Recruitment & Retention 2027

[TheRev]

Ok I can live with that. Anyone other than Kyle. Is Toby Sexton off contract again. I rate him, was hoping we'd bring him here other than Atkinson.

Ai its essentially what Kyle was supposed to be doing.. but I do wonder if there is a way we could get someone a bit faster instead.. and move Kyle on to ESL perhaps.. or maybe were just stuck with him.. I dont think Kyle is quite good enough to be a genuine 7 for us for the next 18mths.

 

[jodragon40]

Ai its essentially what Kyle was supposed to be doing.. but I do wonder if there is a way we could get someone a bit faster instead.. and move Kyle on to ESL perhaps.. or maybe were just stuck with him.. I dont think Kyle is quite good enough to be a genuine 7 for us for the next 18mths.

He tries and would be a decent 14

 

[Dave03]

When the new coach comes in I hope he starts liddle and only uses cook if lidds needs a break. Cook should only be re-signed as the back up hooker and also the understanding he will need to play some mins at lock if picked in 1st grade.

 

[Dave03]

Kyle should be released asap or be moved onto the bench for nsw cup or even just the local comp. Honestly shouldn't give him any mins unless required in either grades. There's no scope of improvement in him and he shouldn't be part of our future

 

[Eric]

Kyle should be released asap or be moved onto the bench for nsw cup or even just the local comp. Honestly shouldn't give him any mins unless required in either grades. There's no scope of improvement in him and he shouldn't be part of our future

I'm there in regard to Kyle as well. NSW Cup bench or local comp. Because Shadi has to be looking at promotion to NSW Cup if/when Reed/LKT are part of the NRL set-up with Kyle gone.

 

[RufusRex]

Why get in the way of ice and H … Flano can follow his dad

 

[dragonheart]

Kyle is just a passer of a ball, he has nothing in creativity, attack, kicking, organising or winning. He does try hard and defends reasonably well but that is all. We have to find backs who will challenge the other team and not take no for an answer.
He needs to be moved on with a number of others.

 

[Eric]

Kyle is just a passer of a ball, he has nothing in creativity, attack, kicking, organising or winning. He does try hard and defends reasonably well but that is all. We have to find backs who will challenge the other team and not take no for an answer.
He needs to be moved on with a number of others.

There's an ice cube's chance in hell of Kyle getting re-signed. It's just a matter of what to do with him for the rest of this year and next year.

 

[RufusRex]

And the 2nd part of the mug news in the update to the update … Nick on for Reed

 

[Mug Fan]

‘I will be there’: Keaon Koloamatangi shuts down rumours of Dragons backflip
Amid fears Keaon Koloamatangi might backflip on the winless Dragons given the club’s dramatic spiral, the $5.5m signing has delivered four crucial words that fans have been longing to hear

I signed a contract,” Koloamatangi said. “I will be there. I have one more year here and then five more years there.”

.https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/i-will-be-there-keaon-koloamatangi-shuts-down-rumours-of-dragons-backflip/news-story/c1845b94c312a41b00875c2c4b5b06ab

 

[jodragon40]

‘I will be there’: Keaon Koloamatangi shuts down rumours of Dragons backflip
Amid fears Keaon Koloamatangi might backflip on the winless Dragons given the club’s dramatic spiral, the $5.5m signing has delivered four crucial words that fans have been longing to hear

I signed a contract,” Koloamatangi said. “I will be there. I have one more year here and then five more years there.”

.https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/i-will-be-there-keaon-koloamatangi-shuts-down-rumours-of-dragons-backflip/news-story/c1845b94c312a41b00875c2c4b5b06ab

Thats the type of leadership and commitment we so badly need right now.

 

[dragonheart]

Its a little bit of a concern D A brought in Fale and Setu, they both are not up to first team standard. Can only assume, they were the only ones available for a cheap price?

 

[RandomDragon]

Its a little bit of a concern D A brought in Fale and Setu, they both are not up to first team standard. Can only assume, they were the only ones available for a cheap price?

Well they’re better than what we had, and probably best we could get at the time, they have also been coached like shit

 

[TheRev]

I have a feeling Fale and Setu was more what DA was allowed to bring in.. think he wanted to bring in a higher tiered winger but CT was locked and loaded.

But yeah even though Fale and Setu are quicker than some of our wingers, the lack of pace hurts so much.. was a few breaks last night where i thought they might get away but were swallowed up.

Heidke was a real fix for a lot of our problems, awful injury.. and Buchanan im still not sure if hes gonna make it.. our 1-5 is a real mess.

 

[RandomDragon]

How fucked up is it that Reed didn’t play any minutes anywhere this weekend…

 

[Runner]

I have a feeling Fale and Setu was more what DA was allowed to bring in.. think he wanted to bring in a higher tiered winger but CT was locked and loaded.

But yeah even though Fale and Setu are quicker than some of our wingers, the lack of pace hurts so much.. was a few breaks last night where i thought they might get away but were swallowed up.

Heidke was a real fix for a lot of our problems, awful injury.. and Buchanan im still not sure if hes gonna make it.. our 1-5 is a real mess.

It will be good if Heidke gets a good run of games and lives up to his potential.

I can’t really get enthusiastic about Buchanan. He occasionally does some good things but doesn’t threaten with any consistency. Not sure he will make it.

 

[redv13]

My thoughts for 2027:

Forwards . All the young fellas are playing well every week, they can hold their heads high. Add KK, Egan, LPT, Halangahu, Tsougranis. Remove Lawrie, Kerr, Guler. Sele I’m on the fence but maybe it’s time to let him go. Move Luc up front??

Halves: Reed at 7, Dan at 6. Kyle/LKT cup??
9/14: Liddle starts, Cookie 14. Kyle/LKT back up 14.

Back 5: Where the fun begins.
1: Bring in Drinkwater
2: Sami
3: Try and get Averillo or Xerri. Prefer Averillo but I’ll take Xerri if we have to.
4: Suli, I can live with but I know others can’t
5: Holmes. Time to move him out on to the wing. Barely going through the motions. Last night was embarrassing for any 1st grader let alone an origin and Australian player. Hopefully he’s just jack of Flanno.

Gutho?? f*ck knows what to do with him.
CT: Be happy to say bye bye, big but slow as and too injury prone 2025/26.
Sloan: I Shake my head with this bloke.

Buchanan: Don’t give up on the kid yet.
Feagai: Solid back up
Tu: Same as Feagai
Fale: Same as Feagai

 

[TheRev]

I am interested to see if the interim can turn things around with Holmes, Kerr & Atkinson in particular because they have much better potential than we are seeing.. and all in contract.

It seems to me that with this squad our strength would be an offload heavy pack.. Kerr is one of the best at it.. but we need an energiser young fullback to support.. and we dont have that. But there is like 1 or 2 training sessions a week.. feel like this is more of an off-season adjustment.

From there hopefully we continue to blood the forwards, LPT & Halangahu on top of Stewart and Couchies.. maybe some NickT when hes back.. and then lets see with LKT and Reed..

 

[TheRev]

How fucked up is it that Reed didn’t play any minutes anywhere this weekend…

I thought that was coming as soon as Kade wasnt named in cup.. I dont think Flanno had any intention of playing him whatsoever (short of us being up by 30pts), its probably more because hes been told by management to include him and LPT.. but Flanno is always going to back his son @7... in his very soul he believes Kyle is our best chance for a win.

And again imo hooker injuries are the perfect way to blood Reed for 30mins or so.... Kyle can start the game @7 and move to hooker at whatever stage to open up the 7 slot with no wasted interchange.. but anyway.. its a problem for the interim coach... and with Liddle gone, I mean here is the opportunity.

Note: I will say that Reed doing match days with 1st grade isnt a complete waste.. hes getting a feel for it, the butterflies etc.. will hopefully help when his time arrives. But obviously we cant have him doing nothing too often.

 

[Mug Fan]

How fucked up is it that Reed didn’t play any minutes anywhere this weekend…

That's on the NRL and the ridiculous 6 man bench, at least we have rotated.

Tristan Hope back up for Api at Tigers has played only 20min NRL and 80 min of Cup this year.