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Who will be the Warriors new coach?

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,218
In regard to Todd Payten. I don't want six decent games and then a four-year deal, but I do want the Warriors to have a serious look at him.

Last night was special.
 
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Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,554
Warriors sole owner Mark Robinson will get longer to prove his worth than he gave sacked coach Stephen Kearney, if he's lucky.

The jury has hardly been convened for Robinson yet, although it quickly needs assembling after his bizarre and divisive performance last week.

Midway through this extraordinary season, Robinson is coming across as part cowboy, part sheriff, part gunslinger.

He seems to see his club as full of rogues, but may not recognise the characteristic in himself. Last week he appeared bereft of self control.

The Autex Industries owner became sole Warriors owner late last year, and is starting to come across as, and even revel in, being a showman who isn't too bothered where the bullets land.

It's fascinating stuff, and the Warriors are the gold standard when it comes to making New Zealand sport consistently interesting. Robinson gets a medal for continuing that tradition.

However, his best – or make that safest – move revealed last week was a hail mary phone call to Craig Bellamy's manager, to see if the legendary Storm coach wanted to become part of the wild Auckland ride. No damage done.

But his treatment of veteran playmaker Blake Green in particular was shocking. Even Gerard "Fast Hands" Beale deserved better than he got.


It's hard to know if the sights on the Robinson cannon are lined up, or if he's still in calibration mode.

He deserves a big tick for doing something, anything, to rid the club of the malaise that had grown so badly under former coach Kearney, who he had sacked via a phone call.

But even there, Robinson's reasoning was kind of wacky. He later declared that Kearney had the "wrong personality" without going close to explaining what the right personality was.

"I need someone with some personality," he opined.

Personality is a very subjective business.

Roosters boss Trent Robinson, probably the best coach in rugby league, is hardly Seinfeld. Ivan Cleary, who has restored the Panthers, was virtually anonymous during his eventually successful time in Auckland, although he was last seen blowing kisses at opposing Tigers fans over the weekend.


Out came the bazooka again last week, as Robinson gunned down Green and Beale by saying they would be out the door at the end of the year.

Beale may be the best example of discredited player agent Isaac Moses having too much influence at the Warriors.

Beale was a decent squad signing two years ago, but only at the right price. The former Kiwi has never seemed to convince the coaches. He lacks physicality, but he sure can shovel a fast pass. His presence has felt a bit odd.

Green is a completely different story.

While the 33-year-old may not have had the greatest 2019, he has brought a lot to the club and been absolutely central to their best games this year. He played a big part in orchestrating the latest win over the Broncos and can run a game as well as anyone in the NRL. He's clever at picking times to run.

In an absolute rollercoaster, he has been among the Warriors' best this season, alongside erratic Kodi Nikorima, the terrific Tohu Harris and maybe a couple of others.

Since arriving in 2018 Green has been a crafty and thoroughly professional fulcrum who has appeared to always do his very best in a maelstrom, not that this matters a jot to Robinson.

It felt like both players were being unceremoniously dumped in public, by an owner without a good word to say about them.

This is totally wrong in the moral and club morale sense. If players are going to be gunned down, they'd prefer it be at the hands of the opposition.

Robinson now appears to be making the recruitment decisions at a club without a permanent coach.

His temporary coach is showing quite a bit of personality though, after beating the Broncos.

Todd Payten has come across superbly in interviews since having the reins shoved in his hands after Kearney's sacking. He described Green as "terrific".

"He's had a really tough week," the thoughtful, sincere-sounding Payten said of the veteran.

"I can't commend him highly enough about his contribution to this club and the way he took the week on. I spoke to him more than once and he was upset.

"The way he threw himself into the week and the way he performed and dragged the team with him tonight was a testament to him, his family and the way he goes about his business."

When asked about Robinson's comments on Green and Beale coming a day before the Broncos match, Payten said: "I'm not going to comment on that. The timing's not great."

This does actually qualify as a comment.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12345609
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,968
I didn’t have that much of a problem with the personality comment- I though it was basically just his wad of saying he respected Kearney but thought he was the wrong fit for the club, which is something we all know is true anyway.
But a also agree with the above article that overall Robinson seems like a looose cannon. Still maybe that’s what we need after Watson, who was a pretty hands-off owner that seemed to have basically lost interest in the club from about 2012 onward.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,644
I didn’t have that much of a problem with the personality comment- I though it was basically just his wad of saying he respected Kearney but thought he was the wrong fit for the club, which is something we all know is true anyway.
But a also agree with the above article that overall Robinson seems like a looose cannon. Still maybe that’s what we need after Watson, who was a pretty hands-off owner that seemed to have basically lost interest in the club from about 2012 onward.

Isn't that personality comment disrespectful though?I certainly see it as such.

It's clear Robinson gunned down Green and Beale without the knowledge of Payten, and it was also seemingly not conveyed to Green before it became public knowledge either. Who's to say the new coach doesn't want Green, or Beale, or both? What if we landed Bellamy and he still has great respect for Green and wants to keep him? This guy, who as far as I know has zero league pedigree, is now running player retention. Dangerous game to play, one that those with egos take on but those with calm nous leave to those who are qualified.

I thought that was a spot-on article by Rattue.
 

Big Marn

Juniors
Messages
2,359
i dunno about that. With Green, you reap what you sow.
Pretty sure Manly would say they got disrepected by Green when Moses was doing the holdout treatment on them. At the end of the day, Green has been through a few clubs now, and is basically a hired gun. He's not trying to leave a legacy with the Warriors.
Robinson is a straight shooter. Maybe he did this in a very clumsy way but he knows what he wants.
Beale on the other hand didnt really deserve the same treatment. Poor guy blew his knee out last year and got himself on the field and is playing ok. Not great but ok as a back up when we are injury plagued.
I get the impression that its not the people that Robinson is wanting to say good bye to, its the inflated contracts that they were on - that the Warriors were silly enough to agree to for players past their best.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
The best thing to do would be for Robinson to just zip it for 2020. Do your chatting in the off season, we really don't need to hear from you at the moment coz Payten is actually a really good communicator and he has got the media side of things covered.

I'm also sick of all the players coming out saying I hope he sits down with us and addresses us and explains his actions and this and that.

Both parties just shut up. Owner, you go and own, player you go and play.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,644
The best thing to do would be for Robinson to just zip it for 2020. Do your chatting in the off season, we really don't need to hear from you at the moment coz Payten is actually a really good communicator and he has got the media side of things covered.

I'm also sick of all the players coming out saying I hope he sits down with us and addresses us and explains his actions and this and that.

Both parties just shut up. Owner, you go and own, player you go and play.

This has always been my hope, that people just shut up and get on with it. The best operators seem to do that. Unfortunately not those in our organisation who feel like they have to explain themselves or fight out of a corner in an under-performing environment.

Robinson has now revealed himself (and you can see it in the way he presents himself) as a bit of a cockatoo. Google him - there's pink jackets, peace signs, number one signs, the works. We'll see how this plays out.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,644
Who is keen for Lowie at the helm ? Lol

I'd think Lowie would be a good consultant, like a casual/informal mentor to a head coach? As in how to prepare, communicate, all those things that made him so successful? Lowie would be our most successful Kiwi coach of all time, and by such a large margin it ain't funny, so I'd hope someone would be using his knowledge in this country.
 

Beavers Headgear

First Grade
Messages
8,731
I'd think Lowie would be a good consultant, like a casual/informal mentor to a head coach? As in how to prepare, communicate, all those things that made him so successful? Lowie would be our most successful Kiwi coach of all time, and by such a large margin it ain't funny, so I'd hope someone would be using his knowledge in this country.

Yeah he has a bloody good league brain. I know his part in the ownership debacle wasn’t ideal, but we have a bloke that coached in England, NRL, Origin, International, been a club CEO and some ownership experience

Fair to say having his mind around the club couldn’t hurt in a mentor sort of role. Club wouldn’t be silly reaching out to John Hart again either, they were pretty stable when he had some involvement, even though it didn’t end on the best terms
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,644
Yep, I'm a massive John Hart fan. I was around a bit during that time, and it seemed like a clash of egos was the reason that Hart was on the outer - he didn't seem to fit in with the Watson/Scurrah power duo. As soon as Hart went (and remember, he very strongly advocated for keeping Cleary on) the club went to shit. He fostered a link with Cleary through to the All Blacks coaches etc, and I think if you asked Ivan now he'd say John Hart was a big factor in those years of success we had.

He's been very heavily involved in the resurrection and recent success in the New Zealand Golf Open, with their pro-am event and being locked in to the Queenstown region. That's probably where his future lies, not with the massive politics of league. Which was/is a huge loss to the Warriors.
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,554
Glad they are so well off for candidates that they can leave Toovey off the list.

Other than Mannering I doubt anyone on the selection panel knows what a good coach looks like.

Little wonder the Warriors don't progress.
 

Leber

Bench
Messages
3,754
Lol @ that list. Why would Bennett be willing to interview for a job that he doesn't even want?
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
Glad they are so well off for candidates that they can leave Toovey off the list.

Other than Mannering I doubt anyone on the selection panel knows what a good coach looks like.

Little wonder the Warriors don't progress.
Rich, come on, you realise that shortlist is put together by the Daily Telegraph in Sydney and not been put out by the club? I mean I'm all for kicking the club when they f**k up but there is no quote from anyone at the warriors saying that those are the names on the shortlist, other than a quote to say they are close to finalising a shortlist.

Its the DT, they would have a worse strike rate then the mole
 

LeagueNut

First Grade
Messages
6,974
So IF (big giant hairy IF) that list is accurate, I'd put them in this order:

1. Wayne Bennett. Pretty damn unlikely given he's ruled it out himself, but (a) never say never and (b) he's still the best one on the list.

2. Daylight.

3. Nathan Brown & Todd Payten. Make them co-coaches, or Payten as boss with Brown as "mentor" or whatever you want to call him. Payten on his own is too risky IMO, at least Brown has NRL experience and could help with reshaping the squad while Payten focuses on coaching.

4. Shaun Wane. Good credentials but no NRL experience.

5. Jason Ryles. Same as above. Plus if he was any good then wouldn't Melbourne want to keep him around for succession planning?

I don't get the Toovey love, he's been out of the game for too long.
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,554
Rich, come on, you realise that shortlist is put together by the Daily Telegraph in Sydney and not been put out by the club? I mean I'm all for kicking the club when they f**k up but there is no quote from anyone at the warriors saying that those are the names on the shortlist, other than a quote to say they are close to finalising a shortlist.

Its the DT, they would have a worse strike rate then the mole

My complaint was more about the composition of the selection panel.
 

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