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From the SMH: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ues-greatest-complainers-20150416-1mm5jc.html
St George Illawarra Dragons fans are rugby league's greatest complainers
Some more on Packer in the article.
Posting here so w can get some opinions from outside of JA.
St George Illawarra Dragons fans are rugby league's greatest complainers
St George Illawarra supporters could whinge for Australia.
Believe me, I know. I am one.
Whinging, as well as a dark sense of humour, is how we cope. It's how we deal with the barrage of abuse and hate from other fans, not least those closest to us who relish any opportunity to twist the knife.
Red, white and rabid: Dragons fans can take their passion too far sometimes. Photo: Getty Images
When Nathan Brown coached the Dragons, and his teams failed to live up to the rampant hype, his mates would often send him sly text messages during games.
"Oust Doust!" they would demand in reference to chief executive Peter Doust. "Down with Brown!"
In more recent times, the catch cry has been "Slice Price". (Former coach Steve Price was indeed sliced last year). Of late, "Bloody Mary" in reference to present coach Paul McGregor has been given a run.
It's how we cope.
Yet some Dragons fans have taken it further of late, showing they aren't real fans at all.
When the side won its fourth straight match on Sunday, defeating the depleted Bulldogs, some supporters continued spraying their invective on social media, claiming they wish their team had lost so the campaign to have everyone sacked at the joint venture could gather more momentum.
That's up there with booing your side when it leaves the field after a loss. Real fans don't boo. They also don't want their team to lose, under any circumstances.
As it stands, the Dragons head into Friday night's blockbuster against Wayne Bennett's ladder-leading Broncos at WIN Jubilee as an honest, solid outfit that's defending with the same determination as it did when Bennett was in charge and they won the premiership in 2010.
Fans should not underestimate how far Bennett set the club back last year when he agreed to join the club for this season, going so far as to assemble coaching staff, before backflipping.
It broke many hearts and left the club that respects him so much in the lurch.
Doust is known to be disappointed that Bennett decided to join Brisbane instead. In reality, if he had signed the master coach much of the anger often levelled at the long-serving administrator would not be at the all-time high it seems to be at right now.
A collision of issues during the warmer months have created much resentment among the Dragons faithful, turning them into the biggest off-season story since Julian O'Neill set alight Danny the Dolphin on a Port Macquarie river cruise.
The emotional departures of Brett Morris to the Bulldogs for this season and Trent Merrin to Penrith for the next have fuelled the fire.
As always, perception does not match reality.
Morris wanted to join twin brother Josh at Belmore, and the Dragons could not afford to pay a winger a fullback's salary, because they have Josh Dugan. It hurts to see him go. It hurt to see Josh go. But that's the business of rugby league. Manly felt similar pain with Glenn Stewart. The Sharks are about to feel it with Paul Gallen.
In terms of Merrin, the Dragons privately remain livid at the claims of him and his management that the club reneged on their initial offer. They don't want to get into a public slanging match with a present player, and it's not the club's style anyway.
The other player often mentioned is Jack Bird, who the Dragons let go to Cronulla. They only did so because their Shire rivals had promised him the first-grade starting position they could not.
The salary cap is a massive jigsaw puzzle for every club. They don't always get it right and the Dragons are certainly no exception.
Benji Marshall is playing strong, with typical flashes of brilliance, but suggestions he's "turned back the clock" are outlandish.
There are other issues such as the move to ANZ Stadium from Wollongong and Kogarah - it's all about money, baby - and the debates about accountability and "corporate governance" and Ousting Doust.
In the meantime, though, McGregor has his team playing with honesty and passion.
The former representative centre is doing the job for all the right reasons. He has a successful business away from footy, so he's not doing it for the money.
Those inside the club report that he's meticulous and not afraid to put players firmly back in their box if he must.
Supporters have every right to ask questions of their club. No supporter base asks more questions than the Dragons. It's how we cope.
But, as Bennett has said, repeatedly: "When you start listening to the fans, it won't be long until you start sitting with them."
Some more on Packer in the article.
Posting here so w can get some opinions from outside of JA.