By PAUL McINERNEY
Illawarra Mercury
June 7th, 2001
Cunningham MP Stephen Martin has used the floor of Federal Parliament to demand the St George Illawarra Dragons be relocated permanently to Wollongong.
His call is certain to reignite simmering emotions among the region's rugby league supporters, many of whom remain bitter over the merger of the Illawarra Steelers and St George in 1999.
Dr Martin told Parliament during a late night adjournment debate on Tuesday that the success of the Hawks and Wolves in winning national basketball and soccer competitions had once again highlighted how successful regional sporting teams from the Illawarra could be.
"Ever since the forced merger between St George and the now defunct Illawarra Steelers, it has become patently obvious that there is a crying need for the Dragons to be based in Wollongong,'' he told Parliament.
"The continuing nomadic search for a Sydney home ground to play a handful of games in front of a generally small, but enthusiastic, supporter base cannot be matched by the atmosphere, support and future availability of a first-class venue at WIN Stadium.
"I believe Illawarra and Sydney-based Dragons fans should immediately demand that the National Rugby League base the Dragons in Wollongong from next year.''
As the Hawks and Wolves had demonstrated, Wollongong was a unique sporting environment where success thrived, Dr Martin said.
"If the Dragons want success, Wollongong beckons.''
Yesterday, Dr Martin renewed his demand saying he believed Kogarah-based Dragons fans preferred the 45-minute trip to WIN Stadium because of the atmosphere, rather than the venue at the Sydney Football Stadium or possibly Stadium Australia.
Steelers chairman and Dragons director Peter Newell said he could understand sentiments expressed by Dr Martin but the reality was that the team situation was a "two-way street''.
"I am sure the people of Wollongong would be delighted with extra games, but the Dragons are a joint entity who have their own fans and priorities,'' he said.
"I don't accept Stephen Martin's claims that it was a forced merger, it was a choice between a restricted number of home games or none at all.
"As far as the joint venture goes, we couldn't have better partners, you only have to look at the bunfight between Norths and Manly to see how lucky we are,'' Newell said.
Dragons chairman Warren Lockwood was not as diplomatic.
"He should concentrate on getting elected rather than having a few barbs at things he can't control,'' Lockwood said.
St George Illawarra Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said there was no crying need to have the Dragons relocate to Wollongong.
"In fact, that would disenfranchise a significant supporter base in another discernible market, which in today's competitive sporting environment is also a strength,'' Doust said.
"Crowds in Sydney this year are averaging 13,016 while at WIN Stadium it's 10,540.
"Surely the Dragons, through their support of the WIN Stadium development and by committing to a new four-year lease are taking the appropriate steps at this stage of the club's development.
"The Dragons are also investing significantly in the development of rugby league in both regions, as well as co-operation with the Country Rugby League like Group 7,'' Doust said.
The Dragons will play seven games at WIN Stadium next season.
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This is a pathetic article from the Illawarra Mercury and R2K endorses the comments of Peter Newell, Warren Lockwood & Peter Doust. Dr. Martin has completely overlooked the fact that Sydney has had higher crowd averages for 3 consecutive years. Dr. Martin seems to forget that the St. George Leagues Club contributed 6 times the funding in season 2000 than the Steelers Leagues Club did.* Dr. Martin has ignored the fact that the St. George Soccer Association is attempting to have Barton Park redeveloped and that mainstream Dragons fans won’t tolerate a full relocation to the Illawarra. R2K has never called for games to be removed from the Illawarra. If only the push from the Illawarra was as fair. |
* At the AGM of the St. George DRLFC on the 5th of December 2000, members were informed that for season 2000, the St. George Leagues Club had contributed 3 million dollars to the joint-venture, while the Illawarra Steelers Leagues Club had only contributed $500,000 dollars.
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