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Under-fire Canterbury director Paul Dunn says he will accept the members' decision if he is a casualty in a battle for control of the Bulldogs, but is adamant he will leave the club in a better state than he found it.
The "family club" is on the brink of civil war after a letter demanding an extraordinary general meeting to oust Dunn, chair Lynne Anderson and deputy chair John Ballesty was tabled to chief executive Andrew Hill on Tuesday.
The trio are considering their next course of action ahead of a meeting of the football club board on Thursday. If they opt to dig in, they face the prospect of being voted out of office at the EGM.
After months of speculation, the 116 signatures are a clear sign that a significant section of the membership has lost faith in Canterbury's leadership.
The Bulldogs narrowly avoided the wooden spoon in a tumultuous season that included the Port Macquarie scandal and the departure of coach Dean Pay before his contract expired.
Dunn, a Clive Churcill medallist during his playing days for the club, said the club is in a much better position than when he rejoined it as a director.
"The only things I've ever done is for the benefit of the club," Dunn said. "If the people want to get me off there, so be it, I will get on with my life.
"If they do vote me off, I'll have left the club in a much better position than what I found it in.
"I use the iceberg analogy all the time, most people only see the first-grade results in looking at how the club is going.
"There are so many other things [that have improved] – junior league, salary cap, roster, coaching staff, the sponsorship situation.
"I'm very fortunate that I've got a lot out of rugby league over the years and I see my involvement as a way to give back.
Paul Dunn during his playing days for Canterbury.CREDIT:NRL IMAGERY
"If people don't want me there I'll leave. I'll be very disappointed because I reckon next year is so exciting, it's not funny.
"I would like to be involved in that, but if not, then so be it.
"The club is in a much better position now than it was three years ago."
Dunn was part of a Reform ticket that swept to power in 2018, ousting the regime previously chaired by Ray Dib.
The 'Reformists' have claimed that the salary cap issues they inherited would take several years to rectify and that 2021 represented the first year that their changes would begin to bear fruit.
However, that narrative hasn't placated a powerful bloc of disgruntled members who believe the club has gone backwards since their arrival.
Incoming coach Trent Barrett could be officially starting work at the club just as members head to the ballot box to overthrow three of the seven directors on the board.
Dunn said the club was in the process of again becoming a development club, a process that takes several years to pay dividends.
"There is still work to be done, but you will start to see progress in the next couple of years, definitely," Dunn said.
"If someone would have the courtesy to tell me why they want me off, I'm happy to have a discussion with them."
The "family club" is on the brink of civil war after a letter demanding an extraordinary general meeting to oust Dunn, chair Lynne Anderson and deputy chair John Ballesty was tabled to chief executive Andrew Hill on Tuesday.
The trio are considering their next course of action ahead of a meeting of the football club board on Thursday. If they opt to dig in, they face the prospect of being voted out of office at the EGM.
After months of speculation, the 116 signatures are a clear sign that a significant section of the membership has lost faith in Canterbury's leadership.
The Bulldogs narrowly avoided the wooden spoon in a tumultuous season that included the Port Macquarie scandal and the departure of coach Dean Pay before his contract expired.
Dunn, a Clive Churcill medallist during his playing days for the club, said the club is in a much better position than when he rejoined it as a director.
"The only things I've ever done is for the benefit of the club," Dunn said. "If the people want to get me off there, so be it, I will get on with my life.
"If they do vote me off, I'll have left the club in a much better position than what I found it in.
"I use the iceberg analogy all the time, most people only see the first-grade results in looking at how the club is going.
"There are so many other things [that have improved] – junior league, salary cap, roster, coaching staff, the sponsorship situation.
"I'm very fortunate that I've got a lot out of rugby league over the years and I see my involvement as a way to give back.
Paul Dunn during his playing days for Canterbury.CREDIT:NRL IMAGERY
"If people don't want me there I'll leave. I'll be very disappointed because I reckon next year is so exciting, it's not funny.
"I would like to be involved in that, but if not, then so be it.
"The club is in a much better position now than it was three years ago."
Dunn was part of a Reform ticket that swept to power in 2018, ousting the regime previously chaired by Ray Dib.
The 'Reformists' have claimed that the salary cap issues they inherited would take several years to rectify and that 2021 represented the first year that their changes would begin to bear fruit.
However, that narrative hasn't placated a powerful bloc of disgruntled members who believe the club has gone backwards since their arrival.
Incoming coach Trent Barrett could be officially starting work at the club just as members head to the ballot box to overthrow three of the seven directors on the board.
Dunn said the club was in the process of again becoming a development club, a process that takes several years to pay dividends.
"There is still work to be done, but you will start to see progress in the next couple of years, definitely," Dunn said.
"If someone would have the courtesy to tell me why they want me off, I'm happy to have a discussion with them."
