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Sack Griffin

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,652

Not a lot of detail in the article but it is a direct quote from Smith. Only confirms what we already know.
Paul Smith does have a point. He loves the Dragons but now not interested. I said that even if we offered him to buy in for $100 he still wouldn't. He was most probably shattered when he lost his bid.

We of course wouldn't know if he would have turned us around and got the club to plan for the future, but the club should take stock and heed his words and have a clear insight to the future and have a workable long term plan in place to make the club bigger than the others. The club might have in fact the vision and long term planning in place, but by what Smith has said, it doesn't look like they have -

“It’s a mess, a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one. But I love the club and I only want what’s best for them,” Smith told his namesake on SEN 1170 Afternoons.

“They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that. What they lack is clarity about the future.


“You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing that a bit with Wests Tigers. They’ve now got a five-year plan with their coaching. It may be wrong, but at least they’ve got a plan.

“That’s what these (lower-ranked) clubs need to do. They’re going to have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”

We all know that most successful businesses have good long term plans and I think as our CEO, Ryan Webb has the business nous, he would be well accustomed to drawing up long term plans which he is doing for the club to make money but I'm not sure if he has asked our football department to also do this. This is the main area of the business that should have tons of focus on, not for the short term but longer. If they see Hook as being the club's best option to coach our first grade then they should give him all the support that he needs and get the players they need to help him become "more" successful. If not, get rid of him pronto without feeling any guilt or remorse just like how Gus got rid of Barrett and now the Bulldogs will be on the up.

I know lots here will say it's the Board, but seriously, what the hell is holding us back?
 

fedzy

Juniors
Messages
66
Paul Smith does have a point. He loves the Dragons but now not interested. I said that even if we offered him to buy in for $100 he still wouldn't. He was most probably shattered when he lost his bid.

We of course wouldn't know if he would have turned us around and got the club to plan for the future, but the club should take stock and heed his words and have a clear insight to the future and have a workable long term plan in place to make the club bigger than the others. The club might have in fact the vision and long term planning in place, but by what Smith has said, it doesn't look like they have -

“It’s a mess, a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one. But I love the club and I only want what’s best for them,” Smith told his namesake on SEN 1170 Afternoons.

“They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that. What they lack is clarity about the future.


“You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing that a bit with Wests Tigers. They’ve now got a five-year plan with their coaching. It may be wrong, but at least they’ve got a plan.

“That’s what these (lower-ranked) clubs need to do. They’re going to have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”

We all know that most successful businesses have good long term plans and I think as our CEO, Ryan Webb has the business nous, he would be well accustomed to drawing up long term plans which he is doing for the club to make money but I'm not sure if he has asked our football department to also do this. This is the main area of the business that should have tons of focus on, not for the short term but longer. If they see Hook as being the club's best option to coach our first grade then they should give him all the support that he needs and get the players they need to help him become "more" successful. If not, get rid of him pronto without feeling any guilt or remorse just like how Gus got rid of Barrett and now the Bulldogs will be on the up.

I know lots here will say it's the Board, but seriously, what the hell is holding us back?

It is a JV, so both sides have to agree. Even though the board more than likely lacks vision, if they did come up with a plan that required funds both sides need to agree to put the hand in the pocket. One side or the other simply says no. Given the talk was mr money said no earlier on to sacking the great one or that he wanted to pay his share of the acquisition as advertising for the NRL (smart) I would suggest the same is true now and that this investment was to give his son something to do and we will not see anything come into the coffers to drive the growth of the club.
 

smi962

First Grade
Messages
5,703
What I don't understand is that half the joint venture is represented by business people. Compared to league's club dinosaurs, you would think long-term strategic planning is something that a 500 million valued corporation like WIN would be well accustomed too. Webb seems to be making some improvement with some off field aspects; possibly that is related to WIN's influence. But WIN lack the experience to know how to facilitate the on-field planning side of things and seem unable to recruit the correct people.
 
Last edited:

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,269
Paul Smith does have a point. He loves the Dragons but now not interested. I said that even if we offered him to buy in for $100 he still wouldn't. He was most probably shattered when he lost his bid.

We of course wouldn't know if he would have turned us around and got the club to plan for the future, but the club should take stock and heed his words and have a clear insight to the future and have a workable long term plan in place to make the club bigger than the others. The club might have in fact the vision and long term planning in place, but by what Smith has said, it doesn't look like they have -

“It’s a mess, a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one. But I love the club and I only want what’s best for them,” Smith told his namesake on SEN 1170 Afternoons.

“They’ve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that. What they lack is clarity about the future.


“You’ve got to eliminate that short-term planning and you’re seeing that a bit with Wests Tigers. They’ve now got a five-year plan with their coaching. It may be wrong, but at least they’ve got a plan.

“That’s what these (lower-ranked) clubs need to do. They’re going to have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.”

We all know that most successful businesses have good long term plans and I think as our CEO, Ryan Webb has the business nous, he would be well accustomed to drawing up long term plans which he is doing for the club to make money but I'm not sure if he has asked our football department to also do this. This is the main area of the business that should have tons of focus on, not for the short term but longer. If they see Hook as being the club's best option to coach our first grade then they should give him all the support that he needs and get the players they need to help him become "more" successful. If not, get rid of him pronto without feeling any guilt or remorse just like how Gus got rid of Barrett and now the Bulldogs will be on the up.

I know lots here will say it's the Board, but seriously, what the hell is holding us back?

You know what gives Smith cred ?

He puts his name to these articles. Not some anonymous "source".

He's bang on btw.
 

redv13

Bench
Messages
2,819
I’d start with making James Graham defensive coach. Got the drive, hunger, passion and was always giving 100% no matter what the score was.

If they can’t jag an outsider I’d have no dramas with Browny jumping on board too. Good footy brain especially for younger talent and has been out of the dragons system whilst this garbage has occurred over the last 10 years. Also look to involve Jamie Soward more too especially with attack and the halves
 

Unsainty79

Juniors
Messages
152
Big call to boot 2 assistants who are contracted. That’s probably $300k worth of gardening leave for next year.
Also says that Hook will 100% be there next year, too.
I would assume Barrett as an assistant of some kind?
 

redv13

Bench
Messages
2,819
Big call to boot 2 assistants who are contracted. That’s probably $300k worth of gardening leave for next year.
Also says that Hook will 100% be there next year, too.
I would assume Barrett as an assistant of some kind?
I’m still burning about Barrett returning from ESL and practically telling the club to get f**ked before he signed with Cronulla. Practically had a whinge about the supporters and the pressure blah blah blah. Then he signs with the enemy. f**k him
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,081
Big call to boot 2 assistants who are contracted. That’s probably $300k worth of gardening leave for next year.
Also says that Hook will 100% be there next year, too.
I would assume Barrett as an assistant of some kind?
I reckon you could be wrong on all 3 statements
1. Not a big call.. right call
2. Dont be too sure about that. Hook could be next before 2023
3. No chance unless we de-merge and Illawarra stand alone.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,081
I’d start with making James Graham defensive coach. Got the drive, hunger, passion and was always giving 100% no matter what the score was.

If they can’t jag an outsider I’d have no dramas with Browny jumping on board too. Good footy brain especially for younger talent and has been out of the dragons system whilst this garbage has occurred over the last 10 years. Also look to involve Jamie Soward more too especially with attack and the halves
People keep talking about Brownie. He will stay at Parramatta. He is there now.
 

hewi

Bench
Messages
3,803

HEAT ON HOOK … AS MAGUIRE DEJA VU LOOMS

DRAGONS coach Anthony Griffin’s call to sack his assistant coaches for next season is an all-too-familiar tune.

Axed Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire went down a similar road at the end of last season before ultimately being terminated midway through this year.

Red V coach Griffin made the hard line call to move on attack coach Matt Head and defence coach Peter Gentle this week without providing a whole lot of reasoning.

They’ll remain in their roles until the end of the season but there’s no question it’s a sign there’s plenty of movement going on behind-the-scenes at St George Illawarra.

Reading between the lines it appears Griffin is far from safe. The Dragons have a hard run home meeting three top four sides in the Cowboys, Cronulla and Brisbane, fellow top eight contenders the Raiders in Canberra and then Gold Coast and the Wests Tigers.

It’s a tough road for them to make the top eight and word is the heat will be on Griffin should they miss the cut.

One name we continue to hear linked with a return to St George Illawarra is 2010 premiership-winner Dean Young.
The Cowboys have been super-impressed with what Young has done in terms of the club’s defence over the course of the last two years.


More smoke coming from the fire, no to Dean Young as head coach from me.
 

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