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Ben Creagh article

D4L_Dave

Juniors
Messages
57
I just read it twice, still didn't find anywhere that Creigh said we (presumably the Dragons Team not just himself even though that is the only criticism he made at all). Your interpretation, could be right about Briwn, but Creigh didn't say it in this article. He's a university professor so I would assume he would have said it if he meant it. Besides, Brown developed that team, Bennett took them one step further then went and left the club in the mess we are in. Thank goodness Flanno is there next year


https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/ben-creagh-always-chokers-tag/

This article gave me an insight on how useless we were before Bennett joined us. Very interesting article and just goes to show that Brown should never have been made coach.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
34,335



CREAGH_PV1_1280x560_01.jpg



Home > Sports > NRL

Ben Creagh
Ben Creagh played 11 State of Origin games for NSW and 270 times for St George Illawarra. In this extract from the Talking With TK podcast, he talks about the Dragons’ 2010 Grand Final win and his rep career.



It was 2003, I had just turned 18, and one day at the back end of the year I was at work at Jamberoo Action Park and I got a call from Nathan Brown, the first grade coach at my club, St George Illawarra.



He said, ‘I want you to play first grade this weekend’. And I said, ‘Bullshit’. I could not believe it. It was a total shock to me.



The first person I spoke to was my dad and I said, ‘You’re not going to believe this.’



The rest of the week was a whirlwind; I had to tell my boss I’m out. He understood my passion was rugby league. It was my first year out of school.



The step up from (underage) football had been huge in terms of the speed, but also the men you’re playing against. My first-grade debut was a shocker. I was a scared kid and it showed. I was playing another level.



I remember vividly what happened. People come up to me and talk about games and you don’t mean to be rude but I struggle to remember them. It’s hard when you’ve played 270 games. But there are some games like that, your debut for example, I remember vividly the things that happened.



My first carry was off a scrum. Nathan Blacklock, the other winger said, ‘You have it’. We’re 20 metres out from our try line. And I dropped the ball on my first carry. Second half there was a voluntary tackle.



Bill Harrigan got me good. I went up for a bomb, juggled it, came down, felt a hand on my back and got up and played the ball. Inexperienced, rookie error. I wasn’t tackled, so bang a voluntary tackle. I probably didn’t understand the game enough to know I’d down the wrong thing.



I was devastated. It was round 21, 2003. Browny didn’t have to keep me in the side after that but he showed a sense of loyalty to me. He brought a young kid into the team and he stuck with me, kept playing me.



CREAGH_PV1_INARTICLE_03.jpg




A few weeks later I was playing against Newcastle and Matt Gidley and Timana Tahu gave me an absolute bath. I went from right wing on debut to left wing against Newcastle and they scored three tries on me.



Looking back, he threw me in the deep end but you learn so much from mistakes like that and you can go one way or the other. You either put your head down and have a sook or put your hand up and go, ‘Can someone help me?’.



After round 26, I didn’t know if I’d ever play first grade again.



Max Ninnes, an assistant coach and recruitment manager, was huge for me as a young guy in the club. He was very detailed, coaching intricate skills such as holding the ball in contact, off-loading. He spent a lot of time with me teaching me how to be an edge back rower.



He must have seen something in me and he would be pulling me aside after training going, ‘We’re doing this’. Then later, I was pulling him aside saying, ‘We’re doing this’. He took a lot of time off me at the start when I didn’t think I needed it and I took a lot of time off him at the end.



He was so giving of his time but he was so honest as well. There was no bullshitting. He told me if I had a good game. Told me if I had a bad game.



I didn’t play footy since I was four years old – I was more into basketball as a kid – so there were a lot of skills I was deficient at and I had to learn quickly.





Huge Motivation
Everything moved so fast. Those years, 17, 18, I play my first first-grade game and by age 20 I’m on my first Kangaroo tour. It’s mind-boggling how quickly that happened for me.



Nathan Brown was never really a friend to me then. I was 18 and he was 30-odd, so he was just my coach.



Looking back, there might have been some older players in the group who played with Browny and there might have been some mateship there that might have caused issues in the team. I never saw that. And I don’t believe that was a problem or an issue.



I can imagine if I now went back to coach the Dragons, as a an example. That would be difficult because I played alongside a lot of guys. It would have possibly complicated matters for Browny, but as a young player I never thought there was an issue between senior players and coach.



It’s a big regret that, when Browny was there, the finals we made we didn’t go further.



My first carry was off a scrum. Nathan Blacklock, the other winger said, ‘You have it’. We’re 20 metres out from our try line. And I dropped the ball on my first carry.



We had some tough losses through those years and, being a young player, I probably didn’t appreciate the quality of team we had and understand how devastating those losses were. Because of my youth, I didn’t quite understand how limited your time in the game is and how few of those opportunities come along.



I would say those teams between 2003 and 2008 had some of the best players of that time in the game, all in one team.



Wayne Bennett came in and I think some factors changed in 2009-10-11, which is why we won the comp and were so successful in that period.



There was still a core group of players at that time that had experienced the disappointment in those earlier 2000 years with those finals losses.



There was a huge motivation and drive there to get the chokers tag away. It was always the chokers tag. We were known as the chokers because of those losses and that hung over our heads for a long time.



CREAGH_PV1_INARTICLE_04.jpg




If you remember 2009, we headed into the finals and we were the most dominant team in the comp. It didn’t matter we were the most dominant team, the chokers tag was still there.



It affected us in that finals series in 2009. We lost to Parra at Kogarah and then played against Darren Lockyer’s Brisbane side in Brisbane and lost by 14 points.



It was embarrassing. Looking back, that was a big driver for 2010 ‒ unfinished business. After all the work we put in, going back to 2008 with Wayne coming in and how big a difference that was, the intensity with which we trained at the wake-up call, compared to what we were used to, was huge.



Then, how well we played in 2009, just to throw it away like that it was, ‘You know what, f**k that, we can’t do that again’. I believe that was a huge reason behind 2010, the experience and disappointment from 2009.



We were dominant again, winning the minor premiership, and we had learnt from our mistakes. Heading into week one humble but with confidence, winning in week one, having the week off.



https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/ben-creagh-always-chokers-tag/
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
18,045
https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/ben-creagh-always-chokers-tag/

This article gave me an insight on how useless we were before Bennett joined us. Very interesting article and just goes to show that Brown should never have been made coach.
Different coach maybe that team doesn't do as well?
Creigh talks about the riches in the side but also the laments the nature of youth and makes no adverse remarks re Brown.
In fact he notes the very thing that help make his career as being the trust that Brown showed in him and the shrewdness of having a Max Ninnes there to help develop skills amongst the newbies.
If only we had such vision today.
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,696
I just read it twice, still didn't find anywhere that Creigh said we (presumably the Dragons Team not just himself even though that is the only criticism he made at all). Your interpretation, could be right about Briwn, but Creigh didn't say it in this article. He's a university professor so I would assume he would have said it if he meant it. Besides, Brown developed that team, Bennett took them one step further then went and left the club in the mess we are in. Thank goodness Flanno is there next year

This part right here was interesting...

“Looking back, that was a big driver for 2010 ‒ unfinished business. After all the work we put in, going back to 2008 with Wayne coming in and how big a difference that was”

That means Wayne took them to the next level, and it was evident.

“As well as him saying he can understand the issue of having played with players you are now coaching would cause an issue”

Pretty much what a lot of dragons fans were thinking.
 

D4L_Dave

Juniors
Messages
57
Sure, then change would for could and you have quoted Creigh correctly. If your longing for Bennett, think about why he doesn't take on clubs who haven't already go a good roster. It's coz he would fail. Brown got us to equal first in 2005 '(2nd on F&A) then made the hard decisions. Bennett sailed in, we still chocked in 2009 anyway. 2010, no Melbourne, Broncos had reliance on aging champs and Manly a heavy injury toll. Add the fact that Bennett had Brian Smith psyched from 92,93 and Smith had never one a GF, sorry but I do believe Brown in all likelihood would have got us the title that year as well. Many have said that too
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,696
There’s absolutely no negativity towards Brown in any of Creagh’s remarks.

None.

In fact, he praises him for handing him his first grade debut.

History also recorded Bennett praising Brown for leaving the club in good shape.

One of the first things Bennett did when he took over was take the team aside and tell them that other teams thought they had a soft underbelly which was a shock to the team. That’s saying something about what he thought of the way the team was managed before him...
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,696
Sure, then change would for could and you have quoted Creigh correctly. If your longing for Bennett, think about why he doesn't take on clubs who haven't already go a good roster. It's coz he would fail. Brown got us to equal first in 2005 '(2nd on F&A) then made the hard decisions. Bennett sailed in, we still chocked in 2009 anyway. 2010, no Melbourne, Broncos had reliance on aging champs and Manly a heavy injury toll. Add the fact that Bennett had Brian Smith psyched from 92,93 and Smith had never one a GF, sorry but I do believe Brown in all likelihood would have got us the title that year as well. Many have said that too

No chance mate...brown couldn’t win a chook raffle...

Yes Bennett inherited a good roster. But he added a few good players and managed to get the absolute best out of them. You can absolutely not compare Bennett to Brown.
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,696
You don’t believe Brown said the same thing?

Mate...I never saw an article about Brown saying the same thing. But from what I could see back then, I’m guessing he didn’t. We had an absolute gun team back then who used to play like they’d never met each other before. SOO players all over the park who used to fall apart. As soon as Bennett came in, we were playing like the Melbourne Storm...they were up to their eyeballs in every game. It was a shock when they lost a game.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,859
Nathan was thrust into coaching way too early.

@R&WTILLIDIE , I agree with your sentiment that under Bennett, we played like a well oiled machine, and for 3 years we dominated.

However, I cant be too critical of Brown as he ended up coaching ex team members. He was thrown into the deep end and did ok. I still think he has a very good footy brain.
 

Warabrook saint

Juniors
Messages
1,799
I just read it twice, still didn't find anywhere that Creigh said we (presumably the Dragons Team not just himself even though that is the only criticism he made at all). Your interpretation, could be right about Briwn, but Creigh didn't say it in this article. He's a university professor so I would assume he would have said it if he meant it. Besides, Brown developed that team, Bennett took them one step further then went and left the club in the mess we are in. Thank goodness Flanno is there next year
Bennett left and our management had no idea what to do
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
18,045
Re Bennett
He could have in all sincerity won 3 premierships with what he had and he got 1 and in fact that was by the skin of his teeth if the truth be told.
Bennett proved a good squad can be very competitive but also it is f**king had to actually win the comp despite the riches you might have.
Brown was a novice no doubt but he did an outstanding job considering the point in time and the quality coaching and opposition teams he faced.
People keep comparing him to Bennett and what Bennett might have done, well wake up everyone he wasn't Bennett and despite all his rawness he had a team that played attractive football.
Bennett if he was as good at all aspects of coaching that people keep on banging on about was a greater underachiever than Browny taking all things into consideration.
 

Old Kogarah Boy 1

First Grade
Messages
5,415
https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/ben-creagh-always-chokers-tag/

This article gave me an insight on how useless we were before Bennett joined us. Very interesting article and just goes to show that Brown should never have been made coach.

Rather than a an ex player, quite amazing what a real coach brings to a team.

If only history had a way of repating itself ................ oh sh!t, it has for all the wrong reasons.
From ex players Brown, to Mcgregor.
 

Old Kogarah Boy 1

First Grade
Messages
5,415
Nathan was thrust into coaching way too early.

@R&WTILLIDIE , I agree with your sentiment that under Bennett, we played like a well oiled machine, and for 3 years we dominated.

However, I cant be too critical of Brown as he ended up coaching ex team members. He was thrown into the deep end and did ok. I still think he has a very good footy brain.

I think he too may have a good brain, Tru ........... however, l'm not sure he can command the same level of respect from the players, to achieve the end result. Possibly too nice and not hard nosed enough.
 

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