In 2023, how many of the Dragons’ issues might have been prevented?
Throughout the 2023 season, the St. George Illawarra Dragons lurched from one catastrophe to the next, and as the off-season progresses, many concerns remain unresolved.
The Red V had several off-field problems and remarks during a season in which a coach was fired, the finals were missed once more, and the captain requested a release.
The club’s fans endured a difficult season, and while Shane Flanagan’s hiring offers some hope for the future, the board must take a hard look back to make sure the same mistakes aren’t repeated under pressure from a fan base that doesn’t tolerate failure.
In this series, Zero Tackle will evaluate each club’s season after the conclusion of a set of six games.
An early dismissal that ought to have occurred in the preseason
This goes all the way back to the beginning of the 2022 season, when the Dragons’ board chose to make the same mistakes again by exercising an option for Anthony Gryphon to continue leading the team into the 2023 season.
Despite not having any runs in the bank and no teams pursuing him, the Dragons renewed Paul McGregor’s contract extremely early in a season when he was playing for them.
That decision completely backfired.
Ultimately, a decision at the start of 2022, where a board failed to learn from past mistakes, cost the 2023 season as well.
How long it will take the joint-venture to recover from Griffin’s three-year tenure is up for dispute, despite the roster changes Shane Flanagan has already managed to make for 2024.
In the end, a board’s failure to learn from prior errors led to a decision made at the beginning of 2022 that also cost the 2023 season.
Despite the roster adjustments Shane Flanagan has already been able to make for 2024, it is debatable how long it will take the joint venture to recover from Griffin’s three-year tenure.
