The Rumours Thread

[TruSaint]

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin could yet land a devastating blow on his former club Penrith as the Dragons weigh up a multimillion-dollar move for Panthers backrower Viliame Kikau.
As Griffin prepares to face his former side for the first time since his shock dismissal three years ago, The Australian can reveal that the Dragons are monitoring Kikau’s future as he edges towards the final year of his contract with Penrith.

The Panthers are believed to be aware of St George Illawarra’s interest in the Fijian international and are understandably wary given Dylan Edwards, Api Koroisau and Moses Leota are less than three months away from heading to open market.

READ NEXT​

The club has already signed a handful of players to lucrative long-term deals, headlined by captain Nathan Cleary and prop James Fisher-Harris.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo and Stephen Crichton have also agreed to contract extensions, meaning the Panthers face a challenge to retain their remaining off-contract players.

READ MORE:Covid leaves NRL clubs with $22m blackhole|Scott to fight for future|Vaccinate our players now: Clubs demand NRL jab plan|I’ll be back: Why Croft won’t give up on NRL return
As revealed in The Australian in June, Kikau was considered the most at risk because he would command the biggest deal on the open market.

Aside from the Dragons, North Queensland are also believed to be closely monitoring his future at Penrith. French rugby union have also been mooted as an option for the Fiji international.

His manager George Christodolou insists Kikau is happy at the Panthers and both he and the club are content to wait until the season is over to pick up talks over a contract extension.

The longer it goes on, the more clubs are likely to enter the conga line for Kikau’s signature and the more pressure is expected to come on Penrith to retain him in the long-term.

Koroisau is also likely to be in high demand given the dearth of quality hookers on the open market. The NSW rake has had some recent troubles and it is understood his camp have also put contract talks on hold until the end of the season.

It means the Panthers will face a frantic few weeks after their season is over to try to bed down new deals for some of their biggest names, or risk them heading to the open market on November 1.

NoCookies | The Australian​

www.theaustralian.com.au

QuoteReply

 

[SAP58]

St George Illawarra are watching Viliame Kikau as they consider landing blow on Panthers​

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin could yet land a devastating blow on his former club Penrith as the Dragons weigh up a multimillion-dollar move for Panthers backrower Viliame Kikau.
As Griffin prepares to face his former side for the first time since his shock dismissal three years ago, The Australian can reveal that the Dragons are monitoring Kikau’s future as he edges towards the final year of his contract with Penrith.

The Panthers are believed to be aware of St George Illawarra’s interest in the Fijian international and are understandably wary given Dylan Edwards, Api Koroisau and Moses Leota are less than three months away from heading to open market.

The club has already signed a handful of players to lucrative long-term deals, headlined by captain Nathan Cleary and prop James Fisher-Harris.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo and Stephen Crichton have also agreed to contract extensions, meaning the Panthers face a challenge to retain their remaining off-contract players.

As revealed in The Australian in June, Kikau was considered the most at risk because he would command the biggest deal on the open market.

Aside from the Dragons, North Queensland are also believed to be closely monitoring his future at Penrith. French rugby union have also been mooted as an option for the Fiji international.

His manager George Christodolou insists Kikau is happy at the Panthers and both he and the club are content to wait until the season is over to pick up talks over a contract extension.

The longer it goes on, the more clubs are likely to enter the conga line for Kikau’s signature and the more pressure is expected to come on Penrith to retain him in the long-term.

Koroisau is also likely to be in high demand given the dearth of quality hookers on the open market. The NSW rake has had some recent troubles and it is understood his camp have also put contract talks on hold until the end of the season.

It means the Panthers will face a frantic few weeks after their season is over to try to bed down new deals for some of their biggest names, or risk them heading to the open market on November 1.
You get the sense Griffin would love nothing more than to land a blow on the Panthers given the way he left the club three years ago, unceremoniously dumped with the side in the top eight.

A handful of players he handed debuts during his time at Penrith now form the nucleus of a side many expect to challenge for a premiership, among them Cleary, Fisher-Harris, Kikau, Leota, Edwards and Luai.

Asked whether he took pride in the development of those players, Griffin said: “I wouldn’t say pride. I did my job when I was there. I made a contribution to the club, as did a lot of people.

“That’s one of the great things I coaching – to give guys a debut in the NRL. There are a fair few of those guys that I was fortunate enough to have an involvement with at that stage of their career.

“It is nice to see how far they gave with their careers and how well they are playing right now.”

There was talk that Griffin had lost the dressing room at Penrith, something he declined to discuss on Thursday. He also insisted he never harboured concerns that his departure from Penrith would spell the end of his coaching career.

“Coaching is a brutal business,” he said.

“There are only so many jobs to go around, and sometimes you have to be patient. As I said at the time, when you’re coaching it’s a brutal business, but the most important thing is you believe in yourself and continue to chase what you want to do.

“I was always confident that as long as I wanted to keep coaching – and that was the most important thing – that there would be a time I’d get another opportunity.”

He insisted he took some positives away from the parting of the ways.

“I’m better for the resilience of the whole situation,” he said. “Whether you’re a coach or a parent or a carpenter or schoolteacher, there will be times in your life things don’t go the way you want them to, but when you look back with a little bit of a clearer head down the track, you normally figure out those periods make you more resilient, a better person, coach and leader.

“That’s the way I approach things.”

 

[redandwhite4evr]

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin could yet land a devastating blow on his former club Penrith as the Dragons weigh up a multimillion-dollar move for Panthers backrower Viliame Kikau.
As Griffin prepares to face his former side for the first time since his shock dismissal three years ago, The Australian can reveal that the Dragons are monitoring Kikau’s future as he edges towards the final year of his contract with Penrith.

The Panthers are believed to be aware of St George Illawarra’s interest in the Fijian international and are understandably wary given Dylan Edwards, Api Koroisau and Moses Leota are less than three months away from heading to open market.

READ NEXT​

The club has already signed a handful of players to lucrative long-term deals, headlined by captain Nathan Cleary and prop James Fisher-Harris.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo and Stephen Crichton have also agreed to contract extensions, meaning the Panthers face a challenge to retain their remaining off-contract players.

READ MORE:Covid leaves NRL clubs with $22m blackhole|Scott to fight for future|Vaccinate our players now: Clubs demand NRL jab plan|I’ll be back: Why Croft won’t give up on NRL return
As revealed in The Australian in June, Kikau was considered the most at risk because he would command the biggest deal on the open market.

Aside from the Dragons, North Queensland are also believed to be closely monitoring his future at Penrith. French rugby union have also been mooted as an option for the Fiji international.

His manager George Christodolou insists Kikau is happy at the Panthers and both he and the club are content to wait until the season is over to pick up talks over a contract extension.

The longer it goes on, the more clubs are likely to enter the conga line for Kikau’s signature and the more pressure is expected to come on Penrith to retain him in the long-term.

Koroisau is also likely to be in high demand given the dearth of quality hookers on the open market. The NSW rake has had some recent troubles and it is understood his camp have also put contract talks on hold until the end of the season.

It means the Panthers will face a frantic few weeks after their season is over to try to bed down new deals for some of their biggest names, or risk them heading to the open market on November 1.

NoCookies | The Australian​

www.theaustralian.com.au

QuoteReply

Kikau is the number one attacking backrow weapon in the game so I like the Dragons ambition. And at age 26, this deal for KIkau is likely to be largely about money- but maybe not completely. Some of his Fijian mates are probably already playing French Rugby who tend to have the deepest pockets. There is also the lure of the 2023 Rugby World Cup to be played in France so the Dragons won't have it all their own way by a long shot. Good luck Haran and Millward- if you can pull this one off- all is forgiven.

 

[TruSaint]

Kikau is the number one attacking backrow weapon in the game so I like the Dragons ambition. And at age 26, this deal for KIkau is likely to be largely about money- but maybe not completely. Some of his Fijian mates are probably already playing French Rugby who tend to have the deepest pockets. There is also the lure of the 2023 Rugby World Cup to be played in France so the Dragons won't have it all their own way by a long shot. Good luck Haran and Millward- if you can pull this one off- all is forgiven.

I agree with you, and I am to believe this isnt just BS.
We are and have been after him.

 

[Dragon David]

Just saw an article that we are chasing kikau, can someone post it? from the Australian

This seems to be a problem with us. We go chasing but they outrun us and we end up with the scraps.

 

[ChocOConnor]

Is he really that good. Goes missing in my eyes. I’d rather big Tino and the GC prop I can’t pronounce his name.

 

[HenryTatana]

Good news folks. We have dodged a bullet. Cartwright has resigned with Parra.

 

[St Tangles]

Is he really that good. Goes missing in my eyes. I’d rather big Tino and the GC prop I can’t pronounce his name.

The Titans prop has knocked back their extension offer

 

[redVinme]

Is he really that good. Goes missing in my eyes. I’d rather big Tino and the GC prop I can’t pronounce his name.

Mo?

 

[BIG RIG]

Kikau would be an outstanding pickup

 

[BIG RIG]

Very interesting article I have just read

- Broncos want to sign Josh McGuire for next year

- Moses Mbye has signed at 2 year deal will be announced in the coming days

- We have offered Moses Suli a 3 year deal

- We are set to offer Villiame Kikau a 4 year deal starting in 2023

- We are looking at signing Ofahiki Ogden from the Bulldogs

 

[thebigredv]

Just saw an article that we are chasing kikau, can someone post it? from the Australian

That's more like it (if true). If Griffin can start landing quality players for 2023 he just about earns himself another year despite how bad we are going now. And there's quite a few about to come on the market.

 

[thebigredv]

- Broncos want to sign Josh McGuire for next year

 

[Coffs dragon]

Broncos want to sign Josh McGuire for next year

Geez I hope this one is true….he’s a jinx!

 

[Dragon David]

Geez I hope this one is true….he’s a jinx!

I second that!

 

[Rob Dragon 1]

I second that!

3rd!!!

 

[Rob Dragon 1]

Very interesting article I have just read

- Broncos want to sign Josh McGuire for next year

- Moses Mbye has signed at 2 year deal will be announced in the coming days

- We have offered Moses Suli a 3 year deal

- We are set to offer Villiame Kikau a 4 year deal starting in 2023

- We are looking at signing Ofahiki Ogden from the Bulldogs

Big Rig, Source? Would be great if true.

 

[BIG RIG]

Big Rig, Source? Would be great if true.

Umm read it on a Telegraph Article I’ll try and find the link

 

[BIG RIG]

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph

No Cookies

www.dailytelegraph.com.au

It’s near the bottom on the article

 

[BIG RIG]

BRONCOS HOMECOMING?

The Broncos are considering making a play to bring Josh McGuire home as the club look to add an experienced front-rower to the mix.

Brisbane have already been linked to veterans Ryan James and Dylan Napa, but it is understood they are also thinking about a homecoming for McGuire who has one year left on his contract with St George Illawarra. McGuire left the Broncos in 2019 to join North Queensland before linking up with the Dragons earlier this year.

McGuire’s St George Illawarra side continues to be aggressive in the player market.

Moses Mbye will take up a two year deal after St George Illawarra and the Tigers agreed to a deal on Thursday. The Dragons have also stepped up their pursuit of Manly centre Moses Suli.

It is understood the Dragons are planning to offer a three year deal to snatch Suli from the Sea Eagles just 12 months after missing out on the 23-year-old. The Dragons are also considering making a play for out of contract Bulldogs prop Ofahiki Ogden for next season.

There are also suggestions the Dragons will make a play for Penrith back-rower Viliame Kikau when he is free to talk on November 1. The two teams play each other on Friday night.