Eels Next Coach

[Incorrect]

Cheika is a good fit for a big club that we want to be.

He is a self made businessman for starters so he is no fool.

Just because he played & coached rugby doesn't mean he hasnt been watching Rugby League his whole life and wouldn't have a clue.

His leadership and man-management is second to none & he has the temperament & experience to handle to pressure and expectation with the media when it comes to coaching a big club like us.

I get the sense also coaching the NRL is an itch he wants to scratch and he wouldn't back down from a fight either.

I wouldnt be judging his record with the wallabies there a bigger lost cause then us.

He took the Waratahs to there only title in Super Rugby.

He would get buy in from Moses straight away and lets be honest Moses is our most crucial player moving forward for the next 5 years.

He even convinced Israel Folau to go to rugby when that debacle with Ian Schubert putting a minimum value on him to come to Parra got blocked.

So he can be pervasive as well i reckon.

How about Cheika and he brings Kidwell with him (amazingly our defence has got worse since he left).... And if we could manage it, get Holbrook as an attack coach.... The latter probs won't happen as he'd probably not break a contract and leave an assistant gig at the chooks to be an assistant somewhere else....

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Out of all the suggested candidates so far, my gut feel is also Michael Cheika.
Yes, it is left field.
I'm not at all worried about his RU heritage.
What I like most is his ability to motivate - something we have been severely consistently lacking for a long time now.
A change of tactics would also be nice, as well as just getting the basics right, something we have been very poor at and slow to improve for so long.

I'm not sure that a Ryles appointment would be so bad although I don't know what he would have to offer. All coaches (like Fitzgibbon) were newbies at some stage of their coaching career.
We could end up with a Kearney, or we could end up with a Bellamy.
None of us keyboard experts know, and nor would anyone at the club if we went down that path.

This is why I stated the other day that this is the most important coaching appointment in the club's history.

I agree with all of this but will also say he can get underdog teams up for big games like he has with Argentina in the Union and Lebanon in the League

 

[MarkInTheStands]

If we did go Cheika you’d want someone like Luke Burt and David Furner as his assistants. Even McGregor or Dean Pay.

Yep,
Cheika with Luke and then I would add Blake Green if he wants to come back because I am an old softy at heart

 

[Suitman]

I agree with all of this but will also say he can get underdog teams up for big games like he has with Argentina in the Union and Lebanon in the League

I just want a coach/ manager that will move us forward.
We have honestly been stagnant now for over a decade.
It's not good enough for a club of our size and potential and dare I say it, resources.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Back in mid-2022 I heard 3 names they were interested in if BA got booted at the end of '22.
All 3 are still in the conversation, at least on here.

If @Suitman and I can agree on something that is a turn up for the books. Feed that information to your contacts @emjaycee ! It’s a turn up for the books

 

[Chipmunk]

If we did go Cheika you’d want someone like Luke Burt and David Furner as his assistants. Even McGregor or Dean Pay.

Agreed, assistants with tactical nous and attention to detail will be crucial. You could even add Demetriou and Jason Taylor to the list, although JT is at the Dogs at the moment.

I think Bennett will keep Furner on a Souths.

 

[Suitman]

If @Suitman and I can agree on something that is a turn up for the books. Feed that information to your contacts @emjaycee ! It’s a turn up for the books

Not really Mark.
We've agreed on many things in the past.
You've probably only remembered the few things that we didn't agree upon.

 

[TheCrowe]

Yolandi.

View attachment 88465

I fink u freaky!

 

[eel01s]

I agree with the above comments about the importance of the assistants.

One thing no one can say is that BA chose great assistants. We need a great coaching team. Defence, attack, kicking, ruck control, tactics. So whoever is chosen as head coach must be able to get the right team under him.

Oh and we also need to recruit a forward leader for the playing group.

 

[Happy MEel]

How about Cheika and he brings Kidwell with him (amazingly our defence has got worse since he left).... And if we could manage it, get Holbrook as an attack coach.... The latter probs won't happen as he'd probably not break a contract and leave an assistant gig at the chooks to be an assistant somewhere else....

Perhaps our new sponsor could throw some extra dollars in for the coaching staff that even Politis wouldn’t want to match?

I’d like Holbrook as an assistant. Say what you will about the Titans during his tenure but they could definitely score tries.

 

[Chipmunk]

Perhaps our new sponsor could throw some extra dollars in for the coaching staff that even Politis wouldn’t want to match?

I’d like Holbrook as an assistant. Say what you will about the Titans during his tenure but they could definitely score tries.

To be honest, as random as it might be for a team that has no team systems, can't put on a set play to save themselves, and relies on the sum of the brillance of the individual to do anything, I have no concerns about our best 17 scoring enough tries.

It's their defence that is the biggest issue.

 

[Happy MEel]

To be honest, as random as it might be for a team that has no team systems, can't put on a set play to save themselves, and relies on the sum of the brillance of the individual to do anything, I have no concerns about our best 17 scoring enough tries.

It's their defence that is the biggest issue.

I agree with you, but I don’t think it’s an unreasonable ask to improve both our attack and defence. They’re both ordinary

 

[hineyrulz]

I agree with you, but I don’t think it’s an unreasonable ask to improve both our attack and defence. They’re both ordinary

It’s only been 11 years.

 

[Gronk]

James Graham saying on his pod that Ennis and Mary McGregor should be seriously considered. Dude.

 

[Glenneel]

Toovey should be the coach

Think he is past it now. Remember he had a good team at Moanly and they punted him for some reason.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Think he is past it now. Remember he had a good team at Moanly and they punted him for some reason.

He lost the senior players when Glenn Stewart was forced out in 2014 to keep money spare for DCE. When all those blokes took less money to stay together and build a premiership winning era.

I think that decision was out of Toovey's hands anyway but he paid the price politically with the Manly ownership/board dramas were split down the middle one side hated the other board just like our glory days.

Plus he lost BA as assistant in 2013 and never recovered.

 

[The EELiminator]

our attack on the line and fifth tackle options have stunk for a while now we usually get into the opposition 20 with no problems but have no idea what to do once we're there

look at the storm and panthers they are constantly moving the ball around making the defence work and looking for an opening

 

[Pazza]

i hope its either Hannay or Ryles.

The sharks organisation seem to have such a good handle on how the game is played in 2024. plus the queensland origin set up is unmatched and word is billy really rates josh.

What can you say about the storm, the gold standard and a bit of time at the roosters. the perfect apprenticeship.

 

[hindy111]

Hearing McGregor's name mentioned a few times. We couldn't be that dumb.

 

[yy_cheng]

our attack on the line and fifth tackle options have stunk for a while now we usually get into the opposition 20 with no problems but have no idea what to do once we're there

look at the storm and panthers they are constantly moving the ball around making the defence work and looking for an opening

Probably not moving the ball but committing the middle defenders either by digging into the line or great decoy lines

We don't really dig into the line although dyl has been doing so lately and asi does

Look at warriors attack last year. Really nice

We used to do it with run around with jnr, matto and lane but not so much since cauli flower left