It’s been an interesting week in NRL coaching circles, with one coach given the shove from his club and another given the reigns of the NSW team without having coached at club level yet.
I feel sorry for Brian ‘Bluey’ McClennan.
He’s a better coach than this season at the Warriors has suggested and his failings are probably more a case of mitigating circumstances than an inability to handle the intensity of the NRL grind.
Remember, Bluey was the first Kiwi coach to win the Tri Series, which led to him getting the Leeds job, where he was very successful in winning three grand finals im four years.
Michael Maguire’s wonderful first season at Souths shows that it’s not that big a leap for a successful coach to go from the English premiership to the NRL and replicate that success.
Further compounding Bluey’s problems were injuries to senior players, which meant that he was forced to blood a lot of youngsters who weren’t able to close out a number of tight matches that they could easily have won.
It might be difficult to imagine it now, but they’ll be better for the experience they got this season.
And it’s naive to say McClennan isn’t a good coach. He is, and he’s proven it in a number of different competitions over the years. No matter what happened at the Warriors, that impressive record can never be taken away.
On the other hand, Laurie Daley is pretty much starting his top level coaching career in the toughest cauldron imaginable: State of Origin.
But I think his appointment was the right decision.
Daley has been a part of successful NSW sides, many of them as captain. What’s more, he’s had years as an assistant coach in both Origin and club football.
His experience as a player in an era of NSW sides that dominated Queensland will be invaluable. He knows the Ricky and Gus Origin approach well and will continue on with some of the stuff Ricky’s done, as well as bring in some of his own ideas.
Someone like Daniel Anderson as assistant would bring a great wealth of experience, which is invaluable in any walk of life.
It’s crucial to have a first-hand understanding of what makes Origin players tick: one, knowing what players suit Origin and, two, knowing what style works. Laurie understands this through many years of Origin experience.
It’s such a different approach to the daily NRL grind.
If you look at the most successful clubs in the sporting world, they tend not to change their coaches over long periods of time – despite the inevitable ups and downs that every club goes through.
The NRL is a good example.
Look at Manly, the Storm, and Brisbane: they don’t change their structure at the top too much, which has lead to them being successful for long periods of time over the past 15 years.
On the other hand, the Roosters have changed coaches 3 times in 9 years or so and missed the playoffs too often.
Sometimes it doesn’t go great early on, but you need to go through the processes and come out the other end all the stronger for it, as the Roosters will prove next year.
Bee Bee
Guest
I think this stream has been taken over by depressed NSW people and Over-confident QLDs. OK (just confident). Anyways. Daley is a great choice. I hope he brings his own style to the team. I know as a QLD supporter he was a player you just dreaded seeing on NSW team sheet. His era was NSWs best. PS. Mal Meninga is no super strategist (the man had a political career that he ended himself within 5 minutes of announcing it.) Origin is not NRL. Atmosphere, media management, siege mentality, far more important than Strategy. I think Daley will do fine.
eagleJack
Guest
Actually it all started in 2006 when over playing for St Helen's he was selected to play for Australia in the Tri nations. He was hammered in the media and by some big names like Sterlo etc saying he should not be let back in the NRL let alone be allowed to represent his country. Said he had no honour, class, was a traitor etc. Here's a guy who was about to don the green and gold getting hammered by his own countrymen. People react differently to those types of situations and for him he decided rep footy wasn't for him. His talent means his name always pops up at rep selection time, and he has since conceded and played a few times. But he is honest and says he isn't interested. And people should respect that. For many, like myself, it's hard to fathom. But he's a family bloke who's happy to play club footy and that's it.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
Fair point mate. But we could certainly use his skill-set. Apparently he gave up rep footy because certain sections of the media slaughtered him after an average test performance. Give your heart a rub Jamie.
Whites
Guest
Great headline. Something any Dragons fan can agree upon.
Randwick Mick
Guest
Damn its looking more and more like a farce as time as the years tick on. QLD winning brings in record ratings and the NRL land a billion dollar deal straight after the most dodgy ref calls in the history of elite rugby league history seems very fishy and i couldnt careless who wins.
Mango Jack
Guest
I reckon ff he has to be coaxed, he shouldn't be playing.
kapow
Guest
Great news if your a Queensland supporter and bad news for NSW supporters another seven years with an empty trophy cabinet for NSW just want the NSW fans needed, maybe big Mal wasn't lying when he said he'll win 10 years of orgin series oh well.
Jimbo
Guest
Daniel Anderson also threw his cap into the ring, but apparently taking two teams to grand finals, and being an articulate and thoughtful analyst on ABC Grandstand wasn't what NSW were looking for.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
And would someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE coax Jamie Lyon out of representative retirement. God we could use him.
Mango Jack
Guest
Stuart and Meninga are both successful origin players as well, so Daley is no different. I don't get the feeling he has the strategic smarts for the job. NSW does not have the stellar playing list of QLD, so we need a coach who can out-think their opponent. Jason Taylor would have been a better choice, IMO.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
RIP NSW origin success.
turbodewd
Guest
I'm actually quite fearful for the Blues for next year. Daley's call on Foxtel is an insight into the man. Now Daley doesnt quite make the telling observations that Phil Gould does. Unfortunately Daley is famous for stating the bleeding obvious. I may be wrong, but I dont quite see the strategist in Daley. Ok, so if he's not a strategist then he must be the motivator of men. I hope so! One other thing on Daley, alas he was one of the selectors for years and produce quite a few average player selections for Craig Bellamy. Considering his opposition was Fittler and Barrett...well...is that the talent pool we have to draw upon?! No wonder Daley won it. Fittler is just another one of the boys (witness his Easts coaching debacle!)