You're probably correct but something happened last week that provides some hope. That "something" allowed Lussick to be punted and Lane moved from permanent edge. We actually witnessed better D, Paulo finally had a go and ffs even Sivo raised his standed to average first grader. Early days but effort deserves support and they have mine with efforts such as last night.
I didn't say I won't support them. Of course I fu*kin do/will!!!
But, this team is getting on the older worn out and easily bruised side of things. Our back five don't carry the ball like the better other teams do to relive the tired old forwards burden and they have always bean on the mentally soft side of things. Not to mention one of our better forwards is a primo donna and only seems to play when he feels like it.
With so much riding on each and every result from here on in and the pressure that that brings, who here really thinks that they as a group will, under a decent enough but not great interim coach, all of a sudden find what was/has been missing 3 or so years ago when most of the senior part of this squad were at their peak...consistent ruthlessness and steely defence?
No it will be a bridge to far I'm afraid. Hell I expect a lost next week if the praise and back slapping keeps increasing. Definitely when Moses gets picked for SOO and misses the corresponding game.
We need a mini cleanout of this squad and a coach that can motivate players to perform close to their best almost every week. None of the coaches bar Cheika for mine have that in them. If Riles or the others were that great why are they still assistants and for so long? The way I see it, if you want to get a NRL gig and you are the bees knees, one sure way to fast track your career is to do a couple of years study behind a decent NRL coach and then you either are that good that a NRL team hears of your undeniable prowess ala Bellemy and snaffles you up quick smart or you throw your hat in the English SL ring ala Robinson or Burgess and cut your teeth for 2 or 3 years there being your own man and learning from the ground up and doing it all there, mistakes and all and then if you are quality you are then ready to go in the NRL...like Burgess will be in a couple of years.
As for the candidates who are both former NRL Rabbitohs coaches that have apparently shown an interest, I don't rate them as strategist or motivators which is what we as a big club need.
I really hope they interview Cheika. I would be very surprised if they did that they wouldn't be highly impressed compared to the others. The cupboard is quite bare at the moment which they have brought this on for themselves, but it is what it is. I just wish the have the balls to think outside the box and see the undeniable qualities in someone like Cheika and all he brings to a head coaching job at Parra. The just need to know what he lack in NRL tactics wise is easily covered with high quality assistants. But what he brings as an influence on young men and character building and motivation around that are very unique and difficult to find. Not to mention the publicity and sponsors that he will generate too. He would be a magnet in more then just one way for our club.
The main hurdle will be he will need to have fairly quick success, otherwise the press will turn and attack like they always do, but that would happen to whoever we pick anyway. But if he were to be successful he will be a golden child for the press and sponsors like only the very elite coach are. That alone for mine is a good enough reason to appoint him as head coach over all the others who none have the same kind of attraction. If Cheika is successful he would be a player recruitment magnet.
And if we can finally restructure our pathways correctly, who knows we might end up having a decent shot at winning the dammed thing before before Cheika's mate and our best player Moses finally retires. I can't believe finally after Sterlo, we have one of the best halves in the comp but now we don't have the coach or produce the players around him to jag a comp. Only at Parra.
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