The St George Illawarra Dragons this week finally bit the bullet and sacked Anthony Griffin as head coach after yet another frustrating start to a National Rugby League season – the reported incoming coach Jason Ryles has already made demands to make decisions on a roster that just hasn’t performed.
It may have taken many months to get to this point but Dragons fans can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
A new dawn for the Dragons.
It started immediately after the announcement on Griffin when interim coach Ryan Carr named his team to play the Sydney Roosters on Friday evening at Kogarah.
There’s been chatter that Carr, as an assistant under Griffin, didn’t agree on tactics and especially team selections.
Griffin continued to pick the same blokes over and over.
The losses kept coming.
On Tuesday, Carr announced the team most Dragons fans have desperately been pleading for since the start of the season.
St George Illawarra have floated from one year to the next.
They just don’t have the respect from opposing teams.
The perception is, the Dragons aren’t a valid threat, on any given Sunday.
Week after week, they’ve proved everyone right.
That’s why whomever the incoming coach is probably won’t want the dirty laundry of whatever this club has become.
Sometimes we laugh at club’s releasing players – only to end up paying part of their contract as they don a rival jersey week-to-week.
But there’s some legitimacy to the Dragons blowing up the entire roster and putting some of their contracted stars on the market and be willing to pay some of their wages to free up space and see new blood come into the Dragons fold.
It’s a dream considering how long it took the club to put their hands in their pocket and throw up the dosh to punt ‘Hook’.
BEN HUNT
The big one.
Nobody has been as loyal to Griffin than Ben Hunt. The pair have known each other for years and Hunt has gone on record saying that he did not want Griffin fired. Even when the side was battling. Not just this year but last season too. “I don’t like change”, Hunt recently said when asked about the possible sacking of his mate. Well guess what? The Dragons need change and it’s happening. The Kangaroos and Maroons pivot didn’t want to play under a new coach so why would he stay?
Hunt is on more than $1 million a season until the end of 2025.
If a club comes along and is serious about taking Hunt – the Dragons should bring it to the table and work out the finer details.
There is no doubting what Hunt has done as a player for the Dragons. He has dragged them through games they shouldn’t have won but they haven’t been that successful either.
Time to have a tough chat.
Or it could be an easy one depending on what corner of the negotiating table they’re sitting at.
JACK BIRD
The former NSW Blues representative has been all over the shop in 2023 and it’s quite clear from looking at his performances that there’s some frustration on-field for Bird.
It’s been reported there was some sledging from himself and teammates very early in their match against Canterbury which they lost in Wollongong. They hadn’t earned the right to be hanging shit on those Bulldogs youngsters and has been penalised in recent weeks by referees for back-chat.
Like Hunt, contracted until 2025 but an option against him in that final season.
You’d like to think a few clubs would be interested in him if he can get his head screwed on straight.
JACK DE BELIN
Has been a solid performer for the Dragons on the field but comes with baggage.
Will be 33 by March next season and reportedly on almost $800,000 this year with a player option in his favour for 2024.
There’s nothing wrong with a change – especially if he still has something to offer which he does for rival clubs looking to plug a hole in the middle.
MOSES SULI
You just can’t trust what you’re going to get from the big centre.
The Tongan International started at Wests Tigers, signed with the Bulldogs but didn’t play a game due to fitness issues, spent a few seasons at Manly before signing with the Dragons.
Granted, he’s never looked fitter but his inconsistency would be a worry for the new Saints boss.
Contracted until the end of 2024.
MIKAELE RAVALAWA
Your writer mentioned Ravalawa in a tweet on social media and of the names in this article, the Fijian winger was the one Dragons fans wanted to keep the most.
Nobody is saying Ravalawa can’t keep performing for the Dragons and nobody said he must go.
But he has had some injury concerns and the rumour mill says he isn’t happy at the club.
Still offers plenty of value for St George Illawarra but it could go either way.
A player option to Ravalawa for next season and still only 25.
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