Welcome Back Luciano

[Petros]

Great signing. Welcome home. But who did we let go to fit him in the 30?

 

[SnowDragon]

I love it how we all become salary cap experts and financial advisors whenever a player is signed.
We signed a good footballer! That’s good news!

You’re right, “we signed a good footballer“ and he will improve the squad.
that doesn’t mean we made “a good signing” as it depends on how much we paid. This year we have cap space, but many are concerned as to how this affects the cap in 25 and 26. Carayannis is quoted as saying cows also dip in next year which helps, but transferring payments from 26 to 24 would be nice if possible due to our spend in 24 as I understand it.

 

[TheRev]

BMM as a bench prop is a big body that bends the line.. We will get rly good use out of him this year, but he probably won't fit in the 1st choice 17.. He and Fifita will battle it out.

Depends what they do with JDB vs RFM at lock.

 

[SAP58]

What Flanno has done with this signing is create good competition, it’s now up to those in contention to play their best football to have a chance of being selected in the 17. I am feeling a hell of a lot better this year than I did at the same time last year. Go the MIGHTIES & looking forward to a few so called experts eating their words when we finish no where near the spoon. Plenty of seats still left on the Flanno bus to join the comeback.

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

I love it how we all become salary cap experts and financial advisors whenever a player is signed.
We signed a good footballer! That’s good news!

Hey mate. I’m no salary cap expert and I’m def a real negative Nancy. I’m glad we signed someone who is a competent first grader. Just not sure he’s worth that much. But…like everyone on here. I’d be extremely happy to be proven wrong

 

[Crush]

Hey mate. I’m no salary cap expert and I’m def a real negative Nancy. I’m glad we signed someone who is a competent first grader. Just not sure he’s worth that much. But…like everyone on here. I’d be extremely happy to be proven wrong

Of course he’s not worth that much mate, but he’s moved to the dragons so he’s going to get top dollar. For a little while we need to pay overs, until we can resemble something like a competitive NRL team. Then we will start paying market value.
After an off-season of missed opportunities, I am really happy with this signing, I’m not the least bit concerned about what it does to our salary cap in 2026.

 

[Parko1310]

BMM as a bench prop is a big body that bends the line.. We will get rly good use out of him this year, but he probably won't fit in the 1st choice 17.. He and Fifita will battle it out.

Depends what they do with JDB vs RFM at lock.

Neither BMM or RFM will be in the first choice 17. Sele and Leilua push them out.

 

[Gardenia]

Great News!!

 

[Gardenia]

Of course he’s not worth that much mate, but he’s moved to the dragons so he’s going to get top dollar. For a little while we need to pay overs, until we can resemble something like a competitive NRL team. Then we will start paying market value.
After an off-season of missed opportunities, I am really happy with this signing, I’m not the least bit concerned about what it does to our salary cap in 2026.

Agree here and didnt we have some money that we had to spend anyway? I am happy with this signing. Cows are paying some of it so looks like we have mitigated the impact of paying overs as best we can. By 2026 we will have dropped some players that are off contract that are not putting in so we will have the money its all good news.

 

[Gardenia]

Great signing. Welcome home. But who did we let go to fit him in the 30?

Surely we pay out Allen for this year, drop him and rehabiliate him

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

I like that we are at least forward heavy now. The way we are going to play is physical. I like that too. I like that we have some depth there now and enough youth and quality to bring these outstanding SG Ball squads through properly. My goodness, there are some real players there.

With Leilua and Sua on edges, we can score points by pushing up in support.

The fact we are forward heavy and basically have forwards playing in the backline means this won't be easy either. I think it's out best shot though given lack of playmaking nouse and speed. We should look to attack how we defend. Physically. Fast. In a flat line. We don't have the finesse or speed or intelligence to pull off sweeping plays of athleticism and skill.

We're big, strong, tough and, hopefully, very very mean to go with it.

Depth will kill us. But we must always be competing our best. Make that the basis for your football throughout the whole club from Harold Matts up and the rest will always come in the shape of skillful talent.

I'm very intent on looking at a process and how it's unfolding rather than results this year.

It's invigorating to see that we might finally be on the right track under Flanagan as a professional sports team.

 

[TheRev]

Neither BMM or RFM will be in the first choice 17. Sele and Leilua push them out.

I'm not so sure.. RFM hasnt trained with us.. so he wont get the 13 jersey (for now).. so lets assume its JDB for the sake of argument.. and the starting props are then Sele & FMolo.

Our bench is:

14. Utility: Marchke
15. Prop : Lawrie
16. <Prop>
17. <2nd Rower>

I think BMM is a shot at the 16 jersey, its him or Fifita.. 1 injury and they both play potentially.. it could also be RFM if they decide to play him in the middle.

And I think we will run Eisenhuth (or RFM) as the 2nd rower..

I feel like we are 1 proper gun prop short.. we are going to have to rely on our next tier down to fill that rotation... obviously behind these guys there is MMolo, Couchmans etc.

 

[Parko1310]

I'm not so sure.. RFM hasnt trained with us.. so he wont get the 13 jersey (for now).. so lets assume its JDB for the sake of argument.. and the starting props are then Sele & FMolo.

Our bench is:

14. Utility: Marchke
15. Prop : Lawrie
16. <Prop>
17. <2nd Rower>

I think BMM is a shot at the 16 jersey, its him or Fifita.. 1 injury and they both play potentially.. it could also be RFM if they decide to play him in the middle.

And I think we will run Eisenhuth (or RFM) as the 2nd rower..

I feel like we are 1 proper gun prop short.. we are going to have to rely on our next tier down to fill that rotation... obviously behind these guys there is MMolo, Couchmans etc.

I can see Fifita and BMM rotating throughout the season, but Fifita has that bench spot to start. RFM is here as a second rower who can play middle if required. He's got the 17 jersey Egan had last week. That spot is for a second rower, that's the plan. Leilua will grab that 17 for round 1 (won't start because he's late into the squad). From training photos earlier in pre season, I think the plan was De Belin to play prop off the bench, Sele at lock and Molo + Lawrie starting front row. Sele won't start at lock obviously without having trialled, so he'll start from the bench in round 1.

I'd be shocked if (barring injury) the bench in round 1 wasn't:
14. Marchske
15. Sele
16. Fifita
17. Leilua

 

[thebigredv]

Just read the news and am fist pumping. Well done Dragons!! Welcome Luc. We need you!

 

[Inisai Toga]

Hunt and Liddle in particular could be the beneficiaries of this signing; play on the back of what LL creates. Gives us a dimension and an unpredictability we currently don’t have. Add Sele and the Canterbury captain to the pack./17 ….not to shabby..

 

[thebigredv]

Hunt and Liddle in particular could be the beneficiaries of this signing; play on the back of what LL creates. Gives us a dimension and an unpredictability we currently don’t have. Add Sele and the Canterbury captain to the pack./17 ….not to shabby..

I think Su'a also benefits in that now he is not left to do all the impact play from the second row. We have the double barrel now and it really changes things for opposition. Hopefully Luciano is in a good head space because we need him 100% committed to the cause.

 

[TheRev]

I can see Fifita and BMM rotating throughout the season, but Fifita has that bench spot to start. RFM is here as a second rower who can play middle if required. He's got the 17 jersey Egan had last week. That spot is for a second rower, that's the plan. Leilua will grab that 17 for round 1 (won't start because he's late into the squad). From training photos earlier in pre season, I think the plan was De Belin to play prop off the bench, Sele at lock and Molo + Lawrie starting front row. Sele won't start at lock obviously without having trialled, so he'll start from the bench in round 1.

I'd be shocked if (barring injury) the bench in round 1 wasn't:
14. Marchske
15. Sele
16. Fifita
17. Leilua

Given the lack of training, valid point on Sele easing off the bench, I think he will be a starting prop or lock soon enough though.

Have you got Eisenhuth starting 2nd rower? Thats fair enough given they train with it.. even if its only for a week or 2. Tbh I think Leilua off the bench is actually a really good situation for us anyway, 50min stint with lots of energy.

RFM I think would be in our top 17 'except'... lack of training with the team.. another potential useful benchy.. same as BMM, guys who can play middle and cover 2nd row in a pinch...

 

[Saint52]

Great to get back a junior hopefully he jumps on board with the Saints

 

[SIR LANCELOT]

I remember when Luciano played half in Harold Mathews for St.George.Seems just like yesterday.

 

[Parko1310]

Given the lack of training, valid point on Sele easing off the bench, I think he will be a starting prop or lock soon enough though.

Have you got Eisenhuth starting 2nd rower? Thats fair enough given they train with it.. even if its only for a week or 2. Tbh I think Leilua off the bench is actually a really good situation for us anyway, 50min stint with lots of energy.

RFM I think would be in our top 17 'except'... lack of training with the team.. another potential useful benchy.. same as BMM, guys who can play middle and cover 2nd row in a pinch...

I agree Sele will eventually start, but will just need to ease in for the first 2 or 3 weeks.

And yes, Eisenhuth starting 2nd row. Was great in the Charity Shield and locks up the defence. He's also been slated to start there for most of pre season. I really like the idea of Leilua's impact off the bench after the initial slog of the game has been taken care of by a real professional in Eisenhuth. Leilua's defence is also pretty suspect, varying from Eisenhuth. I'd not be shocked to see LL work his way into the starting side soon enough (much like Sele), but having not done pre-season with us I think he will have to bide his time for the first couple of weeks at least.

For RFM, I don't see where he fits into the 17 unless you drop Eisenhuth. It's good competition, and I'd not be surprised if RFM and Eisenhuth actually do rotate between reserves and firsts with each other throughout the season. But to start the year, I don't think he or BMM make the 17. They will both almost undoubtedly feature in first grade for 8-10+ appearances throughout the year. My side for round one though would be the starting 13 for this week's trial + the bench I posted above. Only ambiguity might be if Sloan has a shocker this week, I might prefer we start with Lomax at 1, but I hope Sloan does well and has that position.