Met sticks when zi stayed 3 nights at the old Rydges Resort, Caloundra when he was managing the place. He had a St George room full of memorabilia. He didn’t drink but gave me a few beers whilst I wandered through the room and he chatted to me. A great memory, a very quietly spoken man as well.
The only thing that really pissed me off was that he coached the scum in 78 and 79, but that didn't really worry me because the Dragons won the Flag in 77 and 79
BTW his winning percentage as a coach was 68%.Understand what you are saying Haydo, but I'm just not willing to go there anymore. Many an argument(friendly) have been had over the debate of yesteryear players and how good they would be in todays game compared to our current athletes. Unfortunately we can never prove it and never will be able to. RIP you many Dragons legends !!!
I think it was in a You Tube video I saw on this forum, Reg Gasnier and Johnny Raper. I'd bet almost anything those 2 would have been very good in any era.
Ha ha! As a kid of about 10 years old I rang up Norm Provan's Electrical Store in Rockdale and asked if I could rent one of their TV's. I was not successful but not long after my Dad bought a TV and I was as happy as a pig in shit or a burglar with a handful of jewellery.
"Let the glory of yesteryear's heroes stay as they were and tomorrow's heroes be something to look forward to and not compare their feats, as better and worse cannot be judged". Confucius quote.
There are plenty of YouTube vids, showing them both, great players they were indeed. In that era,,,,
Yeah I believe tensions started when the Tigers cut his missus from the NRLW side, so we may have to employ her if we want him, but I wouldn't say no.
This is exactly what we want. Already a good size at just 22, (6' 2" and 93 kg) he has a lot of growing still to do. He is already a leaper, passer, and tackle breaker and he can tackle. Will only improve. Get it done.
What we need in the fullback position is a guy that has good attributes and great skills in all areas barring none including but not limiting - good height, strength, endurance, reach, speed, strong in attack and defence (defence being a high requirement), catching high kicks and kicks in general comfortably, able to make the extra man regularly in attack and not be rag dolled.
Three years got him over the line at a time when he was needed, when nobody wanted to come to the dragons and Sloan was our only number 1. Gutho did a good job in 2025 and will do a good job again this year. The third year overlap is ofc a problem. I don't know the answer but I do want Bula at fullback in 2027 (or can Bula perhaps play 5/8 in 2027?). Remember Ryles wanted to move Gutho to lock to accommodate Longi, so it's a similar problem. Anyway, turning around the Titanic is not a simple matter.
My posts where I saying signing Gutherson for 3 years on big money is a very bad move, were denounced. Even more so than Frank messages talking about dropping the JV. Nothing against Gutherson but a fullback in the modern game at his age? Not going to work for 3 years. No way. Shame Flanno couldn't see it but another reason why Watsford took recruitment and retention out of Flanno's hands.
The Gutho call was always a contentious call. We were lacking real leadership and an organiser who could get the defense sorted which Sloan couldn't. But the harsh facts as the season wore on and our pack through injuries was getting decimated and dominated, this left Gutho to do more and more and he did fade badly towards the end of the season.
Yes, on second thoughts, I think your memory of it is more accurate. On the Bula question, playing him at 5/8 in 2027 outside Atkinson then moving him to fullback in 2028 would really set us up smoothly for introducing one or two of our junior halves in 2028, like Reed or maybe Walker. There are a few other names. Atkinson could play either 7 or 8 (if he works out). And 2028 is end of contract too for Atko anyway. It is all coming together.
If Gutho has much more help from the halves, the kicking, the line speed to stop the opposition marching up field so easily, he'll be good this year and ok next year.
I think if we get Bula it should be as a FB, haven't seen him play 5/8. Move Gutho somewhere else. It's all pie in the sky stuff atm anyway.