The Rumours Thread

[justadragon]

JOB VACANCY

Dreamed of a job you're under qualified for yet handsomely paid?

Always wanted to hang out with your mates yet pretend to be at work?

Enjoy modelling sportswear Infront of thousands of people?

Does the offer of free gym membership,airline travel and hotel accommodation appeal to you?

Consider yourself the life of the party and crave everybody laughing at you?

Well look no further at St George Illawarra football club we want you!!

Come along to training today and we'll teach you how to underachieve in your chosen field,get paid for every time you throw a football to someone wearing different colours.

But wait there's more!!

# Learn how to give soft hugs

# Bend over and hold your ankles in our free yoga classes.

# Holiday in September while the working class people are still struggling to afford memberships to watch you model your sportswear

# Be sponsored by big name companies who give you free cool stuff

All this and more could be yours today!!

Apply today in writing to the club

Please don't send resumes as we won't read them. We don't care who you are and what you've done in the past we just ask that you commit yourself to Excel at being ordinary in a group environment!!

Apply Today!!

Post of the year !!!!

 

[shazam]

Sadly the above post is about right

 

[saintmar]

Burton is not a 5/8 & they have no 7. That is what is holding them back, until B. Hunt arrives!!!!!!

Hopefully Benny arrives sooner rather than later.
This week would be nice.

 

[getsmarty]

...

 

[Illusion]

Burton is not a 5/8 & they have no 7. That is what is holding them back, until B. Hunt arrives!!!!!!

Good let him go then they will have another 9 not a 7 .......

 

[twinkletoes]

With all that is going on I’m sorry to say I just can’t see even 1 positive thing about this club… any rebuildwill need to be from the foundations up and will need at least 5 years to start seeing any results…. And that’s assuming the powers that be allow those changes to be implemented unhindered.
The club is rotten to the core

 

[TheRev]

With all that is going on I’m sorry to say I just can’t see even 1 positive thing about this club… any rebuildwill need to be from the foundations up and will need at least 5 years to start seeing any results…. And that’s assuming the powers that be allow those changes to be implemented unhindered.
The club is rotten to the core

100%, the next few days will tell us if they are legit about giving up the control to make that happen.. I know its not easy to pick which cart to hitch onto.. but under the current model.. we cant move on anything.. there is too much administration required to get anything done.. this griffin sacking and replacement has been a perfect example... its 18mths too late.. or 9mths or 2mths depending on your perspective.. either way its not ok.

Monthly board meetings (and throw in a split board) is not working.. someone has to be in charge in real time.. and the board get to decide who that is.. but they have to pick someone... if they don't we are f***ed.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

This is more a theory than a rumour. Is Hook rat cunning enough to do this?
He knows he won't be the coach next year no matter what.
He knows the BOD are too tight to pay him out.
He realises his coaching is not up to scratch in the modern era.
His unbelievable selection policies are contributing to a succession of losses.
The poor on field results and baffling selections is putting pressure on the BOD to finally act.
If this ploy succeeds, Hook will walk away from the mess with his payout.
A cunning plan? Or am I giving Hook too much credit?

 

[Mojo]

This is more a theory than a rumour. Is Hook rat cunning enough to do this?
He knows he won't be the coach next year no matter what.
He knows the BOD are too tight to pay him out.
He realises his coaching is not up to scratch in the modern era.
His unbelievable selection policies are contributing to a succession of losses.
The poor on field results and baffling selections is putting pressure on the BOD to finally act.
If this ploy succeeds, Hook will walk away from the mess with his payout.
A cunning plan? Or am I giving Hook too much credit?

Too much credit.
I suspect what’s been going on is that Hook has been on the outer for ages and the club has been making decisions just trying to keep the shitfight together week to week. I hear that the Chairman has involved himself directly. I suspect Liddle and the two young guys from Manly were recruited without any involvement from Hook - and Woods moved-on at the same time. I suspect the cut and paste team selections each week are a result of Hook not even being engaged in the process, hence the ‘shock’ removal of Liddle from the starting side and Hook’s insistence on Mbye instead. I reckon McCullough’s ’retirement’ and Norman’s non-resigning were forced on Hook.
I reckon the ‘split’ is so deep that the coaching has crashed in a heap, for some time now and the Chairman and Webb have had to take the reigns just to keep the public image in some sort of order.
I think Hook and his old-boys bullshit; his codependent relationship with the guys that originally gave him the basis for his coaching career - 15 to 20 years ago - has been utterly bizarre - beyond belief - and it’s almost destroyed this great club. We‘re now in full blown crisis management and have been for some time.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

This is more a theory than a rumour. Is Hook rat cunning enough to do this?
He knows he won't be the coach next year no matter what.
He knows the BOD are too tight to pay him out.
He realises his coaching is not up to scratch in the modern era.
His unbelievable selection policies are contributing to a succession of losses.
The poor on field results and baffling selections is putting pressure on the BOD to finally act.
If this ploy succeeds, Hook will walk away from the mess with his payout.
A cunning plan? Or am I giving Hook too much credit?

I've wondered about this. I have no evidence that there is any subterfuge going on, but it certainly looks like he is doing his best to sabotage the side, with the possible benefit being an early payout. The main arguement against this is that it would make him unemployable, but maybe he is unemployable now anyway.

 

[shazam]

Maybe act like the real world where most of us work
Move him side ways to some nothing job & make him earn his money for the rest of the year
The gym would need painting again

 

[Dirty Harry]

This is more a theory than a rumour. Is Hook rat cunning enough to do this?
He knows he won't be the coach next year no matter what.
He knows the BOD are too tight to pay him out.
He realises his coaching is not up to scratch in the modern era.
His unbelievable selection policies are contributing to a succession of losses.
The poor on field results and baffling selections is putting pressure on the BOD to finally act.
If this ploy succeeds, Hook will walk away from the mess with his payout.
A cunning plan? Or am I giving Hook too much credit?

The guy can't even manage his bench rotation yet alone have the intelligence to hatch a plan

 

[jak]

i was hoping hook was not going to bother coming back with the team.

 

[possm]

Had an interesting chat with one of our club’s sponsors

He has a suite and hasn’t used it in many weeks.

Says many of the sponsors are complaining and are unlikely to renew sponsorship next season.

He regularly speaks to Craig Young and current StG Illawarra officials from the STG side of the venture.

The STG wants Hasler. Hasler is only interested in coming if he has complete control.

Illawarra side wants Ryles.

Very little has apparently been done so far in terms of progressing the coach search.

Illawarra currently has the last say and no money is spent without Bruce Gordon approval.

Take the information provided with a grain of salt.

The bloke I spoke to is a long time sponsor of the club. He is very disappointed and upset.

Well, that says it all.

Great post.. tbh the narrative all fits.. plenty thought we had Hasler over the line.. but if the other side wanted Ryles, and Ryles wasnt even an option.. no wonder things just drifted... all until last week when Ryles was suddenly back on the market... and Creagh set up that meeting with Lancaster.

Makes me sad that we cant seem to come together on 1 vision and what's best for the club.. I guess everyone has their opinion.. but if the real issue is not Hasler.. but more the giving up control part.. I think the board are getting that wrong.. they have run the club into the ground with their 'control', hand it over to someone who's done it many times before imo.. and get out of the way.

Seems like Ryles will be the most likely choice that they would all compromise on.. but if he says no, god knows what Plan B will be..

Also sounding less and less like the vision of the richo/brown/coach is going to be getting announced on tuesday..

To me, this illustrates the exact reason why the Gordons and WIN Corp should sell their shares back to St George Leagues Club. There should not be such a divide among the Board members. Time to go back to being a football club that exists to further the best for the team on and off the field.

 

[blacksafake]

I've wondered about this. I have no evidence that there is any subterfuge going on, but it certainly looks like he is doing his best to sabotage the side, with the possible benefit being an early payout. The main arguement against this is that it would make him unemployable, but maybe he is unemployable now anyway.

He’s certainly unemployable now & will never get another coaching gig in the NRL.

 

[Ghostrider22]

Well, that says it all.

To me, this illustrates the exact reason why the Gordons and WIN Corp should sell their shares back to St George Leagues Club. There should not be such a divide among the Board members. Time to go back to being a football club that exists to further the best for the team on and off the field.

People in the know should be trying to get Paul Smith to own and run the club. Buy out the Gordon’s that’s the only there will be change.

 

[Dragon David]

People in the know should be trying to get Paul Smith to own and run the club. Buy out the Gordon’s that’s the only there will be change.

Paul Smith most probably wouldn't want to buy into the club now. Once bitten, twice shy thing.

He most probably still loves the Dragons, but he was knocked back the first time with some shonky deal behind the scenes done with some rich guy living overseas.

He knows how bad this joint venture is running - deep into the ground.

 

[getsmarty]

Paul Smith most probably wouldn't want to buy into the club now. Once bitten, twice shy thing.

He most probably still loves the Dragons, but he was knocked back the first time with some shonky deal behind the scenes done with some rich guy living overseas.

He knows how bad this joint venture is running - deep into the ground.

Bullseye

 

[RedVee_8]

SMH mention this morning that “Griffin was unhappy with Sully’s defence in the first quarter.”
He was off the field for half of that! And it was for making a tackle when the Cowboys had broken through. I call BS.

Also. Same article “Dragons have not seriously considered Cheika…”

Topic | St George Illawarra Dragons | The Sydney Morning Herald

The latest St George Illawarra Dragons news, articles, data, and analysis from The Sydney Morning Herald

www.smh.com.au

 

[dannyt]

Looks like Bellamy is staying in Melbourne:

‘180-degree turnaround’: Bellamy to coach Storm in 2024

Craig Bellamy was adamant just eight weeks ago this would be his last season in the top job but, after some soul-searching, he decided to continue in the role.

www.theage.com.au

Here is a copy paste of the article:




Craig Bellamy will coach the Storm for a 22nd season, informing the club he cannot yet retire from the game he loves.
“I’ve done a 180-degree turnaround,” he said after a month of soul-searching. “Things have got a bit testy over the past few weeks but I finally decided to coach on for another season in Melbourne.

​

​

​

Melbourne Storm host the Brisbane Broncos in Round 11 of the 2023 NRL Premiership.
“Eight weeks ago I was gone. Finished. But I’ve been speaking to a lot of blokes about retiring and I came to realise you are a long time retired.”
The 63-year-old, who told the club of his decision late on Sunday, said the bond with his players was hard to break.

“The relationship with the players is important to me. I enjoy that part of it,” he said. “The players have been really good to coach this year.”
The Storm are fifth on the ladder but have a relatively young pack of forwards, having lost half their starting six to rival clubs at the end of 2022.

Craig Bellamy will continue in the coaches’ box for another year.
Next year will be the first time Bellamy has retained all the players he wants, after two decades of losing top stars to rivals. Almost all those players who left came to Melbourne as 18 years olds, and many became internationals.
With the Storm membership of more than 40,000 the highest in the NRL, Bellamy has built a club based on pride, pragmatism and parochialism in an AFL city.







He informed chairman Matt Tripp and football manager Frank Ponissi of his decision on Sunday evening and told the Storm players when they arrived at training on Monday.
The Bellamy-Ponissi partnership is one of the most successful and enduring in the NRL.
“Next year will be my 16th season with Craig,” Ponissi said. “I am absolutely delighted he is going again.
“Last November, while we were in Glasgow visiting Ange Postecoglou at Celtic, Craig told me in confidence 2023 would be his last season. He was adamant. Whilst I fully respected his decision, I couldn’t understand it because he was coaching as well and as effectively as he ever has while I have been with him. It’s tremendous for the club that he has changed his mind.”
Bellamy’s 2022 to 2026 contract allows him to inform the club by round one whether he will continue as head coach the following year or move to the position of coaching director.