For those unaware, a very passionate, and vocal, group of fans of the St George-Illawarra Dragons has come together to push their club for change.
On Monday Night I spoke to Drew Starkey from the Save Our Saints Movement, who described what they hope to achieve, as well as the source of their frustration. Here was his statement in full:
Official Statement by the #SaveOurSaintsโ Movement
The #SaveOurSaints movement believes that rugby league has two key stakeholders: the players and the fans. The club is the go between and should be there to represent the best interests of both parties, following best practice.
The current Joint Venture Board is no longer fit to guide our club due to significant mismanagement. It has put in place a convoluted election process to protect it from being held accountable for its performance, preventing democratic change.
Dragons fans have always been loyal and passionate, but at present we cannot overstate the level of angst towards the club for this mismanagement.
We have watched on as club membership and strategic recruitment has declined.
We have watched several of our players treated unprofessionally and without respect before being pushed away โ many who were local juniors we have invested significant money in.
We have watched the decision by the Board to endorse the โRight Game Right Venueโ policy, which comes at the expense of games played at our spiritual homes and is viewed as compromising the club to make up for their poor financial management.
Most importantly, we believe the $5m loss the club made is a failure by the Joint Venture board in correctly managing its financial position. The Joint Venture Board should be answerable for its performance.
The existing governance model does not allow us to appropriately bring about this accountability. Currently, the Joint Venture board is not answerable to the members, and will continue to govern without challenge.
This needs to change. There needs to be full democratic reform of the clubs election process. The process should be re-engineered so members sign up for voting rights directly to the Joint Venture board.
The NRL wants strong clubs. Strong management is the core of a clubโs strength. Our movement is to bring about this change at the Dragons.
We believe our movement is critical. We believe in having the right governance in place for our club.
Itโs time to #SaveOurSaints.
I had no idea that any NRL club was set up so that fans cannot vote at joint-venture board level. I can fully understand fans frustration as they are rendered helpless when it comes to the club they finance through memberships and merchandise sales.
Fans are already asked to attend games at multiple venues during the season. Their home games are spread across Kogarah, Wollongong, Allianz and ANZ stadiums. Thatโs a fair distance to travel to support your side, especially for fans based in the Illawarra.
Dragons CEO Peter Doust is the longest serving in the game, but since the departure of Wayne Bennett, the Dragons have gone backwards and fans canโt see a light at the end of the tunnel under the current management set up.
Recruitment this year only added to fans frustration, as the club said goodbye to Brett Morris, as well as their best two young players, while signing players the likes of George Rose and Dane Nielson.
Eto Nabuli has been a rare highlight on the recruitment front, and looks like a good prospect for the future, however other decisions have not worked out well.
This Save Our Saints movement is more than a few unhappy fans using twitter to complain, this is a real movement with a very real purpose. I feel for Dragons fans, who are helpless in the situation and hope it does work out for them.
Refereeing Blunders Again Dominate Discussion
My kingdom for a weekend of rugby league that ends with us talking about the games rather than the referees.
Sunday eveningโs video referee decision to allow a try to Beau Scott after what looked to be a textbook knock on was ruled incorrect by referee boss Tony Archer โฆ so what?
Titanโs fans, who are struggling to find positives in what has been a horrible start to the season, now know that their side has been denied two much needed points due to an error.
DWZโs highlight reel try was ruled out thanks to a referee guessing and the inability to overrule the original decision.
I try not to heap pressure on the referees, but thereโs no excuse for these errors when the video officials are taking ten or more looks at an incident.
The benefit of the doubt rule didnโt work, the current system doesnโt work. You know what might? COMMON SENSE!!!
If it looks like a try, itโs a try, if not, no try. End it now please!
South Sydney Unbeaten Season?
Although itโs only round three, incredibly some discussion has turned to the possibility of the Bunnies going through 2015 undefeated.
In 2015, itโs impossible for a side to go through a season without dropping a game. Origin disruptions and injuries are just two of the many reasons you cannot expect an undefeated season.
Round five against the Bulldogs looks like an absolute monster clash.
Bird Free To Play After Shot On Mullen
There is a growing trend of defenders hitting playmakers after they have passed the ball. Greg Birdโs shot on Jarrod Mullen on Sunday evening was late, and dangerous, yet went un-penalised.
The referees even put Dave Taylor on report for the tackle rather than bird (see above, sigh).
These types of tackle need to be penalised, and itโs a free shot on an unsuspecting player and will end up in a serious injury one day.
Iโm all for a good, hard hit. That Napa shot on Monday Night was a textbook tackle. One on one, against an opponent who was bracing for it. Hence no injury. Hitting a guy in the back while he is not looking putting said players neck and head at risk, it just not on.
