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New recruits for 2023

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,081
I'm confused why the Dragons flick reserve graders a chance with a contract every single year without fail. It has never worked. Thinking about signing up players like Luke Page and Darren Nicholls.. how did that go? They just don't seem to learn. Not to mention we've now seemed to move more towards signing players from the qld cup, which is of worse quality than the nsw cup anyway. I hope for the best for Lui Toso, but history shows us it might not work.
 

Mojo

Bench
Messages
3,347
Another Hook lovechild, then.
I remember when I first coached senior mens football (round ball) after coaching youth level for a few years. I took 3 of my youth players with me to the new club and the resentment towards them was palpable. And they were handy players, too. I brought them for the opportunity to play at a higher level, in a strong comp but it didn't do me any favours with a pretty cliquey squad.
I'd never do it again.
Maybe Hook should consider not doing it again. Especially since the whole McGuire, McCullough, Hunt thing has worked soooo well...
Maybe Hook should consider giving it away once and for all, and he can take anyone who's name begins with Mc with him. He can start and coach the "Retired Mc's RL Club". He can even recruit Paul McGregor to play in the back line (not as a coach, of course - let's not be silly about this).
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
Thank you @Gareth67 .

Unfortunately the club and the way the game is run has got me to a point where I just don't care that much anymore. The club is on a downward spiral....
The game in general is no longer the spectacle it used to be.
What an embarrassing finals series....if that's the product the NRL want to push, they can keep it.
I know exactly what you mean my friend . Unfortunately it has changed to such a degree that it is hard to recognise it as the game we all loved so much in a by gone era .

Perhaps that is what is called ‘ changing with the times ‘ ? But that’s certainly no excuse for the way our club has deteriorated into a mere shadow of what it once was .

It has reached the point where only a complete overhaul of the Dragon’s hierarchy will change the situation . In fact long overdue , but unfortunately the chances of that occurring are the same as winning Lotto .

Chin up buddy ,perhaps the WIN corporation may go broke and a result driven organisation take over , thus giving some hope of a to all supporters of the club .
 
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getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
I know exactly what you mean my friend . Unfortunately it has changed to such a degree that it is hard to recognise it as the game we all loved so much in a by gone era .

Perhaps that is what is called ‘ changing with the times ‘ ? But that’s certainly no excuse for the way our club has deteriorated into a mere shadow of what it once was .

It has reached the point where only a complete overhaul of the Dragon’s hierarchy is called for . In fact long overdue , but unfortunately the chances of that occurring are the same as winning Lotto .

Chin up buddy ,perhaps the WIN corporation may go broke .

Well said @Gareth67 . The sad part is I am not that fussed... since Mr Bennett left the building, the club has offered up nothing but a faulty product and add to that, prior to Mr Bennett arriving we had not won anything in 32 years !
1 premiership in 42 years and counting...If you ran a public company in this manner it would go broke. Those stats alone paint a bleak picture....I will leave the last say to Mr Smith.

“That’s a mess”: Kings owner not interested in buying Dragons​


By Dominic Criniti 3 months ago

GettyImages-1402116433.jpg


  • Sydney Kings Owner and Wollongong local Paul Smith has brushed off the suggestion of buying the St George Illawarra Dragons.
    Smith, who is a lifelong Dragons fan has claimed the club has no clarity on its future or on a long-term plan.

    While he wants the “best for the club”, Smith won’t entertain a takeover bid.
    “That’s a mess, that’s a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one, I love that the notion of the club and what it represents, I only want the best for them,” Smith said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
    “They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that, I don’t give advice normally but if you asked me I’d share that, what lacks there is a clarity about a future and vision.
    “You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing a bit of that with the Wests Tigers, they’ve got a five-year plan with their coaching, it may be wrong but at least they’ve got a plan.
    “I think that’s what these clubs in the doldrum need to do, they need to step back and do a bit of the old 76ers process, they’re gonna (use ‘going to’ even if he said ‘gonna’) have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”
    Smith has previously expressed interest in owning the Dragons and famously had an $11.5 million dollar bid turned down for a 50 per cent stake in the club.
    After being questioned by Jimmy Smith if he had any interest in reviving his interest to buy the club, Smith claimed he dodged a bullet.
    “I think I’ve dogged three bullets there, that’s the full chamber and that’s a problem… I’m always open to conversations but we’ve got a lot on our hands right with the Kings and Sydney Flames,” he said.
    Smith’s focus will remain with the Kings and Flames as the men’s NBL side look to win back-to-back championships next season.

 

Dragons4me

Juniors
Messages
1,042
Well said @Gareth67 . The sad part is I am not that fussed... since Mr Bennett left the building, the club has offered up nothing but a faulty product and add to that, prior to Mr Bennett arriving we had not won anything in 32 years !
1 premiership in 42 years and counting...If you ran a public company in this manner it would go broke. Those stats alone paint a bleak picture....I will leave the last say to Mr Smith.

“That’s a mess”: Kings owner not interested in buying Dragons​


By Dominic Criniti 3 months ago

GettyImages-1402116433.jpg


  • Sydney Kings Owner and Wollongong local Paul Smith has brushed off the suggestion of buying the St George Illawarra Dragons.
    Smith, who is a lifelong Dragons fan has claimed the club has no clarity on its future or on a long-term plan.

    While he wants the “best for the club”, Smith won’t entertain a takeover bid.
    “That’s a mess, that’s a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one, I love that the notion of the club and what it represents, I only want the best for them,” Smith said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
    “They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that, I don’t give advice normally but if you asked me I’d share that, what lacks there is a clarity about a future and vision.
    “You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing a bit of that with the Wests Tigers, they’ve got a five-year plan with their coaching, it may be wrong but at least they’ve got a plan.
    “I think that’s what these clubs in the doldrum need to do, they need to step back and do a bit of the old 76ers process, they’re gonna (use ‘going to’ even if he said ‘gonna’) have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”
    Smith has previously expressed interest in owning the Dragons and famously had an $11.5 million dollar bid turned down for a 50 per cent stake in the club.
    After being questioned by Jimmy Smith if he had any interest in reviving his interest to buy the club, Smith claimed he dodged a bullet.
    “I think I’ve dogged three bullets there, that’s the full chamber and that’s a problem… I’m always open to conversations but we’ve got a lot on our hands right with the Kings and Sydney Flames,” he said.
    Smith’s focus will remain with the Kings and Flames as the men’s NBL side look to win back-to-back championships next season.


"..If you ran a public company in this manner it would go broke."

Unfortunately that’s the truth of it.!!
 

Maddragon99

Juniors
Messages
2,075
I'm confused why the Dragons flick reserve graders a chance with a contract every single year without fail. It has never worked. Thinking about signing up players like Luke Page and Darren Nicholls.. how did that go? They just don't seem to learn. Not to mention we've now seemed to move more towards signing players from the qld cup, which is of worse quality than the nsw cup anyway. I hope for the best for Lui Toso, but history shows us it might not work.
Michael Molo turned out ok, he went to the end of season awards night.
 

Maddragon99

Juniors
Messages
2,075
Does anyone else interpret the footnote in the Dragon’s Hunt resigning press release as;

“We haven’t been able to sign anyone yet and we are starting to panic”

“Additional signings as well as the clubs 2023 train and traillists will be announced in the coming weeks”

I’m really starting to think 2023 is going to be very bleak
 
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Maddragon99

Juniors
Messages
2,075
Another Hook lovechild, then.
I remember when I first coached senior mens football (round ball) after coaching youth level for a few years. I took 3 of my youth players with me to the new club and the resentment towards them was palpable. And they were handy players, too. I brought them for the opportunity to play at a higher level, in a strong comp but it didn't do me any favours with a pretty cliquey squad.
I'd never do it again.
Maybe Hook should consider not doing it again. Especially since the whole McGuire, McCullough, Hunt thing has worked soooo well...
To be fair McGuire was versatile & useful for us, apart from the 10 or 12 weeks he was suspended I thought he tried hard when on the field.
 

Mojo

Bench
Messages
3,347
"..If you ran a public company in this manner it would go broke."

Unfortunately that’s the truth of it.!!
Plenty of public companies are run in the same manner - and they go broke. Some roll on regardless because they're well-established gravy trains.
I'm tired of hearing self-appointed gurus banging-on in this fashion. This report that is being quoted is also old news. I'd prefer to listen to someone who puts his balls on the chopping block rather than some smartarse saying its all too hard while he's running away.

The combination of Hook, Macca and Hunt setting themselves up as the holy trinity, propping each other up at the expense of the team, with Hunt refusing to play in his best position and Hook consistently and deliberately not selecting the best players for each position on game day, coupled with Gould going though our trash like an overweight bin chicken and blatantly biased, if not outright corrupt, bullshit officiating and match review judgments - I've virtually lost interest in the sport.
 
Messages
1,452
Well said @Gareth67 . The sad part is I am not that fussed... since Mr Bennett left the building, the club has offered up nothing but a faulty product and add to that, prior to Mr Bennett arriving we had not won anything in 32 years !
1 premiership in 42 years and counting...If you ran a public company in this manner it would go broke. Those stats alone paint a bleak picture....I will leave the last say to Mr Smith.

“That’s a mess”: Kings owner not interested in buying Dragons​


By Dominic Criniti 3 months ago

GettyImages-1402116433.jpg


  • Sydney Kings Owner and Wollongong local Paul Smith has brushed off the suggestion of buying the St George Illawarra Dragons.
    Smith, who is a lifelong Dragons fan has claimed the club has no clarity on its future or on a long-term plan.

    While he wants the “best for the club”, Smith won’t entertain a takeover bid.
    “That’s a mess, that’s a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one, I love that the notion of the club and what it represents, I only want the best for them,” Smith said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
    “They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that, I don’t give advice normally but if you asked me I’d share that, what lacks there is a clarity about a future and vision.
    “You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing a bit of that with the Wests Tigers, they’ve got a five-year plan with their coaching, it may be wrong but at least they’ve got a plan.
    “I think that’s what these clubs in the doldrum need to do, they need to step back and do a bit of the old 76ers process, they’re gonna (use ‘going to’ even if he said ‘gonna’) have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”
    Smith has previously expressed interest in owning the Dragons and famously had an $11.5 million dollar bid turned down for a 50 per cent stake in the club.
    After being questioned by Jimmy Smith if he had any interest in reviving his interest to buy the club, Smith claimed he dodged a bullet.
    “I think I’ve dogged three bullets there, that’s the full chamber and that’s a problem… I’m always open to conversations but we’ve got a lot on our hands right with the Kings and Sydney Flames,” he said.
    Smith’s focus will remain with the Kings and Flames as the men’s NBL side look to win back-to-back championships next season.

With all due respect to Mr Paul Smith, that sounds like a cop-out.
If you're so full of expertise, mate, put your money where your mouth is (Like everyone on this forum would do, if they had the chance) put out the "dumpster fire" and give the place some direction.
That's what a real lifelong Dragons supporter would do - not declare us untouchable and w@nk on about how he "dodged a bullet".
What a turd.
 

twinkletoes

Juniors
Messages
919
Biggest issue with Hunts interview was his statement that he wanted Mcullough to play on because he brought so much direction and organisation to the team, particularly as they have an aging roster. Is he seriously delusional… is this the bright future and direction he’s invested in the club…. a team of geriatrics. That statement indicates to me there is a significant disconnect between older squad members and the young brigade, maybe another reason the youngsters are cueing up to leave
 

Illusion

Bench
Messages
2,730
Biggest issue with Hunts interview was his statement that he wanted Mcullough to play on because he brought so much direction and organisation to the team, particularly as they have an aging roster. Is he seriously delusional… is this the bright future and direction he’s invested in the club…. a team of geriatrics. That statement indicates to me there is a significant disconnect between older squad members and the young brigade, maybe another reason the youngsters are cueing up to leave
IMO I think Hunt will have too much say with what goes on now with the team ..... He has already said he isn't playing 9 .... Wank wank for me ......
 

Maddragon99

Juniors
Messages
2,075
IMO I think Hunt will have too much say with what goes on now with the team ..... He has already said he isn't playing 9 .... Wank wank for me ......
It’s the supporters that’ll pay the price for this with another decade of mediocrity if we lose Sullivan.

From all the media I’ve read it’s all about Ben Hunt not what’s best for the team.

Only a coach with the stature of Hasler would have balls to shift Hunt to dummy half regardless of how much he sooks.
 
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