The Rumours Thread

[Coffs dragon]

I’m really hoping with Flanno’s old Sharks contacts & living in the Shire he can target Brailey & Connor Tracey.
Tracey has speed to burn and can play 5/8 or fullback.
Wave the Sook goodbye & pair up Jnr.Flanno & Tracey in the halves……an old Sharkies reunion.

 

[possm]

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

Or alternatively, Flanno has signed a couple of average players but is now primed to recruit some top-class winners.

 

[kit66]

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

Sullivan is a natural halfback, that's his best position by far. So far he's played just a handful of games in the 7 jersey in 1st grade and he did ok. His other games in 1sts were off the bench (usually to hooker) and the rest as second fiddle to Hunt in the 6 jersey - and I mean second fiddle, Hunt calling all the shots as usual. In his 4 games in reserves in his preferred 7 jersey he came up with 9 try assists and 7 line break assists and averaged 115 metres a game, not too shabby, lead his team to 2 wins and almost a 3rd.
Anyway, wait until Benji adds to Buds bag of tricks. I hope when they play us Bud runs circles around Hunt & Co.

In relation to best junior - who's better ?

 

[Adolf_Spritzer]

Sullivan is a natural halfback, that's his best position by far. So far he's played just a handful of games in the 7 jersey in 1st grade and he did ok. His other games in 1sts were off the bench (usually to hooker) and the rest as second fiddle to Hunt in the 6 jersey - and I mean second fiddle, Hunt calling all the shots as usual. In his 4 games in reserves in his preferred 7 jersey he came up with 9 try assists and 7 line break assists and averaged 115 metres a game, not too shabby, lead his team to 2 wins and almost a 3rd.
Anyway, wait until Benji adds to Buds bag of tricks. I hope when they play us Bud runs circles around Hunt & Co.

In relation to best junior - who's better ?

I'd have Sloan, despite all his defensive deficiencies at the top. The kid could be anything with a bit of fire in the belly.

And on Sullivan, does anybody remember that kick against the Broncs up there in front of a packed Suncorp? It was one good bounce away from putting us in front with 5min to go and very well could have been the difference had Lomax grounded the ball properly (was playing on the left and tried to ground with his right hand, simultaneously putting his left hand into touch)
And when you consider the praise Munster gets for doing stuff like that (that kick to Warbrick comes to mind) having the cajones to do so when the games on the line, i really hope it doesn't come back to bite us

 

[possm]

Gee Wiz, we've had Sloan and Sullivan in 2023 and finished second from the bottom. Now I'm happy for Flanno to make the decisions and hopefully, I'll be happy with the results.

 

[Gareth67]

I’m really hoping with Flanno’s old Sharks contacts & living in the Shire he can target Brailey & Connor Tracey.
Tracey has speed to burn and can play 5/8 or fullback.
Wave the Sook goodbye & pair up Jnr.Flanno & Tracey in the halves……an old Sharkies reunion.

I have always liked Brailey , a very busy dummy half , knows how to get clean ball out very quickly to keep the attack flowing .

 

[RedVee_8]

I'd have Sloan, despite all his defensive deficiencies at the top. The kid could be anything with a bit of fire in the belly.

And on Sullivan, does anybody remember that kick against the Broncs up there in front of a packed Suncorp? It was one good bounce away from putting us in front with 5min to go and very well could have been the difference had Lomax grounded the ball properly (was playing on the left and tried to ground with his right hand, simultaneously putting his left hand into touch)
And when you consider the praise Munster gets for doing stuff like that (that kick to Warbrick comes to mind) having the cajones to do so when the games on the line, i really hope it doesn't come back to bite us

The kick that Hook bawled him out over

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

I have always liked Brailey , a very busy dummy half , knows how to get clean ball out very quickly to keep the attack flowing .

Accept for the two ACL reconstructions and $550k pa price tag

 

[Saints Forever]

Sullivan is a natural halfback, that's his best position by far. So far he's played just a handful of games in the 7 jersey in 1st grade and he did ok. His other games in 1sts were off the bench (usually to hooker) and the rest as second fiddle to Hunt in the 6 jersey - and I mean second fiddle, Hunt calling all the shots as usual. In his 4 games in reserves in his preferred 7 jersey he came up with 9 try assists and 7 line break assists and averaged 115 metres a game, not too shabby, lead his team to 2 wins and almost a 3rd.
Anyway, wait until Benji adds to Buds bag of tricks. I hope when they play us Bud runs circles around Hunt & Co.

In relation to best junior - who's better ?

Loved Bud and wish he were still with the club however he spent more time off the paddock than on it.

In the NFL they say the best ability is availability.

 

[Murfy]

Brailey is a good dummy half and just needs a bit of luck regarding injuries. I think the real value of Brailey would be the leadership qualities he brings. Something we are clearly lacking

 

[CozDragon]

Sullivan is a natural halfback, that's his best position by far. So far he's played just a handful of games in the 7 jersey in 1st grade and he did ok. His other games in 1sts were off the bench (usually to hooker) and the rest as second fiddle to Hunt in the 6 jersey - and I mean second fiddle, Hunt calling all the shots as usual. In his 4 games in reserves in his preferred 7 jersey he came up with 9 try assists and 7 line break assists and averaged 115 metres a game, not too shabby, lead his team to 2 wins and almost a 3rd.
Anyway, wait until Benji adds to Buds bag of tricks. I hope when they play us Bud runs circles around Hunt & Co.

In relation to best junior - who's better ?

I'm not completely sold on him being a halfback. I have not seen anything from him to suggest he can lead a team around the park in the type of fashion we need.
While he did play at 7 in the SG Ball, he played more of a running 5/8 role than a typical 7. Which worked fine for that division, where defense was not a high priority and more often than not individual brilliance outshone teamwork. There is not a lot of difference in the style of play between himself & Amone, though I do think he has a higher ceiling & better kicking game than Amone. In the end, his injury proneness was his undoing as he was originally ahead of Amone in the pecking order.

 

[Gareth67]

Accept for the two ACL reconstructions and $550k pa price tag

Undoubtedly bad injuries to have sustained , however they do not seem to have affected his game .

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Hear u Gareth

It’s just a very different scenario one ACL reco vs two

Two is on the edge of retirement leading into three………just look at how Bird buckles in every tackles.

One ACL reco and no further ACL issues one can go on for a while career wise…….if not their whole career

Two is a very different challenge to deal with or not

 

[Slippery Morris]

I don't get this. Flanno is after Brailey who is injury prone and gets rid of Sullivan because he thought he was too injury prone. Personally I would have both as they they would improve the spine if fully fit. And here I thought Kyle was more or less signed to play the No.14 role when he clearly was bought in as a 7. Poor Bud has been shafted by 2 coaches that want their favourites ahead of him in Ben Hunt and now Kyle Flanno both with less ability than Bud imo.

Geez I hope I am wrong and Kyle has a breakout season in 2024 at 7.

This could be the real reason sook wants a release, Flanno probably told him he will be at 6 next season to accommodate his son at 7 and we all know what happens when the sook does not get his way at St George? Anywhere else he is fine to play 9, 6, 14 etc but at Saints No.7 or else I want a release.

 

[Parko1310]

I don't get this. Flanno is after Brailey who is injury prone and gets rid of Sullivan because he thought he was too injury prone. Personally I would have both as they they would improve the spine if fully fit. And here I thought Kyle was more or less signed to play the No.14 role when he clearly was bought in as a 7. Poor Bud has been shafted by 2 coaches that want their favourites ahead of him in Ben Hunt and now Kyle Flanno both with less ability than Bud imo.

Geez I hope I am wrong and Kyle has a breakout season in 2024 at 7.

This could be the real reason sook wants a release, Flanno probably told him he will be at 6 next season to accommodate his son at 7 and we all know what happens when the sook does not get his way at St George? Anywhere else he is fine to play 9, 6, 14 etc but at Saints No.7 or else I want a release.

My guess with Sullivan is it's a combination of things. It's mere speculation that he was let go on the basis of being injury prone. My guess is that is only part of it. He was also getting a major increase in salary next season and the season after that, even more. I would say he was seen as a backup half option, and you can't have a 450-550k player sitting in reserve grade, or constantly on the sidelines for that matter. Hamstrings are very different injuries to knees as well. I would guess Bud's hamstrings will be a problem for the rest of his career, and he's still only young, so imagine when he is older. The other factor could be that Bud is a difficult personality, or that people in his inner circle overstep the mark in terms of their input. Or he's surrounded by "yes" men who tell him he should be starting halfback, and he believes them, so he's constantly agitated. At the end of the day, we don't know the reason, but there is a reason he was told he could look elsewhere. Likely, it's a combination of a couple, or all of these possibilities.

 

[RedVee_8]

Anyone going to the Leagues Club AGM tonight?

 

[Centralcoastdragon2]

I like Brailey but Hunt is the incumbent Australian and Origin hooker.

 

[RedVee_8]

I remember a couple of years ago hoping we were chasing Reynolds when he was on the outer at Souths.
Imagine how much better we’d have been with him taking the pressure of organising and field goals (lol) away from Ben, who could then just play eyes up footy

 

[Parko1310]

I remember a couple of years ago hoping we were chasing Reynolds when he was on the outer at Souths.
Imagine how much better we’d have been with him taking the pressure of organising and field goals (lol) away from Ben, who could then just play eyes up footy

Yes, in hindsight would be perfect for us. Not sure if we had the cap space at that time for a purchase like that though either.

 

[Lindsay Moss]

I'm not completely sold on him being a halfback. I have not seen anything from him to suggest he can lead a team around the park in the type of fashion we need.
While he did play at 7 in the SG Ball, he played more of a running 5/8 role than a typical 7. Which worked fine for that division, where defense was not a high priority and more often than not individual brilliance outshone teamwork. There is not a lot of difference in the style of play between himself & Amone, though I do think he has a higher ceiling & better kicking game than Amone. In the end, his injury proneness was his undoing as he was originally ahead of Amone in the pecking order.

Sorry don't agree his undoing was the coach looking after his son .