Football Staff for 2021

[George Dragon]

Dragons finalise 2021 football department
Author
Dragons.com.audragons.com.au
Timestamp
Mon 28 Sep 2020, 11:55 AM

The St George Illawarra Dragons have finalised a new football department structure and announced several personnel appointments ahead of the 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership season.

Joining Anthony Griffin on the Dragons' new-look coaching staff are assistant coaches Peter Gentle and Matthew Elliott.

Current interim Brisbane Broncos coach Peter Gentle joins the club with over 15 years of first grade coaching experience having previously acted as head coach of Hull FC (2012-13) as well as an assistant at the Sharks, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels and South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Elliott has 16 seasons of head coaching experience alone having last coached the New Zealand Warriors in 2014. His 18 months at the Warriors followed long stints at the Bradford Bulls, Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers.

A homecoming of sorts for each new assistant, both Elliott and Gentle previously played first grade for Dragons founding club St George.

Tony Guilfoyle will join the Dragons as physical performance manager having previously filled similar roles at the Panthers and Broncos.

Dan Lawson moves into the medical performance manager role with Elliot Jackson and Cody Parsons also new additions to the club in strength and conditioning and sports science respectively. Physiotherapist Davis Theobald will remain at the club.

Mat Head and Shaun Timmins will oversee the junior representative pathways and recruitment following the introduction of the Dragons Academy. Head and Timmins will also act as pathways coach and pathways performance manager respectively. Ian Millward remains at the club under a new title, NRL recruitment manager.

Ben Haran has formally stepped into the role as general manager of football and will oversee the impending structural and personnel changes.

"Change was inevitable for our football department heading into the 2021 season following the appointment of Anthony Griffin," General Manager of football Ben Haran said.

"We are pleased with the personnel that will join the Dragons in preparation for our 2021 campaign, and how they will connect under the new structure we have put in place.

"Our junior pathways system will see the introduction of the Dragons Academy which is not only crucial for next year but for many years to come.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/09/28/dragons-finalise-2021-football-department/

 

[hazzbeen]

It has to be better than what we have had the last 7 years .... So Millward survives in a new role .... Don't tell our mate possm

 

[tumbidragon]

Plenty of experience brought in, which is great considering the amateur hour nonsense we've suffered for the better part of a decade. I like Elliot. His knowledge of the game is very extensive, love his breakdowns on NRL.com. Why that knowledge never translated to a successful head coaching roll, i couldn't tell you.
Millward can probably consider himself pretty lucky.

 

[Old Timer]

Very positive news re coaching staff as Hook gets the team he wants.

I really like Matthew Elliott as he has some real brains and natural talent re attacking structures.

 

[possm]

It has to be better than what we have had the last 7 years .... So Millward survives in a new role .... Don't tell our mate possm

Millward will answer to Griffin who will answer to Haran who will answer to Webb who will report to the Board. Many their to keep Millward hones.

 

[RedVDave]

Matt Elliott was a pleasant surprise appointment, I haven't been this excited about a preseason since 2009.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Matt Elliott was a pleasant surprise appointment, I haven't been this excited about a preseason since 2009.

I agree & applaud the addition of Matt Elliot. He’s a very smart operator and will be instrumental in attacking structures and breaking down the weaknesses in opposition teams. Positive signs and going outside the box of the usual names thrown around.
Both Elliot & Gentle are experienced in the ranks with multiple clubs.
I have enjoyed the honesty of Peter Gentle in his interviews, whom stated he has no aspirations to be a Head Coach & deal with all the media crap. He see’s himself as a assistant coach of the playing group in developing them as a team.

 

[denis preston]

Great news !! Elliott & Gentle are light years in front of the Young & Hornby days as AC's. These are really good gets and smart of Hook to be surrounded by the experience he has now. The players are really running out of excuses if in bad form next year ! Confused to the roles of strength & conditioning & physical performance as i would have thought they were the same ?

Not overly happy with Timmins but to be fair he may be bloody good at the job ? Who is coaching Canterbury Cup ?

 

[hewi]

Now hopefully we can recruit some good players and with this group blood and develop our owner up and comers. Thank goodness Young is leaving. As an aside how big is Eddie Blacker, if that bloke doesn’t make the big time as a prop I will be shocked. What a massive unit.

 

[redVinme]

Could gentle nudge a few broncs our way?

 

[RedV Resurgence]

I've been quite impressed by Peter Gentle as he managed Brisbane back from where they were after Siebold left. Brisbane have been been much more competitive and their last few games Brisbane were playing so much better than the Dragons.

So happy to have Peter on board.

 

[Banjo2014]

I loved Gentle when asked if he wanted the Head Coaching job at Brisbane and he said no I want to do some real coaching

Matty Elliot - you beauty

Love the appointments

 

[RedVDave]

My only worry is Gentle may be a bit soft.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

My only worry is Gentle may be a bit soft.

That might be a good balance though as Hook and Elliott are the opposite.
Nice mix I think.

 

[getsmarty]

DRAGONS


Gentle, Elliott to serve as Griffin's assistants at Dragons
Author
NRL.com
Timestamp
Mon 28 Sep 2020, 12:35 PM

Anthony Griffin will have plenty of experience by his side at St George Illawarra next year after the club announced Matthew Elliott and Peter Gentle would be joining the coaching staff as assistants.

The Dragons have finalised their new football department structure with Gentle, who served as interim Broncos coach in the closing rounds of this season, and Elliott, a former Raiders, Panthers and Warriors mentor, the key additions.

Gentle has more than 15 years of experience having previously acted as head coach of Hull FC (2012-13) as well as an assistant at the Sharks, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels and South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Elliott has 16 seasons of head coaching experience alone having last coached the Warriors in 2014 after stints at the Bradford Bulls, Canberra and Penrith.

It is a homecoming of sorts for each new assistant - Elliott and Gentle played first grade for St George prior to the merger with the Steelers in 1999.

Tony Guilfoyle will join the Dragons as physical performance manager having previously filled similar roles at the Panthers and Broncos.

Dan Lawson moves into the medical performance manager role with Elliot Jackson and Cody Parsons also new additions to the club in strength and conditioning and sports science respectively. Physiotherapist Davis Theobald will remain at the club.

Matthew Elliott during his stint with the Panthers in 2010. NRL Photos
Mat Head and Shaun Timmins will oversee the junior representative pathways and recruitment following the introduction of the Dragons Academy. Head and Timmins will also act as pathways coach and pathways performance manager respectively. Ian Millward remains at the club under a new title, NRL recruitment manager.

Ben Haran has formally stepped into the role as general manager of football and will oversee the impending structural and personnel changes.

Paul McGregor resigned as Dragons coach late in the season before Dean Young filled the role in an interim capacity before opting to link with North Queensland as an assistant next year after Griffin won the race for the head coach's role.


https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/09/28/gentle-elliott-to-serve-as-griffins-assistants-at-dragons/

 

[St Georgio]

My only worry is Gentle may be a bit soft.

Nuh, sometimes you need the softy in the group, Hook,Gentle and Elliot will be such a great combo, 100 times better than what we have since 2011.

 

[Dea]

Good to have people from different systems coming in. Elliot appears to have a good ability to breakdown, analyse and highlight what teams are doing and hopefully can help our team discover some new attacking strategies and improve our defensive deficiencies.
Milward lucky to stay when all around him were let go. Hopefully Hook has the say in recruitment though.

 

[possm]

Can't wait until Griffin finalises the roster. We should not buy forwards that can't make first grade, just too risky. We have juniors that can be our depth players, let's go for to grade players and give ourselves a chance each season to finish in the top 4.

Frizell is gone and De Belin is no shoe-in. We need to buy forwards of that quality. Only if we do this will we have a chance to shine again.

 

[getsmarty]

Can't wait until Griffin finalises the roster. We should not buy forwards that can't make first grade, just too risky. We have juniors that can be our depth players, let's go for to grade players and give ourselves a chance each season to finish in the top 4.

Frizell is gone and De Belin is no shoe-in. We need to buy forwards of that quality. Only if we do this will we have a chance to shine again.

I think 2 intimidating Props would be on top of my list....

 

[redVinme]

That might be a good balance though as Hook and Elliott are the opposite.
Nice mix I think.

Nuh, sometimes you need the softy in the group, Hook,Gentle and Elliot will be such a great combo, 100 times better than what we have since 2011.

Think you blokes missed the joke