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LostDoggy
07-11-2007, 10:21 PM
Bulldogs moving into new era
6:33 PM Wed 7 November, 2007 | Back


for westernbulldogs.com.au

News
On the same day as announcing that he will be standing again as President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, David Smorgon also announced the success of the recent football review.

With structural changes already in place, the recruitment of a new General Manager of Football underway and several new coaches hired, things are looking positive for the Bulldogs 2008 season.

"The review was important to us as an organisation in order to show how serious we were about our future. We are not going to fall for short-term band-aid solutions and we were not about to fall into the trap of simply sacking the coach," Smorgon said.

"It is about showing leadership and creating a new modern culture for the club that will make us not only competitive but capable of winning premierships."

"I am committed to this club and that is why I am re-committing to a further three years. It is a pleasure to be part of such a united Board. The other members have provided me with every support over the past 11 years and I look forward to continuing on," he said.

Off-field the Western Bulldogs are flourishing with revenue having increase by 63% since 2003 (from $16M to $28M). 2007 is the first year since 1998 that the club has achieved a substantial operating profit result, with $540k.

Membership has gone up by 50% while the club continues to charge toward the target 32,000 with membership currently sitting on 28,735.

On another positive note for the first time ever merchandise revenue broke the one million dollar mark reaching $1.2M in turnover. That is a 340% increase in the past five years!

Smorgon said the Bulldogs had spent an additional $3.6M on the football division since 2003 which equates to a 43% increase in the last five years. A further $600k is planned for 2008.

The arrival of a new General Manager of Football will assist the new coaching list with creating an environment of success.

Senior Coach Rodney Eade will now report to that role and will no longer be weighed down by administrative duties.

"We want the coaching guys to focus on the coaching," Chief Executive Campbell Rose said.

"The new manager will be driving the whole football environment."

With the football division is just three months away from moving into their new state-of-the-art facility, the Elite Learning Centre. With an indoor-outdoor training environment the playing group will be supported by sports science services provided by partner Victoria University while utilizing modern facilities such as hot and cold plunge pools, gym area and weights room with state-of-the-art technology built in.

"We will be the envy of every club in the AFL. No other team as an indoor-outdoor training environment like this and being so close to the ground will enable our fitness team to provide the best services to our players," Smorgon said.

BulldogBelle
07-11-2007, 10:26 PM
Thanks for posting that DRB, very positve feedback and so pleasing that Smorgo will continue on in his role as president. :)

FrediKanoute
07-11-2007, 10:32 PM
Thanks for posting that DRB, very positve feedback and so pleasing that Smorgo will continue on in his role as president. :)

For all the doom and gloom which has tended to pervade the club and various forum's, when you stand back and consider things its not actually that bad. Those increases in revenue and membership are phenomenal, especially for a football club who realistically have very little avenues for generating both. Sure we finished 2007 pretty badly on the field, but off the field we are definitely more robust. What I would say to all supporters contemplating whether or not to renew their memberships is don't hold back! Just do it! The WB's are going places both on and off the field and we should all make it our target to try to reach the 32k member mark!

LostDoggy
07-11-2007, 10:33 PM
Thanks for posting that DRB, very positve feedback and so pleasing that Smorgo will continue on in his role as president. :)

Thanks BDB, yes I was pleased about Smorgo - he represents stability, competence and loyalty to our club. It will be interesting to see who they get as the Football Director - a very important position that requires careful selection.

BulldogBelle
07-11-2007, 10:46 PM
For all the doom and gloom which has tended to pervade the club and various forum's, when you stand back and consider things its not actually that bad. Those increases in revenue and membership are phenomenal, especially for a football club who realistically have very little avenues for generating both. Sure we finished 2007 pretty badly on the field, but off the field we are definitely more robust. What I would say to all supporters contemplating whether or not to renew their memberships is don't hold back! Just do it! The WB's are going places both on and off the field and we should all make it our target to try to reach the 32k member mark!

Yes, Fredi, I agree - off the field everything is falling into place, now to get it all happening on the field and increase those memberships. So we suffered a setback, the players will be even hungrier for success, they will be hurting - positive signs are about - the fact that the players all started their pre-seasons earlier and even the older players that weren't required to start wanted to know what their schedules were.




Thanks BDB, yes I was pleased about Smorgo - he represents stability, competence and loyalty to our club. It will be interesting to see who they get as the Football Director - a very important position that requires careful selection.

Yes, Smorgo makes me feel comfortable, I approached him once before a game as he was walking by he stopped to talk and seriously the guy gives the word passion a new meaning, he talked about the dogs he was very inspiring. Yes, will be interesting to see who our football director will be.

Bulldog Revolution
08-11-2007, 07:51 AM
Yes, Fredi, I agree - off the field everything is falling into place, now to get it all happening on the field and increase those memberships. So we suffered a setback, the players will be even hungrier for success, they will be hurting - positive signs are about - the fact that the players all started their pre-seasons earlier and even the older players that weren't required to start wanted to know what their schedules were.

Yes, Smorgo makes me feel comfortable, I approached him once before a game as he was walking by he stopped to talk and seriously the guy gives the word passion a new meaning, he talked about the dogs he was very inspiring. Yes, will be interesting to see who our football director will be.

I am sure there will be less positive postings today about the state of the Dogs, but I actually felt pretty similar to you BBelle - Great that Smorgo is staying AND its now time to move on, learn from the mistakes of 2007, but firmly put into place the plan for 2008

Mantis
08-11-2007, 08:24 AM
Very positive story... I think it's good that Smorgo is staying on. Even though we have had some rocky roads in the past 10 or so years I think Smorgo wants to hang around to finish the job he started. That is to move us into a new successful era both on and off the field.

LostDoggy
08-11-2007, 08:33 AM
Very positive story... I think it's good that Smorgo is staying on. Even though we have had some rocky roads in the past 10 or so years I think Smorgo wants to hang around to finish the job he started. That is to move us into a new successful era both on and off the field.

He certainly is committed to not leaving us until everything is right. I wonder if the current problem was they main reason for him staying because 4 weeks ago it looked like he was going.

He is the right man to finish this job.

LostDoggy
08-11-2007, 05:08 PM
Membership has gone up by 50% while the club continues to charge toward the target 32,000 with membership currently sitting on 28,735.

Is that the figure we finished on last season or is that what we are currently on, as of the 7/11? Have that many people renewed or become new members already?

BulldogBelle
08-11-2007, 08:26 PM
He certainly is committed to not leaving us until everything is right. I wonder if the current problem was they main reason for him staying because 4 weeks ago it looked like he was going.

He is the right man to finish this job.

I think I read somewhere a few weeks back Billy that his wife wanted him to stay on as Prez and that she encouraged him to go on. Smorgo loves the club and he is definitely the right man for the job.

LostDoggy
08-11-2007, 09:09 PM
I think I read somewhere a few weeks back Billy that his wife wanted him to stay on as Prez and that she encouraged him to go on. Smorgo loves the club and he is definitely the right man for the job.

Yes you are right. I still think he wouldn't want to leave it with things unsettled as they currently are. He's done too much to leave the job half done.