McFadden signed until 2017

[hitman82]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11254062

Andrew McFadden has been signed as the Warriors' head coach to the end of 2017 NRL season.

The permanent appointment comes a month after the 36-year-old ex-Canberra, Parramatta and Melbourne playmaker was brought in as acting head coach.

In his first four games in charge the Warriors have had two hard-fought losses followed by impressive wins against Melbourne and Canberra to sit just outside the NRL's top eight.

On Saturday McFadden guided the side to a nine-try 54-12 rout of the Raiders, a club record winning margin against Canberra.

This followed the 16-10 Anzac Day victory over the Melbourne Storm, one of the most complete displays in the club's history.

McFadden welcomed the long-term responsibility.

"I'm hugely appreciative of the club giving me this opportunity,'' said McFadden.

"The past few weeks in the job have given me a valuable insight into the role and its demands.


To have the position through to the end of 2017 gives me certainty and the chance to plan our future with confidence.

"It's an exciting challenge for all of us as we seek to make the Vodafone Warriors a consistent force in the NRL. There's so much talent in this club but there's also so much work needed if we're to rise to the level we expect.''

Since McFadden took over the Warriors have shown vast improvement in both their level of effort and effectiveness in defence. In the past four matches they have conceded a total of just 63 points, an average of less than 16 points a game compared to an average of almost 28 in the first five rounds of the season.

Warriors owner Eric Watson said McFadden had done an outstanding job in transforming the side.

"I spent some time with Andrew when I was back in Auckland recently and we've had regular contact since,'' he said.

"I had the greatest confidence he was the right man to bring about the changes needed when he was appointed last month.

"We had a view when Andrew joined the club that he would develop into the next long-term head coach. He has already underlined the ability he has and we couldn't be more delighted to confirm his long-term future with the Vodafone Warriors.''

Scurrah said today's confirmation gave McFadden the opportunity to not only focus on the rest of the 2014 campaign with confidence but to also work with clarity on the 2015 season and beyond.

"We're already working on recruitment and other plans and it's critical to have Andrew fully involved as we map out our future,'' he said.

McFadden's first match as the club's fully-fledged head coach is ironically against the same team he made his NRL coaching debut against - Canterbury-Bankstown - at Eden Park on April 13.

On that occasion the Bulldogs stole a 21-20 win after the Vodafone Warriors had led 20-18 inside the last 10 minutes of the contest; the performance represented a quantum leap from the 6-37 loss to Cronulla a week earlier.

The Bulldogs have gone to the top of the competition since the Eden Park match, taking a run of six consecutive wins into Sunday's encounter at Waikato Stadium (4pm kick-off).

 

[reykaine]

good news.

 

[vvvrulz]

Great news, hopefully our dud seasons are behind us now.

 

[Rich102]

"I had the greatest confidence he was the right man to bring about the changes needed when he was appointed last month."

When have I heard that before?

Anyway - good move with McFadden. Now let's continue the rebuild.

 

[WellsNZ]

Great news. Now they actually need to remain committed to the bloke and give him the time needed to establish himself and the culture he wants to implement. They need to have his back and let him do what he feels he needs to do rather than let him become yet another scapegoat for the players if the shit starts to hit the fan.

 

[jaseg]

Good, and not surprising. His manager (I think it might have been Clinton Schifcofske) was on ABC grandstand radio after the Raiders game on Saturday hinting very strongly that he would be signing a long term contract and soon.

 

[Diesel]

Great news.

Was worried they'd stuff it up and sign Sheens.

I have faith that Cappy will turn around this team/club with some of the changes Elliott put in place with the u20->NSW->NRL succession

 

[The European Polynesian]

Feels like a knee-jerk based on the weekend's result. I would've preferred we sat on this for a while, given McFadden more time to prove himself before putting pen to paper. Hopefully his contract isn't torn up as quickly as it was made if we lose the next two...

 

[Rich102]

Contract? Didn't Elliott have one of those?
Didn't count for much when the club wanted him gone.

 

[JJ]

I am pleased, he seems like a good option...

But, I agree, the timing is just weird - sack a coach after a poor performance against a crap team, then offer another a contract after a decent performance against what looks like the worst team in the NRL by some margin...

So, not disagreeing with the contract, just the ad-hoc way things seem to be done, whatever happened to a measured approach...

 

[Meth]

He has shown good signs imo, but I thought we had to make the 8 first

 

[One Warrior]

I think this is great news, now lets hope the club back him, love the moves he has made so far and this will help with signing new players.

 

[sup42]

Well that's a relief.

There are coaches with more experience and all that but McFadden is ahead of them in terms of having relevant experience with the Warriors, observing the players quietly from a 2ic role. He knows who the slackers are , who manipulated the head coach, who got overlooked by the head coach, all that useful stuff a good non commissioned officer in the Military would would know about the troops to stave off mutinous behavior...that his superior cannot.

Changing the fundamental problems was something Elliot understood at an idealistic level very well ( talked the talk ) things like competition for spots , changing the DNA of the club. The one area where Matt Elliot did walk the walk was bringing the Under twenties and Vulcans in line with First grade.

Hind sights great but Andrew McFadden would have been in a stronger position had the Club moved Elliot to director of coaching before the relationship became untenable and thereby given Cappy ( that nickname is still growing on me...slowly ) a buffer between himself and Management. Elliot was clearly talented in terms of taking overviews of organisations.

The Warriors need someone to explore / review the development pathway fully that should be a separate role to the head coaches responsibilities.

Pre Mathew Elliot no one has achieved aligning the development of the best Junior talent pool in the World , including respected figures like Hart , Cleary , and long termers like Bell who has the benefit of seeing how it works at other places like Wigan ( one of the best clubs in the world at Junior development systems ).

I'm not bagging the Warriors , management had identified that Directing role for Elliot, if there is a criticism it is the Warriors sacking Elliot in the fashion they did as opposed to making a change management decision at the end of 2013 that would have left McFadden in an easier position , and the Club with an innovative thinker, lastly public relations disaster averted.

If anyone has conducted themselves in a way that makes a return to the Warriors possible , it's Elliot. He has been very shrewd with his tactful calm response to his departure from here , he maintains he cares about the players and the Warriors ( I'm not saying a return is likely ). As they say don't burn bridges.

I'm looking forward to seeing if McFadden in 2015 is able to solve 'the list' for a season.

1) Eighty minute efforts , a team that never loses through lack of effort ever.

2) A fundamental shift from a confidence team ( Shaun Johnson should be able to kick the ball out on the full , try the same play over and over till he get's it right , you need to know your team mates can soak up and defend those mistakes while players like Johnson are learning in game situations)

3) Recruiting rounded balanced players. NZ produces an abundance of gifted athletes. Until the Schools competition is well entrenched, quality spine players and players who play the one percenters have to continue to be imported , but instead of bringing in players in ones and two's, top NZ and Aus players need to be imported in numbers where all this talk of changing to a proffesional Culture is realistic.

4) Offensive defence. Line speed , Kick Chase, heavy hitters.

5) Clear structure to ground the New Zealand style of playing rugby league ( we need to import tactical kicking experience yesterday ) power running Big forwards ( we make lots of those , most are playing in Aus) support runners off offloads , a back line that can pass the ball and use the width of the park ( again until the schools comp throws up multiple options ) Stacey Jone's's , Henry Pauls , Shaun Johnsons , Clinton Toopi's , Ruben Wiki's...we need to import people who can pass the ball Like Matai , and step up our recruitment o young union players ( what an un tapped monster that is here ).

That's my little wish list. Get to it Cappy , not much to ask , having Mat Elliot there might have helped a bit, bringing in John Hart might have helped a bit , bring in Steve Price too ( recruitment officer Australian division , Dean Bell UK recruitment specialist ).

 

[vvvrulz]

He has shown good signs imo, but I thought we had to make the 8 first

We'll be there mate, we'll be there.

 

[sup42]

He has shown good signs imo, but I thought we had to make the 8 first

You're right , Wayne Schurrah made that edict ( a bit rich since two appointees under his watch couldn't do it with full preseasons ).
I thought the making the eight proviso was foolish.

Making the eight is likely to happen under a good coach , but this is the most disrupted season in Warrior history ( coach gone in round five ffs )....McFaddens tenure starts off a platform of the worst NRL results in the Warriors history too.

In that light it would take a coaching Genius ( or a fool ,I bet Bennett and Bellamy would have refused to 'clean up that mess or go on the chopping block' when they started their careers ).

Guaranteeing a finals appearance in a competition stacked with well prepared clubs , settled coaching structures , player harmony....Third party agreement Super power clubs.....well....bugger me......by that measure we've been the joke of the NRL for two years straight.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I like the guy, but do we really risk losing him if we don't sign him on the dotted line before we've seen a bit more proof of his coaching credentials?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I like the guy, but do we really risk losing him if we don't sign him on the dotted line before we've seen a bit more proof of his coaching credentials?

He's a coach- irrespective of his contract he's history if the team doesn't produce, we've seen that before. Signing him up now at least gives him and the team a good incentive and feeling of security to get on with the season with. Smart move IMO.

 

[vvvrulz]

I like the guy, but do we really risk losing him if we don't sign him on the dotted line before we've seen a bit more proof of his coaching credentials?

Its early days certainly but I've seen enough change after the Sharks game to be confident enough to sign him on. Would rather do this and close off any speculation instead of winging him as an 'interim coach'.

McFadden has to be the real deal for the medium term.

 

[Meth]

You're right , Wayne Schurrah made that edict ( a bit rich since two appointees under his watch couldn't do it with full preseasons ).
I thought the making the eight proviso was foolish.

I have a bet on with a mate. Do you remember an article that explicitly stated that re McFadden (not just Schurrah himself)

 

[Penrose Warrior]

He's a coach- irrespective of his contract he's history if the team doesn't produce, we've seen that before. Signing him up now at least gives him and the team a good incentive and feeling of security to get on with the season with. Smart move IMO.

I like it too, just mindful of a scenario where we are already paying two coaches, and have been so for a while.