Johnston New Chairman Of St George Illawarra

[BennyV]

Possm, have you seen the deal with WIN? How do you know it will be good for us? Hasn't Bruce Gordon already been involved for years? Why haven't all the benefits of WIN already eventuated in that case?

I'm with you on this.
The best thing about any major change of governance or personnel at board level is that it would likely remove the necessity for the WIN deal to go ahead.

Whether or not the changes have enough of an impact, well have to wait and see. I'm rather skeptical, at this stage it looks like Johnston and Lockwood have just swapped, which doesn't help anyone.

 

[possm]

Possm, have you seen the deal with WIN? How do you know it will be good for us? Hasn't Bruce Gordon already been involved for years? Why haven't all the benefits of WIN already eventuated in that case?

WIN has been involved to a limited extent and mainly concerned with providing the Illawarra side of the partnership with funds to meet their obligations. A 50% ownership is a far greater commitment and the funds from this sale are earmarked to pay off the Dragons debt to the NRL and help release new funds earned by the Club for purposes such as funding a new coach, upgrading Club infrastructure and updating marketing, promotional and administrative systems.

If South Sydney and Canterbury can bring their Club into the 21st century and become profitable, I'm sure given the right people and resources, our Club can do similar or better.

 

[Carlton]

I think the club could be more profitable than it is. My concern has always been the lack of transparency surrounding the deal with WIN and exactly what they expect to gain from any arrangement. They are a corporation with the goal of maximising profit they are not a public benevolent institution doing it for the love of the club.

WIN and Bruce Gordon have had a lot to do with club already and not just limited to the Illawarra side of things. Until I can see exactly what is being proposed and understand the implications for the club long term I don't think the deal is good or bad. What scares me though is support for the deal even when the details are not known. I can understand the frustration with our board and CEO that leads people to look for a saviour.

The club has a strong balance sheet and I don't know why this has not been leveraged by the board. By not using it, it is being eroded over time and losing value.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

Brian Johnston, great player back in his day.
His centre combination with Michael Beattie was great.
Even put the club first and moved out to the wing later in his career so we could blood two young players in Brad Mackay and Mark Coyne.
Great step of each foot as well, put Ricky Walford away in the 87 Panasonic Cup Final for our second try.
Bleeds Red & White.
More importantly now though is he has the background with some very smart, astute business decisions.
Great move having him back on board.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Just a question.

Can someone please show me evidence that Coyne and Co are still employed by the club as the "management committee". From what I can remember his tenure finished last October when his committee presented their findings to the board and it was determined that it was a short term assignment.
We have had zero information since then.
Coyne has a very successful insurance business so why would he want to leave that?

Don't get me wrong, if he is still involved and still making the right notions of adjustments then that's great and I hope he is, but I just don't see the evidence that he is still around.

 

[possm]

I'd say if you asked Coyne you could probably get all the info you want. Only he would know his availability to do work at the Club or even take up the fulltime job of CEO of the Football Club.

If not coin then someone else who is highly qualified to take over from Doust.

 

[Dragon Revival]

Lockwood has been a weak link for a long while. The two Warrens and Danny Robinson stitched up a deal to merge with the Roosters with Geoff Carr as CEO behind the Board's back. At that time Johnston was Marketing Manager and you could see that he was pissed off along with Brian Smith who called the the Roosters the Eastern Suburbs Feather Dusters.
Carr was sacked for his involvement but the other three stayed on to cause further mayhem and the demise of the once great Leagues Club.
Brian Smith would not be coach at the combined entity with Phil Gould the
plotters choice.
Bruce Spaul was flabbergasted by this well orchestrated plan which appeared to be a fait complete until the Save Our Saints protest and ralliesled by the Skull and others. Johnston is all class and it was
only when he got cancer that Doust got in probably due to Lockwood due to their hospital connections and they have presided over a hospital case of
maladministration along with Robinson who has ruined the once great Taj Mahal. Frank Facer must be shaking in his grave with trepidation. We need to piss off the three four traitors as a priority and install Coyne and the other
good guys like Mark Taylor, Tony Squires and Ricky Walford.

 

[possm]

Lockwood has been a weak link for a long while. The two Warrens and Danny Robinson stitched up a deal to merge with the Roosters with Geoff Carr as CEO behind the Board's back. At that time Johnston was Marketing Manager and you could see that he was pissed off along with Brian Smith who called the the Roosters the Eastern Suburbs Feather Dusters.
Carr was sacked for his involvement but the other three stayed on to cause further mayhem and the demise of the once great Leagues Club.
Brian Smith would not be coach at the combined entity with Phil Gould the
plotters choice.
Bruce Spaul was flabbergasted by this well orchestrated plan which appeared to be a fait complete until the Save Our Saints protest and ralliesled by the Skull and others. Johnston is all class and it was
only when he got cancer that Doust got in probably due to Lockwood due to their hospital connections and they have presided over a hospital case of
maladministration along with Robinson who has ruined the once great Taj Mahal. Frank Facer must be shaking in his grave with trepidation. We need to piss off the three four traitors as a priority and install Coyne and the other
good guys like Mark Taylor, Tony Squires and Ricky Walford.

What a great read! Thankyou very much for the info. And yes I support your view for change.

I am a member of the Leagues Club with full voting rights. Have not received any mail regarding any up-coming meetings. Are any scheduled?

 

[RedVee]

My worry with the WIN deal is: are we going to hand over the NRL license and the deciding vote to WIN?
If so, I am against it. If we get a vote.

What a great ready! Thankyou very much for the info. And yes I support your view for change.

I am a member of the Leagues Club with full voting rights. Have not received any mail regarding any up-coming meetings. Are any scheduled?

BJ is already the LC Chair, this is for the Footy Club as I understand it

 

[possm]

My worry with the WIN deal is: are we going to hand over the NRL license and the deciding vote to WIN?
If so, I am against it. If we get a vote.



BJ is already the LC Chair, this is for the Footy Club as I understand it

Ok I understand now. Board Members for the Football Club are appointed by the Leagues Club Board I believe. Members do not get a vote.

 

[grouch]

So much negativity from all you trolls against a coach and ceo who has gotten us to 3rd place. Never satisfied you bunch.

lol. We should be grateful shouldnt we. I mean, we are in 3rd place in March, that makes up for years of woeful administration that have seen us become a poor cousin of the NRL reliant on handouts. But hey, at least now they've had a "shake-up" of the board, involving one current board member moving up to chairman, and the previous chairman retaining a spot on the board. We peasants should rejoice! Change at last!

 

[Old Timer]

lol. We should be grateful shouldnt we. I mean, we are in 3rd place in March, that makes up for years of woeful administration that have seen us become a poor cousin of the NRL reliant on handouts. But hey, at least now they've had a "shake-up" of the board, involving one current board member moving up to chairman, and the previous chairman retaining a spot on the board. We peasants should rejoice! Change at last!

Grouch
If that is the case I agree with you.
However looking at it, there was no need for that change either, so the expectation that something else is afoot is a reasonable one.
Nothing can make up for the gross incompetency over the last 6 years and no doubt a total cleanout and blood letting is not going to happen, but at least this does provide some glimmer of hope, but if the wheel stops turning immediately no doubt you are correct.
We have waited this long for nothing so I am happy to wait a bit longer in the light of this, after all not many places to go anyway other than voicing disapproval in here.

 

[Willow]

Despite his resignation, Lockwood will continue his association with the club by remaining on the St George Illawarra board.

He has been replaced by former Australian player Brian Johnston.

I have to say that this is a positive appointment.

I had the good fortune to meet Brian Johnston on two occasions, several years apart. The first time was in early 1997 in Rockdale when he was one of my customers. We discussed the 1996 season when we made the grand final against the odds. We were both beaming about it, but truth is I knew who he was and I expected he would forget me before the end of the day. The second meeting was around 2002 at the Club. We just ran into each other upstairs. We said "g'day" and he immediately took up the same conversation from years earlier. He had no reason to remember me. I assumed that apart from being a classy footballer, he also has an excellent memory and astute brain... as well as being incredibly polite.

A proud son of Dunedoo, played for Australia... and St George. What could be wrong with that?

 

[getsmarty]

Johnston replaces Chairman Lockwood
Tue 28th March, 03:30PM
A A

The St George Illawarra Dragons' Board has announced that Chairman Warren Lockwood tendered his resignation on Tuesday, and will be replaced by former CEO and player Brian Johnston.

Presently the club's joint venture arrangements provide for the Chairman being appointed by the St George shareholder and this decision is a key part of the Dragons' succession planning and management.

The St George Leagues Club Board met on Sunday and resolved to nominate Director Johnston as the new Chairman – a position that was formally ratified by the full St George Illawarra Dragons Board on Tuesday.

Lockwood has had a long history with not only the Dragons but so too the game, having previously been the Chairman of NSWRL (1998-1999) and the first ever Chairman of the NRL.

First appointed as Chairman of the St George Rugby League Football Club in 1991, Lockwood has held the point as the Chairman of the St George Illawarra Dragons since 2001.

"It was an honour to be elected as Chairman 16 years ago but I thought it was time for me to move on and let the club have a fresh start with Brian Johnston, who is an ideal candidate to take the position," Lockwood said.

"It's been an interesting experience, I've met people I never imagined I would, and I've also learnt a lot over the years.

"I've been very lucky to have great support from my family; my wife Jan and my children Gary and Sandra."

Johnston was Chief Executive Officer of the Dragons (1996-2000) before stepping down for personal reasons.

Between 2000 and 2010, Johnston has successfully attained a Masters in Business Administration, Science and Logistics and Business Coaching, all from the University of Wollongong.

Since 2000, Johnston has held positions such as CEO of Office National before moving on to Suncorp Group where he worked in a number of senior roles.

Thereafter, Johnston held a number of senior commercial and business roles acted as an executive manager for other insurance companies such as GIO and Vero, while more recently he has worked as a business consultant for IAG.

"I feel very privileged and honoured to fill this position. I will do everything I possibly can to emulate the fine work that's been done in the past and to carry on the traditions that Warren Lockwood has built," Johnston said.

"With him remaining on the Board, I'll be able to lean on him if I need some support in the initial stages."

Johnston also played 10 seasons with St George Dragons, where he accumulated 166 games, and also represented New South Wales (1984, 1986-89 – eight Origins) and Australia (1987 – one Test).

The Dragons remain in discussions with WIN Television and other interested parties with respect to the 50 per cent shareholding held by the Steelers Club.

"Our discussions are complex and ongoing but we are positive that we will have a clear resolution in the coming months," Johnston said.

"In the longer term, if I were to have a legacy for the game it would be around the financial sustainability of rugby league franchises.

"If we can ensure at the Dragons we further develop our unique business model… that's something I'm very happy to contribute towards."

http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2017/03/28/johnston_replaces_ch.af_news.html

 

[Saints Forever]

"The Dragons remain in discussions with WIN Television and other interested parties with respect to the 50 per cent shareholding held by the Steelers Club.

"Our discussions are complex and ongoing but we are positive that we will have a clear resolution in the coming months," Johnston said."

Wonder who the other interested parties are ?

There may well be movement at the station.

 

[loveoursaints]

lol. We should be grateful shouldnt we. I mean, we are in 3rd place in March, that makes up for years of woeful administration that have seen us become a poor cousin of the NRL reliant on handouts. But hey, at least now they've had a "shake-up" of the board, involving one current board member moving up to chairman, and the previous chairman retaining a spot on the board. We peasants should rejoice! Change at last!

If you all can support the worst number 6 in the game who plays for us, then you can all support the 7th worst ceo and coach in the game. Got to be consistent.

 

[grouch]

If you all can support the worst number 6 in the game who plays for us, then you can all support the 7th worst ceo and coach in the game. Got to be consistent.

This is stupid.

 

[Old Timer]

Brian Johnston, great player back in his day.
His centre combination with Michael Beattie was great.
Even put the club first and moved out to the wing later in his career so we could blood two young players in Brad Mackay and Mark Coyne.
Great step of each foot as well, put Ricky Walford away in the 87 Panasonic Cup Final for our second try.
Bleeds Red & White.
More importantly now though is he has the background with some very smart, astute business decisions.
Great move having him back on board.

Baetiie was "the gun" though wasn't he.

 

[possm]

I hope the next move is Coyne as CEO followed by an agreement with WIN Corp.

 

[saintzrule]

How's Steve Edge going?