RG,
Thanks for your take, but most of what you have provided are opinions as opposed to examples. While I expect that some of these are contibutors to our poor performance in and of themselves they don't indicate that he is a shit coach.
Two wooden spoons may be partly attributed to coaching but the player roster probably has more bearing on that, and the playing roster can be linked to the previous selection committee and board. I don't think you can ditectly link tow wooden spoons to poor coaching; the facts just don't support that conclusion. Could a more experineced coach have got us over the line - perhaps but not to the extent we were pushing for the eight with the roster we had. I can fully support that poor coaching cost us the spoon bowl - but that would have moved us from 17th the 16th. No change really.
So who was constantly picked out of position? I didn't recall this as an issue. I would suggest that this is a matter of opinion as opposed to an example of poor coaching. To me this is a generalisation as opposed to evidence of poor coaching. How wna when did this cause our poor performances?
I would have preferred to ease Galvin into FG as well; however, he is not the first 18 year old to debut and play FG; many in teams with successful coaches. Giving young players exposure, even at 18, can fast-track their development. Injuries and overplaying are legitimate concerns, but the responsibility for player welfare involves multiple staff, not just the head coach. So you I expect we are looking at the high perfromance and medical teams as well. Our arm chair opinions don't carry much weight here. Who would you have replaced him with? Sulivan - and if he did and had Galvin in Reggies people would be calling for his head for playing Sullivan instead of the kid, No win and not an example of poor coaching. On the other hand plenty of seasoned commentators are signing his praises for taking the approach he did with Galvin. Johns and Gus decelaring him a revelation at the Tigers and the best teen they have ever seen. This is a matter of opinion as opposed to evidence of him being a poor coach.
I don't think you can say there was a lack of a defensive game plan. In fact when they executed the defensive game plan well we perfromed well. There were times when we had good line speed, times when we had very good chase, time when we didn't have shooters in the line causing holes. When we put it together for 80 minutes we won games. We had too many lapses - was that fitness, player ability (AD/Sezer/The Pillow for example). I highly doubt that we didn't spend time coaching a workable defensive game plan, The evidence clearly shows that we did; what we don't know is why we couldn't put it together for the duration of the game. Too complex - haven't heard that anywhere - all indications are that he simplified the game plans.
I'm struggling to understand how Benji's coaching was responsible for the lack of discipline from the playing group. He sacked Naden for it, Bateman was exiled as a result of being called out for it, Seyfarth reeled it in, Sezer was going to be replaced by?????. If anything he was very clear, and in the pressers as well, that he was not happy with the discipline and that if the plyers didn't change the would change the players. I don't buy this at all.
There is a balance between being one of the boys and being the coach. Unless you are on the inside how can anyone say if he has it right or wrong. I am not hearing anything from inside of the camp that support this - in fact most of the players when interviewd say the oipposite- he gets in with theboys and shows them what he wants and is also very direct and calls a spade a spade. We have heard that he has taken a very different approach to this pre season as well. Have you considered that being “one of the boys” might actually help foster a supportive environment, particularly for a team in transition or rebuilding mod? Benji’s experience and charisma could be what turns us around. I'm not saying at all that he has the balance right - but I don't see any evidence that supports your opinion. I'm on the fence with this.
How do you link the approach to pressers to being a poor coach. This is a stretch and again a matter of opinion, You coule equally argue that publicly backing the team, even in tough times, shields players from external pressures and media scrutiny. You can bet that Benji's Monday morning video sessions don't include his press comments. What do you know about his internal accountability measures? I doubt this is visible to outsiders, so if you have evidence to support the point I am all ears but this is purely opinion.
Look I get that we haven't performed well. I'm on the fence as to his coaching ability as there is evidence to suggest that the plying group have been instructed on what to do, but have failed to execute it. They boys on the Wests Tigers Faithful podcast did an excellent breakdown of our performace over 2024 and one of the more telling facts was where we were receiving the ball from and turning the ball over to the opposition. So we weren't able to get out of our end - that isn't coaching that the poor roster. The attackign stats in several areas were at the top of the league and some of our defensive stats were also OK. So the evidence does not support the opinions that many had in realtion to poor attack and defence.
Benji's coaching career is just beginning. Judging him on early results ignores the possibility of growth, refinement, and the impact of long-term strategies. Strategies that Benji and Richo have stated on many occasions are in place and they are not deviating from the pla. The team needs time to be adapted to this vision and strategy. Despite Benji being here for a couple of years the vision and strategy started in 2024.
Every coach starts somewhere, and while early results or decisions may be polarising, it's crucial to give time for development and see where his leadership takes the team. So at the end of the day I still seen haven't seen much evidence that supports the statements that his coaching is poor. I have seen no evidence that supports the statements that he is shit coach; just plenty of opinion.
He has definitely made mistakes, but what coach hasn't? Until somone provides evidence that his coaching is poor I'm still sitting on the fence and giving him some more rope.
