To me the real champion coaches are the ones who changed the way to play the game and forced other teams to follow. Jack Gibson and Wok Ryan are two who come to mind.
Anyway the bottom line, footballers need good coaches and good coaches need good footballers
I think you can add Bellyache to the list for changing the game through the introduction of wrestling. Apart from that there hasn't been a great deal of transformation in the game from the coaching ranks. The NRL has introduced rules to speed up the game and induce fatigue but there haven't been too many transformative coaches.
So what would it take to unlock the game again?
I have been thinking about this for a while; given league is a pretty simple game what would it take?
Firstly, I think it is difficult for coaches to imagine change because they serve long apprenticeships under established coaches and repeat what they have seen to be successful. They may have a tweak here or there to make incrimental improvements but nothing that is transformational - like the introduction of the nautilus machine and professionalism by Jack Gibson.
The players are the heart of the team, the coach is its mind. So to challenge the norms a coach would need to reimagine how the game is played. To me this requires three things:
- A significant cultural shift. The first requirement, before even looking at tactics is the development a team culture that breeds innovation and resilience. The key is to establish an environment that encourages creativity and adaptability. Structure is essential, it is a key enabler, but it should be nothing more than a framework. What happens within that framework is limited by imagination. Block plays and sweeps are old hat - what is next? Why can't we execute our attack form a different point on the field; eg, expand the Lockwood/Pringle manoeuvre to include two additional support runners on an edge from mid field.
- Tactics beyond tradition. I hinted at it above but we tend to incrementally evolve attacking and and defensive structures to cater for what the oppositon is doing. How do we get beyond tradition and re-think defensive structures or introduce pioneering attacking shapes. This would take a visionary coach that can redefine how teams approach the game. A coach that might emphasise risk-taking, unpredictable offloads, or strategic kicking to exploit space.
- Player Evolution: Under a transformative coach, players can break their perceived limits and roles can blur—imagine a forward with the agility of a back or a half that is the size of an edge.
The right coach at the right time isn’t just a leader; they’re a game-changer. The question isn’t whether a coach can change rugby league; but who will be bold enough to do it next.
Could a 6'4" 5/8 change the way we play on an edge? What if we had another "half" play at 13? What if we broke with tradition and executed attacking plays three wide from within our red zone?
Could Benji and our coachings staff's "lack of experience" be to our advantage?
I trust that Benji and Co don't fall into the trap of trying replicate the Riff/Melbourne. We are going through a significant cultural shift in the club and our coaching staff all came from a team that did not play a traditional style in 2005. Can the youth of our team be harnessed off the back of all this?
The scene is set; our club has the potential to change the way the game is played. I'm looking forward to 2025; what will it hold for us long suffering fans?