Benji 2025 and Beyond

WesternSuburbsBoy said:
Which is 100% the right call. All you have to do is look at Latu's post game comments, Twals comments in the presser & then some of the boys re sharing what Latu said about Benji on Instagram. To me that was a message from the playing group to a bit of the 'noise' around Benjis future... this is the coach we want & we are fully behind him.
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Yea, so yes... 100% right.

Just, lets do better then when Madge was here. Look we have to give our coaches a chance and people like Jason Ryles, demand 5 years to sort out a messy club...

We gave Madge 4 years.

at least 1 year TOO LONG!

With No alternative!!


Look we have to back Benji 100% while he is the coach.
We also need more input and outside infulence in our culture. We are FAR too inbred.

But I don't want us come 2026 without a coaching assistant who would be pressing their case OR close talks with a successor. We can't have 4 years of nothing!
 
crazycat said:
Look we have to back Benji 100% while he is the coach.
We also need more input and outside infulence in our culture. We are FAR too inbred.

But I don't want us come 2026 without a coaching assistant who would be pressing their case OR close talks with a successor. We can't have 4 years of nothing!
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You either back your Coach or you don't. I think that includes respecting his integrity and his judgement in selecting assistant coaches.

I don't buy into this idea that other individuals should ever get to decide who is on a Coach's staff. We have been there with Joe Webhe under Jason Taylor in order to hang on to Woods and Tedesco. It's weak.

If Benji is the guy, he gets to pick assistants he feels he can trust to do the job and also respect the club. Especially at this club. And if you can't trust Benji to handle that, then why bother?
 
TIGERS said:
You either back your Coach or you don't. I think that includes respecting his integrity and his judgement in selecting assistant coaches.

I don't buy into this idea that other individuals should ever get to decide who is on a Coach's staff. We have been there with Joe Webhe under Jason Taylor in order to hang on to Woods and Tedesco. It's weak.

If Benji is the guy, he gets to pick assistants he feels he can trust to do the job and also respect the club. Especially at this club. And if you can't trust Benji to handle that, then why bother?
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I agree with the sentiment and I woudl expect, if we are a mature organisation, that we will look at how the season went at the end of the year and will identify what areas of coaching we need to improve and will seek help if is is not within the capability of the staff we have.

Having said that I think Benji coudl probably benefit from having a Football Manager that could take some of the buden from him and act as an ear as required. It would have to be the right person and someone who would not take over (so Gus Gould is out). The pickings are slim because anyone decent is under contract or we already have them in the organisation (Richo).

The two that stand out as possibilites are Neil Henry and Mark O'Neill.

Neil Henry is currently working in a coaching consultation role with the Queensland Rugby League and NRL. Secifically, his current role involves sharing his coaching expertise and providing guidance to different teams and individuals within the Queensland Rugby League and NRL. He could be a good fit.

Mark O'Neill is still at the Eels as GM Footy and would bring a wealth of knoweldge to the club. He doesn't come from a coaching background so wouldn't provide the mentorship role. He is also part of the 05 team so the nepotism stories would run rife.

It will be interssting to see what Richo does with the $1M in the bank - it isn't going to help us win games sitting there!
 
Jolls said:
I agree with the sentiment and I woudl expect, if we are a mature organisation, that we will look at how the season went at the end of the year and will identify what areas of coaching we need to improve and will seek help if is is not within the capability of the staff we have.

Having said that I think Benji coudl probably benefit from having a Football Manager that could take some of the buden from him and act as an ear as required. It would have to be the right person and someone who would not take over (so Gus Gould is out). The pickings are slim because anyone decent is under contract or we already have them in the organisation (Richo).

The two that stand out as possibilites are Neil Henry and Mark O'Neill.

Neil Henry is currently working in a coaching consultation role with the Queensland Rugby League and NRL. Secifically, his current role involves sharing his coaching expertise and providing guidance to different teams and individuals within the Queensland Rugby League and NRL. He could be a good fit.

Mark O'Neill is still at the Eels as GM Footy and would bring a wealth of knoweldge to the club. He doesn't come from a coaching background so wouldn't provide the mentorship role. He is also part of the 05 team so the nepotism stories would run rife.

It will be interssting to see what Richo does with the $1M in the bank - it isn't going to help us win games sitting there!
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Richo knows more and has achieved more as a GM of football than Neil Henry and Buckets combined. Richo was CEO of Souths up to the end of 2015, after that he was GM of Football. We had Buckets at the club in that role already anyway and he resigned due to misconduct.

Besides, If anything, I think Benji's issues are more tactical than strategic. I think he's handled the macro side of things a lot better than his predecessors have. We are recruting better players than we normally have lately, and they all seem fit and committed. (Benji's had Richo's help, better facilities and also the space to operate fairly properly post independent review)...

... But he seems to struggle on game day. I liked seeing him barking orders on the sideline against the Roosters, no problems with that whatsoever... maybe that's his style. He's gotta figure out how to keep the team confident and learn how to snap the club out of losing streaks. Spoon Bowl we were terrible. Our first game we were terrible. We have been absolute crap after both our byes. Benji has had the team playing in front of sold out crowds at Campbelltown like it's a miserable chore. You have to factor in the Galvin situation which would unstable anyone.... Generally I see a better, happier club, I see some more positive footy too, but I don't see a really well coached side... yet.

He has to find his vision in that and start to play (and win) the mind games with media and his own players, and make those right calls. I don't think any assistants are going to bring anything beyond what Richo would be doing already. Give the dude more time and if it's still the same story in 2026 its time for the next idea.
 
TIGERS said:
Richo knows more and has achieved more as a GM of football than Neil Henry and Buckets combined. Richo was CEO of Souths up to the end of 2015, after that he was GM of Football. We had Buckets at the club in that role already anyway and he resigned due to misconduct.

Besides, If anything, I think Benji's issues are more tactical than strategic. I think he's handled the macro side of things a lot better than his predecessors have. We are recruting better players than we normally have lately, and they all seem fit and committed. (Benji's had Richo's help, better facilities and also the space to operate fairly properly post independent review)...

... But he seems to struggle on game day. I liked seeing him barking orders on the sideline against the Roosters, no problems with that whatsoever... maybe that's his style. He's gotta figure out how to keep the team confident and learn how to snap the club out of losing streaks. Spoon Bowl we were terrible. Our first game we were terrible. We have been absolute crap after both our byes. Benji has had the team playing in front of sold out crowds at Campbelltown like it's a miserable chore. You have to factor in the Galvin situation which would unstable anyone.... Generally I see a better, happier club, I see some more positive footy too, but I don't see a really well coached side... yet.

He has to find his vision in that and start to play (and win) the mind games with media and his own players, and make those right calls. I don't think any assistants are going to bring anything beyond what Richo would be doing already. Give the dude more time and if it's still the same story in 2026 its time for the next idea.
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I'm not suggesting Buckets on Heny in for Richo I'm suiggesting in addition to Richo to provide more support. So he can concentrate more on what he wants to do - Henry is probably the sort of guy Benji could go to for coaching advice if he needed to.
 
TIGERS said:
You either back your Coach or you don't. I think that includes respecting his integrity and his judgement in selecting assistant coaches.

I don't buy into this idea that other individuals should ever get to decide who is on a Coach's staff. We have been there with Joe Webhe under Jason Taylor in order to hang on to Woods and Tedesco. It's weak.

If Benji is the guy, he gets to pick assistants he feels he can trust to do the job and also respect the club. Especially at this club. And if you can't trust Benji to handle that, then why bother?
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We have been here before.

Sure, if our team was edging the top 8 and performing well. Benji can pick all his staff.

But were flying lower then expected. Were underperforming.

I can't accept a free range Benji and no option for 2026 if it all goes pairshape. No we don't let idiot player manages pick support staff, but as a club we deserve an alternative coaching option... Even if that option is not public
 
In all honesty I think for Benji to be a certainty as coach next year he’ll have to win ten games this season.

Any less with this squad is a poor season. Not saying ten is great either but Richo and co can spin a few close losses here and there to justify it.

7 doesn’t cut it.
 
The team looks completely disorganised with no cohesion. You could see the players second guessing everything they did.

This is a mix of planning our attack around Galvin in the preseason, coaching, and the chopping and changing of positions.

We should be starting to get better but I don’t think we are.
 
I don't buy into the fact that we trained all off season to work on a shape with Galvin so that is why they are disjointed.

This is the NRL, if there is not a 'B' plan or structures in place then what are you doing. How come Melbourne can lose their halves, and Wishart and Garlick can come in and do a really good job? Galvin left months ago.

If the shape is not working at training, you stay until it is working. Its a professional sport and you do what you have to. By all means it is not the same, but I have seen stuctures taught at A grade in 3-4 weeks training one night a week that have more cohesion than us at times.
 
Benji has done enough 2024 - 2025 to show improvement in his coaching, the squad and overall performance.

2023 points differential -290 wins 4
2024 points differential -287 wins 6
2025 points differential -101 wins 7

Assuming we win another 3 games and keep score lines similar he has brought improved players and performance to the table. These are facts however we have a long way to go.
 
TYGA said:
Benji has done enough 2024 - 2025 to show improvement in his coaching, the squad and overall performance.

2023 points differential -290 wins 4
2024 points differential -287 wins 6
2025 points differential -101 wins 7

Assuming we win another 3 games and keep score lines similar he has brought improved players and performance to the table. These are facts however we have a long way to go.
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Jeez, I like optimism, but 'assuming we win another 3 games' is next level. I hope you are right Tyga.
 
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