The Rumours Thread

[JubileeJeffro]

Wasn't specifically referring to Gutho.

But he would be on the first plane to Melbourne if they where offering good coin over a few years.

Point is our culture sucks and effects recruitment more then traveling to the Gong.

Hypothetical of course, as the Storm have no need and based on history wouldn’t even consider recruiting a player like Gutho.

 

[maestro1]

The beaches in Wollongong are at the very least, equal to the Northern beaches.

 

[Old Timer]

The beaches in Wollongong are at the very least, equal to the Northern beaches.

What about the schools, colleges, restaurants, wine bars, pubs, theatres, clubs lol the Steelers Club would turn anyone off, unemployment rate, employment opportunities or are beaches the be all and end all for making a decision to relocate your family?

 

[BLM01]

That's still a solid commute in sydney traffic.

He won’t be alone
Travelling with a few other Parramatta players good to see they are embracing the local Parra area culture

 

[possm]

I am sick to death of all this bullshit garbage about players not wanting to travel to Wollongong. You know what guys, the first thing that our recruitment staff and/or Flanno should ask blokes before they get into the nitty gritty of signing up with us is - "Would driving to the Gong be a problem?" If they say yes, then stop any further talks and tell all and sundry that the Dragons are not interested in the guy and put an end to any further speculation.

If Gutho has a problem then stop any further talks. It is a joke. If guys are keen to join us they can rent their own place out and rent a place in the Gong for the period they are signed to the club. What have others done? What about Cook? He probably has a house in the Eastern Suburbs or thereabouts when he played for Souths for 9 years. He now has to either drive to the Gong from his house or as I said, rent his out and lease one in the Gong. I am sure the club have got their contacts. I remember working in a real estate office west of Parra and I arranged for a house to be available for Parra Leagues to rent it on behalf of players - no probs and all easy. Any damage etc., the Club pays for it.

Anyway, for the club to have a smooth year or years, they need all of the players, their partners, their wives, their families to be happy being part of the St George Illawarra Dragons for success to be occur and be ongoing.

It would be great to introduce a bullet-fast train to transport people between Wollongong and the proposed Kograh International Sports Statdium.

Before you ask, I wrote to the NSW Minister for Transport requesting the building of this sports complex and the bullet train service.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Saints should give up on Gutho and move for Selwyn Cobbo. He will be a far better option and has plenty of upside. He is not happy there and under Flanno would excel as an NRL player. Broncos want to extend Staggs so it is a no brainer.

 

[mattw5]

Saints should give up on Gutho and move for Selwyn Cobbo. He will be a far better option and has plenty of upside. He is not happy there and under Flanno would excel as an NRL player. Broncos want to extend Staggs so it is a no brainer.

Pretty sure the Roosters will be all over that already

 

[Mojo]

What about the schools, colleges, restaurants, wine bars, pubs, theatres, clubs lol the Steelers Club would turn anyone off, unemployment rate, employment opportunities or are beaches the be all and end all for making a decision to relocate your family?

It’s only two or three years. Then he can retire or semi-retire and live anywhere they like. His first kid would be six years old.
Personally, I’d have loved to be facing such a dilemma at that stage in life. Presumably he’s been commuting from the peninsula to parramatta for the past x number of years.
… and I don’t even care one way or the other whether we recruit him or not.

PS: beaches are a very high priority.

 

[TruSaint]

Honestly, It may be an issue for some, but I ask myself what a potential player would think if we were a competitive side.

Would the Gong be an obstacle ?

Darius Boyd, Nathan Fein, Jeremy Smith, Nev Costigan, J Saffy all integral in our last title came to the JV at the lure of winning. There were no rumblings of disharmony.

I know Wayne Bennett is good but I doubt he redeveloped the Gong in time to bring in game changes. I am fairly confident that any player worth his salt would jump at a chance if he felt that the Club was poised to succeed.

It's been said at nauseam. We are not a destination Club due to years of neglect by an inept board. If Flanno can turn us around and is given time, players will come. Not all. Some won't leave their safety zone and that's fine.

 

[Crush]

You wouldn’t want to be driving from Northern Beaches to gong but from Shire to gong is fine.
Gutho could rent in shire for a few years, half the team lives in shire.

 

[cussy]

Yo uh

What about the schools, colleges, restaurants, wine bars, pubs, theatres, clubs lol the Steelers Club would turn anyone off, unemployment rate, employment opportunities or are beaches the be all and end all for making a decision to relocate your family?

seriously have no idea bro.

 

[Old Timer]

Yo uh

seriously have no idea bro.

Wollongong is a shit hole and the Steelers Club is the epitome of it.

If you don’t think the things I mentioned matter then why isn’t anyone of note coming unless they are at the backend of their careers?

All the talking up of the Cook & Holmes signings conveniently ignores the point that they were willingly let go by their clubs as is Gutho and they were not priorities for other clubs.

Wollongong slightly in front of England in some players eyes and that’s about it.

 

[Crush]

Wollongong is a shit hole and the Steelers Club is the epitome of it.

If you don’t think the things I mentioned matter then why isn’t anyone of note coming unless they are at the backend of their careers?

All the talking up of the Cook & Holmes signings conveniently ignores the point that they were willingly let go by their clubs as is Gutho and they were not priorities for other clubs.

Wollongong slightly in front of England in some players eyes and that’s about it.

I wouldn’t call Wollongong a shit hole, not by any means.
I’ve only been to Steelers club once but from memory it was OK. At least they had the footy on. St George Leagues club is just a poker machine haven, it’s deplorable.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Honestly, It may be an issue for some, but I ask myself what a potential player would think if we were a competitive side.

Would the Gong be an obstacle ?

Darius Boyd, Nathan Fein, Jeremy Smith, Nev Costigan, J Saffy all integral in our last title came to the JV at the lure of winning. There were no rumblings of disharmony.

I know Wayne Bennett is good but I doubt he redeveloped the Gong in time to bring in game changes. I am fairly confident that any player worth his salt would jump at a chance if he felt that the Club was poised to succeed.

It's been said at nauseam. We are not a destination Club due to years of neglect by an inept board. If Flanno can turn us around and is given time, players will come. Not all. Some won't leave their safety zone and that's fine.

I've never thought Wollongong was that bad, but you've only got to look at the success that Wests Tigers have in recruiting players to see that the Gong is very much an obstacle in a lot of players eyes. Api Korisau, Isaiah Papalii, Klemmer, Justin Olam, Jarome Luai, Turuva, and Royce Hunt . All players I would I have been happy to have when they transferred. That can't all be on our club because Wests Tigers are a bigger basket case than us. Some of it has to be the Gong.

 

[maestro1]

What about the schools, colleges, restaurants, wine bars, pubs, theatres, clubs lol the Steelers Club would turn anyone off, unemployment rate, employment opportunities or are beaches the be all and end all for making a decision to relocate your family?

UOW is world class. We have a massive TAFE The schools are just as good as anywhere else. We have lots of fabulous eateries to match the Northern beaches. We've got some Fantastic pubs and clubs.....Headlands Hotel, Mt Kembla Pub, Links Golf Club, Kembla Grange Golf Club, Gerroa Fisherman's club, Shelly Workers, Jamberoo Pub, the Brewery, Harp Hotel, the Ikon, fxcking endless places. Unemployment?????? Why would Gutho care about unemployment. He'll be employed...Let me tell you, if you want to work, there are plenty of jobs. It has provided employment to 3 generations of my family .....parents, siblings, in laws, our grown up kids, nieces and nephews. You are obviously going of the "reputation" as opposed to the reality of the Gong/Illawarra. My kids and nieces and nephews are qualified Doctors, Engineers, Dietitians, Police, Nurses, Tradies. The unemployed hogwash narrative is only there if you don't want to have a crack.

 

[Crush]

I've never thought Wollongong was that bad, but you've only got to look at the success that Wests Tigers have in recruiting players to see that the Gong is very much an obstacle in a lot of players eyes. Api Korisau, Isaiah Papalii, Klemmer, Justin Olam, Jarome Luai, Turuva, and Royce Hunt . All players I would I have been happy to have when they transferred. That can't all be on our club because Wests Tigers are a bigger basket case than us. Some of it has to be the Gong.

Yeah but lots of SGI players live in Sydney and commute. Shire to gong ain’t that bad.
My daily commute takes longer.

 

[hewi]

What Is he smoking , another 2 years

• NRL

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt eyes NRL open market as he claims club ‘doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me’​

Ben Hunt has sensationally claimed the St George Illawarra club he captains “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me” as he prepares to hit the open market.
Michael Carayannis

@mcarayannis

3 min read
October 12, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/2024.10.12-05174...44426cd8c40d75dea61a69-1728710278#share-tools

NRL: After a disappointing end to their season, the St George Illawarra Dragons may look to move on veteran Ben Hunt who has been linked to a move to the Gold Coast Titans.
Kangaroos veteran Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1 after the Dragons skipper sensationally claimed the club “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me.”
Hunt’s future is again in the headlines as he prepares to take part in Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign.
The 34-year-old has indicated he wants to play on beyond his current deal which expires at the end of 2025 but is of the belief that the Dragons aren’t rushing to make him an offer meaning he will test the market in just three weeks.
HUNT’S NRL FUTURE
Hunt has committed to see out his contract at the Dragons. But beyond that his future remains unclear.
“At this stage I’ll be there (next year),” Hunt said.
“Nothing has changed. I had to get away and freshen up and not think about footy for a while. Unless something extreme happens I’ll probably be there.”

Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1. Picture: Getty Images
The 334-gamer wants to play for at least two more seasons which will set him up to become the second-most capped player in the game’s history with Hunt on track to go beyond Cooper Cronk’s 372 game mark. Only Cameron Smith has played more.
But Hunt may be forced to look elsewhere after he claimed the Dragons were reluctant to put a new deal on the table.
“I definitely want to play beyond next year,” Hunt said.
“I’m still feeling good in myself and I feel like I can contribute.
“We’ve had that discussion earlier in the year and it went away. They don’t want to offer me anything so I’ll go to November 1 and see what happens.
“I haven’t shut the doors on anything. The Dragons said they were keen to extend me around April and then they said they’d wait until after Origin.
“Now they want to see how I’m playing next year. It’s all gone quiet and they don’t want to do anything. Doesn’t sound like they are overly keen to keep me.
“It may be in Queensland or somewhere else. I’ll just wait and see. “

St George Illawarra Dragons captain Ben Hunt.
END OF SEASON REVIEW
Hunt insists he has no issue with what was said to him during the end of season post-mortem with coach Shane Flanagan and other coaching staff members.
However it was the public fall-out where elements of the meeting were leaked to the media which has stung Hunt.
“It was disappointing the way the season ended,” Hunt said.
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
“We set ourselves up to play finals but we crumbled and I was disappointed in the back end of the year.
“A lot of the stuff that was in the media wasn’t said in my review. I don’t know where it came from but it must’ve been said somewhere.
“It was disappointing that a lot of the stuff from my review got out there. I was in a review with the coaches and then it’s the media within a couple of hours. I can’t control that I guess.
“I didn’t leave the review disappointed. I left thinking that they said things that I was thinking. My defence was the best and I fell away in the last month of the season.
“I played a couple of disappointing games and that’s what they said to me.
“I expected that to be said.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
SIGNING GUTHO
The Dragons have bought some much-needed experience in the likes of Valentine Holmes and Damien Cook to help ease the leadership burden on Hunt.
They are also in the mix to sign Clint Gutherson who was granted permission to talk with rival teams for 2026. Hunt said the Dragons should pounce.
“He would be an asset,” Hunt said.
“He is a great competitor. There’s talk of moving him to centre or five-eighth. I think we could sign him to play six.
“He is a real organiser and an experienced guy who could slot in there.”

https://archive.md/2024.10.12-051747/https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/dragons-skipper-ben-hunt-eyes-nrl-open-market-as-he-claims-club-doesnt-seem-overly-keen-to-keep-me/news-story/3f4d9e13c492893a17aa58ded57e17c0?amp&nk=51d1b421ff44426cd8c40d75dea61a69-1728710278

 

[Jubilee]

I've never thought Wollongong was that bad, but you've only got to look at the success that Wests Tigers have in recruiting players to see that the Gong is very much an obstacle in a lot of players eyes. Api Korisau, Isaiah Papalii, Klemmer, Justin Olam, Jarome Luai, Turuva, and Royce Hunt . All players I would I have been happy to have when they transferred. That can't all be on our club because Wests Tigers are a bigger basket case than us. Some of it has to be the Gong.

But Canberra seems to be able to attract players and it certainly isn't Paris or the Amalfi coast. And Newcastle is nothing special. And Penrith, is it really the center of the world? In the end it is mostly about winning. As we win more, it will beome easier to attract players.

 

[Crush]

Haha, Ben Hunt says we should sign Gutho to play 6!
Surely that’s a crack?
Imagine being Kyle and your halves partner says we should sign Gutho to play 6.
Piss off Hunt you flog.

 

[maestro1]

Blaming The Gong for players not supposedly not wanting to sign is bullshit. Players don't want to deal with Doust/Haran/and previously Young snr. These guys are on the nose and it is probably them using "the Gong" as an excuse instead of acknowledging that players and player managers can't stand them. There are so many stories like Matt Cooper where these management idiots have dudded players. Don't they realise that players talk. Example ONLY ...... Leo Thompson asks Frizzell what the Dragons are like as Flanno wants him at the RedV. Frizzell says, is Haran and Doust still there? Yeh I think so....... Fxck that. Stay away from those fxckers.