Recruitment and Retention for 2026

[TheRev]

Having seen Cobbo playing Fullback, thats definitely never a longterm option.. he has the completely wrong mentality for it.. so yes its ctr or wing only.. but I imagine he will get a 500-700k offer from a qld team that would be much closer to home.

We have Sloan, CT, Lawson, Ravalawa, Feagai and possible Schiller signed as wingers in 2026.. we need to move some of those on.. we also need to source a replacement for Sloan if he goes, i.e. a proper gun fullback/wing option.

 

[George Sancti]

I am hoping our new CEO is making roster management his number one priority. He appears to be well skilled in marketing. However, he will need to create a product which is attractive to the RL market and will be supported by the day to day supporters as well as the diehards.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Cobbo = lazy uncommitted slightly better version of Sloan.
500k wing at best

100% He is a winger, that's his position..
i remember when Hook was coaching us, one of the scouts in QLD recommended Cobbo to us, i don't think the scout worked for us but was a mate of Hooks, we tried signing him back then and supposedly came close, as others have said he doesnt perform week in week out and i can see homesickness kicking in when things aren't going his way at $500k 2 year + option is worth the risk, anything else is way too much..

 

[Mug Fan]

We have Sloan, CT, Lawson, Ravalawa, Feagai and possible Schiller signed as wingers in 2026.. we need to move some of those on.. we also need to source a replacement for Sloan if he goes, i.e. a proper gun fullback/wing option.

Have I missed something, where is the Schiller talk coming from.
I haven't heard anything about it.

 

[GCRV]

Have I missed something, where is the Schiller talk coming from.
I haven't heard anything about it.

Thank god for that. Stop recruiting fringe first graders not wanted by their current clubs.

 

[TheRev]

Have I missed something, where is the Schiller talk coming from.
I haven't heard anything about it.

I'm starting to think maybe it was just an approach that didnt come off (as per many others we have made).. or perhaps we will hear more in days to come... was a bit of scuttle on other forums that a knights winger was cast free by the Young deal.

 

[jodragon40]

I'm starting to think maybe it was just an approach that didnt come off (as per many others we have made).. or perhaps we will hear more in days to come... was a bit of scuttle on other forums that a knights winger was cast free by the Young deal.

He played yesterday against the phins and I thought he went very well. He was a late inclusion so perhaps your information was right. Time will tell

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Not Dragons related BUT..

CAP CLEANOUT​

The Canterbury Bulldogs continue to offload players to free up salary cap space. Last week it was Kurtis Morrin, who left to join the Gold Coast Titans. This week it’s former Warriors young gun Zyon Maiu’u, who is being offered to rival clubs – just four months after arriving at Belmore. It was only in February that the Dogs announced his arrival in a press release: “The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are excited to announce the signing of boom youngster Zyon Maiu’u on a two-year deal, effective immediately.”

 

[Edward]

Not Dragons related BUT..

CAP CLEANOUT​

The Canterbury Bulldogs continue to offload players to free up salary cap space. Last week it was Kurtis Morrin, who left to join the Gold Coast Titans. This week it’s former Warriors young gun Zyon Maiu’u, who is being offered to rival clubs – just four months after arriving at Belmore. It was only in February that the Dogs announced his arrival in a press release: “The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are excited to announce the signing of boom youngster Zyon Maiu’u on a two-year deal, effective immediately.”

Was that big NSW u19s winger a Bulldogs player? Wonder if we could poach him.

 

[Ryan]

Not Dragons related BUT..

CAP CLEANOUT​

The Canterbury Bulldogs continue to offload players to free up salary cap space. Last week it was Kurtis Morrin, who left to join the Gold Coast Titans. This week it’s former Warriors young gun Zyon Maiu’u, who is being offered to rival clubs – just four months after arriving at Belmore. It was only in February that the Dogs announced his arrival in a press release: “The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are excited to announce the signing of boom youngster Zyon Maiu’u on a two-year deal, effective immediately.”

Looks like the Shonkies are going to have issues as well with their million dollar a year halfback under fire and likely to be moved to fullback. Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

 

[Dragons Chris]

Looks like the Shonkies are going to have issues as well with their million dollar a year halfback under fire and likely to be moved to fullback. Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

Dragons could really use their winger Mulitalo or something like that. Apart from that, we could take Hynes himself for 2 years if Sharks were paying about 300k of his 1mil salary.

 

[blacksafake]

Looks like the Shonkies are going to have issues as well with their million dollar a year halfback under fire and likely to be moved to fullback. Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

Agree

 

[blacksafake]

It would be nice if the Shonks just release Atkinson early instead of giving him 10 minutes each week

 

[Dragons Chris]

It would be nice if the Shonks just release Atkinson early instead of giving him 10 minutes each week

Against us he was 18th man. Atkinson has made clear a few times, he doesn't want to come this year.

 

[TheRev]

Random rumour that JDB has either signed a 1yr deal with the Eels, or atleast has 1 on the table.. be very interested to see how this plays out, I imagine we either dont want him (and Flanno must be super confident hes going to find better if thats the case), or we trying to lowball him again thinking he has no other offers..

Either way fascinating to see what comes next.. I think we need him, even if hes 20% worse next season.. hes rly the only hard nut in our pack right now that wins contact consistently.

 

[redv13]

Random rumour that JDB has either signed a 1yr deal with the Eels, or atleast has 1 on the table.. be very interested to see how this plays out, I imagine we either dont want him (and Flanno must be super confident hes going to find better if thats the case), or we trying to lowball him again thinking he has no other offers..

Either way fascinating to see what comes next.. I think we need him, even if hes 20% worse next season.. hes rly the only hard nut in our pack right now that wins contact consistently.

Can’t see JDB walking away unless there is zero offered by us. Also can’t see why the club wouldn’t re sign JDB for 2026. Pretty confident he’s in the red V in 2026

 

[Mug Fan]

2026 Pre-season deal locked in.

 

[RedV01]

According to media reports, Dragons are in the pole position to snare Cobbo from the Donkeys. Not the worst signing depending on how much money he gets but Flanno's record in getting the best out of talented but lazy players like Leilua and Sloan has been piss poor. They have gone backwards!

 

[Justadragon]

Random rumour that JDB has either signed a 1yr deal with the Eels, or atleast has 1 on the table.. be very interested to see how this plays out, I imagine we either dont want him (and Flanno must be super confident hes going to find better if thats the case), or we trying to lowball him again thinking he has no other offers..

Either way fascinating to see what comes next.. I think we need him, even if hes 20% worse next season.. hes rly the only hard nut in our pack right now that wins contact consistently.

If we let him go we are idiots. Who in the pack has been better this year. Christ we just make things worse for us.

 

[TheRev]

2026 Pre-season deal locked in.View attachment 632

So that's a preseason with 1st grade (injuries willing!) for Jesse?

Good stuff.. T&T I assume and maybe we see where we go.. not a lot of dev spots free for 2026, but lets see where things go next year... lot of water to come under the bridge yet.