Round 1 team so far in 2026

TSP

SGI Jersey Flegg
Well, rumour has it Dragons agree with him. That is to say Daniel Anderson agrees with him. Tigers trying to up their offer as well. Bet a few more are interested as well.

Bottom line is, for the Dragons I rate him as a 900k a year fullback. The golden age of fullbacks is drawing to a close. The only really good young fullbacks are Walsh and Bula. Melbourne and Gold Coast might have as well but a bit early to say.
Rumours are rumours…

Bottom line is, I’d be pressed to offer him more than 750 for the reasons I’ve provided, especially the comparisons to players who have done something, are physically robust and are team first.

As I have a less than glowing view of his attributes, he can join the dogs I suppose.

The dogs always deserve a good flogging wherever the occasion presents.
 
Last edited:

Ryan

SGI NSW Cup
Rumours are rumours…

Bottom line is, I’d be pressed to offer him more than 750 for the reasons I’ve provided, especially the comparisons to players who have done something, are physically robust and are team first.

As I have a less than glowing view of his attributes, he can join the dogs I suppose.

The dogs always deserve a good flogging wherever the occasion presents.
Is every player, including Keaon, who changes clubs not "team first"?
 

Frank Facer

SGI Jersey Flegg
I agree. I think he is our best hooker. In one way I think he should be our starting hooker, but I also know he is really good coming off the bench. He should be playing at least 50 minutes a game. I don't even mind the idea of him playing 80 minutes. I like 80 minute hookers. It give the team more cohesion and gives up more interchanges to use elsewhere. Liddle averaged 45 minutes a game last year.
I have to correct myself. Liddle averaged 43 minutes per game last year.
 
Last edited:

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
That then begs the question, what is the criteria for someone being team first or not?

It's kind of a silly argument at this stage. Signing Bula is only a rumour. If he actually signs, then we can argue about whether he was overpaid or not. KK is reported to be on a mil a year. I don't thin that is overpaid. His stats in the second half of the season, after he was moved to prop, suggested he was the best prop in the competition.
 

TSP

SGI Jersey Flegg
That then begs the question, what is the criteria for someone being team first or not?

It's kind of a silly argument at this stage. Signing Bula is only a rumour. If he actually signs, then we can argue about whether he was overpaid or not. KK is reported to be on a mil a year. I don't thin that is overpaid. His stats in the second half of the season, after he was moved to prop, suggested he was the best prop in the competition.
It’s a subjective opinion based on a persons understanding of the game.

Lomax is an example of a player whose personal ambition seems to be more important than a sense of duty to team mates and broader club related diaspora.

Bula wants to abandon his post at the Tigers for an extra 1 or 2%. A club that’s had its fair share of strife in recent times like SGI.

Ryan can hold his beliefs, that’s fine and quite interesting, but I don’t have to agree on this point.

I agree with your reliance on time as a solution to answering the question of his value. Thats eminently sensible and logical. Whether it’s silly to even discuss and speculate on him. Yes and no.

The value is in the discussion and not just the outcome.
 
Last edited:

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
When I talk loyalty.. it doesn't mean you need to accept half-salary.. but you also don't do what Bula/Moses are doing and make it your lifes mission to squeeze every last cent out of the club. In the case of KK.. if a rivals offer blows your own clubs out of the water.. then fair enough.

That said all the best clubs have most of their squad on massive unders vs genuine market value.. and that's what's required to win premierships.. but Saints are still years away from having the luxury of attracting players on unders..

Something else... the media always uses the term "taking a haircut" which sh*ts me because these players are being signed by big clubs at ~30% less value.. i.e. several hundreds of thousands of dollars.. that's not a hair cut... that's a salary cap system that's not working as intended.
 

TSP

SGI Jersey Flegg
And I’ll join Frank Facer Frank Facer to say all of my posts are contingent in the sense that there are many variables and factors, motivations and pressures that are not made public. So a true and reliable assertion about a lot of what goes on, has to seen as assertion instead of actual fact.

But that’s all we have unless we are up front and close to the actors in the discussions.

But it’s an enjoyable pastime and rewarding when people make good predictions.

And rugby league is fascinating, a thing of beauty lol!
 

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
It’s a subjective opinion based on a persons understanding of the game.

Lomax is an example of a player whose personal ambition seems to be more important than a sense of duty to team mates and broader club related diaspora.

Bula wants to abandon his post at the Tigers for an extra 1 or 2%. A club that’s had its fair share of strife in recent times like SGI.

Ryan can hold his beliefs, that’s fine and quite interesting, but I don’t have to agree on this point.

I agree with your reliance on time as a solution to answering the question of his value. Thats eminently sensible and logical. Whether it’s silly to even discuss and speculate on him. Yes and no.

The value is in the discussion and not just the outcome.
We disagree about Bula but speaking for myself, I have no problem with that. If Dragons fans can't have a friendly disagreement, what can we do?
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
And I’ll join @
Frank Facer
Frank Facer to say all of my posts are contingent in the sense that there are many variables and factors, motivations and pressures that are not made public. So a true and reliable assertion about a lot of what goes on, has to seen as assertion instead of actual fact.
100%.... Nothing should be looked at as black and white on a forum... we don't see 99% of what goes on behind closed doors.. conversations between coaches, managers, players, off-field issues, players family situations, non-cap-related incentives, none of it.. I have no doubt that 99% of what we sit here discussing is completely missing the mark... but we can only speculate on what we do know of course.
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Nick T looks jacked in the training photos. Thought he was pretty good in his 1st grade debut. Hope he kicks on this year.
I dunno why he is the forgotten man in the 2nd row discussions, maybe because Flanno seemed fully invested in turning him into a centre last year (which I think was more about our clubs lack of centre depth + injuries + too many 2nd row options), but I think hes as likely as any of our other blokes to play rep level footy...

However if he keeps getting chopped between positions it wont help his development.. but he probably is a great candidate for 1st grade bench covering ctr, 2nd row and I think middle... but im not sure whats going on with this 6 man bench thing.. maybe we dont need that coverage anymore.
 

TSP

SGI Jersey Flegg
100%.... Nothing should be looked at as black and white on a forum... we don't see 99% of what goes on behind closed doors.. conversations between coaches, managers, players, off-field issues, players family situations, non-cap-related incentives, none of it.. I have no doubt that 99% of what we sit here discussing is completely missing the mark... but we can only speculate on what we do know of course.
Yes, and by extension other stuff we read or hear etc.

Getting back to the reasons why some clubs are very successful and others aren’t, my own view is that it gets back to the calibre of people at management and staff level.

I can’t think of any natural or innate reason why SGI can’t be huge and compete at top levels annually if good people were making good decisions.

So the issue is to identify these folk and work out ways to snare and secure these human assets.

Flanno made an off the cuff comment recently that the board was more footy focused. I haven’t done my homework to work out why he is said this, but it was interesting he should volunteer it.

To help us form impressions ( right or wrong as you submit) these interviews with external groups, I get a lot out of them.

That’s opposed to official club propaganda that talks everything up because it considers it needs to make a good impact.
 
Last edited:

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
he looks like one of the Simms boys.
I say this so often, Nick is literally a Tariq Sims clone.. thats how fans should think of him as a prospect... massive upper body and massive leg drive...that pushes through contact like a block of concrete.. but enough footwork to play 2nd row still.. which Tariq did for many years.. even has that firebrand attitude too which we could do with some of, even if it gets him into strife (once again just like Tariq)...

But I always wonder if Tariq could have played middle.. which im also wondering if Nick can (same as Jacob), cause then we have a way to get them on the bench and there are only 2 x 2nd row positions which are probably Egan and Sua short of injuries....
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
Thanks Justadragon. I only stumble on a reference to it on league unlimited and thought I'd check it out.

Now I see where all of those fellow dragons have ended up!

Trying get my head around how things work around here.

It good to hear from some opinions from familiar posters...
Trust me things work a lot better on here, with a lot less heart ache, and as to how it works, well you say your piece and thats that, admin and the mods on here are really good guys and actually get involved. Easy to talk to if you have an issue. Enjoy !!!
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
I say this so often, Nick is literally a Tariq Sims clone.. thats how fans should think of him as a prospect... massive upper body and massive leg drive...that pushes through contact like a block of concrete.. but enough footwork to play 2nd row still.. which Tariq did for many years.. even has that firebrand attitude too which we could do with some of, even if it gets him into strife (once again just like Tariq)...

But I always wonder if Tariq could have played middle.. which im also wondering if Nick can (same as Jacob), cause then we have a way to get them on the bench and there are only 2 x 2nd row positions which are probably Egan and Sua short of injuries....
I hope Nick T gets a lot of game time this season and not as a center.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
Yes, and by extension other stuff we read or hear etc.

Getting back to the reasons why some clubs are very successful and others aren’t, my own view is that it gets back to the calibre of people at management and staff level.

I can’t think of any natural or innate reason why SGI can’t be huge and compete at top levels annually if good people were making good decisions.

So the issue is to identify these folk and work out ways to snare and secure these human assets.

Flanno made an off the cuff comment recently that the board was more footy focused. I haven’t done my homework to work out why he is said this, but it was interesting he should volunteer it.

To help us form impressions ( right or wrong as you submit) these interviews with external groups, I get a lot out of them.

That’s opposed to official club propaganda that talks everything up because it considers it needs to make a good impact.
Whatever our previous board was, it certainly wasnt footy focused. I think with the appointment of Watsford they got told either get with the program or perish.
 
Top