The Rumours Thread

[Old Timer]

True. Going top a new environment, and knowing he cannot just "phone it in" should at least get him motivated to perform, especially if he wants to continue being a professional rugby league player. Its quite possible that he became too complacent there in Newcastle. Flanagan strikes me as the kind who won't take complacency from his players.

So Lawrie, Bird and probably Leilua aren't complacent?

Not sure whether complacent is quite correct for Hunt but probably close to the mark.

 

[redVinme]

If we get Saifiti then I hope he's an upgrade on F. Molo. Frank has been a bit underwhelming for mine.

Having a taller forward take the first forward hit up with molo off the back of it should help. He has more leg speed and is better suited once we get a roll on. A bigger/better first play prop will help everyones game.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Ideally Flanno signs someone like a Barnett who goes from a solid club player to a rep standard payer.

Barnett is 30yo & playing his best footy. Saifiti still has time on his hands.

Prop forwards have a tendency to develop later than most positions. You do have the absolute guns who are a force from the earliest (e.g. Payne Haas, Arthur Beetson), but many don't hit their straps until their mid-20s.

 

[saint pebba]

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.

Cmon OT this statement in bold is bullshit and you know it.

No rugby league player (no matter how brain dead they are) would ever not take up an option that they had if there were no other deals on the table, which there isnt for Bird.

150k a year is better than 0k a year.

 

[TheRev]

Prop forwards have a tendency to develop later than most positions. You do have the absolute guns who are a force from the earliest (e.g. Payne Haas, Arthur Beetson), but many don't hit their straps until their mid-20s.

its a really good point.. and I've been contemplating this lately.. definitely with the halves it all starts in the late 20's (apart from the odd freak like Cleary and even perhaps Walker), thats really the mental/leadership side I suspect.

With the props though.... has the fact that the game has sped up changed things for props? They used to say 28 was the props prime period.. maybe it starts earlier now because there is more room for smaller more mobile props... and perhaps its not the age as much as it that they have a shorter shelf-life now.. maybe the physical nature of the role combined with the speed requirement means they cant keep that standard up into their 30's?

I dunno the answer.. it just got me thinking about how rare it is for JWH to still be dominating at 35.. or a guy like Paul Gallen back in the day... and I keep thinking what other current props still have long reigns of domination? The reign of the premier prop seems to come and go.. off the top of my head.. klemmer.. dsaifiti.. rcg.. woods.. nas.. lodge.. cotter etc.. at some point these guys were absolute rep props but then all of a sudden theyre really not.. and that is the danger I guess of say AFB on 1mill, what if he has peaked? I mean surely he has a few good years left.. I dunno.. someone must keep data on this sort of thing... the recruiters perhaps.

 

[TheRev]

No rugby league player (no matter how brain dead they are) would ever not take up an option that they had if there were no other deals on the table, which there isnt for Bird.

150k a year is better than 0k a year.

Agree it's a no-brainer, someone mentioned 200k.. sure beats being a labourer for a year... and he can still go out and seek a better contract too, the club would be happy to move him on.

I assume however that his manager already tried that....

 

[Old Timer]

Cmon OT this statement in bold is bullshit and you know it.

No rugby league player (no matter how brain dead they are) would ever not take up an option that they had if there were no other deals on the table, which there isnt for Bird.

150k a year is better than 0k a year.

I do not believe Bird's ego would allow him to play Koe Cup for a complete year @ $150K.

But if that is truly the case then for a $150K a year (if that's the real number) pay the bum out and be done with him and keep a top 30 spot open for someone decent after all we have a "war chest" of money don't we?

I am of the belief that S F has little ability to attract anyone decent and by renewing Fegai and holding onto Bird and J D B for that matter he has 3 less positions to fill which is a big relief for him.

 

[justadragon]

Yeah I have a feeling it's going to be a slow burn. We don't have the hustle of a Gould type to help sell the dream, so will probably take a few years of incremental improvement / grabbing the players that we can. We can only dream of grabbing big name players unless we pay massive overs.

Yep I know Gould can sell the dream, but if you were one of these many Dogs players watching the constant flow of incoming players, you would have to think that maybe the dream might be short lived. Why not come to the Dragons and maybe fulfil your dream instead of being on a merry-go-round.

 

[jak]

Yep I know Gould can sell the dream, but if you were once of these many Dogs players watching the constant flow of incoming players, you would have to think that maybe the dream might be short lived. Why not come to the Dragons and maybe fulfil your dream instead of being on a merry-go-round.

your so right jd

 

[Slippery Morris]

Yep I know Gould can sell the dream, but if you were one of these many Dogs players watching the constant flow of incoming players, you would have to think that maybe the dream might be short lived. Why not come to the Dragons and maybe fulfil your dream instead of being on a merry-go-round.

Also going to the Dogs you would be afraid of turning up late for training or having a bad game or 2 and being told you should change to boxing.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Not actually a rumour- more a sign of hope in an NRL club which doesn't offer much right now- but Kade Reed the Steelers SG Ball half-back is lighting up the Schoolboy RL Carnival with his performances for CHS (NSW Combined High Schools) with his all-round game. Would be nice to see he and TPH from the Dragons end of the SG Ball spectrum combining as halves partners in KOE next year. Who knows- Reed might accelerate Hunt's pathway to his superannuation fund.

 

[Captain Apollo]

its a really good point.. and I've been contemplating this lately.. definitely with the halves it all starts in the late 20's (apart from the odd freak like Cleary and even perhaps Walker), thats really the mental/leadership side I suspect.

With the props though.... has the fact that the game has sped up changed things for props? They used to say 28 was the props prime period.. maybe it starts earlier now because there is more room for smaller more mobile props... and perhaps its not the age as much as it that they have a shorter shelf-life now.. maybe the physical nature of the role combined with the speed requirement means they cant keep that standard up into their 30's?

I dunno the answer.. it just got me thinking about how rare it is for JWH to still be dominating at 35.. or a guy like Paul Gallen back in the day... and I keep thinking what other current props still have long reigns of domination? The reign of the premier prop seems to come and go.. off the top of my head.. klemmer.. dsaifiti.. rcg.. woods.. nas.. lodge.. cotter etc.. at some point these guys were absolute rep props but then all of a sudden theyre really not.. and that is the danger I guess of say AFB on 1mill, what if he has peaked? I mean surely he has a few good years left.. I dunno.. someone must keep data on this sort of thing... the recruiters perhaps.

Its probably more that the increased impact and speed of the game results in more injuries to players who are heavily involved. How many of those you named have not had major long term injuries in their careers which has ruled them out for extended periods, if not most of a season? Not many I dare say. That's probably why we've seen the changes occur that we have.

 

[TheRev]

Not actually a rumour- more a sign of hope in an NRL club which doesn't offer much right now- but Kade Reed the Steelers SG Ball half-back is lighting up the Schoolboy RL Carnival with his performances for CHS (NSW Combined High Schools) with his all-round game. Would be nice to see he and TPH from the Dragons end of the SG Ball spectrum combining as halves partners in KOE next year. Who knows- Reed might accelerate Hunt's pathway to his superannuation fund.

I thought Kade would play Flegg this year, but I think hes 17or18.. so they are taking their time with him, I think 2025 he will play SG Ball and the Steelers should have a lot of last years players a year older.. then surely he has to take the Flegg 7 jersey. I see a lot of mitchell moses in the stuff I saw this year.

Which means Ashton Ward has to be moved up to NSW Cup (or out), I would suggest he probably gets the jersey over Glover... assuming they want to back Ashton....

But its rly hard for me to imagine them in 1st grade.. it feels years and years away.. even watching LKT in NSW Cup.. hes a talented kid, but its such a big step up.. to get to the point you could dominate that grade and then move to 1st grade... I think for sure we will need to buy someone externally for 1st grade halves coverage next year (or extend Marshke).

 

[redandwhite4evr]

I thought Kade would play Flegg this year, but I think hes 17or18.. so they are taking their time with him, I think 2025 he will play SG Ball and the Steelers should have a lot of last years players a year older.. then surely he has to take the Flegg 7 jersey. I see a lot of mitchell moses in the stuff I saw this year.

Which means Ashton Ward has to be moved up to NSW Cup (or out), I would suggest he probably gets the jersey over Glover... assuming they want to back Ashton....

But its rly hard for me to imagine them in 1st grade.. it feels years and years away.. even watching LKT in NSW Cup.. hes a talented kid, but its such a big step up.. to get to the point you could dominate that grade and then move to 1st grade... I think for sure we will need to buy someone externally for 1st grade halves coverage next year (or extend Marshke).

I thought Kade would play Flegg this year, but I think hes 17or18.. so they are taking their time with him, I think 2025 he will play SG Ball and the Steelers should have a lot of last years players a year older.. then surely he has to take the Flegg 7 jersey. I see a lot of mitchell moses in the stuff I saw this year.

Which means Ashton Ward has to be moved up to NSW Cup (or out), I would suggest he probably gets the jersey over Glover... assuming they want to back Ashton....

But its rly hard for me to imagine them in 1st grade.. it feels years and years away.. even watching LKT in NSW Cup.. hes a talented kid, but its such a big step up.. to get to the point you could dominate that grade and then move to 1st grade... I think for sure we will need to buy someone externally for 1st grade halves coverage next year (or extend Marshke).

Yes- hard to argue with all that - but we know Sam Walker was playing NRL at age 19, Freddie Fittler a 5/8 at 17-there is an if they're good enough they're old enough component as well. I'm still hoping we might see our new NRL halves combination in 2026.

 

[lombard]

Yes- hard to argue with all that - but we know Sam Walker was playing NRL at age 19, Freddie Fittler a 5/8 at 17-there is an if they're good enough they're old enough component as well. I'm still hoping we might see our new NRL halves combination in 2026.

I think Shane is trying to extend Hunt right or wrong for 2026 to be the transition year to one of our current young halfbacks

 

[offiah]

Yep I know Gould can sell the dream, but if you were one of these many Dogs players watching the constant flow of incoming players, you would have to think that maybe the dream might be short lived. Why not come to the Dragons and maybe fulfil your dream instead of being on a merry-go-round.

Yeah totally agree. I think if they don’t start treating their players like real people and not just resources others will start clueing on. We’ll see how long it lasts and if they start achieving more success before that happens.

 

[John moz]

Hopefully Dean young is moved on to Parramatta to assist his mate Ryles.
We need seriously a professional defensive coaching assistant next year our 2 games against Roosters close to 120 points given and also bulldogs. Not good enough to make finals our 2nd half games are embarrassing.

 

[Jeremy Dragon]

Hopefully Dean young is moved on to Parramatta to assist his mate Ryles.
We need seriously a professional defensive coaching assistant next year our 2 games against Roosters close to 120 points given and also bulldogs. Not good enough to make finals our 2nd half games are embarrassing.

60+42=

 

[redv13]

60+42=

John moz maths

 

[saintmar]

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

Deano will be the man to bring and he will bring success