The Rumours Thread

[mattw5]

Making the finals this year would have been huge to give the players the taste. The challenge now is to get them hungry to want to play finals next year. No excuses next year they need to play finals.

 

[BLM01]

Did anyone see the new ad with Roosters players advertising eating Red Rooster
Them and Melb have a lot of fingers in the pie for paying 3rd party money through advertising.
Although Steggles are a sponsor of Roosters. Do they supply Red Rooster their chickens?
Melb had Tradie, Both Roosters & Melb betting agency advertising + some sprinkling of other higher profile
Dogs pub shares
How many Dragons players do we see get well paid in main media to do..stuff
Instead of just smaller local companies / suppliers. I am sure some of our higher profile (Lomax, Hunt?) are sponsored by big sports brands but you dont see em on TV, PAY TV billboards but we have WIN TV..go figure
Well connected clubs of course do it better. We just dont compete

 

[since77]

Making the finals this year would have been huge to give the players the taste. The challenge now is to get them hungry to want to play finals next year. No excuses next year they need to play finals.

If they weren't hungry enough this year with a spot in the 8 literally theirs to lose after 5 seasons of not playing finals football what makes you think the same core group of losers will be hungry enough next year?

 

[Number of the Beath]

Did anyone see the new ad with Roosters players advertising eating Red Rooster
Them and Melb have a lot of fingers in the pie for paying 3rd party money through advertising.
Although Steggles are a sponsor of Roosters. Do they supply Red Rooster their chickens?
Melb had Tradie, Both Roosters & Melb betting agency advertising + some sprinkling of other higher profile
Dogs pub shares
How many Dragons players do we see get well paid in main media to do..stuff
Instead of just smaller local companies / suppliers. I am sure some of our higher profile (Lomax, Hunt?) are sponsored by big sports brands but you dont see em on TV, PAY TV billboards but we have WIN TV..go figure
Well connected clubs of course do it better. We just dont compete

100%, because this is a chook raffle football club, with an out of date business model that hasn't been properly administered since Frank Facer left this earth.
You want proof of that? How about a merger, our declining reputation and 1 premiership in 45 years.

 

[Dragon David]

If they weren't hungry enough this year with a spot in the 8 literally theirs to lose after 5 seasons of not playing finals football what makes you think the same core group of losers will be hungry enough next year?

We are not going to do it with the same core of players, and we know which ones they are, and that is why they have got to be booted out. They were not good enough this year coming eighth but easily beaten in the penultimate game squandering a really good chance of playing semis this year. They won't be good enough next year as they are not anything exceptional so many changes are necessary to add to the "better" core players that Flanno has recently signed up and pending to be signed and those existing such as Su'a, JDB etc.

When you see a team like the Roosters get done like they did last night by the Raiders, albeit that the Roosters lost key men through injuries and of course their "head high tackler" being suspended you can see that winning is tough unless all systems and players are in the right synch. The Raiders basically played the way we did against the Storm and just kept fighting against the wave of attack, even with a man sin-binned.

The Roosters chances of winning the grand final, who I thought would win this years premiership, have now nose dived especially with the loss of Sam Walker and their chances of even making the grand final to me has faded.

But it's the Roosters with still very good players in their squad that may still be capable of reaching the grand final.

We need to have a squad that can match the top 5 clubs to have a chance of "comfortably" reaching the semis and not wondering and pondering if they can. So the squad really has to be improved greatly. Good luck to us trying to beat the Raiders even at the home ground at Kogarah and even when they will be down on troops through injury and suspension(s).

I don't envy Flanno's job that is for sure.

 

[Number of the Beath]

Making the finals this year would have been huge to give the players the taste. The challenge now is to get them hungry to want to play finals next year. No excuses next year they need to play finals.

The only player we have who looks hungry is Blake Lawrie.
Maybe he could go to the Roosters for $350k a year and his own weight in fried chicken.
Also, I'm not fat-shaming. He just doesn't look - or play - like a modern day rugby league prop.

 

[BLM01]

We are not going to do it with the same core of players, and we know which ones they are, and that is why they have got to be booted out. They were not good enough this year coming eighth but easily beaten in the penultimate game squandering a really good chance of playing semis this year. They won't be good enough next year as they are not anything exceptional so many changes are necessary to add to the "better" core players that Flanno has recently signed up and pending to be signed and those existing such as Su'a, JDB etc.

When you see a team like the Roosters get done like they did last night by the Raiders, albeit that the Roosters lost key men through injuries and of course their "head high tackler" being suspended you can see that winning is tough unless all systems and players are in the right synch. The Raiders basically played the way we did against the Storm and just kept fighting against the wave of attack, even with a man sin-binned.

The Roosters chances of winning the grand final, who I thought would win this years premiership, have now nose dived especially with the loss of Sam Walker and their chances of even making the grand final to me has faded.

But it's the Roosters with still very good players in their squad that may still be capable of reaching the grand final.

We need to have a squad that can match the top 5 clubs to have a chance of "comfortably" reaching the semis and not wondering and pondering if they can. So the squad really has to be improved greatly. Good luck to us trying to beat the Raiders even at the home ground at Kogarah and even when they will be down on troops through injury and suspension(s).

I don't envy Flanno's job that is for sure.

You cannot just boot players out for the sake of it
We need replacements as do not have the depth that are ready even for next year that is why some (not all) will be reused next year in some capacity

 

[Gareth67]

Did anyone see the new ad with Roosters players advertising eating Red Rooster
Them and Melb have a lot of fingers in the pie for paying 3rd party money through advertising.
Although Steggles are a sponsor of Roosters. Do they supply Red Rooster their chickens?
Melb had Tradie, Both Roosters & Melb betting agency advertising + some sprinkling of other higher profile
Dogs pub shares
How many Dragons players do we see get well paid in main media to do..stuff
Instead of just smaller local companies / suppliers. I am sure some of our higher profile (Lomax, Hunt?) are sponsored by big sports brands but you dont see em on TV, PAY TV billboards but we have WIN TV..go figure
Well connected clubs of course do it better. We just dont compete

Unfortunately our mob of directors have no idea - nor inclination to get up of their back-sides to seek the appropriate sponsorships .

Just as long as the Crown Lager continues to flow and ‘ Lucky Lucys ‘ Chinese take-a-way food is not late , then the beggars are quite content to allow the operation of a so called professional rugby league club to continue along in its current pathetic state .

 

[Dragon David]

You cannot just boot players out for the sake of it
We need replacements as do not have the depth that are ready even for next year that is why some (not all) will be reused next year in some capacity

I am only being facetious BLM01. The booting out cannot be all at once I know but in stages and at the same time have the replacements to come in arranged. All I can say is that several and maybe most of the current squad will be in the team next year but I do hope that they are only on short contracts so that we can get rid of them as of and when needed.

I am expecting Flanno to have a much better year in 2025.

 

[Number of the Beath]

I am only being facetious BLM01. The booting out cannot be all at once I know but in stages and at the same time have the replacements to come in arranged. All I can say is that several and maybe most of the current squad will be in the team next year but I do hope that they are only on short contracts so that we can get rid of them as of and when needed.

I am expecting Flanno to have a much better year in 2025.

I think Flanno had a great season with the cattle we have.
You can't make a silk purse out of a Sow's ear. If we had players with an ounce of footballing nous it might have gone better for us. Once or twice we even looked like a damn good footy team. But one thing I don't anyone will argue over is that with the half & captain we currently have things ain't gonna get better - especially now that he won't have to Lomax to kick to. Release him, for God's sake, Flanno. Go with Kyle & LKT in the 6 and 7 next year. Liddell & Cook sharing the 9 and Cook sometimes filling in at 6. It can't be worse than the shit that Hunt serves up unless it's Origin selection time.
Cook and Val Holmes are a big boost.
Roll on 2025. The only way is (still) up.

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

If they weren't hungry enough this year with a spot in the 8 literally theirs to lose after 5 seasons of not playing finals football what makes you think the same core group of losers will be hungry enough next year?

This is the point, and allow me to elaborate about the issue facing this club.

Shane Flanagan showed what a good coach can do. His hunger was never in doubt. He is limited by the calibre of players he has to work with but more so limited by the fact that our club, for whatever reason, can’t use whatever influence/ connection it has to pull players over.

I don’t think the coach is perfect but this job will take years off his life. He has identified player weaknesses but he is at a loss to do anything about it. We are back where we started for next year.

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

I think Flanno had a great season with the cattle we have.
You can't make a silk purse out of a Sow's ear. If we had players with an ounce of footballing nous it might have gone better for us. Once or twice we even looked like a damn good footy team. But one thing I don't anyone will argue over is that with the half & captain we currently have things ain't gonna get better - especially now that he won't have to Lomax to kick to. Release him, for God's sake, Flanno. Go with Kyle & LKT in the 6 and 7 next year. Liddell & Cook sharing the 9 and Cook sometimes filling in at 6. It can't be worse than the shit that Hunt serves up unless it's Origin selection time.
Cook and Val Holmes are a big boost.
Roll on 2025. The only way is (still) up.

100%

The days of hoping for change are done. What fan is left thinking we can achieve anything with the squad we have? It’s just false hope.

what’s refreshing is we have a man at the helm who realises it (bar his affection for the 7) but it feels like very little can be done. Sure it takes time to turn it around but I’m not certain we are a better team next year, and we’d have to be a hell of a lot better to be where we want to be I.e. top 4. More has to be done now to secure a better future.

 

[LenyB]

No, so called experts. Will be saying we are a spoon team next year.

Stay positive Dragons fans.

The board should look at locking Flanno into a 5 year contract. Knowing them they will wait and see.

And pay more at the end of the day or not sign him, as he may have to much influence in the club.

We have seen this play out before.

 

[Illusion]

No we dont. Who said we know better. People have acknowledged his strengths and how he held his own at origin. so thanks for being objective
But as a supporter and watching him more closely than other team players for years we are allowed to have an opinion on what he has offered (positives or negatives) at club level in respect of being that elite big $$ player that he is portayed in the media and what our club paid him for. I still see weaknesses at club level he needs to address to earn that all round elite player. That is not saying we know more.

Agree he has had a big year , but apart from him being able to catch the high ball (teams have worked him out ) and being strong with his hit ups , will his form continue not the quickest winger or centre don't want to lose him go but the signing of Holmes covers this and IMO better all round ...... The only thing Lomax is younger .......

 

[LenyB]

how do you blame the board for the last two performances that the team has put in the efforts where absolute shit.

Performance?

Craig Young sponsored a pedo with the fans badge.

I can handle a couple of shit performances from a poorly run club.

What planet do you live on or in.

 

[possm]

We are not going to do it with the same core of players, and we know which ones they are, and that is why they have got to be booted out. They were not good enough this year coming eighth but easily beaten in the penultimate game squandering a really good chance of playing semis this year. They won't be good enough next year as they are not anything exceptional so many changes are necessary to add to the "better" core players that Flanno has recently signed up and pending to be signed and those existing such as Su'a, JDB etc.

When you see a team like the Roosters get done like they did last night by the Raiders, albeit that the Roosters lost key men through injuries and of course their "head high tackler" being suspended you can see that winning is tough unless all systems and players are in the right synch. The Raiders basically played the way we did against the Storm and just kept fighting against the wave of attack, even with a man sin-binned.

The Roosters chances of winning the grand final, who I thought would win this years premiership, have now nose dived especially with the loss of Sam Walker and their chances of even making the grand final to me has faded.

But it's the Roosters with still very good players in their squad that may still be capable of reaching the grand final.

We need to have a squad that can match the top 5 clubs to have a chance of "comfortably" reaching the semis and not wondering and pondering if they can. So the squad really has to be improved greatly. Good luck to us trying to beat the Raiders even at the home ground at Kogarah and even when they will be down on troops through injury and suspension(s).

I don't envy Flanno's job that is for sure.

These days it seems that 5 plays would be the most we can switch out of our squad. But I do believe we are on our way to putting together a good team for 2025. For me, we do need two new props and a stronger spine. In saying that we could go with the following players:

1. Tedesco
2. Allen
3. Suli
4. Holmes
5. Tuipulotu
6. Wishart
7. Flannagan
8. RCG
9. Cook
10. Thompson
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. De Belin

14. Liddle
15. F Molo
16. T Couchman
17. R Couchman

Priorities Fitness, Speed, and Defence during the off-season, and we should be very competitive in 2025.

Of course, we need to swap out our assistant coaches starting with Dean Young. I am sure Flanno has had some time to think about this.

If Tedesco is leaving the Roosters, he would be a great pickup for us. With Hunt and a few others to move on, we should easily be able to afford the above 7 new players, and 4 of our promising juniors.

Gone 10 Players
Sloan - Tedesco
Ravalawa - Allen
Max Feagai -
Matt Feagai -
Hunt - Wishart
Lomax - Holmes
Bird - Cook
Brown -
Lawrie - RCG
BMM - Thompson
RFM -


Great top 17, and a good turnover/cleanout of players.

 

[Gareth67]

These days it seems that 5 plays would be the most we can switch out of our squad. But I do believe we are on our way to putting together a good team for 2025. For me, we do need two new props and a stronger spine. In saying that we could go with the following players:

1. Tedesco
2. Allen
3. Suli
4. Holmes
5. Tuipulotu
6. Wishart
7. Flannagan
8. RCG
9. Cook
10. Thompson
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. De Belin

14. Liddle
15. F Molo
16. T Couchman
17. R Couchman

Priorities Fitness, Speed, and Defence during the off-season, and we should be very competitive in 2025.

Of course, we need to swap out our assistant coaches starting with Dean Young. I am sure Flanno has had some time to think about this.

If Tedesco is leaving the Roosters, he would be a great pickup for us. With Hunt and a few others to move on, we should easily be able to afford the above 7 new players, and 4 of our promising juniors.

Gone 10 Players
Sloan - Tedesco
Ravalawa - Allen
Max Feagai -
Matt Feagai -
Hunt - Wishart
Lomax - Holmes
Bird - Cook
Brown -
Lawrie - RCG
BMM - Thompson
RFM -


Great top 17, and a good turnover/cleanout of players.

Possum , in my view the Dragons badly need a top notch prop who can command respect and lead the way forward by his performances .

Unfortunately over many seasons that particular forward has been missing in our squad . R.C.G. is not the answer , yes he gives his all however still somewhat too old in my opinion .

I feel that until we have secured such a forward , then the Dragon pack will continue to crumble under sustained pressure , thus opening the way for other teams fleet footed backs to cause mayhem .

I realize that Flanagan has tried to get that prized signature on a contract , but to date he has been unsuccessful , instead he has only been able to sign other teams discards - mostly in the twilight of their careers .

It seems that every season is a repeat of the previous one
, there plenty of hope at the beginning however midway through the Big Red V is a spent force . Flanagan and recruitment must put their heads together and make a concerted effort in securing a couple of YOUNGER QUALITY FORWARDS who will give our team that much needed power and strength that all of the better teams forward packs have .