Return To Kogarah - Dragons blow smoke over Cooks River stake

By Dean Ritchie
27th October, 2001 - Daily Telegraph

St. George-Illawarra plan to build a $60m stadium on the banks of the Cooks River and want to play their home games there from 2003.

The proposal is before Rockdale Council and would give the Dragons a new Sydney base at Arncliffe.

Without a southern Sydney home since leaving Kogarah, the Dragons have shelved plans to redevelop Barton Park at Rockdale to push for the Arncliffe plan instead.

The club's directors meet next week to decide the new venue.

"It would be terribly exciting for the club if the proposal went through," Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said.

"Some of our supporters are unhappy at all the travelling and the parking costs."

Next season, the Dragons will decide between the Sydney Football Stadium or Stadium Australia.

The Bulldogs left Stadium Australia without a regular tenant after moving to Sydney Showground last season.

R2K Comment

This is a strange article by Dean Ritchie and it shows a lack of understanding and research. Dean Ritchie seems to be under the impression that the plans for Barton Park & Cahill Park belong to the Dragons. Ritchie writes:

"...the Dragons have shelved plans to redevelop Barton Park at Rockdale."

The St. George Soccer Association, led by Bill Bariamis, are responsible for the concept plans to have Barton Park & Cahill Park redeveloped. Therefore, the plans are not for the St. George-Illawarra Dragons to shelve. All the Dragons have said is that they will play at Barton or Cahill Park if a new ground gets built, assuming the lease costs are feasible and the NRL criteria is met.

The original intention of St. George Soccer was to redevelop Barton Park but with the plans for the relocation of Kogarah golf course & the creation of a Technology Park, Cahill Park was viewed as a more feasible option.

Once again, this article reveals the lack of communication between the Dragons and their supporters about a St. George district homeground. We find out that the Barton Park project has been ‘shelved’ in a minor article in the Daily Telegraph. Since the Barton Park announcement at the 2000 AGM of the St. George DRLFC, there have been no updates on the official Dragons’ website. Since the Dragons abandoned Kogarah Jubilee Oval in 1999,
supporters have unanimously agreed that a St. George district homeground is essential for the future success of the Dragons. The Dragons need to take a more proactive stance on this issue in 2002 and have an obligation to communicate to their supporters.

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