The Rumours Thread

[BLM01]

Fresh blow for Dragons’ depleted five-eighth stocks

Jack Bird, the man set to be the preferred No.6 for St George Illawarra for the start of this season, will undergo knee surgery on Friday.

www.theage.com.au

Why in the world is Bird going to play 6 ahead of Sullivan in round 2 if they're both fit. If that's true it's absolutely ludicrous. Bird clearly brings more to the side at 13. Playing him at 6 also weakens our front row as de Belin will then have to play lock. Molo is already suspended. The reason stated? For defensive reasons. Essentially there is absolutely no confidence being shown in Sullivan, and we're going to play negative, defensive, boring football again. f**k that for a laugh if it happens.

Just because the Griffin hater paper says Bird was going to be our 6, does not make it true.
Besides someone had to train there when Sullo went down who is back running already

 

[Parko1310]

Just because the Griffin hater paper says Bird was going to be our 6, does not make it true.
Besides someone had to train there when Sullo went down who is back running already

Hunt is quoted as saying he believes Bird will start there in round 2 as the first few rounds are a grind and you need to be defensive. Coming from our club captain, who happens to be the closest to Hook out of any other player. Not saying it 100% will happen, but based on the info available here I said IF it happens it would be ludicrous. You've got to read the article mate.

 

[possm]

RTS to fullback
Sloan to five eight
Sullivan to half
Hunt to Hooker

Plenty of attacking spark in that combo. Sloan and Sullivan working the halves would be s sight to see. Hunt could control the game from 9.

 

[BLM01]

Hunt is quoted as saying he believes Bird will start there in round 2 as the first few rounds are a grind and you need to be defensive. Coming from our club captain, who happens to be the closest to Hook out of any other player. Not saying it 100% will happen, but based on the info available here I said IF it happens it would be ludicrous. You've got to read the article mate.

I read the article mate. As I said many things get said and interpreted by media incorrectly.
Of course we had to be ready if Sullo's injury could of been worse or comes back
Bird is the man in that case to train there or replace him while he is out.
But Hunt is also not going to reveal all our detailed plans to the media anyway. Just give em something to shut em up.

 

[Illusion]

Fresh blow for Dragons’ depleted five-eighth stocks

Jack Bird, the man set to be the preferred No.6 for St George Illawarra for the start of this season, will undergo knee surgery on Friday.

www.theage.com.au

Why in the world is Bird going to play 6 ahead of Sullivan in round 2 if they're both fit. If that's true it's absolutely ludicrous. Bird clearly brings more to the side at 13. Playing him at 6 also weakens our front row as de Belin will then have to play lock. Molo is already suspended. The reason stated? For defensive reasons. Essentially there is absolutely no confidence being shown in Sullivan, and we're going to play negative, defensive, boring football again. f**k that for a laugh if it happens.

It will , first few mistakes by Sullivan, if he starts at 5/8 , then it will be Bird or Mybe there .....

 

[twinkletoes]

It is only a knee clean out. he said he will back for Round 2.
What is the big drama. I know the media make it dramatic but this forum takes it to another level.

Point taken in the context of a reasonably run club where there is a 30 man squad with depth to cover contingencies. However this is a club that has refused to sign players to provide adequate depth, has refused to appoint a recruitment manager and has only around 25 signed players within the top 30. That’s when I have great concerns about any injuries within the playing group…our squad even at full strength has gaping holes!!

 

[justadragon]

I'm not going to let all this crap worry me until I see the starting list for RD2, and if Bird and Sullivan are both fit and Bird is the 5/8, then I will be pissed. All I'm hoping for is that we get through these trials without any major drama.

 

[Dragon David]

I'm not going to let all this crap worry me until I see the starting list for RD2, and if Bird and Sullivan are both fit and Bird is the 5/8, then I will be pissed. All I'm hoping for is that we get through these trials without any major drama.

Yep, no use worrying about things until list comes out for the Round 2 squad versus the Titans.

 

[since77]

Hunt is quoted as saying he believes Bird will start there in round 2 as the first few rounds are a grind and you need to be defensive. Coming from our club captain, who happens to be the closest to Hook out of any other player. Not saying it 100% will happen, but based on the info available here I said IF it happens it would be ludicrous. You've got to read the article mate.

Moronic if true. We are already depleted in the forwards, it would be madness to weaken them further to play Bird at 5/8. Even Mbye would be be a wiser stop gap at 6 if they want to ease Sullivan in.

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

It is only a knee clean out. he said he will back for Round 2.
What is the big drama. I know the media make it dramatic but this forum takes it to another level.

1. Because he’s had knee issues before.

2. A game hasn’t been played yet and he requires an operation.

3. He says he won’t miss a game, but if they play him too early, he might get reinjured so they may hold off in playing him.

4. we’re running thin on players as it is.

5. Our team on paper sucks balls

6. There are no decent players available to sign

7. even if there were decent players to sign we most likely won’t sign them anyway.

8. our coach is Hook who appears to know f**k all about running a team

let us panic as much as we want

 

[Old Timer]

All this carry on about only having 25 players and somehow 5 vacancies unfilled is just bullshit.

We have 27 signed and 3 vacancies.

We need to have a minimum of 29 signed and can keep 1 vacancy for later in the season.

It is neither the clubs or coaching staff's fault that Amone is stood down and Ramsey is suffering from a rare and extremely difficult condition.

So let's be honest in how this is reported rather than going crook at the club about things out of our control.

If we are given cap relief for Amone & Ramsey then again it is neither the club's or coaching staffs fault that there is slim pickings to choose from as the circumstances surrounding Amone and Ramsey were unforeseen and not of the clubs timing.

 

[kit66]

Hunt is quoted as saying he believes Bird will start there in round 2 as the first few rounds are a grind and you need to be defensive. Coming from our club captain, who happens to be the closest to Hook out of any other player. Not saying it 100% will happen, but based on the info available here I said IF it happens it would be ludicrous. You've got to read the article mate.

Cough..cough...

 

[carltonsouth79]

Cough..cough...

View attachment 70003

Is there a stat of percentage missed of tackles attempted? I’m sure a winger for example may have very low missed tackles because he doesn’t make that many attempts. Not a great stat, granted, but may look better against the number of tackles he was forced to make

 

[Reddragon]

Yeah, the stat alone doesn't say much. You could read it as other teams think the Dragons only have one good player so they direct all their traffic at Hunt to wear him out.

 

[The Word]

Cough..cough...

View attachment 70003

I'd say he's said this to take some pressure off Bud's return date. No doubt Bud will be desperate to get back and help the team as soon as possible, but he needs to be smart about it and come back when he's 100%, especially if he's had no trials. Ben's been around the block and knows the score. I'm sure he'll have plenty of input into who plays with him in the halves, and I'd trust his judgement over ours tbh.

 

[jak]

1. Because he’s had knee issues before.

2. A game hasn’t been played yet and he requires an operation.

3. He says he won’t miss a game, but if they play him too early, he might get reinjured so they may hold off in playing him.

4. we’re running thin on players as it is.

5. Our team on paper sucks balls

6. There are no decent players available to sign

7. even if there were decent players to sign we most likely won’t sign them anyway.

8. our coach is Hook who appears to know f**k all about running a team

let us panic as much as we want

your right mate,i also think we will have a great year

 

[kit66]

I'd say he's said this to take some pressure off Bud's return date. No doubt Bud will be desperate to get back and help the team as soon as possible, but he needs to be smart about it and come back when he's 100%, especially if he's had no trials. Ben's been around the block and knows the score. I'm sure he'll have plenty of input into who plays with him in the halves, and I'd trust his judgement over ours tbh.

I don't think Hunt should be calling the shots on team selections at all. He's part of the reason we signed McCullough for sure and look where that got us. He probably contributed to Norman's longevity over Amone too. Not that Hook's selection credentials are any better.
Tell me, what do we gain by putting an allegedly better defender (better than Bud - which I dispute) in at 6 ahead of Bud. It's not like we're going to make the 8 or do much this year anyway so why not use this year to bring through as many young guys as we can, get them some experience and we should start with Jayden Sullivan because our future depends on guys like him not Mbye and Bird and Hunt and players like Brodie effing Croft.

People can make all the excuses they want as to why Hunt's defence is the worst in the league, worse than all 400 + other nrl players doesn't do much for the team come game day does it. The real killer is that he's our best player, well attacking player anyway. Signing him for an extra 2 years will prove to be yet another Dragon's folly.

 

[Gareth67]

Lawd forbid ! Enough of dissecting our team to pieces , let’s get behind our boys and wish them the best for season 2023 .

 

[Crush]

I reckon Mbye plays 6 for St Helen’s, Sullivan will play 6 for Charity Shield, then Bird will play 6 for Titans round 2.
From there, dragons will win enough games in the first six weeks for everyone to get excited again.
Then we will struggle to win a game for about 4 months.
I might be wrong but that’s how I see the season going.

 

[offiah]

Don’t forget hook to be extended in there too, a nice Anzac Day announcement