Recruitment and Retention for 2026

TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Its rly tricky, as some others have mentioned.. if we pay overs for 1 kid.. what happens to the other dozen young kids looking for contracts @18..... but.. is he genuinely better than all the other prospects? Like I feel he is a sure thing to atleast be a first grader.. but the money he is asking @18.. god knows what we will need to pay next contract upgrade when hes actually starting first grade..

Tonga for me is a big giant but still working out how to use it all.. Halangahu is doing great for an 18yr old in nsw cup, but im still not positive that body size/type can work in 1st grade.. obviously hope so.. but I cant see Latu not making it..

The other thing.. is how many kids can we blood at once? Even if we ignore the Couchman, there are so many props and 2nd rowers needing blooding.. id be happy for Latu to play #17 now, I do think hes the best prospect.. but hes also one of the youngest.... but then how does Tonga/Stewart handle that.. etc.. anyway this is the game.. better to have too many riches than not enough.. im glad its not me needing to do the negotiations.
 
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Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
We don't know what any of these kids will become in 2-3 years time. If we lose a bunch of them then it's concerning but we haven't lost anyone soo far. We've been able to extend both Halangahu & LPT which is a great outcome.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
AyiosYiorgos said:

Francis Molo cleared to join Dolphins as contractual spat comes to an end​

Former Maroon Francis Molo is heading back to Queensland with the long running contractual dispute between the wantaway Dragon and his club finally resolved.
Michael Carayannis and Peter Badel

less than 2 min read
March 26, 2025 - 1:39PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/LOLf7#comments
4721a03c2907d959a62f40ef4aed4053ceacfbb1.jpg


NRL: The NRL 360 panel rack their brains over why the St George Illawarra Dragons granted an immediate release to Francis Molo.
The Francis Molo saga is set to finally come to an end enabling the former Queensland prop to make his Dolphins debut next week.
The prolonged stand-off between Molo and his former club St George Illawarra has all but been resolved which will allow Molo to take up a deal to join the Dolphins.
The contract at the Dolphins is until the end of next season. Molo had agreed to join the Dolphins shortly after his release from St George Illawarra.
NRL 2024 RD15 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v St. George Illawarra Dragons - Francis Molo. Picture: NRL Photos

NRL 2024 RD15 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v St. George Illawarra Dragons - Francis Molo. Picture: NRL Photos
However, he was delayed from linking with the Dolphins after the Dragons and Molo were involved in yet another dispute - this time on how the six figure sum owed by Molo should be paid back.
The Dragons wanted Molo to pay back the money directly while the Molo camp were hoping for Dolphins could repay the money as part of a transfer fee. However, the transfer fee would not have given the Dragons any salary cap relief.
Molo should be right to play for the Dolphins in their round five clash against the Titans.
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Meme Reaction GIF
 
Edward

Edward

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
Its rly tricky, as some others have mentioned.. if we pay overs for 1 kid.. what happens to the other dozen young kids looking for contracts @18..... but.. is he genuinely better than all the other prospects? Like I feel he is a sure thing to atleast be a first grader.. but the money he is asking @18.. god knows what we will need to pay next contract upgrade when hes actually starting first grade..

Tonga for me is a big giant but still working out how to use it all.. Halangahu is doing great for an 18yr old in nsw cup, but im still not positive that body size/type can work in 1st grade.. obviously hope so.. but I cant see Latu not making it..

The other thing.. is how many kids can we blood at once? Even if we ignore the Couchman, there are so many props and 2nd rowers needing blooding.. id be happy for Latu to play #17 now, I do think hes the best prospect.. but hes also one of the youngest.... but then how does Tonga/Stewart handle that.. etc.. anyway this is the game.. better to have too many riches than not enough.. im glad its not me needing to do the negotiations.
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That seems like a conundrum for sure. I can't wait to see the fallout at the Knights with players on 1/4 the money Brown is on playing much better. We had the same problem with Hunt. In a perfect competition, it could be avoided. Then again, paying him overs for 2 years isn't a huge problem. It's only if he wants a lot longer than that. I don't think he'll be asking for more than 500k a year yet. That would be stupid. At least I think it would but I don't have much of an idea how these things play out.
 
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Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
Should go after the likes of fogarty, sexton etc. Anyone with a good kicking game & game management. Atkinson is more of a 5/8th imo.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
Dave03 said:
Should go after the likes of fogarty, sexton etc. Anyone with a good kicking game & game management. Atkinson is more of a 5/8th imo.
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Atkinson is already confirmed for next year to play 5/8. He's not a halfback. Even if Flanno moves Kyle to halfback. But should be looking to fast-track Reed. In a perfect world I know he'd be given another year in the lower grades but the halves problem has become a halves crisis. Atkinson is a good, hard running 5/8 but does anyone expect him to be a good, game managing halfback? No, have to fast-track Reed or more misery on the way and probably more outstanding young backrowers, centres and etc pissed off and looking to get out.
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
The club will be careful about who they sign as a #7 with Reed not too far away, they won’t sign a halfback who’s in his prime years like Cleary or Moses. If they were going to sign a Halfback it would be someone like DCE or Adam Reynolds who have 1-2 years left so Reed can have that clear pathway
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
I think Atkinson could be the 7 but he will start @6 and we see what goes down... Reed could be the 6 or 7 a few years on.. im assuming he will move to Flegg in a few weeks time.. and Glover/LKT will stay in NSW Cup.

Glover is getting a lot of good press currently.. LKT does seem like a bit of a dylan brown style player, which might be why parra are going after him specifically.. though their fans r a bit annoyed they arent just using their own juniors.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
Mailroomsgi said:
The club will be careful about who they sign as a #7 with Reed not too far away, they won’t sign a halfback who’s in his prime years like Cleary or Moses. If they were going to sign a Halfback it would be someone like DCE or Adam Reynolds who have 1-2 years left so Reed can have that clear pathway
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Other clubs fast track young halves. Look at Tigers and Galvin and he's only getting better. Next year Reed will be older than Galvin when he debuted and is arguably already physically stronger.
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
www.nrl.com

Klemmer's future focus as Dragons blood young guns

Experienced prop David Klemmer is confident the future is bright at the Dragons as he takes on a mentoring role for a talented crop of developing forwards.
www.nrl.com www.nrl.com
I think Klemmer is a good buy. If he still wants, I hope he and JDB stick around for one more year while Lawrie, Sele, Mike Molo, BMM, Eisenhuth, RFM leave. Lucino and Su'A can leave as well if they like. So many good backrowers coming through the grades.
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
GCRV said:
Other clubs fast track young halves. Look at Tigers and Galvin and he's only getting better. Next year Reed will be older than Galvin when he debuted and is arguably already physically stronger.
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Halves getting fast tracked is partly why Amone/Sullivan’s development was stunted.

There’s no need for Reed to be rushed in. Let him do his apprenticeship in flegg/cup over the next 12-18 months and see how he’s faring.

Galvins case is very rare, Cleary and Katoa are the only other halves I can remember in the last 7-8 years who came in at 18 and handled themselves fine in first grade.
 
GCRV

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
Mailroomsgi said:
Halves getting fast tracked is partly why Amone/Sullivan’s development was stunted.

There’s no need for Reed to be rushed in. Let him do his apprenticeship in flegg/cup over the next 12-18 months and see how he’s faring.

Galvins case is very rare, Cleary and Katoa are the only other halves I can remember in the last 7-8 years who came in at 18 and handled themselves fine in first grade.
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Reed will be 19 next year.
What does this have to do with Sullivan/Amone? It's been proven, especially in the case of Sullivan, they were just nowhere near as good Dragons fans wished.
The problem is that there is a need. I wish he could spend a year in NSW Cup after this year but our halves are diabolical. Atkinson is a 5/8 but need a halfback.
 
RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:
Reed will be 19 next year.
What does this have to do with Sullivan/Amone? It's been proven, especially in the case of Sullivan, they were just nowhere near as good Dragons fans wished.
The problem is that there is a need. I wish he could spend a year in NSW Cup after this year but our halves are diabolical. Atkinson is a 5/8 but need a halfback.
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Maybe Flanno can nab Chad Townsend for year. Seems like the kind of player Flanno likes. Or maybe Ilias is ok with a Atkinson outside him though from what I've seen of Atkinson, shouldn't hold your breath. LKT seems like a better option. When it comes to playing 5/8 anyway. Atkinson is probably a good utility to have on the bench or stepping up in case of injury or suspension in the halves. Might be able to play hooker as well. Don't see why he wouldn't. Good defender.

But I don't often watch the Shonkies so I might be wrong.
 
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Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
The sele contract is farked. 600k I think for next year. No one will take him either. Needs a miracle to play even 10 more games with us.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
The rebuilding continues this time in the boardroom. Club legend Mark Coyne, a football minded board member we were and have been too top heavy in the boardroom with business minded people from the Win side which has hindered our football club in my view.
 
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