The genius behind Wayne Bennett is explained clearly in the 2002 book, Don’t Die with the Music in You, which delves into the thinking and theories that form the bedrock of his coaching.
Essentially, the book enunciates the emphasis Bennett places on relationships and the simply yet profoundly effective way in which he builds trust with the young men that play under him.
Those relationships create something quite powerful and effective when it comes to success in a professional environment, ie a culture of work, success, trust and loyalty.
Craig Bellamy has done precisely the same in Melbourne, even putting aside the years where cheating tarnished the club so badly. Both men have enjoyed prolonged and unrivalled success in the modern game thanks to an ability to build a tangible culture that galvanises the playing group, whilst also allowing young players to access and express the talent their talent.
However, if building that culture was as easy as reading Steve Crawley’s book on Bennett or following the advice of Bellamy, everyone would indeed be doing it.
A handful of NRL clubs continue to battle with establishing a successful and winning culture, and despite their respective coaches talking the talk in press conferences and laying a platform of hope for fans, actions on the field continue to present a different narrative.
Wayne Bennett’s latest team remains a work in progress. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Bulldogs have raided Penrith’s playing stocks in recent times and signed up some big-name players from around the league, yet the club’s horrific run of form has yet to officially end.
Seven years without a ladder finish better than eleventh and even after slowly recovering from an abused salary cap and beginning to attract more talent to the club, the win-loss column has shown little sign of improving.
Canterbury have won just 21 of its last 97 NRL matches, even as the expensive and bigger names have begun to arrive over the last four seasons.
In truth, players, coaches and administrators have come and gone, yet the individual machinations distract from the bigger point. The Bulldogs appear to stand for little.
The culture once leant on by fans has faded and coach Cameron Ciraldo has failed to imprint a new one on his team thus far, with the playing style and culture still not identifiable.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Much is made of the Eels and the long premiership drought they continue to extend year after year. Whilst far from the basket case that the Bulldogs have been in recent years, Parramatta still enter conversions around culture and are front and centre when people cite teams with losing mentalities and a weakness of mind that holds them back.
Personally, I feel that is a little unfair and perhaps the Eels are more cursed than culturally flawed. Current coach Brad Arthur does have five recent finals campaigns under his belt to prove that there is plenty going right at the club.
All teams who suffer long periods at the wrong end of the ladder grapple with the challenges that Ciraldo currently faces. No team has been more in need of establishing a new culture than the Wests Tigers; a group so bereft of success that they have not featured in finals since 2011.
Possessing the two most recent wooden spoons, it is interesting that after trying multiple coaches since the last finals campaign, the club has turned to a favourite son.
Benji Marshall is one of the few inside the club that can actually remember what it felt like when the Tiger culture was strong. Questions around his tactical ability as a coach and level of experience are in fact, secondary. Most important for the 39-year-old is the re-establishment of trust, loyalty and responsibility. in a culture that affirms and defines the playing group.
Andrew Webster set about building a new-look New Zealand Warriors outfit at the start of 2023 and despite a disappointing finals’ loss at the end of his first season at the helm, the cultural difference within the club was clear.
Andrew Webster’s impact at the Warriors has been considerable in just one full season in charge. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Gone were many of the lazy efforts, the excuses, the seeming contentedness with mediocrity. Webster set standards, high standards, demanded more and built relationships with his playing group that were profound in getting the best out of them.
Des Hasler is attempting to do the same for a Titans organisation that remains unfulfilled, with team culture on the Gold Coast an oft discussed issue for clubs that represent the region.
Adam O’Brien looked to have gone a long way towards changing a losing culture at the Knights, yet a poor start to 2024 on the back of a coaching extension have some re-evaluating what looked promising last season. Todd Payten’s Cowboys, off the back of an unexpected flat year, look to be now re-embracing the new standards he set back in 2021.
All the clubs mentioned are hunting for their next or first premiership and whilst recruitment plays an important role in that journey, what Bellamy in particular has proven time and time again, is that culture over-rides the individual.
As the Smiths – Cameron and Brandon, and the likes of Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Josh Addo-Carr and Dale Finucane departed, another man stepped up inside a structure that held firm regardless.
It is the fundamental driving force behind rugby league success and something so many teams are still struggling to build.
When they do, they might finally be able to win something.
G - DAD
Roar Rookie
So you wouldn’t buy a used car off Bellamy then Nat.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Pinching talent from other clubs only goes so far - building culture is far more important Great title! Coming from a Dogs supporter whose starting 17 is 95% imports, absolutely hilarious! :laughing:
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Culture? Roosters - Michael Jennings ?
mushi
Roar Guru
That would be relevant if I'd used the words local talent. But I didn't so it it isn't.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
You and I have a very different definition of local talent .
Nat
Roar Guru
Fear and respect are close bedfellows but not the same thing. I’m sure there would be a line between players who are either side of the fence.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
”The way we do things around here.” I think this is close to the perfect definition of "culture when it comes to footy Clubs. The key word in that phrase is "we". Not just the coaching staff or the players, but the entire organization who has responsibility for the end product. I also think building culture is something of a misnomer, Put a group of people together with different roles to play in producing an end product and, over time, they'll develop/build a culture of sorts. Like everything humans do though, only a select few Clubs will have the right ingredients at the right time to build a successful culture. The rest will struggle, but will still be building a culture of sorts - maybe even a toxic one.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
When Bellamy comes into the Storm dressing room, win or lose, already elevated heart rates go up even higher, that comes with a “ healthy club culture” . He immediately commands respect.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm just using the word they used in the headline. Signing players is the term I prefer. Players can do what they want but they can get a bit crabby when clubs tap them on the shoulder.
mushi
Roar Guru
A quick flick through #of players of the 4 teams in Vegas who debuted for their club I think is roosters with 12, Souths and Broncos 10 and Manly 9. Your boys, a club lauded for local talent, had 9 on opening day I think also. A futher check has the roosters only behind penrith.
Nat
Roar Guru
I don’t think it’s fair to use the term “pinching” in reference to professional sport. Geographic labelling of clubs has no bearing of where their players are sourced otherwise we would have Moree, Moranbah, Dubbo and Bundaberg in the comp. Manly could not have started in the comp without sourcing players let alone be successful nor would Brisbane. Players make their decision what jumper they want to wear and the small minority would be within the geographic location of where they spent their youth.
mushi
Roar Guru
Roosters tend to have a lot of players who made their NRL debut for them. The grabbing of stars makes headlines but it’s generally cheaper and lower risk to fill out the roster with young first club guys
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I think that's true . Obviously the Panthers development pipeline is testament to that. But some clubs ( Roosters and maybe Warriors are starting this ) where they incorporate a lot of external players without too much concern. Still it's got to be easier to mould them from a young age than start again with someone at 25?
Nat
Roar Guru
There is certainly a bit of Smith coming through in Harry. If he ‘says so’ then the ref tends to follow suit.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
You could run a headline which says.... ''while culture is important , pinching players from other clubs is vital for many clubs.'' Manly probably don't win a single title without this player theft. A lot of other clubs are the same. How do the Chooks go without Fittler, S.B.W , JWH , Maloney and Keary for starters? The Sharks were littered with stolen cattle in 2016 which is their only title. The Dogs have stolen some quality , young cattle from the Pennies and maybe they could be the basis of future success. The so called culture at successful clubs like the Eels and Dogs in the eighties also coincided with the two greatest rosters. Any club which has Kenny , Sterling , Grothe , Price and all the rest at the same time will win a title or two and somehow the magical culture will emerge. Wests had all the culture in the world but they didn't have Graham Eadie. Throw him and Randall into Wests along with Thompson at five eight and they probably win the thing. If the coaches are the key factor in bringing this culture and two are better than the rest , then doesn't it now make them pale in comparison to Ivan Cleary.? If Ivan Cleary is so superior then he is far and away the most important figure in the game. Could he replicate his success at other clubs? Based on history the answer is no.
mushi
Roar Guru
I'd say the key to culture is talent pipeline. If players spend time in the youth or nsw cup teams before playing first grade it's more likely they'll do things the way you want them too.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah nice. I think that’s a pretty neat definition of culture. I think it’s pretty misunderstood in rugby league…
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Nat , personally I have hated the Storms 'professionalism' for years . It has turned Harry Grant from an admirable cult hero at the Tigers into an annoying little whinger at the Storm who gets away with blue murder in the tackle. But to be fair , I can't think of any club who consistently comes down hard on star players. What happens to the ones that do is the 'star' becomes resentful and gets picked up by some other team who forgives all. The Storm are far from on their own in this regard. It's rife.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Couldn't agree more, Nat. This is a great post. Bellamy was a cheat and got away with it.
Nat
Roar Guru
AS much as I respect Bellamy and what he has achieved I’m not sure I would hold the term “culture” right up beside him. Successful - sure. Good leaders do set and expect certain standards to be met. Effective and respected leaders do not scream and shout at their team every other week. This is a guy who has had the benefit of up to half a dozen HOF players if not immortals to build around. In that time though he has also headed up the biggest salary cap scandal ever and still celebrates that time. Punished Bromwich and Proctor for racking lines in public by making them miss their NZ games, not Storm games. Is that the culture expected at the club? Cronk makes the decision to leave at the end of his career and discarded all together from celebrating his achievements at the Storm? When Munster, Smith and Lewis were dancing around with little baggies the Storm “came down hard” with a suspended sentence and a month of rehab - in the off season. Only the NRL actually punished those boys. Successful - sure but even used car sales people are successful but let’s not pretend that’s because of a solid culture.