I think Shane Flannagan is one of our best signings ever. He hasn't had the cattle to work that Bennett had. In his first season he had us overachieving. In his second season, we had so many injuries. No coach would have done much better, if any better with the roster we had over the last 2 years and injuries last year. Last year Wayne Bennett had a much stronger roster than Flanno did, but Souths too were ravaged with injuries and they only won one more game than we did. Bennett did manage to win a comp with us and that was the last one he did win. I used to say, my mum could have coached Brisbane to win comps at Brisbane with the roster Bennett had when he was winning comps there and my mum doesn't even know the rules to Rugby League. Bennett could have resigned with us and stayed. He didn't have to leave after 3 years, like many who blame Doust for not giving him a 5 year contract with us. Maybe he thought he got lucky too? Maybe he saw a declining roster, but he could have stayed as our coach, but didn't want to. He didn't have our long term interest at heart. He didn't bringing many juniors through, besides Merrin and Kyle Stanley. Stanley was considered one of the best young talents in the game at the time, but he only got to play 1 game at 5/8 while Bennett was here and that was the final game of the season when Bennett rested most of the team before the semis. I am not saying Bennett isn't a good coach either. Winning a comp with us as his greatest achievement. Flanno has our long term interests at heart. He wants to be here and be our long term coach. Flanno may prove to be even more important to us than Bennett was. After Bennett left, we went into decline. Bennett also recommended we appoint Price to replace him. That turned out to be a poor recommendation. When Bennett left Brissy, then us, then Newcastle and then Brisbane all of those teams had poor seasons after it and it made Bennett look even better. Flanno has Saints in his blood.
The team Flanno has this year is very much "his team". Is Blocka the only one not signed or extended under Flanno's watch?
He will forever be known to me as St Benny as I sat there at the 2010 GF and with 20 min to go waved goodbye to the Roosters supporters sitting near us. Memorable
I have never considered myself left or right wing. I have always considered myself an independent thinker and had/have some views that are labelled left wing and some that are labelled right wing. Going back 15 years plus, I think others would have put me in the left wing category. I noticed that site would ban posters for expressing views/opinions/beliefs that are now labelled right wing, but often wasn't labelled right wing 15 years ago or more. That in itself is what bigotry really is, which the site says, they do not tolerate. I am quite certain that no one has been banned from that site in the last 13 years plus for expressing any views/opinions/beliefs, which are now labelled left wing. I also use the word "labelled". One thing I thought was left wing was "freedom of speech", but the left wing don't fit that criteria anymore. 15 years ago or so. I also thought the right wing was "politically correct" and the left wing were the ones who weren't politically correct. Was I wrong about that or is it that it has now it has been flipped.
I wanted Flanno to get the job with us and glad he did. But if you have a look at the last game we played against Souths, they had more injuries than we had and had nearly all their big name players out. We got dusted up 40 to zip and Bennett coached that game to a tee. For me it will always be Bennett first and daylight second and the fact that Doust refused to give Bennett 5 years right from the get go will come down to one of the biggest mistakes this club has ever made.
We didn't at all pay over's for Koloamantagi. I think we got ourselves a good deal. If I was Ando, Watsford or Flano, I would have been prepared to go 1.2 mil a season for Kolomantagi. He is one of the best props in the game and they are very hard to sign.
In the early 2000's we had Brett Firman playing halfback for us and he was doing pretty well too, until he got injured and that opened the door for Matty Head. That was the end of Brett Firman. As I previously mentioned I was a massive fan of Matty Head and like many others thought he was going to be our long term halfback. It was only injuries that prevented that being the case.
We just don't want it to turn out like when Canterbury let Thurston go, because they had Anasta and Sherwin as their halves.
That's what we like to hear. Suddenly positivity all-round.
I didn't know Thurston was involved in the Coffs incident.
yes him and Mason was not far behind him.
sorry - "allegedly"
Follow the terms of use and the guidelines and I believe that you will be fine. This forum is a rugby league forum the majority of threads deal with our beloved club, addressing the issues, the wins, the loses the behind the office doors politics where everyone views are welcome as long as they are not personal and stick to the theme of that particular thread within the forum. Without fear or favour. Thats why we are called moderators and not dictators. Cheers
It appears the coach and I are on the same page