Football Staff for 2021

[Dragon David]

NRL REVIVAL

Incoming St George Illawarra assistant coach Matt Elliott says he owes the Dragons “everything” as he prepares to make a homecoming to the club.

Elliott was announced this week alongside another ex-St George player in Peter Gentle as part of a revamped St George Illawarra coaching staff under Anthony Griffin. Elliott hasn’t coached since leaving the Warriors in 2014 but has had a desire to return to the NRL in recent times. It wasn’t until Griffin called and asked Elliott’s opinion on a range of matters just last week that planted the seed in Elliott’s mind about joining Griffin’s staff.

“I owe the club everything,” Elliott said.

“I played my first grade games there and got a free set of torpedoes. I began my coaching career there. To have the opportunity to go back and make a difference, I’m not going to leave any stone unturned in getting the team heading in the right direction under Anthony.

“Returning to coaching has been itching at me.”

Elliott has been running a successful business – The Change Room – working with the likes of Anthony Minichiello to help people overcome poor health, illness and injury. He has also been working for ABC Grandstand.

“We have to create an environment for them to play their best footy,” Elliott said. “Then we need to give them systems of preparation to elevate that. My external observation is there are a lot of good players there but they haven’t played well. Players aren’t the common denominator.

“It’s the environment to ensure we can let them focus on what they do best.”

The Dragons are also making a play for North Queensland representative forward Josh McGuire.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...n/news-story/27867814480a23c859c8febb96426aed

I sense that Matt Elliot cannot wait to be part of the threesome to make the Dragons great again.

Both Griffin and Elliot have been on the radio - 2GB (Continuous Call Team) and the ABC Grandstand respectively and being part of this medium would definitely help them both keep in touch with the players, moves, structures, analysis of games whilst Gentle has been an assistant/interim head coach for a couple of years so in the mainstream of thinking football strategies etc.

I am sure that all will have great ideas to put us back on course again in the premiership going forward.

Once we know what players are signed up, we can think about what our chances in 2021 will be much better.

 

[SEAT 1A]

First part of the pointy end of the club is in place and the second part the players coming and possibly going is ongoing which is generally done quietly by the club and the delay due to a new head coach.

As Elliott has said.

“We have to create an environment for them to play their best footy,” “Then we need to give them systems of preparation to elevate that"

Also, the club has chosen an experienced coach, I feel that it's a message to the players that they haven't received much support.

 

[blacksafake]

“We have to create an environment for them to play their best footy,” Elliott said. “Then we need to give them systems of preparation to elevate that. My external observation is there are a lot of good players there but they haven’t played well. Players aren’t the common denominator.

Interesting comments.
Maybe a dig at the previous coaching staff?

 

[Inisai Toga]

You know at the end of the day, Cronulla won 3 more games than Saints to make the eight. I personally think the top 8 rewards mediocrity, but just reflect on how many close games we lost to some basic fundamentals this year.

I’ve really got no grandiose predictions for next year, but a couple of decent forwards sign-ons and just an overall improvement in some of basics elements that win football games (particularly defence), plus a reduction in the ‘rocks and diamonds‘ type performances that many of our players regularly demonstrate .... could be interesting.

 

[Slippery Morris]

“ My external observation is there are a lot of good players there but they haven’t played well. Players aren’t the common denominator.

Elliot is spot on here. There are a lot of good players in this squad which have not been used right. I hope they get them firing because if they do the Gould's review will prove to be rubbish as he put it down to the roster management more than his best mate Mary.

 

[hewi]

“We have to create an environment for them to play their best footy,” Elliott said. “Then we need to give them systems of preparation to elevate that. My external observation is there are a lot of good players there but they haven’t played well. Players aren’t the common denominator.

Interesting comments.
Maybe a dig at the previous coaching staff?

And if it is it is a well aimed dig at that. For nearly ten years it’s been amateur hour at the Dragons I feel we will see a marked improvement next year.

 

[Dragsters]

Being fit is one thing. Having a bit of football in us is another thing entirely.

We have basically no cohesion, and rely on opportunistic tries or mistakes from the opposition.

Not sure I have much confidence in the three old codgers knowledge or relevance in the modern game.

Yeah, like those other two old codgers, Bennett & Bellamy, no idea those two...

 

[Dragon David]

Yeah, like those other two old codgers, Bennett & Bellamy, no idea those two...

Yeah the three old codgers are all younger than Bennett and Bellamy. They are 70 and 60 respectively whilst Griffin is 54 and both Elliott and Gentle are 55 - all still in their prime, so there you are Gitano.

 

[draco]

Not to mention Phillip Ronald "Gus" Gould at 62 years.

 

[boardlumps62]

"The Three Amigos" ah I like the sound of that.
In fact I will send them a link to 1993 Major Semi Final St George v Raiders we beat them 31 to 10 go look and learn from that Amigos!!!!

 

[gitano]

Yeah, like those other two old codgers, Bennett & Bellamy, no idea those two...

They don't really coach their teams...mind blowing isn't it.

 

[thebigredv]

.... plus a reduction in the ‘rocks and diamonds‘ type performances that many of our players regularly demonstrate ...

Yes. My concern is whether we do have players who can have more consistency under a proper coach or whether they are just dud players. I think in most cases it will turn out to be the former there but maybe some shonky scouting over years too.

Remember in 2010 you didn't have to worry whether Player X would be on or not. You knew what you were going to get...and it was always acceptable if not excellent in quality.

 

[possm]

Elliot is spot on here. There are a lot of good players in this squad which have not been used right. I hope they get them firing because if they do the Gould's review will prove to be rubbish as he put it down to the roster management more than his best mate Mary.

And it is so telling that Mary and his assistants are gone and Millward remains all-be-it under more strick supervision.

 

[Dragsters]

They don't really coach their teams...mind blowing isn't it.

Not many coaches do.

That's why they have coaching staff.

There's a revelation for you...

 

[gitano]

Not many coaches do.

That's why they have coaching staff.

There's a revelation for you...

And the coaching staff aren't all 70 year olds

 

[I'm Hornby]

And the coaching staff aren't all 70 year olds

Who gives a shit about the age of the coaching staff?

Hook, Elliot and Gentle have a whole wealth of experience to bring to the table and what they can offer will be 1000000000 times better than any of the coaching staff we've had since Bennett.

If you think young people make better coaches go and support the Cowboys for the next couple of years and let me know how that pans out for you.

This forum has a wide range of ages on it and no one likes to read ageist type comments.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

And the coaching staff aren't all 70 year olds

We have had heaps of success with our 35 year olds...

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Who gives a shit about the age of the coaching staff?

Hook, Elliot and Gentle have a whole wealth of experience to bring to the table and what they can offer will be 1000000000 times better than any of the coaching staff we've had since Bennett.

If you think young people make better coaches go and support the Cowboys for the next couple of years and let me know how that pans out for you.

This forum has a wide range of ages on it and no one likes to read ageist type comments.

They are pretty in their prime in coaching terms. Old enough to be wise and command respect but young enough to have all their faculties intact. It’s a good combo and I think it’s what we need right now. This pre season will be survival of the fittest.

 

[TruSaint]

Not comparing Wayne to Griffin in terms of coaching, but age wise, Bennett was 60 when he won the comp with us. Griffin is 54, and Elliott 55.

Bennett at 70 still has Souths competing.

Griffin is on a 2 year deal. That's it. Let see what he can do.

 

[Old Timer]

Interesting how some bag what we had and then bag what we get no matter how bad what we had was.

Their insistence on having or comparing to that what you can’t have clouds their view on moving forward.

In respect of gitano’s logic of us getting the 3 amigos in their mid 50’s and them being too old to coach there’s little wonder he rated and still rates Aitken so highly and bags Lomax continuously.