The Rumours Thread

[Dragon David]

Supposedly Dogs, but I haven’t seen anything official as yet

It won't be long. Gus will get his man just as he is able to get rid of his man. Gus and Laundy are doing what none of our guys can do.

 

[BLM01]

So many rumours floating around that you don’t know what to believe these days.
One of the media Journos on NRL360 only claimed this week, that discussions were taking place concerning Dean Young as future coach. He also mentioned that Nathan Brown was rumoured of a return to the RedV as a sounding board for Dean Young whilst looking after our Pathways system.
Supposedly, Brownie & Peter Doust have a close relationship.
I do believe that Nathan Brown is currently looking after the Eels Pathway system on a short term deal only.

Lots of moving parts at this stage and I’d welcome any rather than put up with the current boring fart of a coach.

Not so short term perhaps

 

[possm]

To me it is easy:
Flanno
Brown
Barrett

Do it now!

Yes I know. He is a guy who bled red and white and still does but now would not buy into this rabble of a club even if it was on the market for $100 (well maybe a lot more than that, but you get what I mean). We had that chance a few years ago but they sold half of it cheaper to Bruce and BBTB has been rubbishing the Board etc for ages because of this. We have become a rabble and a train wreck as a result of this in my opinion and the same as Paul White is saying. There has been poor planning for the future - long term I mean, short term is easy for them because they are short sighted. They have wallowed their snouts in the troughs of caviar and champagne while the club becomes obsolete and a nothing entity.

If this keeps going, what's the use of us clinging on and be members of the club? Why can't they be sensible to change tack and do something positive overall? The team of the century ....pfffftt!

It seems to me we have never really had the cleanout that was required after the Mary era. Yes, we appointed a replacement coaching staff but again went for economy rather than excellence. Griffin and his staff have not done the job required but this is not the dominant problem.

Our self-serving Board of Management is the real problem and the WIN side of the owner not delivering the essential cash injection needed to bring about a change of direction when it comes to success on the field and off the field is our main problem.

I say;
Sack Young, Doust, and Gordon off the Board and sell 50 percent of the shares to a new Dragons friendly owner.

Make at least 25 percent of shares available for sale to Red V members and give all Red V members voting rights when it comes to Board positions.

After this hire the highest quality staff available to turn things around setting KPI's that focus on results. 2-year contracts only with an option in favour of the club for a further 2 years.

As for the playing roster, focus on the spine first. Move Hunt to hooker, and provide Ramsey, Sloan, Amone, and Sullivan with personal coaching staff in order to lift their overall performance.

Buy two SOO level props, and an SOO level back row forward.

Our 2023 round 1 team should be:
1. Sloan
2. Matt Feigai
3. Suli
4. Ramsey
5. Ravalawa
6. Amone
7. Sullivan
8. New prop
9. Hunt
10. New prop
11. New edge forward
12. Su'A
12. Lomax

14. Mueleson
15. De Belin
16. F Molo
17. Bird

Let go of all players off contract and any who want to be released.

Sack the coaching staff and hire; Flanno, Brown, and Barrett.

Sack our football department staff and hire more professional people focusing on KPI's that deliver results.

Replace fitness staff and Marketing staff.

Incentivize the Red V Membership program and provide fans with a better overall experience at games, for example:

* Arrange to have about 50 balls with the game day info stamped on the balls and the signature of the team players placed on the balls.

* Make it known that balls kicked into the crowd can be kept.

* Any balls left over after full time are to be kicked into the crowd by the Dragons players.

* Form a Red V Members Band and provide them free game tickets and a free lunch. Have them dressed in unique uniforms.

* Have fire-breathing dragons placed around the ground and have them breathe fire when we score or provide excitement.

Sell 'Dagwood Dogs' inside the ground.

 

[BBTB]

Yes I know. He is a guy who bled red and white and still does but now would not buy into this rabble of a club even if it was on the market for $100 (well maybe a lot more than that, but you get what I mean). We had that chance a few years ago but they sold half of it cheaper to Bruce and BBTB has been rubbishing the Board etc for ages because of this. We have become a rabble and a train wreck as a result of this in my opinion and the same as Paul White is saying. There has been poor planning for the future - long term I mean, short term is easy for them because they are short sighted. They have wallowed their snouts in the troughs of caviar and champagne while the club becomes obsolete and a nothing entity.

If this keeps going, what's the use of us clinging on and be members of the club? Why can't they be sensible to change tack and do something positive overall? The team of the century ....pfffftt!

Yes the Board is very Short Sighted ".It's plays into their game plan. Distraction tactics. Members & fans are dumb, their are easily distracted, just change a COACH with some cheap rundown coach that no other
Club would think of hiring. Throw in some old finished,
Cheaparsed players.
There that will distract the members for a while. Now we can get on with our "self serving parasitic ways & no
Member or Fan will notice.
The greatest of all was Peter
DOUST. SELLING US OUT to the Gordon's for half price. Then retiring as CEO. Returning later to collect his payment from Andrew Gordon. A seat on the Board.
This SCUMBAG has been ripping us off for years. Now DOUST is back, to f**k us again & again.

 

[Yow]

Maybe-most assistant coaches have clauses in their contracts allowing them to leave if offered a Head Coach position so wherever he's an assistant doesn't make much difference. Perhaps Young just wants to coach a team that's wearing red and white?

Well done to Deano if he gets the assistants and most people saying great work Dolphins but if he signed with us they would be saying job for the boys

 

[dungay dragon]

Who is Ciraldo going to?

The Dogs...just about done...wont be coming here..no one coming here

 

[randomdragon]

I’d love for dyoung to go to dolphins and get experience under bennet. IMO he still had at least 5 more years of assisting to go before he can be considered for head coach. The fact he’s now in a successful set up and if true moving to Bennett’s dolphins he will get some good experience.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

I am not sure if this article should be posted here, but it is a good read.

Zen and the art of being a St George Illawarra Dragons supporter

On Sunday afternoon, news reached this corner of the Dragon-verse that the directors of St George Illawarra would discuss the poor performance of their…

www.theroar.com.au

 

[Dragon David]

The Dogs...just about done...wont be coming here..no one coming here

Not only are the Dogs after and will most probably get him but they are also after Stephen Crichton from Penrith. Is there a salary cRap? Who else are the Dogs after? When they clean up the joint they go ahead in leaps and bounds and look like they will be aiming for the top of the ladder for years to come.

We are truly behind the 8 ball now compared to them, but hey, we have the CofE and Pathways to look forward to

 

[Iron Mike]

I guess Ryan Webb has sort of touched on what the aims of the future for the club will be in his podcast but I would like to see a workable plan being drawn up to show the way forward encompassing the CofE and Pathways. What the club's coaching targets will be, How they will have our players playing consistently good footy, and more. If Webb is pushing hard to improve planning can he let us know what the progress is on a regular basis?

I thought that the club would be really entrenched in all of this by now.

David,

After hearing Ryan Webb confirm on Tuesday night at the Q & A Forum , that the C of E will not be completed until mid 2024. With that in mind I cant see too much changing on the coaching front till then.
Dean Young will most definitely want to finish his 3 year stint at the Cowboys ( end of 23 ) which would fit in nicely with the Centre opening.
The only other option would be Flanangan taking over at the end of this year. This is still a big chance if Hook cant get us to the Finals.
As for the Recruitment and List management if Brownie were to land this gig , I think that it would be a huge step in the right direction. But it would need to happen soon to give him a chance to negotiate with new recruits before the November 1st deadline.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Before Browny left Saints he set up a team to win a comp which Bennett did 2 years later after winning Minor Premiership the year before. Bennett added the finishing touches.

Browny more than proved himself as someone who can create a successful roster to win a comp.

 

[possm]

Yes the Board is very Short Sighted ".It's plays into their game plan. Distraction tactics. Members & fans are dumb, their are easily distracted, just change a COACH with some cheap rundown coach that no other
Club would think of hiring. Throw in some old finished,
Cheaparsed players.
There that will distract the members for a while. Now we can get on with our "self serving parasitic ways & no
Member or Fan will notice.
The greatest of all was Peter
DOUST. SELLING US OUT to the Gordon's for half price. Then retiring as CEO. Returning later to collect his payment from Andrew Gordon. A seat on the Board.
This SCUMBAG has been ripping us off for years. Now DOUST is back, to f**k us again & again.

I don't think the Board is clever enough to think the way you describe it. I believe it is just a matter of concentrating on THEIR prim objective of maximizing income/rewards they obtain from the Club with the least effort or risk to themselves.

For example, hire staff that will be loyal no matter what; don't rock the boat.

Hire a cheap coach because he costs the Club, no money from the NRL for coaches.

Hire a coach that won't resign because no one else wants him.

Hire a coach to take when success is not achieved.

 

[Dragon David]

David,

After hearing Ryan Webb confirm on Tuesday night at the Q & A Forum , that the C of E will not be completed until mid 2024. With that in mind I cant see too much changing on the coaching front till then.
Dean Young will most definitely want to finish his 3 year stint at the Cowboys ( end of 23 ) which would fit in nicely with the Centre opening.
The only other option would be Flanangan taking over at the end of this year. This is still a big chance if Hook cant get us to the Finals.
As for the Recruitment and List management if Brownie were to land this gig , I think that it would be a huge step in the right direction. But it would need to happen soon to give him a chance to negotiate with new recruits before the November 1st deadline.

Thanks Mike.

I hope that besides the C of E, the club is looking very hard at our future and putting in place measures to implement systems that improve the fitness levels of all players in all our grades and to ensure that discipline is of the highest order.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

David,

After hearing Ryan Webb confirm on Tuesday night at the Q & A Forum , that the C of E will not be completed until mid 2024. With that in mind I cant see too much changing on the coaching front till then.
Dean Young will most definitely want to finish his 3 year stint at the Cowboys ( end of 23 ) which would fit in nicely with the Centre opening.
The only other option would be Flanangan taking over at the end of this year. This is still a big chance if Hook cant get us to the Finals.
As for the Recruitment and List management if Brownie were to land this gig , I think that it would be a huge step in the right direction. But it would need to happen soon to give him a chance to negotiate with new recruits before the November 1st deadline.

Thanks for your post @Iron Mike . Your post is the only comment I have seen about the Q & A Forum. Did anything else get said that would be of interest to us long suffering fans?

 

[BBTB]

Thanks Mike.

I hope that besides the C of E, the club is looking very hard at our future and putting in place measures to implement systems that improve the fitness levels of all players in all our grades and to ensure that discipline is of the highest order.

All just distractions. Anything to take attention away from what is actually going on.
Until we get these parasites out of our club (Management,Board & Coaching staff) nothing will change. No Decent 1st grade coach or Marquee players.

 

[BBTB]

The Dogs...just about done...wont be coming here..no one coming here

Exactly!!!! And why would they.

 

[Iron Mike]

Thanks for your post @Iron Mike . Your post is the only comment I have seen about the Q & A Forum. Did anything else get said that would be of interest to us long suffering fans?

OneEyed,

I didn't know a lot about Ben Haran prior to Tuesday , but came away impressed with his knowledge and ability to answer questions from different angles. Obviously is the glue holding things together.

Hook copped a bit of a bashing from a few disgruntled members , but to his credit he stood firm and copped it on the chin. I got the feeling that he is pushing for an extension of Ben Hunt's contract into 24 and 25 after some of the things he spoke about , especially when quizzed about the prospect of selecting Hunt at 9 and Bud at 7 for next year! This is obviously the hottest topic that they are grappling with.
Hook did mention that Mulhesien is still o couple of years away from being ready for first grade and that they were close to coming to terms with an alternate hooker in coming weeks , this was on the back of some members giving McCollough a real roasting.
Haran also mentioned that with still six positions vacant inside the top 30 for next year , Saints would be in position to move when players become available , which he believed would become plentiful following Nov 1 .

All in all , I appreciated the availability of all three men to speak with the members in such an open and honest way, something we have not had in a long time.

 

[denis preston]

Thanks for your post @Iron Mike . Your post is the only comment I have seen about the Q & A Forum. Did anything else get said that would be of interest to us long suffering fans?

OED I know some on here cant get on to Jubilee so I will refresh my comments on my take that i put on Jubillee Ave :

Webby shined and made some good comments . Centre of excellence will be a great boom for the club in getting everyone together under one roof ( coaching , administration, support staff, pathways program etc ). It will also have direct access to Wollongong Uni graduate sports science support ( at a cheaper rate commented Webby ! ) Will be built by the end of 2024.
Best to put some other observations down in bullet form. Virtually full house which surprised me but good to see. My observations It may differ from others but here goes.

* Club making a profit which means no cap in hand to owners which means more money for various projects.
* What has WIN done ? Webby countered with provided some new sponsors we would never get otherwise. Also one of the board members is also a board member at channel 9 so that should make sure the Dragons have a better say in broadcast issues. He also believes that the business acumen the directors provide mixes well with the football nous the St George side gives.
* The Steelers are gone ! One WIN director represents the football club per say but it is really the Illawarra junior/ senior football area.
* Haran said the right things but how would we know ? They have worked hard lifting the St George junior sides and this season has shown a marked improvement. Rattled off 3 or 4 names to look out for in the coming seasons ( sorry couldn't jot their names down ! ) 6 new players to make up the 30 next year but said they would be looking for opportunities in the market rather then a scatter gun approach to recruit. In saying this we need to sign up one player by Nov 1.
* When questioned on Sullivan Hook made a good point about half backs such as Cronk & Thurston didn't really become champions until their late 20's. He believes that Hunt is in top 3 halfback form and at his peak and intermated that he had a few more good years ahead. Dont know where that puts Bud, particularly when you see the next point.
* They are very confident of striking a new deal with Amone.
* The crowd warmed up in Q&A and some good questions were raised but unfortunately some resorted to slandering individual players which was unfortunate. Interesting that Wood's name was on the playing list but with a asterisk , perhaps others at this meeting may explain this ( hasn't played the number of NRL games to qualify for a contract next year ? )
* Club definitely in the market looking for a 9. According to Hook Muheisen is still 2 years away for full season NRL capabilities ( tend to agree )
* Hook put Mbye in the centres as Fegai is only a couple of games back from injury and M'bye played SOO in that position !!
* Hook claimed he was very angry with our defence but left it at that other than to say our defence was on the improve all year but after the Canberra game it has floundered. Someone shouted out well what are you going to do about it !, but it was ignored.

I will raise some more when I think of them but the overall impression for me was the club was in good admin & financial hands but still not convinced the coaching is what it should be. It is easy to see that they live in a bubble and are very close to each other ( players & coaching staff ) so making hard decisions is difficult for them to move on a mate .

 

[possm]

OneEyed,

I didn't know a lot about Ben Haran prior to Tuesday , but came away impressed with his knowledge and ability to answer questions from different angles. Obviously is the glue holding things together.

Hook copped a bit of a bashing from a few disgruntled members , but to his credit he stood firm and copped it on the chin. I got the feeling that he is pushing for an extension of Ben Hunt's contract into 24 and 25 after some of the things he spoke about , especially when quizzed about the prospect of selecting Hunt at 9 and Bud at 7 for next year! This is obviously the hottest topic that they are grappling with.
Hook did mention that Mulhesien is still o couple of years away from being ready for first grade and that they were close to coming to terms with an alternate hooker in coming weeks , this was on the back of some members giving McCollough a real roasting.
Haran also mentioned that with still six positions vacant inside the top 30 for next year , Saints would be in position to move when players become available , which he believed would become plentiful following Nov 1 .

All in all , I appreciated the availability of all three men to speak with the members in such an open and honest way, something we have not had in a long time.

Who we sign and to which positions they play is the most important thing. In my opinion we need two first-grade props and one first-grade back row forward for 2023 That is 3 new forwards. It appears that the club wants to buy a hooker so that makes 4 forwards. So I expect the last two inclusions in our top 30 will be backs. Let's hope one is T Stuart; a player I rate very highly. He is a very promising junior who can play fullback, wing, and center.

 

[Dragon David]

OneEyed,

I didn't know a lot about Ben Haran prior to Tuesday , but came away impressed with his knowledge and ability to answer questions from different angles. Obviously is the glue holding things together.

Hook copped a bit of a bashing from a few disgruntled members , but to his credit he stood firm and copped it on the chin. I got the feeling that he is pushing for an extension of Ben Hunt's contract into 24 and 25 after some of the things he spoke about , especially when quizzed about the prospect of selecting Hunt at 9 and Bud at 7 for next year! This is obviously the hottest topic that they are grappling with.
Hook did mention that Mulhesien is still o couple of years away from being ready for first grade and that they were close to coming to terms with an alternate hooker in coming weeks , this was on the back of some members giving McCollough a real roasting.
Haran also mentioned that with still six positions vacant inside the top 30 for next year , Saints would be in position to move when players become available , which he believed would become plentiful following Nov 1 .

All in all , I appreciated the availability of all three men to speak with the members in such an open and honest way, something we have not had in a long time.

Very good, thanks for your report Mike.