jodragon40
Staff
I disagree the issues run much deeper and are historical. Hoping the new administrative signings can move us forwards out of the tunnel we have been sitting in for quite a number of years now
Recruitment and Retention for 2026
- Thread starter Dragons Chris
- Start date
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Bostock aside, not too many fans here were upset when the Dolphins took Kerr and Max Feagai off off our hands.. pretty keen to see the back of Frankie also...
Now we get one back who was 19th man for Queensland this year.. who wont fit in their 2026 cap.. played 16 of 22 games for the dolphins, 94.2% Tackle efficiency and 85m per game in 20-30mins off the bench.
not sure why the guy polarises fans as much as he does, and yes we still need a hardnut Jack replacement.. but Kerr will bring real energy off the bench.. esp if u compare him to Lawrie for example.. I would move VFifita on though because Kerr is a much better version of what he could bring and hardened already.. LPT sitting behind Kerr as the up and coming impact prop and for the inevitable injuries.
Now we get one back who was 19th man for Queensland this year.. who wont fit in their 2026 cap.. played 16 of 22 games for the dolphins, 94.2% Tackle efficiency and 85m per game in 20-30mins off the bench.
not sure why the guy polarises fans as much as he does, and yes we still need a hardnut Jack replacement.. but Kerr will bring real energy off the bench.. esp if u compare him to Lawrie for example.. I would move VFifita on though because Kerr is a much better version of what he could bring and hardened already.. LPT sitting behind Kerr as the up and coming impact prop and for the inevitable injuries.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Because Dolphins forward pack, as is talked about in QLD a lot, has been decimated by injury and suspension. Plath, Flegler, Gilbert, Saifiti all gone for the season early on and several more gone for significant periods. It's only in this environment Josh Kerr can get a start in first grade. But then again, Frank Molo has been killing it for them. Much better every week than he ever was playing for the Dragons. He was in a feeder club and as a result, wasn't really interested. Now he's in a proper team and is fired up to play well.
Sorry to be so negative but we are where we are. Not even
jodragon40 can put a positive spin on this.Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Well I do see an improvement in Kerr since he departed the Dragons to join the Dolphins. Off the bench he is running with more purpose and energy and has a step and off load amongst his strengths. I think that he has learnt lots from Bennett (before he joined the Bunnies) and now Woolf since he has been at the Dolphins. I don't think that he wanted to leave the Dragons and he liked our set up which means plenty. Other players come for the money but their heart really isn't totally for the RedV and I think Kerr has his heart for the Dragons which is what we also need of a player besides being an ok player. He isn't the marquee prop that we need but he will fill in quite good.
I think you will see a better and improved Kerr the second time around.
I think you will see a better and improved Kerr the second time around.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Shock Dragons move as exiled enforcer returns; Raiders retain veteran: Transfer Whispers
Shock Dragons move as exiled enforcer returns; Raiders retain veteran: Transfer Whispers
www.foxsports.com.au
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Is he better than JDB? Isn't there any 18 year-old prop we can pay overs for but still the same or less than we are paying Kerr? Kerr is like Frank Molo. He wasn't fired up enough to play for a feeder club. Now he's getting near retirement age, no other clubs want him, he's back to the feeder club and will no doubt play worse than he did when he was in his prime. This is more humiliating than the re-signing of Tom Eisenhuth.
jodragon40
Staff
Well actually, props don't as a rule of thumb reach their prime until about this age depending on a number of issues. As I said earlier he brings the size, has a step and offload so off the bench we could have done worse.
I'm still waiting for that alpha male mongrel prop that can actually lead the engine room forwards. Until then we will still struggle in my view
Dragons Chris
SGI NSW Cup
Kerr is ok for depth, not on much money. Though I do wonder why Flanno (no, I don't buy for a second it was "the club") let JDB go only to sign Kerr. I thought club must have been eyeing a number of young players who needed serious upgrades.
Dragons Chris
SGI NSW Cup
The truth is that the story Danny Weidler ran a few weeks back about our halfback is true. Also what they talked about on NRL 360 just last week. It's hurting the club much more than the halfbacks performances on a weekly basis.
TheRev
SGI NSW Cup
Why would Billy Slater have Kerr as his 19th man in origin if hes the reserve grader being made out in here? I have no love for Billy.. such a cat... but the guy has a far better read on players abilities on and off the ball than 99% of the 'experts' out there.
Dragons Chris
SGI NSW Cup
I agree Kerr isn't the worst signing but not because of being 19th man for QLD. It was only a couple of years ago Corey Allan was in the QLD run on team. Frank Molo too.
jodragon40
Staff
There is very little doubt that he has improved. Ask my wife what I say when he comes on for the Dolphins. I always say " I wish he had runs like that for us". As I said we certainly could have done worse.
Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
To me no-one can replace JDB in my eyes. I suppose there are many younger props of which we have a few already and others are playing in other clubs. I think props at 18 might be a bit raw still, although there are some that are advanced for their age and motor along quite well but they are locked in contracts at their current clubs and if they are any good are not released. To me, a player wanting to be at a club adds a lot of benefit but of course if he is good enough and the type the Club wants.
Illusion
SGI NSW Cup
Just my take on this ......... Gee we are big on letting players go then bring them back ....... Is it because when they are in our system they are bog average , then they go away and develop better in other systems ....... Anyway I hope he goes well for us , was never a fan of the big guy , for me no Mongrel ......
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Jack Bostock was also raw when he was poached by our parent club. If he picks up where he left off next year, he'll be the best winger in the competition. They probably have a few 18~19 year-old forwards who they need to retain so can't offer Kerr a new deal. Instead they ship him off to their feeder club.
Sorry to be so negative but I just can't fathom this. The fact he was so bad when Dragons let him go only to improve a lot should only put another 3 lines through his name. It's insulting for a 26 year-old prop to not be good enough for a team barely missing the spoon only to go to another club and be almost good enough to be suitable for Origin selection.
jodragon40
Staff
Seriously? This talk about being a feeder club for others or as you put it a parent club riles me. That's because anyone who has been involved in the administration or coaching side of a NRL club or NSWCup or QldCup knows that the retention and recruitment of players is an extremely fine line for decision making.
There is much more than just throwing money at players. There are so many more intricacies. You can't keep them all or recruit them all . It would be nice if we had done better as a club in these important areas alas you can't change history but you can create and write your future moving forwards. Just my cranky pants view
DragonsTragic
SGI Jersey Flegg
Let's just hope Ashton Ward doesn't play a blinder this weekend or we won't hear the end of it...
Eric
Staff
I didn't realise he was in Souffs NRL team until now. What is interesting is Tyrone Munro has been cut. I haven't watched any of their games since they beat us but I think I saw Tyrone Munro last year when he was a teenager and was very impressed. Not sure what's going on with him now but if he's on the outer at Souffs, would be a very decent acquisition. Judging from the very little I've seen of him.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Fair enough. These are the veteran forwards Flanno has recruited unwanted by their former clubs.
- Eisenhuth
- Leilua
- RFM
- Sele
- Gular
- Klemmer
- Cook
jodragon40
Staff
Look I understand your frustrations but you cannot make players stay or come who don't want to play because to name a couple of reasons,:
Coach
Players
Financial
Cultural
Disciplinary
Family
There are many more but in my time in playing and then coaching the two major underlying denominators were:
Money, and
The ability to play in a GF and win a premiership
Something this club has not been able to offer in the last 15 years.
But we are nobody's feeder club, we have a strong history that has been the envy of every other club one time or another for the last 70 years.