The Rumours Thread

[thebigredv]

Looks like Gould is stockpiling our promising juniors. Is he trying to eliminate our club all together given the Sydney component is close geographically?

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Very motivated club.
They copped loads of criticism when they went on a signing rampage and got the likes of Mann and Tracey to go with their big name signings like Kikau, Curran, Mahoney and Crichton.

Many on here poked fun and scoffed but are eating their humble pie now. Bulldogs were we are now, a once proud club wondering how to get out of a hole for a number of years.

Now they keep going with sons of stars and Galvin, Thompson and Latu...whatever they want basically.

Everyone likes what's happening with our juniors but we have to hit the marketplace hard for what we need or we stay entrenched in our hole.

 

[Phantom V]

That’s a puzzling one, I really can’t understand what Finau has done wrong. Scored a few brilliant tries in the trials. He gets one chance in FG, scores a length of the field try, but also let’s in a few. Then never sighted again in first grade. Sloan has been making the same errors all season, Lawson too over the last few weeks. It’s extremely odd.

And to add to that, Finau played with ticker. I don’t mind a mistake or two if they’re putting their body on the line.

 

[InFlannoWeTrust]

Plus Finau probably won't be resigned. Latu also gone and the contracted player who is most likely to leave is Sloan.
Mooney would be worth a look.
Being contracted until 2027 means next to nothing in the NRL.

Yes. So a lot of positions to fill. Though alpha prop is the main one I think with our young pack.
Maybe try and entice a junior centre/winger back.
Regarddinh the halves , was Atkinson brought as a 6 or 7??
if a 7 then lkt to 6 with Kyle moving into the 13 until cook retires then will be a 9/14 with liddle.

 

[Gippsy]

A player like Stonestreet is stuck behind a heap at the Sharks and would be a great buy.

And, raid the Roosters for a frontrower, they have a heap of good young ones. A young giant De La Salle Va'a played against LPT in last years under 19 SOO and is about the same size as him. He can't get a run at the Roosters

 

[RedVDave]

A player like Stonestreet is stuck behind a heap at the Sharks and would be a great buy.

And, raid the Roosters for a frontrower, they have a heap of good young ones. A young giant De La Salle Va'a played against LPT in last years under 19 SOO and is about the same size as him. He can't get a run at the Roosters

Whilst Stonestreet is better than Feagai & Sloane he's massively overrated for mine.

 

[CronullaSaint]

On the positive side, the cowboys have done us a favour. The dolphins biggest win is no longer against the Dragons. That record only lasted a week.

 

[hewi]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-coaches-on-under-pressure-to-keep-their-jobs-as-rumours-fly/news-story/053ec476a171f5c40eb6976d70e50efe

Its happening, Flanagan snr is on thin ice.

 

[mattw5]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-coaches-on-under-pressure-to-keep-their-jobs-as-rumours-fly/news-story/053ec476a171f5c40eb6976d70e50efe

Its happening, Flanagan snr is on thin ice.

Flanno needs to drop Kyle yes but the club also needs to hold their nerve sacking coaches is not the answer especially if Young is in their thinking to replace him.

 

[InFlannoWeTrust]

Flanno needs to drop Kyle yes but the club also needs to hold their nerve sacking coaches is not the answer especially if Young is in their thinking to replace him.

With young in the background WE ALL KNOW that he’ll be next up unfortunately .
Hes defence coach and it’s a shambles!
If Flanno wants to keep his job needs to make assistant coaching changes.

 

[KingFlanno7]

Flanno can do no wrong. Even some fans are trying to deflect blame onto his assistants like the head coach of an NRL team has no say in the defensive and attacking structures. Flanno chose Young as his assistant, he also chose to bring Kyle in and resign him until the end of 2027. Can't blame Young or Carr for that..

 

[Old Timer]

Why are people suggesting K F to 14 after Cook retires?

Why do we want to triple down on the mistake of signing him and then extending him?

Surely our expectations for a 14 in 2027 to compliment our youngsters has to be higher than a proven flop who we want sent to KOE Cup asap n 2025.

 

[KingFlanno7]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ze...-assistant-for-head-coaching-role-217657/amp/ This is coming from the supercoach himself..

 

[Dragon David]

Bloody hell I have to admit that my interest in Rugby League in 2025 has taken a massive dive not only because of our beloved Dragons' up and down season but also because of the fact that the Bulldogs keep winning and maintaining being on top of the ladder. Bastard things.

 

[thebigredv]

Bloody hell I have to admit that my interest in Rugby League in 2025 has taken a massive dive not only because of our beloved Dragons' up and down season but also because of the fact that the Bulldogs keep winning and maintaining being on top of the ladder. Bastard things.

Dave. It'd be easier to accept the Bulldogs success if we had some of our own every now and then. I also find it a little questionable how they've managed to keep bringing in new signings with a salary cap in place.

I only watched one half of footy the entire weekend and that was our second half. Interest at an all time low personally.

It wasn't that long ago saints fan would be at least talking about protests to overthrow the board but these days, it's all about money and who has the best management. The fans are just a means of making the money. We all are resigned to failure and the whims of our once great club.

Still enjoy the sport but it's hard to rustle up the same passion when our team can't physically or mentally go with others.

 

[Dragon David]

Dave. It'd be easier to accept the Bulldogs success if we had some of our own every now and then. I also find it a little questionable how they've managed to keep bringing in new signings with a salary cap in place.

I only watched one half of footy the entire weekend and that was our second half. Interest at an all time low personally.

It wasn't that long ago saints fan would be at least talking about protests to overthrow the board but these days, it's all about money and who has the best management. The fans are just a means of making the money. We all are resigned to failure and the whims of our once great club.

Still enjoy the sport but it's hard to rustle up the same passion when our team can't physically or mentally go with others.

Agreed with you bigred.

The Dogs just know how to wiggle their cap around and generally start by dropping players who they want replaced and having quiet talks on the side saying to the players that they don't fit into the Dogs' future plans. This agitates the players and they whinge to their managers who are told the hard facts by Gould and if they are not happy then find another club. Gould was glad that Josh Addo Carr was caught out with drugs in his system so that he could then boot him out - co-incidental I guess. Kyle Flanno was told the cold hard facts by Gould and he ends up with us as a condition of Flanno getting hired - reluctantly by Doust initially by the sounds of things. Barrett being booted (not affecting their player salary cap of course but I'm just throwing in how Gould works) so that he can hire Ciraldo - who was in many ways keen to come to the Dragons going from some back info on the Forum.

Tevita Pangai Jnr told by Gould that his best thing is to pursue a career in boxing and so he has one boxing match and loses interest and returns to park footy - easy peasy for Gould to get rid of players he does not see will fit into future plans. Now Maloney and Sexton could end up leqving so that they can balance some payments in the longer term to pay for securing Galvin.

Gould has a cold heart - just like Donald J T and couldn't careless what happens to players on the outer just so that the Dogs quest for grand final glory is attained.

The Dogs have a very good sponsor who bleeds blue and white and I would imagine that there are some deals done to look after the new signings that won't affect the salary cap. Gould knows what he is doing. He will have all the excuses under the sun if any official comes questioning their "books" I feel sure.

We need a guy like Gould but not Gould, someone able to pull off similar hirings and firings.

 

[Phantom V]

Bloody hell I have to admit that my interest in Rugby League in 2025 has taken a massive dive not only because of our beloved Dragons' up and down season but also because of the fact that the Bulldogs keep winning and maintaining being on top of the ladder. Bastard things.

I share your sentiment DD. I’ve been an avid fan of the game for as long as I remember and have followed our beloved team through all the ups and downs like you but I must admit these last few years have been the hardest, it’s like the club has not only lost direction but lost its soul.

Add to that the fact that the Bulldogs are signing whoever they like and it makes our organisation look even more pedestrian.
My interest in the game as a whole isn’t what it used to be, I could watch most games on a weekend but I don’t like the over officiating in the modern game.

I watched a highlights reel of Nathan Blacklock and was reminded of just how many good footy players were around back then and it was a running game, not based purely on defence and block plays.

Go the mighties…

 

[Dragon David]

I share your sentiment DD. I’ve been an avid fan of the game for as long as I remember and have followed our beloved team through all the ups and downs like you but I must admit these last few years have been the hardest, it’s like the club has not only lost direction but lost its soul.

Add to that the fact that the Bulldogs are signing whoever they like and it makes our organisation look even more pedestrian.
My interest in the game as a whole isn’t what it used to be, I could watch most games on a weekend but I don’t like the over officiating in the modern game.

I watched a highlights reel of Nathan Blacklock and was reminded of just how many good footy players were around back then and it was a running game, not based purely on defence and block plays.

Go the mighties…

Good one Phantom V, thanks!

 

[possm]

The Dogs were caught sheeating a few years back and ended up losing competition points as a result. I'm sure they learnt from that and are now using more suficicated measures.

I am very disappointed in the manner the NRL are managing salary cap matters. I'm even more disappointed that the Dragons aren't doing more to become competitive within the NRL Competition.

 

[KingFlanno7]

.

 

[rasaint]

Whilst this comment is not ‘on point exactly’ I would like to note that the Dolphins are thrashing so many teams, and not mentioned as possible premiership winners this year. I don’t understand why?

The dolphins remind me of our 2010 premiership winning team. They are built on a strong tough forward pack and a blisteringly fast backline.

They have the exciting Katoa, fast and insightful in managing a game. Cody Nikorema is frightening quick. He only needs a half gap and he is gone. Herbie Farnworth is a flyer and no other centre in the game can overwhelm him. He is a tough hombre. Jake Averillo I was posting years ago we should make a play for him because he another flying machine. No need to convince anyone about the hammers high end speed. 2010 we had Soward, Gaznier, Cooper, Morris, Darius Boyd.

Now we have ( had for past 5 years) a slow backline. This year we recruited Val Holmes, yes high end quick. Gave Sione Finau one NRL game but ditched him even though he scored a run away length of field try. It seems we are pressing on the average Lawson and Big but comparatively slow Tuipulotu as wingers.