Mark O'Neill

[Legal Eel]

This was the first year since 2019 that we've lost more than we've won. That doesn't suggest any problem with recruitment/retention at all. Should we never win fewer than 13 games in a season? It's bullshit. A bunch of merkins were badly out of form this year and the coach has paid for it. That suggests there's nothing wrong with the squad.

Poor BA

Reckon he needs a cuddle or a bit if a hug...you should get on that.

This is your revisionist history as usual - BA was sacked because of his outdated strategies, his poor defensive structures and terrible results and his preference of certain players with whom he either had personal relationships or personal loyalties.

Basically, it was time and we are now starting to see the benefits of a rejuvenated club with more revitalization to come.

I understand it hurts your heart to see someone make the type of changes of which BA was incapable, but try to understand that most true Parra fans are happy with the prospect of change and are hopeful of success...

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Poor BA

Reckon he needs a cuddle or a bit if a hug...you should get on that.

This is your revisionist history as usual - BA was sacked because of his outdated strategies, his poor defensive structures and terrible results and his preference of certain players with whom he either had personal relationships or personal loyalties.

Basically, it was time and we are now starting to see the benefits of a rejuvenated club with more revitalization to come.

I understand it hurts your heart to see someone make the type of changes of which BA was incapable, but try to understand that most true Parra fans are happy with the prospect of change and are hopeful of success...

No if that was the case he would’ve been sacked years ago. Except we were strong every year until this year, proving his coaching ability is fine. He rebuilt the club after two wooden spoons, the salary cap scandal and a second wooden spoon, all the way to a grand final. Losing players after that was due to the salary cap, not because he couldn’t coach.

 

[Eelogical]

No if that was the case he would’ve been sacked years ago. Except we were strong every year until this year, proving his coaching ability is fine. He rebuilt the club after two wooden spoons, the salary cap scandal and a second wooden spoon, all the way to a grand final. Losing players after that was due to the salary cap, not because he couldn’t coach.

The main problem that people have is that his coaching took us nowhere (in reality) after a decade. We've had a lot of disastrous losses along the way including of which that Jekkyl & Hyde factor never left us. The 2022 final against the Cowboys was his finest achievement. From there it's been a slide. That brought us to 2024 - annus horribilis. We can chew it six ways til Sunday but at the end of the day it's really time to acknowledge that BA did what he could with what he had, but it wasn't enough. Anyway, I'm getting old so somebody better do something about another premiership win before it's too late.

 

[King-Gutho94]

The main problem that people have is that his coaching took us nowhere (in reality) after a decade. We've had a lot of disastrous losses along the way including of which that Jekkyl & Hyde factor never left us. The 2022 final against the Cowboys was his finest achievement. From there it's been a slide. That brought us to 2024 - annus horribilis. We can chew it six ways til Sunday but at the end of the day it's really time to acknowledge that we BA did what he could with what he had, but it wasn't enough. Anyway, I'm getting old so somebody better do something about another premiership win before it's too late.

That's a fair summary of the BA era.

 

[Incorrect]

The main problem that people have is that his coaching took us nowhere (in reality) after a decade. We've had a lot of disastrous losses along the way including of which that Jekkyl & Hyde factor never left us. The 2022 final against the Cowboys was his finest achievement. From there it's been a slide. That brought us to 2024 - annus horribilis. We can chew it six ways til Sunday but at the end of the day it's really time to acknowledge that we BA did what he could with what he had, but it wasn't enough. Anyway, I'm getting old so somebody better do something about another premiership win before it's too late.

this

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The main problem that people have is that his coaching took us nowhere (in reality) after a decade.

Every win was good, and there were a lot of them in that decade. It's a pretty big sample, and certainly more wins than the previous decade.

We've had a lot of disastrous losses along the way including of which that Jekkyl & Hyde factor never left us.

It's not like it only started when Arthur's took over. No team is up every week, and only the elite teams can have an off week and not get flogged. We haven't had an elite squad since 1986 ffs

The 2022 final against the Cowboys was his finest achievement. From there it's been a slide. That brought us to 2024 - annus horribilis. We can chew it six ways til Sunday but at the end of the day it's really time to acknowledge that BA did what he could with what he had, but it wasn't enough.

I agree with all of this. It doesn't mean Brad Arthur is a poor coach, nor does it mean he harmed the club. We had some great victories in the past 11 years, and when have we ever had a season without conceding 30, 40 or 50 points in games? Even the 2001 side conceded 30 on two occasions (both against the Knights) and Brian Smith was a proper genius. We haven't had a coach that smart since and probably never will again.