Matt Lodge

[Gareth67]

Packer owned his shit, pled guilty & served his time.

Lodge terrorised a family then fled the country & tried to avoid any responsibility whatsoever.

Don’t care how desperate we are for front rowers.

He’s scum, but yet somehow he’s receiving $700k a year when decent folk get nowhere near that.

If we sign him, I’m posting my membership card back to the club. Cut into many pieces.

Perhaps a sad reflection on the NRL itself by allowing
a person of that character to play the game ?

 

[possm]

Everything this club does these days is with trepidation. Too scared to sign a gun player because of what others may think. Too scared to spend a bit of money to replace the plodders we've been putting up with for years. Too scared to drop an under-performer because they are veterans whose feelings might get hurt. Scared to fight the NRL whenever they dump a long stinky one all over us....Too scared to have a fair crack at this comp.

Sensible is one thing.
Cowardice is another.

In the distant past there were years when the Saints did most things well and achieved beyond what other clubs could only dream of; we were the envy of all rugby league clubs.

Most fans and supporters know that our great achievement of 11 consecutive premierships was mainly due to sensible, clever, and unselfish management within the club.

In more recent times there has been a stench of selfish, inept, and maybe even corrupt, people running our great club; the results are there for all to see;
Poor management
Jobs for the boys (who never had the skills to do things properly)
A mentality of medureoccracy
No real plan to address the current problem
No future plans that give fans and supporters faith and hope.

In my opinion, there are a few things that would help our club dig itself out of this MESS:

1. Sell up to 30% of the St George Illawarra Football Club shares to Red V Members by including a set number of shares in the membership fee. These shares to be retained while the owner is a current Red V Member (a maximum individual allocation to apply).
2. Sell a further 10% of shares to St George Leagues Club Members and Illawarra Leagues Club Members (a maximum individual allocation to apply).
3. Sell a further 10% of shares on the public.
4. The current owners to retain 25% each of the shares.
5. Set an initial, total share value at 20m
6. Use the funds raised from this exercise to:
a. Improve player training facilities.
b. Further develop our Academy.
c. Recruit the very best coaching staff.
d. Hire the very best Club administrators.
c. Upgrade Leagues Club facilities at Kogarah and Wollongong.

This would set us on the journey to rescue our Club as only in this structure could we hold the Board of Management accountable to the Members. Not only could the Club raise about 10m, but it would also increase the number of shareholders with a financial interest in the well-being of our Club. Under this restructure, I am confident that decisions will be made in the best interest of the Club.

 

[Mojo]

Packer owned his shit, pled guilty & served his time.

Lodge terrorised a family then fled the country & tried to avoid any responsibility whatsoever.

Don’t care how desperate we are for front rowers.

He’s scum, but yet somehow he’s receiving $700k a year when decent folk get nowhere near that.

If we sign him, I’m posting my membership card back to the club. Cut into many pieces.

But, do you like him?

 

[Banger]

lol at everyone getting their tits in a twist over this. It’s not even a rumour. The Fox article simply states the Dragons have spaces to fill. Nothing more.

Linky

 

[blacksafake]

Packer owned his shit, pled guilty & served his time.

Lodge terrorised a family then fled the country & tried to avoid any responsibility whatsoever.

Don’t care how desperate we are for front rowers.

He’s scum, but yet somehow he’s receiving $700k a year when decent folk get nowhere near that.

If we sign him, I’m posting my membership card back to the club. Cut into many pieces.

Can’t see it happening & I too am against him wearing the Red V

 

[redv13]

Can’t see it happening & I too am against him wearing the Red V

That muppet should not be allowed to play nrl let alone for our team

 

[saints4ever]

Dw it's not happening. WTF would he come here anyway

 

[Slippery Morris]

He is rubbish, Saints should keep away. Clubs releasing him way too easy which shows he is a problem child.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Big fat No from me......next we will be signing Tavai Pengai Jnr.....both dead shits imo

 

[TruSaint]

f**k no.

 

[Trifili13]

While I understand the negativity against Lodge, I think he offers more than Woods, Kerr, and Lawrie.

We all have our suspicions of what the Cheese and Munster were up to last offseason (although could not be proven) and while it does not directly compare to what Lodge did, how many Dragons supporters would accept these 2 with open arms?

The question is I suppose where does the club and supporters draw the line of who to sign based on a players character.

 

[Brutalitops]

While I understand the negativity against Lodge, I think he offers more than Woods, Kerr, and Lawrie.

We all have our suspicions of what the Cheese and Munster were up to last offseason (although could not be proven) and while it does not directly compare to what Lodge did, how many Dragons supporters would accept these 2 with open arms?

The question is I suppose where does the club and supporters draw the line of who to sign based on a players character.

Personal drug choices are only bad things in the sense it will hurt the club. I wouldn't look twice if I met a 20 something who had done coke. When you step over that line into harming others that's when my line is drawn. Lodge is irredeemable to me and also seriously not worth the trouble anyway.

 

[Gourley's Socks]

Hope I'm not coming across too sanctimonious here but violence - particularly against children - is a pretty easy line to draw.

 

[Trifili13]

Personal drug choices are only bad things in the sense it will hurt the club. I wouldn't look twice if I met a 20 something who had done coke. When you step over that line into harming others that's when my line is drawn. Lodge is irredeemable to me and also seriously not worth the trouble anyway.

So if they took what we all suspect they took, you are happy to sign them if the opportunity arose as they were only harming themselves. Please don't take it as me having a go at you or me pushing for the Dragon's to sign Lodge, I just find it interesting where some supporters draw the line. Lodge I think was a nobody in terms of being a well known player when he committed his act so will probably always be considered damaged goods, while the Cheese and Munster were established stars so are given greater leniency and some supporters would jump at signing them (eg Cheese to the Roosters) although I get the acts are completely different.

 

[muzby]

So if they took what we all suspect they took, you are happy to sign them if the opportunity arose as they were only harming themselves. Please don't take it as me having a go at you or me pushing for the Dragon's to sign Lodge, I just find it interesting where some supporters draw the line. Lodge I think was a nobody in terms of being a well known player when he committed his act so will probably always be considered damaged goods, while the Cheese and Munster were established stars so are given greater leniency and some supporters would jump at signing them (eg Cheese to the Roosters) although I get the acts are completely different.

There is a massive, massive line to draw between personal drug use vs threatening to kill someone and then doing a home invasion terrorising a family to tried to help them.

A massive line.

It’s a line so big I’m not even sure Munster or cheese could snort whatever you choose to make the line out of.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Russell Packer turned he's life around, Lodge has done the same, he is paying off the debt to the victims and has settled down and matured he got a 2nd chance and is taking it, i have no issue if he comes..

No, he hasn't. Just because he hasn't tried to murder anyone lately (an innocent family, or his partner) doesn't mean he's a clean skin all of a sudden.

He's just skipped on a contract by texting the head coach - yes, that's texting not even phoning or fronting up to - on the Monday of game week to tell him he wouldn't play against your mob, then activating his player option for 2023 but making it clear he wouldn't move to NZ. Apparently he was overruling the game plan on field, as well. He's still a dirty prick on field at times as well - see the elbow on Harawira-Naera this year, was suspended four times and for seven games last year, the finger pulling at the crowd last year in round 26 etc.

He's now failed to complete four contracts with four different clubs. He is a stain. A poor human being. Who cares how many metres he can run per carry - this is a guy you don't want to touch with a 50 foot barge pole.

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

No, he hasn't. Just because he hasn't tried to murder anyone lately (an innocent family, or his partner) doesn't mean he's a clean skin all of a sudden.

He's just skipped on a contract by texting the head coach - yes, that's texting not even phoning or fronting up to - on the Monday of game week to tell him he wouldn't play against your mob, then activating his player option for 2023 but making it clear he wouldn't move to NZ. Apparently he was overruling the game plan on field, as well. He's still a dirty prick on field at times as well - see the elbow on Harawira-Naera this year, was suspended four times and for seven games last year, the finger pulling at the crowd last year in round 26 etc.

He's now failed to complete four contracts with four different clubs. He is a stain. A poor human being. Who cares how many metres he can run per carry - this is a guy you don't want to touch with a 50 foot barge pole.

He hasn't been charged for any crimes since the New York incident as far as i can see he is trying to get on with his life as far as i can tell
I read that Brown and him had a chat so i don't know whether that was before or after he asked for a release and really that's how society works now anyway for the younger generation BUT in my opinion there is more to it, something happened was said that lead to him leaving, moving to NZ isn't the issue as he still could have played up until they went back.
I will call BS on your overruling the game plan that's just forum talk and to equate he's onfield play as some sort of proof that he is a dirty human is stupid, what does that make JWH murderer or what about Mitch Barnett that you guys signed, straight elbow on "purpose" to a players head, as for the contracts he was sacked from Tigers(NY incident), Bronco's moved him on due to huge contract and they wanted to rebuild and as for Warriors The truth will come out eventually, like i said I'm not fussed if we or anyone else signs him or not..

 

[Penrose Warrior]

He hasn't been charged for any crimes since the New York incident as far as i can see he is trying to get on with his life as far as i can tell
I read that Brown and him had a chat so i don't know whether that was before or after he asked for a release and really that's how society works now anyway for the younger generation BUT in my opinion there is more to it, something happened was said that lead to him leaving, moving to NZ isn't the issue as he still could have played up until they went back.
I will call BS on your overruling the game plan that's just forum talk and to equate he's onfield play as some sort of proof that he is a dirty human is stupid, what does that make JWH murderer or what about Mitch Barnett that you guys signed, straight elbow on "purpose" to a players head, as for the contracts he was sacked from Tigers(NY incident), Bronco's moved him on due to huge contract and they wanted to rebuild and as for Warriors The truth will come out eventually, like i said I'm not fussed if we or anyone else signs him or not..

Yeah, as I said - he's not committing any crimes that I know of. But that doesn't mean any club should sign him. He's not made it through a contract at four clubs, why should the fifth believe that's going to change?

You can call BS on what I said, that's fine. We can't take it as gospel.

Again, I am not saying he is a 'dirty' human now. I'm saying he's a selfish, hot head who I wouldn't sign for the world if I was someone like the Dolphins starting out, or a club like the Dragons that needs stability. And it's absolutely irrelevant about 'what about this other guy'. We're talking about Matt Lodge.

The Broncos moved Lodge on because he wanted out. The Warriors moved him on because he wasn't prepared to commit to the contract he signed, yet he played us by saying he would activate the player option for 2023 but not move to NZ...yet we were too soft to hold him to it.

At the end of the day, good luck to anyone who signs him. And fair play to anyone who feels he's still worth a shot, he's seeking redemption etc. Ask most Warriors fans, Broncos fans etc and they'll say good riddance to a guy who only ever gave a f**k about himself.

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Going to add to my lodge rant..

Why the fuss?

The guy has played one (losing) finals match his whole career.

He hasn’t represented his state nor his country.

He hasn’t made any team he played with any better than they were before.

He’s an overpaid, cowardly dud.

So let me get this straight. Never represented his state nor country. Hasn’t made the team he’s played for better. He’s an overpaid dud. Plus he’s an ex-con. Sounds like dragons material right there. Hook get on the phone ASAP

 

[Trifili13]

From what has been reported, the Warriors have paid him out some $700k, without knowing the ins and outs as it has not been made public, that would suggest that the Warriors have some legal obligation to pay or Lodge has a good case so Warriors settled, otherwise if Lodge did something wrong, why would he get a payout? Surely if the Warriors were in the right they would have held him to his contract or said you can leave but you are getting nothing.