The Rumours Thread

[BLM01]

Yes. I reckon he would have been surprised by the lack of support. I suspect this has come as a revelation to him. Hence his dramatic shift in his ‘support’ for Hook. I also expect Hook will be enlightened by Hunt’s apparent shift of allegiance. Hunt started out refusing to sign unless Hook was locked-in. As soon as he re-signs he publicly states that yeah, it’s no secret Hook’s on the ropes.

Yep and that has been reported and evident for weeks.
I am just about convinced he will be gone before next season no matter what the club or media has trotted out in recent weeks

 

[BLM01]

I’m fine with letting Sims go. All his media supporters went quiet when he was dropped from Origin this year. Should never have been picked in the first place.

It was almost like a Bradbury decision the year before..last man standing and that due to injury etc.
In saying that some of his efforts in games far outweighed most (not all) weeks on the park for us.

 

[BLM01]

Well Josh Jackson does fall into the washed up veteran category we have a penchant for.

I still don’t understand why we let Tariq Sims go for 2023. Mystery to me.

He past it too for the money

 

[BLM01]

That’s a good job for Hook to stack the team full of old recycled players & force the younger talent up to NRL to escape his dimwit views.
Chuck Flanno in as NRL coach for 1 year and avoid the full Hook payout by demoting him.

You may have hit nail on head but more than 1 year

 

[BLM01]

I believe we will sign Shane Flanagan before Jan 1 as coach

 

[Crush]

I believe we will sign Shane Flanagan before Jan 1 as coach

Inside info BLM01?
I’d love to never have to watch another Hook interview again, let it be true!

 

[Maddragon99]

I’m fine with letting Sims go. All his media supporters went quiet when he was dropped from Origin this year. Should never have been picked in the first place.

Letting Sims go is fine if he’s replaced by a superior player like Kikau but at this point all we’ve done is extend Billy Burns. Hence my why did we let Sims go argument

 

[Maddragon99]

I believe we will sign Shane Flanagan before Jan 1 as coach

Dreaming

 

[Parko1310]

1. Tapine never came to market nor did his manager seek public interest
2. You will never convince me Martin is just an average 2nd rower. IMO he is better than that. Not scared of going for the big play and big hit to inspire his team mates
3. No to Jackson..he is ageing and not what we need and Finucane does more than him nowadays but looking at Finucane I am glad we missed on paying him 650+ for 3 years
4. Agree with some of the props but a couple have already been resigned. Tui, Butcher (who is not really a prop?)
5. Yes to Robson

Just in response,
I know Tapine never came to market because we'd have to wait for nov 1, but we've registered interest in Fifita who's not available until the same time. Tapine's management also did reach out to gain interest from other clubs. Agree to disagree on Martin, but I don't think we should splash the cash for a player like that.

Regarding Jackson, this squad has a distinct lack of quality leadership, with Ben Hunt having to do pretty much all the leadership. We have a playing group full of d**kheads and that's just the reality of our situation. I think he's someone who can show them the way forward with the way he trains and carriers himself. He's also very solid and won't let anyone down with mistakes or defensive lapses which is more than we can say for the majority of our current squad.

Regarding Butcher, I think you're thinking of Nat Butcher who is a second-rower. Egan Butcher is a prop and one of the biggest young front-row prospects in the game. He will be killing it in 2 years time at the Roosters unless someone was to snap him up.

 

[Bin Chicken]

It

Letting Sims go is fine if he’s replaced by a superior player like Kikau but at this point all we’ve done is extend Billy Burns. Hence my why did we let Sims go argument

Letting Sims go is fine if he’s replaced by a superior player like Kikau but at this point all we’ve done is extend Billy Burns. Hence my why did we let Sims go argument

Could have replaced Sims with a barbie doll. It was the right move to let him go . I’d rather Burns than Sims as he is just as effective and a lot cheaper

 

[Kolum Kid]

Yes. I reckon he would have been surprised by the lack of support. I suspect this has come as a revelation to him. Hence his dramatic shift in his ‘support’ for Hook. I also expect Hook will be enlightened by Hunt’s apparent shift of allegiance. Hunt started out refusing to sign unless Hook was locked-in. As soon as he re-signs he publicly states that yeah, it’s no secret Hook’s on the ropes.

Me thinks the Coach and Captain not reading the mood in the dressing shed.

 

[Maddragon99]

It


Could have replaced Sims with a barbie doll. It was the right move to let him go . I’d rather Burns than Sims as he is just as effective and a lot cheaper

Aren’t bin chickens a pest? If you actually went to a game you’d know how silly your post was. But hey! It’s was only your 15th post.

 

[qld redvee]

Yep and that has been reported and evident for weeks.
I am just about convinced he will be gone before next season no matter what the club or media has trotted out in recent weeks

BLM01,
Im thinking about 2nd november for the payout and it causes no distraction. Likewise i think mcullough may announce retirement november december so he has started last year of contract which probably means some sort of payout ... we need something to happen in order to get the situation straightened out .

 

[qld redvee]

That’s a good job for Hook to stack the team full of old recycled players & force the younger talent up to NRL to escape his dimwit views.
Chuck Flanno in as NRL coach for 1 year and avoid the full Hook payout by demoting him.

Coffs if we were smart we would demote griffin to another job and promote flanno for say 2 years . I suppose it depends on the wording and specifics of griffins contract

 

[Saints Forever]

The “scheduling miscommunication” is a clear message to the board that Hook has lost the dressing room.

Hunt & Macca are clearly also on the outer with the balance of the squad.

Demoting Griffin to KOE coach would probably trigger Griffin’s resignation and Maccas retirement.

Agree with qldredv. If Griffin’s contract allows Saints to demote Griffin without triggering a default of Griffin’s contract, now is the time to seek a coaching upgrade. Flanagan or Hasler or Dean Young?

I would be speaking to all three asap.

 

[thebigredv]

There were other quotes you forgot to mention....

“We are going in the right direction. The experience we have in the team and the extra year for those young guys to develop."
“Guys like Cody Ramsey, Junior Amone and Mat Feagai came on really well at the back end of the year.”

me, me, me - selfish prick!

Tend to disagree. Hunt comes over very arrogant in that article. My insincerity radar is going off.

"I want to preserve my body but I'll do anything mal meninga wants me to do". That's not what you want to hear from your captain. He doesn't credit Sullivan which is interesting to say the least.

That our coach and captain can't see what's best for our long term success is madness.

As good as Hunt is he isn't good enough to get us to finals off his own back. With a bit of inventiveness in our coaching Sullivan and Hunt work in tandem to deliver something other than the failed attack that Hunt has been part of so long. Speaks as if he is an immortal. He is just a good player who dropped a grand final.

 

[itsme]

For those wanting Hasler as a coach, you need to consider....

Des has never been a pathways coach. Every club he has coached at it has been first grade and zero consideration for any team outside of that.

The youngsters we are looking to as our future will get ignored. NRL results and the present are all that he cares for.

Some will argue that our youngsters are getting ignored now. This is true, so why go for someone that will give us what we already have.

Our club needs someone to come in and get our younger players ready to excel at the highest level. That is the way for our club to move forward.

In my opinion Des is not the answer.

 

[slippery5]

So true. Anyone who thinks this team does anything except go backwards in 2023 is delusional. I’ve said it before on this thread but I can honestly see the wooden spoon as a possibility in ‘23 if Griffin remains coach.

I usually put $50 on us for premiers just for the sake of it, but I'd be more confident of a return on the spoon.

 

[saintmar]

I usually put $50 on us for premiers just for the sake of it, but I'd be more confident of a return on the spoon.

Agree but we will be at $1.01 for the spoon.

 

[possm]

For those wanting Hasler as a coach, you need to consider....

Des has never been a pathways coach. Every club he has coached at it has been first grade and zero consideration for any team outside of that.

The youngsters we are looking to as our future will get ignored. NRL results and the present are all that he cares for.

Some will argue that our youngsters are getting ignored now. This is true, so why go for someone that will give us what we already have.

Our club needs someone to come in and get our younger players ready to excel at the highest level. That is the way for our club to move forward.

In my opinion Des is not the answer.

For me, the top job of a first-grade coach is to ensure the players in his squad are ready, able, and willing to win each game during the season. If he is on top of his work and the team running well each week, he or one of his assistants can spend some time doing other things like looking at juniors coming through.

It is up to the 'Director of Football and CEO to ensure we have quality coaches right through the pathway system and have a fitness facility, staff, and program to ensure our players of all grades are fully fit.

I'd say bring in Hasler for sure but also bring in some real coaching talent to coach in the pathways program.