Welsby

[Hound of Dracula]

While it sounds good if you have gun juniors, this would give Penrith i would say conservatively an extra $2m salary cap from those 3. It would make to comp even more lopsided for weaker teams trying to attract talent when Penrith who are currently a machine and then add the extra cap space on top of that to attract even more talent from outside their system.

True, but surely the NRL can come up with a variation that allows a salary cap discount with qualifications like:
*10 years in first grade with same team
* Less if "Home grown" junior
* Not a current representative player
Then a higher discount each subsequent year.

I hate it when valued, crowd favourite, loyal players pushed out purely based on salary cap.

Food for thought!

 

[Wolfgang90]

He doesn't look like leaving St. Helens any time soon. The next season or 2 will be an audition from clubs for his services. I hope we don't have a massive cock up during this period & can at least show him (and others) that we're a good club for their development/ wanting success.

 

[blacksafake]

There is something about him that I don’t like when I’ve seen him play. Things like milking penalties & constantly mouthing off but I’m sure I could get to love him if he played for us

 

[Dragon David]

I honestly don't like our chances of landing Welsby. Flanno is wanting us to see that he is aiming high by mentioning several big names as people of interest and for all intents and purposes maybe, just maybe a couple could end up with us.

Welsby has a contract with St Helens currently to the end of 2025 and they are looking at extending it so that he will be locked in with the club for a lot longer (see Parko1310's post above). However, should Welsby himself look at plying his trade in the NRL at a later time, his manager will certainly be working overtime to get him the best deal with any clubs interested.

Our main one to land is AFB. Get him first, if possible for 2024 and work on the others for 2025.

I just want to see AFB signed at the moment.

 

[Illusion]

He doesn't look like leaving St. Helens any time soon. The next season or 2 will be an audition from clubs for his services. I hope we don't have a massive cock up during this period & can at least show him (and others) that we're a good club for their development/ wanting success.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-market-watch-dragons-begin-negotiations-with-england-and-st-helens-superstar-jack-welsby/news-story/55e9a25f8ae38a230a322684b254394a

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NRL market watch: St Helens shut down Dragons plan to snare UK star Jack Welsby​

Just days after St George Illawarra began negotiations with one of the Super League’s brightest young stars, St Helens have shut down the Dragons poaching raid.

Brent Read and Michael Carayannis

4 min read
December 15, 2023 - 6:48PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
https://www-dailytelegraph-com-au.c...=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#share-tools

NRL: The Broncos are increasingly confident they will be able to lock in star player Ezra Maam.
St George Illawarra and any other NRL club hoping to get their hands on England star Jack Welsby will have to be more patient than they thought after it emerged that he had secretly agreed to a long-term extension with St Helens.
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[Dragon David]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-market-watch-dragons-begin-negotiations-with-england-and-st-helens-superstar-jack-welsby/news-story/55e9a25f8ae38a230a322684b254394a

As I say, Flanno is identifying players that he could certainly use at the club. Aim high to show that the players like Welsby, Manu, Dearden, Luki etc are guys that he would like just to let us see he is thinking outside of the square hoping that one or two can be got.

We can forget about Welsby. St Helens wants him for as long as possible as he is currently the "best player" in Super League.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

Welsby resigning with St Helen’s until 2028

Super League’s best player set to spurn Dragons, re-sign with St. Helens — Whispers

Super League’s best player set to spurn Dragons, re-sign with St. Helens — Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[TheRev]

Yaa I think the Welsby one was a real speculator (which im fine with), but I just hope it wasnt a desperate (Plan X, Y, Z) play because we missed the other guys we wanted.. hopefully we can get Dearden over the line.. Mam is gone and Manu seems very unlikely.

 

[Desperate Dragon]

I think Welsby and Manu are more wish list players than anything else.
I have not seen any report that suggests any formal offer has been made to either player.
We need to move on now and look at other options.
Flanagan would know exactly who and what is available in the market place moving forward.
Often these stories are just a smokescreen for who the more realistic targets are.

 

[Dragon David]

I think Welsby and Manu are more wish list players than anything else.
I have not seen any report that suggests any formal offer has been made to either player.
We need to move on now and look at other options.
Flanagan would know exactly who and what is available in the market place moving forward.
Often these stories are just a smokescreen for who the more realistic targets are.

Agreed DD

 

[Parko1310]

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Welsby leave St Helens before 2028. Common tactic to put players on longer term contracts so that the transfer fee demand goes up. Him leaving however may not be to us. In regard to other targets, specifically Dearden, Flanno has indicated he doesn't like being in the media. So for all we know, Dearden is still very much on the radar and it's being kept under wraps. I hope so anyway, because I really want Dearden. However, we seem to be in a good position for Luki, which would ultimately help the Cowboys to re-sign Dearden.

 

[RedV Resurgence]

I wonder how much some of this looking for a fullback is really to put the pressure on Sloane. WE have no chance on Manu and to be honest his performance week-in-week-out is not in the suoer star money that it would require. Somwhat similar with Welsby, I think we considered him as a 5/8 but could slot in to fullback. I think our real target is Dearden. I would prefer Dearden.

Sloane is our long term fullback - Flanno is toughening him up and putting the pressure on him.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

One of the problems that I ( and I'm sure many others) have had with SGI in the immediate past is a lack of ambition and thinking outside the square when it came to recruitment. It was the Newcastles and the Raiders, hardly competition heavyweights, who looked offshore and brought in ESL players- some of them such as Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, Dom Young etc who have improved their teams substantially.

Ironically, it was the Dragons in the 60s and 70s who were then the trendsetters and brought in the Toga brothers from English RL, Dick Huddart, Trevor Lake (a Rhodesian ex Rugby winger) as well as converting then current Wallaby players. Yes, not all of these signings were successful on the field but overall it added to the aura of the team as one that chased and valued success at all cost.

When I read the Jack Welsby story, I didn't believe that it would probably happen, but it gladdened my old heart that the Dragons of the golden era were back and in Flanno we had the guy whose ambition and drive to chase success- from here to the four corners of the world- would guarantee this club was on the way up and competing with the best.

 

[Dragon David]

One of the problems that I ( and I'm sure many others) have had with SGI in the immediate past is a lack of ambition and thinking outside the square when it came to recruitment. It was the Newcastles and the Raiders, hardly competition heavyweights, who looked offshore and brought in ESL players- some of them such as Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, Dom Young etc who have improved their teams substantially.

Ironically, it was the Dragons in the 60s and 70s who were then the trendsetters and brought in the Toga brothers from English RL, Dick Huddart, Trevor Lake (a Rhodesian ex Rugby winger) as well as converting then current Wallaby players. Yes, not all of these signings were successful on the field but overall it added to the aura of the team as one that chased and valued success at all cost.

When I read the Jack Welsby story, I didn't believe that it would probably happen, but it gladdened my old heart that the Dragons of the golden era were back and in Flanno we had the guy whose ambition and drive to chase success- from here to the four corners of the world- would guarantee this club was on the way up and competing with the best.

Remember Martin Offiah. He started off playing Union until the coach of Widnes got him to play league for that club. He scored a total of 181 tries for Widnes from 1987-1991. He was signed by the Roosters during a break from playing for Widnes in 1989, then returned to Widnes then we nabbed him for 1991. He was quick and scored many tries for the clubs he played for. He scored 3 tries in the game against the Roosters in 1991 as per the Youtube video below.

martin offiah dragons - Google Search

That team in 1991 was coached by Brian Smith and it comprised of -

1. Michael Potter
2. Ricky Walford
3. Mark Coyne
4. Michael Beattie (C)
5. Martin Offiah
6. Peter Coyne
7. Troy Hodges
8. Paul Osborne
9. Wayne Collins
10. Guy icken
11. Wally Fullerton-Smith
12. Scott Gourley
13. Jeff Hardy
Reserves:
Matthew Elliott
Tony Priddle
Rex Terp
Paul Danes

A great team hey!

 

[Dragons4me]

I'll definitely keep walking if I ever see Flanno at a Poker table. Whatever's happening regarding signings he's keeping his cards pretty close to his chest. For all reports he's coming across as one cool dude while some on here (OK mainly me) daily search for any snippets of good news. Anything. Just anything!!

 

[shazam]

I'll definitely keep walking if I ever see Flanno at a Poker table. Whatever's happening regarding signings he's keeping his cards pretty close to his chest. For all reports he's coming across as one cool dude while some on here (OK mainly me) daily search for any snippets of good news. Anything. Just anything!!

I

 

[shazam]

I keep looking looking & hoping every day

 

[Dragon David]

Yep, me too and all other media stuff where I can. Flanno is a cool dude. Because he knows that he is capable of getting the team doing what he wants them to if we don't get certain players. To me he comes across as being unfazed if signings take that much longer to complete while we hang onto tenterhooks waiting for some leak or breaking news.

 

[possm]

Win a view to rapidly refresh our team and leave plenty of cap in the Kitty to sign some good first-graders, I suggest we do the following:

Sign AFB for 2024 - include a swap of the two Mololo Brothers.
Sign Dearden - include a swap of Hunt.
Sign Welsby - include a swap with the Feagai brothers.
Sign Luki 2024 on. No swap.

By doing the above, our club can start honing player skills and forming combos a year earlier.

 

[rasaint]

To coin a phase many have used on the forum over the years ‘ Stay calm everyone Noone is coming’. Our juniors will probably be our make or break this season. I’m not being negative to the rising enthusiasm; just pragmatic expectations for 2024.