Eric
Staff
I can only guess Flanno has big plans for the young forwards at the club already. All the talk about Dragons being desperate to sign props is only Flanno trying to throw other clubs off.
Recruitment and Retention for 2025
- Thread starter Eric
- Start date
Eric
Staff
Right but Widdop was pretty fast.
Wally Lewis was apparently slow as a wet week. The best 5/8s nowadays are far from slow but not fast either. Trent Barrett wasn't fast. Widdop could get going but didn't have really good acceleration.
RedVictory
SGI Jersey Flegg
I’d have thought we’d be a decent shot at Pahulu too considering he and Loko are great mates from school.
TheRev
SGI Jersey Flegg
Thommo was at the club a few days ago (1 of 5 clubs after him), its not that were not interested its just that I think we have buckleys of signing him... hes the hottest player on the market atm.. and I dont know much about Pahulu, but I dont think we would be interested in a rookie, if were gonna buy someone, its gonna be someone hardened rdy to do the 1st tackle carries right now in 2025.
Ryan
SGI Jersey Flegg
Buckleys of getting him because we are offering him less or club is still on the nose with a lot of players/managers?
st george tragic
SGI Jersey Flegg
The thing is we don't really know what's going on. I thought Atkinson was dead in the water and then surprise surprise. Hopefully flanno has another surprise in the pipeline
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Talking about LKT, right? Where did you read that? If it's true, I can only guess it's something to do with his training.
jodragon40
Staff
Agree
jodragon40
Staff
Good to see the 4 rookies be named today, Egan, Stewart, LPT and Latu. We have quite a few juniors now on the radar being given an opportunity to take that last step up to 1sts in the next few seasons. Things are heading in the right direction.
Edward
SGI Jersey Flegg
Yes. Was just,a rumour as far as I know.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
So I think that must be the 10 day cooling off period over for Atkinson. If so, I guess it means he won't be coming a year early. Otherwise why would the Sharks keep him around until the new year? During that time they would have to pay him.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Check out the passive-aggressiveness from Nicho Hynes!
Off-field value?
It looks to me like someone is self-conscious about what Atkinson did for the Sharks last season as opposed to what Hynes did.
DragonsTragic
SGI Jersey Flegg
Great story on Cody Ramsey:
www.smh.com.au
Cody Ramsey spent seven months in a hospital bed. Now the Dragons fullback wants to make an NRL comeback
After half-a-dozen surgeries, which resulted in him losing 28 kilograms, Cody Ramsey was a shell of himself. This is the story of his remarkable comeback.
Eric
Staff
He is the giant rookie with a giant name and he’s ready to re-sign with St George Illawarra and play in next year’s pre-season Charity Shield. Rising front-rower Loko Junior Pasifiki Tonga is poised to sign a contract extension at the Dragons until the end of 2027, possibly 2028. His current deal runs through until the end of 2026 with a new extension expected to be announced as early as Monday.
Pasifiki Tonga stands 196cm and weighs 121kg - he is a physical monster. Given he was being discussed by multiple clubs, Pasifiki Tonga’s anticipated retention is a significant boost for Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, who continues building his playing roster into a finals unit.
Some club recruitment managers claim Pasifiki Tonga, 19, is the hottest young front-rower in rugby league. Flanagan revealed Pasifiki Tonga would play in the Charity Shield and most likely make his NRL debut next season.
Pasifiki Tonga stands 196cm and weighs 121kg - he is a physical monster. Given he was being discussed by multiple clubs, Pasifiki Tonga’s anticipated retention is a significant boost for Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, who continues building his playing roster into a finals unit.
Some club recruitment managers claim Pasifiki Tonga, 19, is the hottest young front-rower in rugby league. Flanagan revealed Pasifiki Tonga would play in the Charity Shield and most likely make his NRL debut next season.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Would be a coup for the club.
jodragon40
Staff
Well the cat is out of the bag now with young PT a big article in today's DT Flanagan has indicated he starts in the CS game and will at some stage next season be thrown into the deep end. My only concern is that the majority of decent FR running around at the moment had good role models with experience and knowledge to help them develop. Do we have such a FR at the moment?
Edward
SGI Jersey Flegg
On the field JDB is one of the best role models possible. Off the field in regard to training and other things, I honestly don't know. He had made some mistakes in the past but might have learned from them and be a good role model off the field now as well.
Illusion
SGI Jersey Flegg
Well old mate you and I differ here you as a coach and me as a player ....... Play him give him game time I remember 2 young guys that were playing at a young age at the time I was playing , I was a back the other 2 bookends ........ Young and Ayliffe ........
jodragon40
Staff
There are always 2 trains of thought, yours and mine. I did work for a very short period of time with fat albert. He was actually a copper whilst playing, which gave him the tools to be both physically and mentally ready for the rigours of 1st grade. He was tough as teak , built like a brick shithouse, had a wonderful offload after 1st contact, has 2 premiership rings as well, 77/79. I believe he was 21 when he started playing for us and cpt us to our 79 gf win. I dont believe you could compare the 2 at this point of their careers. I hope I'm wrong and the kid is actually the next big thing. Time will tell and our current coach is nobody's fool he will know.
Chris M
SGI NSW Cup
Was quite different back then. It was an amateur game. Now there is the added pressure of big money at stake. I think that would mean it's harder to play young props in first grade but the way I look at it, if he's good enough he's old enough. If he plays well in the trails Flanno should pick him for round 1.