Atkiinson
7 Reed
8 KK
9 Liddle
10 T Couchman
11 Egan
12 Su’A
13 Stewart
14 Flanagan – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9
15 Kerr - Middle
16 Tonga - Middle
17 Harangue - Edge or Middle

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

2027

1 Bula
2 TU
3 Holmes
4 Suli
5 Faye
6 Atkiinson
7 Reed
8 KK
9 Liddle
10 T Couchman
11 Egan
12 Su’A
13 Stewart
14 Flanagan – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9
15 Kerr - Middle
16 Tonga - Middle
17 Harangue - Edge or Middle

Bula should be good at fb, just get his price in the zone. He's not a 900k player, im not sure what he doesn’t understand about that.

Suli is nowhere near his potential. He’ll be looking for a new club unless he starts firing, and a firing Suli is a genuine handful.

Val is getting older gracefully, I’d have him on the treadmill 4 hours a day during the off season. Get some years back so his body can catch up with his footy mind.

The young Flanagan issue, a real can of worms.

Not the worst side, but DA should start bringing home the bacon. Needs some time to weave his magic.

 

[The Word]

Not a bad looking line-up that one

 

[SnowDragon]

2027

1 Bula
2 TU
3 Holmes
4 Suli
5 Faye
6 Atkiinson
7 Reed
8 KK
9 Liddle
10 T Couchman
11 Egan
12 Su’A
13 Stewart
14 Flanagan – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9
15 Kerr - Middle
16 Tonga - Middle
17 Harangue - Edge or Middle

Some guesswork or hopes (Bula, Reed ready in 27), I assume 5 is Fale, and missing a couchman, Nick the Greek, Jesse Williams and Buchanan possibly in the mix, but overall one of your best.

 

[since77]

Lomax.
I have no knowledge, nor have a I read any speculation on this but I would be shocked if we weren't at least discussing Lomax in some capacity.

At a point in time where it is looking like the club is finally showing signs that it's starting to fix the shitty culture that rotted the club from the inside out 2013 - 2023, you'd be shocked if the club wasn't discussing the toxic clown who has walked out on two clubs in two years and is now trying to break a legal agreement that he signed only a few months ago? Interesting.

 

[Parko1310]

Some guesswork or hopes (Bula, Reed ready in 27), I assume 5 is Fale, and missing a couchman, Nick the Greek, Jesse Williams and Buchanan possibly in the mix, but overall one of your best.

Jesse Williams has quit rugby league (at least at the higher level)

 

[qld redvee]

Jesse Williams has quit rugby league (at least at the higher level)

Any idea why Parko
I was hoping Jesse was going to push for a first grade spot this year

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

If you don't get any enjoyment out of training, it would be a pretty hard profession.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

The Flanno podcast, (TFP) what can be gleaned as his general model is

Putting aside specific positional requirements he wants:

1. 1-2 Players as leaders.
2. 4 x Soo players.
3. Tradesman types
4. Young guns with energy.

He said the juniors were dripping with talent but need time to develop.

He said that when he arrived, the most concerning thing he noticed was the lack of leadership and he’s worked hard to remedy this.

His last point is something that I subscribe to and that is the importance of bringing the right people to the club.

Not just players, but staff and support.

And that can mean seemingly tough decisions, if you are going to use merit as the guiding light.

The interview itself was interesting, but it’s also impressive that he attended.

He had his ducks in a row re last seasons “excuses”, the number of close calls and ref decisions. But he acknowledges these could have been avoided.

Game plans etc are all tailored to the team you are playing, strengths and weaknesses.

He said his ambition this year was to be competitive and at least a finals birth is possible.

On the Lomax question, he was diplomatic but it’s clear he doesn’t want a bar of him.

He takes the red v and club honour stuff seriously. It’s obviously a critical foundation for the belief and effort he wants the players to adopt.

Less “me” and more “club.”