Football department review finalised

[R&WTILLIDIE]

new weights benches - bonza! All good

A new 20 kilo dumbbell compared to an old 20 kilo dumbbell will solve all our issues. Bring on 2020 I say

 

[ChocOConnor]

Wow a review that is taking into account refurbishment of amenities. Riveting reading about a football clubs operations and review.

Unbelievable that mcgregor has the balls to mention 2018 as a great achievement. How is this guy even allowed near an NRL establishment

 

[muzby]

A new 20 kilo dumbbell compared to an old 20 kilo dumbbell will solve all our issues. Bring on 2020 I say

We just need to replace the 100kg dumbbell in the coaching chair..

 

[TruSaint]

Well, that was worth the wait.

 

[18to87]

More of the usual rubbish. You have to give McGregor credit. He is living his dream job without any consequences and they keep hiring new people to help him out towards his next contract.

 

[2010]

If you cut out the buzz words and the obvious new admin appointments the message to our supporters is F&&&& You

 

[Bigdogsbedtime]

Crawley wasnt an assistant. He was an advisor to the coaches. They wont replace him. Mary wont listen to anyone so there is no point.

 

[nontime111]

yep.... at the end of the day we ALL KNOW this means utter f(*&^# all WHEN, not if, in Round one our centre combination wheeled out is STILL Aitken / Lafia

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

DRAGONS


Football department review finalised
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Fri 8 Nov 2019, 08:00 AM

The St George Illawarra Dragons have announced several key structural and personnel changes following the completion of the club's annual football department review.

A review of the Dragons' football department is commonplace at the completion of every NRL season. This year's review took on additional implications to ensure the club's unacceptable 15th place finish in 2019 wouldn't be repeated moving forward.

All aspects of the Dragons' football department were examined throughout this comprehensive internal and external review process. Experienced rugby league administrator and coach Phil Gould was involved with the review as an external consultant.

Dragons CEO Brian Johnston welcomed the conclusion of the extensive review and the consequential changes that have followed.

"Everyone at the Dragons were terribly dissatisfied with the club's 2019 season campaign which resulted in this wide-ranging internal and external review of the club's football department," Johnston said.

"The Dragons have made key structural changes to its coaching, performance and medical staff following the determination of a lack of experience within the wider group. This includes several new staff appointments to the football department.

"It was noted throughout the review that there needed to be a greater focus on club culture and leadership. In acknowledging this, the club have taken steps in this space in order to bring further accountability and discipline to the playing group.

"The Dragons are also in the process of renovating its facilities at WIN Stadium. This is for the benefit of not only the players but the staff situated in Wollongong as well.

"All of our stakeholders, including our partners, members and supporters can rest assured that the Dragons have not taken this process lightly and look forward to greater success in our upcoming campaign and beyond."

Former premiership-winning Sharks and Knights assistant coach James Shepherd will join Paul McGregor's coaching staff in 2020 following Ben Hornby's departure. One vacancy remains on the coaching staff. The Dragons are taking due diligence with this process and will finalise this appointment at a later date.

Adrian Jimenez will join the Dragons in 2020 as the NRL strength and conditioning coach from the Parramatta Eels. Jimenez previously spent 11 seasons with the Melbourne Storm and has also worked at the Penrith Panthers and with the New Zealand Test team.

Steve Dean has been promoted to lead NRL physiotherapist while former Sharks junior representative physio Davis Theobald will join the club as the rehab physiotherapist. New South Wales State of Origin head physiotherapist Dan Lawson will also re-join the Dragons on a part-time basis.

The Dragons have engaged Gerard Murphy of Leadership by Design to aid a clearer focus in the culture and leadership space. Murphy has worked in performance and team dynamics over the past two decades with AFL clubs Geelong, Richmond and Port Adelaide, both England rugby league and rugby union Test teams, the Great Britain Olympic team and English Premier League's West Ham United. Murphy's experience extends to the corporate world having previously worked with Caterpillar, Rip Curl, Nissan, Deloitte and Bunnings.

Further to this, mind and performance coach Matt Griggs – a former professional surfer who has worked alongside surfing world champions Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore – will facilitate lessons on meditation, among other things.

In confirming the Dragons' fresh approach ahead of 2020, the club have upgraded its Wollongong office facilities, with renovations and enhancements to the NRL change room and gym also underway.

The Dragons have currently signed 24 players in their Top 30 ahead of the 2020 Telstra Premiership season, the minimum quota required by November 1. The club remains in negotiations with a number of players for the final six spots within the squad. The Dragons are also close to finalising its development player squad.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor has endorsed the findings and outcomes of the football department review and is optimistic of a brighter 2020 season.

"Our performances throughout the 2019 season were not demonstrative of this proud club, given also the successful season we produced 12 months prior," McGregor said.

"There are plenty of positives that have come from the review. We accept we didn't play to our potential as a team last season. The review has also provided everyone involved a chance to reflect and learn from the hardships of 2019.

"The amount of change implemented across the football department hasn't occurred for a very long time and will provide a positive new approach to the 2020 season.

"I look forward to overseeing a collective rejuvenation of our on-field structures; this will be indicative of the football department changes as well as further involvement from the playing group."

The Dragons will commence pre-season training ahead of the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership season next week.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/11/08/football-department-review-finalised/

So it seems we have fixed everything except the main problem...McGregor.
It sounds like a crutch-a-thon

 

[RedVDragon]

McIdiot dodges a bullet. I hope a tank runs him over by this year and is replaced.

what a croc of shit

 

[Slippery Morris]

All this time to finalise a review after a pathetic season for this outcome? Really? Wow. Looks like the only one who did this review was Mary and his mate and passed their findings to the board to sign off? What a joke. Maybe if they came last they may have also sacked the canteen lady but she survived because they came 15th.

 

[Reddragon]

"Dragons coach Paul McGregor has endorsed the findings and outcomes of the football department review and is optimistic of a brighter 2020 season."

It was all Ben Hornby's fault.

 

[merahputih]

This is as close as you will get to an admission that "Jobs for the Boys" has dragged this club almost to the wooden spoon last year and was a monumental failure by management. Predictably Mary has sailed through the whole process unscathed. The damage will take several seasons to reverse, assuming all the dominoes fall into place and Flanagan is given the support to get the cattle he needs, etc, and Mary jet skies into the sunset in two years (or sooner?).

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

"A review of the Dragons' football department is commonplace at the completion of every NRL season."

Bullsh!t.
A review is not common nor has been forthcoming at the Dragons.
We're still waiting for Doust to present 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 reviews to appease the fans.
If the reviews were fair & just, McGregor would be long gone.

I'm still shaking my head at the number of assistants we have had and still continue to acculmulate.
We have assistants, with assistants, who need assisting!

They need to desist to assist!

 

[TruSaint]

How they allowed that crap to be released as a serious message is beyond a joke.

Any criticism here should not be directed at the coach, as incompetent as he is. Heck, they even allowed him to be quoted in the message, as " having endorsed the review ".. What does that even mean ?

This statement is an admission that the board have no idea, and using fluffy terms, like culture, leadership, an even being so petty as to publicly announce change room and office improvements, tell you all you need to know.

Its embarrassing. However it is not surprising. They have hid under the sheets all 2019, outsourced the review to a mate, made a few superficial changes. The message is clear . 2020 will be a rinse and repeat of 2019. Those hoping for a super 2021, i would advise caution and refer to the history of this board as exhibit A...

Taking your fan base for granted is one thing.
Taking them for fools is reprehensible.

 

[St Georgio]

FMD, a whole clean up of all the rubbish in the house but no one is putting up there hand to remove the dog shit that still remains!

 

[Wittenberg]

If anyone attempts to defend Brian Johnston our supposed CEO, reread the statement put out about the review. The jobs for the boys starts right at the top, with him. People have blamed Illawarra, Doust, Win, the Board, Gould, the Media.....anyone and everyone, except the 'leader' of this Club. We are happy to blame MacGregor and spend pages and pages on his incredibly poor coaching, but when it all comes down to it he is simply trying to hold onto his job, something many of us would do. But the BOSS is Johnston, the man in charge of the Club is Johnston, the man who has held onto MacGregor, is Johnston. Yet we supposedly lack a culture? No we have a culture, a culture that believes that only an ex-player should be a leader of our Club. Until we get beyond that we get people like Johnston and MacGregor and......the "Review".

 

[muzby]

I think Brian Johnston has done a superb job

 

[Saints Forever]

Well what a review.

In summary:

1. Phil Gould has zero credibility as an “external” consultant

2. the high performance unit has been punted

3. Brian Johnston is a stooge of the board. Any self respecting CEO would have not allowed a coach to utilise a mate as a consultant reviewing football operations.

4. Mary agreed to renovate his Wollongong office to freshen up the place

5. Ben Hornby has not been retained but Dean Young has.

6. The JV has 2 incompetent partners.

7. we propose to hire Shane Flanagan and are conducting “due diligence”. One hopes it will be more robust than the process that saw McGregor given a contract extension.

8. We are now turning to the surfing fraternity to meditate. Surely the club could access some medicinal cannabis instead and distribute it to the fans so that we can cope with the purile rubbish we are likely to be dished up in 2020.

9. WIN should commence to write down the value of its assets in line with the value of its shares in channel 10.

10. Serious consideration should be given to handing back the NRL licence as it is clear our mob have no idea on how to run a Football Club and evening less desire for on field success.

 

[BLM01]

If anyone attempts to defend Brian Johnston our supposed CEO, reread the statement put out about the review. The jobs for the boys starts right at the top, with him. People have blamed Illawarra, Doust, Win, the Board, Gould, the Media.....anyone and everyone, except the 'leader' of this Club. We are happy to blame MacGregor and spend pages and pages on his incredibly poor coaching, but when it all comes down to it he is simply trying to hold onto his job, something many of us would do. But the BOSS is Johnston, the man in charge of the Club is Johnston, the man who has held onto MacGregor, is Johnston. Yet we supposedly lack a culture? No we have a culture, a culture that believes that only an ex-player should be a leader of our Club. Until we get beyond that we get people like Johnston and MacGregor and......the "Review".

But Witt who employed Johnston and who is the real leader of this club. The Board are..not Johnston. They are next in line up the chain to the top from his job then you start going down the tree. They could sack him too!