The Rumours Thread

[possm]

Look at the bulldogs, they don't have big middles but have one of the best defences. You need the right coaching & players to suit the coaches gameplan. Bulldogs got rid of players that didn't fit Ciraldo's gameplan & style of coaching, they're now reaping the benefits.

Yes we don't need Dino, we need an excellent defense coach.

 

[Wolfgang90]

Royce Hunt. How's he been this season?

 

[sammymills]

Yes we don't need Dino, we need an excellent defense coach.

Spare me. The bulldogs fowards make 30m a set. Then Burton boots the ball 80m. Without him they are cooked.

 

[since77]

If S F had of dropped Bird to where he belongs due you think he would have taken up his player option? No he had to kiss Bird on the dick and recall thrills from a bygone era and talk his future up

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story when it comes to your anti Flanno rhetoric......
Bird's contract had 2 options - club option at a higher price and a player option at a much lower price. Flanno had told Bird that the club wasn't taking up their option. Therefore either Bird had to leave or to take up a one year contract at a much reduced price.
Doesn't sound like a whole lot of dick kissing happening there.

 

[Old Timer]

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story when it comes to your anti Flanno rhetoric......
Bird's contract had 2 options - club option at a higher price and a player option at a much lower price. Flanno had told Bird that the club wasn't taking up their option. Therefore either Bird had to leave or to take up a one year contract at a much reduced price.
Doesn't sound like a whole lot of dick kissing happening there.

So Bird is a top notch NRL centre is he?

As I said if he was in reserve grade where he belongs he would not have taken up his option.

S F gifted him a 1st grade spot exactly where Bird wanted to play so IMO that is kissed on the dick just Ike Hunt at 7.

 

[since77]

So Bird is a top notch NRL centre is he?

As I said if he was in reserve grade where he belongs he would not have taken up his option.

S F gifted him a 1st grade spot exactly where Bird wanted to play so IMO that is kissed on the dick just Ike Hunt at 7.

Wow. The mental gymnastics required to come to this conclusion should get you to the Olympics OT!!

So Flanno essentially tells Bird he is free to leave. Bird decides to stay for far less money as per his player option (negotiated prior to Flanno arriving - and surprisingly smart by the club for once)..

At best we have a handy depth player in our squad for 1 year at a bargain price. At worst we have a handy depth player in our squad for 1 year at a bargain price. I fail to see how this is bad.

p.s. no Bird is not a top notch NRL centre. Agreed.
Handy player to have in your squad for one year on inconsequential money? Probably.

p.p.s. Bird was on record a few months ago a little disappointed that he hadn't been offered a better deal. Sounded to me like his nether regions weren't quite getting the amount of attention you're suggesting.

 

[Old Timer]

Wow. The mental gymnastics required to come to this conclusion should get you to the Olympics OT!!

So Flanno essentially tells Bird he is free to leave. Bird decides to stay for far less money as per his player option (negotiated prior to Flanno arriving - and surprisingly smart by the club for once)..

At best we have a handy depth player in our squad for 1 year at a bargain price. At worst we have a handy depth player in our squad for 1 year at a bargain price. I fail to see how this is bad.

p.s. no Bird is not a top notch NRL centre. Agreed.
Handy player to have in your squad for one year on inconsequential money? Probably.

p.p.s. Bird was on record a few months ago a little disappointed that he hadn't been offered a better deal. Sounded to me like his nether regions weren't quite getting the amount of attention you're suggesting.

Which conversation was the correct one?

Jack if you stay it’s reserve grade for you or bench forward at absolute best when we have an injury

Jack you said playing in the forwards is too hard for your busted body but you can play centre like you did back in 2016 despite all the injuries yep that’s ok with me I’ll lock that in.

 

[Illusion]

Either way guys Bird is just about done , if and when we sign some decent players Bird , Lawrie for starters will be done ........ Also just my opinion Sloan is lucky that Corey Allan was injured this year , even though Sloan is slowly improving Allan would have put a lot of pressure on him to hold down the fullback position ......

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

you would have to wonder whether Birdy's MO contract for 2025 was more like minimum plus a larger NRL match payments. At that price range he is worth the risk when injuries strike.

I just cant see us paying even $300k pa base for Birdy with his lack of athleticism - it would go against everything Flano has been saying re making the Dragons much more athletic.

 

[Hound of Dracula]

I am not advocating nor eulogising (O.T.), Matthew Lodge but rather offering a balanced view.

What he did in 2015 was disgusting but he has paid a hefty price.

NRL 2024: Matt Lodge, New York arrest, charges, home invasion, opens up, Bye Round podcast, USA, Broncos, Sea Eagles, news, videos (foxsports.com.au)

He is not worth the likes of Payne Haas, James Fisher-Harris or Addin Fonua-Blake, as both Brisbane and the Warriors found out. Additionally, he does not have a great NRL judiciary record, but he has not stepped out of line off the field since his return to the NRL in 2018

At 29 he may be approaching end of career, but he did not play 2016/2017 and. due to injuries. has had limited games 2023/24. Using JDB logic, he should have a couple of decent years left in the tank.

He is a middle tier front-rower 6’4” 120kg but aggressive. Combined with another Saifiti-like recruitment, and assuming we aren’t coughing up big coin for Lodge, he is perhaps an upgrade, fill-in, till some of our junior front rowers are ready.

 

[baggygreen man]

a player option at a much lower price.

Should not have even been given that.

 

[TheRev]

o My understanding (and riccio mentioned it today) is Flanno literally just met with Lodge for a coffee catchup, nothing serious at this stage despite all the media stories loving it..... Flanno would have gotten an idea what hes after, how his injuries are travelling etc.

o The one we are chasing seriously is Saifiti.. sounds like that will just come back to dollars being chipped in by Newcastle.. as he still has 2yrs @750k. The qn is are other clubs interested or not.. or even a UK club.. in terms of how hard flanno wants to push...

 

[baggygreen man]

Reg from Parra

?

 

[justadragon]

What beats me is (and this will be the last comment I make on this subject, I'm over it) how can anyone know what is discussed at contract meetings, Coaches/players /staff, I doubt very much anyone who signs a contract immediately goes to the media and publishes the content, so we dont know, and we dont know anything else either. How can we possibly make assumptions on what was or was not agreed to, let alone what was said. I'll even go a little further and say who on here is that far entrenched in the club that they can openly discuss on good authority the day to day running of the club. We operate on rumours and opinions, thats it, we get crap from the media that we thrive on and the odd snippet from the club, thats it. Flanno is our coach, how he got there is not up to me to decide if it was right or wrong. I'm happy when we win and sad when we lose, I come on here and vent my elation or frustration with fellow posters, I'll go through numerous scenarios with everyone of what went right or wrong, dust myself off and head into next week, thats it. As hard as it maybe to come to the realisation that I cant change or control what happens at the Dragons, all I have left is my discussion points on this forum with other Dragons diehards. For me to even put a moral stamp on how a player or coach gained their position, its ridiculous !!! Lets face it if the club wants to get a player or a coach or staff member of ill repute, then they will and there is nothing we can do about it, heres the choice, either continue to support the club regardless or stand by your ethics and move on, that is the only choice you have and will ever have when it comes down to the Dragons !!

 

[Dragsters]

What beats me is (and this will be the last comment I make on this subject, I'm over it) how can anyone know what is discussed at contract meetings, Coaches/players /staff, I doubt very much anyone who signs a contract immediately goes to the media and publishes the content, so we dont know, and we dont know anything else either. How can we possibly make assumptions on what was or was not agreed to, let alone what was said. I'll even go a little further and say who on here is that far entrenched in the club that they can openly discuss on good authority the day to day running of the club. We operate on rumours and opinions, thats it, we get crap from the media that we thrive on and the odd snippet from the club, thats it. Flanno is our coach, how he got there is not up to me to decide if it was right or wrong. I'm happy when we win and sad when we lose, I come on here and vent my elation or frustration with fellow posters, I'll go through numerous scenarios with everyone of what went right or wrong, dust myself off and head into next week, thats it. As hard as it maybe to come to the realisation that I cant change or control what happens at the Dragons, all I have left is my discussion points on this forum with other Dragons diehards. For me to even put a moral stamp on how a player or coach gained their position, its ridiculous !!! Lets face it if the club wants to get a player or a coach or staff member of ill repute, then they will and there is nothing we can do about it, heres the choice, either continue to support the club regardless or stand by your ethics and move on, that is the only choice you have and will ever have when it comes down to the Dragons !!

I don't particularly like the smell of Lodge but ultimately you are correct justadragon and signing him won't stop me loving and supporting this great club, just as signing Russell Packer didn't.

Great post.

 

[justadragon]

I don't particularly like the smell of Lodge but ultimately you are correct justadragon.

Great post.

Totally agree with you Dragsters, I have my personal opinion on things but I support the Dragons no matter what.

 

[Dragon David]

What beats me is (and this will be the last comment I make on this subject, I'm over it) how can anyone know what is discussed at contract meetings, Coaches/players /staff, I doubt very much anyone who signs a contract immediately goes to the media and publishes the content, so we dont know, and we dont know anything else either. How can we possibly make assumptions on what was or was not agreed to, let alone what was said. I'll even go a little further and say who on here is that far entrenched in the club that they can openly discuss on good authority the day to day running of the club. We operate on rumours and opinions, thats it, we get crap from the media that we thrive on and the odd snippet from the club, thats it. Flanno is our coach, how he got there is not up to me to decide if it was right or wrong. I'm happy when we win and sad when we lose, I come on here and vent my elation or frustration with fellow posters, I'll go through numerous scenarios with everyone of what went right or wrong, dust myself off and head into next week, thats it. As hard as it maybe to come to the realisation that I cant change or control what happens at the Dragons, all I have left is my discussion points on this forum with other Dragons diehards. For me to even put a moral stamp on how a player or coach gained their position, its ridiculous !!! Lets face it if the club wants to get a player or a coach or staff member of ill repute, then they will and there is nothing we can do about it, heres the choice, either continue to support the club regardless or stand by your ethics and move on, that is the only choice you have and will ever have when it comes down to the Dragons !!

Here, here justa. Right on.

 

[baggygreen man]

Lol you don’t have to look back very far I actually posted that if given a fair go by the refs and if we happened to have a good day with Hunt’s kicking game we might just sneak a win despite the obvious advantages the Roosters had.

So having gotten that out of the road I note your negativity in thinking that objectivity is unbalanced.

By all means tell me why I should be upbeat about any of the following

Dean Young Snr Assistant Head Coach in charge of defence and H C in waiting

Kyle Flanagan a lock in at 5/8 for 2024/5

Signing of Nu Brown, C T, J M, H S

Picking Lawrie every week

Extending Bird and playing him in the centres

Losing Lomax & Tamali

Suffering several times the biggest losing margins in the St GI era

Not being able to secure a decent player even remotely approaching SOO quality

So desperate that we are talking to Lodge and eulogising that would be good for our club

Still pursuing Hunt to extend despite years of abject failure

Suffer watching the same game plan of predominantly 5 hit ups and a shit kick from Hunt intermingled with the occasional brain explosion dumb option of run it on the 5th and give a hospital pass

Maybe in your world that is all acceptable or maybe just needs to be swept under the carpet while we all hold hands and rejoice that we have won more games than we did last year when we sacked a coach that had lost the dressing room and we put a rookie in charge.

FMD if we are lucky we might struggle past where we got to in 2022 when everyone claimed that Hooks result was shit and any old coach could have done heaps better.

No doubt there are more excuses to come
I just can’t wait.

Disagree over Dean Young and Blake Lawrie but spot on rest. You being an old timer, like me, should see that Lawrie is the old fashioned type prop, ball under the wing and barrel full force into the defense, never take a back ward step and always give 100%. He makes 100m every game, more than many larger bookends and does his fair share of defense . As long as he continues this he is of worth to us. Dean Young has been praised by at least two players for lifting their games this year. I expect there are others. Like his old man Deano is a passionate Dragon thru and thru who is on record as saying that he is angry at the lack of 'good old fashioned guts we have shown in some games and wants nothing less that total commitment, to never give up and play to the final whistle'. Or words to that affect. That is the kinda coach I want running my Dragons.

 

[TheDon216]

"The astute St George Illawarra Dragons selectors have snared the signature of impressive outside back Saifiti Junior Saifiti, a powerful wing from Ipswich State High School. " (Daily Telegraph)

- Similar build to Brian To'o, but is faster.
- He was Originally from NSW, and was coached by Frank Pritchard at Fairfield Pats, before moving to QLD.

 

[possm]

The amount of times the last Rooster still had our player with the ball in a hold so he couldn’t play the ball seemed excessive in the delays

it’s these tiny things that allow the Rooster defensive line time to get back and then push off the line fast

it’s kills u

Hunt is not a good captain. He should have been in the referee's face over this.