One of the NRL's longest serving board members has stepped down, with the St George Illawarra Dragons confirming Peter Doust will be replaced by Peter King.
Doust has been with the Dragons in various roles throughout his administration career, most notably being the Dragons' CEO between 1999 and 2018.
He has remained on the board since stepping down as CEO, but has now confirmed he is leaving the club.
Chairman Andrew Lancaster paid tribute to Doust's time at the club.
“Peter Doust has served the Dragons for many years, and his contribution to the club deserves to be acknowledged,” Lancaster said in a club statement.
“He has been closely connected to the modern history of the Dragons, both as Chief Executive Officer and as a director, and has always had a deep passion for the Red V.
“On behalf of the Board, our members, supporters, players and staff, I thank Peter for his commitment to the club and wish him all the very best for the future.”
A much-maligned figure, the Dragons fan base, who have tasted little in the way of success since the St George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers merged outside of the 2010 premiership under the coaching of Wayne Bennett, often adorned their hills at Kogarah and Wollongong with the famous "Oust Doust" sign.
While Doust has not been the target of recent fan angst given he is no longer the club's CEO, the Dragons 2026 campaign has gone from bad to worse, and the club's board made the call to part ways with head coach Shane Flanagan and head of football Ben Haran at the end of Round 7.
Doust, who has been with the club through the ups and downs, said it had been a "privilege".
“The Dragons have been a significant part of my life, and it has been a privilege to serve the club over many years,” Doust said.
“I have been fortunate to work with many dedicated people across the organisation and to share in moments that will always mean a great deal to me.
“I want to thank my fellow directors, the club's staff, players, members and supporters for their passion and commitment, and I wish the Dragons every success for the future.”
The Dragons, in confirming Doust would depart, also confirmed Peter King, who most recently served as the CEO of Westpac, would join the board.
“We are delighted to welcome Peter King to the Dragons Board,” Lancaster said.
“Peter brings significant leadership experience from one of Australia's largest and most prominent organisations, together with a deep understanding of governance, performance and long-term organisational success.
“As we continue to strengthen the club on and off the field, Peter's experience, connection and commercial background will be highly valuable.
“We are focused on building a strong, unified and successful future for the Dragons, and Peter's appointment supports that direction.”
Age 66
25 years in healthcare and 26 years in the Dragons.
I’m not a St George fan and don’t have an axe to grind, but I feel he should have stepped down from the board when he resigned as CEO. Having an ex-CEO on the board is always going to cause tension with the new CEO.
Given the lack of success at the club, a new face in the C suite, with a new perspective, might have been what was needed.
More generally, there is a case to be made for time-limits for CEO and board membership. Anything more than ten years – in my view – is too long. This is applicable to all big organizations, not just sporting clubs.