Time to restructure the JV

[Saints Forever]

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is abundantly clear that the club is on the road to nowhere under the current administration structure.

The options available are:

1. An independent professional organisation buy out both sides;
2. One side buys out the other;
3. The current parties agree to amend their respective shareholding so that one party has control;
4. The parties hand back the licence to the NRL;
5. The parties agree to relocate the brand to another location;

It’s important that the club train and play out of one ground.

Reasons to formally relocate as a club to Wollongong

a. The new centre of excellence is in Wollongong
b. University of Wollongong
c. Illawarra/South Coast junior nursery

There is no reason as to why we cannot maintain the Red V.

The perplexing issue is the name.

Personally I would like to retain the name St George.

Alternatively we ought to consider:

Southern Saints
Southern Dragons
South Coast Saints
South Coast Dragons
Illawarra Saints
IllawDragons

This process should have been undertaken a quarter of a century ago.

What do you think the best solution is?

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is abundantly clear that the club is on the road to nowhere under the current administration structure.

The options available are:

1. An independent professional organisation buy out both sides;
2. One side buys out the other;
3. The current parties agree to amend their respective shareholding so that one party has control;
4. The parties hand back the licence to the NRL;
5. The parties agree to relocate the brand to another location;

It’s important that the club train and play out of one ground.

Reasons to formally relocate as a club to Wollongong

a. The new centre of excellence is in Wollongong
b. University of Wollongong
c. Illawarra/South Coast junior nursery

There is no reason as to why we cannot maintain the Red V.

The perplexing issue is the name.

Personally I would like to retain the name St George.

Alternatively we ought to consider:

Southern Saints
Southern Dragons
South Coast Saints
South Coast Dragons
Illawarra Saints
IllawDragons

This process should have been undertaken a quarter of a century ago.

What do you think the best solution is?

Didn't I just do a survey about this?

 

[Saints Forever]

Didn't I just do a survey about this?

As to name, yes

As to structure, no

 

[justadragon]

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is abundantly clear that the club is on the road to nowhere under the current administration structure.

The options available are:

1. An independent professional organisation buy out both sides;
2. One side buys out the other;
3. The current parties agree to amend their respective shareholding so that one party has control;
4. The parties hand back the licence to the NRL;
5. The parties agree to relocate the brand to another location;

It’s important that the club train and play out of one ground.

Reasons to formally relocate as a club to Wollongong

a. The new centre of excellence is in Wollongong
b. University of Wollongong
c. Illawarra/South Coast junior nursery

There is no reason as to why we cannot maintain the Red V.

The perplexing issue is the name.

Personally I would like to retain the name St George.

Alternatively we ought to consider:

Southern Saints
Southern Dragons
South Coast Saints
South Coast Dragons
Illawarra Saints
IllawDragons

This process should have been undertaken a quarter of a century ago.

What do you think the best solution is?

All good points mate, you are asking for some massive answers, way above my pay scale. All I know is that whilst the Gordons have been there we are getting worse as the years roll on.

 

[Coffs dragon]

Some good questions & ideas floated to get this club back to where it belongs.
The current ownership model seems flawed and I don’t have the right answer, but change is necessary.
As for name & brand…..I like what we currently have as the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Personally, I support & have the view that the club should be solely based in the Gong! That should be our one home ground & football HQ.
I don’t like split grounds, it’s like a family divorce that allows for a form of shared custody.
Sorry, but Kogarah is history, just like the once great Saints Leagues concert auditorium.

 

[muzby]

Buy out the Sharks.

Have the whole territory back to how it was when the world was black & white..

Call ourselves the Southern Sharks.

 

[Dragon David]

Some good questions & ideas floated to get this club back to where it belongs.
The current ownership model seems flawed and I don’t have the right answer, but change is necessary.
As for name & brand…..I like what we currently have as the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Personally, I support & have the view that the club should be solely based in the Gong! That should be our one home ground & football HQ.
I don’t like split grounds, it’s like a family divorce that allows for a form of shared custody.
Sorry, but Kogarah is history, just like the once great Saints Leagues concert auditorium.

I fully agree Coffs. One ground, WIN Stadium, the name to remain St George Illawarra Dragons and HQ down there as well near the proposed Centre Of Excellence.

We are in the 24th year I think of the joint venture and I cannot see us changing the current ownership model even though we know it isn't working and a singular ownership will enable more stability and possibly more straight forward decision making.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

As to name, yes

As to structure, no

It wasn't just a name survey, it was a bunch of questions about the future of the club, home grounds, what we thought of the joint venture, how we saw the club going forward. It also gave the opportunity to comment on the clubs performance, what we liked and what we didn't like. The name change was obviously the most controversial question but there was plenty of other stuff in there.

Anyway I thought we were already based in Wollongong, it's just that we have our home games at different places. Which, personally I think is a good thing. As an interstate supporter, Wollongong is absolutely the worst home ground to try and get to. Newcastle, Canberra, Townsville, all a plane flight and cab ride. Same with most Sydney grounds. Jubilee Oval, no problem. Wollongong you are obliged to hire a car and battle Sydney traffic. I once tried to catch the train but it turned out it was actually a bus and took close on 3 hours. Never again.

 

[possm]

I was born in Wollongong and always considered Saint George to be my local team (which was based in Kogarah. Over the years I have not seen anything to change this view.

For me, the ideal solution would be for the Gordons to own Illawarra which would participate in the NSW Cup side and be a feeder club to St George. Illawarra could also be the manager of our junior pathways system and have a Junior Illawarra Leagues Club to headquarters this operation in Wollongong.

 

[Trifili13]

I was born in Wollongong and always considered Saint George to be my local team (which was based in Kogarah. Over the years I have not seen anything to change this view.

For me, the ideal solution would be for the Gordons to own Illawarra which would participate in the NSW Cup side and be a feeder club to St George. Illawarra could also be the manager of our junior pathways system and have a Junior Illawarra Leagues Club to headquarters this operation in Wollongong.

The Gordon's barely give a stuff about the Dragon's who are in the NRL. Why would they exchange that for a regional team not involved in the top tier?

 

[Parko1310]

One ground being WIN is clearly the way to go, bring success on the field and just like panfers you could get a new stadium, especially if the government do as they say is important and invest in the south coast. Of course the Wollongong wolves being granted an a league licence could help out the bid.

That doesn't mean disregarding the Red V, it doesn't mean tossing away the history of St George, but this way is the clear way forward. Kogarah can have a game a year against a traditional rival in the bulldogs, the sharks, etc. Maybe we'll finally see those thousands of empty seats filled at a game there if its made to be a spectacle.

The way to survive into the future 20,30,40 years down the track from now is not to play out of two run down grounds that won't get an upgrade because you only play 6 games a year at each. Imagine a rebuilt WIN stadium, next to the ocean, with a big lit up St George Illawarra Dragons logo at the front. Statues of past legends of the club outside as you walk in, a feel of real professionalism and grandness as you sit to watch the big Red V march in.

 

[blacksafake]

Buy out the Sharks.

Have the whole territory back to how it was when the world was black & white..

Call ourselves the Southern Sharks.

 

[Saints Forever]

St George in that instance

 

[JamesRustle]

Buy out the Sharks.

Have the whole territory back to how it was when the world was black & white..

Call ourselves the Southern Sharks.

Relaunch function to be headlined by Southern Sons

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Sorry Kogarah has to stay, wasn't a problem during 2009-2011, you know when we had a coach, who put the CEO in his place, where we packed out Kogarah, success on the field fixes the issues we currently have, playing 6 games at Kogarah doesnt impact the players lifestyle one iota, why would you give up territory to the sharks, rabbits and bulldogs, why give up potential sponsors from the area, why give up potential new supporters from the area and why give up on your current supporters/business from your area.

 

[Old Timer]

Sorry Kogarah has to stay, wasn't a problem during 2009-2011, you know when we had a coach, who put the CEO in his place, where we packed out Kogarah, success on the field fixes the issues we currently have, playing 6 games at Kogarah doesnt impact the players lifestyle one iota, why would you give up territory to the sharks, rabbits and bulldogs, why give up potential sponsors from the area, why give up potential new supporters from the area and why give up on your current supporters/business from your area.

Wonderfully put and straight to the heart of the matter.

If you take Kogarah out then there is nothing left other than a failed entity.

Whilst many bring up the auditorium at the Taj I know where I would rather have a drink after a game because the Steelers is the epitome of everything Illawarra.

 

[This Year?]

Buy out the Sharks.

Have the whole territory back to how it was when the world was black & white..

Call ourselves the Southern Sharks.

I'm already dreading the name poll but I would choose St George Cronulla Sutherland Illawarra Dragon Shark Steelers just so that the brand appeases every fanbase of the tri-venture.

Now for the jersey, would we go for a red shirt with a black white and blue V or go for white shirt with a red black and blue v or lastly horizontal red black white and blue hoops? Maybe even get creative with a 90's style checkers

As for the grounds, do we play an equal split at Wooloware , Wollongong and Carlton?

Lastly, would all the declared idiots be given access to the Jubilee Ave subforum?

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

One ground being WIN is clearly the way to go, bring success on the field and just like panfers you could get a new stadium, especially if the government do as they say is important and invest in the south coast. Of course the Wollongong wolves being granted an a league licence could help out the bid.

That doesn't mean disregarding the Red V, it doesn't mean tossing away the history of St George, but this way is the clear way forward. Kogarah can have a game a year against a traditional rival in the bulldogs, the sharks, etc. Maybe we'll finally see those thousands of empty seats filled at a game there if its made to be a spectacle.

The way to survive into the future 20,30,40 years down the track from now is not to play out of two run down grounds that won't get an upgrade because you only play 6 games a year at each. Imagine a rebuilt WIN stadium, next to the ocean, with a big lit up St George Illawarra Dragons logo at the front. Statues of past legends of the club outside as you walk in, a feel of real professionalism and grandness as you sit to watch the big Red V march in.

So you want to have statues of past St George legends outside of a stadium in Illawarra?

 

[ground zero]

How about a Mary statue outside the new Win Stadium

 

[Como Connection]

How about a Mary statue outside the new Win Stadium

No in the bar at the Steelers Club next to his mates "table of knowledge"!
CC