The Rumours Thread

[TruSaint]

David Riccio

@DaveRic1

Two-year deal for
@SSFCRABBITOHS
Lachlan Ilias to


@NRL_Dragons
now a mere formality. He will be the starting halfback in 2025. Understand a supportive push from Damien Cook played a factor in the pursuit.
@telegraph_sport

 

[redandwhite4evr]

If Ilias is the man. then lets give the kid a go, we did our due diligence and thats all we can expect with the bunnies chipping in some of his salary. We will have a halves combo that is team oriented, and give a shit about the Dragons. It wont be hey give me the ball on every play and make myself look good because I'm the marquee. At the very least I'll be happy if these guys just give us their best week in week out.

I wouldn't mind giving him the ball on every play if he was going to do something worthwhile on every play. That was the problem with him. His kicking game was inconsistent and largely inaccurate. His game management generally in terms of deciding when to pass, run or kick wasn't up to that you'd expect from an elite half back and the team suffered as a result ie he is, was and always will be a fraud.

 

[Old Timer]

Why, none of em know how to win a comp! You had Trent you have had McZero recently. Have you guys not worked out yet or get an inkling what it would be like with ex Dragons in your coaching ranks.
You guys been waiting nearly 40 years. Why do it to yourselves. You need to aim higher.
Whats is wrong with Hindmarsh bros or Sterlo?

Gas was lucky enough to be brought back to the Dragons by the master coach half way through our premiership year so it basically fell into his lap.

Ben Hunt is looking for a gig.. sound interesting?
I thought Lomax does not need coaching as the chosen centre
It is clear Ryles is out of his depth

Your underestimation of Ryles is astonishing and I believe it will firmly bite you on the arse within his first 2 years at the helm.

He has instantly brought Stirling in from the freezer that others have had him in locked away in for 30 + years so Ryles is already heavily buying into the Parramatta legacy and he has procured the services of one of the great centres of the modern era to help coach his young backline.

If that's out of his depth then god help us as we hold onto Lawrie and other shitters.

 

[Adolf_Spritzer]

I grew up on a dairy farm, our school bus was full of farm kids, "feeding the chooks" was always the saying used to indicate masturbating, I always thought it was a pretty clever and funny analogy. Must have a different meaning in the cities, wouldn`t be the first time I suppose.

Bjelke-Petersen coined the phrase during his time as QLD premier, equating his daily press conferences to "feeding the chooks". They guy was a monster, but I always thought it was pretty on point.

 

[possm]

Keep sending 'em.
View attachment 96870

Flanner should hire Matt Cooper to do the same.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Keep sending 'em.
View attachment 96870

How long before Matt Cooper posts something about not Saints giving him a defensive backs coaching role

 

[Jubilee]

... he has procured the services of one of the great centres of the modern era to help coach his young backline.

Great players don't necessarily become great coaches. What is Gasnier going to teach them? His shimmy and acceleration? He could try, but talents and gifts are not transferrable skills.

Any particular "young backline" is going to have its own shortcomings. For example, perhaps players aren't playing for each other. Perhaps the inside man is not playing to take advantage of the skills of the outside man and vice versa. Maybe individual players can be more conscious of the shoulder position of the defender, or not stand too shallow, or learn to read partner signals better, or whatever.

The thing is, there is no good reason to think that Gasnier could recognize, vocalize, and coach such things better than anyone else.

Now if it were technique, like Sowie showing how he punts for distance, sure, it makes sense to bring him in. But Ryles may just be bringing in Gasnier bcs Ryles has a shallow notion of what coaching in fact entails.

 

[SEAT 1A]

If Ilias is the man. then lets give the kid a go, we did our due diligence and thats all we can expect with the bunnies chipping in some of his salary. We will have a halves combo that is team oriented, and give a shit about the Dragons. It wont be hey give me the ball on every play and make myself look good because I'm the marquee. At the very least I'll be happy if these guys just give us their best week in week out.

Same as Kyle this year did the job.

Now that Illias looks he's on the way, they can work as a halves combination.

Don't know if they can get to the eight however, will work better.

 

[Old Timer]

Great players don't necessarily become great coaches. What is Gasnier going to teach them? His shimmy and acceleration? He could try, but talents and gifts are not transferrable skills.

Any particular "young backline" is going to have its own shortcomings. For example, perhaps players aren't playing for each other. Perhaps the inside man is not playing to take advantage of the skills of the outside man and vice versa. Maybe individual players can be more conscious of the shoulder position of the defender, or not stand too shallow, or learn to read partner signals better, or whatever.

The thing is, there is no good reason to think that Gasnier could recognize, vocalize, and coach such things better than anyone else.

Now if it were technique, like Sowie showing how he punts for distance, sure, it makes sense to bring him in. But Ryles may just be bringing in Gasnier bcs Ryles has a shallow notion of what coaching in fact entails.

So are you suggesting they don't need a backs coach?

IMO Ryles needs to have some support and who better to try than someone who has played at the highest level but evidently you want to rule him out for having done so.

Gasnier can teach them match day preparation, personal drills, dealing with the mental challenges of playing against the best, how to change the momentum of a game, what to do if what you are doing isn't succeeding plus a shit load more of things he has experienced 1st hand.

This place is full of skeptics of others whilst hating anyone being skeptical of our own team / coaches etc and of course are even more skeptical of any former players doing stuff at other clubs.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

So you reckon Dragons have signed Aitkinson and we need a stop gap for 25?

Nope, I reckon Atkinson will extend at Sharks, Nicho will move back to fullback and Will Kennedy will be moved on

 

[Jubilee]

Nope, I reckon Atkinson will extend at Sharks, Nicho will move back to fullback and Will Kennedy will be moved on

The only way this won't happen is if Saints drop a money bomb on Atkinson. And Flanno won't do that.

 

[slippery5]

Keep sending 'em.
View attachment 96870

I can understand this, I still remember sitting at the in goal line at a game once, when Gas was telling Ryles, "make sure you hang onto the ball tight Rylesy" when they were about to recieve the kick off worried that he knew he always dropped it when being tackled!!!!!!!!

 

[Mojo]

So are you suggesting they don't need a backs coach?

IMO Ryles needs to have some support and who better to try than someone who has played at the highest level but evidently you want to rule him out for having done so.

Gasnier can teach them match day preparation, personal drills, dealing with the mental challenges of playing against the best, how to change the momentum of a game, what to do if what you are doing isn't succeeding plus a shit load more of things he has experienced 1st hand.

This place is full of skeptics of others whilst hating anyone being skeptical of our own team / coaches etc and of course are even more skeptical of any former players doing stuff at other clubs.

I’m skeptical of skeptics.

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

Nope, I reckon Atkinson will extend at Sharks, Nicho will move back to fullback and Will Kennedy will be moved on

Either that or some power club will lock him up as soon as he becomes available. We don’t seem to have luck with timing a lot of time.

 

[qld redvee]

Nope, I reckon Atkinson will extend at Sharks, Nicho will move back to fullback and Will Kennedy will be moved on

Unfortunately jj i can see that happening to save their million dollar boy.
This is why flanno has to sell Atkinson his pitch and a better offer than what he is thinking of doing in order to sign him

 

[possm]

Unfortunately jj i can see that happening to save their million dollar boy.
This is why flanno has to sell Atkinson his pitch and a better offer than what he is thinking of doing in order to sign him

It will all depend on how our halves perform in 2025. If they do not perform well, I'd be moving Gatherson to 6 with the pitch being 'you'll have Gutherson as your partner in the halves' and a big mobile pack to set a platform for you.

 

[SAP58]

 

[TruSaint]

Both ilias and Kyle have been give a great opportunity here. I hope they take it with both hands and lead us around the park well.

24 and 26 years old respectively. Prime time to make or break. Had we not signed Gutho at the back and added Cook to the roster, I would fear for their confidence.

With the support of Cook, Gutho and Liddle, I think our spine may surprise a few. Our issue remains metre eaters to get up the field and not rely of kicking from inside our own 30/40. Sele spent a fair time injured, he may come good again. F Molo needs to dominate.

Overall, I am happy with the shape of Flannos roster.

 

[Illusion]

Same as Kyle this year did the job.

Now that Illias looks he's on the way, they can work as a halves combination.

Don't know if they can get to the eight however, will work better.

At least now we have two options not one player wanting to do everything ........

 

[RedVDave]

I don't rate Illias at all hopefully we sign Hastings or Doueli as back up cause it's not going work out.