Recruitment & Retention 2027

[Justadragon]

Dragons aim straight for finals after massive recruitment drive - The Continuous Call Team Catch Up

Dragons recruitment manager Daniel Anderson says the club will not be aiming low next season, declaring their target is an immediate return to finals football.

omny.fm

Well have a listen to Ando on 2GB
Where was Big Rig on this info @RedVHeartbeat

For those of you that listened to DA, well you heard him say it “DY is a great young coach”. Make of it what you will.

 

[Eric]

For those of you that listened to DA, well you heard him say it “DY is a great young coach”. Make of it what you will.

Hope he's right but the fact is, his record as an assistant and interim head coach is very unflattering.

If DA is looking over his shoulder, metophorically speaking, and he has good assistants with orders to listen to them and act on their ideas a lot more than it seems Flanno did, he might go ok. Couchmans re-signed knowing he would be the coach.

 

[RufusRex]

i will make of that what i always do with similar statements - positive spin for a co-worker.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Yeah that’s true, these people aren’t obligated to tell us the truth.

They can spin whatever narrative they want and frankly I wouldn’t want members of staff bagging another dragons staff member on radio.

Just brings unnecessary + unwanted attention to the club

 

[redv13]

No excuses for DY in 2027. The roster has been greatly improved. DA has done his job, brought in some big guns, cut the deadwood, re signed the young forwards. Anything less than top 8 in my eyes is a fail if they have a fair run injuries wise

 

[dragonheart]

We still need young players with height and speed and tenacity in the outside backs, then I'm ready for next year

 

[Dragon David]

All you can say about DA is he’s a quality bloke yes we are lucky to have him and thank god we do.

Listening to DA talk is music to my ears because you can tell from what he says that he knows what he needs to do for us. He "sees the future" by looking at the pathway boys. The best ones emerging are the ones he will keep a close watch on. He says he doesn't watch first grade much but he does watch a lot of the path way games because there are players in them that are our future good ones. Ollie Burton for one.

We are indeed very fortunate to have him and he says of the Dragons that we are a wonderful club - that is great to hear.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

No excuses for DY in 2027. The roster has been greatly improved. DA has done his job, brought in some big guns, cut the deadwood, re signed the young forwards. Anything less than top 8 in my eyes is a fail if they have a fair run injuries wise

I think we are looking at 8-12th, we lack depth currently, we get a few injuries in the 2-5 positions we will struggle, no depth currently, hopefully we can jag a couple of decent centre/wingers.

 

[Mug Fan]

He says he doesn't watch first grade much but he does watch a lot of the path way games because there are players in them that are our future good ones. Ollie Burton for one.

We are indeed very fortunate to have him and he says of the Dragons that we are a wonderful club - that is great to hear.

He watches all FG games he doesn't attend them as they are covered by plenty of cameras, he also doesn't go out at night.

 

[TheRev]

Its rly hard to say where we finish next year... cause I could mount a case for literally every team in the NRL (bar the bears) to make Top 8 next year.. literally all of them.. the lowest hanging fruit like titans, parra, tigers have all beaten the best sides.. and they have very good rosters.

So to me if we can get out of the Bottom 4 (or 5 with the bears)... that would be quite some effort.. I'm not really allowing myself to be more optimistic than that... to be 12th or higher means DY is actually doing something right.. and the players we have bought in are working... that is absolutely not a guarantee.. the only one im super confident in is KK.. the rest have elements of risk... but of course still upgrades on what we have currently.

 

[GCRV]

I think we are looking at 8-12th, we lack depth currently, we get a few injuries in the 2-5 positions we will struggle, no depth currently, hopefully we can jag a couple of decent centre/wingers.

Top 4 if 2 lower grade backs can step up. Pack is going to be the best in the competition with not only quality but depth and more quality coming up from the lower grades.

 

[No Surrender]

Top 4 if 2 lower grade backs can step up. Pack is going to be the best in the competition with not only quality but depth and more quality coming up from the lower grades.

6-10

6th if we can snag a quality outside back or 2

10th if we can’t

We can’t expect the forwards to win us games against the top 6 teams.

The whole team needs to perform.

 

[Dragon David]

DA has signed better players in areas that we need and I think he can see others in the lower grades who could jump the queue and be part of the first grade team sometime next year - centre and wing positions plus a good toughened up young forward. So in collaboration with Creagh, Deano and another guy they have been fortunate to get who we have that should help us win more games and this will be up to the coaches in getting the players to fit and gel together like a hand in a glove. No good having better players if they don't combine well. I am really hoping that the attacking assistant coach (maybe Talau) gets a few of our guys to do a lot more practice in off loading the ball (safely) for second phase play in attack. The more off loads they can do the better.

Aiming higher on the ladder is good, actually achieving it is another matter that Deano has to work hard at getting the players to put in in every game.

 

[dragonheart]

The Gutho situation next year is going to be very interesting, he knows they have bought Drinkwater for his position, so where does he fit in or not?
We have $850-900,000 to work out what to do. He just doesn't have a position in this team .......he cant move quickly enough in close proximity to others to be a centre, he needs a few clear metres to wind up from fullback to be of any use to the team.

 

[Eric]

The Gutho situation next year is going to be very interesting, he knows they have bought Drinkwater for his position, so where does he fit in or not?
We have $850-900,000 to work out what to do. He just doesn't have a position in this team .......he cant move quickly enough in close proximity to others to be a centre, he needs a few clear metres to wind up from fullback to be of any use to the team.

Can't defend well enough in the front line for centre either. Opposing outside backs get on the outside of him too easily. Why couldn't he train in the off season to be a backup half or 5/8? Start the year in NSW Cup. Though then what do you do with Reed, Shadi, Hodges, LKT?

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Very intrigued to see what the plan is for Hooker after ‘27 when Watson leaves and it’s just Liddle as a ‘Senior’ hooker

I know Anderson and the higher ups would definitely be planning this succession for 2-3 years from now

Almost certainly not the case that we’re after him but that Bowden kid down in Melbourne looks fantastic, they’ve got an eye for hookers and don’t think he’d want to sit behind Grant for the next 5 years.

Would be a top tier signing for us IMO.

Not ready for week in week out NRL now or next year I think but ‘28 and beyond he could be the guy to share that dual hooker role with Liddle

 

[Layto]

Whatever happened to that young hooker from the panthers we where apparently after?

 

[BekB]

Can't defend well enough in the front line for centre either. Opposing outside backs get on the outside of him too easily. Why couldn't he train in the off season to be a backup half or 5/8? Start the year in NSW Cup. Though then what do you do with Reed, Shadi, Hodges, LKT?

So many halfs

 

[Eric]

Very intrigued to see what the plan is for Hooker after ‘27 when Watson leaves and it’s just Liddle as a ‘Senior’ hooker

I know Anderson and the higher ups would definitely be planning this succession for 2-3 years from now

Almost certainly not the case that we’re after him but that Bowden kid down in Melbourne looks fantastic, they’ve got an eye for hookers and don’t think he’d want to sit behind Grant for the next 5 years.

Would be a top tier signing for us IMO.

Not ready for week in week out NRL now or next year I think but ‘28 and beyond he could be the guy to share that dual hooker role with Liddle

Kodi Nikorima?

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Would be a waste of him IMO, had played career best footy as a half the last 2 years and then to move him to hooker to make 45 tackles a game

It’s a no from me personally