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Dragons statement: Player breach

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,438
Regardless of just how many weeks the players received there is one irrevocable truth that stand out like dogs balls and that is that our season is well and truly over .

No semi , no saying that we gave it our best shot , it is all over for 2021 . Well done gentlemen, you group of players have finally taken away the magic of the Big Red V - means jack shat now .

But thanks for the memories .
 

thebigredv

First Grade
Messages
5,407
Not even close to a double standard. The Dogs players and Dugan broke protocol, but not also during a state imposed lock down. The fact they were required to self isolate for 14 days negated the need for the NRL to have to impose a suspension.

If anything, the fact that the suspensions can be over numerous weeks is a joke. Who has ever heard of that?

LOL the reason the suspensions are spread has nothing to do with benefitting the Dragons and everything to do with saving face for the NRL. Stop the blowouts, protect the tv rights. Don't kid yourself.

It's double standards. We broke protocol but stayed in the bubble, Dogs broke protocol and got their club to take the blame and Dugan is Dugan.
 

Smirrors

Juniors
Messages
224
Cant has to be a minimum of two weeks.
I did say most serve it in 1 week. Not sure what the actual stipulations is?

If they can game it so the suspensions are taken against weak teams then that is probably the best option but feels dirty being able to manipulate a bad situation. For me best to get it out of the way as fast as possible
 

HenryTatana

Juniors
Messages
1,838
Lucky we have the bye. They can appeal and I’m sure most will get some of their fines suspended. In the meantime Hook will be sitting down with his coaching staff working out what teams to field over the next 4 weeks.

I’m not sure the club has the smarts to work that out. The old cliche comes to mind “we’re taking it one game at a time”.
 

thebigredv

First Grade
Messages
5,407
Lucky we have the bye. They can appeal and I’m sure most will get some of their fines suspended. In the meantime Hook will be sitting down with his coaching staff working out what teams to field over the next 4 weeks.

I’m not sure the club has the smarts to work that out. The old cliche comes to mind “we’re taking it one game at a time”.

As fans, let's just hope this somehow works to galvanise the players who do run out. It's a long shot but funny things happen. If we can get two wins out of the next four maybe the season is alive, but that'd be a great feat.
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551

Webb said board will meet tomorrow.
Club sanctions .
Wonder if that will include suspensions or fines.
As Bennett has said, a toxic & incompetent Board/Admin rubs off onto the playing group

- and this incident is symptomatic
....and a consequence of a decade of failure

...with an air of inevitability about it

Lost discipline,
lost respect,
lost accountability

Yes Webby, convene the Board & ask them to tender their resignations

This does not normally happen to a well run Club

...with a highly respected coach for whom the players will generally bleed & do no wrong.
 

Carrera28

Juniors
Messages
68
This is a once in a generation opportunity for the Club to decide what it stands for and not accept this level of mediocrity in terms of the integrity of the playing group. The standard you walk by is the standard you accept. Now is the time to make some serious decisions that may result in short term pain but which can get us back on track.

The most important thing that needs to happen is they need to put aside their petty politics at the board level and do whatever it takes to John Howard on the board. The guy is a tragic Dragons fan and his contacts in corporate and government would be helping us immensely and immediately. The club needs to step into the modern age and it needs to genuinely attract the big end of town to get us money. The Roosters have snuck up on us and they are going to surpass in premierships if we don't get serious. I don't like the man but he would be good for the club.

The board needs to decide if Hook is the coach for the future. If he is we should extend his contract by another two years. He can't instil a new winning culture if he only has one year to go on his contract as that will leave him making short term decisions not long term decisions. However, if he is part of the problem then he goes too. This is a hard and tough decision, guess what that's what being a board member is about you have to make hard decisions, stop eating at Dragon's functions and start paying attention to imminent collapse about to happen on your watch.

Vaughan and Corey Norman should have their contract cut immediately and told to find another club. Someone has to pay the price for this debacle and these two idiots are the sacrificial lambs the playing group needs to see to understand there are consequences.

Jack DeBellin should be brought before the board to justify why he should keep playing for the club and if he chooses to stay he should accept the addition of very stringent off field behavioural clauses in his contract. Plus he should agree to spend his off season in Aboriginal communities with Ricky Walford to learn a bit of humility and to appreciate how lucky he is. If that's too hard for him after the club stuck by him for all this time and extended his contract then he can go and play for the Sharks or Warriors as he isn't the someone who faces up to his mistakes and learns from them.

The remaining players should all be offered the choice to leave immediately or alternatively own their bad behaviour as a group and agree as a group to work harder as a group off the field to enhance on field performance.

The club needs to appoint a full time sports psychology team to work with the team and figure out what is going on within the player group and find a way to get them to stop being a bunch of nobs who don't put in the extra 5%. This is not about molly coddling them, this about working out why they individually and collectively take short cuts and start giving Hook modern tools assist him in building a winning culture.

Whatever it costs, the team needs to sign Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale to the off field staff to bring back some of the training ethos and helping out your mates ethos they were part of in the all too brief Bennett era. Maybe also Matt Cooper?

Ideally, tough old school players who always gave 100% on the field like Graham Wynn, Mark Coyne and Rodd Reddy should be brought to off season training in January 2022 to infuse a bit of the team culture and the players can learn from true legends.

The club needs to develop a 5 year plan and a 10 year plan

The 5 year plan needs to be structured around player culture and what the club is going to do to instil a lasting culture of excellence and working for your team mates that is not dependent on head coaches who come and go.

The 10 year plan needs to be about the clubs infrastructure. We need to access money from the big end of town through John Howard to build us up as the club that is the best. The best facilities, the best governance, the best gym, the best sports scientists, access to business networks post career, third party deals etc We need to create an infrastructure that makes players want to play with us because they get the best of everything.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,661
Hook will use this to galvanise the team. They screwed up. They owe the fans, their families and other players now.
They will serve the suspensions over two weeks and likely lose a game or two but following that LOOK OUT!
Top 8 finish.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,736
The amount of some of those fines is ridiculous, some are $42K and $50K, totally out of proportion I reckon.
I'd be talking to my lawyers. What other occupation would see you fined like that by the company or organization you work for / represent.
 
Messages
3,671
Regardless of just how many weeks the players received there is one irrevocable truth that stand out like dogs balls and that is that our season is well and truly over .

No semi , no saying that we gave it our best shot , it is all over for 2021 . Well done gentlemen, you group of players have finally taken away the magic of the Big Red V - means jack shat now .

But thanks for the memories .
It’s never over Gareth 67 unless the playing group give up
 

Rob Dragon 1

Juniors
Messages
172
TODAY!

Culturally we are shot. Complete absence of leadership. No respect for the law, community standards a global health crisis etc etc.

Vaughan – terminate. Second infringement directly contradicting NSW Health Authorities.

De Belin – terminate. After 2.5 years that has nearly destroyed his life, the complainant’s life and our Club, attends an event he should not have and if reports are correct, he jumps the back fence to evade Police. Seriously. SERIOUSLY!

McGuire – terminate. Should never have been bought to The Dragons. Adds nothing except educating the younger players on various “grubbiness tactics”.

Norman – gone at the end of the season. Never to be picked in 1st grade again this season.

Dufty – see Norman.

Fuiamano – Terminate. One game back from a big suspension AND …you know the rest.

Kerr / Ellis / Alvaro/ Beale – Terminate. On the basis of stupidity alone.

Lawrie/Lomax/Bird – relegated to CC for the rest of the season and contracts to be downgraded monetarily. If they don’t agree, let them leave and find alternative employment.

It’s about time the players understood that a new Sherriff is in town and you either like it or fxxk off. Simple.

And take the BOD with you on the way out.

We are a miserable Rabble.

I am so close to being done with this Rabble.

Today I did something considered heresy in my family. I told my two sons that they were free to pick another NRL side to support, and that they could continue to live with us. No ramifications, no payback from Dad. I don’t want my boys going through another 40 years of perennial disappointment like I have. My 12-year-old says he wants to support the new QLD side when they come in and said “Dad, can I buy the jersey when it comes out?”. I said “no worries mate”.

My oldest son said (and wait for it)…”Dad, I am so glad I don’t have to follow The Dragons anymore. It’s embarrassing telling your mates who you follow”.

At what stage are supporters going to start organizing properly to turn things around at this Club and demand change? There are enough decent, experienced and educated people on this forum who need to galvanize and to understand (with the support of the NRL) how we can affect change from the BOD down. If there is a will there is a way.
 
Messages
3,671
If I am the players I would be hiring silk to make some submissions as to the penalties.

By suspending the players the NRL is punishing two innocent parties:

1. the club
2. It’s fans

The fines are significant and sufficient.

The Vaughan suspension is excessive given the monetary penalty.
 

Rob Dragon 1

Juniors
Messages
172
As Bennett has said, a toxic & incompetent Board/Admin rubs off onto the playing group

- and this incident is symptomatic
....and a consequence of a decade of failure

...with an air of inevitability about it

Lost discipline,
lost respect,
lost accountability

Yes Webby, convene the Board & ask them to tender their resignations

This does not normally happen to a well run Club

...with a highly respected coach for whom the players will generally bleed & do no wrong.
Mate, 100% on the money. Agree whole-heartedly.
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,458
No points deduction which I guess is a bonus.

I’m more interested on who wasn’t there. Hunt, Sims & McCullough would have all been waiting for SOO Camp. No Ravalawa perhaps he’s not part of the clique.

Also no kids, Ramsey, Sloan, Amone, Sullivan, Feagai’s etc. Looks like the younger players have more respect for the Club, Sponsors & Fans.

I’m absolutely disgusted you honestly can’t make this stuff up.
Younger players have respect for the club? Nah mate. I wouldn’t be saying that without knowing the truth. They’re not regular first graders so they’re not good mates and weren’t invited.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
17,121
If I am the players I would be hiring silk to make some submissions as to the penalties.

By suspending the players the NRL is punishing two innocent parties:

1. the club
2. It’s fans

The fines are significant and sufficient.

The Vaughan suspension is excessive given the monetary penalty.
You do realise that Vaughan straight out lied to the Integrity Commission?

No doubt his penalty was increased due to his willingness to not tell the truth and not fully cooperate.

Contrition was required but not shown.
 

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