RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
I am spitting chips that our club has permitted Finau Latu to view Knights facilities this week.
Recruitment and Retention for 2025
- Thread starter Eric
- Start date
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
He wants to test his value on the market. What is the club to do? Offer him a mil a year to sign without testing his value on the market. I believe he is going to get offers then come back to the Dragons and say something like, "this is what I was offered at ______________. Are you willing to match that?" Then the club will say, "Yes" or "Unfortunately we can't compete with that offer. We wish you all the best for the future."
I think that's how it works.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Keep him loyal with an upgrade/extension, same as we did with his fellow Aussie Schoolboys. What our BOD dont see him as the same calibre as that pair? As a life long Dragons diehard I have seen squillions of Dragon players and in mho Latu is as good as any of our best past back rowers.
That's exactly what we're trying to do. He's allowed to test his value on the open market for next season. What if the BOD see him as better than Loko/LPT? You don't know & neither do I.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
I wish that could have happened but seems he wanted to test his value on the market. I guess it's a gamble. What if the Dragons tell him, we will pay you ****** for * years then the highest offer he gets elsewhere is below that? He then comes back and says, "I want to accept that offer." Only for the club to say, "We had to extend ********. ******** and ********. Now we can only offer you ****** (15% less). I don't know the details but that's how I thought it worked.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Guys Lachlan Galvin is on the market after knocking back $1m a year from the Tigers. A little nuts me thinks.
Dragons Chris
SGI NSW Cup
Good player but 1mil or more a year? Don't think he's that good.
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
That’s what it’ll take to get him though, there will be a handful of clubs who are willing to pay that or close enough to a mil (For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t be paying him that either)
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Expect to hear an announcement of an upgrade for LKT plus 'hopefully' Finau Latu as well.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
I'd back that to happen. Could say we have an a embarrassment of riches with our juniors, Jake, Loko, hopefully Latu and the Meafou brothers. With the Couchies leading the way adding Jett Liu, Stewart, Nick T, Egan. Jake Webster, a big lump of a lad is back in the picture too. Question is can we keep them all to build us a powerhouse future pack. .
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RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Not to be, Flanno has let the effing Grubs poach him from under our noses. A huge surprise as figured he'd stay with us based on a recent interview. Obviously the kid values the $ more than loyalty. Good riddance. Now can we find a replacement of similar quality. Wont be easy as other than possibly Daniel Meafou, I dont see that player on our books.
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RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Dump Latu! At the very least dont give him a Firsts debut. Fast track Jake H instead.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
We have already lost one of our big 3 from our Ball Cup winning side, premiers due to astute recruitment. Who of note has our R&R added to our pathways since then. Certainly not one of the best current players from the two rep comps. Not a one, with mostly the Rorters, Warriors, Storm and Grubs snaring them. Are we even scouting Sydneys St Pats College teams or Qlds Ipswich High, the nursery where we found our three '23 Aussie Schoolboys, LKT, Peckham-Harris, among others.There is now a dire need to boost the quality of Saints juniors, specially, that feed into our jr rep teams, both of which failed to make their comps finals for two out of the last three years.
Eric
Staff
Seems to be quite a few players moving up from last years SG Ball to first grade, reserve grade or Jersey Flegg this year or this year's SG Ball moving up to Flegg already. A number of very promising outside backs to go with the myriad of forwards from last year.
See this thread:
Recruitment and Retention for 2026
Not a chance haas leaves brisbane. He’s got full custody of his baby brothers as his parents are in jail/dead so they wont move Add on top that he plays for the biggest club in the league + massive third party deals etc. For him to even consider leaving brisbane a team would have to start the...
sgiforum.com
And this one:
Promising Juniors Thread.
Heidke looked like the superior centre in every matchup he had in SG ball apart from the wests game against Makasini where they thrashed us. There’s so much to his game to like, he absolutely should move ahead of the rumbles/Gudgeon. Would be great to have Buchanan/Heidke as genuine outside...
sgiforum.com
Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
Triple M reporting Dragons and Bulldogs are in negotiations for a player swap
Dogs want Finau Latu early and are trying to organise something with us
There’s a few guys I’d be asking for from them, not too many from the first grade side as why would they give one away when Latu will go there in 6 months
-Kaawyn Patterson (Best young hooker in the game)
-Jai Callaghan (Nippy Reece Walsh like fullback I rate highly)
-Sosaia Alatini (Is a clone of Briton Nikora style wise, scores lots of tries for a Backrower)
Their the 3 I’d be asking for, may as well get something out of it
I hope to god we aren’t so shortsighted that we only try and get a first grader and if we can’t than we drop negotiations
Let’s operate like a forward thinking well structured club
Dogs want Finau Latu early and are trying to organise something with us
There’s a few guys I’d be asking for from them, not too many from the first grade side as why would they give one away when Latu will go there in 6 months
-Kaawyn Patterson (Best young hooker in the game)
-Jai Callaghan (Nippy Reece Walsh like fullback I rate highly)
-Sosaia Alatini (Is a clone of Briton Nikora style wise, scores lots of tries for a Backrower)
Their the 3 I’d be asking for, may as well get something out of it
I hope to god we aren’t so shortsighted that we only try and get a first grader and if we can’t than we drop negotiations
Let’s operate like a forward thinking well structured club
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
not sure how seriously to take it all, whether its journos just spitballing.. ive no doubt the dogs wouldnt mind latu for the rest of the season, but are they actually willing to give up someone quality just for the next few months? Doubt it unless said player is on the out anyway due to lack of opportunity.
Dragons NSW Cup might also take a crack at the title this year, so dont mind Latu hanging around.. some challenges though with guys like RFM & Lawrie who imo should be moved on cause they are now blocking pathways legit.. and i dont think they contribute any more than the young guys are doing.
And lastly.. 2 more injuries and then things get interesting for first grade.. so I dont see the point in offloading Latu unless we do get someone that helps us.
Dragons NSW Cup might also take a crack at the title this year, so dont mind Latu hanging around.. some challenges though with guys like RFM & Lawrie who imo should be moved on cause they are now blocking pathways legit.. and i dont think they contribute any more than the young guys are doing.
And lastly.. 2 more injuries and then things get interesting for first grade.. so I dont see the point in offloading Latu unless we do get someone that helps us.
Mug Fan
SGI NSW Cup
That hasn't happened, Dogs might want him but there has been no negotiations.
Finau has not asked for a realese and wants to stay and win a comp with his mates.
Mind you this could change if Flanno keeps pushing him.
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Mailroomsgi
SGI Jersey Flegg
To me Finau Latu is a dogs player currently and shouldn’t get a debut this year barring a catastrophic injury toll
I could see the dogs giving away an SG ball/Flegg player but not anyone in the top 30 worth asking for
The story is probably BS but on the off chance it’s true I’d rather we think long term instead of spitting the dummy and telling Canterbury to f**k off
Patterson might be harder to get but Callaghan/Alatini we could get no questions asked IMO
I could see the dogs giving away an SG ball/Flegg player but not anyone in the top 30 worth asking for
The story is probably BS but on the off chance it’s true I’d rather we think long term instead of spitting the dummy and telling Canterbury to f**k off
Patterson might be harder to get but Callaghan/Alatini we could get no questions asked IMO
Surely flanno can't be this petty lol. Interesting month coming up for the club...
RedV01
SGI NSW Cup
I don't know what the truth is but according to the SMH, he didn't want to know about the Dragons offer. Pretty insulting. I'm very far from a fan of what Flanno has done in his time coaching the Dragons but in this case, I think he's right to be petty.