Recruitment and Retention for 2026

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
you’re exactly right. it’s easy to say we back our juniors instead (which to a degree is the right thing) but you are also at risking of losing them if we continue to be bottom dwellers waiting for them to develop with successful clubs coming knocking for them. i think the pursuit of kolo & tino is more DA recognising we need just 1 needle mover i.e a luai, a bigger buy that attracts other talent and retention credibility back into your club. tigers are now looked as an ideal landing spot and have built a decent roster which all started with him. feel the club needs to take a similar educated risk here
I’m not quite sure I understand this big fish theory as getting one and others will come. I refer you to our past and the signing of one Mr Ben Hunt who at the time we paid big bucks for. No doubt a marquee signing and a big fish. Apart from the damage he did to the club and some of our other players please tell me what other fish he attracted to the club. As a matter of fact he was probably responsible for players not wanting to be at the Dragons.
 

redv4life

SGI Jersey Flegg
I’m not quite sure I understand this big fish theory as getting one and others will come. I refer you to our past and the signing of one Mr Ben Hunt who at the time we paid big bucks for. No doubt a marquee signing and a big fish. Apart from the damage he did to the club and some of our other players please tell me what other fish he attracted to the club. As a matter of fact he was probably responsible for players not wanting to be at the Dragons.
yea that’s valid. did say it’s a risk.
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
I’m not quite sure I understand this big fish theory as getting one and others will come. I refer you to our past and the signing of one Mr Ben Hunt who at the time we paid big bucks for. No doubt a marquee signing and a big fish. Apart from the damage he did to the club and some of our other players please tell me what other fish he attracted to the club. As a matter of fact he was probably responsible for players not wanting to be at the Dragons.
Crushing It Like A Boss GIF by Altibox
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
We are caught between a rock and a hard place Rev. no way am I risking our future just to get someone in who might be what we need. Look at what Ryles has just done
I so know what you mean.. but literally Ryles is apparently blowing us out of the water with his offers to these same players.. Keaon & Tino.. NAS.. everyone is a fan of his decisions, so perhaps he also knows how crucial that alpha prop is.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
I so know what you mean.. but literally Ryles is apparently blowing us out of the water with his offers to these same players.. Keaon & Tino.. NAS.. everyone is a fan of his decisions, so perhaps he also knows how crucial that alpha prop is.
Do get what you mean Rev. so we have to look at what Parra’s and our long term plan are. Either way we lose out now or lose out later if things don’t go our way. Very difficult I agree and also this is just my opinion I think everyone is right here. The recruiting game has certainly changed gonna have to leave it up to DA to come up with the right decisions.
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
Obviously we weren’t in the market for a winger either Dave.
A mate of mine was at the Dragons training yesterday as he and his work colleague had several indigenous kids to show around Wollongong and his colleague helps out at the Dragons administratively as well as being full-time employment with the Education Dept. Part of educating these kids was to show them the Dragons training in the training field adjacent to WIN Stadium. Both are Dragons fanatics and my mate's colleague mentors Tyrell Sloan and has for many years. He reckons that Tyrell is looking bigger and stronger and wants to stay at the Dragons and will be all out to be a much better player next year. The squad looked great and Gutho was head and shoulders doing the drills better than most so he will be in for a good season. Most were exhausted from the heat of the day but all looked good.

When you say that we weren't in the market for a winger, I'd say not for Garrick but word is that there is one player from across the northern border that might be in Dragons colours next year and he can play wing, centre, fullback. So with him, Sloan, CT, Feagai and several other new buys and juniors, we will have the wing positions covered in fact the backs covered. All we need is an alpha prop and the squad will be great.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
A mate of mine was at the Dragons training yesterday as he and his work colleague had several indigenous kids to show around Wollongong and his colleague helps out at the Dragons administratively as well as being full-time employment with the Education Dept. Part of educating these kids was to show them the Dragons training in the training field adjacent to WIN Stadium. Both are Dragons fanatics and my mate's colleague mentors Tyrell Sloan and has for many years. He reckons that Tyrell is looking bigger and stronger and wants to stay at the Dragons and will be all out to be a much better player next year. The squad looked great and Gutho was head and shoulders doing the drills better than most so he will be in for a good season. Most were exhausted from the heat of the day but all looked good.

When you say that we weren't in the market for a winger, I'd say not for Garrick but word is that there is one player from across the northern border that might be in Dragons colours next year and he can play wing, centre, fullback. So with him, Sloan, CT, Feagai and several other new buys and juniors, we will have the wing positions covered in fact the backs covered. All we need is an alpha prop and the squad will be great.
Let’s hope so Dave. The club really needs to stand on its feet. The foundations at the Dragons have been ignored by the want of quick success. It’s now or never.
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
Let’s hope so Dave. The club really needs to stand on its feet. The foundations at the Dragons have been ignored by the want of quick success. It’s now or never.
He said that he thinks Ennis will have the whips cracking with the attack based on how Ennis was barking orders and blowing his whistle to the players to make sure they were getting the drills right.
 
So looking through the squad here in Zurich eating my Lindt chocolates and drinking my Bailey's on the rocks, I would suggest that after reading the many comments and watching the training that our 4 prop rotation for 2026 will be Kerr, Klemmer, Couchman and LPT.

Couchman and Klemmer can play big minutes if required. So we may not now need that alpha male prop. Our engine room overall looks much better and balanced. Lets hope they have the necessary grunt and mongrel to match.

Not too shabby in my personal opinion.
 

GCRV

SGI NSW Cup
So looking through the squad here in Zurich eating my Lindt chocolates and drinking my Bailey's on the rocks, I would suggest that after reading the many comments and watching the training that our 4 prop rotation for 2026 will be Kerr, Klemmer, Couchman and LPT.

Couchman and Klemmer can play big minutes if required. So we may not now need that alpha male prop. Our engine room overall looks much better and balanced. Lets hope they have the necessary grunt and mongrel to match.

Not too shabby in my personal opinion.
Put down that drink right now! Klemmer signed with a club in the ESL.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
So looking through the squad here in Zurich eating my Lindt chocolates and drinking my Bailey's on the rocks, I would suggest that after reading the many comments and watching the training that our 4 prop rotation for 2026 will be Kerr, Klemmer, Couchman and LPT.

Couchman and Klemmer can play big minutes if required. So we may not now need that alpha male prop. Our engine room overall looks much better and balanced. Lets hope they have the necessary grunt and mongrel to match.

Not too shabby in my personal opinion.
Looks like to much of a good time on the Chocolates JO Klemmer is gone.
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
So looking through the squad here in Zurich eating my Lindt chocolates and drinking my Bailey's on the rocks, I would suggest that after reading the many comments and watching the training that our 4 prop rotation for 2026 will be Kerr, Klemmer, Couchman and LPT.

Couchman and Klemmer can play big minutes if required. So we may not now need that alpha male prop. Our engine room overall looks much better and balanced. Lets hope they have the necessary grunt and mongrel to match.

Not too shabby in my personal opinion.
With Klemmer gone we now have less fire in the belly so we still need that extra grunt from what we believe we need and that is an alpha prop.

I hope your stay in Europe continues to be jolly Jo.
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
So looking through the squad here in Zurich eating my Lindt chocolates and drinking my Bailey's on the rocks, I would suggest that after reading the many comments and watching the training that our 4 prop rotation for 2026 will be Kerr, Klemmer, Couchman and LPT.

Couchman and Klemmer can play big minutes if required. So we may not now need that alpha male prop. Our engine room overall looks much better and balanced. Lets hope they have the necessary grunt and mongrel to match.

Not too shabby in my personal opinion.
More than anything I'm disappointed by jodragon40 jodragon40 stealing his wife's drink.
 
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