Team Morale

[Godz Illa]

Hmmm, I'm not sure. The 'premiership-or-bust' attitude is in a way the ultimate positive thinking, particularly for players and administrators, but as fans most of the time I think it is just setting us up for misery and disappointment. It's hard enough supporting this club without adding extra weight on that crushing burden of expectation! I'll support Saints regardless so my method of coping is just to enjoy it whenever I can. This was one sh*t of a year but I still had some good times, the Brisbane match at Kogarah for instance was probably the most fun I've ever had at a game. As for next year - my hopes are no different to any other year: high.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

Winning a premiership is the dream for every club, players and supporters, but to me the word success doesn't just remain alongside the title of premiers soley, yes it's the ultimate success but if we don't recieve that title then i am proud of my side if they finish in the top 3 and play memorable games regularly.

As a 6 year old supporter in 1979 i kinda remember the glory my father speaks about as i was growing up, as a adult i would love to re-live my fathers stories for myself so i can tell my kids what was told to me..

I guess being a 34 year old supporter of this club makes me a different kind of supporter to those older fans who were adults when we won many titles...

Us 30ish year old fans haven't really experienced the ultimate success,because we were kids so we maybe have our bar set that little bit lower when we measure success.

 

[God-King Dean]

Doesn't matter what the supporters expect when it comes to a premiership. We can give 'em as much support as we want, but it's ultimately up to them.

They should be playing to win.

 

[Father Ted]

Excuse me if I sound like I'm cutting into your point pat, that's not my intention.

In my opinion, not settling for anything less than a premiership is about as positive as anyone can get.

The notion that the top eight is a measure of success sounds far too negative to me. The problem is that club has built up this culture of selling a top eight as being good. And wow, make the top four and they pop their collective corks!

It is this disgraceful acceptance of mediocrity at club level which sees some fans contemplating the wooden spoon in '08.

I want the club and the players to prove me wrong next season. Bring home a premiership and I'll buy Brownie and Doust a pallet full of Crownies.

But if we scrape into the eight, and the club administration then refers it as a success, then they haven't learned a thing.

Great post Willow . Frankly at the risk of upsetting everyone I would rather finish with the wooden spoon than just scrape into the eight . Why ? Because tough decisions need to be made not postponed if better days are to be had .

 

[Willow]

Some of you posters are quiet unbelievable...

We have a bad year and to you the great depression has arrived.

Each year brings new horizons and that glimmer of hope for a successful year..
Ribs summed it up with Rangi and Soward's combination, our only hurdle is winning 3/4 of our games "away"..

Just because we had a shocker this year, it won't roll over into the next..

Look at our lineup ffs you sadsacks, and get over 07.
We have the players it's just a matter of hoping they don't get injured, go and get yourself plastered and get over this year, dayem....

DS, you are entitled to your opinion.

So am I.

I've been supporting the club since the 60s and have seen some great seasons... and some terrible seasons.

Allow me my view, and my experience on the matter, and I can present you with one simple fact: this club is going through one its worst periods in history.

Accepting this mediocrity will only breed much of the same.

I am challenging the club and the players to prove me wrong. But last time I checked, the administration has stopped listening to supporters.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

DS, you are entitled to your opinion.

So am I.

I've been supporting the club since the 60s and have seen some great seasons... and some terrible seasons.

Allow me my view, and my experience on the matter, and I can present you with one simple fact: this club is going through one its worst periods in history.

Accepting this mediocrity will only breed much of the same.

I am challenging the club and the players to prove me wrong. But last time I checked, the administration has stopped listening to supporters.

This time around willow you were not having my finger pointed at you.

It's the other posters who have already written us off next year, eg post no 1.

Having expectations set to a very high "success" is fine, it's your goals and expectations for our club but for a few posters in many threads to say we are already written off is quiet amazing..

These are dragons fans, wtf of a fan are they to write us off so easily...

It's fine to be disappointed about this years results but that all ended after round 25 07, let's start the hopes and dreams again people....

 

[Father Ted]

I surpose I'm not a real fan . I want them to aim at winning a grandfinal and nothing else . Only by doing this and seeing who aims up when it matters can we see where we really stand . It's time to see who's over rated , who's hit his use by date and most important of all who can't handle the pressure of playing in the most legendary rugby league club of all time when it really count's .

 

[Willow]

This time around willow you were not having my finger pointed at you.

OK... phew! ;-)

It's the other posters who have already written us off next year, eg post no 1.

The same applies to all. At the end of the day everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Having expectations set to a very high "success" is fine, it's your goals and expectations for our club but for a few posters in many threads to say we are already written off is quiet amazing..

You said about yourself (as someone in their 30s) that you have set the bar lower when measuring 'success'. Presumably this means you are more willing to accept mediocrity and poor seasons more than other supporters.

I mean no disrespect, but this is a sad indictment and I sincerely hope that not all 30-somethings and younger supporters agree with you.

These are dragons fans, wtf of a fan are they to write us off so easily...

They are one part of equation of the supporter base. TBH, I'd rather have a supporter demanding a premiership than one who thinks finishing two wins oustside of the top eight is worthy of congratulations, as our Chairman did in the Leagues Club journal last month.

FTR, our 2007 record of two wins outside of the eight was the same as one loss away from the spoon... talk about having a thin veil of spin.

It's fine to be disappointed about this years results but that all ended after round 25 07, let's start the hopes and dreams again people....

I used to think that too.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

Quote

Presumably this means you are more willing to accept mediocrity and poor seasons more than other supporters.

I mean no disrespect, but this is a sad indictment and I sincerely hope that not all 30-somethings and younger supporters agree with you.
​

I don't think that it is the fact that we accept it, because any higher than a grand final experience has not occured in the memories of younger fans, so just getting there or just about getting there is a high achievement for supporters who don't remember anything more..

I've never actually realised it untill now that the supporters who are 30 years and younger have not really known ultimate success. This is actually a very good thread because i actually now understand why you older guys are such picky buggers.

I have felt grand final appearances several times over (when i've been old enough to actually remember the feelings of happiness that they have made it and also the feeling of hurt when they got beat several times in the last 15 years.

But you guys grew up with a decade of just glory and ultimate success and happiness. This is why you have higher expectations of the club, you have success enstilled in you and anything less is not success.

I guess if you try to look at it from our point of view then the 2 years vs Brisbane is our highest ultimate success. That's actually sad, imagine the younger 10 to 18 year olds, they have only known semi finals as there ultimate success, there success bar drops down further again...

That's actually sad....

Come on fella's.....​

 

[God-King Dean]

Gotta disagree Scott regarding this.

I've never actually realised it untill now that us supporters who are 30 years and younger have not really known ultimate success. This is actually a very good thread because i actually now understand why you older guys are such picky buggers.

I'm only 20, but I expect a lot from my team. I want my team to be winners, & so often I have questioned a lot of our players passion. Which is sad for me to say, because I've always seen St George (merger or no merger) as winning club with a winning culture.

Sorry to say, but the longer our team sits in mediocrity, the more we lose that culture. That's part of the reason I support St George (other than my brother threatening me with death if I didn't), we're the team to be reckoned with, the team that achieved an amazing 11 consecutive premierships, 3 Immortals, the team with the big motherf*cking Red V.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Quote

Presumably this means you are more willing to accept mediocrity and poor seasons more than other supporters.

I mean no disrespect, but this is a sad indictment and I sincerely hope that not all 30-somethings and younger supporters agree with you.

I don't think that it is the fact that we accept it, because any higher than a grand final experience has not occured in the memories of younger fans, so just getting there or just about getting there is a high achievement for supporters who don't remember anything more..

I've never actually realised it untill now that the supporters who are 30 years and younger have not really known ultimate success. This is actually a very good thread because i actually now understand why you older guys are such picky buggers.

I have felt grand final appearances several times over (when i've been old enough to actually remember the feelings of happiness that they have made it and also the feeling of hurt when they got beat several times in the last 15 years.

But you guys grew up with a decade of just glory and ultimate success and happiness. This is why you have higher expectations of the club, you have success enstilled in you and anything less is not success.

I guess if you try to look at it from our point of view then the 2 years vs Brisbane is our highest ultimate success. That's actually sad, imagine the younger 10 to 18 year olds, they have only known semi finals as there ultimate success, there success bar drops down further again...

That's actually sad....

Come on fella's.....

LOL, what are you on?

I've never seen St George win anything, but that dosent mean I don't demand success or that I see a top 8 as anything to take heart from.

And I think it's a bit silly to frame fans that have followed Saints for 40+ years and dont regard a semi final appearance as a great achievement as band wagoners who just never got off.

But then again, you are the man who once descrided Saints supporters as merely "receivers off the end product."

 

[Jeff1691]

Winning a premiership is the dream for every club, players and supporters, but to me the word success doesn't just remain alongside the title of premiers soley, yes it's the ultimate success but if we don't recieve that title then i am proud of my side if they finish in the top 3 and play memorable games regularly.

As a 6 year old supporter in 1979 i kinda remember the glory my father speaks about as i was growing up, as a adult i would love to re-live my fathers stories for myself so i can tell my kids what was told to me..

I guess being a 34 year old supporter of this club makes me a different kind of supporter to those older fans who were adults when we won many titles...

Us 30ish year old fans haven't really experienced the ultimate success,because we were kids so we maybe have our bar set that little bit lower when we measure success.

agree on a lot of that also being a 34 year old supporter.... but i still remeber when the dragons where held in the highest regards..... when we had teams that were feared and teams that others wanted to model themselves on. ffs its time to clean out the dead wood at the top and get the youngsters that we have that are skilled playing for the red V and the game we love.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

LOL, what are you on?

I've never seen St George win anything, but that dosent mean I don't demand success or that I see a top 8 as anything to take heart from.

And I think it's a bit silly to frame fans that have followed Saints for 40+ years and dont regard a semi final appearance as a great achievement as band wagoners who just never got off.

But then again, you are the man who once descrided Saints supporters as merely "receivers off the end product."

I actually do not demand nothing from my club. It's more that i ride the journey each week rather than demanding anything, i hope that they do good, i hope that they get a premiership, i wish that we had more wins.

Hey Dean, i do not know you but maybe i will understand you more by you answering this.

Did your parents buy you your 1st car ?

I said that maybe that's why i am confortable more than others at a lower bar in results dean....

Don't manipulate my old posts into a 1 line quote without actually recapping where that was heading and why i typed that.

That quote was in reference to the whole business outlook of management towards the club and the team as a business and the players as products of the club to the customers. (the fans)
I said (and if you wish to go back and word for word me, go ahead) that i do not get involved in the business of league, i get involved in what goes on in the game, the lead up, the hype, the 80 minutes of action. the feelings afterwards.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

I actually do not demand nothing from my club. It's more that i ride the journey each week rather than demanding anything, i hope that they do good, i hope that they get a premiership,i never demand that they do good.
I said that maybe that's why i am confortable more than others at a lower bar in results dean....

Actually I was once like this.

Then we merged and the rules changed.

We sacrifced our status as the greatest Rugby League club in the world on the promise of premiership success in the NRL. Why is it that so many enthusastic supporters of the JV are happy for it to achieve no more then a stand alone St George could?

Don't manipulate my old posts into a 1 line quote without actually recapping where that was heading and why i typed that.

That quote was in reference to the whole business outlook of management towards the club and the team as a business and the players as products of the club to the customers. (the fans)
I said (and if you wish to go back and word for word me, go ahead) that i do not get involved in the business of league, i get involved in what goes on in the game.

Feel free to quote the whole post - trust me it wont make your choice of words look any better.

And there you go again, referring to fans as customers.

 

[Willow]

I guess if you try to look at it from our point of view

It appears that you're not speaking for all under 30s after all.

 

[Father Ted]

When I see my daughters or Willows sons for that matter how do i get them to understand that we were once the most feared sporting team in the world ? We must declare war on the propaganda that a top eight or finals berth is good enough for Saints , We must shout down people who tell us that one defeat from the wooden spoon is a good year . We play to win it all , all the time ... Who's with me , stand up and say so here .

 

[Willow]

Only if its your shout Father... ;-) But hear, hear!

 

[juanfarkall]

If we drop our expectations low enough, we shall never be disappointed.

I played for a few years at a club where there was an expectation of excellence and in the vast majority of seasons success in many senior and junior grades. A wise old man at said club once told us as U/19's "Accept mediocrity and you shall achieve it. Accept a half-arsed effort and you may get a "near enough" result. Only by providing your best possible effort can you have a genuine chance of being the best".

I personally believe that the management of our club is not making it's best possible effort to achieve the best possible result for the club. There is little in recent history to suggest to me that the suit wearing end of the business is focussed on the best possible on-field result.
Their efforts might be good enough for a club which accepts mid table mediocrity as success but not for the club which I think most of us believe ours to be.

 

[Macarthur Saints]

Actually I was once like this.

Then we merged and the rules changed.

We sacrifced our status as the greatest Rugby League club in the world on the promise of premiership success in the NRL. Why is it that so many enthusastic supporters of the JV are happy for it to achieve no more then a stand alone St George could?


Feel free to quote the whole post - trust me it wont make your choice of words look any better.

And there you go again, referring to fans as customers.

Nice of you to remove the Bold part of that post, typical....

 

[Dragonsforthewin]

Being born in 1980 I have never seen my club win a premiership, all I have known of my club is failure and more failure.

We almost get the spoon and nothing is changed, how the f**k am I supposed to be positive for 08?