Dragons Coach 2021 and Beyond

[Lethal25]

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/st-geo...ons-on-brink-of-nailing-new-coach-plan_270820

It may end up being what happens but personally I find it difficult taking anything Fittler says even remotely seriously. He's outright guessing anyway, saying "maybe" and "they should". Go back to bare foot therapy Freddy

 

[SGMax]

Young was and is an inexperienced coach with no idea how to implement the things he learned from Bennett when he was a player. The first thing Price did was ditch the brick wall defence and conservative attack that Bennett had implemented.

Yes, and I would add Hornby to this.
How could they, as senior players progressing to the coaching ranks not see the factors that made the Dragons a top team?

Bennett set it up over his first pre-season and that fool Price thought he knew better.
Young and Hornby were complicit in allowing the importance of strong defence to fade....perhaps just lazy and in a comfortable place.

 

[Puff]

Next coach has got to be Lee Murphy or Ben Kusto.

Both insiders, and both legends of the red and white.

 

[redv13]

Next coach has got to be Lee Murphy or Ben Kusto.

Both insiders, and both legends of the red and white.

Lol. Couple of legends alright

 

[getsmarty]

EXCLUSIVE: Griffin-Young coaching plan makes sense for Dragons, Brad Fittler says

By Tim Elbra
6 hours ago
The Dragons may have landed on a perfect long-term coaching strategy by pairing Anthony Griffin with Dean Young, NSW Origin boss Brad Fittler says.

Former Broncos and Panthers coach Griffin is the front-runner to replace Paul McGregor at St George Illawarra, where Young is currently acting as caretaker.

Young is a 2010 Dragons premiership hero with designs on a coaching career, yet is still just 36.

St George Illawarra look intent on signing an experienced coach rather than a first-timer, having been through turbulent eras with the likes of McGregor, Steve Price and Nathan Brown.

Fittler told Wide World of Sports that forming a succession plan from Griffin to Young would be ideal for the Dragons.

Dragons caretaker coach Dean Young with assistant Shane Flanagan. (Getty)
"It was interesting Dean Young came out and gave praise to Anthony Griffin," Fittler said on Freddy and the Eighth.

"Dean Young's obviously pushing for the job as well. Whether Dean Young believes that because there's some players in the Dragons at the moment that he has a pretty close association [with], maybe he feels like waiting a few more years might be a good idea.

"I think that gives your club real stability, if he has a relationship with the coach coming in and he's your long-term coach, then that makes real sense. Not many clubs have long-term strategies.

"That is a pretty good long-term strategy, especially if one of the coaches gives praise to the other bloke coming in and then he sits back and learns some more over a couple of years. To me, it makes sense."

Fittler said that employing tried and tested methods with Griffin could help the Dragons.

"They might need that, he's old-school," Fittler said.

"He says it as it is, he doesn't take many things personally. He just says whether you're going good or bad and what you're doing right and wrong. He's not complicated.

"Maybe they need a bit of that, they need a bit of honesty."

Anthony Griffin and Kristian Woolf during a Tonga training session last year. (Getty)
Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns has strongly advocated for Roosters assistant and former Dragons player Craig Fitzgibbon to get the job.

Yet he said that a plan to eventually pass the reins to Young was also a sound move.

"I think it's a big ask for a rookie coach, for Dean Young," Johns said on Freddy and the Eighth.

"I think in time, he'll be a sensational NRL coach. I just think it's dangerous ground to have a coach who has played with some players [still in the team]."

Fittler, who experienced that scenario whole coaching the Roosters, replied: "It definitely makes it tricky."


https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/st-geo...ew-johns/1a8dd458-ddae-444c-b2a8-fd83388cf046

 

[getsmarty]

Dragons interim wants the top job — but he might settle for working under one ‘old school’ man
NRL Premiership

• August 27, 2020 12:43pm
• Mark St John@markdfstjohn
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Dean Young and Shane Flanagan.Source: Getty Images
Brad Fittler has backed former Broncos and Panthers coach Anthony Griffin to join Dean Young as part of a Dragons succession plan.

Paul McGregor’s departure has opened the door for interim coach Dean Young to take the reins at the Dragons full-time, but Fittler believes the rookie coach would benefit from serving an apprenticeship under a more experienced mentor.

“It was interesting Dean Young came out and gave praise to Anthony Griffin,” Fittler said on WWOS’ Freddy and the Eighth.

“Dean Young’s obviously pushing for the job as well. Whether Dean Young believes that because there’s some players in the Dragons at the moment that he has a pretty close association [with], maybe he feels like waiting a few more years might be a good idea.

“I think that gives your club real stability, if he has a relationship with the coach coming in and he’s your long-term coach, then that makes real sense. Not many clubs have long-term strategies.

“That is a pretty good long-term strategy, especially if one of the coaches gives praise to the other bloke coming in and then he sits back and learns some more over a couple of years. To me, it makes sense.”

The merger club have struggled to find a coach to match the experience and class of Wayne Bennett, who was at the helm for the club’s last premiership in 2010.

Rookie coaches Steve Price and Paul McGregor have been used since without consistent success.

Fittler believes Griffin’s old-school approach could be just what the doctor ordered for the historically up and down Dragons.

“They might need that, he’s old-school,” Fittler said.

“He says it as it is, he doesn’t take many things personally. He just says whether you’re going good or bad and what you’re doing right and wrong. He’s not complicated.

“Maybe they need a bit of that, they need a bit of honesty.”

Anthony Griffin could be a shock favourite for the Dragons job. Picture: Tim Hunter.Source: News Corp Australia
Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns believes 36-year-old Young would struggle to coach players he played with at the club, especially if they lose form and he has to make some hard calls.

“I think it’s a big ask for a rookie coach, for Dean Young,” Johns said.

“I think in time, he’ll be a sensational NRL coach. I just think it’s dangerous ground to have a coach who has played with some players [still in the team].”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/92cfcd036f70c5aece23b92d3731c51c

 

[getsmarty]

Neil Henry throws hat in the ring to coach Dragons
Adrian Proszenko
August 27, 2020 — 7.30pm
Leave a comment

Neil Henry has emerged as the most experienced NRL coach with an interest in replacing Paul McGregor as St George Illawarra powerbrokers prepare to commence candidate interviews next week.

It has been another busy week on the coaching front, with the Gold Coast extending Justin Holbrook’s contract until the end of 2024 just as Brisbane parted company with Anthony Seibold. Five coaches have already been sacked this season and both the Dragons and Cowboys are yet to settle on replacements.

Fittler backs touted Dragons coaching plan
Signing Anthony Griffin and marking Dean Young as the long-term coach makes sense for the Dragons, Brad Fittler says.

North Queensland officials are in the process of conducting their second round of interviews, with Todd Payten, John Cartwright, Josh Hannay, Anthony Griffin and Shaun Wane jockeying for Paul Green’s job. Brisbane will soon commence the search for Seibold's replacement.

The Dragons will begin their first round of interviews next week, with candidates to present to the board via Zoom. Those in contention for the job include caretaker Dean Young, David Furner, Griffin, Kevin Walters and Laurie Daley.

The man on top of the wishlist, Craig Fitzgibbon, is unlikely to be available. Currently assisting Trent Robinson at the Roosters, Fitzgibbon has knocked back all previous approaches because of his loyalty to chairman Nick Politis.

Given he is a former Steelers and Dragons player completing an apprenticeship at the back-to-back premiers, the 43 year old is considered the perfect fit for the Red V. The Dragons will ask the question, but are expecting him to fulfil the final year of his contract with the tri-colours.

Neil Henry has an interest in coaching the Dragons.Credit:NRL Photos

Wayne Bennett is another potential option, although he has indicated he will honour the final year of his deal with South Sydney.

Henry could be the wildcard in the mix. The 59-year-old has overseen 248 NRL games during a decade-long head coaching career at Canberra, North Queensland and the Gold Coast. His teams have made five finals series during that time and he was a finalist for the Dally M coach of the year while at the Cowboys in 2011.

His NRL coaching career seemingly ended after losing a power struggle with Jarryd Hayne at the Titans. The club sacked Henry, only for Hayne to walk away shortly afterwards.


Henry could be an option for the Dragons given he wouldn’t command a huge pay cheque and would be happy to accept a relatively short-term deal, providing Young an experienced mentor he could take over from in coming seasons.

Young can continue to press his own claims in coming weeks. After overseeing a win against the Broncos in his first game in charge, his team faces the Gold Coast at home on Friday. A victory would keep alive the Dragons’ faint finals hopes.

"If we win every game, we’re a chance but that seems a fair way away at the moment," Young said.


https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ne...he-ring-to-coach-dragons-20200827-p55pzv.html

 

[Dragon David]

The way that the Bunnies are playing at the moment, they will be hard to beat come finals time. Wayne and Jason Demetriou are getting the team to play good attacking football. The main one that is doing a great job is Jason. Too bad we let him go as he was a threat to Mary at the time and went to the Broncos to assist him up there and of course now at the Bunnies.

Jason would have been far better than Mary but unfortunately wasn't to be.

 

[jeffdragon]

Board met yesterday.
Not Neil Henry.
Where has he been?

 

[Dragon David]

Just a thought. If Griffin and Young are the coach/assistant from 2021, I wonder if, as they were coaches for the Tongan team, they could be looking at getting a few big Tongan guys to join the club. You never know!!

 

[Old Timer]

If Griffin is appointed does that mean we get an apology from the BOD and them saying by appointing and then reappointing Mc Fookknuckle that they created a huge mess that will take 2-3 years to correct due to the parlous condition we are now in?

A Griffin appointment would mean we need a hard nosed bastard to get some discipline and rules into the playing group whilst weeding out the imposters.

A Griffin appointment would also indicate that Millward’s role and responsibilities would change markedly and might mean his exit as well.

I wonder if the BOD have the balls to do it and in considering that I’m not surprised to see Neil Henry’s name appear.

 

[FlameThrower]

If Griffin is coach with Young as assistant, then does Flanno hang around? We also need some forwards and defence coaches- we must give up most meters waiting for the opposition to advance 10 easy meters...

 

[Coffs dragon]

If Griffin is coach with Young as assistant, then does Flanno hang around? We also need some forwards and defence coaches- we must give up most meters waiting for the opposition to advance 10 easy meters...

Seems there are rumours that Flanno won’t stick around at the Dragons beyond this year. That indicates to me that he has something else lined up, perhaps as a better paid senior assistant!
IMO It wouldn’t surprise me to see him at the Bulldogs with Barrett, reunited from their Sharks days.

 

[Dragsters]

Furner - PASS

Walters - NO THANKS

Daley - NO WAY

 

[to_ddeath]

Furner - PASS

Walters - NO THANKS

Daley - NO WAY

Henry - FUHGEDDABOUTIT

 

[Como Connection]

Board met yesterday.
Not Neil Henry.
Where has he been?

Currumbin, up the road from my place.
CC

 

[redv13]

If Griffin is appointed does that mean we get an apology from the BOD and them saying by appointing and then reappointing Mc Fookknuckle that they created a huge mess that will take 2-3 years to correct due to the parlous condition we are now in?

A Griffin appointment would mean we need a hard nosed bastard to get some discipline and rules into the playing group whilst weeding out the imposters.

A Griffin appointment would also indicate that Millward’s role and responsibilities would change markedly and might mean his exit as well.

I wonder if the BOD have the balls to do it and in considering that I’m not surprised to see Neil Henry’s name appear.

Your 3rd paragraph might have made a certain poster get a blue woody...

 

[borat]

Neil Henry is massively under rated imo. His skill seems to be taking poor sides and making them competitive.

He worked miracles at Canberra and took a rubbish team to the finals. Took a very poor Cowboys side and took the time the finals 3 years straight. Titans was debacle thanks mostly to Hayne.

Henry’s deficiency’s seem to be the question does he have a glass ceiling. Takes teams to positions 8-5 but no further.

Griffen on the other hand under achieves imo. Both the Broncos and Panthers sides he coached had star studded rosters. He took both to finals regularly but like Henry could never go on with it. Got sacked from both clubs for that exact reason. And subsequent coaches got immediate results with close to the same roster.

Personally I don’t see why Griffen is such a favourite

 

[redVinme]

Your 3rd paragraph might have made a certain poster get a blue woody...

Who me?
Its a mess.

 

[getsmarty]

Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon turns down St George-Illawarra Dragons head coach job
By WWOS staff
3 hours ago


Former NRL star and Sydney Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon has reportedly refused a job offer to be the new head coach of the St George-Illawarra Dragons from next year.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Fitzgibbon was approached by his former club as the Dragons eye a more permanent replacement for Paul McGregor. Interim coach Dean Young has taken the reins for now but it's expected the club will pick a different candidate to lead the team from 2021 and beyond.

Fitzgibbon, 43, reportedly spoke to club executives over the phone, but he "decided to remain loyal to the Roosters and won't be on the lookout for a job until at least the end of next season such is his loyalty to Nick Politis and Trent Robinson".

Boyd Cordner and right, Craig Fitzgibbon, assistant coach at the Roosters (Getty)
Dapto product Fitzgibbon had an illustrious rugby league career that started with the Illawarra Steelers in 1998.

The following season he featured in the grand final with the newly merged St George-Illawarra club before joining the Roosters, where he would remain until 2009 when he left for Hull to play two more years.

He played in four more NRL grand finals with the tri-colours, winning the Premiership in 2002. During his time with the Roosters he earned representative honours with 11 games for the NSW Blues and 19 caps for the Kangaroos.

In 2011 Fitzgibbon retired and a few weeks after making the announcement he joined the Roosters coaching staff, where he has remained ever since.

Former Broncos and Panthers coach Anthony Griffin is rumoured to be the front-runner for take McGregor's place as Dragons coach from next season.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/craig-...roosters/29e6e39d-772f-4c50-9c0d-8a8c7b398f04