The Roar
The Roar

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Stephen Kearney walks a tightrope, but when will he be pushed?

8th May, 2012
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Hayne has abandoned the Eels for the cash on the coast. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay)
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8th May, 2012
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Stephen Kearney is leading a charmed life as Parramatta’s rugby league coach, thanks to club chairman Roy Spagnolo.

Any coach with a 41-game record for only eight wins – winning just 19% – should expect to be punted far sooner than later.

But Kearney, the youngest of the NRL coaches at 39, has the public support of Spagnolo, normally the “kiss of death”. So far, so good?

Not for Parramatta’s faithful, yearning for the good old days of the 1980s, when Jack Gibson coached the Eels to three successive premierships in as many years, and John Monie’s 1986 success, the only four NRL premierships Parramatta has ever won.

The faithful would even settle for Brian Smith, who reached the 2001 grand final, only to lose 30-24 to the Newcastle Knights. Or the last grand final appearance in 2009 with Daniel Anderson, in the 23-16 loss to the Storm.

A fat lot of good that did Anderson, sacked at the end of 2010 with a win ratio of 56% over two years. That sure beats the daylights out of 19%, but it didn’t save Anderson from being shown the exit door in favour of Kearney.

Bad call.

Last night Kearney faced the music in front of a Parramatta AGM crowd of roughly a 1,000, pleading with them to keep the faith and believe in his vision. You’ve got to admire Kearney’s courage, he really didn’t have a leg to stand on to plead for anything.

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One faithful rose to his feet to question Kearney’s ability to coach. Spagnolo stepped in immediately, deeming the question “inappropriate”.

Hardly. It was arguably the most appropriate question of the night.

Parramatta’s iconic captain Nathan Hindmarsh later supported Kearney, adding it was the player’s fault the club was heading for the wooden spoon, not the coach.

Pity Kearney hasn’t shown his skipper the same respect.

Kearney has benched Hindmarsh, a career 80-minute player, early in this his last of 15 stellar seasons where Hindmarsh is the club’s most capped player with 325 and rising, and holds the phenomenal NRL record of 10,000-plus tackles, also rising, to go with his 23 Kangaroo caps, and 17 Origins.

Coach, you simply don’t treat legends like that. Kearney can’t blame the faithful for feeling angry in so many ways.

New signings Chris Sandow and Ben Roberts beg more questions. Sandow came from South Sydney as a very good player – Roberts the same from the Bulldogs. During the pre-season Roberts said: “To be playing with Chris and the new side is exciting”.

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Not any more. Their form has slumped so alarmingly they have almost disappeared without trace.

Why is the question? Good players don’t become ordinary players overnight without a damn good reason.

The buck stops with Stephen Kearney. He survived last night, but what about the tomorrows?

Jason Taylor would be the faithful’s choice to head back to Eels’ territory for a second stint.

The first, as an interim coach, was 2006 with 16 games for 10 wins – 62%. Those stats are far more appealing and faithful friendly.

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