Who do we want? Coach 2026-

[Woosh]

Had the same discussion with you 10 years ago

 

[HarVeeGee]

You saying the kid is a Jake Mamo doesn't make it the same discussion just because Jake Mamo happened to be the subject of an earlier discussion. And this Alex fella didn't say anything about punting players to clear the way for Fletch Hunt, who's on a development deal. Not remotely comparable. Incredibly weak stuff there Woosh, lift mate.

 

[Woosh]

So is Hales gonna be our savior? What can I expect?

Steven You Know Hales

 

[HarVeeGee]

Nobody is going to be our saviour. Manly’s attack is generally very good (although they struggled to score points at the back end of the year). I wouldn’t go near their head coach or defence coach with a 10 foot pole though.

Yep - "saviour" isn't it. There's no saviour. A lot of people at the club top to bottom pulling in the same direction & working very hard over a long period. A better job at developing talent. There's no magic bullet. There's hard work, day by day, the kind of thing I have zero understanding of as the laziest person alive but I hear you achieve a lot that way.

But Hales on evidence at previous clubs is good at implementing an attractive, expansive playing style which you would expect to align pretty closely with what Holbrook likes to see from his teams.

 

[Apey]

Steven You Know Hales

Are you going to sulk all season because Green is getting sent packing?

 

[Woosh]

Can’t hate Holbrook as he was the Roosters’ attack coach when they wanted to sign a wash 33 year old to a 2 year deal

 

[HarVeeGee]

Steven You Know Hales

Ever listened to a Craig Bellamy presser? If vocal tics told you anything bad about a coach they'd run last every year.

 

[Knight Tales]

You can’t make this shit up. Reports that AOB will be an assistant to Seibold next year.

 

[macavity]

You can’t make this shit up. Reports that AOB will be an assistant to Seibold next year.

you scratch my back etc etc

 

[Woosh]

TBF to Holbrook and Hales they should compliment each other well.
One has a 38% coaching record in the NRL and the other 36% coaching record in NSW Cup.
Add the % together and you get 74% which is about Bellamy’s win percentage #girlmath
In all seriousness it is usually the nobodies that do well as coaches in the NRL.
We will just have to wait and see….

 

[Knight Tales]

Club has approached Luke Keary to be a halves and attacking consultant. Michael Chammas reporting.

 

[ryan.a87]

Was Keary a good player? Or was he just an average player in a good team?

I’m always skeptical when fringe rep players get spoken about

 

[HarVeeGee]

If I've learned anything from the Internet it's that no player is actually good. Every player who's in an elite team and looks really good is a "systems player". Good players in bad teams are frauds because if they're so good why is their team bad? Unless you win the premiership every single year you suck, but if you do win the premiership every year it's all fake and you're being carried by all the great players around you, who are all secretly terrible.

So yeah Keary sucked and the three premiership rings and Clive Churchill Medal are monuments to a false idol.

 

[slotmachine]

Keary was really good, he wasn't really the same after doing his ACL though

 

[Apey]

Yeah he was great at Souths, bit cooked at the Roosters in his last years.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I know he won a comp there but he had some huge issues with his form/confidence at the Bunnies before he left, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Roosters Keary was a much better player, 2018-20 Keary was arguably the best five-eighth in the game. Absolutely a guy who became a gun player on the back of improving in his ability to read the game rather than a guy it all came natural to all the time. They tend to go on to be good coaches and he always seemed like a smart fella to me.

Seems like who you'd want mentoring Dylan Brown because I believe turning him into the #1 five-eighth in the game is a more realistic and achievable goal than trying to re-mould him into one of the best halfbacks.

 

[jonno_knights]

Was Keary a good player? Or was he just an average player in a good team?

I’m always skeptical when fringe rep players get spoken about

He ain't playing, so it shouldn't matter if he was good or not.

We've literally had the 8th immortal consultanting halves before and it didnt yield great results.

Can only judge a coach when he has a body of work, of which Keary doesn't have currently. And the fact he is coming on as an assistant is pretty low risk.

Id much rather a guy like him potentially looking to make a career of coaching, over a guy in the media whose just looking to line their pockets in the off-season then puts in minimal work or is distracted with other commitments when the season is on.

 

[HarVeeGee]

MASSIVE generalisation but the players who go on to make great coaches are rarely guys who are just generational freaks like Joey. It all came too easy to him.

Keary got good by becoming one of the best in the game at reading and reacting to cues. He had pace and skill on top of that but plenty of more athletic guys with more natural ability didn't have the career he did. I buy that translating into him being good at teaching others.

 

[PhilGould]

Brett White joining as an assistant according to Weidler. Worked with Holbrook at the Titans and Kangaroos.

 

[Knight Tales]

impressive work by Holbrook so far.