The Rumours Thread

[DfL]

Apparently Alec is recovering from an ACL ? Is this correct

He did his knee, believe he has recovered though and has been seen training.

 

[blacksafake]

He did his knee, believe he has recovered though and has been seen training.

Great thanks for that

 

[Gareth67]

Most pleased , both are young and have big bods , plus they have so much potential that they will only get better.

 

[Dragons4me]

Zero Tackle are suggesting it, but will be very happy if it comes off.

St George Illawarra Dragons

The latest St George Illawarra Dragons NRL news and player rumours, including team history, stats and player profiles.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Dragon David]

If we were to agree to swap a couple of our current players with Manly to get these young fellas, Is it Manly that makes the choice or does our club say which players the Dragons would be prepared to release and then matter drags on until there is agreement reached?

If the players are still under contract then Manly certainly can do the waiting game.

Until such time as we get confirmation, these proposed signings are still a rumour as far as I am concerned.

 

[Dragon David]

Bennett chasing FOURTH Storm star; Super League gun’s bombshell exit: Transfer Whispers

Bennett chasing fourth Storm star; Super League gun’s bombshell exit: Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

if we take a step back

It is a very difficult market right now with the "Tuna Eaters of QLD" blowing out of the water $$ for contracts

 

[shiloh dc]

The problem is not new or as a result of the tuna eaters. The issue is that there are few compelling reasons for any top shelf player to come to the Dragons. Look at the game tonight Roosters vs Souths playing in a $750M stadium paid by the people of NSW. The Roosters are charging Souths supporters $60-70 and in our case (Anzac Day) up to $100. They will make more in these two games than we will make in all our home games.

 

[randomdragon]

We don’t need to sign players for over inflated prices. We can develop them exactly like the couchmans, webster and the countless number of other players coming through

 

[possm]

We don’t need to sign players for over inflated prices. We can develop them exactly like the couchmans, webster and the countless number of other players coming through

We spend a lot of time and money developing NRL players only to see some of the best of them sign with rival clubs. Yes it is an advantage to have juniors coming through who sign the first NRL contract with the Dragons but second contracts are a different matter again.

Do we get our money's worth out of our junior development program? I would say no.

It has to be a balance and most of the successful clubs understand the need to sign marquee players who are NRL-ready.

The answer to this problem is not the answer most of the top clubs want to hear. The answer is to compensate development clubs for their work in a way that recognizes the great work these development clubs do for the NRL.

 

[randomdragon]

We spend a lot of time and money developing NRL players only to see some of the best of them sign with rival clubs. Yes it is an advantage to have juniors coming through who sign the first NRL contract with the Dragons but second contracts are a different matter again.

Do we get our money's worth out of our junior development program? I would say no.

It has to be a balance and most of the successful clubs understand the need to sign marquee players who are NRL-ready.

The answer to this problem is not the answer most of the top clubs want to hear. The answer is to compensate development clubs for their work in a way that recognizes the great work these development clubs do for the NRL.

if we're basing it off the last few years you're right. But there has been a big improvement in junior pathways, as well as what the club has said about they don't want to sign people who are going to block the pathways of kids coming through.

 

[SEAT 1A]

Nathan Brown singing with Easts spells like MEL singing Tariq.

 

[Dragon David]

You know, I often wonder where this club would be at if Paul Smith was given the green light with his offer of $12M to buy 50% stake in the club. He has done great things with the Sydney Kings NBL Team with them winning back-to-back championships, but I think that with the Kings, he has more control whereas, if he was part of the running of the St George Illawarra Dragons, he would have butted heads as per -

'They should be the NY Yankees': Sydney Kings owner lashes Dragons

Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith has slammed St George Illawarra for rejecting his $12 million offer to buy a 50 per cent stake in the club.

www.smh.com.au

So Smith himself had this fear of the hassles he would have encountered at the Dragons and coming from him, I'd say that our club will not be successful because the top has too much sway as many on here have said. Those old heads running the club we follow need to retire.

 

[The Word]

You know, I often wonder where this club would be at if Paul Smith was given the green light with his offer of $12M to buy 50% stake in the club. He has done great things with the Sydney Kings NBL Team with them winning back-to-back championships, but I think that with the Kings, he has more control whereas, if he was part of the running of the St George Illawarra Dragons, he would have butted heads as per -

'They should be the NY Yankees': Sydney Kings owner lashes Dragons

Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith has slammed St George Illawarra for rejecting his $12 million offer to buy a 50 per cent stake in the club.

www.smh.com.au

So Smith himself had this fear of the hassles he would have encountered at the Dragons and coming from him, I'd say that our club will not be successful because the top has too much sway as many on here have said. Those old heads running the club we follow need to retire.

I've talked about this problem before DD. I really don't see how someone who only owns a 50% stake in a business is likely to put their own money in to the club, if the other side are unwilling or unable to do so.

I don't think the problem lies with the fact that St George and Illawarra joined forces. I think the problem lies with the 50% ownership model.

They really need to have one owner of the club, with deep pockets and a progressive business model, to take over. Continue to harness the best of the talent and facilities that both areas have to offer, but drive the whole project forward with proper funding and accountability. That gives them the opportunity to clean up the board and any other football positions without worrying about treading on anyone's toes.

The difficulty at the moment is that there are too many people in positions of responsibility with vested interests, that getting the backing for such a move would be virtually impossible.

 

[Dragons4me]

You know, I often wonder where this club would be at if Paul Smith was given the green light with his offer of $12M to buy 50% stake in the club. He has done great things with the Sydney Kings NBL Team with them winning back-to-back championships, but I think that with the Kings, he has more control whereas, if he was part of the running of the St George Illawarra Dragons, he would have butted heads as per -

'They should be the NY Yankees': Sydney Kings owner lashes Dragons

Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith has slammed St George Illawarra for rejecting his $12 million offer to buy a 50 per cent stake in the club.

www.smh.com.au

So Smith himself had this fear of the hassles he would have encountered at the Dragons and coming from him, I'd say that our club will not be successful because the top has too much sway as many on here have said. Those old heads running the club we follow need to

Excellent post DD as usual. I agree. I said something similar below but not as eloquently.

"I can't help but wonder if this is evidence of the divide between St.George and Illawarra. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a supporter of the current situation because we should be a powerhouse organisation but I wonder how passionate each board members actually are about the team. Financial backers like the Rorters and Soufs have highly visible and active figureheads yet I don't think I've ever seen or heard from a WIN representative, ever. Couple that with an invisible Dragons board whose sole mission is to staunchly remain hidden and silent. Apart from Ben Creagh and Jason Nightingale, is there an actual Dragons supporter in either of these two groups? I mean is there? I recall many many moons ago (my grey matter now hurting in my old age), a Newmans of Rockdale representative addressed a public meeting at St George Leagues club. The very first thing he said was of how proud he was to be a Dragons supporter. Simple perhaps but effective to us passionate Dragons supporters in the audience. It makes me question whether they have a united goal. Do they trust each other? Are they working together? How are they working together? You get the idea.

• I'm starting to doubt it.

 

[Mojo]

I've talked about this problem before DD. I really don't see how someone who only owns a 50% stake in a business is likely to put their own money in to the club, if the other side are unwilling or unable to do so.

I don't think the problem lies with the fact that St George and Illawarra joined forces. I think the problem lies with the 50% ownership model.

They really need to have one owner of the club, with deep pockets and a progressive business model, to take over. Continue to harness the best of the talent and facilities that both areas have to offer, but drive the whole project forward with proper funding and accountability. That gives them the opportunity to clean up the board and any other football positions without worrying about treading on anyone's toes.

The difficulty at the moment is that there are too many people in positions of responsibility with vested interests, that getting the backing for such a move would be virtually impossible.

Just a truly independent Chair with a casting vote would be a start. 50/50, even in a willing corporate partnership, is famously fraught with problems. Virtually guaranteed to be dysfunctional.

 

[RedVee_8]

I've talked about this problem before DD. I really don't see how someone who only owns a 50% stake in a business is likely to put their own money in to the club, if the other side are unwilling or unable to do so.

I don't think the problem lies with the fact that St George and Illawarra joined forces. I think the problem lies with the 50% ownership model.

They really need to have one owner of the club, with deep pockets and a progressive business model, to take over. Continue to harness the best of the talent and facilities that both areas have to offer, but drive the whole project forward with proper funding and accountability. That gives them the opportunity to clean up the board and any other football positions without worrying about treading on anyone's toes.

The difficulty at the moment is that there are too many people in positions of responsibility with vested interests, that getting the backing for such a move would be virtually impossible.

A few years ago I spoke to a guy, a friend of a friend, that had been talking to Doust about perhaps buying the Steelers share out. I assume it would never have happened due to WIN being the pea.

His sticking point was that the feeling he got was they wanted his money but weren’t keen on giving him a say - certainly not a controlling say.

 

[justadragon]

Excellent post DD as usual. I agree. I said something similar below but not as eloquently.

"I can't help but wonder if this is evidence of the divide between St.George and Illawarra. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a supporter of the current situation because we should be a powerhouse organisation but I wonder how passionate each board members actually are about the team. Financial backers like the Rorters and Soufs have highly visible and active figureheads yet I don't think I've ever seen or heard from a WIN representative, ever. Couple that with an invisible Dragons board whose sole mission is to staunchly remain hidden and silent. Apart from Ben Creagh and Jason Nightingale, is there an actual Dragons supporter in either of these two groups? I mean is there? I recall many many moons ago (my grey matter now hurting in my old age), a Newmans of Rockdale representative addressed a public meeting at St George Leagues club. The very first thing he said was of how proud he was to be a Dragons supporter. Simple perhaps but effective to us passionate Dragons supporters in the audience. It makes me question whether they have a united goal. Do they trust each other? Are they working together? How are they working together? You get the idea.

• I'm starting to doubt it.

You know we are so far behind the AFL when it comes to inclusiveness, you will notice when there is a game of AFL after the game the media are allowed into the sheds to talk to families, hear the team song etc, most of all, you usually see CEO's board members all the staff there celebrating, its actually a big event. What we have is the team song sung between the players for about 2 min, maybe you might have all the coaches, then its done and dusted. There is no insight to see the passion that should be there across all the club, we dont even know what our board members look like, apart from the ex players.

 

[Mojo]

You know we are so far behind the AFL when it comes to inclusiveness, you will notice when there is a game of AFL after the game the media are allowed into the sheds to talk to families, hear the team song etc, most of all, you usually see CEO's board members all the staff there celebrating, its actually a big event. What we have is the team song sung between the players for about 2 min, maybe you might have all the coaches, then its done and dusted. There is no insight to see the passion that should be there across all the club, we dont even know what our board members look like, apart from the ex players.

and our coaches and captains (esp. Dragons) feign virtual brain-dead disdain and if any of them say anything meaningful they get sanctioned by the NRL. These post-match interviews shit me to tears. These guys get paid squillions but they can't muster the energy to even look vaguely interested.

 

[Dragon David]

I've talked about this problem before DD. I really don't see how someone who only owns a 50% stake in a business is likely to put their own money in to the club, if the other side are unwilling or unable to do so.

I don't think the problem lies with the fact that St George and Illawarra joined forces. I think the problem lies with the 50% ownership model.

They really need to have one owner of the club, with deep pockets and a progressive business model, to take over. Continue to harness the best of the talent and facilities that both areas have to offer, but drive the whole project forward with proper funding and accountability. That gives them the opportunity to clean up the board and any other football positions without worrying about treading on anyone's toes.

The difficulty at the moment is that there are too many people in positions of responsibility with vested interests, that getting the backing for such a move would be virtually impossible.

Excellent post DD as usual. I agree. I said something similar below but not as eloquently.

"I can't help but wonder if this is evidence of the divide between St.George and Illawarra. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a supporter of the current situation because we should be a powerhouse organisation but I wonder how passionate each board members actually are about the team. Financial backers like the Rorters and Soufs have highly visible and active figureheads yet I don't think I've ever seen or heard from a WIN representative, ever. Couple that with an invisible Dragons board whose sole mission is to staunchly remain hidden and silent. Apart from Ben Creagh and Jason Nightingale, is there an actual Dragons supporter in either of these two groups? I mean is there? I recall many many moons ago (my grey matter now hurting in my old age), a Newmans of Rockdale representative addressed a public meeting at St George Leagues club. The very first thing he said was of how proud he was to be a Dragons supporter. Simple perhaps but effective to us passionate Dragons supporters in the audience. It makes me question whether they have a united goal. Do they trust each other? Are they working together? How are they working together? You get the idea.

• I'm starting to doubt it.

Thanks guys for your responses which I agree with everything that was said. Unfortunately our only chance of seeing and hearing what goes on in the Dragon's inner sanctum is by either being flies on the walls or doing a James Bond thing and planting a camera with sound pick-up in the Boardroom. I cannot see this happening in reality of course.

The whole thing is so damned frustrating.