Great article - here it is in full
THEY ARE one of the biggest and best supported clubs in the country, but make no mistake, the iconic Red V franchise is a mess right now.
From the boardroom to recruitment to on-field execution, the Dragons could not be in a worse position and their passionate fans, quite frankly, deserve so much better than they’re getting.
But the good news is it is all repairable. It won’t be easy and some very, very tough decisions certainly need to be made but if they are, the proud joint venture should get back on track.
1. Sack Mary and hire an experienced coach
Paul McGregor was a brilliant servant to both the Steelers and the Dragons as a player and he is clearly a passionate mentor but he is not the man to lead the club.
In his two and half year reign as coach, the Dragons have failed to reach any great heights and have exhibited the most bland and ineffective football we have seen in years.
Sure, he did manage to buck the trend and sneak the club into the finals last season but any gains made in 2015 have come undone this year.
The Dragons have had a terrible track record with rookie coaches in recent times and management needs to realise the club works best under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
Ivan Cleary and Geoff Toovey are two names which immediately come to mind. Both men have led sides to grand finals and are interested in getting back into the coaching hot seat.
2. Do not offer Mitch Rein a new deal
He was touted as the next NSW hooker but Mitch Rein has caused Dragons fans nothing but pain this season.
A Red V fan in the stands at ANZ Stadium perhaps summed it up best on the weekend when he said; “The longer his hair gets, the more ineffective he becomes”.
Rein’s strength is without doubt his running game but that has been absent in 2016. He has no kicking game and only hurts the side when he tries to force one out of dummy half and his poor distribution often puts the halves under tremendous pressure.
Funnily enough, he is seeking an increased offer to remain at the club beyond 2016 but the lack of interest from rival NRL clubs will make that dream almost impossible.
Out of favour Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook could be an option to return to the club as is former Panther James Segeyaro – who has a clause in his Leeds contract to return to the NRL in December.
3. Strip Gareth Widdop of the captaincy
Some players lift when they have the little ‘c’ next to their name, unfortunately for Dragons fans, Gareth Widdop is not one of them.
The Englishman’s form has regressed in 2016 and whether that has anything to do with the captaincy or not – he certainly doesn’t inspire leadership on the field and perhaps more importantly, doesn’t need any extra pressure or responsibility.
You get the feeling that Tyson Frizell or Jack de Belin would make great leaders of the club for years to come.
4. Do not panic in the transfer market
The club has had a terrible time of late in the open market having missed out on luring the likes of Cooper Cronk, Luke Keary and Corey Norman.
But it is imperative the Dragons do not panic and overpay for the sake of finally landing a playmaker.
It may not be the most popular option but the Dragons are probably best off re-signing Benji Marshall to a one-year deal and aggressively pursuing one of the many high profile off-contract playmakers in 2017.
The worst thing they could do is have big money tied up in a mediocre, unproven or over-the-hill type of player.
5. Once and for all get rid of teflon man Peter Doust
Dragons fans have suffered through 16 long years with Peter Doust at the helm of the club and the time has come for him to either do the right thing and resign or be moved on.
More than anything the Dragons desperately need a cultural change and it starts from the top. The club is clearly suffering on the field and financially and much of that falls on the shoulders of one man.
Just take a look at some of the coaching appointments over the years. His decision to appoint a 29-year-old Nathan Brown, the inexperienced Steve price in 2012 and Paul McGregor in 2014 over the accomplished Neil Henry.
He even managed to let the great Wayne Bennett slip through his fingers by denying the master coach’s request for a five-year deal.
The man needs to be held accountable. Enough is enough!
