I think we will get some loyalty from these players but the degree of it remains in question. Yes, we have given them a chance but the question is have they bought into the WT story or just journeymen on the way to success. I reckon Stefano and Doueihi would be the most loyal to WT (not Maguire) and I never particularly thought of it before but geez youre right Maguire stuffed Doueihi about no end just to try to keep Brooks relevant and that still failed.
Like any coach Maguire has a shelve life at WT and will go at some stage over the next 2 years, are those players loyal to Maguire or WT? I'd be making Doueihi captain / vice captain next year.
If Madge is sacked, it will be because of lack of growth and success and I doubt he will get a gig anywhere else in a hurry. No players to follow him except naturalised kiwis though!
The interesting thing about the review was that I thought he managed to keep his integrity and influence thanks to some very shoddy club work and the perception by management to be seen to be doing something. I thought some good may come from it and then I read Lee’s nonsense waffle interview with Chammas and realised just how bad things were.
As
@stryker suggested, the review aimed at Madge had as much pr and politics about it than addressing the deeper underlying issues that is preventing player optimisation.
All of the non-Madge changes could have been effected without casting doubt on his coaching ability and undeserved public humiliation.
Now Lee and co deny he is the problem by cementing his tenure. Go figure?!
I will write more about that. Remember the buck stops with them. Not pascoe, not Harto or Madge.
I think that’s quite important in the eyes of the playing group that Madge still maintains his authority. He’s done that easily.
I would be making Douhie captain too.
We have players on their way. We have at least 3 that will go straight into the side in key positions, not including Gildart who I see as a possible utility off the bench as he adjusts to nrl conditions of footy terror!
Then at least two positions to fill with better than factory coin.
Factory Coin
According to the nrl, the average pay day for an NRL player in any club is $320k and so in my mix, and it’s an guesstimate, after my insider, we would have at least a $1m to spend on 2 players meaning we should be able to land sub marquees and well above factory.
As you know, a problem with the nrl is the skewed cashola pays for Uber elites v factory.
I want to see a high quality industrious forward and a proper utility.
So I think we can approach an unhappy contracted 2022 player and say we can offer 75% more than average.
Also, the game churns through a lot of elite players and then some of them like cheese and Munster self destruct on their own.
But no overs for a 2020 hero of verdun.
We have some great juniors coming through too which warms the heart in terms of future options.
But I made the point last night, we are about a full season of experience behind the average
nrl club.
We will catch up next year.
So I’m not buying spoon for 2022. I just can’t see it.