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Coaching staff

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,378
This club of ours need to look outside the box for our next head coach. For anyone that saw the Michael Cheika episode on ABC Australian Story late 22….there is someone ripe for the picking after the Rugby World Cup in 2023!

He has a glowing reputation being a wonderful Man Manager with the ability to galvanise a team. Shades of the Bennett mould.
Currently a dual coach of Argentina Rugby Union plus coach of Lebanon Rugby League.
Smart operator that even spent 2020 season as an assistant & advisor to Trent Robinson at the Roosters.
Really impressed me with his drive and motivation to improve young men and mould a team.
 

AyiosYiorgos

Coach
Messages
14,113
Also Cheika’s coaching credits include:
Being the only coach to have won the major rugby club competition in each hemisphere, winning the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009 and Super Rugby with the New South Wales Waratahs in 2014.
After the last 10+ years and the shit coaches we have had, do we really need to go down that avenue, do we really need a coach with training wheels on, who has never coached Rugby League week in week out, Cheika may be everything you say but he isn't for us unless its as an assistant at most..
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,378

After the last 10+ years and the shit coaches we have had, do we really need to go down that avenue, do we really need a coach with training wheels on, who has never coached Rugby League week in week out, Cheika may be everything you say but he isn't for us unless its as an assistant at most..

Anything is worth a shot and surround him with competent & experienced assistant coaches.
Otherwise it’s just rinse & repeat with a Dean Young given the keys to drive the bus on L-plates.
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,378
Yes nearly 10-15 years ago unfortunately
Hey BLM do you think Dragons care about time span!!
It’s already coming up to 13 years since our premiership victory & 31 years prior to that.
I’m running out of time and just look for someone to lift this club beyond mediocrity. Cheika has reputation past & current in team building.
Even Mal Meninga made the statement, after the RL World Cup, that Cheika would be a success with a NRL club.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,518
This club of ours need to look outside the box for our next head coach. For anyone that saw the Michael Cheika episode on ABC Australian Story late 22….there is someone ripe for the picking after the Rugby World Cup in 2023!

He has a glowing reputation being a wonderful Man Manager with the ability to galvanise a team. Shades of the Bennett mould.
Currently a dual coach of Argentina Rugby Union plus coach of Lebanon Rugby League.
Smart operator that even spent 2020 season as an assistant & advisor to Trent Robinson at the Roosters.
Really impressed me with his drive and motivation to improve young men and mould a team.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,827
Hey BLM do you think Dragons care about time span!!
It’s already coming up to 13 years since our premiership victory & 31 years prior to that.
I’m running out of time and just look for someone to lift this club beyond mediocrity. Cheika has reputation past & current in team building.
Even Mal Meninga made the statement, after the RL World Cup, that Cheika would be a success with a NRL club.
Yes the same Meninga that could not coach an NRL side in Canberra to any great heights
Look he may be different but no NRL experience. Look at Balmain with Alan Jones thecgreat rugby coach or so they say
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,378
Yes the same Meninga that could not coach an NRL side in Canberra to any great heights
Look he may be different but no NRL experience. Look at Balmain with Alan Jones thecgreat rugby coach or so they say
It’s only my personal view that this club need to try something different. We need someone that is a strong leader & has proven success.
The Australian Story on Cheika showed these characteristics in bucket loads, both in sport & as a successful businessman.
Besides Bennett, I’m sick of the Dragons coaching choices of the past.
Craig Young, Brian Smith, Farrar, Brown, Price, McGreggor, Griffin……… (Dean Young next)
Cheika has achieved more coaching success than these blokes combined. He’s a winner!
I’m over the same regurgitated “coaching chaff” , I want change & vision.
 
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Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,446
It’s only my personal view that this club need to try something different. We need someone that is a strong leader & has proven success.
The Australian Story on Cheika showed these characteristics in bucket loads, both in sport & as a successful businessman.
Besides Bennett, I’m sick of the Dragons coaching choices of the past.
Craig Young, Brian Smith, Farrar, Brown, Price, McGreggor, Griffin……… (Dean Young next)
Cheika has achieved more coaching success than these blokes combined. He’s a winner!
I’m over the same regurgitated “coaching chaff” , I want change & vision.
I think they may be forced to try something different as you say. Unless they go with Young or Hornby that is. I think that would be a horrible mistake, neither are ready and it would be the same old shit of get a former Dragon in to coach the team. We need someone who has a vision for the club from the outside looking in with no biases. People will say that's what Griffin is and how did that work out. That argument is void as Griffin brought in so many of his old players from Brisbane that there were clear biases. I've got no issues with a new coach bringing in players he trusts, but so many of them that are too old, and picking them week on week is ridiculous. Try telling me there's no bias involved there.

So, I think change has to happen in the way they think when hiring their next coach. Cheika is an option I don't mind, my concern is the problems at this club run way deeper than Cheika can probably imagine or currently understand. He may be in over his head as a rookie NRL coach at the Dragons. Good assistants can help him run the football side of things whilst he does his thing with man management, but what sort of environment will the guys at the top create for him? I don't think they're going to make it easy, they never have. Toovey is another option. Might not take any shit from the board, but they won't back him because of that. Tooves is a good coach, but he isn't Bennet esc, the board won't appreciate him coming in and demanding they change for the better. He's been out of the coaching game for a while too. Billy Slater? Did great things for qld in origin, it might be too early for him though. I like him as a coach though, I think he would do a fantastic job, but maybe only with some more experience under his belt. Holbrook and Adam O'Brien might be available come season's end. Not too sure I'd be keen on them. Jason Ryles is another one who I think would do well and I'd say of the coaches listed in this paragraph he's probably the most likely.

If I had to guess, the shortlist will be Young, Hornby and Ryles. If it does end up being down to those three, let's hope and pray they go with Ryles (if he even wants to come here).
 

mightydragon

Juniors
Messages
907
I think they may be forced to try something different as you say. Unless they go with Young or Hornby that is. I think that would be a horrible mistake, neither are ready and it would be the same old shit of get a former Dragon in to coach the team. We need someone who has a vision for the club from the outside looking in with no biases. People will say that's what Griffin is and how did that work out. That argument is void as Griffin brought in so many of his old players from Brisbane that there were clear biases. I've got no issues with a new coach bringing in players he trusts, but so many of them that are too old, and picking them week on week is ridiculous. Try telling me there's no bias involved there.

So, I think change has to happen in the way they think when hiring their next coach. Cheika is an option I don't mind, my concern is the problems at this club run way deeper than Cheika can probably imagine or currently understand. He may be in over his head as a rookie NRL coach at the Dragons. Good assistants can help him run the football side of things whilst he does his thing with man management, but what sort of environment will the guys at the top create for him? I don't think they're going to make it easy, they never have. Toovey is another option. Might not take any shit from the board, but they won't back him because of that. Tooves is a good coach, but he isn't Bennet esc, the board won't appreciate him coming in and demanding they change for the better. He's been out of the coaching game for a while too. Billy Slater? Did great things for qld in origin, it might be too early for him though. I like him as a coach though, I think he would do a fantastic job, but maybe only with some more experience under his belt. Holbrook and Adam O'Brien might be available come season's end. Not too sure I'd be keen on them. Jason Ryles is another one who I think would do well and I'd say of the coaches listed in this paragraph he's probably the most likely.

If I had to guess, the shortlist will be Young, Hornby and Ryles. If it does end up being down to those three, let's hope and pray they go with Ryles (if he even wants to come here).
We had Demetriou in the ranks until McGregor threw him under the bus and he went and worked with Bennett. Things could be a whole lot different. Our biggest handbrake in recent years have been Flanagan, Haran and Millward
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
9,098
I think they may be forced to try something different as you say. Unless they go with Young or Hornby that is. I think that would be a horrible mistake, neither are ready and it would be the same old shit of get a former Dragon in to coach the team. We need someone who has a vision for the club from the outside looking in with no biases. People will say that's what Griffin is and how did that work out. That argument is void as Griffin brought in so many of his old players from Brisbane that there were clear biases. I've got no issues with a new coach bringing in players he trusts, but so many of them that are too old, and picking them week on week is ridiculous. Try telling me there's no bias involved there.

So, I think change has to happen in the way they think when hiring their next coach. Cheika is an option I don't mind, my concern is the problems at this club run way deeper than Cheika can probably imagine or currently understand. He may be in over his head as a rookie NRL coach at the Dragons. Good assistants can help him run the football side of things whilst he does his thing with man management, but what sort of environment will the guys at the top create for him? I don't think they're going to make it easy, they never have. Toovey is another option. Might not take any shit from the board, but they won't back him because of that. Tooves is a good coach, but he isn't Bennet esc, the board won't appreciate him coming in and demanding they change for the better. He's been out of the coaching game for a while too. Billy Slater? Did great things for qld in origin, it might be too early for him though. I like him as a coach though, I think he would do a fantastic job, but maybe only with some more experience under his belt. Holbrook and Adam O'Brien might be available come season's end. Not too sure I'd be keen on them. Jason Ryles is another one who I think would do well and I'd say of the coaches listed in this paragraph he's probably the most likely.

If I had to guess, the shortlist will be Young, Hornby and Ryles. If it does end up being down to those three, let's hope and pray they go with Ryles (if he even wants to come here).
I think Ryles could be a contender down Melbourne once Bellamy ends his stint.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,849
I think they may be forced to try something different as you say. Unless they go with Young or Hornby that is. I think that would be a horrible mistake, neither are ready and it would be the same old shit of get a former Dragon in to coach the team. We need someone who has a vision for the club from the outside looking in with no biases. People will say that's what Griffin is and how did that work out. That argument is void as Griffin brought in so many of his old players from Brisbane that there were clear biases. I've got no issues with a new coach bringing in players he trusts, but so many of them that are too old, and picking them week on week is ridiculous. Try telling me there's no bias involved there.

So, I think change has to happen in the way they think when hiring their next coach. Cheika is an option I don't mind, my concern is the problems at this club run way deeper than Cheika can probably imagine or currently understand. He may be in over his head as a rookie NRL coach at the Dragons. Good assistants can help him run the football side of things whilst he does his thing with man management, but what sort of environment will the guys at the top create for him? I don't think they're going to make it easy, they never have. Toovey is another option. Might not take any shit from the board, but they won't back him because of that. Tooves is a good coach, but he isn't Bennet esc, the board won't appreciate him coming in and demanding they change for the better. He's been out of the coaching game for a while too. Billy Slater? Did great things for qld in origin, it might be too early for him though. I like him as a coach though, I think he would do a fantastic job, but maybe only with some more experience under his belt. Holbrook and Adam O'Brien might be available come season's end. Not too sure I'd be keen on them. Jason Ryles is another one who I think would do well and I'd say of the coaches listed in this paragraph he's probably the most likely.

If I had to guess, the shortlist will be Young, Hornby and Ryles. If it does end up being down to those three, let's hope and pray they go with Ryles (if he even wants to come here).
Good post however, my preference is for Hasler. He has the runs on the board and would knock the squad into shape fairly quickly. He may even be able to swing a few players who are match-winners to the Dragons.
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,791
Bucking the trend here and going to say that DY isn't the worst choice of future coach. Will it come to pass or is it just speculation that he may even uproot his family again and move state.

However, In saying that, it would complete a very "young" coaching team, one would hope full of fresh ideas and methods. I think his time with the Cowboys may have given him greater insight than what he assumed when he caretook the HC role previously. Yes, it would stink of nepotism but CY has departed the scene, and would have been gone over 12 months.

As for Cheika, obviously has coaching talent and ability,but I would feel would need some kind of coaching mentor/director to oversee at least for the 1st year. Who then would be that choice? Keep Hook? Or maybe Maguire? The field is very narrow in that area, and no, there would be no Bellamy or any of the senior coaches willing come to the Dragons on a short tenure deal. Cheika does however, remind me of Todd Payton.

Hornby, would be a 'safe' choice, albeit a reasonably good choice, given he's been mentored both as player and asst coach under Bennett and now under JD. In practicle terms he has more diversity than DY.

As I said above, a 'young' coaching team would be what they maybe thinking, however, they really need to look at what happened to Newcastle to see how it can go pear-shaped very quickly.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,849
Until the backroom deal culture is stamped out of our club, we will never move forward. There is no way that Dean would be a candidate for the position if it was not for his father lining up the deal.
 

The Villain

Juniors
Messages
1,236
Yes I wouldn’t mind co coaches of young and Hornby

Being an assistant to a good coach in a successful system doesn’t mean they’ll be good coaches. Could end up with two Steve Prices. Then again we could end up with a Fitzgibbon. It’s a gamble.

We need a proven successful coach.
 

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