WIZ: It just has to be Bellamy for the Warriors in 2013
Columnist 
Coach Craig Bellamy. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
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It’s a cruel world, coaching in the NRL. New Zealand Warriors coach, Brian McClennan, had success at international level and overseas, but the NRL is a very different beast.
The scenario is pretty clear: coach takes on the team that makes Grand Final; they didn’t make the finals this year; coach gets the chop.
The performances week in week out for the Warriors were poor. And, worse, they looked unfit, often going ok for the opening 20 or 30 minutes of a half, before you’d see a few blokes down on their haunches.
So there were big issues with fitness. Often when a new coach comes in, the players test him. At the Warriors, it was pretty evident that the players needed to train a bit harder.
So who are the club targeting to replace Bluey?
Well, all the conjecture is correct: it has to be Bellamy.
And don’t believe that contracts mean anything. If he really wants to get out of his last year at the Storm, they will let him go – albeit reluctantly.
The bigger question is, does Bellamy want to leave what he has created in Melbourne: all the success that he’s had, the team culture he’s established.
Wayne Scurrah will certainly hope so.
With his intensity and insistence on perfection in everything his players do, Bellamy would be the ideal coach for the Warriors. I can you from experience, to get the best out of New Zealand players, you need a coach with experience, you need leadership, and you need someone who can take total control.
You have to say, this is what I want and this is how it will be done. Be direct: it’s my way or the highway. That the attitude that Bellamy is famous for.
Steve Kearney has gone back there to New Zealand, but does he deserve the opportunity to coach the Warriors after getting sacked from the Eels? I would think not.
No, the Warriors just have to throw all their eggs in the Bellamy basket and then work backwards from there.
Gary 'Wiz' Freeman is one of the great halfbacks in New Zealand rugby league history. Now an outspoken and popular media personality, he joined The Roar in 2012 as an expert rugby league columnist, and continues in 2013.
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- Craig Bellamy, New Zealand Warriors, NRL, Rugby League
August 27th 2012 @ 8:30am
oikee said | August 27th 2012 @ 8:30am | Report comment
You need a plan B. If you dont get Bellamy what happens. I heard Potters name be mentioned, i think Tony Smith would be good as well. They mgiht not be availiable.
I know what the Warriors do need, a coach who will crack the whip, no more huggies and kisses making mistakes, week-in, week-out.
This has got to stop, and i wont to see some fire and brimstone in that coaching box. Mate, i would be like a atom bomb sitting up their watching this mob play badly every week.
Well it is time to explode. Get the bull whip out and flog this mob. They seem to play soft to me, no aggression, no argo. They let other teams bully them, this has got to stop, show some pride in the jersey or get out.
Now, once the coach comes in, first point of business, ask Johnson is he playing league or going to union. If he wants to go to union sevens, let him go. Bring in the young Tumavavie dude who i think is a real footballer, not this make beleive touch football player in Johnson.
Time to get tough, tough love is what will win you premierships, not kissing and cuddling.
Pleased to help out,.
August 27th 2012 @ 9:21am
planko said | August 27th 2012 @ 9:21am | Report comment
If the bronco’s dont make the semi’s maybe Griffin might be “looking for a new challenge?” Maybe we could lend them Cliffy Lyons for year or 2 ?
August 27th 2012 @ 9:33am
Badjack said | August 27th 2012 @ 9:33am | Report comment
Wiz………Bellamy’s strength in this case could be his downfall. I agree 100% with your rational, the Warriors do need the type of coach you describe. But the question is, can the players as a full group handle that type of coach for an extended period. They will fall into line first up, but after a period of time (around 2 years) their enthusiasm for such discipline will wane. Most experts tell us it takes a special coach to understand their culture. Bellamy is a special coach, but will he put up with their natural culture or try to create his own?. His option would be to change the structure of the playing personnel, Is that feasible?
August 27th 2012 @ 10:19am
planko said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:19am | Report comment
I agree with you Badjack the culture of them is how sucessful Kiwi teams play rugby league and Wiz should know better …They a little bit loose and little bit unstructured and the NRL should be encouraging it not turning all teams into STORM BOTS
August 27th 2012 @ 9:41am
Leo said | August 27th 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
They have to do something fast the Warriors tv ratings on Sky TV was the lowest it have been. 40,820 for a Warrior game is bad and hope they will rise up again next year.
August 27th 2012 @ 9:41am
Leo said | August 27th 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
They have to do something fast the Warriors tv ratings on Sky TV was the lowest it have been. 40,820 for a Warrior game is bad and hope they will rise up again next year.
August 27th 2012 @ 12:27pm
Go warriors said | August 27th 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Ofcourse the tv ratings are going to be dismall when they are playing so badly. The warriors have a huge fanbase though as we saw last year. It has been a horror season that has gone from going ok to bad to horrendous.
I do agree Bellamy would be the man for the job. He will install the discipline required to be consistant which is something the warriors have never had. If they players cant handle the proffesionalism that Bellamy would bring then they dont deserve to play NRL
August 27th 2012 @ 11:39pm
Sylvester said | August 27th 2012 @ 11:39pm | Report comment
Leo, the game was also competing against the All Blacks test.
August 27th 2012 @ 10:08am
steve b said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Sounds like Kearney is the man !!!
August 27th 2012 @ 10:21am
planko said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:21am | Report comment
LOL Steve this is gold… I do think he knew it was possiblilty before he even let the conversation at the EELS begin. How much did he go for do you know Steve ?
August 27th 2012 @ 10:32am
steve b said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:32am | Report comment
I’m sure he did ,and the dollars will be a well kept secret i’m sure until it’s annouced ,,i know you don;t like to bet mate but this one is worth a fiver ….
August 27th 2012 @ 10:39am
planko said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:39am | Report comment
I loved a punt that was the problem. I still do that is all part of the disease…
August 27th 2012 @ 10:43am
steve b said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Yeh me to mate been their done that ,but five won’t hurt the bank or anyone else ,cheers mate ..
August 27th 2012 @ 11:09am
kerryRL said | August 27th 2012 @ 11:09am | Report comment
Brian McClennan getting the push just does not make sense, something is not right in that decision to show him the door, something has changed at the Warriors !!!
And the only change in the last few months is a new owner who wants his new investment to be number 1 NRL team and would have given instructions to get rid of Bluey.
He threw his toys out of the cot when the NZRU would not allow him to buy a Super 15 franchise and how the Rugby Union would regret their decision and he would make NZ Leauge bigger than Union.
Demanding to the board/CEO “get the best coach, money is not an issue”.
Google search ” best RL coach, Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett are the BEST. Bellamy is also up there,Kearney is still learning.
Bellamy could be new head coach of the warriors.
But what happens if he fails to bring the results in 2013, like Bluey.
Wrongly Bluey has lost out and maybe he will be better off away from the new Warrior set up.
August 27th 2012 @ 10:28pm
Leo said | August 27th 2012 @ 10:28pm | Report comment
He threw his toys out of the cot when the NZRU would not allow him to buy a Super 15 franchise and how the Rugby Union would regret their decision and he would make NZ Leauge bigger than Union.
Mate, get of the juice. That will never happen.
September 2nd 2012 @ 12:39am
harp said | September 2nd 2012 @ 12:39am | Report comment
Bluey was the worst thing for the Warriors, its easy to look good in England different game in the NRL. As for the Warriors board why ohh why, Leualai? Money would have been spent better buying a lotto ticket.
August 27th 2012 @ 12:41pm
oikee said | August 27th 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
I would sign on Kearney for next year if they can get Bellamy for 2014.
Kearney can put everything in place, when Craig turns up Bingo. 2 years and the Warriors will have silver, more silver than you can poke a stick at.
With the juniors in the team, it will be 2 years before they are really ready to hit top gear. Could be a Broncos Warriors grand final 2014.
That is the perfect world.
August 27th 2012 @ 12:49pm
planko said | August 27th 2012 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Good luck with that !
August 27th 2012 @ 1:32pm
Josh said | August 27th 2012 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Fell free to take Tim Sheens – In fact we tigers supporters insist
August 27th 2012 @ 3:21pm
Pot Stirrer said | August 27th 2012 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
No, Brian Smith is the warriors man
August 27th 2012 @ 11:44pm
Sylvester said | August 27th 2012 @ 11:44pm | Report comment
I was no Cleary fan, but it appeared he was no-nonsense and although still widly inconsistent the results were OK. Bellamy has the same style.
Can’t see it happened for two reasons.
1. He’s always gone on about loyalty, so I can’t see him ditching his contract.
2. Does he really want to walk about from the Slater/Smith/Cronk combo just yet?