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RED V MEMBERS FORUM SUMMARY
Red V Members Forum: Club leaders hear directly from members
Hi Members
St George Illawarra Dragons members were given the opportunity to hear directly from club leaders at the latest Red V Members Forum, with Chairman Andrew Lancaster, CEO Tim Watsford, Interim Head Coach Dean Young and COO Ben Creagh answering questions on the club’s football program, recruitment, pathways, governance, facilities and long-term direction.
It was the second forum of the season, but the first to be held at the Bruce Gordon Centre, providing an open and constructive opportunity for members to raise questions and share feedback.
Club representatives acknowledged the frustration with the current season while outlining the work underway to build a stronger, more sustainable future for the Dragons.
Below is a summary of what was covered on the evening.
Football program and team standards
Young confirmed his interest in the permanent head coaching role moving forward and spoke about the changes made since he took on the interim head coaching role, including adjustments to the team’s weekly structure, meeting formats and information flow.
The 2010 premiership winner explained that the football program has placed a greater emphasis on connection, clearer communication, individual improvement and player accountability. Young said the staff and playing group had shown strong buy-in to the changes, with the focus remaining on preparing the team to compete each week.
“There's been some media around saying that we're looking to the future, and we're blooding young guys. I'm not looking towards the future, and I'm not interested in blooding young guys,” Young stressed.
“I'm picking the team that I think can win each week, and the young forward pack that's playing at the moment are the players that deserve to be there. I've given players opportunities to play, and they either take it or they don't.”
Creagh spoke to the impressive communication between coaches, staff and players in recent weeks, with greater honesty, feedback and accountability now part of the weekly football environment.
Leadership and resilience
The club also outlined its focus on developing emerging leaders within the playing staff, creating an emerging leadership group.
Creagh detailed the work underway to support younger leaders, alongside senior leaders Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson. The club has also engaged specialist leadership support to help develop players considered important to the Dragons’ future.
“Developing leaders in clubs is important, and developing leaders in teams is vital to long-term success,” Creagh said. “There is a responsibility on coaches and staff who are in the environment to help develop those leaders and help them flourish.”
“Now it's our job and our responsibility to help develop our emerging leaders coming through. Guys like the Couchman's, Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart, Jacob Halangahu, Loco Jnr Pasifiki Tonga, Dan Atkinson, these guys, they're the future leaders of our club, and we're doing everything we can to upskill them to ensure they can lead the club into the future.”
Young said resilience would continue to be built through preparation, belief and the reinforcement of examples of effort from recent performances.
Recruitment and retention
Recruitment and retention decisions are handled by a broader committee structure rather than by a single individual.
The committee considers the short, medium and long-term needs of the roster, with the club assessing player performance, positional needs, salary cap management, character, and fit before making decisions.
“There's a group of us discussing players, taking all the information, listening to all the opinions of each other in that group, and combining the experience that we all bring to make a decision in the best interest of the club,” Creagh said.
The forum also heard that the club is focused on building a roster capable of long-term success, while continuing to support the development of local juniors and pathway players.
With some big-name recruits already secured, the club stressed it will remain active in the market while maintaining a focus on securing its elite juniors.
Pathways and local talent
A major theme of the night was the importance of retaining and developing elite juniors from across the St George, Illawarra and Group 7 regions.
The club has invested further in its pathways and academy systems, with more resources now dedicated to coaching, strength and conditioning, wellbeing and player development.
While the club acknowledged it would not be able to keep every player, it said the goal was to provide young players with strong coaching, clear development plans and a genuine pathway into the NRL and NRLW programs.
“Five or six years ago, we were pretty under-resourced in the Academy or Pathways area, but we're a lot better resourced now,” Creagh said.
“Pathways is a combination of our Under 19's and Under 17's teams at both St George and Illawarra, and we directly employ the coaches of both those teams, so we’ve got a bit of control over how our kids are coached and how they play week to week, which essentially feeds down from the NRL team.
“That's how you get kids in our pathway developing to be ready for NRL or NRLW at 18, 19, 20. Have good coaches in place, good resources, managers, physios and strength conditioners to ensure our kids are ready and are establishing good habits early.
“The most successful players out there, have good habits in the gym, on the field, at home, when they're away from footy, and being able to educate the players in these areas from a Dragons point of view, with Dragons resources, is really important.”
One club, two proud regions
The Dragons operate as one club.
The club remains conscious of its proud St George and Illawarra heritage while being united in its focus on the success of the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Chairman said the club would continue to play at both WIN Stadium and Kogarah, with the Dragons committed to representing both regions.
The club will look to continually address misinformation on the composition and effectiveness of the Board and remain engaged in discussions about future improvements to WIN Stadium and Kogarah.
Club direction and off-field growth
The club’s broader vision was framed around short-term wins while building the foundations for sustained long-term success.
Watsford said that bringing together football, administration, commercial, community, content and other departments at the Bruce Gordon Centre was already improving communication and alignment across the organisation.
The club’s new home was highlighted as a major step forward, with the facility allowing the Dragons to operate under one roof for the first time and better connect the football and business sides of the club.
Watsford added the club would continue to invest in football, pathways, commercial growth, fan experience and off-field excellence, with every area of the organisation expected to contribute to the club’s future success.
“We are not here to lose. It’s a simple vision – to win in the short term and to keep winning. We are one of the proudest clubs in Australian sport. Full stop. We are trying to be on top of the pile.
“We want to be better as a group. We want to ensure we set ourselves up for future success by putting the club first. We are recruiting people in key areas, and you are seeing the fruit already from people like Ben Creagh and Daniel Anderson.
“More continues to be done in all areas of the business.”
Continuing the conversation
The club thanked members for their attendance, questions and ongoing support.
The Dragons intend to hold more forums in the future and encourage members to continue providing feedback through club channels.
The forum reinforced the importance of direct communication between the club and its members, and the shared desire across the organisation and supporter base to see the Dragons return to sustained success.
Red V Members Forum: Club leaders hear directly from members
Hi Members
St George Illawarra Dragons members were given the opportunity to hear directly from club leaders at the latest Red V Members Forum, with Chairman Andrew Lancaster, CEO Tim Watsford, Interim Head Coach Dean Young and COO Ben Creagh answering questions on the club’s football program, recruitment, pathways, governance, facilities and long-term direction.
It was the second forum of the season, but the first to be held at the Bruce Gordon Centre, providing an open and constructive opportunity for members to raise questions and share feedback.
Club representatives acknowledged the frustration with the current season while outlining the work underway to build a stronger, more sustainable future for the Dragons.
Below is a summary of what was covered on the evening.
Football program and team standards
Young confirmed his interest in the permanent head coaching role moving forward and spoke about the changes made since he took on the interim head coaching role, including adjustments to the team’s weekly structure, meeting formats and information flow.
The 2010 premiership winner explained that the football program has placed a greater emphasis on connection, clearer communication, individual improvement and player accountability. Young said the staff and playing group had shown strong buy-in to the changes, with the focus remaining on preparing the team to compete each week.
“There's been some media around saying that we're looking to the future, and we're blooding young guys. I'm not looking towards the future, and I'm not interested in blooding young guys,” Young stressed.
“I'm picking the team that I think can win each week, and the young forward pack that's playing at the moment are the players that deserve to be there. I've given players opportunities to play, and they either take it or they don't.”
Creagh spoke to the impressive communication between coaches, staff and players in recent weeks, with greater honesty, feedback and accountability now part of the weekly football environment.
Leadership and resilience
The club also outlined its focus on developing emerging leaders within the playing staff, creating an emerging leadership group.
Creagh detailed the work underway to support younger leaders, alongside senior leaders Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson. The club has also engaged specialist leadership support to help develop players considered important to the Dragons’ future.
“Developing leaders in clubs is important, and developing leaders in teams is vital to long-term success,” Creagh said. “There is a responsibility on coaches and staff who are in the environment to help develop those leaders and help them flourish.”
“Now it's our job and our responsibility to help develop our emerging leaders coming through. Guys like the Couchman's, Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart, Jacob Halangahu, Loco Jnr Pasifiki Tonga, Dan Atkinson, these guys, they're the future leaders of our club, and we're doing everything we can to upskill them to ensure they can lead the club into the future.”
Young said resilience would continue to be built through preparation, belief and the reinforcement of examples of effort from recent performances.
Recruitment and retention
Recruitment and retention decisions are handled by a broader committee structure rather than by a single individual.
The committee considers the short, medium and long-term needs of the roster, with the club assessing player performance, positional needs, salary cap management, character, and fit before making decisions.
“There's a group of us discussing players, taking all the information, listening to all the opinions of each other in that group, and combining the experience that we all bring to make a decision in the best interest of the club,” Creagh said.
The forum also heard that the club is focused on building a roster capable of long-term success, while continuing to support the development of local juniors and pathway players.
With some big-name recruits already secured, the club stressed it will remain active in the market while maintaining a focus on securing its elite juniors.
Pathways and local talent
A major theme of the night was the importance of retaining and developing elite juniors from across the St George, Illawarra and Group 7 regions.
The club has invested further in its pathways and academy systems, with more resources now dedicated to coaching, strength and conditioning, wellbeing and player development.
While the club acknowledged it would not be able to keep every player, it said the goal was to provide young players with strong coaching, clear development plans and a genuine pathway into the NRL and NRLW programs.
“Five or six years ago, we were pretty under-resourced in the Academy or Pathways area, but we're a lot better resourced now,” Creagh said.
“Pathways is a combination of our Under 19's and Under 17's teams at both St George and Illawarra, and we directly employ the coaches of both those teams, so we’ve got a bit of control over how our kids are coached and how they play week to week, which essentially feeds down from the NRL team.
“That's how you get kids in our pathway developing to be ready for NRL or NRLW at 18, 19, 20. Have good coaches in place, good resources, managers, physios and strength conditioners to ensure our kids are ready and are establishing good habits early.
“The most successful players out there, have good habits in the gym, on the field, at home, when they're away from footy, and being able to educate the players in these areas from a Dragons point of view, with Dragons resources, is really important.”
One club, two proud regions
The Dragons operate as one club.
The club remains conscious of its proud St George and Illawarra heritage while being united in its focus on the success of the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Chairman said the club would continue to play at both WIN Stadium and Kogarah, with the Dragons committed to representing both regions.
The club will look to continually address misinformation on the composition and effectiveness of the Board and remain engaged in discussions about future improvements to WIN Stadium and Kogarah.
Club direction and off-field growth
The club’s broader vision was framed around short-term wins while building the foundations for sustained long-term success.
Watsford said that bringing together football, administration, commercial, community, content and other departments at the Bruce Gordon Centre was already improving communication and alignment across the organisation.
The club’s new home was highlighted as a major step forward, with the facility allowing the Dragons to operate under one roof for the first time and better connect the football and business sides of the club.
Watsford added the club would continue to invest in football, pathways, commercial growth, fan experience and off-field excellence, with every area of the organisation expected to contribute to the club’s future success.
“We are not here to lose. It’s a simple vision – to win in the short term and to keep winning. We are one of the proudest clubs in Australian sport. Full stop. We are trying to be on top of the pile.
“We want to be better as a group. We want to ensure we set ourselves up for future success by putting the club first. We are recruiting people in key areas, and you are seeing the fruit already from people like Ben Creagh and Daniel Anderson.
“More continues to be done in all areas of the business.”
Continuing the conversation
The club thanked members for their attendance, questions and ongoing support.
The Dragons intend to hold more forums in the future and encourage members to continue providing feedback through club channels.
The forum reinforced the importance of direct communication between the club and its members, and the shared desire across the organisation and supporter base to see the Dragons return to sustained success.
