Believe me, I know. I am one.

Whinging, as well as a dark sense of humour, is how we cope. It's how we deal with the barrage of abuse and hate from other fans, not least those closest to us who relish any opportunity to twist the knife.

When Nathan Brown coached the Dragons, and his teams failed to live up to the rampant hype, his mates would often send him sly text messages during games.

"Oust Doust!" they would demand in reference to chief executive Peter Doust. "Down with Brown!"

In more recent times, the catch cry has been "Slice Price". (Former coach Steve Price was indeed sliced last year). Of late, "Bloody Mary" in reference to present coach Paul McGregor has been given a run.

It's how we cope.

Yet some Dragons fans have taken it further of late, showing they aren't real fans at all.

When the side won its fourth straight match on Sunday, defeating the depleted Bulldogs, some supporters continued spraying their invective on social media, claiming they wish their team had lost so the campaign to have everyone sacked at the joint venture could gather more momentum.

That's up there with booing your side when it leaves the field after a loss. Real fans don't boo. They also don't want their team to lose, under any circumstances.

As it stands, the Dragons head into Friday night's blockbuster against Wayne Bennett's ladder-leading Broncos at WIN Jubilee as an honest, solid outfit that's defending with the same determination as it did when Bennett was in charge and they won the premiership in 2010.

Fans should not underestimate how far Bennett set the club back last year when he agreed to join the club for this season, going so far as to assemble coaching staff, before backflipping.

It broke many hearts and left the club that respects him so much in the lurch.

Doust is known to be disappointed that Bennett decided to join Brisbane instead. In reality, if he had signed the master coach much of the anger often levelled at the long-serving administrator would not be at the all-time high it seems to be at right now.

A collision of issues during the warmer months have created much resentment among the Dragons faithful, turning them into the biggest off-season story since Julian O'Neill set alight Danny the Dolphin on a Port Macquarie river cruise.

The emotional departures of Brett Morris to the Bulldogs for this season and Trent Merrin to Penrith for the next have fuelled the fire.

As always, perception does not match reality.

Morris wanted to join twin brother Josh at Belmore, and the Dragons could not afford to pay a winger a fullback's salary, because they have Josh Dugan. It hurts to see him go. It hurt to see Josh go. But that's the business of rugby league. Manly felt similar pain with Glenn Stewart. The Sharks are about to feel it with Paul Gallen.

In terms of Merrin, the Dragons privately remain livid at the claims of him and his management that the club reneged on their initial offer. They don't want to get into a public slanging match with a present player, and it's not the club's style anyway.

The other player often mentioned is Jack Bird, who the Dragons let go to Cronulla. They only did so because their Shire rivals had promised him the first-grade starting position they could not.

The salary cap is a massive jigsaw puzzle for every club. They don't always get it right and the Dragons are certainly no exception.

Benji Marshall is playing strong, with typical flashes of brilliance, but suggestions he's "turned back the clock" are outlandish.

There are other issues such as the move to ANZ Stadium from Wollongong and Kogarah - it's all about money, baby - and the debates about accountability and "corporate governance" and Ousting Doust.

In the meantime, though, McGregor has his team playing with honesty and passion.

The former representative centre is doing the job for all the right reasons. He has a successful business away from footy, so he's not doing it for the money.

Those inside the club report that he's meticulous and not afraid to put players firmly back in their box if he must.

Supporters have every right to ask questions of their club. No supporter base asks more questions than the Dragons. It's how we cope.

But, as Bennett has said, repeatedly: "When you start listening to the fans, it won't be long until you start sitting with them."

Packer's fate still to be decided

Still on the Dragons, they will learn on Friday if Russell Packer will be allowed to play for the Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup.

The NRL last week advised the prop - who is trying to return to the game after spending time in prison following a vicious assault - he could play in the second-tier competition.

That announcement was news to the NSWRL, which knew nothing about it until they read about it in the media.

CCTV footage of the Packer assault is the reason behind the NRL's nerves, but seriously … Let the guy know where he stands.

Meanwhile, the NSWRL will kick start its Origin festivities next Wednesday at The Star when it holds a gala dinner celebrating the "True Blues" - the team of all former NSW players, not just those who played Origin.

That means the likes of Johnny Raper, Ron Coote, Les Johns and Graeme Langlands will join dozens of former Origin players. Get the autograph book out.

Reilly back, really?

Bob Fulton is back to save Manly, but there has been plenty of talk among former Sea Eagles players that the legendary Malcolm Reilly was also about to make a stunning return to Brookvale.

Reilly, who played 89 matches for Manly including the blood bath that was the 1973 grand final against Cronulla, was in town for a wedding a few weeks ago.

It prompted talk that the 67-year-old could be introduced to the Sea Eagles as a coaching director or advisor, like Fulton.

"All you have to do is land on the shore and look what happens!" laughed Manly chairman Scott Penn. "We had a fantastic lunch with him and he attended a game. That is all."

Richie all class to the very end

Richie Benaud was laid to rest on Wednesday, and he was farewelled in the same manner in which he called and lived his life - understated to the very end.

A small group of about 20 family members attended a funeral service that morning, with about 80 more allowed into a function at The Australian golf club afterwards.

The invitations were vetoed by Benaud's widow, Daphne, who politely declined Prime Minister Tony Abbott's invitation of a state funeral, as per Richie's wishes.

Nevertheless, the stories about the legendary cricket commentator's life have not abated since his death last Friday.

Fox Sports boss Gary Burns - the former head of sport at Nine during the 1990s - opened up to this column about his relationship with Benaud.

At the start and end of each cricket season, the pair would habitually lunch at the iconic Rangoon Racquet Club restaurant in Crows Nest, not far from Nine's Willoughby studios.

After a couple of red wines, Richie would kick back and Burns could ask any question about the great game of bat and ball.

"I was transported to a world when the game was played in flannel, with matchsticks used as willows, with Neil Harvey wielding the bat like an orchestra conductor," Burns vividly recalled. "Richie had such a joy and love for the game, and his teammates. Those lunches were a real privilege."

Burns also remembers how Benaud was an absolute pro.

Richie was the face of the coverage - the first face and voice the viewer saw - but he flatly refused to use an autocue, despite having reams of information to impart.

Before a Test at the Gabba involving Australia in the 1990s, a tropical storm came sweeping in just before the first ball, halting play.

The covers were called for but then the rain stopped. Then it started again. Then it stopped.

There was mass confusion for almost an hour, before play finally started, with Richie anchoring every second of the coverage. "I can't recall him making a single mistake during our whole time together," Burns says.

When the game started, Richie removed his lapel microphone and earpiece, and walked into the adjoining commentary box.

"Try that on auto-cue," he deadpanned, in his trademark voice, cracking up everyone who heard it.

That Benaud wanted an understated farewell barely surprised Burns.

After a long day of cricket broadcasting, the Nine commentary team and crew would assemble in the hotel bar for a handful of cleansing ales.

Not Richie.

"Bad things happen in bars," he would say.

Instead, he would retire to his room, tapping out a newspaper column about the game he loved.

No chopper at Allianz

Alas, there will be no Black Hawk helicopter delivering the game ball to Allianz Stadium on Anzac Day for the annual clash between the Roosters and Dragons.

The city's heightened terrorism alert means they cannot spare the helicopter.

Of course, it won't diminish the emotion and significance of such a significant event.

This year, for the first time, the New Zealand anthem will also be played before kick-off - providing plenty of fire in the bellies of the Kiwis scattered across both sides.

Q and A - Shane Mumford

We speak to the GWS Giants ruckman ahead of Saturday afternoon's clash with his old club, the Sydney Swans, at the SCG.

You've come from the Swans to GWS in the last two seasons. Do you see it evolving really quickly?

Definitely. You can see the guys who are maturing each other. The more pre-seasons, the bigger and stronger they are. The more games together, the better we will be. It's slowly coming together.

How does it feel coming up against your former club?

You always want to play well against them. I'm sure there will be some banter. There was some banter in the NAB Cup match earlier this year.

Anyone in particular you go after?

There's always a bit between Kieren Jack and me. Last time, it was Dan Hannebery and I. You think you can get them off their game with a few words. Kieren I just try to hit and whack. Any opportunity to run through him, I will.

Any sly text messages this week?

No, generally we wait until we get out there. I'll wait until I'm out there. If I'm going alright, I might throw in a few words.

They tell me you are the "pest" around the club?

Yes. I can't get away with that one. Probably the biggest pest at the club, closely followed by Heath Shaw. He's just constantly abusing people. I just annoy people by carrying on.

How does that go down with the coaching staff?

I treat them the same. They don't get away with it. I am more than happy to annoy anyone at the club, right through to (chief executive) Dave Matthews. I don't discriminate: I treat everyone the same.

How are you a pest?

When I was at the Swans, I used to turn the coaches' offices upside down, making noise, hassling people when they are doing something. Any way I can get a reaction.

Who bites the most at GWS?

Chad Cornes hates it. You stir him up, you need to leave him for a day before he's okay.

A cursory glance of your Instagram account shows you snuggling up to your cavoodle. What's doing?

She has her own account now, so I don't post anything. She does it all herself, my girlfriend has trained her that well on the iPhone. She posts all her own pictures.

Hang on. You're the tough, uncompromising ruckman…

I've got everyone bluffed.

What's a cavoodle?

It's a Cavalier King Charles crossed with a poodle.

Right.

Yes, she looks a little bit like me, with longer hair.

The week

THE QUOTE

"There is a reason I have a hairline like this. It's stressful, what we do on a daily basis." - Jordan Speith, US Masters winner, all-round nice guy AND he has an ability to laugh at himself.

THUMBS UP

Johnathan Thurston is a better player than Andrew Johns? Puh-lease. That said, the Australian, Queensland and Cowboys playmaker could finish his career as an equal if he leads his side to a premiership before he retires. Thurston is in rare form. Ominous signs, NSW. That's right: ominous.

THUMBS DOWN

When news broke that a crocodile had bitten a 70-year-old hacker on the 11^th hole of Clive Palmer's golf course at Port Douglas, it immediately conjured images from the movie Happy Gilmore, and the alligator that chewed off the hand of Happy's mentor, Chubbs Peterson. Just tap it in ...

It's a big weekend for … the proud game of rugby in this country as the Waratahs, Force, Rebels, Brumbies and Reds attempt to drag their sorry bottoms into the top half of the Super Rugby ladder.

It's an even bigger weekend for … Geoff Toovey, who is apparently safe in his job as Manly coach according to chief executive Joe Kelly but "under pressure" according to chairman Scott Penn. Toovey's former teammates are furious about how he's being treated. He takes on Des Hasler's Doggies on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.