Recruitment and Retention for 2026

Edward

Edward

SGI NSW Cup
DragonsTragic said:
Let's just hope Ashton Ward doesn't play a blinder this weekend or we won't hear the end of it...
Click to expand...
If he plays well, it might put pressure on the coaching staff to give Kade Reed a chance next year. I think the plan is now to have him play reserve grade next year then first grade the following. Then again, if he's trampled and has a shocker knocking his confidence around, it might make the coaching staff more cautious with Reed.
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Edward said:
If he plays well, it might put pressure on the coaching staff to give Kade Reed a chance next year. I think the plan is now to have him play reserve grade next year then first grade the following. Then again, if he's trampled and has a shocker knocking his confidence around, it might make the coaching staff more cautious with Reed.
Click to expand...
In my humble opinion a genuine timeline for young Reed to play 1sts is 2027.
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
ward ain’t it lads, don’t worry about him

Rodwell is the Illawarra boy that will be a star, Reed potentially as well but their time isn’t til 2027 like mentioned previously

I am keen to see how a halves pairing of LKT and Atkinson goes next year, there’s some points in that especially if the forward pack improves and they can play on the front foot
 
Mug Fan

Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
Josh Kerr Official

The Dragons are pleased to announce that Josh Kerr will return to the club in 2026 on a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old Indigenous All Stars representative played 68 games in the Red V from his 2019 debut until his 2023 move to the Dolphins. He has since played 42 matches for the Dolphins and earned a spot in Queensland’s extended State of Origin squad this year.

“With a strong crop of emerging forwards at the club, Josh is at the right stage of his career to help add some experience and size to our pack,” said Dragons Head of
 
Mug Fan

Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
Mug Fan said:
Josh Kerr Official

The Dragons are pleased to announce that Josh Kerr will return to the club in 2026 on a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old Indigenous All Stars representative played 68 games in the Red V from his 2019 debut until his 2023 move to the Dolphins. He has since played 42 matches for the Dolphins and earned a spot in Queensland’s extended State of Origin squad this year.

“With a strong crop of emerging forwards at the club, Josh is at the right stage of his career to help add some experience and size to our pack,” said Dragons Head of
Click to expand...

Big week for Josh, got engaged last week, became a father yesterday to baby Atlas and Dragons contract today.
 
R

redv13

SGI Jersey Flegg
Mug Fan said:
Big week for Josh, got engaged last week, became a father yesterday to baby Atlas and Dragons contract today.
Click to expand...
Unlike some other negative Nellie’s on here, I’m actually happy to see this signing. Hopefully the 1st of a few moving into 2026. No doubt Josh has improved since he was last here so hopefully that form continues for us when he’s in the red V.
 
D

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
redv13 said:
Unlike some other negative Nellie’s on here, I’m actually happy to see this signing. Hopefully the 1st of a few moving into 2026. No doubt Josh has improved since he was last here so hopefully that form continues for us when he’s in the red V.
Click to expand...
I'm definitely not a negative. Good on Josh for coming back to the Dragons. Good luck and all the best. Looking forward to seeing him in the RedV again. Yeeaah!!
 
Morgan

Morgan

SGI NSW Cup
I'll just leave this here for people to ponder. Or hopefully ponder. I bet Tigers make the finals next year. Benji is doing a really good job of putting a young team together.
The Wests Tigers have taken advantage of the back row squeeze at the Sydney Roosters by landing one of the club’s most promising forwards.

It is understood 20-year-old Ethan Roberts has agreed to a two-year deal with the Tigers from next season, where he will join the club alongside Penrith back rower Mavrik Geyer.

Roberts has made 12 appearances for the Roosters in NSW Cup this season and scored two tries. He also made his All Stars debut earlier this year, playing 13 minutes off the interchange bench for the Indigenous side against the Maoris.
Click to expand...
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Good to get 1 formally on board.. especially a middle..

Douiehi is looking like long odds at this stage, doesn't want to move.. I reckon its different if were offering a halves opportunity though.. as I don't believe he really wants to play lock.. but he may aswell stay @ the tigers for that opportunity... we dont need Adam.. but he would have been such a problem solver of a dude.. fix any number of holes and still easily our best 7 option.. but lets see if Anderson has anyone else in mind... would have really liked Adams touch finding boot also..
 
Last edited:
R

redv13

SGI Jersey Flegg
TheRev said:
Good to get 1 formally on board.. especially a middle..

Douiehi I look is looking like long odds at this stage, doesn't want to move.. I reckon its different if were offering a halves opportunity though.. as I don't believe he really wants to play lock.. but he may aswell stay @ the tigers for that opportunity... we dont need Adam.. but he would have been such a problem solver of a dude.. fix any number of holes and still easily our best 7 option.. but lets see if Anderson has anyone else in mind... would have really liked Adams touch finding boot also..
Click to expand...
Hopefully that someone else in mind is Sandon Smith
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
Benji wouldn’t have a clue who Ethan Roberts is

He’s failed to kick on from the roosters SG ball side and was dropped to flegg from cup

Their lucky they have an incredible junior catchment to fall back on, will be the biggest catchment in rugby league with the development on Camden valley Way + badgerys creek development etc.
Morgan said:
I'll just leave this here for people to ponder. Or hopefully ponder. I bet Tigers make the finals next year. Benji is doing a really good job of putting a young team together.
Click to expand...
 
Dragons Chris

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:
Fair enough. These are the veteran forwards Flanno has recruited unwanted by their former clubs.
  • Eisenhuth
  • Leilua
  • RFM
  • Sele
  • Gular
  • Klemmer
  • Cook
One or two, maybe even 3 are fair enough but 7? Help me make sense of it. Now we are getting another. I guess he's taking Eisenhuth's spot.
Click to expand...
I just had a look at the top 4 teams for how many players they have recruited when they were over 25 and unwanted by their former clubs in their top 30. I might be off a bit but it seems to me Canberra have 0, Melbourne have 2, Dogs have 4. I'm not sure about the Warriors. They have a few but I think it wasn't a question of them being unwanted at their old clubs. Warriors won the bidding war for them. Like Barnett, DWZ, Capewell and RTS from Union.

Dragons have 11 not including Val Holmes but including Gutho and Tom Eisenhuth who is still contracted for this year. It's well known Ryles didn't want Gutho but I'm pretty sure Cowboys wanted Holmes but the salary cap forced them to make a hard decision.

Even though Kerr is a decent signing, a much better player than he was when Hook correctly told him to leave, 11 is far too many.

The issue I have with Kerr is that anyone who thinks Kerr is better than JDB must be smoking something illegal. Are coaches subject to drug tests? Because if they are, Flanno is in trouble.

The list is: Allan, Cook, Eisenhuth, RFM, BMM, Flanagan, Gular, Gutho, Klemmer, Leilua, Sele. I left Liddle off the list. He might have been 25 when he was signed.
 
Last edited:
RedVictory

RedVictory

SGI Jersey Flegg
Dragons Chris said:
I just had a look at the top 4 teams for how many players they have recruited when they were over 25 and unwanted by their former clubs in their top 30. I might be off a bit but it seems to me Canberra have 0, Melbourne have 2, Dogs have 4. I'm not sure about the Warriors. They have a few but I think it wasn't a question of them being unwanted at their old clubs. Warriors won the bidding war for them. Like Barnett, DWZ, Capewell and RTS from Union.

Dragons have 11 not including Val Holmes but including Gutho and Tom Eisenhuth who is still contracted for this year. It's well known Ryles didn't want Gutho but I'm pretty sure Cowboys wanted Holmes but the salary cap forced them to make a hard decision.

Even though Kerr is a decent signing, a much better player than he was when Hook correctly told him to leave, 11 is far too many.

The issue I have with Kerr is that anyone who thinks Kerr is better than JDB must be smoking something illegal. Are coaches subject to drug tests? Because if they are, Flanno is in trouble.

The list is: Allan, Cook, Eisenhuth, RFM, BMM, Flanagan, Gular, Gutho, Klemmer, Leilua, Sele. I left Liddle off the list. He might have been 25 when he was signed.
Click to expand...
Fogarty, Levi, Hosking off the top of my head for Canberra
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
It is confusing but does it still point to our biggest issue? That no quality players still want to sign on the dotted line with the Dragons? Those questions need to be addressed and answered as a matter of priority.
Click to expand...
Our how true. What do you suggest our bosses need to do to resurrect this club from oblivium. Nothing we fans can do but cop it sweet. Well this tragic is sick to the guts having to settle for that.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top