The Rumours Thread

[Gardenia]

I feel so sorry for Flanno- he's a seriously impressive guy- reminds me of the one man band- guitar, drums with his feet, mouth organ all going at once. He's trying so hard to turn this club around at so many levels. You can see a clear strategy emerging with his finger prints all over the various elements of that strategy. Firstly, gain the commitment and trust of your captain and best player to build the team around. Second, get the best off field coaching, strength and fitness staff so that the 2024 team will at least well be able to compete on the score of fitness and hardness- areas we lacked this year ( Flanno was working on changes to the Gong gym the other day) . Thirdly, build morale and create a link with the clubs past greats and high profile supporters like Mark Taylor, to remind players of what this club means to its passionate fans . Fourthly, getting rid of the joint venture mentality and rotating Chairperson position- this is one club. Appointing Lancaster as the Chair for at least the next couple of years is a step in the right direction. Fifth, keeping both Sydney and Illawarra fans in touch with their team and at the same time perhaps making the club more attractive to future recruits by switching a training night up Kogarah.

And then along came Hunt and said what he said and undid one and made 2, 3, 4 and 5 much more difficult for poor old Flanno. If he can keep this limited team motivated and performing better than 2023 with a diffident captain, he should be the next one to have a statue along the Dragons Walk.

Yes Hunt I used to quite like, but not anymore. He has already been told No and he keeps agitating. What can he hope to gain from that. He is just being such a Jerk.

 

[saintmar]

I feel so sorry for Flanno- he's a seriously impressive guy- reminds me of the one man band- guitar, drums with his feet, mouth organ all going at once. He's trying so hard to turn this club around at so many levels. You can see a clear strategy emerging with his finger prints all over the various elements of that strategy. Firstly, gain the commitment and trust of your captain and best player to build the team around. Second, get the best off field coaching, strength and fitness staff so that the 2024 team will at least well be able to compete on the score of fitness and hardness- areas we lacked this year ( Flanno was working on changes to the Gong gym the other day) . Thirdly, build morale and create a link with the clubs past greats and high profile supporters like Mark Taylor, to remind players of what this club means to its passionate fans . Fourthly, getting rid of the joint venture mentality and rotating Chairperson position- this is one club. Appointing Lancaster as the Chair for at least the next couple of years is a step in the right direction. Fifth, keeping both Sydney and Illawarra fans in touch with their team and at the same time perhaps making the club more attractive to future recruits by switching a training night up Kogarah.

And then along came Hunt and said what he said and undid one and made 2, 3, 4 and 5 much more difficult for poor old Flanno. If he can keep this limited team motivated and performing better than 2023 with a diffident captain, he should be the next one to have a statue along the Dragons Walk.

Well with all this we should be the favourites to win the comp next year.
Oh you forgot to add he released our best junior and apart from Sele he has signed no one except his son.

 

[dannyt]

Given that Flanno was employed as an assistant coach and then as a list consultant at the Dragons, one would wonder why our Board did not offer him the job as coach after May was sacked.

NRL ban was still in force.

 

[dannyt]

Well with all this we should be the favourites to win the comp next year.
Oh you forgot to add he released our best junior and apart from Sele he has signed no one except his son.

You seem to know the specifics of why Bud was released. Please share.

 

[possm]

Yes Hunt I used to quite like, but not anymore. He has already been told No and he keeps agitating. What can he hope to gain from that. He is just being such a Jerk.

How is it? If the club wanted to terminate the contract of Hunt, he and his agent would demand the NRL contract be paid out in full. Yet when Hunt wants to terminate the contract, he and his agent's expectations are that neither Hunt nor his in-coming club should need to pay out his contract. This expectation is directly due to the actions in dealings of the past and should never be followed in the future.

If you are under contract the contract MUST be fulfilled unless both sides agree to terminate it. And in the case of termination, the policy should be very clear, even, and fair. All contracts should have a non-performance clause that has wording that protects both parties of the contract.

 

[St.Brisbane]

One of the things that gives me hope for next year was when I heard Flanno in commentary before his appointment as coach say how he did not really like that we played what he called "Benny ball". That the Dragons had no structure or game plan other than giving Hunt the ball in a position that worked for him. This has allowed Hunt to have some great seasons but has not supported the development of the rest of the team. I feel confident Flanno will not be playing "Benny ball" next year.

 

[Murfy]

The mole reckons we want Jayden Brailey and Knights might be willing to let him go

 

[mattchuot]

The mole reckons we want Jayden Brailey and Knights might be willing to let him go

The Mole is usually jibber but with the rise of Crossland and talk that the Knights are tight on their cap this rumour could have legs…

 

[dannyt]

One of the things that gives me hope for next year was when I heard Flanno in commentary before his appointment as coach say how he did not really like that we played what he called "Benny ball". That the Dragons had no structure or game plan other than giving Hunt the ball in a position that worked for him. This has allowed Hunt to have some great seasons but has not supported the development of the rest of the team. I feel confident Flanno will not be playing "Benny ball" next year.

I would say our attack in the past few seasons has been "Benny Hill Ball".

 

[Victoire]

The mole reckons we want Jayden Brailey and Knights might be willing to let him go

Now that's a good pick-up, and seems plausible to me too.

 

[Draginzaaar]

Well with all this we should be the favourites to win the comp next year.
Oh you forgot to add he released our best junior and apart from Sele he has signed no one except his son.

Our best junior? He was on $500,000 and did nothing except get injured alot.

 

[Captain Apollo]

The mole reckons we want Jayden Brailey and Knights might be willing to let him go

Fox Sports reporting that also (and they are sourcing their story from the Terror) -

Knights’ bumper contract for rep star; journeyman set for UK move: Transfer Whispers

Knights’ meeting for rep star amid rival raid; journeyman‘s UK move: Transfer Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Well with all this we should be the favourites to win the comp next year.
Oh you forgot to add he released our best junior and apart from Sele he has signed no one except his son.

Best junior- jury still out and that's the limited time he's not injured.

 

[Victoire]

Crossland stepped up big time late in 23 for the Knights so they might think he provides better value than Brailey, who has a big contract but suffered two ACL injuries in three years. It's feasible that they'd look to offload him.

Flanagan was his old boss and the coach that gave him his NRL debut at the Sharks, so it's feasible that we'd land him. Flanno was also on record recently talking about wanting to sign a hooker.

I declare this rumour: plausible

 

[St Tangles]

Big risk with Brailey after 2 acl's

 

[thebigredv]

Big risk with Brailey after 2 acl's

Why would you get rid of Sullivan and then sign someone just as risky? Don't like it.

Ipape seemed like the better option. If still available I'd like to see us go for him.

We had the likes of Robson and McInnes at one point and ever since have tried to replace them with the likes of Isaac Luke, Mbye and McCullough. It's disgraceful. Not again.

 

[denis preston]

Well with all this we should be the favourites to win the comp next year.
Oh you forgot to add he released our best junior and apart from Sele he has signed no one except his son.

You’d be a bundle of laughs being stuck on a desert island with! I’d hope there was at least one tree so I could neck myself!

 

[dannyt]

You’d be a bundle of laughs being stuck on a desert island with! I’d hope there was at least one tree so I could neck myself!

Ouch

 

[Victoire]

Ipape seemed like the better option. If still available I'd like to see us go for him.

I'd love Ipape too... but he isn't available and his club have no reason to let him go. Unfortunately

 

[Parko1310]

Why would you get rid of Sullivan and then sign someone just as risky? Don't like it.

Ipape seemed like the better option. If still available I'd like to see us go for him.

We had the likes of Robson and McInnes at one point and ever since have tried to replace them with the likes of Isaac Luke, Mbye and McCullough. It's disgraceful. Not again.

Brailey is an origin level hooker if he stays fit. Let's not forget Liddle came to us with a terrible injury history. Brailey is exactly what we need, a hooker who does an abundance of defensive work and provides good service, so that Liddle can come off the bench and provide the impact he was at the start of the year. He is not a starting hooker for mine. Does a decent enough job, but his strengths are taken away when he starts. Really like the signing if we can pull it off, especially with our new fitness staff, but the Mole is known to bullshit.

Also, if you look at Ipape, he's got talent, but he honestly isn't the answer to our prayers. Misses a fair few tackles, he's more of an impact hooker than a starter when you look at his style. Having him and Liddle in the team, I'm not sure there is much point. It doesn't provide much variation, and it doesn't lock up the middle defensively at the start of games either.