Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
Calling Klemmer an NRL powerhouse is a bit of a stretch, anyway good luck to him, thanks for your service and all the best.
Recruitment and Retention for 2026
- Thread starter Dragons Chris
- Start date
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Yes, thanks for your service Klemm. Klemm has joined a great club in the Super League and I think he will do well over there.
We certainly are losing players and there are more to follow I guess. We need to bolster our pack and sign up a no nonsense prop who commands a lot of respect.
Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
Stewart extended ✅️
Aaron Gorrell announced Flegg coach ✅️
Last one will be Nathan Ford pathways.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Do we really need another prop? Remember there is Gular as well. The pack above with Sele and Toby Couchman starting is too light but Gular, Kerr, Leilua, LPT are all very big. One of them needs to start at prop. Leilua has to turn himself into a prop or play out the year in reserve grade.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
- Ryan Couchman for Egan. Now not quite as inexperienced. Hang on what about Luch. Need his experience. One of our few ball playing forwards, prob go into the middle now.. Sele as a starting bookend. Is that the best we can do. Where is that enforcer we need badly. Liddle should be the starting #9.
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Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
While we do have those players you mentioned GCRV, I still think that we need an enforcer. The current crop would be covered by the props from the other teams quite easily in my opinion. We need a tough nut to swat away those opposing forwards and allow the other guys in our team to then do their stuff.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Couchman, either one is wasted on the edge.
I hate to bring it up again but the recruitment of Gutherson on big money has really screwed us in regard to recruitment in the backs. Jaxon Purdue would have been an excellent signing to play fullback for a couple of years then move to centre or 5/8 if the fullback.... (Burton?) from lower grades was demanding inclusion.
That is not meant to be any criticism of Gutherson. He was good for a long time and still goes ok but just ok yet Flanno by all reports signed an aging reject from another struggling club (at the time) for 3 years on marquee money! The worst blunder since Ben Hunt!
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Have to disagree about Gutho. Purdue won't be available until 2027 if he's signed now which would open the way for Gutho to take on the utility role Ryles had in mind for him for his last year. Considering Cook will be gone.
- He's also a good role model for the younger players.
- He lacks speed but I don't understand why it's only him who gets singled out for the lack of speed. Hello CT, Suli, Feagai.
- If the long kicking and line speed was much better so Gutho wasn't defusing attacking kicks every set it would help him no end.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Maybe but don't forget we still have Gular as well. Feed him some angry pills and tell him to rip in for the first 20 minutes.
As much as we all want a win every weekend, there is more to Gutho than just the 80 mins. His leadership role on and off the field is priceless and will hopefully show the young pups coming through what’s expected 24/7 from a professional league player. You can throw Cooky in that basket too
Ryan
SGI NSW Cup
I was just thinking about him being a forward in the top 30.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Ryan played a couple of edge games before he was injured. Why wasted? Only other position is lock and I think we have Stewart penciled in for there.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Spot on mate. How long have we waited for one. Was hoped Klemmer w'd be the man but no dice. Surprised tho we didnt give him another yr as he improved as season went on. Vili Fifita had the size and hunger but not the engine. Sorry we had to lose him, hope he comes good now he is back home with the Eagles. So unless we pick up someone after Nov 1, we will have to rely on either Kerr, Guler or Sele to play that role.
Next to no chance of us snaring Campbell as talk is the Titans are set to offer him a new deal. Them or the Perth Bears are now favorites.
DD who is gonna lead us round the paddock next season???
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Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
Yep have to agree, Gutho got worse as the season went on. But who do we put there ? It cant be Sloan and we dont have anyone in the lower grades that would be ready. I was thinking maybe Buchanan as hes not quite big enough for a centre but could possibly fit at FB. Anyway its a dilemma that we are going to have in 2026, just like not having a settled spine virtually all season this year.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Any bad word, real or perceived about Gutho gets a big reaction. I hate how I'm the one forced to say this because no one else will. I think he's good. He's just no longer a good first grade standard fullback. He's not a bad fullback even now. But not even close to the reported 900k a year and for 3 years rather than 2 with a club option was just more incompetence.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
He did. Play him on the wing and he will be ok. He is best suited to the middle.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
We’ll come to regret the 3 year deal, I was all in on Holmes for 3 years and Cook for 2 but I said when we signed Gutho it’s not 2019 anymore. He’s a long way from a top 4 level fullback
Parramatta getting Iongi for 1/3 of the money is an absolute masterstroke
Let’s not forget their are fullbacks coming out the Wazoo, it’s not like the halves where great ones are rare
We’ll make a play for Koula to play Fullback I’m sure, whether we get him or not is another story
Parramatta getting Iongi for 1/3 of the money is an absolute masterstroke
Let’s not forget their are fullbacks coming out the Wazoo, it’s not like the halves where great ones are rare
We’ll make a play for Koula to play Fullback I’m sure, whether we get him or not is another story
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
Buchanan might very well be good enough to move Holmes to fullback next year but no, I think the job has to be Gutherson's for another year. Because he is on big money for another 2 years. Holmes onto the wing to accommodate Buchanan is not the worst idea. But I feel Holmes skills are wasted a bit on the wing. Maybe just drop Suli period to make way for Buchanan would be better.
Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
All that you say mate could be good ideas but who knows where we end up until I see what recruitment happens if any. We are in a hole with Gutho for another 2 years, he has to be in the side somewhere, but we sure do need speed in that backline. As I said its a dilemma and I'm glad I dont have to work it out. I'll just sit there and get frustrated.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
900k seems way too much for Gutho at this stage or any stage of his career. I'll agree with that. But I still think at least for next year he's the best fullback we have.