Recruitment & Retention 2027

[Dragons faithful]

As for Gutho, it would be odd to keep him all year on the extended bench and get no game time.. but thats what we're looking at.. the only way I can see him providing purpose is as Drinkwaters injury replacement... but id be rly nervous to play him there cause he would totally change the make up of the squad.. but someone has to be our injury cover, whos it going to be? Drinkwater gets injured in preseason, whos doing a year @ fullback?

That is scary tbh who is our cover for fullback 18 year old Burton ain’t no way they would risk that - Peckham Harris? Who else do we actually have Atkinson I personally don’t think he is a very good cover at all.. Maybe in a game he is sitting on extended bench and you have to play someone. That’s why I personally think Sloan will stay and be cover

 

[TheRev]

its a hard one, Burton is probably 1yr off being injury cover.. its one thing to do a few games late in the season, another to be first drop injury cover... on top of that it does look more like left ctr will be his position.

I had forgotten about Atkinson, hard to imagine we carry him and Gutho next year.. Atko atleast has younger legs and I still think there is a player in him but have lost a lot of faith.. and Gutho I still love the man.. if were paying him anyway he can atleast be around the player group but his confidence/position will go if hes not in the 17 most weeks...

Ultimately if Gutho is going and were getting nothing back.. its only useful if we have another player in mind and we have some funds.. but can he even run is the other thing.. cant rly understand how thats not a medical retirement.. maybe were not there yet though.

 

[RufusRex]

That is scary tbh who is our cover for fullback 18 year old Burton ain’t no way they would risk that - Peckham Harris? Who else do we actually have Atkinson I personally don’t think he is a very good cover at all.. Maybe in a game he is sitting on extended bench and you have to play someone. That’s why I personally think Sloan will stay and be cover

Well right now if we cannot get rid of him Gutherson is our cover for fullback. I think Young did well to have a look at Atkinson at the end of the season and that should be enough for him to say "Yeah Nah"

TPH is interesting, would really need to have a better kicking game and kick chase than we have had recently otherwise TPH will be bombed relentlessly and he struggles there given his height.

Sloan if he stayed could be an option, it just feels like we need to shed someone to keep him and we cant manage that.

Holmes? Take out his defensive "efforts"

 

[Dragons faithful]

its a hard one, Burton is probably 1yr off being injury cover.. its one thing to do a few games late in the season, another to be first drop injury cover... on top of that it does look more like left ctr will be his position.

I had forgotten about Atkinson, hard to imagine we carry him and Gutho next year.. Atko atleast has younger legs and I still think there is a player in him but have lost a lot of faith.. and Gutho I still love the man.. if were paying him anyway he can atleast be around the player group but his confidence/position will go if hes not in the 17 most weeks...

Ultimately if Gutho is going and were getting nothing back.. its only useful if we have another player in mind and we have some funds.. but can he even run is the other thing.. cant rly understand how thats not a medical retirement.. maybe were not there yet though.

I think he could be an outstanding fullback but not yet he is to young and he needs to learn his craft and to do that and to get a crack dragons need centres I think that’s Anderson’s idea with Burton for now but your right he looks very capable and comfortable hits the defensive line and don’t slow down can jump and attack

 

[Justadragon]

its a hard one, Burton is probably 1yr off being injury cover.. its one thing to do a few games late in the season, another to be first drop injury cover... on top of that it does look more like left ctr will be his position.

I had forgotten about Atkinson, hard to imagine we carry him and Gutho next year.. Atko atleast has younger legs and I still think there is a player in him but have lost a lot of faith.. and Gutho I still love the man.. if were paying him anyway he can atleast be around the player group but his confidence/position will go if hes not in the 17 most weeks...

Ultimately if Gutho is going and were getting nothing back.. its only useful if we have another player in mind and we have some funds.. but can he even run is the other thing.. cant rly understand how thats not a medical retirement.. maybe were not there yet though.

Just thinking of something left field here Rev, we could have offered Gutho an assistants position.

 

[TheRev]

Just thinking of something left field here Rev, we could have offered Gutho an assistants position.

I'm sure we could come up with a role for him.. I guess he has to want to retire though.. and he doesnt seem like a bloke who has 'give up' in his nature...

The longer this takes the more of his salary we have already paid out.. but it could be a sweet bonus slot that opens up early 2027?

 

[RufusRex]

It doesnt help our cap unless we medically retire him .. we need his dollars more than his spot in the roster.
He gets paid his contracted amount regardless of if he plays or not.

The rules around medical retirement are pretty restrictive for us because if you sign under some kind of injury/limitation it is very hard to use that as an excuse. Something new/unrelated is required.