Interesting to see the same journo gets exclusive access to the forum that writes the bottom story....
We're here to win every year, Kearney tells fans
February 5, 2012
A members forum at Parramatta Leagues club has given Eels fans a chance to have their say on their beloved club, writes Adrian Proszenko.
Chris Sandow will be allowed to play risky footy, Will Hopoate's signing is not a risk and signing a Fijian teen who has never played the game is one worth taking. These are just some of the insights that came from a Parramatta members forum at their leagues club on Friday night. The Sun-Herald was granted exclusive access as Eels coach Steve Kearney, senior player Luke Burt and recruitment boss Peter Nolan opened up the floor to ticketed members. About 200 took the opportunity to grill the trio on a disappointing season last year, the club's recruitment drive and the chances of breaking a premiership drought stretching into a 27th year.
This was a frank and entertaining discussion, enlivened by questions such as the one posed by a diehard, who politely asked Kearney: ''Is your head on the chopping block this year or next year?''
The respondents handled it all with honesty and humour.
''I do Bikram yoga twice a week,'' Kearney replied to questions about how he handled the pressure. ''Last year it was three times a week.
''With expectation, I have a certain expectation of myself. I understand the responsibility that I have as an NRL coach, particularly at this footy club. From my point of view I have certain standards and expectations from myself and the players. If we continually live up to those standards and deliver to those expectations, it's going to come right for us.
''In terms of success, I don't want us to be in the finals for three years, have two years off, be in the finals for a couple of years, have another year off. Make a grand final and then not make the finals for two years.
''I want sustained success at this footy club. Every year giving ourself an opportunity to challenge for premierships. To do that, one, you need a very good culture and environment where the players understand the expectations we have. Two, a recruitment and retention program, which we're getting right. I got some great advice from a close friend [Wayne Bennett] who has been a part of six premierships, who said 'If you keep doing the right things, things will come right'.''
There were also some interesting revelations. Such as that the club is recruiting a Fijian rugby sevens international, Semi Radradra, who has never played league before. An official announcement will be made once visa issues are resolved. ''He's a big strong guy, but he's never played league before so there'll be nothing … from us saying he's going to be this or that,'' Nolan said.
''He's tall, a typical Fijian, very fast with good feet. He can score tries. He comes from a village about 10 hours by boat from the mainland of Fiji. He arrived and started playing when he was 16 and, within one year, he was in the World Sevens. He's exciting, but he might take 12 months because he hasn't played rugby league before.''
There were questions about how a free spirit such as South Sydney recruit Sandow would work within Kearney's structured framework. The coach had this to say: ''I'm very mindful of where Chris has come from and the way he likes to play his footy. I'm also mindful of the 16 other players he has to go out and play with on Saturday afternoon. I was asked the same question about Jarryd [Hayne] last year - we have to be mindful of putting in a team effort, but with the structure, process and game plan that we play with, Chris is going to get an opportunity to play how we've seen him play in the past.''
The trio was also open about the lessons learned from last season.
Here's a sample of the reaction to some questions from the floor:
ON NARROWLY AVOIDING THE WOODEN SPOON:
Steve Kearney: ''One thing I made very clear once the season was over, we knew the new guys were coming to the club and that some good quality was coming, but the point I made to the lads was that there were nine games where we lost by six points or less. If we had our opportunity again, if we improve ourselves 5 to 7 per cent each, we have a chance of taking those games …''
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION:
Peter Nolan: ''We've got a wonderful talent pool here that is as good as anywhere in Australia, probably better. If we're developing those players, we need them playing at our club. Parramatta have been too hasty in getting rid of players before.''
WILL HOPOATE:
Steve Kearney: ''I've had a fair bit to do with guys who made representative footy at a very young age in Greg Inglis and Israel Folau. They played State of Origin at 18 and 19 years of age. When you look at Will and what he did in the two Origins he played, from a football sense, he's up there with those type of characters.''
AND THIS
Hindmarsh to call time at season's end for Eels
Adrian Proszenko
January 29, 2012
