Please don’t start this pie in the sky stuff here. It nearly drove me bonkers elsewhere and so far this forum doesn’t have it
Recruitment and Retention for 2026
- Thread starter Dragons Chris
- Start date
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Not a really good fullback. Due to his lack of ball skills. He can pass the ball but doesn't much.
Frank Facer
SGI Jersey Flegg
His age is a very valid argument. I didn't look at his age. On the other hand Flanno was very interested in signing Manu for a mil a year. He is currently 29. If we had managed to sign him, for last year, he would have been 28 in his first year for us. I would have been rapt if we had Joey Manu. There is talk he will go back to Easts at the end of his stint in Japan. Joseph Sua'ali'i, is another I would like, but again if he returns to league, Easts would be massive favourites for his signature. If they don't sign Ponga, like the media keeps suggesting they will. Sua'ali'i would probably be their fullback. If Ponga stays at Newy, that could open the door for Sharp to want to move to a club to play fullback. There would be a lot of competition for his signature.
GCRV
SGI NSW Cup
Start a dedicated thead call something like, "Fantasy Team" would work. I think so anyway. But I agree about not mixing it up with serious threads.
jodragon40
Staff
Has been addressed and
Frank Facer has been informed
Frank Facer
SGI Jersey Flegg
Gutho provided us with leadership on and off the field. He is solid and dependable. His passing game was great early in the season. He is good at organising the defensive line. But even before Ryles got to Parra, they were talking about trying to buy a fullback with more X factor than Gutho. He has only got 2 years at the max left. Maybe only one at fullback?
jodragon40
Staff
Agree
Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
I like to see Gutho give us that year at FB then pull the pin and get involved in our pathways He probably wont but they are what I would like anyway. Whilst he gets talked up about being the best trainer and the fittest at the club chances are he'll want to continue but I think he'd be a really good person around our young guys, maybe even in a coaching role.
Frank Facer
SGI Jersey Flegg
Or move him to 5/8 next year, if we don't have anyone better by then. If we had another top line fullback this year, He and Aktinson would probably be our best set of halves. I remember him playing well at 5/8, with Norman at halfback, also playing very well. To me, that was also the only time I remember Norman playing well
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Ryan
SGI NSW Cup
What's with so many people having mini meltdowns over the possibility of a one or the other 19 year-old fullbacks? If either were to debut in 2028, they wouldn't be the youngest to debut that year. I know a lot would have to happen between then and now but I'm still talking over 2 years away and if we didn't have anyone to take over for Gutho, why not leave the possibility open?
Absolutely. As was pointed out above, there is an incredible list of outright stars of the game who over the years have debuted at 17 and 18. Be great if we can turn out a few. They just have to be able to take the knocks. So I looked up Rokko Walker's highlights to check his physique and got the following. Is this him? Bcs, geez, if this is Rokko Walker at 16, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him debut at 18 (it says 2024, so he could be 15 years old here!).
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Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
As the great man once said Ryan, "if you are good enough you are old enough" !!
Justadragon
SGI NSW Cup
Yes I guess we have been burnt many a time calling players early in their career, even as recently as the 3 Amigos. But hey Mr Walker could certainly be anything but I'll just leave it as that.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Keaon Koloamatangi signs five-year deal with Dragons and vows to lead club’s next era.
It's bloody well official now guys. Finally we have our elite enforcer alpha prop (Jo) and a newly minted Kangaroo to boot.
Great work Dan Anderson!!!
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RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Do we get him this yr or have to wait till '27. Answer my own question, next season, as his contract finishes in '31. Bummer!
He'll be a good mentor to our two youngest and most promising guys, Loko and Jake as they transition to our top grade.
He'll be a good mentor to our two youngest and most promising guys, Loko and Jake as they transition to our top grade.
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Dragon David
SGI Jersey Flegg
Great work Ando and Flanno. At long last we have been able to sign a biggy for a change. KK will be so much help for us in more ways than one.
So the 10 day cooling off period must be calendar days and not business days for future reference which is good. Sorry that I gave you guys on the wrong info.
Go the Mighty Dragons.
RedVHeartbeat
SGI NSW Cup
Tim Watsford:
“Keaon is one of the premier forwards in the NRL and a proven leader. He’s someone who drives standards every single day. He had significant interest elsewhere, so the fact that he chose to join the Dragons — and commit for five years — tells you everything about where we are heading. We have a group of exceptional young forwards coming through our system, and bringing in a leader of Keaon’s calibre to guide and inspire them is critical for us.”
Jeez one signiture and am the most confident I have been in our future since 2010. Only downer is we will not have him in a Red V jumper until next season.
“Keaon is one of the premier forwards in the NRL and a proven leader. He’s someone who drives standards every single day. He had significant interest elsewhere, so the fact that he chose to join the Dragons — and commit for five years — tells you everything about where we are heading. We have a group of exceptional young forwards coming through our system, and bringing in a leader of Keaon’s calibre to guide and inspire them is critical for us.”
Jeez one signiture and am the most confident I have been in our future since 2010. Only downer is we will not have him in a Red V jumper until next season.
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jodragon40
Staff
Can't question his commitment and leadership on the field a good organiser of our defensive line, he scores high in those two attributes.
BUT he lacks speed especially from standing starts hence no real threat catching the pill and bringing it back from a return kick . That's my concern. He would have to rate in the bottom end of that scale.
Has good vision, links into the backline well and had 16 try assists last year which puts him at 4th position fullback wise for that stat. So you balance the negative with the positive and hes still 1st choice fb from what we have available.