I reckon John Strange would give coaching in the NRL red hot crack.
Coach Benji 👑
- Thread starter LeichhardtBoy
- Start date
Tiger-ferret
Well-known member
Who picked the assistants? I genuinely have no idea but the narrative is that it’s Benjis call.
Jolls
Well-known member
Let me start by stating that the current setup has failed.
However, if you take a step back you put all of the pieces together you can see what they were trying to achieve.
The club as a collective has a stink about it and has lurched from one mismanaged disaster to another. There was nothing to build from, no standards, (and I hate this reference) no Wests Tigers DNA, and no direction.
The "Clown Show" brings Sheens back in, he has a left field idea and hires Benji to train as his successor to try and lure some talent to the joint.
Sheens is not successful so the Clown Show punt him and sign up Benji up as the Head Coach. A review is done and an independent board under Richo is installed. Richo (and Benji) come up with a grandios plan to save the club starting by building a foundation. This is a plan that briefs well to the board and, with Richo's independence and cut throat attitude, possibily had a chance of success (ie he would cut his losses if it wasn't working). The plan is to build a foundation based om Wests Tigers DNA - bring in a bunch of 05 legends and "recruit in" some winning standards. This would be the foundation of the rebuild.
The performance improves but is not outstanding, so we roll into the next crisis and sack Richo - the board panics and resigns Benji with a buch of stupid clauses and we roll into 2026.
We can pick holes in the coaching staff's credentoals and the two assistants may be nepotistic appointments (by choice) but I doubt they were selected entirely on merit; they were selected to establish a foundation to build on. A foundatio based on a team of winners (coaching staff) with Tigers DNAand a new culture (Luai/Taruva/Api etc). Hodgo and Morris may not be world beaters but they do have coaching experience, and as assistants they don't need to be brilliant, they need to be pragmatic and dogged in their pursuit of standards.
.... And it was working; until it broke! Tiger forever, Batman, was no longer a Tiger forever and the culture and brotherhood that was building, failed because we were building the house while the concrete was setting. The "new age" family first system was all based on putting the Tiger's family first and when the glue holding it together bailed the brotherhood fell apart.
Those within the four walls will know exacty where the cracks are and the problem children that caused them, and like any cancer, there has been an internal struggle between factions to see who comes out on top. Blame Benji if you like, but I suspect that the standards that he had set, with the team, were pushing us in the right direction. The drop off in form, the AD dummy spit and the subsequent lack of action are symptoms of the issues at hand, not the causes.
So, definitely, the current coaching setup is an abject failure from a results perspective. It was based on a concept that briefed well, but needed a stern hand to execute.
So where does the blame lay? Benji, Hodgo and Morris have something to answer for; but it isn't a problem they caused. They were selected based on a longer term plan. A longer term plan what was heading in the right direction. The blame lies at the hands of HBG, sobotaging yet another plan early in its execution.
No one can say for sure that Richo would have been able to keep Luai and hold the "brotherhood" together. But, Luai was the glue that failed the organisation.
I highly doubt that any NRL coach, past or present, would have been able to hold the group together given the chain of events. So while Benji and his coaching staff aren't blameless; to label them clueless is an injustice.
Clueless does not have us playing the brand of footy we were executing at the start of the season. Clueless does not have the opposition struggling to get out of their third of the field.
Clueless does not have AD, Twal and May being touted for blues call up.
Clueless sacks an independent board and then offers the postions back after the CEO, that was a key part of the plan, walks.
Benji, while not a great coach, has eaned a season without turmoil to see what he can do. He, and his staff had a plan that was working, and were then stabbed in the back.
We can't be seen to be doing nothing, so I expect at least Hodgo has to go from the coaching staff and the cancer withing the playing group needs to be excised. Pick whatever side of the playing group you want gone; it really doesn't matter. What matters is that come pre season 2027 we are all rowing in the same direction. If it was my decsion though, it would be AD, and whatever faction he has around him, moving on.
However, if you take a step back you put all of the pieces together you can see what they were trying to achieve.
The club as a collective has a stink about it and has lurched from one mismanaged disaster to another. There was nothing to build from, no standards, (and I hate this reference) no Wests Tigers DNA, and no direction.
The "Clown Show" brings Sheens back in, he has a left field idea and hires Benji to train as his successor to try and lure some talent to the joint.
Sheens is not successful so the Clown Show punt him and sign up Benji up as the Head Coach. A review is done and an independent board under Richo is installed. Richo (and Benji) come up with a grandios plan to save the club starting by building a foundation. This is a plan that briefs well to the board and, with Richo's independence and cut throat attitude, possibily had a chance of success (ie he would cut his losses if it wasn't working). The plan is to build a foundation based om Wests Tigers DNA - bring in a bunch of 05 legends and "recruit in" some winning standards. This would be the foundation of the rebuild.
The performance improves but is not outstanding, so we roll into the next crisis and sack Richo - the board panics and resigns Benji with a buch of stupid clauses and we roll into 2026.
We can pick holes in the coaching staff's credentoals and the two assistants may be nepotistic appointments (by choice) but I doubt they were selected entirely on merit; they were selected to establish a foundation to build on. A foundatio based on a team of winners (coaching staff) with Tigers DNAand a new culture (Luai/Taruva/Api etc). Hodgo and Morris may not be world beaters but they do have coaching experience, and as assistants they don't need to be brilliant, they need to be pragmatic and dogged in their pursuit of standards.
.... And it was working; until it broke! Tiger forever, Batman, was no longer a Tiger forever and the culture and brotherhood that was building, failed because we were building the house while the concrete was setting. The "new age" family first system was all based on putting the Tiger's family first and when the glue holding it together bailed the brotherhood fell apart.
Those within the four walls will know exacty where the cracks are and the problem children that caused them, and like any cancer, there has been an internal struggle between factions to see who comes out on top. Blame Benji if you like, but I suspect that the standards that he had set, with the team, were pushing us in the right direction. The drop off in form, the AD dummy spit and the subsequent lack of action are symptoms of the issues at hand, not the causes.
So, definitely, the current coaching setup is an abject failure from a results perspective. It was based on a concept that briefed well, but needed a stern hand to execute.
So where does the blame lay? Benji, Hodgo and Morris have something to answer for; but it isn't a problem they caused. They were selected based on a longer term plan. A longer term plan what was heading in the right direction. The blame lies at the hands of HBG, sobotaging yet another plan early in its execution.
No one can say for sure that Richo would have been able to keep Luai and hold the "brotherhood" together. But, Luai was the glue that failed the organisation.
I highly doubt that any NRL coach, past or present, would have been able to hold the group together given the chain of events. So while Benji and his coaching staff aren't blameless; to label them clueless is an injustice.
Clueless does not have us playing the brand of footy we were executing at the start of the season. Clueless does not have the opposition struggling to get out of their third of the field.
Clueless does not have AD, Twal and May being touted for blues call up.
Clueless sacks an independent board and then offers the postions back after the CEO, that was a key part of the plan, walks.
Benji, while not a great coach, has eaned a season without turmoil to see what he can do. He, and his staff had a plan that was working, and were then stabbed in the back.
We can't be seen to be doing nothing, so I expect at least Hodgo has to go from the coaching staff and the cancer withing the playing group needs to be excised. Pick whatever side of the playing group you want gone; it really doesn't matter. What matters is that come pre season 2027 we are all rowing in the same direction. If it was my decsion though, it would be AD, and whatever faction he has around him, moving on.
Last edited:
diedpretty
Well-known member
From Jolls :
"Blame Benji if you like, but I suspect that the standards that he had set, with the team, were pushing us in the right direction. The drop off in form, the AD dummy spit and the subsequent lack of action are symptoms of the issues at hand, not the causes."
I think why people are blaming Benji is that he has failed to follow through on the standards he set. The "either you are with us or your out the door" gelled with the team. But when it came to the crunch and the marquee fraud wasn't "with us " at all Benji faltered. The 3 games after Luais announcement and prior to the bye should have been a signal to cut ties immediately with Luai. It was pretty obvious that Luais announcement and to a lesser extent a couple of crucial injuries and suspension had the wheels falling off. So suddenly the players see that the standards only apply to some players not all. Benji then compounds the problem with the Douehi debacle and once again fails to stick to the standards he set.
"Blame Benji if you like, but I suspect that the standards that he had set, with the team, were pushing us in the right direction. The drop off in form, the AD dummy spit and the subsequent lack of action are symptoms of the issues at hand, not the causes."
I think why people are blaming Benji is that he has failed to follow through on the standards he set. The "either you are with us or your out the door" gelled with the team. But when it came to the crunch and the marquee fraud wasn't "with us " at all Benji faltered. The 3 games after Luais announcement and prior to the bye should have been a signal to cut ties immediately with Luai. It was pretty obvious that Luais announcement and to a lesser extent a couple of crucial injuries and suspension had the wheels falling off. So suddenly the players see that the standards only apply to some players not all. Benji then compounds the problem with the Douehi debacle and once again fails to stick to the standards he set.
You don’t know if any of that is true though . You don’t fire your staff until mad Monday . Thats what made the Ben teo thing so egregious. It never happens . And he quit . Imagine if he was sacked .
Benji will have 1 more offseason that’s a given . It’s up to him really . Keep banging your head against a wall , playing riff ball , or find a more dynamic personal style that compliments your team . Riff ball , or Madge ball or Taylor ball , has never ever worked for us . Even Madge relinquished the shackles and almost made the finals .
It’s hard though because this team has such a soft underbelly , it’s only natural to hyper fixate on repairing it . Maybe you just do a Payten , accept it’s there and focus on what you’re good at .
For me I’ve been pretty vocal about going full youth in the halves . And vindicated with being against it at centre re. Saukuru . In nrl you can’t have a centre be good for -8 every time he takes the field . At halve it’s different because of where they actually defend , re. Inside your centre outside your backrower . At centre it’s just you often , as the winger just does what you do , so if you mess up then it’s try time . As good and powerful as he is with the ball , unless he finds his shoulders , he could be another Taulagi , who only now at what 27 ? Is learning to defend .
I’m not sure there’s an appetite for that in the nrl .
Tom Shines
Well-known member
Pointing to Luai’s exit is an easy scapegoat ..: it wasn’t like he was walking out the door the next day … he was supposed to remain here another 18 months at the time …
Players come and go from all clubs .. and most of the guys in the team have come from somewhere else
If this has upset the playing group and was the reason we have seen with such a dramatic from reversal ..,we need some new players
Morris is leaving to the dragons . That’s already happening as far as I know. Probably doesn’t want to drive through Sydney every day , rather than straight down the princes highway . I think he lives at Yowie Bay … (with the rest of the nrl).
I think Hodgo is gone as well . I dunno who for though . Will be interesting
Jolls
Well-known member
It is the only logical explanation when you step back and look at it objectively. The alternate is that Benji, Hodgo and Morris's system, that had been going OK, dropped off a cliff at the same time. Yep we need more players - we need to cut out the cancer - it doesn't matter which side is cut out; although I would prefer to have AD elsewhere as his decision, in my book, makes him untenable in the team going forward.
Jolls
Well-known member
I have only heard rumours about Morris and if I have it right Hodgos contract ends this season. If both are gone it could be a good kick start to 2027.
The Benji "ego" tag is tiresome given I guarantee 9 out of ten people dropping it have never met him or spent anytime with him personally, but suddenly now know that he has and ego because someone else said it at some time, as if it's a problem
As if Bennett and Bellamy don't have an ego in fact I suggest that every human that has achieved some level of success has an ego. Believing in oneself is what leads to success.
Next there will be good ego and bad ego.
The club has a loser mentality ingrained in it and is forced to reward too many ordinary players monetarily for not enough in return. Given the self sabotage that the leadership consistently demonstrates it's not surprising that it generates very little pride in the jersey and we remain a transition lounge for players that have a stop over until they get over it, or find a better option elsewhere.
No coach without an ego will survive a second at this club.
As if Bennett and Bellamy don't have an ego in fact I suggest that every human that has achieved some level of success has an ego. Believing in oneself is what leads to success.
Next there will be good ego and bad ego.
The club has a loser mentality ingrained in it and is forced to reward too many ordinary players monetarily for not enough in return. Given the self sabotage that the leadership consistently demonstrates it's not surprising that it generates very little pride in the jersey and we remain a transition lounge for players that have a stop over until they get over it, or find a better option elsewhere.
No coach without an ego will survive a second at this club.
Tom Shines
Well-known member
Luai announced he was leaving Penrith a year early ..they went on to win the premiership… why such a difference ?
Yes The coach aint much chop … seems to have the same gameplan every week … and the attacking style is way too conservative for the players we have to win games consistently
Having said that … we need the players to have desire and aggression to compete hard on every play … might sound a cliche … but it’s what has been missing these past three months … it won’t matter who is coaching the team if you don’t have that
magpies forever
Well-known member
Yep, in the end result Benji will be responsible for his own fate.
magpies forever
Well-known member
What are the 4 boards? HBG, Wests Tigers FC, ???
Isn’t it HBG, Wests Tigers, Magpies RFLC, Balmain RLFC?
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