Never Before, Never Again

[Frank Facer]

I found this tonight and thought you all would be interested in it, so look this up and at the bottom of the page you can go forward or backwards to the rest of the pages. Every Saints fan should enjoy reading this. They should even show it to today's players. Maybe some or many of you are already familiar with this?
https://www.stokehillpress.com/blog/archives/09-2016/2

 

[dragon thomo]

Good stuff Frank.

 

[possm]

I found this tonight and thought you all would be interested in it, so look this up and at the bottom of the page you can go forward or backwards to the rest of the pages. Every Saints fan should enjoy reading this. They should even show it to today's players. Maybe some or many of you are already familiar with this?
https://www.stokehillpress.com/blog/archives/09-2016/2

Great read Frank, although I am familiar with a lot of this, it was great to go back and see what a great Club we once had.

Standards are set by the club's leadership on and off the field. From the Chairman of the Board, through to our CEO, through the coaching staff and our club captain. We have been sadly lacking in this area for a long time and so it is my hope that the leaders of our Club lift their standards to the level of yesteryear.

 

[Willow]

We actually had a giveaway of this book in the forum. A number of fellow forummers won a copy.

Here it was: https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/dragons-announce-team-of-the-era-1956-1966.458792/page-2

Wow, it was 2 years ago, almost to the day. Time flies...

Great book. I still have the hard cover first edition from the 1990s. I recall I got it signed by Johnny Raper.at a book launch in Hurstville.

 

[Gareth67]

Yes it was great Frank , a wonderful look back at some truly tremendous times for the Saints .

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

We actually had a giveaway of this book in the forum. A number of fellow forummers won a copy.

Here it was: https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/dragons-announce-team-of-the-era-1956-1966.458792/page-2

Wow, it was 2 years ago, almost to the day. Time flies...

Great book. I still have the hard cover first edition from the 1990s. I recall I got it signed by Johnny Raper.at a book launch in Hurstville.

From memory, the book written by Larry Writer was published in 1996z

More than 20-years SGI!

Yes, time waits for no man.

 

[Willow]

From memory, the book written by Larry Writer was published in 1996z

More than 20-years SGI!

Yes, time waits for no man.

Yes, Larry Writer did indeed write the book.

And 1996... a proud year in our club's history.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Yes, Larry Writer did indeed write the book.

And 1996... a proud year in our club's history.

If it weren’t for D. Manson, things would’ve been perfect in that particular year.

 

[Willow]

If it weren’t for D. Manson, things would’ve been perfect in that particular year.

I actually met our current and then CEO just a few weeks later. Brian Johnston came into my business in Rockdale to pick up something for one of his family. We got chatting. I said at the beginning of the year I didn't expect us to go that far (given all the Super League problems etc). His answer surprised me a little. His smiled and said, "none of us did".

Now, if I recall correctly, the players really started to respond to David Waite as the season developed, it didn't happen immediately. Anyway, Johnno came across as very honest fellow and I respect that.

The conversation only lasted about 5-10 minutes and I would never expect him to remember me again, but we ran into each about 10-15 years later at the Taj and he immediately made a point of having a quick chat with me. I'm sure nowadays he doesn't know my name for Jack, but I reckon it's a sign of good manager when they can recall small conversations decades apart.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

I actually met our current and then CEO just a few weeks later. Brian Johnston came into my business in Rockdale to pick up something for one of his family. We got chatting. I said at the beginning of the year I didn't expect us to go that far (given all the Super League problems etc). His answer surprised me a little. His smiled and said, "none of us did".

Now, if I recall correctly, the players really started to respond to David Waite as the season developed, it didn't happen immediately. Anyway, Johnno came across as very honest fellow and I respect that.

The conversation only lasted about 5-10 minutes and I would never expect him to remember me again, but we ran into each about 10-15 years later at the Taj and he immediately made a point of having a quick chat with me. I'm sure nowadays he doesn't know my name for Jack, but I reckon it's a sign of good manager when they can recall small conversations decades apart.

Well, The Scots College haven been “raising fine men since1893”.

I ‘might’ be slightly biased with that remark.

Brian’s younger brother, Ian, is a ripping good bloke too.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

I found this tonight and thought you all would be interested in it, so look this up and at the bottom of the page you can go forward or backwards to the rest of the pages. Every Saints fan should enjoy reading this. They should even show it to today's players. Maybe some or many of you are already familiar with this?
https://www.stokehillpress.com/blog/archives/09-2016/2

Quote Ken Kearney - I made them follow my instructions to the letter in games. If my tactics got us beaten, I’d cop the blame. But if they didn’t follow my instructions and we lost, then I’d blame them. I knew the ins and outs of every player in the competition, so I could tell my blokes exactly the way to approach each match, who of the opposition players were dangermen and weak links, whether they’d play it in the forwards or the backs, or had a fullback who’d kick the leather off the ball
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sadly, doesn't happen in todays game.
Today, its 'just a game.'
Plus, anything resembling a marshmellow push & shove get you binned.

I must admit, it is very hard for a coach to find a balance between coach and friend.
Unfortunately, because McGregor lacks in coaching, he trys to make up in being a friend to the players and they go soft.

Being a coach is mostly about being able to successfully get inside the players heads with a few tactics thrown in. Only the chosen few can achieve this year in, year out.

Bennett has.
Brian Smith was the Headmaster and would burn the players after 2 seasons and have to move on.
McQuire is of the same cloth.
Jack Gibson said little but portrayed much............ another winner.
Bellyache has the touch ............. the players know they can't go soft with him or there gone.

Some coaches can never get past the learning curve.
This is where we currently sit.
We need to take the next step up ............. in general, we have the roster.

 

[jak]

Quote Ken Kearney - I made them follow my instructions to the letter in games. If my tactics got us beaten, I’d cop the blame. But if they didn’t follow my instructions and we lost, then I’d blame them. I knew the ins and outs of every player in the competition, so I could tell my blokes exactly the way to approach each match, who of the opposition players were dangermen and weak links, whether they’d play it in the forwards or the backs, or had a fullback who’d kick the leather off the ball
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sadly, doesn't happen in todays game.
Today, its 'just a game.'
Plus, anything resembling a marshmellow push & shove get you binned.

I must admit, it is very hard for a coach to find a balance between coach and friend.
Unfortunately, because McGregor lacks in coaching, he trys to make up in being a friend to the players and they go soft.

Being a coach is mostly about being able to successfully get inside the players heads with a few tactics thrown in. Only the chosen few can achieve this year in, year out.

Bennett has.
Brian Smith was the Headmaster and would burn the players after 2 seasons and have to move on.
McQuire is of the same cloth.
Jack Gibson said little but portrayed much............ another winner.
Bellyache has the touch ............. the players know they can't go soft with him or there gone.

Some coaches can never get past the learning curve.
This is where we currently sit.
We need to take the next step up ............. in general, we have the roster.

well put old man.

 

[SBD82]

Me. At work. Stirring up a couple of Panthers fans.

Younger Panthers supporter: “yeah well, let me ask you something… how many in a row have the Dragons won?”

Me: “eleven”.

Him: ?!?!?!?

 

[justadragon]

True gentleman of an era of men that loved the club and would do anything for the coach. Totally agree , you will never see that again, not with todays "its all about me" players

 

[Dragon David]

Sounds like a James Bond movie.

We were the best in the business. Great minds and great players. The club was run with the right people at the helm with so much love of the RedV.