After a tumultuous season he's likely to be perpetually under fire until results improve, but St George Illawarra Dragons head coach Anthony Griffin has found an unlikely ally in the Red V set-up who hopes the Dragons board can show some patience and stick with Griffin.

Norm Black is the boss of TripADeal, one of the club's major sponsors. He's called on the club to show some faith in their coach, claiming the problems which are rife at the club have little to do with the man they call ‘Hook'.

“He's not the problem there, I'm telling you,” Black told the Daily Telegraph.

“He's actually got a plan to get the club back where it needs to be in the next three to five years.

“I think he's been unfairly targeted in sections of the media and it's not right.

“He had 12 wins (in 2022) and most years that gets you into the top eight. I think he's a good coach and an impressive man.”

Black's relationship with the club goes beyond that of many NRL sponsors, having developed a number of tight relationships with the playing group.

But it's doubtful his calls will ease the pressure on the head coach, with a number of reports in recent weeks ramping up the pressure.

Following the extension of his contract at the club, star half Ben Hunt admitted that a poor start to next season was likely to cost the coach his job despite Hunt's reported efforts to have conditions built into his own deal to help protect Griffin.

Then there were less credible reports from WWOS this week that youngsters Jayden Sullivan and Tyrell Sloan had both been told by the club that Griffin wouldn't be in charge beyond 2023 – a suggestion reportedly made in the hopes of retaining the youngsters, who had both previously expressed frustration in regards to their current opportunities.

NRL Rd 10 - Titans v Dragons
YOUNG GUN: Tyrell Sloan reportedly told a club sponsor he wished that he had listened to the 'truth' earlier instead of media reports. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“I'm close with a number of the players and they're comfortable enough to express themselves and speak openly if there's a problem.

“They haven't done that.

“I was talking to Tyrell Sloan the other day. He's the same. He actually said to me “I wish I'd been better at listening to the truth earlier.

“He knows Hook will give him an opportunity.”

1 COMMENT

  1. Note to self, avoid tripadeal at all costs. There won’t be a club in 5 years if Griffin stays that long. He just cannot coach and the players have zero respect for him other than the queenslanders.

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