Recruitment and Retention for 2025
- Thread starter Eric
- Start date
Ryan
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I could live with Gutho having a pre-season to try to remodel himself as a halfback. His career as a fullback is over but might have the skills to prolong it in the halves.
Reckon gutho 5/8th, Kyle or someone else hb. TBH would love Hunt for Jayden Campbell + one of their wingers or straight Hunt for Leo Thompson
Ryan
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But that would still leave us looking for a halfback. Kyle Flanno at halfback? That's just begging for the spoon.
Kyle pretty much played as a pseudo halfback & we won plenty of games. I don't care if it's a stop-gap to get some quality players in a Ben Hunt swap.
Update from the other forum:
WHAT I HAVE HEARD
- Dragons met with Josh Addo Carr on Monday, club wants him to take paycut over Atleast 100k taking him to 450k per year , he is reportedly ok with that ideas due to wanting a fresh start
- Club also met with Clint Gutherson discussions are centered around 2026 but May move to 2025 depending on the Ben Hunt situation
- He said Adam Doueihi was just a name floated and nothing serious with that yet
- Also said we have been advanced talks with Daniel Atkinson, final decision is whether it will be for 25 or 26 ( again depending on Hunt )
- Hunt will only go to a QLD team , Dragons will only release for 25 if a player swap can be done ( club wants a forward )
- Matt Lodge is signed pending announcement
- Leigh Leopards are interested in Ravalawa club initially wanted Maika Sivo but he wants to join Leeds with Brad Arthur
- No interest for Blake Lawrie
- Sione Finau wants to go to Parramatta to play under Ryles
- Unfortunately Cody Ramsey is set to retire
- Club will make a play for Leo Thompson for 2026
All in alll I’ve been told to buckle up a lot of movement is about to happen
BIG UPDATE
I’m being told that the only club interested in Ben Hunt is the Bulldogs and that the Dragons will be open for a swap with Josh Addo Carr
Dunno how much is accurate but yea plenty of info. Can't say we're doing much for culture by bringing in Lodge & JAC. I guess with Flanno as the coach, does it really matter?
WHAT I HAVE HEARD
- Dragons met with Josh Addo Carr on Monday, club wants him to take paycut over Atleast 100k taking him to 450k per year , he is reportedly ok with that ideas due to wanting a fresh start
- Club also met with Clint Gutherson discussions are centered around 2026 but May move to 2025 depending on the Ben Hunt situation
- He said Adam Doueihi was just a name floated and nothing serious with that yet
- Also said we have been advanced talks with Daniel Atkinson, final decision is whether it will be for 25 or 26 ( again depending on Hunt )
- Hunt will only go to a QLD team , Dragons will only release for 25 if a player swap can be done ( club wants a forward )
- Matt Lodge is signed pending announcement
- Leigh Leopards are interested in Ravalawa club initially wanted Maika Sivo but he wants to join Leeds with Brad Arthur
- No interest for Blake Lawrie
- Sione Finau wants to go to Parramatta to play under Ryles
- Unfortunately Cody Ramsey is set to retire
- Club will make a play for Leo Thompson for 2026
All in alll I’ve been told to buckle up a lot of movement is about to happen
BIG UPDATE
I’m being told that the only club interested in Ben Hunt is the Bulldogs and that the Dragons will be open for a swap with Josh Addo Carr
Dunno how much is accurate but yea plenty of info. Can't say we're doing much for culture by bringing in Lodge & JAC. I guess with Flanno as the coach, does it really matter?
That's a good point. He's got a good passing game, big voice to organise & solid defence. Defs not a general field kicker.
Ryan
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Sad news about Ramsey. Sad news about Lawrie as well. How far has he fallen? Who does Daniel Atkinson play for now and in what position?
Ryan
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Kyle's stats were comically bad for last season. For try assists and line break assists. And we know he isn't busting tackles and cutting though the defensive line himself. He has plenty of heart but lacks talent.
Illusion
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Would take J. Campbell in a heart beat .......
sharks, halfback
GCRV
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For 2 years, he'd be a good pick up. For 3, not so sure. Someone who relies so much on his speed will struggle after he loses a step.
Neutral on this. Unless he can play halfback.
As above but I think he might be a bit better playing halfback.
Is he any good?
Swap Dolphins Hunt for Katoa? Something tells me they won't be in for that. NQ might be a dark-horse in this. They have a lot of young players, just not in the halves.
No risk about his on field form. Big risk about his off field form.
Hope someone takes him off the books.
Damn
No! JAC and Finau to be the wingers.
Sad but good luck to him regaining his health.
Frank Molo won't be re-signed and JDB will probably retire. Lawrie in the outer. So this makes sense.
I think JAC is fine. He's only doing it to himself. Not so sure about Lodge.
Thanks for the update.
Illusion
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Lawrie was ok just , before the 6 again rule happened ........ Wrong body shape no athleticism ........ Game has changed and he can't keep up .......
GCRV
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Analysis = true
Just a Mug Fan
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Nothing new here, looks like he has just listed all the rumours that have been in the media.
The Hunt "inside info" contradicts itself.
Looks like he updated that after it was reported on SEN radio yesterday.
Some good points by Flanno on the possible future of recruiting. Mestov made some dumb comments lol.
Draft won't work until NRL fund development. I don't want it to occur because I want us to keep our massive catchment area. Why share it with other teams? It would be to the detriment of us imo.
Around the 50th min mark, he sort of gives an insight into our future cap spend. Makes a point if you're top earners are the spine & they play accordingly then the team should be in the top 8.
Again around the same time, he wants to bring that model at the dragons but it's hard because of our past contracts. It could take him 3-5 years to have that model.
This leads me to think Val will be playing FB. He's on big money & flanno wants to spend big money on spine players.
Chris M
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Makes sense. Or give teams which spend the money on grassroots an advantage in the draft.
Chris M
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Val is a good player but doesn't really have the ball skills to be a top fullback. He was recruited by NQ to play fullback but it didn't work out.