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The Rumours Thread

TheRev

First Grade
Messages
9,090
o We are going after all of those positions.. its ok to buy more than 1 player fellas..

o fyi its the Cook signing (and the others we are after) that has Stefano interested.. its a domino effect.. if we get him it might sweeten the deal for Blaize and whoever else we r after. Stefano wants to stay within nsw, so canberra meets the brief technically, but surely he would be happier around kogarah area... I'd say we are box seat (unless hes considering the roosters etc).

o One point though.. our pack has been losing the battle for a very very long time.. if there is 1 thing we can fix its that.. match the other teams week to week... and give our backs a fair shot... we cant expect any halves to win games each week behind a beaten pack.. on top of that.. those gun backs/halves your after arent coming unless we have said pack.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,935
The Dragons and Raiders have entered the race for star Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu — and have come to the table with big money.

That is according to The Sydney Morning Herald, who reports a Dragons official confirmed the club’s interest.

The Herald reports the Dragons are preparing to offer the 24-year-old a five-year deal worth $4.5 million ($900,000 a season).
 
Messages
300
o We are going after all of those positions.. its ok to buy more than 1 player fellas..

o fyi its the Cook signing (and the others we are after) that has Stefano interested.. its a domino effect.. if we get him it might sweeten the deal for Blaize and whoever else we r after. Stefano wants to stay within nsw, so canberra meets the brief technically, but surely he would be happier around kogarah area... I'd say we are box seat (unless hes considering the roosters etc).

o One point though.. our pack has been losing the battle for a very very long time.. if there is 1 thing we can fix its that.. match the other teams week to week... and give our backs a fair shot... we cant expect any halves to win games each week behind a beaten pack.. on top of that.. those gun backs/halves your after arent coming unless we have said pack.
Love your posts rev. Always a good balance of realism and rationalising the upside
 

sammymills

Juniors
Messages
156
People knocking the Stefano offer are off their heads. ‘We can do better’ - with who? The guy is an origin rep prop from a basket case club. Look what Flanno has done for Frankie he’s a wrecking ball. There aren’t many good props around. Also they seem to forget there’s been a significant cap increase so 950k is not what it used to be.
 

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
6,811
I’m get that Stefano probably has as much upside as any of the 24/25 yr old props going around

arguably he could be extremely good in attack on those rolling 3rd 4th tackle hit ups that the AFBs and the Fisher Harris’s do very well to help field position with long runs to get our roll on.

arguably Stefano could be helpful in bringing some sting in defence and combined with FMolo they could make a very good combo and their average price works well ie $900k pa plus $500k pa is an average of $700k pa for two starting props.

I also get this is a bit of a lucky strike opportunity in a window were there ain’t many large good props on offer and we are trying to get into a window asap.

Stefano may also help with Talagi or similar coming on board. Cook certainly helped our next signings no doubt. To have Stefano and cook on board would be bang bang right now Dragons on the move.

Yet it is so hard to reconcile though when u look at Stefanos stats. They ain’t that good at all.

The last game Stefano played against Canberra last week was equal to Lawries (manly game) when the Tigers won against Canberra last week. Stefano also played an extra 15mins !!!

Stefano 47mins for 9 runs > 71m > PCM 23m
Lawrie 32mins for 9 runs > 71m > PCM 25m

it’s mind blowing at $900k pa for 5 years.
 

RedV Resurgence

Juniors
Messages
734
Watching the video clip the young man’s style of play reminds me somewhat of Michael Ennis .

If he can also gain but a fraction of Damien Cook’s experience then he will be a tremendous buy and asset for the Big Red V .

Watching the video, he seems much quicker and more agile than Ennis, to me he seems a cross between Cam Smith and Cookie.
 

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
6,811
Watching the video, he seems much quicker and more agile than Ennis, to me he seems a cross between Cam Smith and Cookie.
For me Cam Smith style of hooker with quick heels off the mark

his level on engaging the defence and creating or running at gaps was very impressive

very much eyes up Cam Smith style with lots of time with the ball
 

OneEyedDragon

Juniors
Messages
1,486
Why does the (supposed) offer from the Dragons to Stephano get publicised when I haven't seen the Raiders offer? It just give the Raiders complete knowledge of what they need to beat! "OK, we will offer $4.6 million for 5 years". Seems unfair to me.
 

since77

Juniors
Messages
2,041
Why does the (supposed) offer from the Dragons to Stephano get publicised when I haven't seen the Raiders offer? It just give the Raiders complete knowledge of what they need to beat! "OK, we will offer $4.6 million for 5 years". Seems unfair to me.
do you really think the player market works as simply as that?
 
Messages
512
Why does the (supposed) offer from the Dragons to Stephano get publicised when I haven't seen the Raiders offer? It just give the Raiders complete knowledge of what they need to beat! "OK, we will offer $4.6 million for 5 years". Seems unfair to me.
Headline in the Herald was something along the lines of "Dragons and Raiders offer Stefano $4.5M deal"
Cannot remember it exactly, but the headline definitely featured both clubs names.
 

Bin Chicken

Juniors
Messages
90
People knocking the Stefano offer are off their heads. ‘We can do better’ - with who? The guy is an origin rep prop from a basket case club. Look what Flanno has done for Frankie he’s a wrecking ball. There aren’t many good props around. Also they seem to forget there’s been a significant cap increase so 950k is not what it used to be.
We can do better. We need to wait . He is very average
 
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