The Rumours Thread

[Bayside Dragon]

Can’t see him dropping our highest paid half

I'm concerned for Reed's physical welfare at this stage. Once the competition starts in earnest, lighter young halves traditionally get targeted for weekly 'welcome to first grade' initiations when they show too much threat. Concussion and shoulder injuries can be a concern.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I’m not sure there are than many variables to be honest to me it’s just applying logic to the situation.

We know what we know and we don’t know what we don’t know.

If what we know is not the solution then we have to know what we don’t know to see if that is a solution.

To know that which we don’t know, we have to acknowledge what we do know and hope that which we don’t know, when it becomes what we do know, is ultimately better than what we already know.

Simple really.

I think Atkinson is a huge variable that I can’t quantify yet with any certainty

 

[Gareth67]

I think Atkinson is a huge variable that I can’t quantify yet with any certainty

From the reports from Cronulla he was quite a solid player that was able to fill a number of backline positions , his defence was very good which is just what we require at our scrum base . I think that he will surprise many with his polish .

 

[BlackDuckSaint]

From the reports from Cronulla he was quite a solid player that was able to fill a number of backline positions , his defence was very good which is just what we require at our scrum base . I think that he will surprise many with his polish .

And he spent the entire 2022 season with the Sunshine Coast Falcons at HB taking them to second on the ladder.

People saying he has NO HB experience aren't correct. He has been stuck behind Hughes, Munster, Hynes, Trindal and Moylan. He was good enough to earn his debut of Craig Bellamy, not a bad endorsement.

And in 2024, people were saying he should have been playing instead of Hynes or Trindal. The few opportunities he had to start in the halves, he more than held his own. He won two games with Cameron McInnes as his 5/8!

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

No one is saying he is not

it’s just a small data set

vs attracting a Cameron Munster as an example

Newcastle may have thought they have snagged an amazing player in Sandon

Yet most of us who don’t watch vision. Every week and training vs other options - well we don’t really know just yet

hopefully we will in the first 4-6 rounds

fingers crossed but our pack really needs to provide equal field position otherwise it is halves running on one leg

 

[Old Timer]

I think Atkinson is a huge variable that I can’t quantify yet with any certainty

The variables for me are

What we do with the info we do know such as BL, TS, CT, KF.

How we go about knowing what we need to know such as how we cover 7 & 9.

 

[SEAT 1A]

From the reports from Cronulla he was quite a solid player that was able to fill a number of backline positions , his defence was very good which is just what we require at our scrum base . I think that he will surprise many with his polish .

Agree Gareth,

All we can go with is when he was filling in with injuries at the Sharks.

He did an outstanding job and didn't look out of place with a stronger pack. We needed a better half and we signed him.

Far to many positives other than a regular first grader just needs a bit of time to settle in. Glad we nabbed him when Sharkies couldn't keep him.

 

[Gareth67]

And the S

Agree Gareth,

All we can go with is when he was filling in with injuries at the Sharks.

He did an outstanding job and didn't look out of place with a stronger pack. We needed a better half and we signed him.

Far to many positives other than a regular first grader just needs a bit of time to settle in. Glad we nabbed him when Sharkies couldn't keep him.

And the Sharks were not willing to release him a year early to start at the Dragons in season’25 , as the man was just too valuable an asset to them.

 

[possm]

And the S

And the Sharks were not willing to release him a year early to start at the Dragons in season’25 , as the man was just too valuable an asset to them.

Maybe we are the only club that shells our contract releases without conditions or compensation.

 

[Hound of Dracula]

Looks like a fair comparison to me. Not much in it.

Individual Player Conversion Stats (2025)
The Dragons primarily relied on two kickers throughout the 2025 campaign:

Player	Goals Made	Attempts	Conversion %
Kyle Flanagan	32	42	76.19%
Valentine Holmes	45	60	75.00%

Remember KF kicking against Canberra in a bloody hurricane

Kicked them from every where

Bloody miracle

But after that, he became just OK - shame.

He used to be a very reliable goal kicker with a very high strike rate in all conditions

 

[Gareth67]

Remember KF kicking against Canberra in a bloody hurricane

Kicked them from every where

Bloody miracle

But after that, he became just OK - shame.

He used to be a very reliable goal kicker with a very high strike rate in all conditions

That was a big part of the reason why the Rorters signed him from Cronulla a few years back , a reliable kicker , but the poor sod was released when Sam Walker appeared on the scene .

Wham - bam - thank you Kyle but we don’t need you any longer , that knocked the hell out of young Kyle’s confidence and he only regained it at the Dragons under the steadying hand of his father .

I am sure that until young Kade Reed has earned his stirrups that Kyle will continue with his tradesmen like performances for the Big Red V .

 

[Bayside Dragon]

That was a big part of the reason why the Rorters signed him from Cronulla a few years back , a reliable kicker , but the poor sod was released when Sam Walker appeared on the scene .

Wham - bam - thank you Kyle but we don’t need you any longer , that knocked the hell out of young Kyle’s confidence and he only regained it at the Dragons under the steadying hand of his father .

I am sure that until young Kade Reed has earned his stirrups that Kyle will continue with his tradesmen like performances for the Big Red V .

I thought that in 2024 Kyle had the left edge really humming - when Hunt let him have the ball. Luch was a rampaging weapon then... and I think Suli was there, too. It was after Kyle was controversially suspended for that last month that the team fell out of contention for the 8. Definitely think he can do good again....if our forwards can dominate. I don't think that happened last year. But we all know why that didn't happen.

 

[Anon]

Probably why Val's stats dropped from 84% the previous year.

No I’d say it was more to do with a change of jersey.

After we signed Val in 2024 and while he was having a great run at goal kicking with the Cowboys I posted how his good goal kicking would change as soon as he started wearing the red V. Nothing was surer.

https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/2024-other-games.491088/post-16421225

The fact he kicked so well in SOO last year after his missed goal kicks cost us several wins earlier in the year, confirmed to me it was just the Dragon’s typical “good” fortune at play once again.

 

[The Word]

Nothing like a logical discussion.

 

[Gareth67]

error .

 

[twinkletoes]

I'll be more than satisfied if Atkinson can bring a longer kicking game to the team...and put then more on the front foot more often...

 

[slippery5]

I'm concerned for Reed's physical welfare at this stage. Once the competition starts in earnest, lighter young halves traditionally get targeted for weekly 'welcome to first grade' initiations when they show too much threat. Concussion and shoulder injuries can be a concern.

Who was the Souths player (I think) that blitzed them late last year in the halves? He looked like a 16 yr old.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Ashton Ward

 

[Mojo]

I think Atkinson is a huge variable that I can’t quantify yet with any certainty

He’s a known unknown.

 

[Illusion]

Ashton Ward

Wasnt he one of ours ....... ?