To be fair the thing that separates
@Old Timer from the goons who regularly pop up when the Dragons are going through a tough patch is that he does have the right to be known as a "true supporter" and he is a passionate fan. He has seen the glory days of the club and knows what real long term success and true pride in the jersey looks like.
He also doesn't just spit out pathetic negative posts like the trolls do. He is always willing to detail an argument and while he can get a bit feisty (just like me) he always presents like a true fan of the club to me.
While it's uncommon that I agree with him when he's all fired up and ripping into our current coach he does usually present stats to back his arguments up and there are times when I have to admit he makes some good points. The one thing I'm sure we have in common is our frustration with the club's lack of success - the way this club was run into the ground after 2011 through to 2024 and the current run of 7 years of no finals football is unforgivable IMO.
I think most "true" fans share his frustration and anger - its just that he is choosing to see doom and gloom and no hope on the horizon while I perhaps naively do see some light at the end of the tunnel and see that the club is (way too belatedly) making some steps to get us heading back in the right direction. OT is a good one, just a bit grouchy and dogmatic when it comes to our current coach. He adds value to this forum and I'm keen to see him happy with the way the team represents us sooner rather than later.
@since77 but for the record of all.
Likewise I too enjoy some of OldTimer's posts - although they are constant in the down-beating of the Flanos (who last l checked, he was coaching our team not the oppositions).
And my response was to OldTimers post that was pointing out to me that the Dragon's are anything but great.
My sumarrised response was:
* our supporters are seen has anything but "True Supporters" within the game.
* I tried to trigger that we were all born to follow this team. (l was pushing towards "So let's all get behind them").
* I raised that "yes losing hurts" - unwritten is that losing is what makes winning feel so good.
* I tried to acknowledge that while "supporters" here have the right to criticise - l also have the right to call out constant blind less criticism. Agreed - maybe l could have acknowledged Oldtimers "facts" but l was pissed - and not in a 6-pack+ sort of way.
* I mentioned that the constant criticism is a cancer eating away at the renowned passion of supporting this club.
* l did suggest that OldTimer could attend training or to the Dragons Admin Offices as a way of driving improvement (which could have been a little personal but again pissed at the constant bagging). It was more a view as to what can be done - and reflected the "actions speak louder that words" thought process.
* I closed with "Yes I look for the good in our team" because l believe that is the role of a supporter.
l DO NOT accept the constant down riding of our club is providing a way forward. The airing of our dirty linen has not changed a damn thing and will not without the correct follow up via correct channels. Axing our coach would only add extra costs to the budget - which we can't afford and is un-Australian. What better coach exists that will improve the Dragons? Even Craig Bellamy failed at State of Origin when the chemistry didn't fit. Apart from Ryles - Flano was the next best (and available) fit. Even when the great Wayne Bennett got to our club he was surprised by the infrastructure Browny and previous coaches had in place; some may suggest that he then eroded it - the same great Wayne Bennett that many would have you believe did so much for this club. The wish lists of players who represent a way forward is usually 'dreaming' and unrealistic. Pointing to the fact that the coach has the same last name as the "6" doesn't solve anything. there is a spilt match between Kyle and the others (pointing quickly that Kane is still in need of time in reserves).
Pointing at coach's game plans is delusional if you are unaware of the actual game plans and usually just criticize without providing solutions. The game against Melb on the weekend seemed fast and unrelenting - and at the end we fell to them having at fast footed fullback still fresh and wanting to make up for his previous error/s. And that's not a let's dump on Gutho... its just how the game blew apart at the end... send the Melb "1" to the bin and we have a different result. Buts thats how sport is. You can't throw out all that defence in the preceding 60 mins - just because one of last year's GF teams beat the team favoured to win a spoon if anything. Last l looked Melb were favoured by many experts as this year's stand out 2nd line favourites.Is there anyone out there that thinks we shouldn't have competed for the first 60 so that we could run home in the back 20 mins? We need to build on that 60... and our supporters should be cheering that we will.
PS: l hope that LPT is just precautionary.
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