Anthony Griffin

[betcats]

I still find it strange as to why we head hunted a coach known for junior development from a club we wanted to base our junior development system on, if we didn't have an issue with junior development.

There had to be some issues, no matter how minor you think they are.

The results say there were no issues.

Griffin is good at bringing young guys into grade, we had a lot of young guys to bring into grade. It doesn't mean all of our lower grades were a mess or our pathways were f**ked.

 

[TheFrog]

A lot of people think it was Gus's ego sticking it to all the media rumors about Griffin being on the out.

At a cost of a million or so? Expensive exercise.

 

[OldPanther]

At a cost of a million or so? Expensive exercise.

Expensive and poor management.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Expensive and poor management.

Yes it is.

 

[TheFrog]

The results say there were no issues.

Griffin is good at bringing young guys into grade, we had a lot of young guys to bring into grade. It doesn't mean all of our lower grades were a mess or our pathways were f**ked.

I will need to view his NRL360 interview again to be sure of what he said and what he was told was required of him in respect of junior development. I suspect he was asked to set it up like the Broncos, which it wasn't at the time. This is not the same as saying it was a disaster. Obviously the club's junior teams were doing well. I recall him saying there were positions allocated to certain aspects of development at Brisbane, which Penrith didn't have. I also remember him saying the competition structure was different in NSW to Queensland.

 

[betcats]

I will need to view his NRL360 interview again to be sure of what he said and what he was told was required of him in respect of junior development. I suspect he was asked to set it up like the Broncos, which it wasn't at the time. This is not the same as saying it was a disaster. Obviously the club's junior teams were doing well. I recall him saying there were positions allocated to certain aspects of development at Brisbane, which Penrith didn't have. I also remember him saying the competition structure was different in NSW to Queensland.

I you will find he uses the word 'mess' to describe it as well as saying the work that had been done wasn't constructive.

 

[Panther_Daz]

When Griffin arrived at Penrith from Brisbane in 2015, he says, “the joint looked like a country fishing club”.

“There were short players, fat players, tall players. The place was KFC and a run around the oval."

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...p/news-story/14a60ae4d7cd13b7d351a33b02374740

 

[TheFrog]

I you will find he uses the word 'mess' to describe it as well as saying the work that had been done wasn't constructive.

What he says, without wishing to copy it word for word, was that the club had juniors, but it didn't have the people whose role was to bring juniors to first grade standard. I didn't hear "mess" but he did say certain aspects from first grade down were in "terrible shape". with the first grade having only avoided last place with a last round win.

Funnily enough, Gould in his podcast concurs with him to a large degree. He talks about visiting the Broncos club and seeing the pathways they have in place, which he says were light years from those at Penrith. This was the model he wanted, and he then says that following Griffin starting at Penrith, that Griffin "came in, and did some terrific things and really helped us along that path".

This was last Wednesday's podcast. There doesn't seem all that much divergence to me. Only because Griffin went on air to give his side has this really escalated. What Griffin says about development from juniors to first grade does appear to be borne out by the sheer numbers of promising junior players who have failed to make the step up at this club over the past 10 years. No need to name them, they are many. This is what he was on about I'm sure, and what Gus was looking for in emulating the Broncos structure and bringing in someone from the Broncos.

 

[mxlegend99]

The results say there were no issues.

Griffin is good at bringing young guys into grade, we had a lot of young guys to bring into grade. It doesn't mean all of our lower grades were a mess or our pathways were f**ked.

In Ivans time here we had the following debut:

1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
2. Josh Mansour
3. Waqa Blake
4. Robert Jennings
5. George Jennings
6. Matt Moylan
7. Will Smith (god help us)
8. Leilan Latu
9. Sione Katoa
10. Reagan Campbell-gillard
11 Isaah Yeo
12. Bryce Cartwright
13. Adam Docker

We also got the best footy out of players like Whare, Idris, Soward etc. The only thing that sas a mess was our injuries. Which hasnt improved, but the academy and junior development Gus started planning in 2011 just gets more beneficial each year resulting in a higher quality of depth player.

 

[OldPanther]

What he says, without wishing to copy it word for word, was that the club had juniors, but it didn't have the people whose role was to bring juniors to first grade standard. I didn't hear "mess" but he did say certain aspects from first grade down were in "terrible shape". with the first grade having only avoided last place with a last round win.

Funnily enough, Gould in his podcast concurs with him to a large degree. He talks about visiting the Broncos club and seeing the pathways they have in place, which he says were light years from those at Penrith. This was the model he wanted, and he then says that following Griffin starting at Penrith, that Griffin "came in, and did some terrific things and really helped us along that path".

This was last Wednesday's podcast. There doesn't seem all that much divergence to me. Only because Griffin went on air to give his side has this really escalated. What Griffin says about development from juniors to first grade does appear to be borne out by the sheer numbers of promising junior players who have failed to make the step up at this club over the past 10 years. No need to name them, they are many. This is what he was on about I'm sure, and what Gus was looking for in emulating the Broncos structure and bringing in someone from the Broncos.

The problem isn't that hedid/didn't contribute(he did) it's that he has embellished to make himself sound good at the expense of the club.

Here for example:

When Griffin arrived at Penrith from Brisbane in 2015, he says, “the joint looked like a country fishing club”.

“There were short players, fat players, tall players. The place was KFC and a run around the oval."

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...p/news-story/14a60ae4d7cd13b7d351a33b02374740

 

[OldPanther]

In Ivans time here we had the following debut:

1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
2. Josh Mansour
3. Waqa Blake
4. Robert Jennings
5. George Jennings
6. Matt Moylan
7. Will Smith (god help us)
8. Leilan Latu
9. Sione Katoa
10. Reagan Campbell-gillard
11 Isaah Yeo
12. Bryce Cartwright
13. Adam Docker

We also got the best footy out of players like Whare, Idris, Soward etc. The only thing that sas a mess was our injuries. Which hasnt improved, but the academy and junior development Gus started planning in 2011 just gets more beneficial each year resulting in a higher quality of depth player.

Well said.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

The problem isn't that hedid/didn't contribute(he did) it's that he has embellished to make himself sound good at the expense of the club.

Here for example:

Well said. To me it sounded like a CV.

 

[OldPanther]

Well said. To me it sounded like a CV.

It really does. I don't have a problem with it as he has to look after his financial future but people will see it for what it is.

 

[BxTom]

They were really pissed off about Griffin taking credit for fixing the development pathways.

Unfortunately, if Griffin does have 'incriminating' emails, the club just gave him every right to release them. Having released his game plans, they have removed any right to confidentiality. Very amateurish by the club.

 

[betcats]

In Ivans time here we had the following debut:

1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
2. Josh Mansour
3. Waqa Blake
4. Robert Jennings
5. George Jennings
6. Matt Moylan
7. Will Smith (god help us)
8. Leilan Latu
9. Sione Katoa
10. Reagan Campbell-gillard
11 Isaah Yeo
12. Bryce Cartwright
13. Adam Docker

We also got the best footy out of players like Whare, Idris, Soward etc. The only thing that sas a mess was our injuries. Which hasnt improved, but the academy and junior development Gus started planning in 2011 just gets more beneficial each year resulting in a higher quality of depth player.

Hook said he debuted 16 players the other night I believe, there you have named 17 players that Cleary debuted despite it being common knowledge around here that "Cleary was reluctant to give young guys a go".

Cleary debuted more than Hook(Assuming what hook said was correct).

Also that bold bit gets so overlooked. The first thing gus did was set up a playmakers academy as well as look at the rest of our junior development. By time hook took over the club had been reinvesting in our juniors for four years already and we had already had multiple success' at the lower grade level. We didn't bring him in here to rebuild the pathways, we brought him in to take advantage of the pathways that Gus and Ivan rebuilt.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

It really does. I don't have a problem with it as he has to look after his financial future but people will see it for what it is.

What has irked me is the 'wanking' over Hook's interview. To ne it was almost like a counselling session. Now tell be Anthony what did the big nasty Gus to do you, and then later 'how does that make you feel'........

But as we all know. Folks are pretty gullible regarding things like this. Gus has many haters and this just gave the opportunity to stick the boot.

I think management has made some big costly mistakes in all of this.

. Extending Hook at end of last year. Silly move.

. Gus even mentioning Ivan's name and the story about it all. But I suppose that was a pre-emtive strike.

. Should have said we are waiting till off season to worry about a replacement coach.

.
I do think much of the stuff has come as pre planned leaks by the W/T

 

[TheFrog]

When Griffin arrived at Penrith from Brisbane in 2015, he says, “the joint looked like a country fishing club”.

“There were short players, fat players, tall players. The place was KFC and a run around the oval."

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...p/news-story/14a60ae4d7cd13b7d351a33b02374740

This is not from the NRL360 interview. I'd like to see the context in which it was said.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

This is not from the NRL360 interview. I'd like to see the context in which it was said.

I thought the context was there as the link was shown, (you can read the whole article.)

He may on have used the same words in the interview, but the intent was the same.

 

[TheFrog]

I thought the context was there as the link was shown, (you can read the whole article.)

I did. I also watched the full 60 minutes of the NRL360 interview, and this about a country golf club isn't there. Maybe it was cut. I've got a fair idea what he's trying to say, but it would be good to read it in context, because the context is not given in the article, which appears to be about the NRL360 interview.

What I think he's trying to say is that the side was not in good physical shape, that changes had to be made to make them successful. You notice how our side is now equal to any in terms of fitness? How we are winning games in the final 20? This is what I think he's probably saying. They weren't adequately fit for an NRL team. There had to be something wrong, or Gus would not have sacked Cleary and brought him in.

The club can get its knickers in a knot all it likes about this, but it would be ludicrous to suggest the 2015 side were at the same levels of fitness as the current and also the 2017 sides. It was last year that I first really noticed the improvement in the side's resilience.

 

[ACTPanthers]

I'm starting to think a certain someone here is actually a close relative of Griffins... @TheFrog are you Hooks Uncle or something?