The Rumours Thread

[Trifili13]

What a radical thought, playing players in their proper positions. Next you will be suggesting that we let the coach actually coach! Where will this madness end?

Steady on, we can't let the coach just coach, one forumite suggested a week or 2 ago that the fans should choose who plays for the club.

 

[boardlumps62]

I know this is a forum and good banter and people's suggestions and thoughts are always welcome, and I know some players have adopted to new positions or play multiple positions, but I think it's getting a bit silly. If we just look at the suggestions on our forum:
Sullivan who is a half to be converted to a hooker
Hunt who is a half converted to a hooker
Dufty a fullback into a 5/8
Rava a winger into a back rower
Sims a back rower into a prop
And I am sure there are more

And that's before the actual coaches playing some of the players all over the shop.

Here's a suggestion, how about we play them where they belong or if that does not work out we buy someone that fits that position like all the good teams do.

For a start forget Duff he's gone to the Dogs be interested to see where he plays in that team. Sullivan played Hooker out of desperation so Norman could finish his great career in his favoured position. The end was as woeful as most of his career. So if Sullivan is to remain at the Dragons he will have to play half sharing it with Benny or try to oust Amone or share hooking role with McCullough. That rumour of moving to South's might gain momentum if he can't be included in the top 17. Hope not.

 

[Lethal25]

Souths have been shedding players as they have no cap space, Reynolds, Gagai, Sua. They're not in a financial position to make much of a play. And with the lure of playing under Bennett about to be removed they become less of a concern

 

[baggygreen man]

Ramsey - 185cm and 82kg

Kinda feel for him. At rather a loose end now that Sloan has taken the custodian role with both hands. There is centre or wing.. not bulky enuff. So where does Ramsey go from here. Looks to me that another local junior will be forced to ply his trade at another club...

 

[baggygreen man]

Max F - 186cm and 98kg
Mat F - 186cm and 96kg

These two aint exactly squirts. Not sure I can work out Griffins logic.. certainly there are inconsistencies. He is prepared to gamble on starting spots for rookies Sloan and Amone next year.. that is good. So why is he not prepared to gamble on filling a centre spot with one of two rookie Feagai brothers rather than have the club fork out $500k on an import.. and one with a questionable conduct track record. One brother has already handled the step up to the cauldron of top grade league, so why not the other. The last time the club produced a pair of twins.. we came up with BMoz, one of the game's best finishers on the wing and JMoz in the centres.. For the short time they played together they added quality to our backline.

 

[baggygreen man]

deleted duplicate post?

 

[OneEyedDragon]

These two aint exactly squirts. Why fork out $500K for a centre import when one of the twins would fill that position nicely. Not sure I can work out Griffins logic.. certainly there are inconsistencies. He is prepared to gamble on starting spots for rookies Sloan and Amone next year.. that is good. So why is he not prepared to gamble on filling a centre spot with one of two rookie brothers rather than have the club fork out $500k on an import.. and one with not the best conduct track record. One brother has already handled the step up to the cauldron of top grade league, so why not the other. The last time the club produced a pair of twins.. we came up with BMoz, one of the game's best finishers on the wing and JMoz in the centres.. For the short time they played together they added quality to our backline.

Maybe the problem is that if the club says it is going to stick with its developing juniors, some forumites scream "we need to buy some quality players". If the club shells out money to buy a player, other posters scream "why are we wasting money on buying this player, we should be developing our juniors". The club just has to hope that whatever choice they make is the right one, because, rest assured, the fans will let them know if it isn't!

 

[Dragonslayer]

These two aint exactly squirts. Why fork out $500K for a centre import when one of the twins would fill that position nicely. Not sure I can work out Griffins logic.. certainly there are inconsistencies. He is prepared to gamble on starting spots for rookies Sloan and Amone next year.. that is good. So why is he not prepared to gamble on filling a centre spot with one of two rookie brothers rather than have the club fork out $500k on an import.. and one with not the best conduct track record. One brother has already handled the step up to the cauldron of top grade league, so why not the other. The last time the club produced a pair of twins.. we came up with BMoz, one of the game's best finishers on the wing and JMoz in the centres.. For the short time they played together they added quality to our backline.

2 lines of thought:

1. Besides Hunt and Bird (who I believe will be in the forwards next year) who is our next most experienced backine player?
2. Are the twins 'specialist' left side players? Or is Ramsey for that matter?

In fact our next most experienced backline player is Ravalawa (unless you want to include Beale) with just 51 games.
Neither, the twins or Ramsey are 'specialist' left side players. Of course they will play there if asked, thats part of youthful exupberance, but they are not specialists. However, in saying that, I think Matt did a fine job on the left wing and would have ro be the front runner, at this stage, for that wing spot. In saying that also, we have 4 spots remaining in our roster, who knows who will become available during the off-season.

 

[boardlumps62]

A Rock and a Hard Place when we have juniors coming through but not sure how they will perform so we go and buy one that's capable. Was it Max that broke into NRL first then got injured or dropped and Mat who was injured got over it and finally made the grade. Or was it around the other way. What I'm getting at we do need back up guys that can fill other positions some will suffer a setback and bounce back. Then there are all those other juniors like Schiller that we just can't accommodate. It's a shame but that's what happens being a big nursery. There should be more avenues so players aren't lost to NRL.

 

[George Dragon]

Just going to throw this out there, it's NOT A RUMOUR, just looking at our wing spots/stocks for '22 and I think Rava will definitely be on 1 wing, although Rava is 183cm and 93(?)kg.

On the other we have -
Ramsey - 185cm and 82kg
Max F - 186cm and 98kg
Mat F - 186cm and 96kg

Our tallest winger is 186cm and really we've been exposed several times with high kicks to the try line by players like Topou (Roosters) and even Saab, almost guaranteed try.

So, would anyone consider signing Edrick Lee? 196cm and 100kg. He's off contract with the Knights. Understand he's had some injury concerns.

I also understand that this creates a 'roadblock' to the 3 mentioned above, but can we afford not to have a 'tall' somewhat speedy winger, as this seems to be an avenue that we cannot defend atm.

I know you are talking about next year but just wanted to mention another kid we have coming through.
Alex Lobb is winger in the Saab mould and class.
He is 19 will end up about 6"4-5 just needs to fill out.
He played SG this year and moved into Flegg and is a gun goal kicker.

 

[qld redvee]

I know you are talking about next year but just wanted to mention another kid we have coming through.
Alex Lobb is winger in the Saab mould and class.
He is 19 will end up about 6"4-5 just needs to fill out.
He played SG this year and moved into Flegg and is a gun goal kicker.

George , lets hope Alex sticks around and doesnt have 'travel" problems like Saab, .. a goalkicking winger would be quite handy in a few years

 

[Dragon David]

I know you are talking about next year but just wanted to mention another kid we have coming through.
Alex Lobb is winger in the Saab mould and class.
He is 19 will end up about 6"4-5 just needs to fill out.
He played SG this year and moved into Flegg and is a gun goal kicker.

Hopefully all NRL/Other games will be back on next year to give all players a run and for us to see how the young ones are developing and which ones have potential. This Alex Lobb sounds promising George.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I know you are talking about next year but just wanted to mention another kid we have coming through.
Alex Lobb is winger in the Saab mould and class.
He is 19 will end up about 6"4-5 just needs to fill out.
He played SG this year and moved into Flegg and is a gun goal kicker.

Thanks @George Dragon, always great to get your direct insights into these youngsters. In saying that, any comment on Ben Lavender?

 

[Gippsy]

I know you are talking about next year but just wanted to mention another kid we have coming through.
Alex Lobb is winger in the Saab mould and class.
He is 19 will end up about 6"4-5 just needs to fill out.
He played SG this year and moved into Flegg and is a gun goal kicker.

Does he have Saab-like pace as well?

 

[hewi]

Ramsey - 185cm and 82kg

Has great speed however as Dufty has shown that’s not enough, he’s unlikely to grow any taller so either he bulks up to 92/95 kg or he won’t be playing first grade I’m afraid

 

[qld redvee]

Does anyone think its worth chasing clay webb from raiders.. just read he is off contract seems a good young prospect.. any thoughts

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I know this is a forum and good banter and people's suggestions and thoughts are always welcome, and I know some players have adopted to new positions or play multiple positions, but I think it's getting a bit silly. If we just look at the suggestions on our forum:
Sullivan who is a half to be converted to a hooker
Hunt who is a half converted to a hooker
Dufty a fullback into a 5/8
Rava a winger into a back rower
Sims a back rower into a prop
And I am sure there are more

And that's before the actual coaches playing some of the players all over the shop.

Here's a suggestion, how about we play them where they belong or if that does not work out we buy someone that fits that position like all the good teams do.

Ben Hornby a fullback into a halfback
Ben Creagh a winger into a second rower
Darius Boyd a winger into a fullback
Cam McInnes hooker to lock
Timmins centre to 5/8, lock
Lockyer, RTS and the list goes on. I’m not all for the constant position changes either but you can see why it will always be something people discuss given the history of successful positional changes throughout the years.

 

[Mjab]

BJ Leilua's manager trying to reinvent him as a prop.

Thoughts?

Some players have made a switch from back to forward Ben Creagh a good example of success

BJ however NO
Park footy for him or Super League

Looking like he , Corey and Duges can go as a package deal

 

[Mjab]

Saw in the Australian they quoted Duges was on 950
not sure if that was accurate , but it is insane

I did think Corey 850 was sad

but this sounds sadder

player payments are insane

 

[baggygreen man]

Are the twins 'specialist' left side players? Or is Ramsey for that matter?

They are only just out of nappies so doubt they have specialised as yet. Griffin needed to throw the forgotten twin into centre once our season was done. Instead he persisted with the slow poke Bird who cant even hold a football long enuff to do anything with it.