Recruitment and Retention for 2026

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
A 10 year length of contract is bad business for a player that is very reliant on athleticism like brown is. He’s 26 next year so he may have 4-5 years left of ‘peak’ athleticism. And then what?

We’ve seen this story before with Taumalolo except at the time he was undoubtedly the #1 middle forward in the game. Brown is being shoehorned to play 7 which isn’t familiar to him
 

redv13

SGI Jersey Flegg
A 10 year length of contract is bad business for a player that is very reliant on athleticism like brown is. He’s 26 next year so he may have 4-5 years left of ‘peak’ athleticism. And then what?

We’ve seen this story before with Taumalolo except at the time he was undoubtedly the #1 middle forward in the game. Brown is being shoehorned to play 7 which isn’t familiar to him
Bird brain contract. 5-6 years I get, 10 is ludicrous
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
I wasnt a fan of the Brown contract, but I do understand the marquee thing.. especially if they know Ponga is leaving.. we still need one.. Gutho would have been it 5yrs ago, but hes getting close to the end, we need a marquee someone to help get some recruits through the door.. and help us keep all these young guys who are going to have the storm, dogs, roosters knocking in a few years time.
 

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
This is where you hope at least 1 or 2 of the kids make the jump as a player over the next 12-18 months. Makes it a more enticing prospect for players to join the club

But like Anderson said on the pod, when signing a player you need to evaluate if you’re really getting your money’s worth. Clubs that make finals have players that over perform their contract value like Casey McLean/Tom Jenkins have for Penrith

Signing a front rower who doesn’t play 80 and misses 3 games a year for origin + had an acl tear 18 months ago for 1.5 mil P.A isn’t wise

I’d love to get Tino obviously but not at that cost, and again like Anderson said. Agents aren’t presenting marquee players to clubs outside the 8 because champions like Tino want to win premierships in the here and now, not 4-5 years from now
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
This is where you hope at least 1 or 2 of the kids make the jump as a player over the next 12-18 months. Makes it a more enticing prospect for players to join the club

But like Anderson said on the pod, when signing a player you need to evaluate if you’re really getting your money’s worth. Clubs that make finals have players that over perform their contract value like Casey McLean/Tom Jenkins have for Penrith

Signing a front rower who doesn’t play 80 and misses 3 games a year for origin + had an acl tear 18 months ago for 1.5 mil P.A isn’t wise

I’d love to get Tino obviously but not at that cost, and again like Anderson said. Agents aren’t presenting marquee players to clubs outside the 8 because champions like Tino want to win premierships in the here and now, not 4-5 years from now
This has been a dilemma for this club for a while Mailroomsgi. This is a problem that never goes away its like the proverbial comparison of the rock and a hard place. We know the type of player we want that is for sure. We have had enough lower tiered guys signed over the past years and while they generally haven't been the worst, they haven't been the best. The really decent ones somehow we have got to get on a regular basis and that will be hard.
 

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Just cause you don’t hear it doesn’t mean things aren’t happening behind the scenes. Be patient and let the bloke do his job
but are we now changing tack and doing our chasing in secret.
Think that comment explains my similar point of view, so dont need you to tell me how to support my club. Like others, my patience is wearing very thin waiting for something good to happen. When was last time we made the playoffs!
 
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redv13

SGI Jersey Flegg
but are we now changing tack and doing our chasing in secret.
Think that comment explains my similar point of view, so dont need you to tell me how to support my club. Like others, my patience is wearing very thin waiting for something good to happen. When was last time we made the playoffs!
Wow, tell you how to support the club?? Righto mate. Hope you have a nice weekend.
 

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Werent we looking at Leo Thompson at one stage. Well he has a twin, Tyrone 110k, with some ball skill, looks to be FG standard. Forget that he is a from a yawnion background and have a crack at him as he'd be hungry for more top grade.
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
but are we now changing tack and doing our chasing in secret.
Think that comment explains my similar point of view, so dont need you to tell me how to support my club. Like others, my patience is wearing very thin waiting for something good to happen. When was last time we made the playoffs!
I think I've been the most frustrated of anyone. Most public about it. But things are looking up. If Atkinson has a decent kicking game, that is one box ticked. He doesn't even have to be that good in attack. Rely on LKT for that and I'm confident with a good forward pack he will be able to. Also need at least one fast winger. That will be the second box ticked and IMO the two most important. Final box will be a prop but with 2 Couchmans back next year, LPT getting better still and maybe one more like Liu, a big prop isn't as urgent as a fast winger and decent halfback.
 

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
I think I've been the most frustrated of anyone.
When you have given 55 yrs to the one club that is a massive amount of frustration to cope with. Since 2010 there have been some good times when Widdop was with us but before and since him, there has been little to enthuse over. Mate to be brutally honest '26 looks the same to me as the last five years, more disappointment and frustration. Why because we can not entice any elites let alone first tiers so are forced keep our second tiers, most of which came to us as other club rejects. The most grating thing for me is how bizarrely we are only too happy to let go some of our best players when that is the last thing a struggling club needs to do.
 
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Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
Ando says his speciality is Halfbacks and Middles (needs help with outside backs).. nice hearing him talk about them.. talks about Loko's body being so tall that he gets twisted and bent in tackles, so he will take longer to build his core strength... but eventually hopefully we have a tall middle.. talks about LKT also.. that literally halves need to tackle.. if they make their tackles they can keep their spot in 1st grade..
Just on Loko he is playing 20min but isn't a 20min player yet, he has a error in him around the 14min mark on, the club are working on getting him to that 20min error free.

LKT wasn't ready for FG and plans were for him to drop back next year. Wonder if last 3 games and next 3 change that plan
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
If we buy a marque 7.. then for sure Atko @6, LKT to Reserves (and we need a #3 option).

But if we dont buy a marquee... then you have to hope Atko can make it as a 7.. LKT to 6.. and maybe Kyle is the #3.
LKT has been one of our shining lights this season. He doesn't nail it every game but the trajectory is on a steep upward curve. To say Shonkies 18th man would automatically come into 6 if Anderson got a halfback from somewhere, ESL or rugby because there is no one else available, is this long-standing Dragons tradition of rating imports better than our own.

LKT will be starting at 6 and if he's gets 1/10th of the leeway KF has gotten this season, he'll be 5/8 all year barring injury. And I know Flanno is insisting he will find a spot for Kyle in the team:rolleyes:, that spot WILL NOT be centre.
 

redv13

SGI Jersey Flegg
LKT has been one of our shining lights this season. He doesn't nail it every game but the trajectory is on a steep upward curve. To say Shonkies 18th man would automatically come into 6 if Anderson got a halfback from somewhere, ESL or rugby because there is no one else available, is this long-standing Dragons tradition of rating imports better than our own.

LKT will be starting at 6 and if he's gets 1/10th of the leeway KF has gotten this season, he'll be 5/8 all year barring injury. And I know Flanno is insisting he will find a spot for Kyle in the team:rolleyes:, that spot WILL NOT be centre.
Pretty sure Rev wasn’t spruiking for Flanno to play centre. Read it again
 

Eric

Staff
ohhhh I hadnt put all those posts together.. I meant #3 as in 3rd half option.. every club has atleast 3 in their 30, some have 4.
Personally I thought that was pretty obvious. I'm not sure if RedV01 RedV01, who I know personally has been drinking or not. Though I do agree re-LKT. I'm very upbeat on him this year, let alone next year behind a better forward pack, has a bit more experience and is stronger for making and breaking tackles.
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
Personally I thought that was pretty obvious. I'm not sure if RedV01 RedV01, who I know personally has been drinking or not. Though I do agree re-LKT. I'm very upbeat on him this year, let alone next year behind a better forward pack, has a bit more experience and is stronger for making and breaking tackles.
Give it a rest. You don't know 💩.
I see it now. Someone previously said Kyle is going to play lock. You see how I could make the mistake?
 
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