A few weeks ago during Origin 3, I sat down at my computer and decided to type out a few thoughts I’d been having about my beloved Bulldogs. It was an open letter to Todd Greenberg and was published on this website.
It seems I struck a chord with Bulldogs supporters. Soon a little snowball formed and started to roll. My letter hit the twitterverse and was tweeted in Greenberg’s direction. I never expected him to read it, let alone respond to it. Cue to me shitting myself when the Bulldogs CEO responded by saying he wanted to meet with me face to face in his office.
I had a couple of weeks to stew over this meeting before it happened. What was I going to say to him? What was he going to say to me?? I was presented with such a unique opportunity; here I am, just 1 of almost 15,000 members plus thousands of other supporters, and I’d been given a voice to represent us all. Pressure was on. I didn’t want to stuff it up.
Initially when Todd asked to meet me it felt like I was being called to the principal’s office. You know when you’re about to do something big and you try to imagine what it’d be like? I imagined I would be summoned to his office by his assistant. He’d be suited up, sitting across a big desk from some keyboard hero from the Gong, dominating the conversation for 15 minutes before a handshake and a gesture towards the door.
How wrong I was.
Before the meeting I sat waiting in the reception area of Bulldogs HQ when Terry Lamb walked by and said hello. Somewhere up in the clouds, Nan was looking down and thinking that was pretty bloody awesome.
Shortly after, Todd walked out and greeted me. We went to his office and he asked me to take a seat; not behind his desk but rather at a round table in the middle the room. He sat just a little bit around from me, dressed casually. My letter had been printed out and he had it in front of him, with various points highlighted that he wanted to address. He then launched into what would be a very interesting and satisfying chat between the two of us.
First of all, it’s difficult to silence the cynical bitch inside me, so I know what some of you are thinking. Todd is a smooth operator, the whole meeting was just a token act to appear he was listening to fans, it was all a PR stunt, conspiracy!, etc. I’ll admit, Todd is great at what he does and yes, he was smooth. He was also very candid with me and said quite a few things I’d never expect him to say or admit. I have a pretty good bullshit detector and I assure you it was not going off during our discussion.
It was honestly like two passionate Bulldogs people having a chat. He offered me an insight to what he does and what he hopes to achieve, as well as the various obstacles that have stood and still stand in his way. He also gave me the opportunity to be frank with him and say things that he may not want to hear. This was something I really appreciated.
We discussed many points relating to the Bulldogs, but our conversation was centred on bridging the gap between the club, players and supporters.
An important factor in having the players understand who they’re playing for is having them actually interact with their supporter base. I was blunt with Todd and told him team store signings weren’t enough. I said that we need genuine meetings between players and fans. Bring back injured players walking around the concourse at ANZ before games. Bring back mid-season fan days and open training sessions. Most importantly bring back post-match functions at the leagues clubs where the players can talk to fans after a game and see the elation of a win, but also face the music after a loss.
I also told him that the club itself needs to be more in touch with fans on a personal level. I had the opportunity to have my voice heard by the right person, but there are tens of thousands of supporters out there who have there own concerns as well as ideas on how to improve the way in which our club operates. We resolved that establishing a fan focus group to work in partnership with the club would be an effective way to move in a brighter direction. After all, without the supporters there would be no club; something Todd acknowledged before I had the chance to say it.
We spoke about passion and the lack of it in recent times. Todd told me about his appreciation of Ennis’ competitive nature. After a loss, Ennis won’t talk to anybody for an hour or so. Todd said it sometimes annoys people, but he absolutely loves it and wishes more players were affected so deeply by a loss and expressed it.
Again, before I had the chance to say it, Todd spoke of how it’s not about winning every game, but putting in 100% and playing with a tonne of heart. From speaking with other supporters, I know that we would still be proud of a losing side if we knew they put in everything they had. This passion is something he is striving to instill in our players.
As I said before, our conversation covered many points relating to the Bulldogs, and to save both you and I from an epically long blog entry, I’ll take the lazy option and handball this one over to point form:
I feel he was genuine. He was candid in his responses to my concerns, but also in other information he offered me. This is a guy who wants to take our club to bigger and better places. To do this, he needs to listen to the people matter the most. Sponsors may invest their money, but supporters invest their hearts.
After an hour of talking we wrapped things up. Todd walked me out of the building and I left a very encouraged Bulldog. The amazing game that was to follow was just the perfect way to end a truly positive day. Todd wants all of us to know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. That night our boys showed us a glimpse of it.
As Barry Nelson once said, tough times don’t last, but tough people do.
And we’re tough people.
It seems I struck a chord with Bulldogs supporters. Soon a little snowball formed and started to roll. My letter hit the twitterverse and was tweeted in Greenberg’s direction. I never expected him to read it, let alone respond to it. Cue to me shitting myself when the Bulldogs CEO responded by saying he wanted to meet with me face to face in his office.
I had a couple of weeks to stew over this meeting before it happened. What was I going to say to him? What was he going to say to me?? I was presented with such a unique opportunity; here I am, just 1 of almost 15,000 members plus thousands of other supporters, and I’d been given a voice to represent us all. Pressure was on. I didn’t want to stuff it up.
Initially when Todd asked to meet me it felt like I was being called to the principal’s office. You know when you’re about to do something big and you try to imagine what it’d be like? I imagined I would be summoned to his office by his assistant. He’d be suited up, sitting across a big desk from some keyboard hero from the Gong, dominating the conversation for 15 minutes before a handshake and a gesture towards the door.
How wrong I was.
Before the meeting I sat waiting in the reception area of Bulldogs HQ when Terry Lamb walked by and said hello. Somewhere up in the clouds, Nan was looking down and thinking that was pretty bloody awesome.
Shortly after, Todd walked out and greeted me. We went to his office and he asked me to take a seat; not behind his desk but rather at a round table in the middle the room. He sat just a little bit around from me, dressed casually. My letter had been printed out and he had it in front of him, with various points highlighted that he wanted to address. He then launched into what would be a very interesting and satisfying chat between the two of us.
First of all, it’s difficult to silence the cynical bitch inside me, so I know what some of you are thinking. Todd is a smooth operator, the whole meeting was just a token act to appear he was listening to fans, it was all a PR stunt, conspiracy!, etc. I’ll admit, Todd is great at what he does and yes, he was smooth. He was also very candid with me and said quite a few things I’d never expect him to say or admit. I have a pretty good bullshit detector and I assure you it was not going off during our discussion.
It was honestly like two passionate Bulldogs people having a chat. He offered me an insight to what he does and what he hopes to achieve, as well as the various obstacles that have stood and still stand in his way. He also gave me the opportunity to be frank with him and say things that he may not want to hear. This was something I really appreciated.
We discussed many points relating to the Bulldogs, but our conversation was centred on bridging the gap between the club, players and supporters.
An important factor in having the players understand who they’re playing for is having them actually interact with their supporter base. I was blunt with Todd and told him team store signings weren’t enough. I said that we need genuine meetings between players and fans. Bring back injured players walking around the concourse at ANZ before games. Bring back mid-season fan days and open training sessions. Most importantly bring back post-match functions at the leagues clubs where the players can talk to fans after a game and see the elation of a win, but also face the music after a loss.
I also told him that the club itself needs to be more in touch with fans on a personal level. I had the opportunity to have my voice heard by the right person, but there are tens of thousands of supporters out there who have there own concerns as well as ideas on how to improve the way in which our club operates. We resolved that establishing a fan focus group to work in partnership with the club would be an effective way to move in a brighter direction. After all, without the supporters there would be no club; something Todd acknowledged before I had the chance to say it.
We spoke about passion and the lack of it in recent times. Todd told me about his appreciation of Ennis’ competitive nature. After a loss, Ennis won’t talk to anybody for an hour or so. Todd said it sometimes annoys people, but he absolutely loves it and wishes more players were affected so deeply by a loss and expressed it.
Again, before I had the chance to say it, Todd spoke of how it’s not about winning every game, but putting in 100% and playing with a tonne of heart. From speaking with other supporters, I know that we would still be proud of a losing side if we knew they put in everything they had. This passion is something he is striving to instill in our players.
As I said before, our conversation covered many points relating to the Bulldogs, and to save both you and I from an epically long blog entry, I’ll take the lazy option and handball this one over to point form:
- Players have been put on notice. If they aren’t performing they will be dropped. NSW Cup players have been informed they have a genuine shot at a first grade call-up.
- Positions aren’t guaranteed and structures will be a focus in the future. Each player needs to know their role and must perform to the best of their ability in it. If they don’t put in 100% they will be dropped, regardless of whether the game is won or lost.
- The new coach will have to meet various criteria including a focus on discipline as well as having balls to make tough calls. Todd told me of how in recent weeks Jim Dymock had expressed to him his concerns regarding Morris’ form. When Dymock was given the coaching gig it was an opportunity to prove that he wasn’t all talk and had the balls to take action.
- I told Todd of how to this day, some of our supporters are still spat on in the street and called rapists. Todd said he was aware of this and related that when first arrived at the club, some players were hesitant to wear their team polos on the way to training due to the negative responses they received from the general public.
- Someone at News Limited once showed him the figures relating to increased sales generated every time a negative story was published about our club. It’s always been assumed people fed off negativity and innuendo surrounding the Bulldogs but to know someone out there actually has the stats to back it up? Wow. Talk about us against the world.
- Telling Kevin Moore that his services were no longer required next year was the toughest thing he’s had to do in his role of Bulldogs CEO. I expressed to him that although I had my qualms about Moore’s coaching ability, I felt heartbroken for the bloke when it all happened. I also said that from the outside looking in, the perception is that he was undermined in the media by board members pushing their personal agendas. I said the board leaks in the media were embarrassing and he agreed.
- Development of juniors will be a focus from now on.
- Although he didn’t want to lose Idris, he also didn’t want to spend that amount of money on a centre. His priority was to lock in the key positions of 1, 7 and 9, which he has done.
- He loves Tolman’s work ethic and Ennis’ and Payne’s passion.
- The “nice guy policy” is about finding the balance between good guy off the field and force to be reckoned with on field. See Ennis: Michael.
- There are plans to stream this year’s fan forum online to make it accessible to more people.
- There are also plans for a fan day based around an open training session.
- Fans should be invited to share what the Bulldogs mean to them. Every fan has a story.
- Improvement of game-day experience for the fans is important to him. This is one of the many issues the establishment of a fan focus group can address, as well as the annual fan forum.
- He’s excited by both the Independent Commission as well as the money that will be generated by the new tv deal. He aims to invest in club/supporter relations. He also hopes the new Commission will overhaul the reserve grade competition.
I feel he was genuine. He was candid in his responses to my concerns, but also in other information he offered me. This is a guy who wants to take our club to bigger and better places. To do this, he needs to listen to the people matter the most. Sponsors may invest their money, but supporters invest their hearts.
After an hour of talking we wrapped things up. Todd walked me out of the building and I left a very encouraged Bulldog. The amazing game that was to follow was just the perfect way to end a truly positive day. Todd wants all of us to know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. That night our boys showed us a glimpse of it.
As Barry Nelson once said, tough times don’t last, but tough people do.
And we’re tough people.
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