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The Rumours Thread

SEAT 1A

Bench
Messages
3,362
Matt Cooper wore the St George Illawarra jersey in 243 games over 14 seasons.
They didn’t come any tougher and no-one wore it with more pride.
One game, in 2011 against the Wests Tigers at Kogarah, he played through the excruciating pain of fractured cheekbone and a broken hand because he loved the jersey.
It’s why the current crisis at the Dragons is hurting him as much as the above injuries.
“There’s no pride in the jersey anymore,” he says.
Junior players wanting to quit, old players slagging off on the club.
Only three turning up for the club’s presentation night. Another failed year in missing the finals.
Doubts about the coach’s future and now a chairman using club letterhead to write a reference for a shamed ex-player who used a sex hotline to share child abuse material.
“It’s disgraceful,” says Cooper as we begin to chat about the broken culture at his old club.

Although he left the Dragons on bad terms in 2013 – promised a job that was never delivered - the former NSW Blues and Kangaroos centre insists he is not speaking as a disgruntled ex-player.
Matt Cooper has unloaded on his former club.

Matt Cooper has unloaded on his former club.
“It’s terrible where the club is right now,” Cooper said.
“From 2001 to 2011 we only missed the finals twice. Since then we’ve only made them twice.
“Obviously it changed when Wayne Bennett left. It all starts from the top with the hierarchy. That’s where the culture comes from.”
Cooper finds it hard to believe that local juniors Tyrell Sloan and Jayden Sullivan would want out.
“In the old days kids would do anything to wear the Red V,” he said, “They grew up with a dream to play for the Dragons.
“Now there’s no pride in the jersey. There’s no team-first attitude.
“You can see that when these players are asking to be released.
“And I’m not blaming them. There is a reason why they want to go elsewhere.”
Sloan and Sullivan have since withdrawn their release requests.
We move on to the club’s presentation night debacle. Only three players from a 30-man squad bothered to turn up to see Ben Hunt awarded the prestigious Dragons Medal.
“When I read that I thought it couldn’t be true,” he said, “Seriously, three players. It’s a joke.
“If that doesn’t show there’s something seriously wrong, what does?
Craig Young’s character reference for Brett Finch. Credit: Supplied.

Craig Young’s character reference for Brett Finch. Credit: Supplied.
Dragons chairman Craig Young. Picture: NRL Imagery

Dragons chairman Craig Young. Picture: NRL Imagery
“I loved this club so much and it is really sad to watch stuff like this happening.”
On Craig Young, the chairman who wrote a reference on club letterhead to disgraced former player Brett Finch, Cooper unloads again.
“He should stand down,” Cooper said.
“For the chairman of the board to give a reference to a person who used a sex chat service to send sick messages about young boys is just disgusting.
“To do it on the club’s letterhead is even worse. If I was still a player I would have spoken up about it. In fact I would have even had to consider my position at the club.”
We start talking about the culture from a decade ago.
When he played alongside great leaders like Beau Scott, Brett Morris, Jason Nightingale, Ben Hornby, Dean Young, Ben Creagh and Michael Weyman. Men who bled for the jersey.
“I often think about the game I played with a fractured cheekbone and a broken hand,” he said.
Matt Cooper is shatter at the current state of his former club.

Matt Cooper is shatter at the current state of his former club.
“The doctor looked at it at halftime and said it was a depressed fracture. He said my hand was broken as well.
“I said to Wayne I’m going to keep going. That’s what the jersey meant to us. It’s what you do when you’re playing for a club you love.
“I had surgery after the game. Eight screws in my hand, four in my cheekbone. I was out for six weeks. I can look back now with great pride that I didn’t quit that game.
“It’s the way it was back then. No one quit.”
Cooper’s body suffered so much physical punishment over his 14 seasons.
In retirement he became addicted to painkiller medication and spiralled into depression.
It’s seven years now since he touched a painkiller. He is again strong and healthy.
The only pain these days is witnessing the capitulation of his beloved old club.

What an excellent article by Matt Cooper.

This read actually shows how low the club has fallen.

Well, he actually still bleeds for the red and white and we all say it's a club full of old boys however, I would say the club needs more of the Matt Cooper type of old boy.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,912
What an excellent article by Matt Cooper.

This read actually shows how low the club has fallen.

Well, he actually still bleeds for the red and white and we all say it's a club full of old boys however, I would say the club needs more of the Matt Cooper type of old boy.
Young and Doust should stand down, they have been in the circle of power far too long. This would assist with the appointment of two top people who have a passion for Saints and also have a great track record in business.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
4,005
Bronx Goodwin is our NSW Cup Coach for 2023 -


How does this happen ? Was it his incredible depth of coaching experience ? His illustrious playing career ? Or was it his dad asking his mate Albert for a favour. We'll never know. One season as assistant in Flegg, 32 games as a player (5 for the Dragons) and he's chosen to guide our juniors and prepare them for first grade.
Every time you think "things can't get any worse for our once great club" it does.
Since the signing of Corey Norman we've hardly put a foot right.
 

Mojo

Bench
Messages
4,093
30 year old with issues including facing charges for inappropriate behaviour and needing to go to rehab after being thrown a lifeline and Hook didn’t breast feed hm ffs
Oh no! Now I have a mental image of Hook breast feeding Burgess. This could take me permanently over the edge. It’s more surreal than seeing Macca barge over for a try (that didnt actually happen, did it?)
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,875
What an article from Matt Cooper. They mentioned that when he retired in 2013 he was promised a role at the club and it did not eventuate. Was that Price or Mary that did not take him on board. Whoever it was what a sad state of affairs. Surely it would not have hurt to have him coach the outside back seeing he was one of the best we have had in the modern era. Sad reading that article especially from a player who bled red V all his career.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,844
What an article from Matt Cooper. They mentioned that when he retired in 2013 he was promised a role at the club and it did not eventuate. Was that Price or Mary that did not take him on board. Whoever it was what a sad state of affairs. Surely it would not have hurt to have him coach the outside back seeing he was one of the best we have had in the modern era. Sad reading that article especially from a player who bled red V all his career.

Yep, its pathetic isnt it.

240 plus games for one Club and a player that was in demand. Shameful.
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,875
Burgess and Gos slamming the club you can take with a grain of salt but when it is a guy like Coops who bled for the team and could have easily chased the cash to go elsewhere, you sit and take note. Good to see he still has the passion for the red V. Surely they could have given him some role in the club.
 

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,458

oh my god. Surely not. This is a guy who when he left newcastle said he'd done his job because he "rebuilt" them and that he was not a coach who was going to win anything ever so it was time to go. He didn't even rebuild them well at all... If we actually hire him as coach we have officially slipped to the level of the Tigers, Warriors, Knights, Titans of this comp. The Warriors were stupid enough to hire him, surely we can't do the same. Who in their right mind hires someone who legitimately said they are not a winner. Absolute joke if this ever happened. Anyone able to post the full article as surely this has to be some sort of cruel clickbait?
 

Qdf

Juniors
Messages
422
Burgess and Gos slamming the club you can take with a grain of salt but when it is a guy like Coops who bled for the team and could have easily chased the cash to go elsewhere, you sit and take note. Good to see he still has the passion for the red V. Surely they could have given him some role in the club.
Doesn't matter, until this management team is sacked in total, there will be no change in the Dragons predicament. Total clean out. Nothing less. Board, CEO, coach, particularly YOUNG & DOUST. They are toxic parasites leading the Club into its DEMISE.
 

randomdragon

Juniors
Messages
2,034

oh my god. Surely not. This is a guy who when he left newcastle said he'd done his job because he "rebuilt" them and that he was not a coach who was going to win anything ever so it was time to go. He didn't even rebuild them well at all... If we actually hire him as coach we have officially slipped to the level of the Tigers, Warriors, Knights, Titans of this comp. The Warriors were stupid enough to hire him, surely we can't do the same. Who in their right mind hires someone who legitimately said they are not a winner. Absolute joke if this ever happened. Anyone able to post the full article as surely this has to be some sort of cruel clickbait?
Well before going off without reading, it says he MIGHT come back as head of recruitment to replace Flanagan, which would be a very good appointment if so.
 

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,458
Well before going off without reading, it says he MIGHT come back as head of recruitment to replace Flanagan, which would be a very good appointment if so.
Thank you, I thought it might be clickbait. Don't have access to the telegraph, so thank you for clarifying.

Anyway, I hope that this does not happen as his recruitment at Newcastle was horrible. He employed the strategy of buying everyone for the sake of it and somehow thought that quantity over quality would get the Knights somewhere. His recruitment at the warriors I would say was also mostly poor, but to a lesser extent as he didn't spend too much time there and covid effected those years as well. So, I'm hoping he doesn't come.
 

randomdragon

Juniors
Messages
2,034
Thank you, I thought it might be clickbait. Don't have access to the telegraph, so thank you for clarifying.

Anyway, I hope that this does not happen as his recruitment at Newcastle was horrible. He employed the strategy of buying everyone for the sake of it and somehow thought that quantity over quality would get the Knights somewhere. His recruitment at the warriors I would say was also mostly poor, but to a lesser extent as he didn't spend too much time there and covid effected those years as well. So, I'm hoping he doesn't come.
What about his work at the dragons before bennett came?
 

justadragon

Bench
Messages
4,072
Thank you, I thought it might be clickbait. Don't have access to the telegraph, so thank you for clarifying.

Anyway, I hope that this does not happen as his recruitment at Newcastle was horrible. He employed the strategy of buying everyone for the sake of it and somehow thought that quantity over quality would get the Knights somewhere. His recruitment at the warriors I would say was also mostly poor, but to a lesser extent as he didn't spend too much time there and covid effected those years as well. So, I'm hoping he doesn't come.
I can see your view , but personally I think Brown would do a good job in recruitment, and probably better than Flannagan, because we dont know what Flano did.
 

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