Daniel Anderson seems the right man for the Parramatta coaching position, despite spending the last four years in the English Super League managing St Helens. But coaching in England really isn’t the biggest credential for Anderson when it comes to handling one of the most enigmatic teams in the NRL.
Anderson had a good four seasons overseas with St Helens.
In just his second year with the club, he won the Challenge Cup after beating the Huddersfield Giants 42–12 at Twickenham in the final.
In December 2006, Anderson was rewarded for St Helens’ dominance throughout the season when he won the BBC Coach of the Year Award, which is given on an annual basis to the manager considered to have made the most substantiantive contribution to British sport in that year.
This was the first time a rugby league coach had received the honour, with the list now dominated by football coaches.
No doubt Anderson’s best achievement in his productive stint in the Super League was in February 2007 when he won the World Club Challenge with St Helens, defeating NRL Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos.
Although Anderson’s present resume holds a 74.4 percent winning percentage at St Helens, it’s the other coaching job he had prior to heading overseas that set him apart from all other contenders vying for the Eels head coaching position.
Anderson is best known in NRL circles as the coach who put the New Zealand Warriors on the map, given that they were very inconsistent prior to his appointment.
During his tenure across the Tasman, Anderson had amazing success, taking them to their first finals series in 2001 and their first Minor Premiership in 2002, which also coincided in their maiden Grand Final appearance, losing to the Sydney Roosters.
The 2002 Dally M Coach of the Year award was awarded to Anderson for his efforts in guiding the Warriors to the top of the table.
Despite achieving moderate success in 2003 (the Warriors made the preliminary final), Anderson resigned from the club in the following year after a bad start to the season, winning only three out of their first eleven games.
Anderson, however, did retain his position as coach of the New Zealand Kiwis until June 2005.
Despite a 92 game coaching career at the Warriors ending a little worse for wear, Anderson had proven to all his peers that he was a respected figure who demanded results from the outset.
In his four year association with the Warriors, Anderson transformed one of the most enigmatic teams in the NRL into one of its more consistent, who played with a discipline and flair that was not easily matched.
Now Anderson returns to Australia to coach yet another brilliant, yet inconsistent team who needs his raw discipline.
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