NRL 2023: Jason Ryles’ demands for taking over as St George Illawarra Dragons coach revealed
While contract negotiations are underway, the St George Illawarra Dragons must implement significant changes to the club before Jason Ryles considers signing on as head coach.
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St George Illawarra coaching favourite Jason Ryles will seek significant changes on multiple levels in the club’s spluttering football program before he considers signing a long-term contract.
Ryles, 44, has told close friends that he is keen on coaching the Dragons and club management has installed the ex-Saints and Test prop as their preferred choice.
The Dragons, though, need to restructure and revamp to guarantee securing Ryles.
Contract negotiations between both parties are now in full swing but Ryles will baulk at signing if the club offers the same structures that sacked coach Anthony Griffin worked under.
Griffin’s contract was terminated on Tuesday with Ryles the leading replacement candidate ahead of Ben Hornby and Dean Young.
Friends close to Ryles admit he can’t simply be “parachuted” into the top job unless changes at the club are implemented.
Ryles is likely to seek considerable say in recruitment, retention and team selection.
Those close to Ryles claim the Dragons systems aren’t working and just changing coaches may not necessarily fix the club’s longstanding issues.
And Dragons management has indicated the club needs to overhaul and reinvent its football program.
There will be a push for the club to add further resources and funding and redevelop pathways.
One source said: “It’s a great club but they haven’t done anything to build the pyramid. This hasn’t worked for a while now for a reason.
“You can’t just keep doing the same thing, wave a magic and expect a different outcome.”
Ryles is also aware he will be a rookie head coach at NRL level and will require solid support.
His contract value - and length – is also a key issue for Ryles before agreeing to any Dragons deal.
On Tuesday, Paul McGregor – who coached St George Illawarra between 2014 and 2020 - spoke of his frustration at the club’s structures.
“I want it said with the Dragons when I was there, they were only doing what they felt was helping me,” McGregor said. “I personally don’t feel that at any time they were doing things to hurt me.
“But it ended up working in the opposite direction. I just think whoever the coach ends up being needs control.
“Like, he can’t have half control, or a third control. He needs full control. And that is my biggest point.”
There is speculation Ryles - provided all issues can be resolved - could be announced as head coach shortly.
Ryles still has a season to run on his three-year deal as a Sydney Roosters assistant coach.
While the Roosters aren’t exactly thrilled at Ryles wanting to leave early, the club will grant him a release.
FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED BY DRAGONS AS FAVOURITE EMERGES FOR TOP JOB
—Michael Carayannis, Brent Read
The Dragons are ready to step up negotiations with Jason Ryles after the Sydney Roosters gave their assistant coach their blessing for him to leave his contract early to take over at St George Illawarra.
Ryles, Ben Hornby and Dean Young remain the trio of options for the Dragons who officially parted ways with coach Anthony Griffin on Tuesday morning.
Ryles is the hot favourite and it is understood his manager George Mimis has already put terms to the Dragons for them to consider. Only if negotiations fall through will Ryles not be at the Dragons next year.
His first significant obstacle has been overcome after Roosters chairman Nick Politis gave Ryles and the Dragons his blessing for the two parties to negotiate a potential deal despite Ryles having 12 months left on his Roosters contract.
The Dragons will baulk at Ryles’ request for a five-year deal but could agree to a long-term contract which has certain parameters including extension triggers based on success and a capped payout clause. Ryles also wants a strong say on his support staff and the make-up of the club’s football department.
Ryles met the Dragons last week and those talks are expected to ramp up after Friday night‘s game between the Roosters and St George Illawarra.
No deal will be formally struck before the game but the Roosters have the bye next week, which gives both parties more time to work out the deal.
Dragons boss Ryan Webb confirmed talks between the club and potential candidates will continue.
“The process stays the same,” Webb said.
“We continue to work through the candidates and hopefully that comes to a conclusion in the coming weeks. We will have conversations with agents and directly with candidates now.
“There will be meetings and discussions to get to know some of the likely candidates and how they might fit.”
Hornby maintains some support at board level but Ryles is the club’s no. 1 target. The Dragons board must unanimously decide on the next coach.
The Dragons have to pay out what was left of Griffin’s $500,000 contract after cutting him loose. Webb said recent performances were not good enough with the Dragons slumping to equal last on the premiership ladder with six straight losses.
“We think there are better performances in this team,” Webb said.
“Anthony is a fantastic person who gave nothing but 100 per cent in the 2.5 years he was at the club. We are disappointed that the results didn’t come. You want to see improvement and growth … We just haven’t been able to get across the line for six weeks. That level of improvement of growth has stalled. That prompted the board to act as they did.
“We wish him all the best and really appreciate what he has contributed to the club.”
Webb and chairman Andrew Lancaster told Griffin of his axing on Tuesday morning before the Dragons were scheduled to train. Griffin’s tenure at the club was marred by a string of off-field incidents including the infamous Paul Vaughan barbecue which derailed his first season at the club in 2021. They went on to lose eight straight games to end his first season.
Former South Sydney and Parramatta lower grade coach and Featherstone Rovers head coach Ryan Carr will take on the hot seat for the rest of the year. The Dragons may add to their support staff but fellow assistant Ben Woolf and other coaches including Willie Talau, Jamie Soward and Russ Aitken will have a greater say.
“Ryan brings a different energy,” Webb said. “He is very strong on what he thinks will work and won’t work. There will be clear direction and a strong connection to the players.”
The Dragons have now sacked their past three coaches in Griffin, Paul McGregor and Steve Price since Wayne Bennett left the club at the end of 2011.
BEYOND IDIOTIC: GRIFFIN FARCE EXPOSES DRAGONS BOARD SHAMBLES
– David Riccio
Well done Dragons, you’re officially the worst-run club in the game.
The decision to sever ties with head coach Anthony Griffin came as a shock to well, no one.
This is a decision that the complete lacking-in-foresight St George-Illawarra board should’ve made last October.
Any suggestion that management wouldn’t have known back then that Griffin was a dead duck and not their man for 2023 and beyond is either idiotic or a window to the naivety of the current board.
The last six months at Saints have been nothing short of a farce.
Management have slaughtered an entire season by refusing to make a call that even Griffin knew was coming.
They have sacrificed more than just wins. They have butchered their recruitment for 2023 and beyond.
Why would players from rival clubs want to sign there over the past six months?
Jacob Liddle recently signed a three-year deal and is sitting in reserve grade.
Dragons fans have every right to be filthy.
You’ve been robbed. You’ve been sold a dummy.
The club has taken your membership and sponsorship money, without any suggestion of a refund for the wasted year that is underway.
Let’s not even begin to discuss the fact that they still don’t have a replacement for Griffin.
Let’s not begin to discuss the disgraceful failure by any of the board, chairman or CEO to go missing while Griffin and his players have fronted the cameras to answer the same questions every week since pre-season.
Little-known assistant coach Ryan Carr is in charge for the rest of the year.
This is the hope that Dragons management are selling their paid-up members and fans.
Every passionate Red-V fan should be demanding a refund.
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Originally published as NRL 2023: Jason Ryles’ demands for taking over as St George Illawarra Dragons coach revealed
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