2026-27 Off Season

[Gippsy]

Yeah, I no longer care about the spoon or how bad we were this year as I think it has forced massive changes for next year.

Other highlights for me are some of the other teams who missed finals, ie Manly, Storm Dogs, Broncos & even the super-coached Eels. Considering the lineups of those teams their seasons have been absolute disasters. At least we all knew at the start of the year how terrible our roster was.

 

[Morgan]

Yeah, I no longer care about the spoon or how bad we were this year as I think it has forced massive changes for next year.

Other highlights for me are some of the other teams who missed finals, ie Manly, Storm Dogs, Broncos & even the super-coached Eels. Considering the lineups of those teams their seasons have been absolute disasters. At least we all knew at the start of the year how terrible our roster was.

If only the Sharks had missed out on the finals. Hopefully they'll be bounced out in the first week.

 

[Zen]

Good news and bad news. The good news it it's all on again next season. The bad news is, it's all on again next season. "We have everything to play for, and forever to play it in"

 

[Dragon David]

I am hoping that next year we win games with high scores for a change. The last time we racked up a score over 50 was in June 2024 (when coached by Shane Flanagan) against the Tigers. The score was 56-14 with Zac Lomax scoring 32 points in that game. Before that we beat the Broncos on June 3, 2021 (when coached by Anthony Griffin), at Jubilee Stadium. It marked the first time the Dragons had scored 50 or more points in a single match since March 2018 (when coached by Mary McGregor). Fullback Matt Dufty was the star of the night, putting on a masterclass by scoring two tries and setting up five others just a week after learning his contract would not be renewed for the following season.

So big wins have been very scarce for us as you would know but as can be seen, we had 3 different coaches do it in the 2020's. Will Dean Young be able to get the team to do it under his coaching and as I said, I hope we can rack up high scores because it will determine how we are playing especially with the new guys coming into the squad.

 

[Eric]

This is more like post season wash-up but anyway:

Top 5 worst games this year:​

1. Round 17 vs Canberra. In a nutshell, it might have been Braith Anasta said after the game, "That was one (a game) for the rugby league purists." The rest of the panel started laughing.
2. Round 16 vs Newcastle. Newcastle without Ponga are a bit of a rabble even though they might have improved a bit. But in this game they went back to how they were without him last year but still won.
3. Round 4 vs Gold Coast. Both teams winless going into the game winless. Terrible game. Afterward they got better, we didn't for several weeks yet.
4. Round 8 vs Roosters. This was Deano's first game in charge. Utterly embarrassed but at least Reed was given his debut and at least we were up against quality opposition.
5. Hmmmmm I'm not sure. I don't really remember any of the games under Flanno except that #3 above. So maybe either of the games from the last 2 weeks.

Top 5 best games:​

1. Round 23 vs Shonksters. Before the game, the talking heads were waxing lyrical about the Shonksters. I was shocked in a good way about the ability of our young pack to smash the Shonkies pack.
2. Round 13 vs Broncos. We know how they ended up the season but at the time, they had been missing Walsh and Haas, by far their two best players. I thought they were going to give us a thrashing.
3. Round 18 vs Tigers. They only got really bad after this game.
4. Round 11 vs Penrith. Lost but it wasn't until the last 15 min of the second half they really got ahead by a significant margin in a game they were expected to wrack up 50 at least.
5. Round 24 vs Tigers. Bottom of the barrel as far as highlights go. At the time, Tigers were a mess.

 

[RufusRex]

Eric - Round 4 vs Titans so much to hate about that game ...
Holmes inability to execute a basic 2 on 1 draw pass turned the game around 12 points ... simply pathetic.

The two titans games are the games we absolutely should have won and ended up giving us the spoon not them.

 

[jodragon40]

Age of the youngsters in our pack
Loko - 21
Jacob H - 20 (today)
Hamish - 22
Couchmen bro's - 23 in sept
Egan - 22 in sept
Jacob W - 23
Nick T - 22

Soo soo young.

And non should be in their prime for a couple of more seasons especially LPT

 

[Eric]

Eric - Round 4 vs Titans so much to hate about that game ...
Holmes inability to execute a basic 2 on 1 draw pass turned the game around 12 points ... simply pathetic.

The two titans games are the games we absolutely should have won and ended up giving us the spoon not them.

I don't have an issue with the second Titans game. They played quite well.

 

[RedV01]

Top 5 for the year​

best: Toby Couchman
next: Ryan Couchman
3rd: Stewart
4th: Cook
5th: LPT

Worst 5 for the year​

Worst: KF
2nd worst: Gutho
3rd: Atkinson
4th: Holmes
5th: Suli

 

[Eric]

A few are free to negotiate from November 1. If they sign elsewhere they'll probably get permission to leave a year early. Doubt anyone will pick up Gutho or Kyle at this stage of their careers. Kerr, Fale and Tu might be a chance in the ESL. Suli and especially LKT might have a future in the NRL.

 

[RandomDragon]

So we say goodbye to (confirmed):
Sua
Luch
Sele
Lawrie
Feagai
Sloan
Lawson
Tuipulotu
Cook

We welcome:
KK
Metcalfe
Nikorima
Sami
Drinkwater
Watson

Seles time with the club sums him up, fucked! He never looked good and was a dud buy. Luch and sua never set the world on fire, see you later.

Can’t wait for when they all start preseason, hopefully limited selections in the World Cup and they can all work on combinations as early as possible. I expect us to make top 8 next year

 

[GCRV]

So we say goodbye to (confirmed):
Sua
Luch
Sele
Lawrie
Feagai
Sloan
Lawson
Tuipulotu
Cook

We welcome:
KK
Metcalfe
Nikorima
Sami
Drinkwater
Watson

Seles time with the club sums him up, fucked! He never looked good and was a dud buy. Luch and sua never set the world on fire, see you later.

Can’t wait for when they all start preseason, hopefully limited selections in the World Cup and they can all work on combinations as early as possible. I expect us to make top 8 next year

Gular left as well. Until now I didn't realise it was that many. It really is a clean-out.

 

[Zen]

2003 parallels. The Sloan field goal was reminiscent of the Piggy Riddell penalty v Brisbane in 2003. In the dying moments of a dead rubber, a booming kick from looong distance flies over the black dot and we end the season with a win. Feels like 2003 in a few ways. That was also the first year under a new rookie coach and a pretty crappy year in which we missed the finals. We farewelled some players in that final game too - a big, lumbering and slightly disappointing prop (Leikvoll), some average backs (Saleh, Wilshire, Nero) and a veteran who played too long (Cross). And, just like in 2003, Penrith go on to win the grand final.



So in 2004 a cracking crop of young gun local juniors become all they promised to be - we make the finals and then probably should have won a comp in either 05 or 06. Same vibes leading into 2027 (would kill to have a Gasnier though)

 

[Dragon David]

2003 parallels. The Sloan field goal was reminiscent of the Piggy Riddell penalty v Brisbane in 2003. In the dying moments of a dead rubber, a booming kick from looong distance flies over the black dot and we end the season with a win. Feels like 2003 in a few ways. That was also the first year under a new rookie coach and a pretty crappy year in which we missed the finals. We farewelled some players in that final game too - a big, lumbering and slightly disappointing prop (Leikvoll), some average backs (Saleh, Wilshire, Nero) and a veteran who played too long (Cross). And, just like in 2003, Penrith go on to win the grand final.



So in 2004 a cracking crop of young gun local juniors become all they promised to be - we make the finals and then probably should have won a comp in either 05 or 06. Same vibes leading into 2027 (would kill to have a Gasnier though)

Agreed. If we were fortunate to get another Gasnier type player, I will be rapt and our chances of winning games improve dramatically.

 

[RufusRex]

So we say goodbye to (confirmed):
Sua
Luch
Sele
Lawrie
Feagai
Sloan
Lawson
Tuipulotu
Cook

We welcome:
KK
Metcalfe
Nikorima
Sami
Drinkwater
Watson

Seles time with the club sums him up, fucked! He never looked good and was a dud buy. Luch and sua never set the world on fire, see you later.

Can’t wait for when they all start preseason, hopefully limited selections in the World Cup and they can all work on combinations as early as possible. I expect us to make top 8 next year

Out (11 of the top 30)
Damien Cook
Mat Feagai
Emre Guler
Blake Lawrie
Nathan Lawson
Luciano Leilua
Joseph O'Neill (back to a lower tier contract)
Hame Sele
Tyrell Sloan
Jaydn Su'A
Christian Tuipolotu (not officially reported but trust Mug)

In (New - 6)
Drinkwater
Koloamatagi
Metcalf
Nikorima
Sami
Watson

In (Pathway Promotions - 3)
Reed
Cyrus
Webster

Means we are at 28 (i think) if we assume Weatherall keeps his Top30 deal that he was promoted into post June.

 

[Eric]

2003 parallels. The Sloan field goal was reminiscent of the Piggy Riddell penalty v Brisbane in 2003. In the dying moments of a dead rubber, a booming kick from looong distance flies over the black dot and we end the season with a win. Feels like 2003 in a few ways. That was also the first year under a new rookie coach and a pretty crappy year in which we missed the finals. We farewelled some players in that final game too - a big, lumbering and slightly disappointing prop (Leikvoll), some average backs (Saleh, Wilshire, Nero) and a veteran who played too long (Cross). And, just like in 2003, Penrith go on to win the grand final.



So in 2004 a cracking crop of young gun local juniors become all they promised to be - we make the finals and then probably should have won a comp in either 05 or 06. Same vibes leading into 2027 (would kill to have a Gasnier though)

Agreed. If we were fortunate to get another Gasnier type player, I will be rapt and our chances of winning games improve dramatically.

Didn't Dan Anderson or someone senior in the club say they are don't with recruitment now and will promote from within? Seems like they have high hopes for a few outside backs. Rumble is one. Burton another though probably not until 2028. Buchanan, Heidke and Williams were out for almost the entire year but with a full off season uninterrupted by injury or personal issues, who knows how good they could be? None of those 3 are that young anymore. It's the right time for them to transition into the NRL next year if they are ever going to do it.

 

[Dragon David]

Didn't Dan Anderson or someone senior in the club say they are don't with recruitment now and will promote from within? Seems like they have high hopes for a few outside backs. Rumble is one. Burton another though probably not until 2028. Buchanan, Heidke and Williams were out for almost the entire year but with a full off season uninterrupted by injury or personal issues, who knows how good they could be? None of those 3 are that young anymore. It's the right time for them to transition into the NRL next year if they are ever going to do it.

Yes, you are right Eric, but I would like to care to dream from time to time. Daniel Anderson has been very keen to see how our young ones are performing and he has a very good eye to assess who would do well from those junior ranks. He did sign up Toia for the Roosters and he is going great guns as a centre for the Roosters.

 

[RufusRex]

Didn't Dan Anderson or someone senior in the club say they are don't with recruitment now and will promote from within? Seems like they have high hopes for a few outside backs. Rumble is one. Burton another though probably not until 2028. Buchanan, Heidke and Williams were out for almost the entire year but with a full off season uninterrupted by injury or personal issues, who knows how good they could be? None of those 3 are that young anymore. It's the right time for them to transition into the NRL next year if they are ever going to do it.

Yes

But if we were able to shed one or more of Suli/Gutherson/Holmes/Kerr/Kyle then that would change and we would look outside ...

 

[RedV01]

According to Fox Sport, Toby Couchman makes the team of the year. Just glad we extended them early because I think next year when we win more games these two are going to get a lot more non-Dragons supporters notice them.

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10. Toby Couchman +1.85​

It was a dismal season for the Dragons but one shining light was the emergence of their young forward pack and Toby Couchman led the way in that regard.

Couchman finished just ahead of Brisbane superstar Payne Haas for second spot behind Taumalolo and while Mitch Barnett was technically a close second at +2.22, he only played 11 games.

Couchman was rewarded for his strong form this year with an extension through to 2030.

 

[Justadragon]

There is zero, zilch, nada chance of any other club picking up the contracts of Gutho and KF. Gutho is worth keeping around for his utility value and leadership. Just gotta pay KF's contract out.

I thought it was a bit embarrassing in our last PC having KF sitting there. Especially when all the talk was about next year and the players coming in. He was asked about a tribute to Lawrie and Cook but apart from that we all know the chances of him being in the halves or at least being in the team next year are more than slim.