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After watching his under-fire side get cruelly pipped in the final minutes, most NRL fans would be quick to tell you that new Warriors coach Andrew McFadden has the toughest job in the game.
Is this really the case?
Let’s face it. While getting thrown the keys to footy’s backfiring Daewoo Lanos and being asked to win the Bathurst 1000 is a pretty big challenge, it really does pale in comparison to some of the other things people are doing in our great game to make a buck.
So while it would be prudent to keep one half of the Super Macs in your prayers to the footy gods this week, please also spare a thought for these other poor souls.
NRL referees’ boss
An obvious one for sure, but it would be remiss of me to ignore poor old Tony Archer.
After every game of the year the refs cop an absolute battering from the punters and press. When they really make a mess it’s Big T’s phone that will be blowing up.
As if his job isn’t hard enough, all of a sudden out pops one of his more experienced charges in Gavin Badger with a lairy haircut that even Todd Carney would say was a bit out there, further alienating the men with the whistles from Joe Public.
Campbelltown Sports Stadium marketing manager
After a soggy week in Sydney, the Tigers vs Cowboys match at Campbelltown on a Saturday was always going to be a tough sell.
It turned out to be even tougher than flogging tickets to the Gary Larson Spoken Word Tour, with a crowd of only 6456 showing up for the Shannon Gallant Shield.
This isn’t even the smallest crowd to witness these two play, as 4724 saw them do battle at Leichardt in 2001 and 6158 at Campbelltown in 2003.
Even accommodating for the lack of chemistry between the two teams, the figure is a worry. If the Eels versus Tigers match at ANZ Stadium takes place with plenty of black and orange in the stands, it will surely convince the cash-strapped Wests to take more games to the larger venue.
Burgess brothers’ bodyguard
Geez, you’d think four blokes the size of a Pat Richards dropout would be safe to walk the paddock after the match, but this is clearly not the case. The eldest Burgii received a thorough thrashing from a Penrith supporter’s flag on Friday night.
While the accused’s defence that she believed Burgess’ big bonce to be some sort of sweet-filled piñata does have some merit, it highlights the difficulty in assuring the safety of Souths’ smooth-talking superstar.
Spud Carroll has done a great job with Rusty for years, perhaps he could pitch in and lend a hand… even if his exposure to fan flags may have been somewhat limited during his stint at the Bunnies between 1990-93.
NSW’s assistant coaches
One of the hardest things about being an assistant coach is having to put up with the chopping and changing of the bloke running the show. With NSW coach Laurie Daley nominating everyone bar Phil Duke as a smokie for a spot this series, poor old Trent Barrett and Jim Dymock will be pulling double shifts from now until July.
Throw in the injury to Robbie Farah on the weekend and one of the few positions locked in has now blown out to a shortlist of about nine or ten. Jimmy and Baz must seriously be thinking about forwarding their resumés across the ditch.
Ben Barba
After a turbulent 2013, Barba was shipped north as the Broncos’ star recruit who would bring back that old premiership magic. Now, he is staring at a stint with Ipswich.
Friday night’s sluggish performance has Brisbane fans screaming for a change. With a fullback playing five-eighth (Anthony Milford) on the way and Karmichael Hunt on the radar, all of the sudden Barba is hugely under the pump.
On the plus side, at least he’s still doing better than Gavin Badger’s barber…
So Roarers, who do you think has the toughest job in the NRL?
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