Embarrassing

[drake]

The reason why it isn't called the "Saints Army" is because even before we merged, it was the Dragon Army.

Mate I know that, I've been around a while, but since the merge there has been much ado about the "Dragon Brand" and Saints. Saints seems to refer to the pre-'99 Dragons. (DITB? ;-) )

I just think it's pointless to keep slagging the Illawarra side, it will only alienate the players from here. Don't give country folk shit about their home.

IMHO, if it weren't for the elitist old school saints crap that so many of the army come up with, it would be fantastic. But as it is a conglomeration of fans, I can't see any changes happening. Not like you can lose your membership. So it's not going to grow anytime soon.

 

[gregstar]

BRILLIANT!
so there are reports of rifts within the club & along comes this thread!
aahh yes - proof of a club in crisis!

 

[sethman75]

Wezman u r a dickhead.

The Dragon army is so small becoz no one wants to sit with shitty little illawarra lovers like urself. If we didnt merge i rekon our army would be as good as it was in 90's today.

Its funny how the team suddenly become Illawarra when we are losing, or playing bad, but when we put on a couple of quick tries or are winning, they all of a sudden become St George

Wezman the reason for this is St.George was a successful club, we won 15 premierships and the only thing we new how to do well is win. The first half last nite was a illawarra performance.

Tinia your a monkey.

The Dragons of today are way more Steelers than the Saints and always have been since the merger. Why do you think we have the best playing roster in the league? It's because of the constant influx of quality youth from the Illawarra. Nobody can argue about that point.

As for the fans, Illawarra got ripped by the death of the Steelers which symbolised the region. But we have adjusted and are fully passionate about the Dragons. So what's the problem with the monkey die hard Saints supporters like Tinia?

 

[Red Bear]

Funny the players who were playing well the other night, baily hornby Matty Head etc were all Illawarra juniors.

I would agree with Wezman, if your gunna support the merger then get behind the whole team, not just half of it and dont start rifts. Or you could just refuse to support it cos it sickens you that the identity of your region is gone(like myself). If your gunna support it dont start shitfights with fellow supporters.

No wonder the Dragon Army has such a shit reputation.

 

[Willow]

Funny the players who were playing well the other night, baily hornby Matty Head etc were all Illawarra juniors.

And that was divisive in itself.

There seems to be a notion of "my juniors - your juniors - our juniors".

The residential qualification rule was tossed out decades ago... there are some who think it still exists in some shape or form. If there was no joint venture, do you think the players would disappear?

FFS, we don't own these players. They go where the best deal for them exists.

While its great to a junior base to draw on, the fact is all these players are on the open market as soon as their contract expires. Some of them may be playing for other clubs but who's to say they wouldn't be playing for Saints anyway?

In any case, all NRL clubs will have a playing roster to fill and they'd still have 13 players on the paddock every weekend. There will always be players to make up the team regardless of the junior base.

If the joint venture never happened, then Wollongong would be like what's happening on the Gold Coast... one NRL game a year plus a couple in the pre-seaon if you were lucky. If anything, no representation in the NRL would be detrimental to the development of any future Illawarra juniors. I don't say this to offend anyone, just saying it how I understand it.

 

[Red Bear]

Of course what i said was devisive #-o true tho.
And that is definately the case abou tthe JV never happening. Doesnt help when a bunch of pro-saints fans shout down the Illawarra ahlf every game(of course there is a little bit coming back from the Illawara side, but the DA outnumbersthose people by a considerable margin).

 

[God-King Dean]

Lance Thompson, Bailey, Hornby, Young, Ryles, Sims, Cooper, Gasnier. They're all our local juniors as far as I'm concerned

 

[Willow]

Exactly. Thank you Immortal.
It's a great thing when a team can boast so many LOCAL juniors.

And GTB, my shit is true as well but I'm sure you're not interested in hearing about it.

But at the end of the day, do you honestly think a player's home address is a major issue in the modern game?

There is no doubt that the Illawarra is fine nursery and the southern Sydney region couldn't ask for a better backyard. The potential is obvious. But potential means very little unless it is developed.

 

[alive103]

Yeah, he does go to alot of games and is always on TV, apart from Skull, he is probably one of our most famous fans. And no i don't have a problem with your avater.

But whilst being one of the most famous fans (i wouldn't call him a supporter), he is one of the main instigators in the Illawarra bashing that occurs at games.

You're a clown Wezman... no two ways about it. He'll surely see you in Townsville and Melbourne... wouldn't call him a supporter.... he bleeds red and white.. has missed two games in 10 years and he's not a supporter? I was trying to encourage him to be positive but he has seen this crap live for too long now. I wouldn't say he is losing faith but losing patience.

Our performance the other night was a joke. Until 20-nil, the blokes were right behind the side.... those two heartless tries before half time were the last straw for many. Grimaldi's try was quite simply under 10s crap.
Did you note how not one of these people left early? They were critical but didn't walk out on them.

I had a run-in with a bloke wearing a Steelers Heritage jersey who was having a go at myself and others for not supporting them.... Show some heart in your jersey and have some respect for your club was my main point.... the first half was embarrassing on the field... the lack of intensity from kick-off was a disgrace. In the vicinity of 2-3 million people were watching the game on television and the lack of team spirit was there for everyone to see. When they got the rocket they deserved at halftime, they played with some intensity and speed and we started getting some ball and the points flowed.

People will bring up excuses such as Barrett was missing etc. These don't wash anymore. The cornerstone of our improvement last year was our defence and that was throughout the club. O'Meley, Asotasi and SBW were simply destroying us because we weren't aggressive enough when it mattered. These blokes all know how to tackle.

Saints do not have the best playing roster in the comp anymore. Our depth isn't half what it was last year. We have name players but our back-up is ordinary this year compared to last. Our bench on Friday night was skinny with Sims the only real impact. (He and Bailey are two of the 17 who can hold their head up in the first half). We got smashed in Reserve Grade 48-10 and Flegg lost also.

Finally, I will say this. After every loss the army is criticised just as much as the players and coaching staff. People who chant week-in week-out and give their voices for the club they follow (I'll avoid support because this is a testy issue with you). make a 30 week commitment and they expect the players to show a 30 week commitment to the jersey and take pride in their performance. It's an easy out bagging Illawarra... i knew the moment an Illawarra chant started the other night someone would have a whinge about it.... for over 90% of Friday night's debacle, the Army was thoroughly behind the side. It's a commitment that starts on Charity Shield night every year and will continue until we exit the competition.

 

[Red Bear]

Exactly. Thank you Immortal.
It's a great thing when a team can boast so many LOCAL juniors.

And GTB, my sh*t is true as well but I'm sure you're not interested in hearing about it.

But at the end of the day, do you honestly think a player's home address is a major issue in the modern game?

There is no doubt that the Illawarra is fine nursery and the southern Sydney region couldn't ask for a better backyard. The potential is obvious. But potential means very little unless it is developed.

I was kinda trying to agree with you there, my opinion is that your own worst enemys. You are kinda like fairweather fans only you stick by your team(if that makes sense). As soon as something goes wrong you sink the boot in to the closest target.

 

[Red Bear]

Too add to that, its all very well to have a good supporters group like the Dragon Army but in your case it just seems to create problems. Be more like the Burrow, stand by your team through thick and thin, singing the whole time. Alot better stmosphere than the whole thing turning into a shitfight when something goes wrong.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Tinia your a monkey.

The Dragons of today are way more Steelers than the Saints and always have been since the merger.

Really. What was it in 99 (our one good year) 13 Dragons and 12 Steelers? Or vice versa, either way your point is disproven.

The Dragons of today are way more Steelers than the Saints and always have been since the merger. Why do you think we have the best playing roster in the league? It's because of the constant influx of quality youth from the Illawarra. Nobody can argue about that point.

Is this a trick question?

Snap back to reality.

Who are the two most dominant teams in the NRL today? The Bulldogs and The Roosters. That's right two Stand Alone Sydney clubs who don't just sit back on their arse but actually get out their and recruit establised players, juniors and up and commers.

Kind of like what St George did in the 90s when we made THREE Grand Finals. Geez, looking back I just don't know how we could manage such a thing without the precious… the ten foot tall Illawarra juniors who can fire lighting bolts from their arse.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Too add to that, its all very well to have a good supporters group like the Dragon Army but in your case it just seems to create problems. Be more like the Burrow, stand by your team through thick and thin, singing the whole time. Alot better stmosphere than the whole thing turning into a shitfight when something goes wrong.

I suppose you poured your heart into The Northern Eagles then GTB.

Don't lecture us, bagging Illawarra is both fun and therapeutic. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

 

[Willow]

Exactly. Thank you Immortal.
It's a great thing when a team can boast so many LOCAL juniors.

And GTB, my sh*t is true as well but I'm sure you're not interested in hearing about it.

But at the end of the day, do you honestly think a player's home address is a major issue in the modern game?

There is no doubt that the Illawarra is fine nursery and the southern Sydney region couldn't ask for a better backyard. The potential is obvious. But potential means very little unless it is developed.

I was kinda trying to agree with you there, my opinion is that your own worst enemys. You are kinda like fairweather fans only you stick by your team(if that makes sense). As soon as something goes wrong you sink the boot in to the closest target.

There's nothing in that last post of yours that I would agree with.

 

[God-King Dean]

Don't lecture us, bagging Illawarra is both fun and therapeutic. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

Perhaps for the bitter it is, but the rest of us it's embarrassing

 

[gregstar]

this thread is thoroughly embarrassing!
other fans must be wetting themselves
for shame guys - for shame

 

[Red Bear]

then obviously im shithouse at saying what i wanna say ;-)

 

[God-King Dean]

this thread is thoroughly embarrassing!
other fans must be wetting themselves
for shame guys - for shame

I don't think it's embarrassing. Unfortunatly it's a problem that should be discussed. F**k what others think of it

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Tell me this honestly Immortal, if we had merged with The Sharks would you have your location as "Heart in St George, Soul in Sutherland"? Would you go out and buy a "Cronulla Heritage" jersey?

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

this thread is thoroughly embarrassing!
other fans must be wetting themselves
for shame guys - for shame

I don't think it's embarrassing. Unfortunatly it's a problem that should be discussed. F**k what others think of it

Beep, wrong...

Don't lecture us, bagging Illawarra is both fun and therapeutic. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

Perhaps for the bitter it is, but the rest of us it's embarrassing