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Rumoured Targets 3

Knight Tales

Juniors
Messages
2,345
Assuming Michael Maguire is sacked from the Tigers, do you think he might be the perfect assistant to bring in?

I’m not sold on him entirely but he’s a tough kind of character and I’d like that here. I think he could be a real compliment to AOB.
You don’t think he sees himself as exclusively a head coach? I agree he’d be an incredible assistant but I would be pretty cautious if he was my assistant cos basically he is ready made replacement if you fail.
 

Spot On

Coach
Messages
13,898
Unfortunately for Madge, being let go by clubs isn't go to help his chances of landing another head coach job imo.

There are 12 clubs that really are not very competitive or close to the top 6 teams in this comp (as it stands) and it doesn't look like any are falling over themselves to grab McGuire, for whatever reason/s.

Can't argue he is successful, the CV has two big ticks on it with Premierships here and in the ESL. But the same story surfaces about relationships with his players. Maybe his old school approach and personality does not sit well will today's players.

It surely WILL NOT sit will with our playing group either... unfortunatley.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,769
Is Maguire’s rapport with the playing group under question? I thought it was more a case of a basket case club trying to protect themselves by throwing the coach under the bus.

If he is sacked and club management stays the same, I can say with a high level of confidence that the new coach will be in the exact same position in 2-3 years time.
 

Spot On

Coach
Messages
13,898
Is Maguire’s rapport with the playing group under question? I thought it was more a case of a basket case club trying to protect themselves by throwing the coach under the bus.

If he is sacked and club management stays the same, I can say with a high level of confidence that the new coach will be in the exact same position in 2-3 years time.
Seems to be part of the reason - but I'm sure when it gets as messy as it is...there are many reasons/excuses....




HIGHS AND LOWS


Maguire’s greatest strength is his biggest weakness. Those who know him say he’s 11 out of 10 all day, every day. His intensity is exhausting.

When he was appointed, there was a view within the club that such an approach was exactly what was needed. But results have gone backwards in Maguire’s three years in charge, even as the coach benefited from a $2 million increase in football department spending since Jason Taylor was coach in 2016.

Maguire’s methods appear to have worn thin on certain players. Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have told the Herald that halfback Luke Brooks has not enjoyed his time under Maguire.

There’s a fear internally that the halfback and coach may not be able to work together next year.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
haha yep. Be interesting to see how long it lasts. He’s certainly under the most pressure next year. He needs to take a punt on younger players. He can’t expect the same group to do better. They need to cut ties with Luke Brooks as much as anything. He’s basically Ash Taylor but with a hundred more chances.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,316
Seems to be part of the reason - but I'm sure when it gets as messy as it is...there are many reasons/excuses....




HIGHS AND LOWS


Maguire’s greatest strength is his biggest weakness. Those who know him say he’s 11 out of 10 all day, every day. His intensity is exhausting.

When he was appointed, there was a view within the club that such an approach was exactly what was needed. But results have gone backwards in Maguire’s three years in charge, even as the coach benefited from a $2 million increase in football department spending since Jason Taylor was coach in 2016.

Maguire’s methods appear to have worn thin on certain players. Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have told the Herald that halfback Luke Brooks has not enjoyed his time under Maguire.

There’s a fear internally that the halfback and coach may not be able to work together next year.
Tigers can have a $50 mil budget and it won't make much difference if the culture and front office are rubbish.
They essentially have the same problem we had a few years back in that no one wants to go there.
 

Mr_Knightside

Juniors
Messages
2,155
I can’t see Madge settling for an assistant coach role given what he’s already achieved in the game. I think if he was sacked by the Tigers he would pick up another NRL head coach role sooner or later. I think anyone looking at the Tigers from the outside can see that he’s not the cause of their problems.
 

Woosh

Head Moderator
Messages
1,032
If you can't beat 'em, pinch their staff. The Newcastle Knights are currently going through one of the biggest back-room staffing shakeups in the club's history, no doubt hoping it will give them the best possible chance of turning a top eight finish this season into a top four finish in 2022. And they have raided premiership heavyweights Penrith and the Sydney Roosters to do it. In a direct response to the club's crippling injury toll over the past two seasons, there are currently sweeping changes being made in the Knights' high performance department following the appointment of Penrith's Hayden Knowles. The high-profile Knowles, who also looks after the NSW Blues Origin squad, is understood to be bringing as many as five new faces with him to work in strength, conditioning and rehab. The Knights will also have a new look medical department with long-time club doctor and newly awarded life member Neil Halpin stepping down. Coach Adam O'Brien has also secured the services of experienced analyst Dennis Russell, who has been one of Trent Robinson's right hand men at the Sydney Roosters for almost a decade. Among a host of staff casualties are head of high performance Balin Cupples and former Knights player, coach and youth academy manager Scott Dureau. It's understood both were still under contract for at least another season, as were a number of others who are all likely to be paid out. Cupples, who was brought to the club in 2019 from the Warriors by former coach Nathan Brown, was only re-signed at the end of last year. But he has been under immense pressure this season and has taken the fall due to the club's injury toll. Dureau, who is still dealing with serious health issues, has been at the club for six years, the past five in a fulltime capacity in coaching and development roles. Only this week, the Knights announced the appointment of Garth Brennan to head up an expanded pathways and development department. Garth Brennan says the door will be open for senior players from the local Newcastle competition to keep their NRL dreams alive as part of the club's new pathways model, citing Parramatta winger Maika Sivo as the perfect example of what is possible. "There is a message there for any local guy playing in the Newcastle comp who is over 21 who still might have dreams and aspirations," he said. "I'd like our NSW Cup side to have some of those players in there - players who maybe haven't given up on it altogether. "I want them to know that the dream is not necessarily out of reach and that there is still a pathway there for those players to get on the big stage or, in some instances, get back on the big stage." Brennan gave Fijian Sivo, who was 23 at the time, an off-season at the Panthers back in 2016 after seeing him score a heap of tries playing in the Ron Massey Cup competition. "Look at him now," he said. With Blake Green set to become a specialised halves coach across the entire club next season, the Knights' NRL Women's side will have a new coach when they finally make their debut in an expanded competition. CEO Phil Gardner told us this week he is hoping that coach will be a female. Former Knights centre Cory Denniss is back in town after three years on the road and will play with the Wests Rosellas in the local competition next season. Denniss played 18 NRL games for the Knights between 2016-18 before spending two years at South Sydney. He played Queensland Cup under ex-Knights coach Rick Stone at Burleigh Bears this year but only played a handful of games due to injury. Denniss' junior club Lakes were hoping to snare him but his former Knights Under 20's coach Todd Lowrie was too quick off the mark. Newcastle Knights' new $20 million centre of excellence at Broadmeadow is on target to be completed by the end of next month or the first week in November. But it won't become the club's official new base until early January with the Knights to remain at their current Mayfield headquarters for pre-season training up until Christmas. The reason? The club wants to give the grass on three new full-length training fields adjacent to the complex as much time as possible to develop. It's understood the club's entire playing group, including juniors and women's teams, will operate out of the centre of excellence. Knights prop Daniel Saifiti is the club's biggest chance of recognition at the Dally M Medal awards to be presented at the Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane on Monday night. We're hearing Saifiti, fullback Kalyn Ponga and centre Bradman Best are the only Newcastle players to snare invites to the awards. Superstar Manly fullback Tom Trobjevic is favoured to take home the major prize ahead of Penrith's Nathan Cleary and Souths' Cody Walker. Saifiti is vying with Penrith's James Fisher-Harris, Brisbane's Payne Haas and Eels prop Junior Paulo for a frontrow position in the team of the year.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Cheers for posting that. I think you have to be excited by all of that. Some great acquisitions IMO.

Shows there is a commitment and plan in place to make this place as strong as possible in the coming years.
 

Johns Magic

Referee
Messages
21,654
Interesting to read that Josh King took a pay cut to sign with the Storm. They talked about him as a money-ball signing they look for down there.

He’s a good chance of being in their top 17 I reckon.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
I thought he was minimum wage here...
He was haha. I guess whatever we offered he was happy to go there for less if that's the case.

That's a concern whether you think he's a loss or not. Hopefully we can turn ourselves into one of those clubs where you'd come here for less knowing you'll be doing your career justice and be a chance at finals each time.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,769
What was he offered at both clubs in terms of contract length? Lots of players take the safety of less money, but an extra year.
 

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