The Rumours Thread

[Disillusioned Tiger]

I think you'll find that the optimists in here are banking on our roster rising to dizzy heights based purely on the new coaching regime. So if a Blake Lawrie was a 6/10 last year he'll be an 8/10 this year. Also, as mentioned above, they are banking on Hunt playing to his full potential.
The problem I see is our halves dont have it in them. I never liked Widdop, I always thought he was too inconsistent, but at his best he was immense. He had it in him.
Ive never seen Hunt single handedly win us games like Widdop did. And Norman is just plain slow.
Tigers have the same coach so you guys will be hoping that your recruitment will get you over the line. You guys have been busy with recruitment and made some big acquisitions, albeit with a fair amount of risk.
We have lost quality players and recruited a couple of fringe first graders and an injury prone Bird.
Anyway, it'll be an interesting season for both our clubs I reckon. It will be a rollercoaster ride thats for sure.

You guys must be very grateful that the Sharks can’t afford to take McInnes this year! Releasing him would be suicide!

 

[Inisai Toga]

You guys must be very grateful that the Sharks can’t afford to take McInnes this year! Releasing him would be suicide!

Really.., beg to differ; media beat up we’ll be fine!

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

You guys must be very grateful that the Sharks can’t afford to take McInnes this year! Releasing him would be suicide!

If he does stay with us, I hope he plays lock. If we don’t make the 8 we may as well win the spoon as far as I’m concerned. Hook only has a 2 year deal we need to get get our style up and running as soon as possible we don’t want to build a style around Cams style at 9 only to have to reinvent the wheel the following year.

 

[Willow]

Don’t take the bait MickeyLane

That's irony, in truckloads.

 

[BBTB]

If he does stay with us, I hope he plays lock. If we don’t make the 8 we may as well win the spoon as far as I’m concerned. Hook only has a 2 year deal we need to get get our style up and running as soon as possible we don’t want to build a style around Cams style at 9 only to have to reinvent the wheel the following year.

Apparently, McCulloch
Will be with us, with in 2 weeks. (Quote:Joey John's)

 

[goldiesaintz]

Apparently, McCulloch
Will be with us, with in 2 weeks. (Quote:Joey John's)

Thanks BBTB,
I was just reading the article GetSmarty posted and the way Harran was talking, it was as if McCulloch was already at the Dragons. I thought it quite odd ............. now it makes sense.

 

[Crush]

Thanks BBTB,
I was just reading the article GetSmarty posted and the way Harran was talking, it was as if McCulloch was already at the Dragons. I thought it quite odd ............. now it makes sense.

Hook wanting McCulloch is like Mary wanting Josh McCrone.

 

[goldiesaintz]

Hook wanting McCulloch is like Mary wanting Josh McCrone.

That's a scary thought.

 

[Crush]

That's a scary thought.

Remember when Mary signed McCrone? The message was that Josh would bring experience and the ability to lead the team around. A no frills hard working team player.
That'll be the same message with McCulloch.

 

[George Sancti]

I think you'll find that the optimists in here are banking on our roster rising to dizzy heights based purely on the new coaching regime. So if a Blake Lawrie was a 6/10 last year he'll be an 8/10 this year. Also, as mentioned above, they are banking on Hunt playing to his full potential.
The problem I see is our halves dont have it in them. I never liked Widdop, I always thought he was too inconsistent, but at his best he was immense. He had it in him.
Ive never seen Hunt single handedly win us games like Widdop did. And Norman is just plain slow.
Tigers have the same coach so you guys will be hoping that your recruitment will get you over the line. You guys have been busy with recruitment and made some big acquisitions, albeit with a fair amount of risk.
We have lost quality players and recruited a couple of fringe first graders and an injury prone Bird.
Anyway, it'll be an interesting season for both our clubs I reckon. It will be a rollercoaster ride thats for sure.

I agree with your assessment of the Forum Optimists Group Crush, of which I am probably a member. Whist I don’t anticipate that Saints will be playing in the 2021 grand final, I do believe the team is capable of better performances than what we have witnessed in recent years. I think that with a better standard of coaching and selections based on form, we should make the bottom half of the eight.

 

[Maddragon99]

It will definitely be a great achievement if a team full of 18 year olds could make the finals that’s for sure but they need a few years. I will watch with more interest than usual, because I feel like we are building something but I’m not expecting a heap of wins this year. Honestly if we can make the finals with this squad, it’s the stuff of fairytales. You could near make a movie about it. I’m a super positive person and usually think we will surprise a few but this is the weakest squad I can remember, but bursting at the seams with potential. I just can’t see a backline of Dufty, Ramsey, Lomax, Feagai and Rava becoming a premiership winning defensive unit this year. Exciting tries will be had, some nice tries will be stopped but no doubt defensive errors will be made.

I’ve posted a number of times but I’ll repeat. We need 4 things to go our way this year to make the 8

1) Ben Hunt needs to play awesome at 7
2) We need a better than average run with injuries particularly in the forwards
3) The kids in the backline, Ramsey Feagai’s etc need to play well from round one
4) We must have an increased level of production from the left, 5 tries in 2020 compared to 27 on the right.

Fix those & we’ll do well.

I agree. The real challenge for Hook and co will be sustaining any momentum gained by the younger guys for 26 rounds.

That’s true, it’s all about our defence, what was our average points conceded? 22 points a game? If that gets dropped to 14 or so then we’ll be competitive most weeks.

 

[Old Timer]

Funny how for seasons it was all about us having a good squad that should be competing and how we had a poor coach and bad selection policy (Aitken / Lafai) that held us back and of course the cry that our juniors were not being brought along either quickly enough or long enough.

Well the coach and his cohorts have gone as have Aitken & Lafai. Coupled with that Frizzell has gone (many panned him as being ordinary in attack and very 1 dimensional), Host has gone who had plenty of critics (body of Tarzan but played like Jane) I remember as one description, Mc Innes will be gone and many have posted how limited he is and Hook & co have highlighted the plethora of strong junior talent so I don’t get all the misery in the place

Are people insinuating that getting what you wish for is not such a good thing or perhaps now thinking that if previous recruitment had been more judicious then we wouldn’t be where we are at this time.

Too many people hedging their bets and swaying which ever way the wind blows.

With the coach going I would say at least 40% if not more of our prayers are answered, with juniors taking a prominent position in our thinking that should be at least worth 20% more positivity, losing Aitken & Lafai another 5% and the losing of Frizzell, Host, Mc Innes is subjective as to worth or loss depending on your viewpoint.

So surely the good outweighs the bad and as a result we should be more positive in our thinking process?

Some days might be ugly for sure but bet your bottom dollar some days will get you very excited for the future.

Chin up everyone let’s get behind the coaching staff and the squad and give them plenty of positive vibes.

 

[George Dragon]

Apparently, McCulloch
Will be with us, with in 2 weeks. (Quote:Joey John's)

About the same amount of time it will take for Cam transfer to go thru....

 

[Coffs dragon]

Funny how for seasons it was all about us having a good squad that should be competing and how we had a poor coach and bad selection policy (Aitken / Lafai) that held us back and of course the cry that our juniors were not being brought along either quickly enough or long enough.

Well the coach and his cohorts have gone
as have Aitken & Lafai. Coupled with that Frizzell has gone (many panned him as being ordinary in attack and very 1 dimensional), Host has gone who had plenty of critics (body of Tarzan but played like Jane) I remember as one description, Mc Innes will be gone and many have posted how limited he is and Hook & co have highlighted the plethora of strong junior talent so I don’t get all the misery in the place

Are people insinuating that getting what you wish for is not such a good thing or perhaps now thinking that if previous recruitment had been more judicious then we wouldn’t be where we are at this time.

Too many people hedging their bets and swaying which ever way the wind blows.

With the coach going I would say at least 40% if not more if our prayers are answered, with juniors taking a prominent position in our thinking that should be at least worth 20%, losing Aitken & Lafai another 5% and the losing of Frizzell, Host, Mc Innes is subjective as to worth it loss depending on your viewpoint.

So surely the good outweighs the bad and as a result we should be more positive in our thinking process.

Sime days might be ugly for sure but bet your bottom dollar some days will get you very excited for the future.

Chin up everyone let’s get behind the coaching staff and the squad and give them plenty of positive vibes.

Well said OT and I really don’t care where we come in 2021, as long as the team has a real dig and the young talent is given a go. Griffin has form & reputation in bringing thru junior talent, so it may take time to mould the team & fill the shortcomings.
I’ll be more than happy to watch exciting attacking football & no more bloody Peanut Power Game.

 

[goldiesaintz]

Remember when Mary signed McCrone? The message was that Josh would bring experience and the ability to lead the team around. A no frills hard working team player.
That'll be the same message with McCulloch.

Crush, you make a fair case, however allow me to present further evidence to the jury by suggesting that a combination of "I can't Coach McGregor" and "There's only one Josh McCrone" are lightyears apart from "Bronco McCullough" and "I can coach Hook."

I would further add that unlike McCrone playing every week regardless of form, Hook will have McCullough cutting lawns on Sundays if he doesn't aim up.

Your Honour, the Crown rests ..........

 

[goldiesaintz]

Funny how for seasons it was all about us having a good squad that should be competing and how we had a poor coach and bad selection policy (Aitken / Lafai) that held us back and of course the cry that our juniors were not being brought along either quickly enough or long enough.

Well the coach and his cohorts have gone
as have Aitken & Lafai. Coupled with that Frizzell has gone (many panned him as being ordinary in attack and very 1 dimensional), Host has gone who had plenty of critics (body of Tarzan but played like Jane) I remember as one description, Mc Innes will be gone and many have posted how limited he is and Hook & co have highlighted the plethora of strong junior talent so I don’t get all the misery in the place

Are people insinuating that getting what you wish for is not such a good thing or perhaps now thinking that if previous recruitment had been more judicious then we wouldn’t be where we are at this time.

Too many people hedging their bets and swaying which ever way the wind blows.

With the coach going I would say at least 40% if not more if our prayers are answered, with juniors taking a prominent position in our thinking that should be at least worth 20%, losing Aitken & Lafai another 5% and the losing of Frizzell, Host, Mc Innes is subjective as to worth it loss depending on your viewpoint.

So surely the good outweighs the bad and as a result we should be more positive in our thinking process.

Sime days might be ugly for sure but bet your bottom dollar some days will get you very excited for the future.

Chin up everyone let’s get behind the coaching staff and the squad and give them plenty of positive vibes.

Game, Set ......

Well said OT and I really don’t care where we come in 2021, as long as the team has a real dig and the young talent is given a go. Griffin has form & reputation in bringing thru junior talent, so it may take time to mould the team & fill the shortcomings.
I’ll be more than happy to watch exciting attacking football & no more bloody Peanut Power Game.

.... & Match.

 

[Maddragon99]

Funny how for seasons it was all about us having a good squad that should be competing and how we had a poor coach and bad selection policy (Aitken / Lafai) that held us back and of course the cry that our juniors were not being brought along either quickly enough or long enough.

Well the coach and his cohorts have gone
as have Aitken & Lafai. Coupled with that Frizzell has gone (many panned him as being ordinary in attack and very 1 dimensional), Host has gone who had plenty of critics (body of Tarzan but played like Jane) I remember as one description, Mc Innes will be gone and many have posted how limited he is and Hook & co have highlighted the plethora of strong junior talent so I don’t get all the misery in the place

Are people insinuating that getting what you wish for is not such a good thing or perhaps now thinking that if previous recruitment had been more judicious then we wouldn’t be where we are at this time.

Too many people hedging their bets and swaying which ever way the wind blows.

With the coach going I would say at least 40% if not more if our prayers are answered, with juniors taking a prominent position in our thinking that should be at least worth 20%, losing Aitken & Lafai another 5% and the losing of Frizzell, Host, Mc Innes is subjective as to worth it loss depending on your viewpoint.

So surely the good outweighs the bad and as a result we should be more positive in our thinking process.

Sime days might be ugly for sure but bet your bottom dollar some days will get you very excited for the future.

Chin up everyone let’s get behind the coaching staff and the squad and give them plenty of positive vibes.

Don’t let the irregular posters on here recently get you down OT. Hook has already proven he’s got the guts to make hard decisions by letting McInnes go. We’re in good hands, it might not be 2009 allover again but we’re not far from competing at the top. Dufty will be the next to go to give Ramsey a go at FB & he’ll immediately become a fringe rep player. Better than Ryan papenhausen & the heir to Tedesco. Feagai boys left centre & wing plus Lomax & Rav on the right we’ll kill it. Plenty of cash to spend on forwards as he sees fit. We’re all good mate

 

[SGMax]

I agree with your assessment of the Forum Optimists Group Crush, of which I am probably a member. Whist I don’t anticipate that Saints will be playing in the 2021 grand final, I do believe the team is capable of better performances than what we have witnessed in recent years. I think that with a better standard of coaching and selections based on form, we should make the bottom half of the eight.

My optimism is based on:
1) Last season, our forwards underperformed and played without aggression and motivation, even our better ones like Sims and Vaughn.
If Hook can get them firing it will go a long way to making us more competitve.
2) Our halves also didn't live up to expectations, possibly due to point 1....possibly due to poor coaching.
They can do better and if Hook can get them to improve, Dragons will be more cohesive and create more in attack.
3) Our backline is full of youth, enthusiasm and speed. If they can overcome their lack of experience, we could be a real threat in attack and have good scramble in defence.
4) Our achilles heel in 2020 was our poor defence. Hook has the squad working on improving this and with a more willing and motivated squad, I am expecting us to leak less points.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

About the same amount of time it will take for Cam transfer to go thru....

whats your feeling on this one mate. Is Captain Cam with us in the Red V come round 1 or is he playing against us in 5 weeks time.
If the later will be very hard to watch.

 

[Kylez3]

If McInnes does leave early, you'd think the Dragons management would put forward a clause in his contract that he can't play against his former team. It's not an uncommon practice.