Jolls
Well-known member
I know that this thread is about the coach, but no coach is successful without the players.
If we look at the recently successful teams they all have something in common. A rock steady core, a simple game plan that is well executed plus an X factor (or two). They lay a platform for a Munster, Tedesco, Luai or Turbo to impose themselves on the game. They have players that don't plan their actions they react to what they see and inject themselves to create the difference.
The influence of a FG coach, in my opinion, is not well understood. Sure there is a bit about understanding structures and being current in the rules of how the game is played etc. But how much do they really need? You hire in the defence coach and the attack coach and if you want throw in a leadership coach and someone for player welfare etc.
The role of the head coach is to get the best from the players he has by motivating them as individuals to perform. Unlocking things in them they don't know they have. Prime examples - Fittler and Slater. I wouldn't necessarily think that Freddy would be a great A grade coach; but, at SOO he brings out the best in the best.
The glaring example for all of us is Cleary. He took the Warriors to the finals 4 years out of 6 and to the decider with Johnson and Maloney driving the ship. In 2017 he comes to us. There was a lot of off field distractions with the big 4 saga and we go backwards; finishing 14th. In 2018 he brings back Farrah and Marshall (past their prime admittedly) both who play what is in front of them. Brooks wins halfback of the year. A side that showed promise fell agonisingly short of fixing our finals drought. He moves to Penrith and we slide back out of finals contention for the next four years.
While we go backwards Cleary takes Penrith from 10th to the top of the world in three years. Penrith play a brand of football that is difficult to fault. Young players with energy and aggression playing a simple game-plan and the freedom to play what they see. The chin controls them and Luai makes it up as he goes. The key to their success is their off the ball effort; same as Melbourne. Off the ball effort is related to motivation.
The point being that a great FG coach is all about unlocking the ability of the players. It requires individuality, care for players' greater development and it appears to be linked to public mystique. Look at Gibson, Bennett, Bellamy and maybe now Fittler.
So how do we go about finding a good coach. I think the good ones have seen our playing roster and said thanks, but no. We need to either find someone who loves the club and then surround them with good players or buy the players and then recruit a coach who thinks they can unlock their collective potential.
This is where our beloved Wests Tigers have failed time and time again. We have continued to look at our playing roster like an accountant looking at the business books. We will not get off the bottom unless we develop the a solid core and add some players of unique talent.
I smile at the Brooks/AD/Hastings debate as I don't see in any of them a Luai, JT, or Munster. The type of players we need are not about to sign for a bottom of the table team. We will need to grow them or poach developing juniors from another system. However, the foundation is there, we saw it on the weekend.
I understand why people have concerns regarding Sheens, Benji and Robbie being around the players. They are some big egos; however, they do know what success looks like and have been exposed to systems outside of Wests Tigers. They aren't my preferred option; but with the right support staff they will do. I doubt we will get the coach we need until we have a playing roster that they want to coach. What we really need is to buy and grow some of the right players - time to make a coaching decision and move on.
If we look at the recently successful teams they all have something in common. A rock steady core, a simple game plan that is well executed plus an X factor (or two). They lay a platform for a Munster, Tedesco, Luai or Turbo to impose themselves on the game. They have players that don't plan their actions they react to what they see and inject themselves to create the difference.
The influence of a FG coach, in my opinion, is not well understood. Sure there is a bit about understanding structures and being current in the rules of how the game is played etc. But how much do they really need? You hire in the defence coach and the attack coach and if you want throw in a leadership coach and someone for player welfare etc.
The role of the head coach is to get the best from the players he has by motivating them as individuals to perform. Unlocking things in them they don't know they have. Prime examples - Fittler and Slater. I wouldn't necessarily think that Freddy would be a great A grade coach; but, at SOO he brings out the best in the best.
The glaring example for all of us is Cleary. He took the Warriors to the finals 4 years out of 6 and to the decider with Johnson and Maloney driving the ship. In 2017 he comes to us. There was a lot of off field distractions with the big 4 saga and we go backwards; finishing 14th. In 2018 he brings back Farrah and Marshall (past their prime admittedly) both who play what is in front of them. Brooks wins halfback of the year. A side that showed promise fell agonisingly short of fixing our finals drought. He moves to Penrith and we slide back out of finals contention for the next four years.
While we go backwards Cleary takes Penrith from 10th to the top of the world in three years. Penrith play a brand of football that is difficult to fault. Young players with energy and aggression playing a simple game-plan and the freedom to play what they see. The chin controls them and Luai makes it up as he goes. The key to their success is their off the ball effort; same as Melbourne. Off the ball effort is related to motivation.
The point being that a great FG coach is all about unlocking the ability of the players. It requires individuality, care for players' greater development and it appears to be linked to public mystique. Look at Gibson, Bennett, Bellamy and maybe now Fittler.
So how do we go about finding a good coach. I think the good ones have seen our playing roster and said thanks, but no. We need to either find someone who loves the club and then surround them with good players or buy the players and then recruit a coach who thinks they can unlock their collective potential.
This is where our beloved Wests Tigers have failed time and time again. We have continued to look at our playing roster like an accountant looking at the business books. We will not get off the bottom unless we develop the a solid core and add some players of unique talent.
I smile at the Brooks/AD/Hastings debate as I don't see in any of them a Luai, JT, or Munster. The type of players we need are not about to sign for a bottom of the table team. We will need to grow them or poach developing juniors from another system. However, the foundation is there, we saw it on the weekend.
I understand why people have concerns regarding Sheens, Benji and Robbie being around the players. They are some big egos; however, they do know what success looks like and have been exposed to systems outside of Wests Tigers. They aren't my preferred option; but with the right support staff they will do. I doubt we will get the coach we need until we have a playing roster that they want to coach. What we really need is to buy and grow some of the right players - time to make a coaching decision and move on.
