With the only two joint venture clubs in the NRL currently taking up the two bottom positions on the NRL ladder, fans of the Tigers and Dragons are beginning to look for answers for their club’s failures.
Whilst the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra Dragons have achieved premiership glory in 2005 and 2010 respectively, both sides have endured a number of lean years.
Speaking on SEN's Sportsday NSW, Mat Rogers believes there is a connection between merging two clubs into one and an eventual demise.
“It’s no coincidence that the two clubs that are really struggling are four clubs that have been made into two,” Rogers said on SEN 1170.
"Wests and Balmain (forming the Tigers) and Illawarra Steelers and St George Dragons (forming the Dragons).
“There’s obviously something that is happening, behind closed doors at executive management level that just has the inability for (the Dragons and Tigers) to run smoothly.
“This involves all operations, recruitment and managing the salary cap.”
With news emerging that the 16th-placed Dragons have entered the race to sign Gold Coast’s David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Rogers believes that the free agents shouldn’t even consider moving to St George.
“Why would you even consider going to the Dragons? There’s only so much money,” he said.
Former premiership winning coach Shane Flanagan has recently penned a deal to take over the vacant head coaching role at St George Illawarra for three years.
Rogers told co-host Scott Sattler that Flanagan will struggle to make a difference.
“If you think Shane Flanagan is going to be a miracle worker at the Dragons, you’re kidding yourself,” Rogers added.
“He’s not going to make a lick of difference while that board is still there.”
The Dragons host the Canberra Raiders in Wollongong on Friday night.