Eric
Staff
Money
Recruitment and Retention for 2026
- Thread starter Dragons Chris
- Start date
jodragon40
Staff
Never asked but Bennett got him and in that period he won us our last premiership
Jeremy Smith: Enforcer, champion and absolute legend in my eyes. My favourite player from 2010 easily
jodragon40
Staff
There were 3 very tough footballers in our team around that time, him, my favourite Beau Scott and Nev Costigan
Eric
Staff
Saffy was the most underrated.
My top 3 right there
Edward
SGI NSW Cup
Mick Weymen was the enforcers enforcer.
jodragon40
Staff
That premiership winning team was great to watch that engine room of Weyman, Costigan, Young, Scott, Creagh and Smith lay the foundations for that backline to weave its magic. This is why I always say forwards win games, the backs decide by how much.
Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
An NRL debut with the Dragons isn’t the only win for Nathan Lawson.
He has also scored a new contract with St George-Illawarra, due to a clause in his current deal.
Signed last December by the Dragons on a bottom-dollar development deal, Lawson’s contract included an immediate trigger of a new one-year deal for 2026, if he were to make his NRL debut.
Lawson achieved the new top-30 contract with a strong debut on the wing for the Dragons
“If I debuted, it triggered a contract for next year,” Lawson confirmed.
“It kind of gave the club and myself a bit of security. For them it was a case of if it didn’t work out, and me, if I didn’t enjoy it or it didn’t work out.
“It’s peace of mind now knowing I’m locked in for next year because I’m really enjoying the change.
“I love the club and I want to stick around and see where I can go with the club.”
He has also scored a new contract with St George-Illawarra, due to a clause in his current deal.
Signed last December by the Dragons on a bottom-dollar development deal, Lawson’s contract included an immediate trigger of a new one-year deal for 2026, if he were to make his NRL debut.
Lawson achieved the new top-30 contract with a strong debut on the wing for the Dragons
“If I debuted, it triggered a contract for next year,” Lawson confirmed.
“It kind of gave the club and myself a bit of security. For them it was a case of if it didn’t work out, and me, if I didn’t enjoy it or it didn’t work out.
“It’s peace of mind now knowing I’m locked in for next year because I’m really enjoying the change.
“I love the club and I want to stick around and see where I can go with the club.”
Ryan
SGI NSW Cup
The news about all these clubs throwing hug money at various players must have the Dragons with some very serious salary cap space. I hope the club promotes from within.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
I'm just wondering, with Lawson having a good game and being consistently good in reserve grade for a while. With Stewart and LPT showing they belong in first grade already and are only getting better. With Egan and Ryan Couchman to come back better than ever. With Halangahu and Tsougranis playing well in reserve grade. With Reed just getting better, ditto LKT and Atkinson on his way. Is there anyone in any position the clubs needs to recruit?
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Re-sign Liddle.
Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
Fullback, Centre, Half, Middle, any player who is better than the player we have in any position.
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
This is what got us in trouble in the past especially after 1985, when we made 3 GF on the day, we rested on our laurels due to the depth we had and brought no one in to improve, same happened in the early to mid 2000s we had a good crop off forwards coming through but didnt invest externally, now we struggle to get any superstrars to the club, club and recruitment should always replace with better, year on year
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
Payne Haas, Latrell Mitchell and etc would be welcome additions but value for money considering the salary cap.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
Sounds right but who would you want to sign and which young players won't be required?
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Cook, Gutherson and Holmes aren't getting younger. Suli is overrated.
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
Just a Mug Fan can you clarify, if we currently have 28 positions locked in for top 30, or does Lawson grab spot 29 now or next year he grabs a top30 spot.
AyiosYiorgos
SGI Jersey Flegg
Im not just talking about top30 im also talking about lower grades all the way down to Matts etc, but from our top 30 i would move on VFifita, RFM for starters, player like Sele, Lawrie, Allen, Sloan, Rava who some have contracts, may also be gone, obviously whoever we move on should be replaced with someone better or who potentially has more upsize... We have Gutho, he has another 2 years, our fullback stocks aren't great within the lower grades, potentially we could target a team that has an established fullback and go after their number two same way Parra did with Longi, or as other have mentioned we could hit up Conor Votano from newcastle has some big wraps on him and he is stuck behind Ponga and Sharpe.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
Allan, Fifita and RFM are both off contract and I very much doubt either will be re-signed. I think Flanno is already trying to move on Sele, Lawrie, Sloan and Rava. I read that somewhere anyway. I'm sure I read that about Sloan here a week or so ago though no confirmation from the club as far as I've seen. Kyle Flanno should also be moved on but not much chance of that. If we look a this:
Fullback and centre fair enough. Not for next season but for 2027 might need to recruit from outside. Though Oliver Burton might be a good 20 year-old first grade fullback in 2027.
Which of Reed, LKT, Atkinson do you think won't be in first grade in 2027?
Which of LPT, Stewart, Couchmans, Cyrus Stanley-Traill in 2027? I'd add Liu to that as well.