Former Australian rugby league team coach Ricky Stuart. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
As rumoured, Ricky Stuart has resigned as coach of the Cronulla Sharks. The former NSW State of Origin, Kangaroo’s and Sydney Roosters coach has had an unusual career to date: some would say it’s been a success, others incomplete.
Certainly not a failure.
However, where does Ricky go from here?
There’s no denying 2009 was a failed season, and 2010 is heading down a similar path. The only thing that differentiates the current season with the last is the lack of off field scandal.
Perhaps that stench is still lingering?
In my view, Stuart’s ability to date lies not in his coaching prowess, but rather his ability to instil belief and confidence into team. Much of what is required at representative level.
Obviously, in representative teams, players are selected because they are the best, not because they require coaching. The last thing they need is for a coach to be yapping orders at training but rather preparing the team as a whole for success.
Besides his yappy nature, Ricky Stuart has had success in this realm.
It’s apparent that up until his appointment with the Sharks, Ricky had a blessed run with the teams he had acquired and the personnel he had at his disposal.
Stuart plundered a well-organised club and talented roster from Graham Murray. God only knows why Murray was sacked. Nonetheless, Stuart moved in and had immediate success whilst still riding the wake Murray had left.
Once the waves had settled the success dried up and Ricky’s coaching methods were having little effect.
Ricky was also fortunate enough to acquire a State of Origin side that was stacked with experience and full of confidence coming off a series win with Phil Gould. He also acquired a Kangaroo’s squad, which is, well, not exactly coaching’s most daunting task, since rugby league isn’t exactly ‘the world game’.
We then come to his unsuccessful stint at the Sharks.
Taking over the reigns from an unsuccessful stint by Stuart Raper. Ricky had some success in 2008 with Brett Kimmorley whose consistent style has rarely failed a team.
However, since then, things have gone from average to terrible.
2009 was a disaster.
However, it was clear Ricky deserved another chance due to the amount of drama he had dealt with. 2010 hasn’t been much better.
Although the Sharks as an organisation have regathered some balance, it seems the team has continued to stumble having only won three of their last 20 matches
Ricky has had a quality playing roster, there’s no denying that. What it seems he’s lacked or been unable to instil is the confidence and belief he has been capable of in the past.
Is he leaving too soon?
Yes, in my view, Ricky Stuart is a young coach with a lot to learn, and has shown that with the right mix and platform he can take a team all the way, although, what he hasn’t done is bring a team from the bottom to the top.
Having had this opportunity at the Sharks, either he himself or the organisation has shown a lack of patience and commitment in order for him to do so. You only have to look at someone like Matthew Elliot, who was gone for all money a year ago but dug his heels in.
Now look how good Penrith are going.
His frustration has been clear. Ricky had resorted to claiming his team played great when they lost, implying that the referees are to blame. A sure sign of his creative coaching methods at their limit.
So where to now?
Ricky Stuart is a good coach and an asset in the rugby league community. However, it’s clear he still has a lot to learn.
Nathan Brown left and went and did the remainder of his ‘coaching degree’ in England. He has had some success. However, he will be graded more harshly when and if he returns to the NRL.
Perhaps, Ricky, like Brown, needs a stint in England, somewhere he can regain his confidence, craft his methods and return to have the success we know he’s capable of.
As he said at yesterday’s press conference: “it’s time to look for some new challenges.”
How challenging? Obviously Cronulla was beyond his repair.
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