Tony Iro leaves New Zealand Warriors

In a shock move that most New Zealand Warriors fans and staff had hoped would be avoidable, assistant coach Tony Iro has now appeared to have given up on seeking the first grade coaching role he so desperately strived for.

He is now set to join up with the Sydney Roosters.

Iro applied for the Warriors head coaching position after Brian McClennan got the boot for his dismal effort towards the end of this season, only to be snubbed in favour of former Canberra and Penrith coach Matt Elliott.

Elliott also had success with UK Super League club the Bradford Bulls, where he won a premiership in his first year at the helm.

Moments following the naming of Elliott, disgruntled players who initially started out under Iro took to Twitter to state their displeasure at Iro being overlooked, with fullback Kevin Locke leading the charge citing he was “gutted” in Elliott’s appointment.

Iro started with the Warriors in 2005 before coaching the Junior Warriors from 2008 in the Toyota Cup where he mentored young superstar halfback Shaun Johnson.

After successfully taking the Junior Warriors into the 2010 grand final where they beat South Sydney, who then boasted Rookie of the Year Adam Reynolds, Iro was made assistant coach to the now departed Ivan Cleary.

Elliot stated on his induction that the assistant job was there for Iro, making it clear that the NRL’s only Kiwi franchise did indeed want him on board.

Iro chose to walk.

Now I don’t mind Elliott, but am I confident of him over there in my ‘hood trying to deal with a new team without Iro’s knowledge in tow?

The polynesian culture and dynamics of the Warriors side is obviously very different to any Australian or UK club Elliott has coached, and I do have concern for him being left to his own accord to rebuild the club back up to the harmonious 2011 grand final participants that they once were.

Warriors CEO, Wayne Scurrah, (who was also responsible for the deficit of five-eighth James Maloney and Cleary), yesterday did his predictable speech on how the club are sad to lose Iro.

“It’s disappointing he won’t be staying on but we gave him time to make his decision and respect the choice he has made.

“We’re extremely grateful for what Tony’s done for the Warriors. He is looking at other opportunities and we wish him and his family all the best for the future.”

Now back onto Elliott, in the earlier days of his somewhat roller coaster career, he was fortunate enough to be named head coach of the Canberra Raiders after only serving one year as an assistant to then head coach Mal Meninga during the 2001 season.

Current Cronulla Sharks coach Shane Flanagan served four years as an assistant until he got the top job, and South Sydney’s Michael Maguire after also first having a flutter in the Super League, only held an assistant role in the NRL for one season under Melbourne Storm’s Craig Bellamy before Souths signed him on as head coach for this season.

No wonder Iro up and left. What on earth does it take to get a shot? Is loyalty a lost cause?

What is it about these board members who reward coaches after they have previously left for the UK to head up a poor man’s version of the NRL?

I have a friend who was an incredible player here in the NRL who recently got back from a spell in the Super League. In his words, the skill level in the UK was “rubbish”, likening his experience to running around playing third grade.

So why do clubs continue to promote coaches who have had a stint in the UK ahead of assistants here currently working in the NRL and have shown such loyalty as Iro did?

Iro who will still continue as assistant coach of the Kiwi side alongside Steve Kearney, said the decision was a hard one to make.

“After so long here, I had a lot to weigh up,” he said.

“The Warriors gave me the chance to start my coaching career. I’ve had plenty of great times with the club and I’ve learnt so much.”

And so the tempestuous life as a Warriors fan continues as we now await the announcement of who will assist Elliott throughout his first season next year.

Can we just skip to 2014 already?