2024 squad and best 17

[Chris M]

I was with Zac and his family before Xmas, he is very upbeat about this season. Said everyone at training is going hard moral is high, best he has seen it.
He gets on well with Flanno and is close with Billy Millard. I can see Zac having a much greater role on and off the field over the next few years.

Might be time to make Zac (C).

 

[jodragon40]

I was with Zac and his family before Xmas, he is very upbeat about this season. Said everyone at training is going hard moral is high, best he has seen it.
He gets on well with Flanno and is close with Billy Millard. I can see Zac having a much greater role on and off the field over the next few years.

This is my 54th year following the Dragons. I have been fortunate enough to watch some of the immortals of our game. I can safely say during the last few mediocre seasons I have been impressed by Lomax pride, passion and aggressive play especially in defence. I know personally it is not easy to maintain one's individual performances at a high standard when playing in a team that quite frankly since the BBQgate scandal has been fractured and mildly competitive. I still believe that he would not be out of place wearing the states sky blue jersey.

 

[Edward]

This is my 54th year following the Dragons. I have been fortunate enough to watch some of the immortals of our game. I can safely say during the last few mediocre seasons I have been impressed by Lomax pride, passion and aggressive play especially in defence. I know personally it is not easy to maintain one's individual performances at a high standard when playing in a team that quite frankly since the BBQgate scandal has been fractured and mildly competitive. I still believe that he would not be out of place wearing the states sky blue jersey.

Agree 100%.

 

[Eric]

This is my 54th year following the Dragons. I have been fortunate enough to watch some of the immortals of our game. I can safely say during the last few mediocre seasons I have been impressed by Lomax pride, passion and aggressive play especially in defence. I know personally it is not easy to maintain one's individual performances at a high standard when playing in a team that quite frankly since the BBQgate scandal has been fractured and mildly competitive. I still believe that he would not be out of place wearing the states sky blue jersey.

Agree 100%.

Remember when poor Mr Griffin completely lost his mind and dropped Zac last year? I think I said at the time, Zac is the very least of our problems. He, JDB and Lawrie should have been the only one's not ashamed of themselves.

Zac handled that well even though he had every right to be furious.

 

[jodragon40]

Remember when poor Mr Griffin completely lost his mind and dropped Zac last year? I think I said at the time, Zac is the very least of our problems. He, JDB and Lawrie should have been the only one's not ashamed of themselves.

Zac handled that well even though he had every right to be furious.

I do and at that time I mentioned that it would appear that the coach made it personal and once you do that you may as well pack your bags because you rarely recover from those situations as a coach

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

I do and at that time I mentioned that it would appear that the coach made it personal and once you do that you may as well pack your bags because you rarely recover from those situations as a coach

Hook lost the dressing room long before that.
Dividend the players the day he called Merrin a fat lazy **** that should never of played FG.
Merrin left the sheds and never went back, gave up half a years salary.

 

[GCRV]

Hook lost the dressing room long before that.
Dividend the players the day he called Merrin a fat lazy **** that should never of played FG.
Merrin left the sheds and never went back, gave up half a years salary.

What a fuckwit!!! Unbelievable they took as long as they did to sack him.

 

[jodragon40]

Hook lost the dressing room long before that.
Dividend the players the day he called Merrin a fat lazy **** that should never of played FG.
Merrin left the sheds and never went back, gave up half a years salary.

I never made it to the top echelon but NSW Cup back in the day. Starting coaching the U16, then U18 then reserves. My working job at the time (to serve and protect) stood me in good stead. It was important to sell your vision to your team understanding and setting achievable targets and goals and everyone buying in. If I had to share my personal views in regards to an individual player it was done face to face and privately . It was important to me to not only to dress down a player when required but also provide alternatives and answers. Just putting shit on players was never the right method.

 

[Ryan]

I never made it to the top echelon but NSW Cup back in the day. Starting coaching the U16, then U18 then reserves. My working job at the time (to serve and protect) stood me in good stead. It was important to sell your vision to your team understanding and setting achievable targets and goals and everyone buying in. If I had to share my personal views in regards to an individual player it was done face to face and privately . It was important to me to not only to dress down a player when required but also provide alternatives and answers. Just putting shit on players was never the right method.

Interesting first-hand knowledge.

 

[Morgan]

I never made it to the top echelon but NSW Cup back in the day. Starting coaching the U16, then U18 then reserves. My working job at the time (to serve and protect) stood me in good stead. It was important to sell your vision to your team understanding and setting achievable targets and goals and everyone buying in. If I had to share my personal views in regards to an individual player it was done face to face and privately . It was important to me to not only to dress down a player when required but also provide alternatives and answers. Just putting shit on players was never the right method.

Well said!

 

[DragonsTragic]

I never made it to the top echelon but NSW Cup back in the day. Starting coaching the U16, then U18 then reserves. My working job at the time (to serve and protect) stood me in good stead. It was important to sell your vision to your team understanding and setting achievable targets and goals and everyone buying in. If I had to share my personal views in regards to an individual player it was done face to face and privately . It was important to me to not only to dress down a player when required but also provide alternatives and answers. Just putting shit on players was never the right method.

Something I was taught early in my management career and have stuck to ever since: Praise in Public, Punish in Private.

 

[Eric]

I never made it to the top echelon but NSW Cup back in the day. Starting coaching the U16, then U18 then reserves. My working job at the time (to serve and protect) stood me in good stead. It was important to sell your vision to your team understanding and setting achievable targets and goals and everyone buying in. If I had to share my personal views in regards to an individual player it was done face to face and privately . It was important to me to not only to dress down a player when required but also provide alternatives and answers. Just putting shit on players was never the right method.

Something I was taught early in my management career and have stuck to ever since: Praise in Public, Punish in Private.

I've never really been a manager but I was told once that if it's necessary to criticise someone for work performance, first highlight the positives.

Something like:

Trent, I understand it's hard for you to keep your weight down. Thanks for the effort. That being said, this is a professional organisation. You need to bring it down a bit more and improve your performance by 10~15%. I have every confidence you can do that.

 

[Chris M]

This is interesting:

NRL Round 1 predicted teams: St George Illawarra Dragons - Double blow for Flanagan with recruits out for year

As part of a series profiling the expected Round 1 sides for all 17 NRL clubs in 2024, it’s time to check in with…

www.theroar.com.au

Jack Bird won't be in the second row. It's certain. But if he picks Corey Allen over either Feagai is a sure sign Flanno doesn't rate either of them. Personally I still think they might go okay in the centres if they can dramatically improve their defence. Not fast enough to make good wingers.

 

[Ryan]

I've never really been a manager but I was told once that if it's necessary to criticise someone for work performance, first highlight the positives.

Something like:

Trent, I understand it's hard for you to keep your weight down. Thanks for the effort. That being said, this is a professional organisation. You need to bring it down a bit more and improve your performance by 10~15%. I have every confidence you can do that.

Seems that's always been his problem. Good eye for talent, tactics, discipline but severely lacking people skills. Maybe in 2 years we will be saying he put the programs in place for the team to thrive.

 

[Chris M]

Seems that's always been his problem. Good eye for talent, tactics, discipline but severely lacking people skills. Maybe in 2 years we will be saying he put the programs in place for the team to thrive.

I think we discussed a while ago, in one of the Griffin threads, he's been kind of the opposite to Bennett. Bennett goes to a club, has a lot of success, leaves it in a salary cap mess. Griffin goes to clubs, does ok (until the Dragons), puts systems into place where the club can have long-term success, pisses everyone off and is sacked.

 

[RedV01]

By the end of the year, I hope this is the best 17.

1. Sloan
2. Finau
3. Tamale
4. Lomax
5. ???
6. ???
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. Fifita
11. Sua
12. Egan
13. JDB
14. Couchman
15. Couchman
16. Bird
17. Coric

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

By the end of the year, I hope this is the best 17.

1. Sloan
2. Finau
3. Tamale
4. Lomax
5. ???
6. ???
7. Hunt
8. Lawrie
9. Liddle
10. Fifita
11. Sua
12. Egan
13. JDB
14. Couchman
15. Couchman
16. Bird
17. Coric

We just extended Suli for 3 years and signed Sele for 3, they are both going to be in the 17.

 

[GCRV]

We just extended Suli for 3 years and signed Sele for 3, they are both going to be in the 17.

i.e. A lot of depth. Not much star power.

 

[RedV01]

We just extended Suli for 3 years and signed Sele for 3, they are both going to be in the 17.

Forgot about Sele. TBH, I just don't rate Suli so much. Don't think he's bad. Just not very good. Think he should be a backrower.

 

[Ryan]

Forgot about Sele. TBH, I just don't rate Suli so much. Don't think he's bad. Just not very good. Think he should be a backrower.

Suli was far from one of our worst last year. But yeah, wasn't very good either. Don't even remember him having a standout game. Literally threw away a game against the Tigers last year.