. Hugh Humphreys
Mon, Nov 25, 2013 - 5:00 PM
The Dyldam Parramatta Eels are excited to bring you our third video introducing our coaching staff - this time our new Under 20s Holden Cup coach, Justin Holbrook!
Justin has been with the club over the past month preparing for the season ahead after joining us from the St George Illawarra Dragons.
“The last couple of years I’ve been with the St George Illawarra Dragons with their NYC team there, and before that with the NSW Cup side at the Bulldogs,” Holbrook said.
“So I’ve been coaching for about nine years and I really enjoy it, and I’m looking forward to having the Under 20s here at Parramatta.”
Holbrook says he jumped at the chance to join a club with a passionate and broad fan base as the Eels, as well as a club as well-resourced.
“It’s a great opportunity to get some full-time coaching, I was doing part-time at the Dragons and also working in their corporate partnerships team so it’s good to be involved full-time so I can be at all the NRL sessions,” he said.
“Obviously learning off Brad Arthur and the other assistant coaches is a good learning experience for myself to try and improve me as a coach.”
The Under 20s players have so far been back in pre-season training for the past fortnight, with the entire squad being put through their faces.
“We’ve got a rather big squad which is pretty standard, about 40 guys, and they’re all training really well as you’d expect,” he said.
“But it’s been a really positive experience from our coaching staff [perspective] as well - it’s a long way until we play but it’s all going well.”
After a disappointing year in 2013, Holbrook says he’s got high expectations of the NYC side for 2014.
“Parramatta’s always been strong in Under 16s and 18s, but haven’t been so great in the Under 20s the last few years, but they’ve also had to push a lot of their young players into the first grade side,” he said.
“But from a coaching and club perspective we’d like to have the 20s team in the semi-finals next year, so that’s obviously our goal for next year.”
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