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Ryan Webb

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
I just want to take this moment to show some appreciation for the work Webb has done in trying circumstances in a very short period. Between moving on Mary, to appointing a proper first grade coach. And throw in his very honourable public apology to the legend Nathan Blacklock. He’s turning out to be a really good acquisition. I will become a full member even though I live in Canberra to honour this hard work and I hope we can lay off the letters for a while:joy:
 

Ghostrider22

Juniors
Messages
516
I just want to take this moment to show some appreciation for the work Webb has done in trying circumstances in a very short period. Between moving on Mary, to appointing a proper first grade coach. And throw in his very honourable public apology to the legend Nathan Blacklock. He’s turning out to be a really good acquisition. I will become a full member even though I live in Canberra to honour this hard work and I hope we can lay off the letters for a while:joy:
Well said Mate :thumbsup:
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157
Yes, and if he gets this club up again i would live to read his book on how he did it ! Chapter each on nepotism, low success targets, boys club , inbred experience chain, fractured board setup, dual board responsibilities ( Leagues club & football club ) , accountability lines, contract negotiations & conditions, 3rd party & salary cap implementation.
It would be libelous but a best seller in the corporate world !
 

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333
For a club as deeply steeped in nepotism and board drama as this one, Webb has done remarkably well so far, not just in terms of coaching arrangements, but his quick nature regarding things like the Blacklock racism issue and fast personal responses to fan email is a big big tick from me
 

George Dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,985
Members Email from CEO Ryan Webb

Dear Red V members and corporate partners,

Welcome to 2021. I hope this message finds you safe and well after an enjoyable Christmas/New Year break.

As was the case for much of 2020, we do not know how our operations will be influenced by COVID-19 and what protocols may need to be put in place to allow our season to go ahead. We will continue to work with the government and NRL to get the game going while keeping our players, staff and communities safe.

There are some very positive signs across the club, both from the football and commercial departments, which show that our planning and efforts are having an impact.

Football

Players have been back training since January 4 and there is a positive atmosphere running through the place. Players are fit and energised and the new football department staff are working very well together.

Our playing list currently sits at 27 (including Jack de Belin) leaving us with three spots to fill.

The addition of Daniel Alvaro has been good for the club; he adds depth in an important area for us and brings great character. We also have a young player from the Queensland Cup called Jaiyden Hunt on a train and trial contract who is also worth keeping an eye on.

Our recruitment and retention team have been very busy, and we hope to announce some key movements soon. Underlying all the work we do in this space is the drive to create a culture of success and the mantra of always doing what is best for the club.

List management is not always easy as personalities and emotions can often come into play, but coach Anthony Griffin has been very clear on what is required to be successful and we are doing all we can to build the squad he needs to achieve this.

We have three trial matches scheduled but unfortunately the two in Sydney are likely to be closed off to the public due to COVID-19. The Charity Shield is once again set to be played at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium on February 27. The match is proving to be very popular with the current allotment of tickets made available to the public already sold out.

We look forward to welcoming a big crowd along to our first home game against the Sharks on March 14.

Red V Membership

It was pleasing to break through the 10,000-member barrier prior to the Christmas break.

There is a very positive feel around the club, on field and off, and I ask that any members that are yet to renew or any fans that are looking to get on board as a member for the first time to please reach out to our membership team.

Membership is one of the key pillars of the club. Not only from a financial standpoint, but a large membership base engenders camaraderie, pride, passion and positive energy.

I think a club such as the Dragons should be at the top end of the NRL membership tally and it is our aim to get there. We know that positive changes are happening and in time the results will show. I hope in time this will lead to more members joining us for the ride.

As I have said in the past, I encourage everyone to sign up as a member in 2021 as we want you all to be a part of the exciting journey we are about to undertake.

Merchandise

The sales of our 2021 merchandise range have been phenomenal. The volume of merchandise sold hasn't been seen since our grand final win in 2010. This success has been complemented by our new apparel partner Classic Sportswear, our consumer business team who recently upgraded the Dragons' online team store as well as some savvy work from our marketing team.

Thank you to the members and fans who have bought our apparel to display their Dragons support with pride.

Corporate partners

We have recently signed some new major partners, one will be on our sternum and the other on our head coach’s apparel. It is great to have good corporate sponsors that can see where we are heading as a club and choose to join us. Keep an eye out for the official announcements shortly and please support our partners where you can.

NRL Women's Premiership

To strengthen our position in women's rugby league, we are in the midst of establishing a Female Dragons Academy that will run alongside our current boys’ pathway program.

This will lead to the better identification of talented young female footballers from our regions as well as improved development programs. This is all done with the goal of having a highly competitive NRLW team made up of great local talent.

I'm excited to share that James Graham has returned from England and will be heading up this area for us. We believe that this gives our women's program the talent, skills and leadership it deserves and we look forward to welcoming James to the role in February.

Final notes

As many people know, 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the St George District Rugby League Club and there will be a number of activities that the Dragons will play part in throughout the year to help celebrate this.

The first item that you would have seen is the production of a heritage jersey which is based on the 'blood and bandages' design that St George wore in their early years. The Dragons will wear this heritage jersey in our Round 9 clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah.

More activities will be announced as they are finalised in conjunction with St George District's History Committee.

It seems like we only just wrapped up the 2020 season, but it is now only a few weeks before our first trial match. A lot has changed over the summer and there seems to be genuine optimism around the club.

My aim is to continue to send out these CEO updates every second month in hope that they continue to provide insight into the happenings of our club.

I want you to know there is plenty of good work being done through every department, but we are under no illusions that there is still plenty more to do if we are to get the Dragons back to where they belong, atop the NRL premiership ladder.

Yours faithfully,
Ryan Webb
CEO
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Ryan Webb is like a breath of fresh air to an old stale organisation. So far, he’s doing a wonderful job and hopefully with a new head coach and a good support staff team, the club can rise again.
I suppose what his most important is that Webb has the respect and ear of the Board. He has set up a channel from which he receives advice on matters football and professionally researches and prepares recommendations to the Board accordingly. I think this has been lacking in the past and so it is nice to see it in action now.
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,377
It is always great to hear from someone in high position from the Club letting us know what is basically happening behind the scenes. Ryan Webb in my opinion is doing a marvellous job as the CEO and I will be looking forward to his CEO updates which were few and far between from our previous CEO, if any?

Keep up the good work Ryan.
 

randomdragon

Juniors
Messages
1,825
I emailed Ryan today RE how I’m pleased with how the club is on an upwards trajectory and that I am happy with his overall decisions so far and added that we would love to get more content much like what knights/panthers do and he replied with this

Thanks for the note. It's nice to receive after what has been a hectic few days.
I do try to answer most emails I receive but this week has been overwhelming and I had to 'let many go through to the keeper'.
For me, I think as a club we need to keep pushing if we're going to be better. Whether it be coach, staff, Folau, Centre of Excellence or whatever, I want to make sure we plan well, execute at our best and then gradually the improvement will come. We won't win them all (eg. Folau) but we will keep trying. Right now I see us sitting behind the good clubs and that gap won't close (on field or off) unless we challenge ourselves.
Your comment on the social media engagement is very well timed as it is a focus for me. You'll see that the club is currently advertising for a videographer as I felt we needed a talented resource in this area. I'd expect them to start in March so hopefully once the season rolls around you'll start to see an improvement in our content.
Always appreciate feedback and suggestions, good or bad, as I'm only 10 months into this role and know there is plenty I need to learn.
Have a great weekend.
Ryan
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
I emailed Ryan today RE how I’m pleased with how the club is on an upwards trajectory and that I am happy with his overall decisions so far and added that we would love to get more content much like what knights/panthers do and he replied with this

Thanks for the note. It's nice to receive after what has been a hectic few days.
I do try to answer most emails I receive but this week has been overwhelming and I had to 'let many go through to the keeper'.
For me, I think as a club we need to keep pushing if we're going to be better. Whether it be coach, staff, Folau, Centre of Excellence or whatever, I want to make sure we plan well, execute at our best and then gradually the improvement will come. We won't win them all (eg. Folau) but we will keep trying. Right now I see us sitting behind the good clubs and that gap won't close (on field or off) unless we challenge ourselves.
Your comment on the social media engagement is very well timed as it is a focus for me. You'll see that the club is currently advertising for a videographer as I felt we needed a talented resource in this area. I'd expect them to start in March so hopefully once the season rolls around you'll start to see an improvement in our content.
Always appreciate feedback and suggestions, good or bad, as I'm only 10 months into this role and know there is plenty I need to learn.
Have a great weekend.
Ryan
What a bloke
 
Messages
3,582
The guy is going to improve the club as long as the board supports him.

We have a much better coaching staff.

Now we need a couple of top line experienced forwards to give the squad a hard edge.

We will struggle to avoid the spoon this year without better recruitment.

The club is asking a lot from a very young and inexperienced backline.

If ever there was a year where Benny Hunt had to turn up, this is the year.
 

Nich

Juniors
Messages
36
I emailed Ryan today RE how I’m pleased with how the club is on an upwards trajectory and that I am happy with his overall decisions so far and added that we would love to get more content much like what knights/panthers do and he replied with this

Thanks for the note. It's nice to receive after what has been a hectic few days.
I do try to answer most emails I receive but this week has been overwhelming and I had to 'let many go through to the keeper'.
For me, I think as a club we need to keep pushing if we're going to be better. Whether it be coach, staff, Folau, Centre of Excellence or whatever, I want to make sure we plan well, execute at our best and then gradually the improvement will come. We won't win them all (eg. Folau) but we will keep trying. Right now I see us sitting behind the good clubs and that gap won't close (on field or off) unless we challenge ourselves.
Your comment on the social media engagement is very well timed as it is a focus for me. You'll see that the club is currently advertising for a videographer as I felt we needed a talented resource in this area. I'd expect them to start in March so hopefully once the season rolls around you'll start to see an improvement in our content.
Always appreciate feedback and suggestions, good or bad, as I'm only 10 months into this role and know there is plenty I need to learn.
Have a great weekend.
Ryan
Great to see him respond to your email in constructive way. After this week I have massive concerns about Ryan and the appointment of Griffin as a coach.

A good CEO would have known that attempting to sign Folou was going to create a massive controversy. That would damage the Dragons brand and potentially cost members and sponsors. The club was already dealing with enough issues (Jack and Cam). For the club to pull out of the chase so quickly shows the backlash was clearly a surprise to them. What an utter PR disaster.

Griffin has a history of liking racist tweets and now trying to sign a guy with homophobic views. I'm not sure he is the dinosaur we need leading the club.
 
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