2025 Round 1 team

[Chris M]

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This is the issue I have with Flanno. He's talking up RFM. Looks like he's going to be picked for round 1. Some players can be kicking down the door in NSW Cup and only be selected when there are injuries or suspensions (Couchmans) or not be selected for first grade all year (Egan) while others can have several shockers, hardly ever play well and seemingly not be under any threat of being dropped.

 

[Dave03]

Starts around the 10ish mins.
- Flanno is bullish on the couchmens, says the game has slowed down for them & refers to them as 1st graders.
- Loko big kid but still young, will play 1st grade at some stage.
- Mentioned a few youngsters, still unsure whether they'll play 1st grade this year or next year.
- Wants a top line fwd but none available atm. We've got money to spend.
- Flanno unsure who will be our starting wingers but has 4/5 quality ones to pick. Letting them compete for spots.
- Kyle was around 86kgs last year but about 92/93kgs this pre-season, wants him to play at around 90kgs. Came 2nd in 1.2km time trial.

Good chat but want to hear more about our defensive improvements or changes.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

Starts around the 10ish mins.
- Flanno is bullish on the couchmens, says the game has slowed down for them & refers to them as 1st graders.
- Loko big kid but still young, will play 1st grade at some stage.
- Mentioned a few youngsters, still unsure whether they'll play 1st grade this year or next year.
- Wants a top line fwd but none available atm. We've got money to spend.
- Flanno unsure who will be our starting wingers but has 4/5 quality ones to pick. Letting them compete for spots.
- Kyle was around 86kgs last year but about 92/93kgs this pre-season, wants him to play at around 90kgs. Came 2nd in 1.2km time trial.

Good chat but want to hear more about our defensive improvements or changes.

This was the best interview Flanno has done all offseason.

Hamish Stewart has some massive wraps, Flanno went out of his way to hype him up, I’m not convinced by what I’ve seen but happy to be proven wrong.
LKT wasn’t mentioned but Halangahu,Loko and Finau Latu all mentioned which is good to hear

 

[Chris M]

This was the best interview Flanno has done all offseason.

Hamish Stewart has some massive wraps, Flanno went out of his way to hype him up, I’m not convinced by what I’ve seen but happy to be proven wrong.
LKT wasn’t mentioned but Halangahu,Loko and Finau Latu all mentioned which is good to hear

It seems like I'm the only one who was impressed by LKT in the Canberra game. Defended very well and in the first half when Dragons had their share of the ball, he ran right to the line before passing. What more does anyone expect for a 19 year old who started the year in SG Ball?!

 

[Mailroomsgi]

It seems like I'm the only one who was impressed by LKT in the Canberra game. Defended very well and in the first half when Dragons had their share of the ball, he ran right to the line before passing. What more does anyone expect for a 19 year old who started the year in SG Ball?!

I’m a fan of LKT, I wouldn’t read into his performances too much from NRL last year.

Flanno kept his role very basic, he can do a lot more than what he showed. Interesting to see what happens with him now that Atkinson is on his way

 

[Edward]

It seems like I'm the only one who was impressed by LKT in the Canberra game. Defended very well and in the first half when Dragons had their share of the ball, he ran right to the line before passing. What more does anyone expect for a 19 year old who started the year in SG Ball?!

If he plays well in NSW Cup, he'll get another chance sooner rather than later.

I’m a fan of LKT, I wouldn’t read into his performances too much from NRL last year.

Flanno kept his role very basic, he can do a lot more than what he showed. Interesting to see what happens with him now that Atkinson is on his way

Can't Atkinson also play halfback? Might be 7, Atkinson, 6. LKT.

 

[Dave03]

This was the best interview Flanno has done all offseason.

Hamish Stewart has some massive wraps, Flanno went out of his way to hype him up, I’m not convinced by what I’ve seen but happy to be proven wrong.
LKT wasn’t mentioned but Halangahu,Loko and Finau Latu all mentioned which is good to hear

Yea, ball playing lock similar to yeo but I don't think we'll see any of them feature in the 1st month of footy unless there's injuries. My guess at a rolling 17 based on what he's said. He was bummed about Sloan getting injured again.

1. Gutho
2. CT
3. Holmes
4. Suli
5. Feagai/Rava
6. Kyle
7. Ilias
8. Molo
9. Cook
10. Sele
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. JDB

14. Liddle
15. Couchman
16. Couchman
17. RFM/Lawrie/Eisenhuth (hope not)

Our edges can be dynamic, just need to pray that our middle can hold on. Spine, who knows? Will take time to gel but we should be in good field position with our back 5 kick return ability.

 

[Chris M]

Yea, ball playing lock similar to yeo but I don't think we'll see any of them feature in the 1st month of footy unless there's injuries. My guess at a rolling 17 based on what he's said. He was bummed about Sloan getting injured again.

1. Gutho
2. CT
3. Holmes
4. Suli
5. Feagai/Rava
6. Kyle
7. Ilias
8. Molo
9. Cook
10. Sele
11. Leilua
12. Sua
13. JDB

14. Liddle
15. Couchman
16. Couchman
17. RFM/Lawrie/Eisenhuth (hope not)

Our edges can be dynamic, just need to pray that our middle can hold on. Spine, who knows? Will take time to gel but we should be in good field position with our back 5 kick return ability.

Main problem I see with this is the still extremely slow backline. It might be even slower than last year.

 

[Mailroomsgi]

I wouldn’t have Ravalawa near the first 17, he’d be a last resort. Defensive decision making might be the worst of any player in the league + he’s useless in space. Needs to catch the ball 5m out from the tryline to have a chance to score.

Sione Finau and CT should be the wingers if Sloan isn’t fit to play.

Suli/Holmes/CT are all good coming out of yardage and Gutho is an improvement on Sloan in that respect too

 

[GCRV]

I wouldn’t have Ravalawa near the first 17, he’d be a last resort. Defensive decision making might be the worst of any player in the league + he’s useless in space. Needs to catch the ball 5m out from the tryline to have a chance to score.

Sione Finau and CT should be the wingers if Sloan isn’t fit to play.

Suli/Holmes/CT are all good coming out of yardage and Gutho is an improvement on Sloan in that respect too

Agree about Rava. He just can't read the play well enough. Comes in when he should stay out and stays out when he should come in. Every winger does it. Must be hard to judge. Especially with some of the better ball playing fullbacks. But other wingers who miss the mark as often as Rava do it in reserve grade.

 

[Chris M]

I think CT's future is as a prop

Biggest positional battles​

WING: The domino effect of Clint Gutherson’s arrival means Tyrell Sloan will be shifted to the wing, leaving Mikaele Ravalawa, Mathew Feagai and Christian Tuipulotu vying for the other spots. The most experienced Ravalawa was in and out of the team last year, while Tuipulotu is considered a player of the future.

 

[Dave03]

I think CT's future is as a prop

Biggest positional battles​

WING: The domino effect of Clint Gutherson’s arrival means Tyrell Sloan will be shifted to the wing, leaving Mikaele Ravalawa, Mathew Feagai and Christian Tuipulotu vying for the other spots. The most experienced Ravalawa was in and out of the team last year, while Tuipulotu is considered a player of the future.

They're completely different positions & skillsets. You have to learn the nous of prop play which takes plenty of time too. Massive gamble for him to take at this point of his career & for us when he was our best winger last year.

 

[Chris M]

They're completely different positions & skillsets. You have to learn the nous of prop play which takes plenty of time too. Massive gamble for him to take at this point of his career & for us when he was our best winger last year.

Definitely. Would take a lot of training to successfully make the adjustment. But he is big enough to be a prop but in my opinion not fast enough to be a good winger.

 

[Eric]

Teenage Dragons rookies banging the door down for an NRL debut in 2025​

Four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025 after impressing coach Shane Flanagan​

They’re the four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025.
While Shane Flanagan keeps one recruitment play up his sleeve with a spot left in his top 30, a group of rookie forwards are rapidly impressing the coach over the summer.
Loko Pasifika Tonga, as well as fellow forwards Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart and Finau Latu are yet to play first grade, but are likely to debut this season.
“I’d like to think all of those four could play first grade this year, so to have four kids at this stage of the year that I’d be confident in throwing them in, is a good thing,” he said.

---

If everything goes bad at some stage this year, at least it will surely mean 2, 3 or all 4 of these debut.
Egan should've made it last hear, IMO.

 

[Ryan]

Teenage Dragons rookies banging the door down for an NRL debut in 2025​

Four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025 after impressing coach Shane Flanagan​

They’re the four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025.
While Shane Flanagan keeps one recruitment play up his sleeve with a spot left in his top 30, a group of rookie forwards are rapidly impressing the coach over the summer.
Loko Pasifika Tonga, as well as fellow forwards Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart and Finau Latu are yet to play first grade, but are likely to debut this season.
“I’d like to think all of those four could play first grade this year, so to have four kids at this stage of the year that I’d be confident in throwing them in, is a good thing,” he said.

---

If everything goes bad at some stage this year, at least it will surely mean 2, 3 or all 4 of these debut.
Egan should've made it last hear, IMO.

Egan > Eisenhuth, RFM and sorry to say, Blocka.

 

[Chris M]

Teenage Dragons rookies banging the door down for an NRL debut in 2025​

Four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025 after impressing coach Shane Flanagan​

They’re the four rising stars at St George Illawarra pushing for an NRL debut in 2025.
While Shane Flanagan keeps one recruitment play up his sleeve with a spot left in his top 30, a group of rookie forwards are rapidly impressing the coach over the summer.
Loko Pasifika Tonga, as well as fellow forwards Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart and Finau Latu are yet to play first grade, but are likely to debut this season.
“I’d like to think all of those four could play first grade this year, so to have four kids at this stage of the year that I’d be confident in throwing them in, is a good thing,” he said.

---

If everything goes bad at some stage this year, at least it will surely mean 2, 3 or all 4 of these debut.
Egan should've made it last hear, IMO.

Why is Flanno negative on LKT??!! Never mentions him at all let alone compare him with Stewart, LPT and Latu.

 

[Dave03]

Why is Flanno negative on LKT??!! Never mentions him at all let alone compare him with Stewart, LPT and Latu.

Where has he said something negative about him?

 

[Chris M]

Where has he said something negative about him?

Negative by omission. Has a coach ever publicly bagged a player and been in the job a few weeks later? Maybe there have been a few but I can't remember.

Maybe something going on behind the scenes I don't know about but I was very impressed by him in the Canberra game. He hardly had a blinder but I thought showed so much promise considering he was 19 and started the year in SG Ball. But repeatedly Flanno doesn't mention him when talking about promising young players.

 

[Eric]

Negative by omission. Has a coach ever publicly bagged a player and been in the job a few weeks later? Maybe there have been a few but I can't remember.

Maybe something going on behind the scenes I don't know about but I was very impressed by him in the Canberra game. He hardly had a blinder but I thought showed so much promise considering he was 19 and started the year in SG Ball. But repeatedly Flanno doesn't mention him when talking about promising young players.

I agree to an extent but the bottom line is, LKT isn't top 30 but the other 4 are. With the signings of Illias and Atkinson, talking up Reed, re-signing Kyle Flanno, I think the writing is on the wall for LKT.

I remember when Junior Amone made his first grade debut. It might not have been his debut but was at least the first time he played a significant number of minutes. I thought, "here is our 5/8 for the next 10~15 years." After that, if it wasn't for his legal problems, I think he might have found himself cut loose anyway.

All will become clear in a couple of months. If the team is flying, he can prove himself in NSW Cup. If struggling, he will surely get put in the hot seat sooner rather that later.

 

[Wild383]

Negative by omission. Has a coach ever publicly bagged a player and been in the job a few weeks later? Maybe there have been a few but I can't remember.

Maybe something going on behind the scenes I don't know about but I was very impressed by him in the Canberra game. He hardly had a blinder but I thought showed so much promise considering he was 19 and started the year in SG Ball. But repeatedly Flanno doesn't mention him when talking about promising young players.

He's not being negative at all, your just making drama out of absolutely nothing. Flannos been pumping our juniors up in every interview for the last 12 months lol.

If you listen to the whole thing he already mentioned having 3 or 4 debutants last year and having 3 or 4 more this year. Then he got asked about what young guys coming into first grade we should be looking forward to, listed about 6 of them (mostly top 30) that could all debute and stated they're all future first grade players, whether it's this year or next. LKT has already debuted and got a bit of hype last year shooting up through ressies, but he is still very young and certainly didn't blow anyone away (but who can with Hunt beside them) he will get his chances with time and injury.