Jason Ryles knocked back the Dragons coaching job on Wednesday because the club refused to allow him to oversee all areas of football operations.
The Melbourne Storm have since confirmed Ryles will join in 2024 as an assistant to Craig Bellamy.
A source close to the Dragons has told Wide World of Sports Ryles wanted a Wayne Bennett-like situation where he had a say in coaching, recruitment and development and had carte blanche to bring in his own team.
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Ryles had been in talks with the Dragons for several days and was close to signing a four-year deal.
But when the club refused to meet his conditions, he baulked at the offer and will now join Melbourne as an assistant coach next season – and wait for Craig Bellamy to retire.
A former Dragons star who has served a long apprenticeship in the game at the Roosters and Storm, Ryles would have been a great fit for the Dragons.
But the club’s stubbornness and refusal to move with the times has now left them back at square one.
“They let Wayne Bennett run the place and won a comp (in 2010),” a source close to the club said.
“But everyone is so worried about keeping their own jobs and power that they refused to budge.”
Another former Dragons star, Ben Hornby, is the new favourite for the job, while there is also a push for ex-Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan.
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