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100% Official Griffin for the next 2 years

Crush

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,302
Smug Panther said:
I don't particularly rate Ivan but he's mostly had hard gigs. On the other hand Hook has had very easy jobs really
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Well if Hook has had very easy jobs thus far that is all about to change with his new appointment.
A lot of work to be done at our club.
Out of interest, where do you expect dragons to finish next year? See if you are right when you wander back in here in 9 months.
Congratulations on a great year at Panthers BTW, very good football team.
 
Slippery Morris

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,890
Hook had easy jobs? Taking on a team after Bennett has proven to be probably one of the hardest jobs. Ask Siebold, Henjak, Browny etc. Not Price. Bennett actually left him a decent squad who could have made it back to back if it were not for Origin.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,278
Dragons get back on track
Latest News
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Revelation: Centre Zac Lomax had a good season in a struggling team and coach Griffin will look to build on this form. Picture: John Veage

New St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin and assistants Peter Gentle and Matthew Elliott took charge of training at WIN Stadium for the first time last week as the Dragons became one of the first teams to commence their preparations for 2021.

St George Illawarra's four losses to begin the season in 2020 wasn't ideal, even with much-improved fullback Matt Dufty and centre Zac Lomax trying to kick start their fortunes, and they were punished by only winning three from their last seven matches, which left them in 12th.

The Red V did give glimpses of their ability and at times had an exciting brand of attack but ultimately poor defence and another below-par season cost Paul McGregor his job as head coach.

This is now old news for coach Anthony Griffin and assistants Peter Gentle and Matthew Elliott who will now look to turn fortunes around.

"It was excellent," Griffin said of his first day with the Dragons players. "I met the full squad on Wednesday after they broke the bubble, but it was good to kick it off and get started."

Now heading into their 100th season, Griffin will focus heavily on defence with the stats showing the Dragons conceded an average of 22.6 points per match last season and 23.4 points per match in 2019.

There will also be changes in the attacking structure with Ben Hunt likely to revert to halfback after spending time in the hooking role this year.

The new coach said there would also be an emphasis on tackle technique at the ruck and how they move together as a group.

"Attack-wise there are some experienced players here in Ben Hunt, Norman and McInnes. Adam Clune had a break-out season and young Jayden Sullivan got his debut, so there is a chance to work with those playmakers and put some stuff in place before next year," he said

New signing Poasa Fa'amausili was in attendance for the first training session under Griffin, but star recruit Jack Bird is still in rehabilitation for the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2020 season.

Griffin is also excited about the opportunity to work with the emerging talent in the Dragons ranks.

"I got a chance to see all the young guys who are coming through - Cody Ramsey, Mat and Max Feagais, Jayden Sullivan, Eddie Blacker and a couple of academy guys who trained well like Tyrell Sloan, who played under 18s last year and was a standout," Griffin said.

The Dragons problems were laid bare with the figures showing they ranked sixth for metres gained, but their poor defensive showed they conceded the second most metres-only the last-placed Broncos were worse.

"I want to imprint our new game philosophy and the way we want to play both in attack and defence," Griffin said as his tenure began.

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/7019979/dragons-preparations-begin-for-new-season/
 
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getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,278
December 3 2020 - 10:30AM
Dragons: De Belin drama not an issue for Griffin
Dragons Den
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FOCUS: Anthony Griffin insists the prolonged saga surrounding stood down star Jack de Belin won't be a distraction in his first year in charge of the Dragons. Picture: Dragons Media


NEW Dragons coach Anthony Griffin insists the prolonged saga surrounding stood down star Jack de Belin won't be a distraction as he looks to reboot the club's fortunes next season.

De Belin will be sidelined for at least part of a third straight season after his trial on sexual assault charges in Wollongong District Court ended in a hung jury on Monday.

De Belin and co-accused Callan Sinclair have pleaded not guilty to five charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a Wollongong apartment in December 2018. They'll now face a retrial in Sydney on April 12.

The Dragons, and the NRL, had hoped to see the matter resolved one way or another well in advance of the 2021 season, but the 29-year-old will now remain subject to the game's No Fault policy. It's an inherited situation for Griffin, but he says it's not weighing too heavily in the early stages of his new role.

"It doesn't impact me at all and I don't think it'll impact the club," Griffin said.

"Jack's been out of the game for two years now, it's a legal process I've got no control over and the club has not control over. We'll watch that and see what happens but, for me, it has no [impact] on how I operate or what I do.

"Right at the moment, it's something that's external to what's happening here. I get the feeling through the club that everyone wishes him well with what happens in the future but, in the end, he's got a legal issue he needs to deal with and the courts will take care of that.

"Jack and the girl involved are going through a legal process that's got nothing to do with me. If I had any control over it I might get frustrated but I've got no control over it at all."


De Belin's NRL contract has expired but he is free to resume training duties with the Dragons under an in-principle agreement signed prior to his trial beginning. It's understood the decision on when he returns rests with de Belin and his management, but Griffin doesn't expect it to be swift.

"Not in the short-term I wouldn't think," Griffin said when asked if a return was imminent.

"He's got a legal battle on his hands and, personally, I respect that. That'll be his main focus at the moment I'd say, not training with the football team. He's in a legal battle and it's probably the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.

"He's just got to do what's right for him at the moment with his legal team and take care of that."

While de Belin won't be paid in full until the conclusion of legal proceedings, the in-principle arranegement gives the club little wriggle room in the recruitment market to fill the experience void left by Tyson Frizell and James Graham. Griffin said roster and salary cap management is something he'll leave to others.

"I'm not too sure how that works, it's probably a question for [chief executive] Ryan Webb," Griffin said.

"I know he's spoken to Andrew Abdo over the last week or so about how that fits with dispensation on the cap but I can't really answer that one. I'll find out from Ryan Webb in due course as to how that affects our salary cap but, logically, it won't affect it if the NRL have stood him down.

"It's honestly not an issue for me. Jack hasn't [played] for two years so we don't have to replace him. Tyson Frizell, James Graham, Jacob Host have left, we've got Poasa Faamausili from the Roosters and he's trained really well, Jack Bird has come onto the list.

"I've got a lot of confidence in the guys that are here, [Blake] Lawrie, [Jackson] Ford, [Josh] Kerr's going to come back after Christmas. We've still got some [recruitment] capacity salary cap-wise and we'll fill that when we get the right people that we think are going to add to our list."


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...belin-drama-not-an-issue-for-griffin/?cs=3713
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
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34,278
De Belin no distraction for Dragons in NRL
  • NRL
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    St George Illawarra's Jack de Belin's won't train with the NRL squad in the short term.
    Stood-down NRL star Jack de Belin trained with St George Illawarra for the past two seasons but coach Anthony Griffin is adamant it won't be a distraction for the team in 2021.

    A day after de Belin's retrial on rape accusations was scheduled for April in Sydney, after a jury in Wollongong failed to reach a verdict, Griffin said NRL training should be the furthest thing from the 29-year-old's mind.

    Speaking for the first time as Dragons coach on Thursday, Griffin said former State of Origin forward de Belin would not be returning to training in the short term.

    De Belin's presence at training has been labelled a distraction to the misfiring side in the past but Griffin said it wouldn't be a problem next season.

    "He's got a legal battle on his hands," Griffin said.

    "Personally I respect that, we've got no control over it so that will be his main focus at the moment, not training with the football team.

    "Right at the moment that's something external to what's happening here.

    "He's been in a legal battle, this is probably the furthest thing from his mind at the moment."

    Having their best forward in peak physical condition at training but unable to play has been a cloud hanging over the Dragons for the past two seasons.

    In both campaigns they have finished in the bottom four.

    It's a situation that threatens to spoil the Dragons' 2021 season too with de Belin's retrial set to commence in April, meaning if he is found not guilty the first match he could play is in round nine.

    It's understood the NRL has offered the club salary cap dispensation for de Belin's replacement while he is unavailable, after he agreed to a three-year deal with the Dragons.

    That contract is yet to be registered by the NRL and until the legal process is completed he is only receiving a percentage of his pay.

    Whether that has an impact on the salary cap and the Dragons' top 30 roster, Griffin is unconcerned.

    "It's honestly not an issue for me," he said.

    "I'll find out off Ryan Webb (Dragons chief executive) in due course into how that affects our salary cap, but I don't think it will affect it if the NRL has stood him down."

    Regardless, Griffin is confident in the players he has available despite losing Tyson Frizell, Korbin Sims, James Graham and Jacob Host.

    "(de Belin) hasn't been here for two years so we don't need to replace him," he said.

    "Tyson Frizell, James Graham, Jacob Host have left.

    "Poasa Faamausili has trained really well and Jack Bird has come onto the list.

    "I've got a lot of confidence with the guys on our list.

    "We've got a bit of capacity with our salary cap and we'll fill that when we have the right people."

    Australian Associated Press


    https://www.theleader.com.au/story/7039348/de-belin-no-distraction-for-dragons-in-nrl/?cs=9737
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
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frizellt-200315_gt_0298.jpg


DRAGONS


Griffin's plan to overcome leader exodus
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 3 Dec 2020, 02:41 PM
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Dragons coach Anthony Griffin believes he and experienced assistants Matthew Elliott and Peter Gentle can help overcome an on-field leadership void and get the best out of Ben Hunt.

While Cameron McInnes remains an inspirational captain, the Dragons have lost three of the other four members of the club’s leadership group in the past 12 months. Gareth Widdop and James Graham returned to England and Tyson Frizell departed for Newcastle.

Hunt, five-eighth Corey Norman and forwards Paul Vaughan, Tariq Sims and Trent Merrin are the next most experienced St George Illawarra players – although the latter was not a regular member of the starting line-up last season.

New recruit Jack Bird (87), fullback Matt Dufty (67) and prop Blake Lawrie (58) are the only other Dragons players to have made more than 50 NRL appearances.

Griffin, who has coached 173 NRL matches during seven seasons with Brisbane and Penrith, identified leadership as an area that needed to be developed at St George Illawarra and bought Elliott and Gentle on board to help achieve that.

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Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw


Analysing the Dragons' 2021 draw

Elliott has coached 240 NRL matches with Canberra, Penrith and the Warriors, while Gentle - the interim coach at the Broncos last season - was a long-time assistant of Tim Sheens at Wests Tigers before taking on the Hull FC job in 2014 and 2015.

"Matthew and Peter are both experienced coaches in their own rights, they have both been around for a long time and I thought it was important that we got as much experience in here as we could," Griffin said.


"I think the playing group at the moment needs that. It is not a player-driven group at the moment so we need a really experienced coaching staff at the moment to help them really learn and guide them through the next 18-months."

After coaching Hunt at Brisbane until 2014, Griffin will be looking to the representative playmaker to step up for the Dragons next year after a season in which he shifted between halfback, hooker and five-eighth and was dropped from the Queensland team for the Origin decider.

Griffin said where Hunt played next season depended on his form and attitude as Adam Clune, Jayden Sullivan and Norman are also vying for positions in the halves.

"It doesn’t bother me what they are worth, it is just what they can do for the team," Griffin said in response to questions about Hunt’s $1 million pay packet.

"Everyone is training really well so they will all get their chance in time.

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New Dragons assistant coach Matt Elliott. :copyright:NRL Photos
"I just think he has got a lot more potential in him to unlock and Ben knows that. Everyone here wouldn’t be happy with what has happened here the last couple of years so hopefully, I will be able to help him do that."

Asked what he was looking for from Hunt, Griffin said: "Hard work, honesty, leadership. All of those things that have got to be important to him if he is going to have a serious crack".

Bird is still recovering from knee surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2020 season and is expected to start training with his new team-mates in mid-January.

Griffin said no decision had been made about where the former NSW Origin utility would play but centre and the back-row are positions where the Dragons appear to be light on.

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Dragons assistant coach Peter Gentle. :copyright:dragons.com.au
"He is still a really young man, he is fit, he has been a little bit out of luck injury-wise but everything I have seen so far from the way he is moving at the moment and where his mind is at he is really gearing up for a big season," Griffin said

"I am looking forward to getting him back to his best. He has played about half a dozen games in the last two years so he will take a little bit of time to find his feet."

Former Blues lock Jack de Belin is not expected to resume training until January as he prepares to face a re-trial on sexual assault charges in Sydney next April.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/12/03/griffins-plan-to-overcome-leader-exodus/
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,278
Coffs dragon

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,400
getsmarty said:
Already posted @TruSaint ..Isn't it good to hear someone who sounds like a coach after 8 years...LOL

"We want to be better at everything" - Anthony Griffin
Dragons head coach Anthony Griffin reflects on the start of pre-season and how the squad is progressing ahead of the 2021 season.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/12/03/we-want-to-be-better-at-everything-anthony-griffin/
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How good to hear a straight shooter & totally honest coach instead of the BS, spin and deflective peanut of the past speaking his jargon.
I’m liking the Hook!
 
TruSaint

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,851
jak

jak

Bench
Messages
3,483
all he is saying at the moment is what any new coach would say, lets not get carried away just yet guys.
 
Forbes Creek Dragons

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
jak said:
all he is saying at the moment is what any new coach would say, lets not get carried away just yet guys.
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Not exactly, he is also giving reasons for things like the reasoning behind getting older staff, and seems like Vaughan and Sims and even Norman are right up for it. Also sounds like he won't be giving Hunt any special treatment. Of course there were some typical cliche's like there always will be but there were enough little nuggets of insight there to pique my interest.
 
jak

jak

Bench
Messages
3,483
redv13 said:
I’m pretty happy with his interviews so far. Defence is shit, players to take responsibility and the kicker: no ridiculous comments like learning to be comfortable whilst being uncomfortable!!! Wtf!!!
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as am i lets hope he turns out to be another harry bath im just not getting carried away in the off season when there is no pressure.
 
Dea

Dea

Juniors
Messages
2,383
These last few years I have not been interested in the McRubbish sent out by the club with his garbage speech about “D” and throwing other coaches under the bus for their failings or the club speaking up a coach that everyone except the board knew shouldn’t be in charge. But over the last month or so we have had really helpful, informative and supporter encouragement media releases. Hook is winning me over. Addressing our performance challenges, opportunities, and his approach to fixing the mess he has bought into. I don’t expect to win the comp next year, but I am confident of an improved performance that shows restored pride and passion. My Christmas wish now is for a few forward leaders to be signed to fill our roster.
 
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