jodragon40
Staff
Always a good feeling to know that you are wanted and you have been given the opportunity to prove yourself. As the old saying goes the balls in your court now
2023 Pack
- Thread starter Morgan
- Start date
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Yep. I hope he does well. If he hasn't gotten better, no room for sentimentality because he's a local junior. Have to ruthless to get back to the top and remain there.
Eric
Staff
NRL 2022: St George Illawarra Dragons Jaydn Su’a reveals dad’s unorthodox training methods
Jaydn Su’a, St George Illawarra Dragons new backrower has revealed his dad’s unorthodox training methods growing up, and broken his silence on his shock axing from Wayne Bennett in 2021.
First time his old man ran at him on the front lawn, Jaydn Su’a was 10. Maybe 11. “So I probably shouldn’t be telling this story,” he shrugs. Yet still, Su’a is. Has to. With said yarn, he says, the only real way to explain “why I’m here”. Specifically, sat right now in the WIN Stadium grandstand, chatting about his new life as a St George Illawarra Dragon.That, and rising Queensland Origin star. A fella whose past 12 months alone has been the type of rollercoaster that is being wanted, unwanted, punted, playing Origin, then an NRL grand final, even having Wayne Bennett drawl: “Congratulations, you’ve just been selected for Queensland … but you’re dropped”.
More on that last one soon enough, too. First, we want to take you inside the making of a Dragons tough. A 24-year-old tackling machine who, being hailed the new mettle for this Steel City team, debuts for the Red V in Saturday’s Charity Shield showdown against his old club South Sydney.
Which must surely have its own storyline, right “Oh, Keaon Koloamatangi has been saying all summer how this will be my last game,” Su’a laughs, referencing his great mate and Bunnies backrower. “I know he’s on the other side of the field, but I’ll still be keeping an eye out.” Yet what we really want to talk about is his own growing reputation as an NRL thwacker.
A topic which takes this new Dragon back 15 years to showdowns with truck-driving dad, Daniel. A fella who came from little, knew struggle, and had fathered his son by 17. So free rides? No, just as none were given to Daniel Su’a, so he knew there was no charity coming for his son.
“So every afternoon after school, he’d make me run five kilometres,” the backrower starts, before explaining how, on return, the old boy would then strap on an older, blue bump pad – and charge. Which is some image.
But the story Su’a has never told? The one he isn’t even sure about telling now?
“It was the time I decided to hold onto that pad,” he grins. “I was only 10. Maybe 11. “Tried to make it so Dad couldn’t get rid of me.” But guess what? Dad did get rid of him. “Then chucked the pad down,” he cackles. “And ran at me. “I never stood a chance. “And while he’ll hate me telling that story, it’s one of the biggest things in my life. “Because it taught me what I wanted. And what it takes to get there.”
Which never mattered more than last May. When after a Redfern Oval training session, Su’a was called into the offices of coach Bennett and, in only one sentence, told he’d been selected for Queensland and dropped to reserves. “And that’s exactly how Wayne said it,” he recounts. “Congratulations you’ve made the Origin team … but you’re playing reserve grade.”
Which initially, stunned the youngster; even though over the previous three weeks his Bunnies had leaked 50 points to Melbourne and Penrith, including 12 tries down his right edge But still, Su’a was a Maroon. So how bad could it be? “And I’ll be honest, I wasn’t happy,” he concedes of Bennett’s demotion. “Afterwards, I felt depressed. Embarrassed. “Getting dropped after being selected for Origin, that hurts your ego.” So what was said?
“Wayne just said ‘I need more from you’,” Su’a continues. “Said if I wasn’t giving everything, what was the point of me being out there?” Which is some crack. Still, you never cracked it with the coach? “No, because Wayne was right,” he admits of the man who gave him his debut him with Brisbane at 18. “I should’ve been doing more. “When I got dropped, people around me were surprised. Asking ‘why?’.
“But I knew this was about those things fans don’t see. “And the fact I knuckled down, worked it out and finished up playing a grand final, I’m proud of that. That’s something I’ll hold close forever.” Same deal, Su’a says, his response to eventually being pushed out of Souths through salary cap pressures. “Which hurt too,” he admits. “But as much as I was upset to leave, I’m now really happy to be here.”
Which again, can be credited to all those afternoons on the front lawn. Give up? Not an option “I remember Dad once arriving at my weekend footy after saying he couldn’t make it,” Sua recalls. “I was out there mucking around. Missing tackles. “So afterwards, I’m walking off and hear Dad calling my name from the other side of the field. “He just looked at me, shook his head, then drove off. “I had to catch a bus home.” But the real kicker? That came when little Jaydn finally arrived back at the front yard. “Where Dad was waiting,” he laughs. “Holding that old tackle pad."
At present I don't have time to read all of this so can't comment. Someone else, please comment.
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Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
He was taught at a young age to tackle much bigger people. Specifically, his father.
That's good. Anyone who watched the final series last year knows he has a big hit or two in him but is he "a tackling machine" as McCullough is or a super-effective, copy-book defender as Jack De Belin is?
He was dropped not really because he was playing badly but Bennett thought and and expected him to play much better. Fair enough. I think I remember hearing about him being in talks or signing with St George just before Souffs were given a hiding and I remember being highly unimpressed with Su'a. But he was definitely good in the final series last year.
That's pretty much it.
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Eric
Staff
Jack Bird is gone! Big decision by Mr. Griffin and his staff.
St George Illawarra Dragons pull contract offer for Jack Bird as NRL rivals circle
St George Illawarra Dragons have pulled its offer to Jack Bird — a move that could prompt Parramatta to make a play for the former NSW State of Origin forward. The Eels have money to spend next season and a void in the back row. Bird would seem the ideal fit and it is understood the Eels have asked to be kept informed of developments with the Dragons star. Talks between Bird, his manager David Riolo and the Dragons stalled in recent weeks, prompting St George Illawarra to withdraw their offer.They indicated they would be willing to return to the table with the caveat that the landscape may change. The money that is there for Bird now may not be there in the coming weeks and months. The Dragons made it clear they won’t be hanging around. They need to reinforce their squad for next season and Bird’s money could be put to good use. It is understood the Dolphins have made a phone call to gain some clarity around Bird’s demands but are yet to decide whether they will make a play. Wests Tigers have also been asked whether they would be interested but are yet to take a final call. Other clubs are watching closely as well.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
I wonder what it means for Sims, if anything.
Lets not forget the club wanted to keep Bird before he went to the Shonkies.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
Well, no matter how one feels about this decision, I'm glad we have a coach willing to block outside noise and make big calls. I like Bird as a player but I think his best position is as a utility and for better or worse, probably worse, in today's game utilities aren't on big money.
Thanks for mentioning that. I really like to see loyalty for our local juniors if at all possible but that's a two-way street.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Not saying it's the wrong decision but who is Hook and his staff planning on spending the money on? McInnes, Norman, 2 of the clubs most highly paid players gone. Replaced with a local junior and a journeyman close to retirement whose contract was subsidized by another club.
Now Bird and Sims on the way out. Dufty probably wasn't playing for a vegemite sandwich either.
So who are they going to spend that money on??? Did Baldy McGregor backend huge deals for various players?
Now Bird and Sims on the way out. Dufty probably wasn't playing for a vegemite sandwich either.
So who are they going to spend that money on??? Did Baldy McGregor backend huge deals for various players?
Eric
Staff
St George Illawarra Dragons prop Blake Lawrie reveals heartache behind NRL rise
Blake Lawrie is St George Illawarra Dragons throwback rugby league player – a rough-and-tumble star with a beer barrel chest. But each week he takes the field, the Dragons weapon does so carrying the tragedy that defines him.
Whenever Blake Lawrie really needs to chat, he disappears out the door of his Shellharbour home and drives 20 minutes to see mum. Especially on those days, he says, when things get difficult. Even dark. Which isn’t exactly the confession one expects from a rising St George Illawarra tough. Or ‘throwback’, as fellow Dragons call him. A fella whose wonderfully Winfield Cup vibes are born not only from his farm upbringing, or kamikaze playing style, but that beer barrel physique carrying both defenders and the ‘Blocka’ nickname since age six.Which, undeniably, is a yarn worth exploring. Especially for Dragons fans seeking promise in this new age story all old-school wrapping. But as for Lawrie opening up? “I don’t really do that much,” he shrugs. “Except with mum”. Which is why on those days Lawrie really needs to talk, he makes the short drive back to his hometown of Dapto, and the local cemetery.
Where alone, and for however long it takes, this young Dragon will sit by the gravesite of a mum lost to breast cancer 14 years ago — and speak. “Whenever I’m in a dark time, I’ll always talk with her,” Lawrie starts, before lowering his eyes toward a tattoo which, writ large down his left forearm, carries her name; Carman. “Some days, I’ll just visit to reminisce. “Others, take flowers for nan. “But whenever I need inspiration, I always go to mum. She’s the one who motivates me.”
Seated now in the grandstand at WIN Stadium, another pre-season sweat session in the books, Lawrie is talking through a life that has been his – and that of younger siblings Riley, Kasey and Jessica – since 2008. Back when aged 11, and still in primary school, little Blocka stood by the bedside of his dying mum who, on life support, and unresponsive, was told goodbye one last time.
Even now, almost 15 years on, it is an image he cannot shake. “Which isn’t ideal,” the Dragons No.8 shrugs. “But that was the last moment we shared.” Yet not the last conversation. Which matters. That, and plenty more too. Which is why in the hours before this Saturday’s Charity Shield match in Mudgee, Lawrie will leave two tickets at the entry gate of Glen Willow Stadium.
Same as he will do for every home game this year. An ongoing gift, he says, for grandparents Lyn and Eric; who haven’t only raised Lawrie and his three siblings since mum passed, or shaped his very being, but also provided an upbringing that would’ve been impossible for dad Dean, who was himself toiling through those days only a concreter knows. “So my family, they’re everything,” Lawrie says. “They’re my core”.
Take nan, who will be somewhere in Saturday’s Charity Shield crowd as her grandson – that 106kg prop she still keeps a lollie jar for at home – looks to continue his ongoing rise against rivals, South Sydney. With Lawrie now not only 79 games into NRL life, or willing to talk up NSW Origin goals, but determined to hold his starting place among the likes of Jack de Belin, George Burgess, Josh Kerr, Josh McGuire and Aaron Woods.“And nan, she always blows me a kiss from the grandstand,” Lawrie says, breaking into a smile at the image of Lyn up among the punters, “rugged up with her 10 coats on”. “Growing up, she did everything for us kids. Ensured we wanted for nothing. “Even now she still has a jar of sweets for me at her place. “Andrew McCullough is always warning me ‘stay away from nans this weekend’.”
But as for obeying the Dragons No.9? “Oh, it’s hard,” Lawrie laughs. “There aren’t many nans who take no for an answer. They spoil you. According to her I’ve never played a bad game.” But pop? Well, the easiest job he ever had was rising at 3am to drive trucks. That, and running the six-acre hobby farm which saw Lawrie’s childhood spent shadowing his grandfather to feed chickens, muck pig pens and move cattle between paddocks.
Which for Eric, was still easier than life as a Dapto coalminer. When raising his own four kids in the 1970s, he would arrive home in the afternoons, grab a feed off Lyn, then head back out the door for night shift. “So you have to work hard for a compliment,” Lawrie explains. “If I had a good game, pop never said much. But if I had a bad one, yeah, he would let me know.”
All of which goes a long way to explaining how Lawrie was an NRL prop by 20. How in the years since too, this emerging NRL talent has improved not only his diet and body shape, but developed a tip on, late offload, footwork at the line and learned what it really means to work off the ball. “Growing up, I had some talent,” he recounts. “But I realised early that to make it, I needed to be all in.” So he is.
Same as dealing with mum’s death at just 11 also meant maturing quicker than most others his age. “Oh, definitely,” he says. “Sometimes I’d hear mates speak with their parents and … I dunno … I’m not one to judge … but I just wanted to tell them ‘mate, you don’t know which conversation will be the last’.” Elsewhere, Lawrie also undertook a hands-on role with his siblings, helping his grandparents with the cooking, babysitting and, as soon as he could drive, making the school drop offs. “Because I felt responsible for them,” he says. “When my grandparents took us in, those three were all aged under seven.
“Jessica was two, still in nappies. “So while I couldn’t be a parent, I did feel the need to be that parent figure.” It is a commitment continuing today. With Lawrie devoting so much of his free time to both his own family and that of long-time partner Emily, who just lately he’s been trying to sell on the idea of their own little hobby farm out west. “But she loves the beach,” he grins. “So it’s a work in progress.” Importantly, Lawrie also still keeps the tightest of bonds with mum.
Not only through their regular conversations, or the picture he keeps on display at home — “from when I was little, sitting on her knee” — but also quiet reflections with that forearm ink. Like before games, when the young Dragon will brush a hand over her name. Same deal at other key moments in life. “Which is just mum’s way of still being here,” he says. “Helping me.”
I don't usually post or read stories such as this because some people don't want to be reminded of their own mothers who have been victims of that disease but hopefully someone will find it interesting.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Interesting photo. He had an offload in him at one time.
Eric
Staff
Hmmm that is intersting. Didn't notice it until now.
Eric
Staff
St George Illawarra Dragons hide Jack de Belin from the media while the South Sydney let their players speak
Dragons Jack de Belin isn't scared of a microphone; so why are they so scared of letting him speak into one?
Why are St George Illawarra Dragons hiding Jack de Belin? The last time I checked, de Belin is a grown man. Indeed, he turns 31-years-old in three weeks. He’s also a father. I’ve spoken to the St George-Illawarra forward many times. I can confirm, de Belin speaks fluent English To be fair he‘s a good chat, not intimidated, like other players can be He’ll sit with a tape recorder under his nose and with great detail, share a story about his upbringing, his family, his love for his junior foot club the Cootamundra Bulldogs, or his NRL aspirations. This is the guy that St George-Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin considered naming captain last August, remember?Yet nine months, or 277-days to be exact, since The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution dropped its case andadvised that de Belin’s court matter would not be proceeding to a third trial, no one outside of the Red-V rectangle have heard from de Belin. South Sydney supporters, this is where you should tune-in and applaud the freedom of which the Rabbitohs management allow your players to express themselves. As Souths CEO Blake Solly says: “To speak from the heart and show their character.”
As the club’s outstanding recent on-field results show, the Rabbitohs willingness for their players to mature on and off the field, is also enabling performance. Solly explained the club‘s reluctance to shackle their players when defending Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell, who spoke to every TV, radio and print reporter, for over an hour, earlier this week.
Instead of offering vanilla, one-word, clichéd answers in response to his current suspension for a high shot on Joey Manu last year, Mitchell claimed rugby league had become “OzTag” and that “the match review committee is swayed by media outlets.” “We would encourage Latrell, like all our players, to be considered, open and articulate about how they feel about the game or our club,” Solly said. What are they afraid of? Backlash from the sponsors? Concerns over potential legal issues?
If there are ongoing legal issues, de Belin is well within his rights to provide a simple, “no comment.” However, such is the lengths that the Dragons have gone to hide de Belin from a camera or microphone, he has even been guarded from answering deeply probing questions including, ‘What do you eat on the morning of a game?” and “Which NRL team did you support as a kid?”
On a recent trip down to Wollongong for pre-season filming of Fox League’s The Fan, the show’s producer was told that of the 25-odd players on the club list to be interviewed by co-hosts Lara Pitt and Andrew Voss, de Belin would be the only player off limits. Spare a thought for the nervous rookie in the team, looking past the camera and over at de Belin, again, the proposed captain, kicking back in his seat.
Plenty of fans would argue they have no interest in hearing from de Belin anyway. That’s fine. But then next week, don’t ask why so many professional athletes struggle to deal with life after football. Life doesn’t come with a minder. I would argue the Rabbitohs club-wide policy of wanting their players to front-up, share their story and voice their personal opinion on an issue, is far more advantageous in preparing them for life after football, than the mothering going on at the Dragons.
I’ve spoken to the Dragons CEO Ryan Webb about why de Belin is yet to discuss, well, anything? Webb responds with a left and right foot step better than Cody Ramsey. The Dragons say they’re happy for de Belin to talk to the media. But in the next sentence, they claim “just not at the moment, possibly next week.” NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler has an open-door policy with his players and the media. As he professes ahead of every Blues camp; “If a player can’t handle an interview from a journalist, how is he going to handle an Origin match?” At one stage, the Dragons were considering handing de Belin the captaincy. A captain that is, who is barred from talking.
Maybe after the way he feels he was treated, weather one agrees or not, he doesn't want to talk to the media.
jodragon40
Staff
Let his footy do the talking
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
I didn't follow it closely so not sure what kind of justification he had but I know he was talking about suing media organizations.
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
I hope we aren't going to release him this year unless Storm are picking up 100% of his salary.
In their opening game against the Tigers, the Storm lost Brandon Smith, George Jennings and Christian Welch to serious injuries, with Welch suffering a confirmed ruptured Achilles. Melbourne will also lose a quartet of experienced forwards at the end of the season, with the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi joining the Dolphins and Smith heading to the Roosters once the 2022 season concludes.
However, recent reports have emerged that the Storm are eyeing up Dragons star Sims as one potential arrival. The 32-year-old has made over 100 appearances for the Dragons since joining in 2016, but has not been offered a contract beyond this season and did not make the 17-man squad for the team’s Round One clash against the Warriors.
Bellamy may have been targeting Sims once his contract had expired, but given the lengthy period that Welch is out for and the fact that Sims appears to be on the outer of Anthony Griffin’s side, he could be tempted to push to snap up the New South Wales star ahead of time. When pressed on whether Sims was heading to Melbourne, Bellamy responded “not at the moment, no.”
But he refused to quash the idea that the club could make a play for the Dragons bruiser. “We’ll have a bit of interest in a few players,” Bellamy said. “We’ve lost players … We’re not scraping the bottom of the barrel, but we’re getting towards that. “We’re probably going to have to pull two or three players into the squad if the two tonight are as serious as our medical team think they are … we’re going to have to find some extra players from somewhere.”
FOX League analyst Cooper Cronk firmly believes that snapping up Sims would be a wise move by his former club. “That would be a good pick-up,” Cronk said. “It’s a strange dressing room, the Melbourne Storm at the moment.”
‘A bit of interest’: Storm eyeing up St George Illawarra ace
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy refused to shut down talk of the club making a move for St George Illawarra forward Tariq Sims as the club faces an immediate injury crisis.In their opening game against the Tigers, the Storm lost Brandon Smith, George Jennings and Christian Welch to serious injuries, with Welch suffering a confirmed ruptured Achilles. Melbourne will also lose a quartet of experienced forwards at the end of the season, with the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi joining the Dolphins and Smith heading to the Roosters once the 2022 season concludes.
However, recent reports have emerged that the Storm are eyeing up Dragons star Sims as one potential arrival. The 32-year-old has made over 100 appearances for the Dragons since joining in 2016, but has not been offered a contract beyond this season and did not make the 17-man squad for the team’s Round One clash against the Warriors.
Bellamy may have been targeting Sims once his contract had expired, but given the lengthy period that Welch is out for and the fact that Sims appears to be on the outer of Anthony Griffin’s side, he could be tempted to push to snap up the New South Wales star ahead of time. When pressed on whether Sims was heading to Melbourne, Bellamy responded “not at the moment, no.”
But he refused to quash the idea that the club could make a play for the Dragons bruiser. “We’ll have a bit of interest in a few players,” Bellamy said. “We’ve lost players … We’re not scraping the bottom of the barrel, but we’re getting towards that. “We’re probably going to have to pull two or three players into the squad if the two tonight are as serious as our medical team think they are … we’re going to have to find some extra players from somewhere.”
FOX League analyst Cooper Cronk firmly believes that snapping up Sims would be a wise move by his former club. “That would be a good pick-up,” Cronk said. “It’s a strange dressing room, the Melbourne Storm at the moment.”
jodragon40
Staff
Sims is 32 probably because of his fitness and physique has 2 years in him. He is on $800,000 until the end of the season so if he was to move mid season to Melbourne its usually a 50/ 50 split to pay him so Melbourne would need to cough up a min of $200,000 don't know what their salary cap is like so that's mid season obviously any earlier the more they pay if he was to go I'd be surprised if we were to let him go now that Woods is gone
Morgan
SGI NSW Cup
800k is way too much for him. He's a 600k player at very best! Thanks for that Mr. McGregor! But I think we are going to need him.
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
If Griffin doesn't have plans for him in the top grade, I say let him go. If it were to Penrith, I'd be concerned but Melbourne have slipped. Doubt they'll be a very serious force this year.
jodragon40
Staff
Melbourne have an excellent professional set up plus coach. Young Wishart was an excellent example of how some clubs are better than others he couldn't get a run with us and played very well last night against the Tigers. Mark my words Melb will be there again come September
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
They'll be there in September but October? I doubt it but I won't bet the house on it
. I liked what I saw from M. Molo in the trials.