Recruitment and Retention for 2026

R

redv13

SGI Junior League
Mailroomsgi said:
They’ll give Tsougranis the flick IMO, a development contract at most.

Can’t see him getting a top 30 deal, same with Glover

The hope would be shifting Lawrie and Ravalawa off the books for 2026 that’s a decent chunk of coin freed up from deadwood
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I hope you’re wrong about Tsougranis, the kid has some mongrel and goes well. He deserves a crack. Look at Egan and Stewart, now LPT. Hopefully Nick gets a debut later in the season, seems like a lovely kid and a legit local junior
 
DragonsTragic

DragonsTragic

SGI Jersey Flegg
Ryan said:
Does anyone know the truth regarding Latu? He (or they say his family was in order to keep pressure off Latu himself) was unhappy about something in the negotiating process and thus, informed his management he wasn't interested in whatever Flanno was offering so don't even bother. Is that right? I know Flanno is blaming his manager but as if he doesn't understand his manager acts on the players wishes.
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I would say Justa Mug's post above is the closest you'll get...
 
Ryan

Ryan

SGI NSW Cup
DragonsTragic said:
I would say Justa Mug's post above is the closest you'll get...
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This
Just a Mug Fan said:
This is the most accurate story of what happened.
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So he informed his manager he wasn't interested in the Dragons offer? I know Flanno is saying his manager didn't want to hear the Dragons offer but obviously his manager was acting on his clients wishes. This was because his family (taking pressure off him by saying it was them who decided) was unhappy about the Dragons treatment of him.

I get all that. What I don't get is what made him unhappy. Does he just dislike Flanno?
 
Eric

Eric

Staff
Ryan said:
This

So he informed his manager he wasn't interested in the Dragons offer? I know Flanno is saying his manager didn't want to hear the Dragons offer but obviously his manager was acting on his clients wishes. This was because his family (taking pressure off him by saying it was them who decided) was unhappy about the Dragons treatment of him.

I get all that. What I don't get is what made him unhappy. Does he just dislike Flanno?
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Old news. Don't care anymore. I hope things progress well with Flegg so one of them can be promoted and Latu dropped.
 
Just a Mug Fan

Just a Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
  • NickyT I dont know where he fits, another dev contract would be underwhelming for him.. dragons kid.. and NSW U19 player.. I absolutely see a future in him, its just Egan & Jacob making it difficult.. I actually thought he was going to be Top30 next year.. so I think the answer will become clear in months to come.. give him an opportunity.. he is fiery as.
  • Halangahu into the 30 I didnt know.. its early.. but we had to fend some clubs off I get it.. he will probably pay mid 2026.
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Flanno watching Nick on weekend was impressed with his versatility, expect him and Jake to be tested in the middle in the coming months.
 
J

Justadragon

SGI Jersey Flegg
Ryan said:
This

So he informed his manager he wasn't interested in the Dragons offer? I know Flanno is saying his manager didn't want to hear the Dragons offer but obviously his manager was acting on his clients wishes. This was because his family (taking pressure off him by saying it was them who decided) was unhappy about the Dragons treatment of him.

I get all that. What I don't get is what made him unhappy. Does he just dislike Flanno?
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I dont think you will ever get an answer to that Ryan, at least not a true one.
 
Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
  1. Atkinson
  2. Cook
  3. Toby
  4. Ryan
  5. Egan
  6. Feagai
  7. Flanagan
  8. Guler
  9. Gutherson
  10. Halangahu
  11. Homes
  12. Ilias
  13. King-Togia
  14. Lawrie
  15. Leilua
  16. Pacific Tonga
  17. Ravalawa
  18. Sele
  19. Sloan
  20. Stewart
  21. Su'A
  22. Suli
  23. Tuipulotu
  24. Liddle MO
Need to sign re-sign Nick T and JDB. Hopefully get rid of Rava and Kyle, Sele or Lawrie.
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
I think Jake could end up as a middle forward, been incredible coming through the grades as an edge but you never know

Tsougranis as a ball runner is fantastic, looks so hard to tackle. Just not sure how he fits with the amount of edge backrowers we have at the moment
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
  • When I look at Egan, I see Liam Martin Lite, slightly smaller and less angry.. but there is a prototype there..
  • When I see Nicky T I see a young Tariq Sims, a man who who could walk through a brickwall..
  • When I look at Jacob.... im like... I dont see another 2nd rower in the game that he is aspiring to be in his body type.. can you guys think of any? He is basically a human tractor...and he might look a little like David Fifita with tree trunk thighs... but Dave seems so tall in games... and when I compare Jacob in dressing room photos etc.. he looks near identical in height to MMolo who is 5ft11 and looks like a mouse next to the other forwards.. mind you.. stats say Jacob is 6ft.. and Fifita is 6ft1, but I just dont believe those numbers.. Jacob is far wider than MMolo though, esp in the lower body.
Anyway, so thats why I think a prop is not out of the question 'at some point'.. but if he continues to do his job from 2nd row, tackle and attack with big pcm, then maybe he is the first of his mould as a 2nd rower.. but who knows... imagine in 10yrs time what his build would look like, he would probably be a lot thicker.. could he be a slightly shorter lazarus? Lazzo was 6ft2 and 115kg.. Maybe..
 
D

Dave03

SGI Jersey Flegg
TheRev said:
  • When I look at Egan, I see Liam Martin Lite, slightly smaller and less angry.. but there is a prototype there..
  • When I see Nicky T I see a young Tariq Sims, a man who who could walk through a brickwall..
  • When I look at Jacob.... im like... I dont see another 2nd rower in the game that he is aspiring to be in his body type.. can you guys think of any? He is basically a human tractor...and he might look a little like David Fifita with tree trunk thighs... but Dave seems so tall in games... and when I compare Jacob in dressing room photos etc.. he looks near identical in height to MMolo who is 5ft11 and looks like a mouse next to the other forwards.. mind you.. stats say Jacob is 6ft.. and Fifita is 6ft1, but I just dont believe those numbers.. Jacob is far wider than MMolo though, esp in the lower body.
Anyway, so thats why I think a prop is not out of the question 'at some point'.. but if he continues to do his job from 2nd row, tackle and attack with big pcm, then maybe he is the first of his mould as a 2nd rower.. but who knows... imagine in 10yrs time what his build would look like, he would probably be a lot thicker.. could he be a slightly shorter lazarus? Lazzo was 6ft2 and 115kg.. Maybe..
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I think for Jacob or anyone to succeed at 2nd row it will come down to his defence, especially lateral movement & decision making. I've always thought he has a build similar to Paul Gallen, short & stocky but with immense leg drive. David Fifita has leg speed which makes him soo unique, unfortunately lacking football iq & competitiveness.

Tariq is a good comparison for Nick, both bulls. It's good we've got a variety of different fwds coming through, imo need to find those that are most complimentary to each other & effective in a winning style of footy. Already in 2-3 years the potential pack looks like:

T.Couchman/Loko
Egan/Stewart/R.Couchman

Jacob/Nick T/
 
Mailroomsgi

Mailroomsgi

SGI Jersey Flegg
I echo pretty much all of that, Jake doesn’t look 6’1 hahah

If you look at Loko and Jake, they’re nowhere near the full version of themselves even physically.

Like they’ve still got the baby fat and haven’t developed that pure muscle and skimmed down completely like Egan/Couchman

Bear in mind those boys are older than those 2 so it makes sense

What I will say is edge backrowers are growing on trees in pathways programs all over the league not just ours so if Jake does turn into a middle we’d still have Egan/Cyrus/Tsougranis + Creighton Meafou if he develops like we think he can, if worse came to worse we could recruit

I like Jared Horne (Edge who can play middle) (Brisbane boy who’s 18YO IIRC), great player, killed it against the aus schoolboys side last year that Jake captained to a 22-22 draw

He’s got PNG blood and would qualify under the NRL’s new program for developing Kumuls so they don’t take up spots in a top ‘36’

I think it would be a good little get or any talented Kumul that’s worth taking a punt on with that new initiative by the nrl
 
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Eric

Eric

Staff
TheRev said:
  • When I look at Egan, I see Liam Martin Lite, slightly smaller and less angry.. but there is a prototype there..
  • When I see Nicky T I see a young Tariq Sims, a man who who could walk through a brickwall..
  • When I look at Jacob.... im like... I dont see another 2nd rower in the game that he is aspiring to be in his body type.. can you guys think of any? He is basically a human tractor...and he might look a little like David Fifita with tree trunk thighs... but Dave seems so tall in games... and when I compare Jacob in dressing room photos etc.. he looks near identical in height to MMolo who is 5ft11 and looks like a mouse next to the other forwards.. mind you.. stats say Jacob is 6ft.. and Fifita is 6ft1, but I just dont believe those numbers.. Jacob is far wider than MMolo though, esp in the lower body.
Anyway, so thats why I think a prop is not out of the question 'at some point'.. but if he continues to do his job from 2nd row, tackle and attack with big pcm, then maybe he is the first of his mould as a 2nd rower.. but who knows... imagine in 10yrs time what his build would look like, he would probably be a lot thicker.. could he be a slightly shorter lazarus? Lazzo was 6ft2 and 115kg.. Maybe..
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I think they must re-sign Nick T. ABSOLUTELY MUST! I was raving about Egan for a while, about how I think he should have gotten a chance in the NRL a while before he did. But I'm even more enthusiastic about the long term prospects of Nick T.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Halangahu might well get his start in the middle as a benchie and who knows how that plays out.. so many more opportunities for middles... lets wait and see how that trial goes.

I mentioned before I think Ryan is an out and out prop now, probably loses speed after his ACL.. so I dont think he is competing for edge.. Stewart was also an edge in a lot of games coming through.. he now looks too big for that.. he seems like he's our 13 moving forward.. probably not 27 rounds a year though.

I forgot about Cyrus, but I dont know what his position is yet.. as he grows he might also end up a middle.. I feel like hes not quite as explosive as Latu, but hes still a beast, definitely noticably better than the other SG Ball guys, I reckon he might get a few games in NSW Cup later in the year, depending what happens with injuries... I think he could very easily play middle though..

And CMeafou yeah he didnt blow me away after his first game to the point where I was suggesting he go and skip grades.. I think he will take some time to come through yet, assume hes 16 or 17 still.. looks a player of the future though..
 
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