I met Trent Robinson at a café in 2010 and had no idea who he was or what he did. What I did know was that he was no mug and that he was decisive in his opinion about rugby league.
I soon found out that the guy I had words with was Brian Smith’s assistant coach at the Roosters and he was in charge of defence.
It was no surprise that the Roosters were the second best defensive team that year and went on to play the Dragons in the grand final, who were the best defensive team, eventually going down 32-8.
Trent challenged me in a statement that I made in the café about a player and I rushed home to check it out only to find that the quietly spoken unassuming guy I had just met had gazumped me.
You see, I don’t like being wrong on a subject that I pride myself on always trying to be correct, but I felt a little better when I found out that ‘Robbo’ had the advantage of aerial video. Hah, small consolation, but something I guess.
You know when you meet someone and you know they are going places? Well that was the impression that Trent Robinson left me with but I didn’t expect that place would be France.
Robbo was off to coach the Catalan Dragons and I followed his career as he took them from the bottom to play in the finals and achieve a 59 percent win rate with them.
The astute Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis must have also had a footy chat with Robbo as he was impressed enough to offer him the head coaching position.
At 35 he is the youngest in the NRL. Robbo became only the second rookie coach to win the Minor Premiership.
There was never any doubt in my mind that Politis had taken a misplaced punt and come up with another Freddy Fittler, who turned out to be a fizzer with the clipboard, but to think that the Roosters could win the Minor Premiership and be odds on to win the NRL Premiership is a stunning achievement.
Robbo will be named the Dally M Coach of the Year tonight but what I find amazing is that he has improved every one of his players and shown poor defenders how to buy into his system and prevent opposition tries.
Robbo has at least three players in his named 17 each week who I consider borderline first graders, but he somehow finds a way to make them blend into his system and compliment the team.
The second mistake I made with Robbo was to tell him before Round 1 this year that his veteran fullback Anthony Minichiello was “past it”.
It is probably the only time that I have seen him animated and I am sure I noticed steam coming from his ears.
I pointed out to the budding coach that last season’s top five teams had the top five fullbacks and that ‘Mini’ these days was not up to the level of Slater, Inglis, Barba, Brett Stewart and Dugan (Hayne was injured).
Robbo appointed Mini as his captain and he has led the Roosters into this year’s grand final.
Excuse me while I wipe the egg off my face.
Robbo has shown that good defence is not just about the individual and his reputation.
If you take each of the Roosters backline a strong runner like Greg Inglis would have little problem in running either through them or around them, but when they are supported by a teammate and they have ‘bought in’ to the Robbo system, then all of a sudden a poor defender starts to look rock solid.
Let us take the Roosters left side as an example.
Dan Tupou, Michael Jennings and James Maloney (leads the NRL in missed tackles) are all noted poor defenders, especially laterally, but the fact is that they have not been overly exposed all season that has led to opposition tries as the back rower, usually Boyd Cordner, runs shotgun for them.
This is the same group that kept the star Manly attack to zero points on September 4.
Manly get their gun fullback Brett Stewart back for the grand final, who was missing when his team went down four to nil only three weeks ago to the Roosters, but I for one won’t be telling Robbo that the result will be any different this time.
I hate being gazumped.
john badseed
Guest
Ryans Doggie sides were winners but as boring as bat $hit and he had a great feel for his players in the '89 grand Final
Knight Vision
Guest
Scott, dont you think that they are one of the highest penalized for a reason? nullifying penalties in their own 40 they lead the comp. Nullifying as in the oppositions attack via , hands on the ball and markers not square etc. Gives them time to reset their defensive line. Lets hope they dont win the comp due to this and they get hit hard and someone binned.
Knight Vision
Guest
I have to agree. team of superstars. no one can tell me they're paying the same amount as the bottom teams , unless SBW and a few others are playing out of pure kindness. They have the same guy there now that was at the Storm during the 2 contract years. Rothfield lobbied via his column to have the guy removed.Theres a rat in the chook pen this year , no doubt.
Knight Vision
Guest
Bellamy has won 1 GF , coached the NSW sides to 0 series wins. how can he be rated alongside greatness ?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Jay The key word was "could" not "is". The Roosters key spine was rated 4th out of the top 4 teams so to be odds on in the GF is a great effort.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Thor He is a truly great no doubt. I love how he has kept reinventing himself.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Glenn If we had an auction and all coaches were up for grabs Bellamy would attract the highest bed without a doubt. That says it all.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Johnno Plz..............NZ beating Aust in 2008 was a flum try by Benjy and also poor coaching by Stuart.
steve waters
Guest
then why isnt he on the best coach list with Bennett and Ryan, at least above Gould..
Jay C
Guest
It is pretty ridiculous to be talking about Trent being the best ever. it is his first year in charge and he was given a pretty decent team. I do wonder how we might be talking about him if he was given the Eels, Tigers or even say a Raiders team. The Turkeys team has been loaded with superstars this year. So it was always going to be a win it now and suffer later scenario. Will be very interested to see how they fair in the next three years.
Jay C
Guest
Not in that Echelon. Not yet anyway.
Thor
Guest
I have Wayne on top of my list. One of his strengths he has is the respect he has earned especially from the players. So he tries out something new and nobody questions his decision. If you have respect for your coach you tend to everything he asks of you and you wanna do it right. Try ask the eels if they had that respect for Sicky.
Glenn Innes
Guest
One final thing is that Melbourne's style of defence this sort of greco roman upright wrestling and then a third man in at the legs just as the ref is about to call held may be starting to hit it's use by date. In the semi against Newcastle ,Melbourne were giving up a lot of yardage defending like this whilst the Knights were using old fashioned big hitting and actually winning at the play the ball something the entire Melbourne system is designed to prevent.
Johnno
Guest
A blight on Belleamy's record is he could never beat a QLD origin side riddled with superstars eg Inglis,Folau,Cronk,Cameron Smith,Billy Slater, Petro,Sam Thaiday,Matt Scott,. He wasn't good enough to coach the likes of Mitchell Pearce, Peter Wallace,Mick Ennis, and the Blues front row to topple those guys. So he is no magician, or genuis, where as wayne bennett was able to get the 2008 kiwis to beat that 2008 Aussy side in the world cup final.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Scott I am not sure about the absolute best but he is right up there- the secret to Melbourne through their glory period has been the highly structured (even choreographed if you like) way they play. It stands up well in big pressure games because you have spent the last ten months rehearsing it and it works well with journeymen because you give them a specific limited roll that you know they are capable of filling that suits their limitations, this in turn gives them confidence.He is the best coach since Ryan in my view.
daniel p
Guest
Lol a fading storm with 2 60+ score lines for the year? Unfortunately we were expecting the fade out after the world cup victory
Glenn Innes
Guest
Bennett's first title was the 86 Brisbane Grand Final when his Southern Suburbs team caused a minor boilover and rolled a Wynum Manly team that featured about five current origin players. It was that win that indirectly got him the Bronco's gig via Canberra.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Johno I can't see how Bellamy couldn't make your top five - everyone keeps complaining that every side plays like Melbourne well immitation is the greatest form of flattery. I remember Gould stating in his book that Warren Ryan was the games first true master coach, he applied an attention to detail in his coaching that hadn't existed in League prior to him.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Sham He has more than been tested. He is the best coach I have ever studied and I base that on several things like: * How he improves journey men that no one wanted * How he can get a player to lose a bad habit. eg Ryles dropping the ball. *He never went out and bought a star always developed his own * averages under 10 mistakes a game in his teams, amazing * always brilliant defence * brilliantly exploits any new rule better than anyone, especially the wrestle.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Nomad What your problem? I was asked a question and gave the honest answer.