The Rumours Thread

[BLM01]

Surely you can't go into a season with either Billy Burns or Tyrell Fuimaono as your starting left second rower in a first grade team. Surely...right?

Josh Kerr

 

[BLM01]

Hopefully everyone here and elsewhere notes the Lomax Amone scuffle as the non news it is. Most big standard footy team event that happens all the time when you have jacked up blokes constantly hitting each other at training

We do
It’s just the media doing what they do best for a story when there is nothing to tell ATM

 

[Iron Mike]

At this stage I'd say shoot out between Fui and Burns, with Kerr hoping for a bench spot, probably as middle. However I would say that this is the spot they are trying hardest to fill, so could still see some movement before the season starts.

Moses Suli to left side second Row.
Matt Feagai to left centre
Tyrell Sloan to left wing
Any coach of first grade standard would easily recognise Suli’s inefficiencies as a centre. If he can’t play out the 80minutes in S Row , then bring on one of the young blokes like Ryan Couchman off the bench.
Matt Feagai was probably our most improved player in 2022 and needs to see more ball in hand.
These are the sort of changes required to take us to the next level , but it remains to be seen if Hook has the foresight to make it happen.

 

[denis preston]

Moses Suli to left side second Row.
Matt Feagai to left centre
Tyrell Sloan to left wing
Any coach of first grade standard would easily recognise Suli’s inefficiencies as a centre. If he can’t play out the 80minutes in S Row , then bring on one of the young blokes like Ryan Couchman off the bench.
Matt Feagai was probably our most improved player in 2022 and needs to see more ball in hand.
These are the sort of changes required to take us to the next level , but it remains to be seen if Hook has the foresight to make it happen.

As bad as we played last year Suli was one of our very few good players SO why move him ????

 

[Iron Mike]

Suli’s style of play resembles nothing like a top class centre. For example Mark Gasnier and Mark Coyne were probably our best centres we have had in last 40 years. Both had good speed, agility, could step and hand great hands . Suli has none of the above. Suli’s poor agility is further exposed in the centres rather than S row. His only asset is to gain metres which again is better suited to S Row

 

[carltonsouth79]

At this stage I'd say shoot out between Fui and Burns, with Kerr hoping for a bench spot, probably as middle. However I would say that this is the spot they are trying hardest to fill, so could still see some movement before the season starts.

My thinking too. Kerr was on the outer last year but not moved on so must be a possible. Burns seems to be well regarded by Hook. Still time to recruit

 

[Como Connection]

As bad as we played last year Suli was one of our very few good players SO why move him ????

Suli will be much better now in his natural right centre spot and Zac fine playing left.
CC

 

[Iron Mike]

I am pretty sure that Lomax just moved to left centre against the Broncos to accommodate Katoni Staggs. I believe he will go back to right centre in 23.

 

[mickeylane]

Suli is a gun centre...yes some small shortcomings but more good than bad...he's our strike centre and the opposition knows it...DONT MOVE HIM

 

[Iron Mike]

Suli is the prime target for every coach when playing Saints. Gets burned on the outside almost every week. Can’t pass to save his life. If we want to change the outcome of our position on the ladder then changes like this must happen.
Otherwise expect the same result

 

[shiloh dc]

This is the most depressing off season I can remember in nearly 50 years. Terrible recruiting, constant hammering by press (most with agendas) and the realisation there doesn't appear much on the horizon. One or two key injuries and we will fall into the dungeon of the abyss we care currently in. Honestly, I cannot recall an announcement or read a post since 2011 where i've felt the club is going forward and is in good hands. I think it was around 2011 where the salary cap rose significantly. That has contributed to the mess we're in today as the Board is under-resourced and cannot compete with other cashed-up creative boards/owners.

 

[possm]

As bad as we played last year Suli was one of our very few good players SO why move him ????

1. Sloan
3. Ramsey
11. Suli

 

[denis preston]

Suli is the prime target for every coach when playing Saints. Gets burned on the outside almost every week. Can’t pass to save his life. If we want to change the outcome of our position on the ladder then changes like this must happen.
Otherwise expect the same result

Got A lot of problems on our side IM but Suli isn’t one of them.

 

[Crush]

Suli is the prime target for every coach when playing Saints. Gets burned on the outside almost every week. Can’t pass to save his life. If we want to change the outcome of our position on the ladder then changes like this must happen.
Otherwise expect the same result

Best thing to happen in 2022 was Suli.
He’s the absolute least of our MANY problems.
If you think he’s the prime target for every coach then maybe you have taken too many hits on the chin Iron Mike.

 

[Crush]

1. Sloan
3. Ramsey
11. Suli

 

[Iron Mike]

Des Hasler had Morgan Harper and Brad Parker ahead of Suli at Manly for good reason , and Neither Harper or Parker are what you would call Gun centres.
If the Dragons call on Hasler to replace Hook you can bet on Suli getting punted or at least moved to back row.

 

[Gareth67]

1. Sloan
3. Ramsey
11. Suli

If Ramsey has completely recovered from his illness then he would be the better of the two for the fullback role .

Sloan has been in the position , but has failed to impress , more so in his final game there where he allowed the ball to bounce as if he was a distant relation of Mr. Duffy .

Undoubtedly Sloan has plenty of speed , but we need to someone with a bit of size at fullback to tackle . I am not saying that is Ramsey’s strong point , however to me he offers much more than Sloan in that position .

 

[Gareth67]

This is the most depressing off season I can remember in nearly 50 years. Terrible recruiting, constant hammering by press (most with agendas) and the realisation there doesn't appear much on the horizon. One or two key injuries and we will fall into the dungeon of the abyss we care currently in. Honestly, I cannot recall an announcement or read a post since 2011 where i've felt the club is going forward and is in good hands. I think it was around 2011 where the salary cap rose significantly. That has contributed to the mess we're in today as the Board is under-resourced and cannot compete with other cashed-up creative boards/owners.

Completely agree Shiloh , usually there is a player of note that is a chance of going up to Wollongong , but as you have said this off season no one .

Webb said that the Dragons had money to use , however apparently they are waiting on the salary cap to be announced ( as are many clubs ) to see whom is available .

The clubs mistake for too many seasons of late is to snag a quality player for an outrageous amount of money and long term , only to discover that they have hamstrung themselves for a number of years thereafter .

We can only hope that should they sign a couple of decent players , then they do so with the future in mind in terms of both the bank balance and the prospective players true worth .

 

[kit66]

Des Hasler had Morgan Harper and Brad Parker ahead of Suli at Manly for good reason , and Neither Harper or Parker are what you would call Gun centres.
If the Dragons call on Hasler to replace Hook you can bet on Suli getting punted or at least moved to back row.

Who cares what Hasler thinks. Last year he had a very good team to run out every week, great forward pack, spine and wingers and could only manage 9 wins and 11th on the ladder, I wouldn't be putting too much faith in Dessie's opinion.
And anyway 2021 with Suli in the team they won 16 games and finished 4th.

I want a rampaging, 110kg, 24 year old Suli playing out wide, averaging 143 mtrs a game all year. Leave the forward work to forwards and let Suli do his thing. There's nothing wrong with his passing either.

 

[Parko1310]

Des Hasler had Morgan Harper and Brad Parker ahead of Suli at Manly for good reason , and Neither Harper or Parker are what you would call Gun centres.
If the Dragons call on Hasler to replace Hook you can bet on Suli getting punted or at least moved to back row.

Suli is not the primary target, he actually substantially improved his defence last year which was impressive and made the right decision on almost every occasion. We saw in the trials he can pass, he either didn't want to last year or was told to just run and at times might have overdone it. Lomax is the target for oppositions, can be a clueless defender.