Major Announcement at 12pm Today

[Newie is God's Country]

Rick Stone, firstly good luck mate. I will back him but I would hope he understands this is not a mickey mouse rebuilding era. Put up or shut up. Going and signing Mick Monaghan as his first duty will leave me stoked. He has Warrington firing.

 

[Frederick]

For those whinging that it's all about 'jobs for the boys', and wondering whether they actually interviewed anyone, they've been doing interviews all week, with Stones being the last one which was on Friday. And consider who else had applied...Steve Folkes, Graham Murray? No thanks. Michael Maguire would have been my only other pick, but even then how is he better than Stone? Maguire's been coaching since 2001, so about 8 years. Stone has been coaching for over double that, most of which was with Burleigh, where he also won three competitions in arguably the second strongest rugby league competition in the country. That, for me, is a big plus in Stone's favour. The other big thing going for him is that he was able to start immediately, which is what we all wanted. For everyone who has been wanting Smith gone ever since he signed with the Roosters (or even since he signed with us), but now whinging that Stone's got the job and it's all 'jobs for the boys'...you can't have it both ways.


So all of you, stop your goddamn bitching. Like a bunch of teenage girls on their periods, you all are.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

So all of you, stop your goddamn bitching. Like a bunch of teenage girls on their periods, you all are.

Really. That bad huh?

 

[Nuffy]

Tony, agreed.

Our roster is an area that always concerns me. I just can't see our team being worth the $4m+ price tag.

Even now, its better than its been, but I'm with you, its not than spectacular.

We must hope that Stone is sufficiently strong minded to weed out the deadwood and refresh the talent.

My worry is that as an insider that got the top job, will he have the courage to make the calls when they are required.

The two great Newcastle coaches were Reilly who was a sufficiently strong personality to cover any contingency and keep everyone in line and Ryan another strong personality who built the 2001 team that was gifted to Hagan.

Stone starts his FG career with the challenge in front of him and no net. There is no "rebuilding" period, its about results.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Nuffy]

Fred, if you are right then its quite a secret, as theres been zero in the media about interviews and nothing in todays announcement regarding the depth of the recruitment process.

 

[Frederick]

Fred, if you are right then its quite a secret, as theres been zero in the media about interviews and nothing in todays announcement regarding the depth of the recruitment process.

It's been well known for a couple of weeks that they had a shortlist of 6 coaches, and Tew himself said at todays conference that he'd spent the week interviewing.

 

[Alex28]

For those whinging that it's all about 'jobs for the boys', and wondering whether they actually interviewed anyone, they've been doing interviews all week, with Stones being the last one which was on Friday. And consider who else had applied...Steve Folkes, Graham Murray? No thanks. Michael Maguire would have been my only other pick, but even then how is he better than Stone? Maguire's been coaching since 2001, so about 8 years. Stone has been coaching for over double that, most of which was with Burleigh, where he also won three competitions in arguably the second strongest rugby league competition in the country. That, for me, is a big plus in Stone's favour. The other big thing going for him is that he was able to start immediately, which is what we all wanted. For everyone who has been wanting Smith gone ever since he signed with the Roosters (or even since he signed with us), but now whinging that Stone's got the job and it's all 'jobs for the boys'...you can't have it both ways.

Jesus Fred...calm down.

For starters...a few Queensland Cup premierships and an apprenticeship under Michael Hagan does not compare to what the Storm have achieved over the last 8 years that Maguire has been coaching there. No comparison.

Where did anyone suggest that the club didn't interview anyone else?

And your final point is just stupid. If we wanted Smith out, who else is going to take over? He's the f***ing Assistant Coach. Him taking over for the rest of the year, and him being appointed for the next 2 seasons are COMPLETELY different matters. Anyone who wanted Stone to take over for the rest of the year but someone else appointed next year is completely fair enough to think that way.

Dude...quite a rant...almost Karma-esque...

 

[Frederick]

For starters...a few Queensland Cup premierships and an apprenticeship under Michael Hagan does not compare to what the Storm have achieved over the last 8 years that Maguire has been coaching there. No comparison.

What, one premiership and a couple of runner up prizes? Plus, Maguire was only a bit player. Stone was head coach of the Bears for 12 seasons and took them to six grand finals, winning three of them, and only missed the finals once. So what if he served his apprenticeship under Hagan - if anything he would've picked up some man management skills, and working under Smith he would've picked up some technical coaching skills. You can't deny the guy doesn't have an impressive resume for a non-NRL coach.

 

[Frederick]

Where did anyone suggest that the club didn't interview anyone else?

Right here

The elephant in the room is the fact that it seems that the club didn't actually speak to anyone, do we know whether they actually formally interviewed Stone.

 

[Alex28]

What, one premiership and a couple of runner up prizes? Plus, Maguire was only a bit player. Stone was head coach of the Bears for 12 seasons and took them to six grand finals, winning three of them, and only missed the finals once. So what if he served his apprenticeship under Hagan - if anything he would've picked up some man management skills, and working under Smith he would've picked up some technical coaching skills. You can't deny the guy doesn't have an impressive resume for a non-NRL coach.

He is an NRL coach - a long-term Assistant Coach who has been at the club assisting in some pretty mediocre results. His Queensland Cup success has been the best part of a decade ago? Does he really know what needs to be done to succeed in the NRL today? His two previous head coaches really haven't had the answers, and what worked in the Queensland Cup would be considered archaic today.

You can't deny that Michael Maguire knows what needs to be done to succeed in the NRL. How exactly was he a bit player - because he doesn't have the profile of Bellamy or Kearney? Does that mean he did less than Kearney?

Most importantly...is the board going to give Stone the tools to succeed? Is the board going to give him some clear direction as to how the club is going to approach the immediate (2010) future of the club and go out to the market if/when we need to?

 

[Frederick]

He is an NRL coach - a long-term Assistant Coach who has been at the club assisting in some pretty mediocre results. His Queensland Cup success has been the best part of a decade ago? Does he really know what needs to be done to succeed in the NRL today? His two previous head coaches really haven't had the answers, and what worked in the Queensland Cup would be considered archaic today.

His last premiership with Burleigh was in 2004...one year before Maguire joined Melbourne

You can't deny that Michael Maguire knows what needs to be done to succeed in the NRL.

And how can you deny Stone does?

How exactly was he a bit playe

He wasn't the head coach, he was the assistant. When the Storm won in 2007, how many people were praising Maguire for all his efforts. How many people had even heard of Maguire?

Most importantly...is the board going to give Stone the tools to succeed? Is the board going to give him some clear direction as to how the club is going to approach the immediate (2010) future of the club and go out to the market if/when we need to?

Stone's already stated that fixing the juniors is a high priority for him, and that he has full backing from the board. As far as recruitment for next year, it's pretty much all done, so there's really not that much that needs to be done with the top squad.

 

[Serc]

ffs...I hit reply and the page comes up as a 404...HOW RUDE *shakes fist at LU server*

Ok now that the internets have eaten my post I shall start again, it went something like this:

Fred is right about the interviewing thing - Tew said in the press conference today that he has been part of 4 interviews (there may have been more the way he phrased it), and Stone was yesterday afternoon.

Link to interview here for those of you who missed it when Fred linked it earlier today.

I think given the way things have come together in recent weeks with the pressure on Smith and the selection process for the new coach, that the club had the opportunity to kill two birds with the one stone (yes, I honestly typed it the first time and accidently made a shocking pun - I'm typing it again so you all still get the laugh ) so perhaps they rushed things a little to achieve that.

Overall it will be a masterstroke if we get the results on the board next year, given what has happened to the teams results in the past month. Personally I have no idea how things are going to go...but i guess uncertain times can be exciting like that sometimes

 

[CJG 182]

So if he fails to get us in to the 8 next year is he a failure?

He has the team there.

Or is it only Smith who gets that treatment?

 

[Nuffy]

Fred

I've not heard the press conference so I can't speak to what Tew said. But, don't you think its unusual that;

Considering that all associated with the club have been saying that Smith was staying, if applicants were being actively interviewed by the club, then it would make the papers? The anti Smith section would use it just to twist the knife.

I for one, considering the daily circus this has been, find it incredible that Tew has been interviewing potential coaches and theres not a single word about it in the media all week.

Imagine the headlines, "Knights shortlist in running for top role", "Knights Chairman runs the ruler over contenders"

What have we seen or heard this week................................ nothing, nada, zip. Hard to believe.

This all happened very very quickly for a ordered, considered, thorough selection process. This morning, Smith was still in the frame to front the media about the Storm game.

Tew interviewed Stone yesterday, the board met yesterday and selected him, thats a unusually fast executive deliberation process? BAsed on Serc's comments about the timing of Stones interview, it was done in the afternoon, then the board met and made a decision then Smith was punted. Seems awful quick.

Or did Chief come back from holidays, on the warpath about the Parra game and the board met, collectively said "we got to stop the bloodletting", ran with the favourite and the announcement is made?

All that said, its done now, I want him to be successful because I want the team to be successful.

Good luck Rick Stone.

 

[Hanscholo]

But how poor is the timing? 2 days out from the game that will decide our 2009 future.

I have got to question the timing of this. Jesus they are all over the place. A lot of us wanted Smith gone straight away, but to do it two days before a game, after he had them in camp all week...ffs. Is it just me or has this been the most unprofessional handling of a coach in our entire history?

I am glad Brian is gone, though i would have liked him to be here another couple of seasons. We had to move him on though once he walked on next years deal. I just gotta question wether the knights management could have pulled their sh*t together with a little more decorum and honestly I would have liked to have seen 6-7 games with the knights under stone before we handed him the job for two years.

Good luck Mr Stone.

Does it not seem a little strange that we would only give Smith, a well respected coach, doing a good job a one year extension. Yet we offer Stone, an untried guy a two year deal. I can start to see in some way why Smith felt on the outside at this club. Anyway, i guess anything less than two years to brand new coach is unreasonable.

For what its worth to Brian Smith from my own behalf, thanks for giving me two years of enjoyable footy, thanks for getting us out of the sh*t, away from the wooden spoon and for allowing me to enjoy watching my side play again after so many years of horrendous performances. I hope you fail misserably at the Roosters, but i bet you dont.

 

[Hanscholo]

How is it managements fault that Brian Smith decided to walk out on his contract?

1. They let him go.
2. They refused to sign him to a better deal.

I dont think leaving was his primary option at any point. It was how it turned out, and management definetly played a role in that.

 

[Karmawave]

1. They let him go.
2. They refused to sign him to a better deal.

Which is exactly why the board got it right.

 

[Alex28]

Fred - all fo your arguments discrediting Maguire can be said about Stone - who outside of the club has really hard of Stone? How much credit does Stone get for the improvement of the Knights this year? Stone has just as much a bit player for the Knights as Maguire has been for the Storm. What it should have come down to is what each candidate could have brought to the team and to be honest the Knights could do with some of the way the Storm plays the game, the respect they have within the comp, their recruitment.

As for Stone's comments about recruitment - someone needs to tell him we are a halfback short and at this rate we are not only screwed for 2009, but his first year out of the two he has is screwed as well. Get looking.

 

[Pika]

Why do some of you guys think noone else was interviewed for the job?

 

[Alex28]

I do believe they were "interviewed" in some form...formal face-to-face interview, phone call, that doesn't matter...was the decision made weeks before the interviews were done? He's been a raging hot favourite for the role the whole time. I don't really think they took the other applicants seriously is all.

No disrespect to Stone - I think we all hope he makes a great fist of the job. The decision is made, lets hope he brings us a premiership.