The Rumours Thread

[Dragsters]

I hope so. I rate him.

I think he's a rough diamond, should come cheap and worth taking a punt on.

A real project player for Flano.

 

[blacksafake]

I hope so. I rate him.

Likewise

 

[Gareth67]

I hope so. I rate him.

He would undoubtedly like the opportunity to get back at ‘tricky - wicky’ with a new club and play better than he has in the pass .

 

[denis preston]

Just my opinion I'd take him over RCG ........

But Flanno has already got rid of a player that doesn’t listen to the coach. Interesting that he is keeping Lawrie in 1st to “ showcase “ him but sticky has dropped his problem child.

 

[baggygreen man]

When the day comes that the Dragons and the Bulldogs face each other in a futuristic Grand Final, I really hope that we beat them. That would be something fantastic. The only wish I have is that I am around to witness it.

Oh yes DD. I have a deep hate on the Dogs from back in '67 when they stopped our world record run. I watched it live with my old man and and big brother and the hurt and sense of loss was palpable. Two more bloody points was all we needed to make another GF. Excuse or not, unarguably our two best ever players Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier with their best behind them, were reaching the end of their storied careers.

 

[Dragon David]

Oh yes DD. I have a deep hate on the Dogs from back in '67 when they stopped our world record run. I watched it live with my old man and and big brother and the hurt and sense of loss was palpable. Two more bloody points was all we needed to make another GF and not having arguably our best ever player too in Johnny Raper not take the field may have been the reason we were shy of those elusive points.

Kevin Ryan, who had played for the Dragons from 1960-1966 and won 7 straight grand finals in those years, could not reach agreement and left St George at the end of the 1966 season "unable to come to terms in negotiations and wanting to coach. In 1967, as captain-coach, he led Canterbury in their 12–11 victory over St George in the preliminary final. He is therefore sometimes credited with bringing an end to the Dragons' premiership run. Certainly he was able to coach against and counter many of their tactics but the game had changed for all in 1967 with the introduction of the four tackle rule and the now maturing Dragons stars like all other teams in the competition, had to deal with a whole new style of game.".

You just never know that if Kevin Ryan got that coaching job at the Dragons in 1967, we could have been able to win the Grand Final in 1967. As it turned out though, South Sydney won their 17th premiership by beating the Berries 12-10.

I didn't go to the match RVH and I listened to it on my tranny at the maturing age of 20. It was a real let down with the new 4 tackle rule and so disappointing that our 11 straight premiership wins came to an end. This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the now Bulldogs.

 

[Como Connection]

Kevin Ryan, who had played for the Dragons from 1960-1966 and won 7 straight grand finals in those years, could not reach agreement and left St George at the end of the 1966 season "unable to come to terms in negotiations and wanting to coach. In 1967, as captain-coach, he led Canterbury in their 12–11 victory over St George in the preliminary final. He is therefore sometimes credited with bringing an end to the Dragons' premiership run. Certainly he was able to coach against and counter many of their tactics but the game had changed for all in 1967 with the introduction of the four tackle rule and the now maturing Dragons stars like all other teams in the competition, had to deal with a whole new style of game.".

You just never know that if Kevin Ryan got that coaching job at the Dragons in 1967, we could have been able to win the Grand Final in 1967. As it turned out though, South Sydney won their 17th premiership by beating the Berries 12-10.

I didn't go to the match RVH and I listened to it on my tranny at the maturing age of 20. It was a real let down with the new 4 tackle rule and so disappointing that our 11 straight premiership wins came to an end. This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the now Bulldogs.

Unfortunately I was there, being young perhaps I didn't understand the importance of the occasion.
CC

 

[denis preston]

Kevin Ryan, who had played for the Dragons from 1960-1966 and won 7 straight grand finals in those years, could not reach agreement and left St George at the end of the 1966 season "unable to come to terms in negotiations and wanting to coach. In 1967, as captain-coach, he led Canterbury in their 12–11 victory over St George in the preliminary final. He is therefore sometimes credited with bringing an end to the Dragons' premiership run. Certainly he was able to coach against and counter many of their tactics but the game had changed for all in 1967 with the introduction of the four tackle rule and the now maturing Dragons stars like all other teams in the competition, had to deal with a whole new style of game.".

You just never know that if Kevin Ryan got that coaching job at the Dragons in 1967, we could have been able to win the Grand Final in 1967. As it turned out though, South Sydney won their 17th premiership by beating the Berries 12-10.

I didn't go to the match RVH and I listened to it on my tranny at the maturing age of 20. It was a real let down with the new 4 tackle rule and so disappointing that our 11 straight premiership wins came to an end. This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the now Bulldogs.

So many reasons we were able to do 11 in a row. A bit of luck, the most prosperous club that from 58 to 64 could just about sign up who they wanted, great juniors, good administrators etc. By 1966 the great South Sydney squad was developing and other clubs like Manly & Easts were with strong leagues club backing.
if anything we normally would have tapped Walsh, Clay, Evans, etc and replaced them but we had far greater opposition for signatures then and had to deal with what we had.

 

[RedVee]

So many reasons we were able to do 11 in a row. A bit of luck, the most prosperous club that from 58 to 64 could just about sign up who they wanted, great juniors, good administrators etc. By 1966 the great South Sydney squad was developing and other clubs like Manly & Easts were with strong leagues club backing.
if anything we normally would have tapped Walsh, Clay, Evans, etc and replaced them but we had far greater opposition for signatures then and had to deal with what we had.

Plus two extra teams came into the comp in 67. As well as the 4 tackle rule.

Wasn’t there some eligibility provision with Wittenberg? he was our big prop buy to replace Ryan.

Correct me guys on any of this, it’s a bit early for me, it’s more about ‘68 that I can start to remember stuff from, certainly ‘70.

 

[baggygreen man]

Excuse or not, unarguably our two best ever players Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier with their best behind them, were reaching the end of their storied careers.

DD changed my post as some conjecture over whether Chook did play. Read no then saw the team list and he was on it.

 

[baggygreen man]

As well as the 4 tackle rule.

Yes many say that the rules had to be changed to beat us. Well it was and we missed our first GF and premiership in 12 years. You could say the 4 tackle rule was was the death knell for the Dragons.

 

[baggygreen man]

Wasn’t there some eligibility provision with Wittenberg? he was our big prop buy to replace Ryan.

The Canies played hard ball when the QRL attempted to block his transfer to Sydney in 1967 forcing him to sit out the 1967 season and causing him to miss selection for the 1967 Kangaroo Tour.

Had forgotten Ryan had left and was CC of the Grubs. Recall he was a big unit with some ball skills, really impressed me. Hailed from regional Qld. Only played 53 games over three seasons with us, seemed longer, also six Tests.

 

[Dragon David]

The Canies played hard ball when the QRL attempted to block his transfer to Sydney in 1967 forcing him to sit out the 1967 season and causing him to miss selection for the 1967 Kangaroo Tour.

Had forgotten Ryan had left and was CC of the Grubs. Recall he was a big unit with some ball skills, really impressed me. Hailed from regional Qld. Only played 53 games over three seasons with us, seemed longer, also six Tests.
View attachment 92786

Is that correct RVH that Ryan only had 3 seasons with us? I read that he was with the Dragons from 1960-1966 but I stand to be corrected!

You were right about the 4 tackle rule and that of Chook and Reg and their best was left behind them and reaching the end of their glorious careers.

 

[True_Believer]

It’s very bad between him and Sticky.

But he has picked him this week.

You are right, it's not good between the 2. However, I think this one is on Sticky.

The reality is the guy's life is footy and he just wants to play and do his best for the team. I think his ability to do this is being limited and he's frustrated.

 

[Old Timer]

Ryan should have been the CC following Sticks but it went to Walsh who was not that popular with the playing group.

Ryan would have continued the hard nosed professionalism and discipline of Kearney & Sticks as Ryan himself was a fitness junkey with a gym in his garage but alas Saints admin saw it differently and Ryan took his wares to Canterbury who coincidently then were “The Berries”

The Wittenberg saga was sad as the big fella had to sit out a season and he might just have made the difference to us that year.

Can’t remember which year but he had his jaw smashed in 3 places so spent at least half of 1 season and some of the next on the sideline wired up.

I saw him 1 game standing in front of the grandstand drinking through a straw so I went up to say high and had quite a long chat with him as he talked through the side of his mouth.

Lovely guy with great skills but his handling could be suspect under the new rules where quick passing became the norm as big John had several fingers missing due to a machinery accident on his farm.

 

[Captain Apollo]

So many reasons we were able to do 11 in a row. A bit of luck, the most prosperous club that from 58 to 64 could just about sign up who they wanted, great juniors, good administrators etc. By 1966 the great South Sydney squad was developing and other clubs like Manly & Easts were with strong leagues club backing.
if anything we normally would have tapped Walsh, Clay, Evans, etc and replaced them but we had far greater opposition for signatures then and had to deal with what we had.

One of the reasons the Dragons were that good during that stretch was because of the training techniques that Ken Kearney brought back from England. The dragons fitness training was light years ahead of all other clubs that time.

Then add in the ball skills and onfield tactics that Harry Bath was able to help instil in the team added to that. He may have been in the veteran class by then, but his ball skills learned in England with Warrington were mostly unknown in elements in Australia.

 

[Inisai Toga]

Funny I was thinking about that the other day; if Saints had listened to the experts at the time that Bath was past his best, we would have not benefitted from all that wonderful knowledge. Well done Facer!

 

[Inisai Toga]

No

Is that correct RVH that Ryan only had 3 seasons with us? I read that he was with the Dragons from 1960-1966 but I stand to be corrected!

You were right about the 4 tackle rule and that of Chook and Reg and their best was left behind them and reaching the end of their glorious careers.

No I believe he’s referring to Whittenberg David

 

[jak]

Kevin Ryan, who had played for the Dragons from 1960-1966 and won 7 straight grand finals in those years, could not reach agreement and left St George at the end of the 1966 season "unable to come to terms in negotiations and wanting to coach. In 1967, as captain-coach, he led Canterbury in their 12–11 victory over St George in the preliminary final. He is therefore sometimes credited with bringing an end to the Dragons' premiership run. Certainly he was able to coach against and counter many of their tactics but the game had changed for all in 1967 with the introduction of the four tackle rule and the now maturing Dragons stars like all other teams in the competition, had to deal with a whole new style of game.".

You just never know that if Kevin Ryan got that coaching job at the Dragons in 1967, we could have been able to win the Grand Final in 1967. As it turned out though, South Sydney won their 17th premiership by beating the Berries 12-10.

I didn't go to the match RVH and I listened to it on my tranny at the maturing age of 20. It was a real let down with the new 4 tackle rule and so disappointing that our 11 straight premiership wins came to an end. This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the now Bulldogs.

unfortunately i was at the game, and yes the dogs got a few doggie calls

 

[jak]

No

No I believe he’s referring to Whittenberg David

one of my favorite players, JWH would have loved him