Recruitment and Retention for 2026

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Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
RedVHeartbeat said:
When is our CEO gonna announce our new Top 30 recruits or are they merely rumors, such as Nick Quinn. Only players I know as certainties are Josh Kerr and Daniel Atkinson, whacky do if they are our only recruits for this season. Does anyone know who else is coming here?
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Setu Tu from the Warriors is coming.

"Shane Flanagan is set to add a promising flyer to his ranks, signing rising Warriors gun Setu Tu ahead of the 2026 season.

According to Code Sports, Tu has verbally agreed to a two-year deal and will complete his medical assessment in the coming days.

The 27-year-old scored 13 tries in 14 games for the Warriors’ NSW Cup side in 2025, having crossed for a double in the State Championship final victory over Burleigh bears."

Confirmation of signings on the Dragons website usually appear on Fridays, so hopefully there will be some tomorrow and fits in with any 10 day cooling off period.
 
Dragons Chris

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
Dragon David said:
Setu Tu from the Warriors is coming.

"Shane Flanagan is set to add a promising flyer to his ranks, signing rising Warriors gun Setu Tu ahead of the 2026 season.

According to Code Sports, Tu has verbally agreed to a two-year deal and will complete his medical assessment in the coming days.

The 27-year-old scored 13 tries in 14 games for the Warriors’ NSW Cup side in 2025, having crossed for a double in the State Championship final victory over Burleigh bears."

Confirmation of signings on the Dragons website usually appear on Fridays, so hopefully there will be some tomorrow and fits in with any 10 day cooling off period.
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27 year-old never played first grade.
Situation with the wingers isn't looking good for 2026.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Mailroomsgi said:
My thoughts exactly Rev, NFL have got it so spot on with the draft system

No third party BS, you go where your drafted and your on a rookie contract for the first 4 seasons of your career

There’s too much of an imbalance when the talent distribution gets so uneven and clubs with huge resources can just stockpile talent/incredible coaching staffs etc.

Draft well and get the right coach and a bottom of the league organisation can turn itself around in 12 months
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I think it would be the absolute best thing for the game...it would "for real" even up the competition across all 17+ teams... and not just this year.. but "every year".

The argument against it from journos and big clubs is 'why should we prop up crap teams', but its rubbish imo.... if you believe your clubs pathways/admin/coaching is the best.. then why would you be afraid of evening out player talent? Surely your superior club will give you the advantage that you think you deserve.

But because the results have been more even than usual, there is even less of an argument for the draft to take place.. but its a little deceiving.. the Top teams are still heads and shoulders in front of the rest in player talent.. rep players... junior stocks.. its the same old teams at the pointy end of the year... that said I cant argue that despite all the positive stuff going on for us, we're still the only team who really cant seem to sign anyone even on overs.. Newcastle the only other team struggling.. but that Brown signing may yet prove to be a very clever one yet... TBD.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Setu Tu we still dont know if its a NSW Cup contract yet (I assumed it was).. bit bummed if its 1st grade.. I thought we could have done a lot better.. the easiest position to recruit.. Tu's fans describe him a lot like Ravalawa, i.e. great in attack but struggles in defence and has brain explosions.. I mean we will work on him.. but he is 27 already with 0 first grade games.. maybe he becomes a club favourite.. but I thought we could have found someone with NRL experience in that position.
 
R

redv4life

SGI Junior League
Dragons Chris said:
27 year-old never played first grade.
Situation with the wingers isn't looking good for 2026.
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especially when turnstile dwz is who’s keeping him out of first grade 😂
TheRev said:
Setu Tu we still dont know if its a NSW Cup contract yet (I assumed it was).. bit bummed if its 1st grade.. I thought we could have done a lot better.. the easiest position to recruit.. Tu's fans describe him a lot like Ravalawa, i.e. great in attack but struggles in defence and has brain explosions.. I mean we will work on him.. but he is 27 already with 0 first grade games.. maybe he becomes a club favourite.. but I thought we could have found someone with NRL experience in that position.
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it’s a 2 year deal mate. he’ll be practically 30 when it’s finished. ridiculous

they did look at hiroti but he chose to stick in sharks reserve grade instead of walking into our 17.
 
Edward

Edward

SGI NSW Cup
redv4life said:
especially when turnstile dwz is who’s keeping him out of first grade 😂

it’s a 2 year deal mate. he’ll be practically 30 when it’s finished. ridiculous

they did look at hiroti but he chose to stick in sharks reserve grade instead of walking into our 17.
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I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say how I know. It might be confidential. But that thing with Hiroti is BS. He or his management approached the Dragons but were told, "no thank you".
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
just watched some Tu highlights, I mean he is a solid body, fast and good in the air.. I mean we do need that.. but I would think he is more likely to be #3 in the queue... but I still dont know who #1 and #2 are.... Fale maybe but hes also a rookie... .... I would hope we are still chasing someone elite.. otherwise CT/Sloan might still be there.. Lawson who knows maybe he has a good off-season.. Feagai.. a lot of guys in that fringe first grade space.. too many imo, really needed atleast 1 elite winger I thought.

Behind them, I think Williams maybe gets some games in 2027.. he has to actually stay healthy yet.. he has been in and out for all sorts of reasons... and I still think Heidke could easily play wing, but no contract yet.. maybe again if he stays healthy that changes mid-season if he kills it in NSW Cup.. assuming he can in fact get a spot in NSW Cup with all the fringies we have.
 
Dragons Chris

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
just watched some Tu highlights, I mean he is a solid body, fast and good in the air.. I mean we do need that.. but I would think he is more likely to be #3 in the queue... but I still dont know who #1 and #2 are.... Fale maybe but hes also a rookie... .... I would hope we are still chasing someone elite.. otherwise CT/Sloan might still be there.. Lawson who knows maybe he has a good off-season.. Feagai.. a lot of guys in that fringe first grade space.. too many imo, really needed atleast 1 elite winger I thought.

Behind them, I think Williams maybe gets some games in 2027.. he has to actually stay healthy yet.. he has been in and out for all sorts of reasons... and I still think Heidke could easily play wing, but no contract yet.. maybe again if he stays healthy that changes mid-season if he kills it in NSW Cup.. assuming he can in fact get a spot in NSW Cup with all the fringies we have.
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Williams get a few games in 2027? I was hoping he might get a few games in 2026. Similar to Buchanan last season.
 
Mug Fan

Mug Fan

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
Setu Tu we still dont know if its a NSW Cup contract yet (I assumed it was).. bit bummed if its 1st grade.. I thought we could have done a lot better.. the easiest position to recruit.. Tu's fans describe him a lot like Ravalawa, i.e. great in attack but struggles in defence and has brain explosions.. I mean we will work on him.. but he is 27 already with 0 first grade games.. maybe he becomes a club favourite.. but I thought we could have found someone with NRL experience in that position.
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We offered Cup he wants top 30, we will only do that if we offload a top 30 player.
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Mug Fan said:
We offered Cup he wants top 30, we will only do that if we offload a top 30 player.
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Thats very fair.. felt like a few too many fringies otherwise (similar to 2025), but if hes replacing lawson/feagai/CT then I think its a net positive.. less experience than those guys but more athletic for a big unit.

I dont think we would offload Sloan for him though, still think we need a proper fullback in reserve grade.. if Gutho gets a serious injury it could be messy.. spose Atkinson could be a fullback option, but hes needed elsewhere.
 
Dragons Chris

Dragons Chris

SGI NSW Cup
TheRev said:
Thats very fair.. felt like a few too many fringies otherwise (similar to 2025), but if hes replacing lawson/feagai/CT then I think its a net positive.. less experience than those guys but more athletic for a big unit.

I dont think we would offload Sloan for him though, still think we need a proper fullback in reserve grade.. if Gutho gets a serious injury it could be messy.. spose Atkinson could be a fullback option, but hes needed elsewhere.
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Holmes fullback, Buchanan centre.
 
R

redv4life

SGI Junior League
Edward said:
I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say how I know. It might be confidential. But that thing with Hiroti is BS. He or his management approached the Dragons but were told, "no thank you".
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Hiroti is the better player? Has NRL experience at centre & wing and is younger. Why would we say no and sign a 27 year old with 0 games for two years. Our recruitment makes no sense
 
TheRev

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Unless Hiroti has some off-field issues.. yeah he would have been a good pickup.. also genuinely covers fullback and probably centre.. there are quite a few blokes like him in the NRL who dont have starting 17 positions.. its why im surprised by the Tu signing.. but.. still early.. still trying to keep some optimism that there are signings to come yet that will help it all make sense.
 
R

redv4life

SGI Junior League
TheRev said:
Unless Hiroti has some off-field issues.. yeah he would have been a good pickup.. also genuinely covers fullback and probably centre.. there are quite a few blokes like him in the NRL who dont have starting 17 positions.. its why im surprised by the Tu signing.. but.. still early.. still trying to keep some optimism that there are signings to come yet that will help it all make sense.
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exactly mate. hopefully it’ll make more sense when we announce a few more signings
 
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