The Rumours Thread

[Draginzaaar]

The other bloke has been let down by officials with the lack of quality signings to assist him which is Flanno is trying to rectify.
Yes he could’ve gone about it in a different way but we don’t know the circumstances. Maybe his requests for better signings were ignored & frustration took over?

As for Bud he’s a rookie who hasn’t shown much in his games of NRL. Should have put his head down & worked hard biding his time which seems to be an issue for him. Apparently turned up to his first day of training at a new club overweight which says a lot.

Funny, we have complained about the club's lack of success getting high profile players, but if the Captain complains...

 

[BLM01]

Welsby has officially re-signed with St Helens. So scrap that dream.

’Generational talent’ knocks back interest from Dragons to extend stay in Super League

Another blow for Dragons as ‘generational talent’ snubs NRL with big career call

www.foxsports.com.au

Chicken !

 

[possm]

Was briefly mentioned in a SEN article that Jaydn Su'a would've been going the other way if we'd signed AFB. That may or may not be true, but if it is true you can basically guarantee Su'a's departure. How are you feeling if you're him and the club was ready to ship you out two minutes ago before their plans went pear-shaped?

It doesn't happen that way. Su'A would have to want to go. He can't be made to go.

 

[Draginzaaar]

Yes well, we have basically the same squad that finished second last last season minus a couple of juniors. To move up the ladder will require Flanno to get more out of the players we have, whether that's from improved fitness, attitude, or better tactics. It will be baby steps if we move at all.

If we were fit this year we win 5 more games. Not in the 8 but getting there. Fitness brings so much to a team. If Flanno can get the defence right, we'll be better.

 

[Dragons4me]

There's some truth to all of this fellas. We're an easy target at the moment. The comp doesn't start till early March '24 so it's not like we need a final team now. Of all the sheet going on now, I'd love to know why there's not been any sort of announcement of Twiggy's involvement. I mean, the second richest Australian potentially as a financial backer? If there's something to be worried about, it's this! Is this another hit on the horizon??

 

[possm]

As per previous posts Saints need to get the best out of their juniors. Saints now need to create a marquee not bring one in. Penrith did this, no reason why Saints cannot. They have just as many if not more juniors than Penrith. Poor systems were in place for so many years under dud coaches so hopefully Flanno gets the best out of this and Saints are in good shape for years to come like the Sharks are now. If we see Saints still bottom 4 next season but all the junior teams competing in finals then that is a good step. All eyes will be on the junior development seeing they have no luck in the market of luring NRL players. With a new club coming in, it will be even harder.

I am hoping the Couchman's, Sloan and Lomax in a year or so are the 4 marquee's that every team will want in their team but will be committed to Saints and putting pride back in the jersey.

JDB prior to court case was the best back in the comp. Hopefully Flanno can bring him back to his dominant best. I also do believe that Jacob Liddle will surprise the NRL next season. He was good under a poor coach in 2023. He will be even better under Flanno and I feel he may be a 80min hooker for Saints. He just has to stay injury free.

You cannot blame Saints as they are trying to land the big fish and throwing big dollars at players but unfortunately the damage Hook and Hunt have done is going to take so much longer to repair which we are slowly finding out. The BOD screwed up big time with that stupid decision of extending the dope an extra year. Both would have been gone by now as Hunt would have also left to be with his pal.

What is always needed is a good mix of juniors and marquee players. To simply jrely on juniors to come through and become top first-grade players is based on a lot of luck and has avoided the Dragons of late. The 3 amegos Sloan, Sullivan, and Amone are a case to point to. Quinlan, Dufty, and Hutchison are others who whatever reason did not end up being good first-graders for the Dragons.

You can be assured that Hunt will now pack his bags and move on so, what is needed in the short term is for the Dragons to spend the cap they have accumulated, starting with two good props, a halfback, and most probably a fullback or centre for the next two seasons.

I've now grown very tired of the usual idea of writing off the upcoming season to concentrate on a competition two seasons out. A lazy practice that never delivers.

 

[since77]

Yes well, we have basically the same squad that finished second last last season minus a couple of juniors. To move up the ladder will require Flanno to get more out of the players we have, whether that's from improved fitness, attitude, or better tactics. It will be baby steps if we move at all.

While I agree that the roster for '24 looks, well lets just say modest to be generous, I really think many people here are discounting the difference a superior coach can make. This poor team has had Price, followed by McGregor, followed by Griffin. I think all of us can agree that for 12 years in a row we've had 3 of the worst coaches in the NRL. I feel incredibly sorry for all the juniors that have had to come up through this inept and broken system.
We've been unfit, mentally weak and have had 12 years of the most insipid game plans I've ever seen following this team since, well check my username........ All of these areas just have to improve under a coach who actually knows what he's doing.
We will be better next year. Have to be. Premiership threat? Of course not. Top 8? Well that's probably unlikely too but I think there's a possibility they'll still be at least scrapping for a spot in the final few rounds.
The club deserves to be in the hole they are in now - they have caused this by 12 years of inept mismanagement. It's going to take way more than one off-season to fix. I decided a week or so ago that I need to accept that these are the first steps of a new journey (and yeah I hate that buzzword too). Like watching that crop of players from the early 2000's. I rode the ups and downs of that all the way through to 2010. Lots of heartbreak along the way, but 2010 made it worth it.
I can remember how I felt going into the '23 season. Literally the first year as a supporter I thought we were destined for the wooden spoon - it was that obvious. Even though things look bad now, they look a lot better to my eyes than the same time last year.

 

[Illusion]

While I agree that the roster for '24 looks, well lets just say modest to be generous, I really think many people here are discounting the difference a superior coach can make. This poor team has had Price, followed by McGregor, followed by Griffin. I think all of us can agree that for 12 years in a row we've had 3 of the worst coaches in the NRL. I feel incredibly sorry for all the juniors that have had to come up through this inept and broken system.
We've been unfit, mentally weak and have had 12 years of the most insipid game plans I've ever seen following this team since, well check my username........ All of these areas just have to improve under a coach who actually knows what he's doing.
We will be better next year. Have to be. Premiership threat? Of course not. Top 8? Well that's probably unlikely too but I think there's a possibility they'll still be at least scrapping for a spot in the final few rounds.
The club deserves to be in the hole they are in now - they have caused this by 12 years of inept mismanagement. It's going to take way more than one off-season to fix. I decided a week or so ago that I need to accept that these are the first steps of a new journey (and yeah I hate that buzzword too). Like watching that crop of players from the early 2000's. I rode the ups and downs of that all the way through to 2010. Lots of heartbreak along the way, but 2010 made it worth it.
I can remember how I felt going into the '23 season. Literally the first year as a supporter I thought we were destined for the wooden spoon - it was that obvious. Even though things look bad now, they look a lot better to my eyes than the same time last year.

Flanno as a coach and even if no one comes to us next year , I believe he will improve each player by some degree ...... As you say a fitter team , a better defensive team , a better attacking team , with a plan B if needed ........ The Dud coaches before him are all gone and the damage has been done , so is Flanno a better coach than the 3 before him , I say yes ....... So there is only way , and that's up ....... If Flanno can't improve us to be off the bottom and closer to the 8 , then every player we have are too far gone and need to all go ........

 

[TheRev]

I also agree I have more positivity today than 12 mths ago where it was an absolute certainty that the lacklustre roster was not going to go anywhere under Hook... plus at some point he obviously had to be sacked which would derail us even further.... that weak cop-out by not sacking him earlier set us back 1-2yrs... so short-sighted.

I would probably argue our 2024 roster is weaker (or maybe just on par) with 2023.. much of a muchness.. its just that we will hopefully get players coming in at some point.. maybe we get a Luki early etc.. but if nothing else we shed a couple of board members.. we have new staff.. and we have an actual coach now.. and hopefully he gets 10% out of everyone..

But unfortunately it is possible we finish 17th (which is worse), I do think we will play better as a unit for sure.. but we are still really relying on other teams to fall in a hole.. and the other teams have all improved their rosters.

 

[Dragon David]

Listening to SEN yesterday, they were talking about when a club has a stench about it, all the players know and won’t go near it. Apparently before they got Hook too, a number of high profile coaches and players were approached but nobody wanted to touch us because of the ‘word on the street’
We need to first change the reputation of the club before we will attract anyone.
That’ll only happen with positive results on the footy field.
David, we have enough in our squad to be competitive. When we signed Francis Molo for example we were over the moon that we’d landed a high quality prop. We still have him! If he plays to his potential we will be alright, same can be said for a number of underperforming players. The players I think can most benefit from a good coaching system are Lomax, Bird, Suli. These three were massive under-performers, their ceiling is high, need them to reach it.

...and Blake Lawrie could be our Fifita. He knows how to run up the middle hard but needs to learn to fend off players rather than to just barge and then fall. There are several guys in the squad like F Molo and even his brother Michael who can be developed the way that these"marquee" type players have grown to become in their careers. What AFB has achieved for instance in the past couple of years takes hard work and how Matt Prior became such a dominant tackling prop forward who could also take the ball up with purpose and the likes of Luke Lewis with his strength and prowess - all progressed under Flanno's tutelage. So we have a lot of ability and I hope that this will be strengthened by our notable coaches and conditioners.

You don't necessarily need to buy these expensive guys, you can train them and build them up and make sure that they are managed well and encouraged and urged to do well with the aim of being somebody as an individual and as a member of a great team.

So, yes we miss out on these big signings but lets give the current guys credit and strong belief that they can do the job without having an "outsider" come into the squad at great expense when they can make a name for themselves and be so proud of being able to achieve it.

I rest my case on this entire signings issue. Let the games commence boys!!

 

[possm]

If we were fit this year we win 5 more games. Not in the 8 but getting there. Fitness brings so much to a team. If Flanno can get the defence right, we'll be better.

We still need to buy some new players and promote at least one local junior ;to make the necessary changes for 2024 and beyond.

I've always thought that our current players will improve both in fitness and technique under Flanno so, an improvement on last season would be a given.

- Let Hunt go, he will always be a problem for us when trying to build team unity.
- Bird to retire medically unfit.
- BMM to move on.

1. Recruit Manu and select K Flannagan and Manu as our halves combination.
2. Recruit a big prop forward.
3. Select Allen as our Fullback.
4. Recruit Luki as our left-edge forward.
5. Select Sele on the bench0
6. Select Couchman on the bench.
6. Promote Egan to our utility role on the bench.

1. Allen
2. Sloan
3. Suli
4. Lomax
5. Ravalawa
6. Manu
7. K Flannagan
8. F Molo
9. Liddle
10. Lawrie
11. Luki
12. Su'A
13. De Belin

14. Eagan - local junior
15. New prop
16. Sele
17. Couchman

Six new players and one junior promoted to the bench may be enough change for now.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Saints made the best change for 2024 and that is a new coach that is a proven winner. I would rather that than any marquee signing. Lets see what Flanno can do with this team that ended far stronger than the Dogs and Tigers with an Interim coach and not a fulltime one. The boys will be out to prove all the fans and NRL that they will be no $hitshow. Their motivation will be much more than other years to win games. These setbacks will make them even more hungry to prove everyone wrong.

A good rookie shows he will be a career coach usually from his first year. Webster did an amazing job at the Warriors and did not bring many in. He will have a pretty long NRL career like Todd Paten. We all saw what Webster did to Jackson Ford who apparently was not good enough under Hook or Mary but played a huge role in lifting a side from bottom 4 to top 4. Imagine how many other juniors may be in the Dragons ranks that actually can shine in the NRL when they play to their ability?

My point is has Fitzy really impressed that much for AFB to think he has more chance of winning a comp than Flanno? Fitzy has had the softest draw for 2 years straight and lost every finals game they played in. A poor season in 2024 and he may not even be around in 2025. He had a pretty good team to start with so it was on a platter for him really hence why he jumped at that and not Saints. Ciraldo another over hyped coach who had all these new players brought in only to end with a toxic culture which is now being sugar coated with all these new players. This will be Benji's first year really as Sheens was around most of 2023 and it was terrible just like the final year of Sheens at the Cows before he went to England and lets say his stint in England was not too good. I think Benji is the unknown one and may go ok but way to young to win a comp or anything. I think if he gets them on the fringes of top 8 they will be stoked.

Fitzy and Ciraldo will be under huge pressure and I feel a few losses and they may buckle big time. I really feel or should I say hope Flanno will end up with a better season than the young rookies playing their first few seasons. It took Cleary many years to win a comp, same with Flanno, Maguire, Bennett, Bellamy even Bennett. What makes these teams think their rookie coaches can win a comp in a few years. They have not shown anything special to do this in my opinion in their first year or 2 compared to the guys that have won comps when they started.

My tip is Saints and Titans will be the big improvers for 2024 due to their new coaches.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

While I agree that the roster for '24 looks, well lets just say modest to be generous, I really think many people here are discounting the difference a superior coach can make. This poor team has had Price, followed by McGregor, followed by Griffin. I think all of us can agree that for 12 years in a row we've had 3 of the worst coaches in the NRL. I feel incredibly sorry for all the juniors that have had to come up through this inept and broken system.
We've been unfit, mentally weak and have had 12 years of the most insipid game plans I've ever seen following this team since, well check my username........ All of these areas just have to improve under a coach who actually knows what he's doing.
We will be better next year. Have to be. Premiership threat? Of course not. Top 8? Well that's probably unlikely too but I think there's a possibility they'll still be at least scrapping for a spot in the final few rounds.
The club deserves to be in the hole they are in now - they have caused this by 12 years of inept mismanagement. It's going to take way more than one off-season to fix. I decided a week or so ago that I need to accept that these are the first steps of a new journey (and yeah I hate that buzzword too). Like watching that crop of players from the early 2000's. I rode the ups and downs of that all the way through to 2010. Lots of heartbreak along the way, but 2010 made it worth it.
I can remember how I felt going into the '23 season. Literally the first year as a supporter I thought we were destined for the wooden spoon - it was that obvious. Even though things look bad now, they look a lot better to my eyes than the same time last year.

I'm very interested to see how much of a difference Flanno makes. He should be able to improve fitness and he should be able to fix up defensive issues. I'm not sure he can do much about the attack while Ben Hunt is halfback - Ben seems to call all the shots and never seems to trust other players unless they're from Queensland. And I'm not sure what he can do about attitude because there were quite a few players just going through the motions at various times last season - including Ben Hunt.

We will be favourites with the press for the wooden spoon with that roster. I can't think of any other side that deserves favouritism more than us. All hope depends on Flanno, and so far he has said a lot of things which sound good, but none have come true. Anyway, whatever happens, I'll be watching. Just hope it's not a train wreck like last season.

 

[thebigredv]

Isn’t it funny that board couldn’t get the coach they wanted and now the coach can’t get the players he wants. What a wild coincidence!

If the board members read the stuff on here they’d love how everyone is backing Flanno to see thru a change in the team. Hook, line and sinker. People’s continued belief in the new coach keeps them safe in their seat longer. Get the CEO to talk about the upcoming better days of 2026 and 2027, keep us all waiting, until it is time to blame our failing on the field on the coach and then find the next 3rd best candidate to succeed him. I can’t be the only one having flashbacks to Hook’s appointment. “He’ll take no nonsense, he’ll shore up our defence, he’ll use his contacts to get us the best men for the job, he once had the Panthers in the top 4 ya know”.

Unlike the Tigers there’s no one who cares enough to clean house at our club and that is the real misery, not missing out on some convicted DV player who would wind us up in salary cap chaos down the road.

Everyone seems to agree Flanagan looks a better coach than Hook. He also hasn’t head coached for years so it’s a matter of wait and see. Fact. We also agree his current group of players is weak. Cold hard facts. We now hope to just be a team on the rise by this time next year because that’s what’s realistic. Can anyone honestly say that they’d be happy if in two years we are still on the periphery of finals? Nope, we will all be here wishing for better and for heads to roll.

Let’s propose that those two Cowboys forwards - our new main targets pending inevitable rejection - would consider the Dragons for a second. They would be expecting overs like many of our players are used to getting. In a couple of years we are dealing with that salary mess. Vicious cycle for a club on the nose.

My favourite bit of delusion on here is how the same posters talking up our processes have bagged Bulldogs and Tigers to the hilt, two teams trying various methods to get off the bottom. Two teams with far superior squads to us for anyone that watches enough footy. I guarantee those same posters would be feeling on top of the world if we’d sacked the board, landed Luai or had welcomed in the likes of Burton, Kikau, Crichton, Mahoney etc. No, we don’t get that at the Dragons. We have to be “patient” and “realistic”.

There’ll be no rally in the streets. This club has oppressed the supporter base and zombified them. The toxicity of the board level leadership has trickled down to the playing group - wantaway ‘captains’, disgruntled youth, lazy and unfit, mentally incapable of managing a match scenario, brain fades, utter ill-discipline, more court cases than tries, disharmony etc etc. what you are asking Shane to do with this bunch is beyond the scope of any human being. He was just desperate enough to take it. Next lamb to the slaughter with a mission that already looks like falling flat.

At the end of the day your team has to have a coach and it’s human nature to get behind that coach but I urge people not to devalue themselves in thinking we and our club are of less privilege. This great club should have much higher aims and far superior people in charge.

 

[Gardenia]

Isn’t it funny that board couldn’t get the coach they wanted and now the coach can’t get the players he wants. What a wild coincidence!

If the board members read the stuff on here they’d love how everyone is backing Flanno to see thru a change in the team. Hook, line and sinker. People’s continued belief in the new coach keeps them safe in their seat longer. Get the CEO to talk about the upcoming better days of 2026 and 2027, keep us all waiting, until it is time to blame our failing on the field on the coach and then find the next 3rd best candidate to succeed him. I can’t be the only one having flashbacks to Hook’s appointment. “He’ll take no nonsense, he’ll shore up our defence, he’ll use his contacts to get us the best men for the job, he once had the Panthers in the top 4 ya know”.

Unlike the Tigers there’s no one who cares enough to clean house at our club and that is the real misery, not missing out on some convicted DV player who would wind us up in salary cap chaos down the road.

Everyone seems to agree Flanagan looks a better coach than Hook. He also hasn’t head coached for years so it’s a matter of wait and see. Fact. We also agree his current group of players is weak. Cold hard facts. We now hope to just be a team on the rise by this time next year because that’s what’s realistic. Can anyone honestly say that they’d be happy if in two years we are still on the periphery of finals? Nope, we will all be here wishing for better and for heads to roll.

Let’s propose that those two Cowboys forwards - our new main targets pending inevitable rejection - would consider the Dragons for a second. They would be expecting overs like many of our players are used to getting. In a couple of years we are dealing with that salary mess. Vicious cycle for a club on the nose.

My favourite bit of delusion on here is how the same posters talking up our processes have bagged Bulldogs and Tigers to the hilt, two teams trying various methods to get off the bottom. Two teams with far superior squads to us for anyone that watches enough footy. I guarantee those same posters would be feeling on top of the world if we’d sacked the board, landed Luai or had welcomed in the likes of Burton, Kikau, Crichton, Mahoney etc. No, we don’t get that at the Dragons. We have to be “patient” and “realistic”.

There’ll be no rally in the streets. This club has oppressed the supporter base and zombified them. The toxicity of the board level leadership has trickled down to the playing group - wantaway ‘captains’, disgruntled youth, lazy and unfit, mentally incapable of managing a match scenario, brain fades, utter ill-discipline, more court cases than tries, disharmony etc etc. what you are asking Shane to do with this bunch is beyond the scope of any human being. He was just desperate enough to take it. Next lamb to the slaughter with a mission that already looks like falling flat.

At the end of the day your team has to have a coach and it’s human nature to get behind that coach but I urge people not to devalue themselves in thinking we and our club are of less privilege. This great club should have much higher aims and far superior people in charge.

Best Post I have read in my life. I am in full agreeance with every point you have made.

I cringe when seeing on FB the DFL brigade still demanding that fans remain accepting and positive. It makes us look stupid. Oppression and Zombifying indeed.

 

[Parko1310]

Welcome to Shane’s world.
A land that stretches 163 kilometres south of Wollongong and includes the St George district in Sydney’s south.
A land that doesn’t include the constellation of free agent stars new coach Shane Flanagan has bullishly chased after for the past three months.
But it’s a land where the best of St George Illawarra’s 9000-strong junior nursery are getting a lesson in the ‘Dragons way’, a philosophy being driven by the new mentor.
To the club’s other new Shane, recruitment and pathways manager Shane Millard, it’s an ‘indoctrination’ of sorts, where players as young as 14 learn what it means to be a Dragon.
“If you’re talking about creating DNA at the NRL level, that’s too late. It starts at the junior rep level,” Millard said.
“You can only do that if the coach heads up the program. He wants a certain standard to everything from physical development to skills, and even their character as people. He knows he’s got to hammer that message home at an early age.”

Young Dragons Finau Latu, Kade Reed and Hayden Buchanan. Picture: Richard Dobson
While pathways are designed to nurture the next crop of talent, for the Dragons it will also be the place its juniors will learn the commitment and character it takes to one day wear the Red V.
Flanagan is now at the forefront of this cultural revolution.
He’s only been behind the desk since October but has been busy filtering his message to junior coaches. Despite having his hands full rebuilding the NRL side, Flanagan hasn’t missed a single meeting where the progress of junior talents is discussed.

PATHWAYS PLAYERS​

Eleven of the best players in St George-Illawarra’s pathways are the first cohort of juniors to get a taste of life under Flanagan this NRL pre-season.
The players identified as genuine NRL prospects hailed from both the Illawarra and St George regions.
It includes the likes of lock Hamish Stewart, 19, dynamic centre Hayden Buchanan, 17, Australian Schoolboys star Finau Latu, 18, rising halfback Kade Reed, 17 and exciting fullback Ben Rumble, 19.
“It’s a chance for them to get exposure to not only how Shane likes to do things but the intensity of what is expected of them at this level,” Millard said.
“They learn the right habits, whether they are resilient enough to cope with an NRL environment, whether their personalities fit. To see if they can cope with those demands and Shane gets to see it first hand.
“Someone like Ben, he’s a tall athletic fullback, and really emerged last year so it’s a reward for that but also a chance to nurture him even further.”

New coach Shane Flanagan is now at the forefront of the cultural revolution at St George Illawarra. Picture: Richard Dobson

THE ACADEMY​

While the pathways might be the cream of the crop, the club is committed to nurturing every junior in their system.
Every year, club legend and SG Ball coach Shaun Timmins, along with former NRL centre Willie Talau, hold a five-month Academy program for 100 players aged 14-19.
The academy runs in their respective regions with the entire cohort coming together once every month.
The combined day not only bridges the geographical gap between the players, but helps build a connection between the juniors that might one line-up in the same NRL side.
It’s also a chance to be in front of NRL coaching staff and players.
Just like in June, when Dragons star Blake Lawrie addressed academy players with a sobering message about struggles the club is facing at NRL level.
“The NRL is going through a rough patch. We’re coming dead last, unfortunately,” Lawrie told the youngsters.
“But I hope you boys will be able to progress in the next two, three years and build what we’re trying to build – that’s a top-four team year after year.”
Like Lawrie, Millard is confident the talent needed for sustained future success at the Dragons is already at their disposal.
“Development is everything. It’s the most crucial part of building success at the NRL level,” Millard said.
“You can’t go out every year and buy star players or buy premierships.
“With the Dolphins in the NRL and more clubs to join, the competition for the best kids will only ramp up. Clubs are now in a position where they really have no choice than to focus on development. Each crop of players coming through is better than the next.”

Rising Dragons star Hamish Stewart.

LEADING DRAGONS​

As well as the focus on elite pathways, and the Academy program, the club also runs an initiative known as LEAD – Lead Educate Advance and Development.
It’s designed for players on the cusp of NRL training and runs one day a week from November to January, where they join the top squad during the pre-season.
Each LEAD program normally has around 15 players take part and right now includes rising prop Jacob Halangahu, who is expected to get his first NRL pre-season in 12 months time. Other exciting prospects like front-rower Cyrus Stanley-Traill, 19, who recently signed a three-year deal, are also in the program.
So too, Harold Matthews back-rower Leeroy Weatherall and SG Ball lock Daniel Meafou.
“It’s about exposure, when these kids come through to finally do an NRL summer, it won’t be a shock to them. They’re learning what it takes at that level,” Millard said.

JUNIOR RECRUITMENT​

Despite boasting a nursery with over 9000 registered players, the club hasn’t historically developed ‘big, tall front rowers’.
To remedy that anomaly, the club recruited two of the brightest prop prospects in the country – Ipswich product Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Riverina junior Jet Liu.
Still only, 18, Tonga already tips the scales at 122 kilograms and stands at 194 centimetres.
“Sometimes you have to look externally and we’ve done it with Loko and Jet. Both are exceptional talents. The club believed they were the two best front rowers in their age group and neither have disappointed so far,” Millard said.

Recruit Loko Pasifiki Tonga already tips the scales at 122 kilograms.

COACHING MATTERS​

One of the first things Flanagan did when he took over was to install club legend Shaun Timmins as the Steelers SG Ball coach.
It’s seen as a crucial move in instilling the Red V DNA in up and coming talent.
“He understands how the club works, he’s passionate and he cares,” Millard said.
“It’s a battle to keep everyone. Other clubs know our nursery does produce decent kids so we’ve got to provide them with a world class pathway but also a sense of what it means to be here.
“When you have people like Timmo, a legend of the club, it becomes easier to do.”
Former player Kyle Stanley also runs the football program in the St George district.

Club legend Jason Nightingale will run a Dragons academy in New Zealand. Picture: Toby Zerna

FUTURE MOVES​

Millard is newly installed into his role as recruitment and pathways manager, but already has his eye set on building a Dragons academy in New Zealand, which will be run by club legend Jason Nightingale.
“We have started preliminary talks to get that up and running in the next 12 months. We need to make sure we have the resources, things like having eyes and ears on the ground, they have somewhere to train and there are coaches that can go over there,” Millard said.

Another key priority is growing the number of local juniors in the NRL top 30, which currently sits at 48 per cent.
“Internally you talk about that. Ideally you want a production line and that’s why you need a strong pathways system where the conveyor belt keeps spitting out a Blake Laurie, Zac Lomax, a Tyrell Sloan and so on. It’s the reason the club is investing more money into the academy and programs to improve that.
“We want to up the ante.”

 

[Lethal25]

If we were fit this year we win 5 more games. Not in the 8 but getting there. Fitness brings so much to a team. If Flanno can get the defence right, we'll be better.

Maybe that's true but.........we were one of the worst teams to watch pretty much all season. We struggled with the Tigers twice with them beating us on one occasion. My view is we are a lot further away from being a competitive team than just getting fitter. Our overall squad is bog average and if Ben Hunt doesn't play we almost do not know how to score. Let's hope some better defence (and it needs to be significantly improved) does create more scoring opportunities. There's a lot of work to do with this club

 

[possm]

I think blaming publicity for failed signings is misplaced.. ignore AFB as he was completely unique in his request to come to Sydney.. but with (most) of the others.. we generally start negotiations quietly.. but at some point someone finds out.. I reckon most often its the player manager leaking it to raise publicity/value for his player.. The journos are going to call Flanno... and he could lie or dodge the call.. but seriously.. and I think as fans id also rather know we are atleast talking to players... unlike under Hook who said nothing.

The issue imo is that we cant close a deal quickly.. Gus has a chat and its done in a few days (usually) before the media can even get a good story out.. but other than Sele, noone has really wanted to commit to us.. they explore all their options.. they drag it out.. and tbh they are probably mostly just using us to increase their value.. its not Flannos fault for answering media questions.. its just that players dont actually want to come if they have any other choice...

I blame the person who was selling the deal. I'm sure it was not Flanno otherwise why would the club keep Millward, Millard and Haran on staff?

I really would like to find out who was selling the story.

 

[thebigredv]

Isn’t it funny that board couldn’t get the coach they wanted and now the coach can’t get the players he wants. What a wild coincidence!

Best Post I have read in my life. I am in full agreeance with every point you have made.

I cringe when seeing on FB the DFL brigade still demanding that fans remain accepting and positive. It makes us look stupid. Oppression and Zombifying indeed.

In rugby league it’s easy to sell positivity. There’s always next week in footy and when there isn’t anymore, there’s always ‘next season’. The club will just keep playing off this notion for as long as we are willing to swallow it.

I actually think I saw an article where Tom Eisenhuth was feeling upbeat and impressed by the club. That kind of thing is trash. Don’t treat the supporters like they are nimwits. First get Tom to make a name for himself in the game and then we might care about his opinion on the worst run club in the game! Harsh but fair, yes?

It’s so easy to bag this club at the moment and sure I will call a spade a spade but it’s not my intention to just criticise. In 2016 I begged for the sacking of Mary and it never came until the club was in a state of disrepair. From then I’ve had zero belief on confidence that we were a serious club.

I actually don’t have any solution that doesn’t involve wiping the board and as a fan I don’t know how to bring that about. Just frustrated and tired and feeling powerless like everyone else. It upsets me to see so many intelligent posters buying in or just talking up our chances purely because we exist in the comp. As someone else said we are just a participation club these days. I know how talking up a good talk does for endorphins, feeling energised but at the end of the day it’s just hopes and well-wishes much like the dialogue of Flanagan who said there would be mass changes and impressive signings as he joined.

I feel the masses have been brainwashed and I have my guard up big time. Bracing for more excuses in the next few years.

 

[The Word]

Whilst the last couple of days have been disappointing, and there's a lot of blaming going on, I'm not letting it get to me that much.

Getting an elite player out of their club has always been difficult and we do not have much going for us in football terms. Dearden and Welsby obviously want to carry on playing for their clubs and good for them, so they should. As Flanagan has pointed out on numerous occasions the only way to make us attractive is to win more football games. We're all hoping he can do that, most people agree he's a very good coach so if the product on the field is more attractive that will help us recruit in future.

It means we will have to wait longer for success, because despite our healthy salary cap position we can't buy top players in at the moment. That's not an apology for the coach or the club, that's just the reality of where we are. I will still get down to as many games as I can in 2024 and give the team as much support as I can because I love watching them.

As for AFB going to the Sharks, and the vitriol that's been aimed at them recently, ridiculous. They've patiently built a strong all round squad, and worked hard to get their finances right. They've signed a talented but inexperienced young coach and backed him. Watching them getting back 10 metres as a team, and then flying up as a team, every tackle, for 80 minutes, you can see how well-drilled they are. I'm not surprised at all he's chosen them over us at this moment in time. They are one of the clubs where we should be looking closely to see what good ideas of theirs we can borrow to improve the way we do things.

A good coach is always the most important person at a football club. Hopefully time will tell that we've got one.