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Sack Griffin

Fangs

Coach
Messages
11,387
I'm a sucker for punishment so I decided to watch the presser it's one of the shortest I've ever seen (2 mins 45 seconds) Hook looked dumbfounded like he had absolutely no idea and no answers he answered just one question while Ben Hunt did the rest and looked equally bemused just repeating it's disappointing over & over again. Made for truly depressing viewing.

That's where it got to eventually with Hook at Penrith. Players and staff had 0% confidence in him as a coach.
 

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,132
Griffin isn't a coach, he keeps showing it with poor selection, bench rotation and a lack of creative game planning. Whether people will give him any credit for it or not, he is a good roster manager and has a good eye for talent. As some people have said, he would be far more competent than Ben Haran in the GM role.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,027
I
Listening to Hook on the "official" RedV podcast (recorded after the Broncos game), he sounded very positive about the team, had a the best pre-season since he had been at the club and then went on to say how happy he was with the "balance" of the roster and depth in the club.

Our roster is filled with fringe first graders, the slowest outside backs and a team lacking any leadership.

I don't feel sorry for Hook. He's had a couple of years to turn us around but were regressing under him.
I disagree on it he fact the players spoke yesterday about how they feel to the news
The focus points of a game was chalk and cheese between the Bris and Sharks game
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,249
Griffin isn't a coach, he keeps showing it with poor selection, bench rotation and a lack of creative game planning. Whether people will give him any credit for it or not, he is a good roster manager and has a good eye for talent. As some people have said, he would be far more competent than Ben Haran in the GM role.
hmmm...He signs the likes of Mbye, McCullough, Sharon, Tika Massalla and Billy Burns...If he has an eye for talent, it must be a glass eye.
 

Parko1310

Juniors
Messages
1,132
hmmm...He signs the likes of Mbye, McCullough, Sharon, Tika Massalla and Billy Burns...If he has an eye for talent, it must be a glass eye.
Very surface level, anti-griffin take. Do I think he should continue as coach? Absolutely not. But I won't just roll over and accept over the top criticism on a guy who clearly has given our club the opportunity to head in the right direction roster-wise. Griffin walked into a club who had McInnes on ridiculous money for what he offered the team, Sims was on ridiculous money, de Belin was too, Norman was, Hunt was on 1.2 mil, Dufty was overpaid, Vaughn was on heaps of money, Lomax is on a fortune. The list goes on. Our salary cap was the worst it has ever been, we still haven't recovered from its terrible management. In 2 years, Griffin has gotten us into a position where we have cash to splash. Sims, Vaughn, Norman, Dufty, McInnes, all gone. You can look at the players they were replaced with on face value and say this isn't right, but it has actually been what is necessary to get our salary cap in shape.

Musgrove, Liddle have both been positive signings. Last year it was Moses Suli and Jaydn Su'a, who by the way, club management decided to overpay for meaning we had to restrict ourselves coming into this season as to who we could buy. But, they have been very good signings for us and who brought them here? Ben Haran didn't i'll tell you that much.

Hook debuted Sloan, Mat Feagai, Junior Amone, Toby Couchman along with others. Sullivan had played one game when hook got here, he's had more since. Ramsey got extended game time. Max Feagai has had more game time despite his unfortunate injury concerns.

The likes of Villiami Fifita, Alec Tuitavake, Haele and Sione Finau, Savelio Tamale all signing with the club after meetings with Hook, (Tamale could have gone to the roosters by the way). The St George Dragons are winning games in the SG Ball which is a massive rarity. Under Hook, guys like Loko Tonga, Carlos Pauli, Joven Gyemore have been brought into the club externally. For Illawarra, players like Jett Liu have been brought in externally. Dylan Egan, both Couchman boys, Zach Herring, Aaron Johnson, Lobb, etc, etc all got a taste of mixing it with the big boys in the St.Helens trial, showing our pathways development is improving drastically since Hook's arrival. Further, our Laurie Daley side just won the comp for the second year running.

So yeah, I'd probably say he's got a fair eye for talent and knows how to start building a successful pathways system.
 

RedVDave

First Grade
Messages
5,598
That's where it got to eventually with Hook at Penrith. Players and staff had 0% confidence in him as a coach.
He looked like he had absolutely no confidence in himself. I honestly don't think out tightass board will sack him though because they'd be admitting they were wrong and their money is tied up in leather calfskin prisons.
 

R&WTILLIDIE

First Grade
Messages
5,249
Very surface level, anti-griffin take. Do I think he should continue as coach? Absolutely not. But I won't just roll over and accept over the top criticism on a guy who clearly has given our club the opportunity to head in the right direction roster-wise. Griffin walked into a club who had McInnes on ridiculous money for what he offered the team, Sims was on ridiculous money, de Belin was too, Norman was, Hunt was on 1.2 mil, Dufty was overpaid, Vaughn was on heaps of money, Lomax is on a fortune. The list goes on. Our salary cap was the worst it has ever been, we still haven't recovered from its terrible management. In 2 years, Griffin has gotten us into a position where we have cash to splash. Sims, Vaughn, Norman, Dufty, McInnes, all gone. You can look at the players they were replaced with on face value and say this isn't right, but it has actually been what is necessary to get our salary cap in shape.

Musgrove, Liddle have both been positive signings. Last year it was Moses Suli and Jaydn Su'a, who by the way, club management decided to overpay for meaning we had to restrict ourselves coming into this season as to who we could buy. But, they have been very good signings for us and who brought them here? Ben Haran didn't i'll tell you that much.

Hook debuted Sloan, Mat Feagai, Junior Amone, Toby Couchman along with others. Sullivan had played one game when hook got here, he's had more since. Ramsey got extended game time. Max Feagai has had more game time despite his unfortunate injury concerns.

The likes of Villiami Fifita, Alec Tuitavake, Haele and Sione Finau, Savelio Tamale all signing with the club after meetings with Hook, (Tamale could have gone to the roosters by the way). The St George Dragons are winning games in the SG Ball which is a massive rarity. Under Hook, guys like Loko Tonga, Carlos Pauli, Joven Gyemore have been brought into the club externally. For Illawarra, players like Jett Liu have been brought in externally. Dylan Egan, both Couchman boys, Zach Herring, Aaron Johnson, Lobb, etc, etc all got a taste of mixing it with the big boys in the St.Helens trial, showing our pathways development is improving drastically since Hook's arrival. Further, our Laurie Daley side just won the comp for the second year running.

So yeah, I'd probably say he's got a fair eye for talent and knows how to start building a successful pathways system.
It’s not an anti-Griffin take. It’s just pointing out that some of the “talent” he signed should not have been signed. And I can guarantee that when the likes of Mbye, McCullough and Sharon were signed, nearly every Saints supporter were left scratching their heads. Meanwhile non-Saints supporters were pissing themselves laughing. Just like we’re laughing at Manly now that Sharon is being shopped over to them.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
11,387
He looked like he had absolutely no confidence in himself. I honestly don't think out tightass board will sack him though because they'd be admitting they were wrong and their money is tied up in leather calfskin prisons.

Similar to other clubs in this position, if its money they I get the reasoning for keeping him there. But I think that disregards the bigger picture. You are better off finding your new head coach now and signing him for an immediate start.
 

OneEyedDragon

Juniors
Messages
1,437
Similar to other clubs in this position, if its money they I get the reasoning for keeping him there. But I think that disregards the bigger picture. You are better off finding your new head coach now and signing him for an immediate start.
You make sense @Fangs , but unfortunately that is not "the Dragons way". I think the Board will bumble around for another month or two before they finally act.
 

Mojo

Bench
Messages
3,385
I disagree with this article. Telling Hook he could reapply at the end of 23 was simply stating the obvious. Even Hook himself has said this! If he manages to galvanise the team and work a miracle by the end of the year then he'll be considered. His coaching record at the Dragons has been deplorable though so of course the Dragons are looking for his replacement already. It would be irresponsible of the Board to not be doing so.
It's also hypocritical of Buzz to criticise the Board, given that he's been one of the main cynical and breathless hype-masters on the matter.
(PS: I'm hoping - desperately - that we're working on getting both Hasler and Ryles - both with players in tow).
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,991
Very surface level, anti-griffin take. Do I think he should continue as coach? Absolutely not. But I won't just roll over and accept over the top criticism on a guy who clearly has given our club the opportunity to head in the right direction roster-wise. Griffin walked into a club who had McInnes on ridiculous money for what he offered the team, Sims was on ridiculous money, de Belin was too, Norman was, Hunt was on 1.2 mil, Dufty was overpaid, Vaughn was on heaps of money, Lomax is on a fortune. The list goes on. Our salary cap was the worst it has ever been, we still haven't recovered from its terrible management. In 2 years, Griffin has gotten us into a position where we have cash to splash. Sims, Vaughn, Norman, Dufty, McInnes, all gone. You can look at the players they were replaced with on face value and say this isn't right, but it has actually been what is necessary to get our salary cap in shape.

Musgrove, Liddle have both been positive signings. Last year it was Moses Suli and Jaydn Su'a, who by the way, club management decided to overpay for meaning we had to restrict ourselves coming into this season as to who we could buy. But, they have been very good signings for us and who brought them here? Ben Haran didn't i'll tell you that much.

Hook debuted Sloan, Mat Feagai, Junior Amone, Toby Couchman along with others. Sullivan had played one game when hook got here, he's had more since. Ramsey got extended game time. Max Feagai has had more game time despite his unfortunate injury concerns.

The likes of Villiami Fifita, Alec Tuitavake, Haele and Sione Finau, Savelio Tamale all signing with the club after meetings with Hook, (Tamale could have gone to the roosters by the way). The St George Dragons are winning games in the SG Ball which is a massive rarity. Under Hook, guys like Loko Tonga, Carlos Pauli, Joven Gyemore have been brought into the club externally. For Illawarra, players like Jett Liu have been brought in externally. Dylan Egan, both Couchman boys, Zach Herring, Aaron Johnson, Lobb, etc, etc all got a taste of mixing it with the big boys in the St.Helens trial, showing our pathways development is improving drastically since Hook's arrival. Further, our Laurie Daley side just won the comp for the second year running.

So yeah, I'd probably say he's got a fair eye for talent and knows how to start building a successful pathways system.
I heard Scott Sattler say Hook is one of the very best in spotting young talent.
 

thebigredv

First Grade
Messages
5,342
I disagree with this article. Telling Hook he could reapply at the end of 23 was simply stating the obvious. Even Hook himself has said this! If he manages to galvanise the team and work a miracle by the end of the year then he'll be considered. His coaching record at the Dragons has been deplorable though so of course the Dragons are looking for his replacement already. It would be irresponsible of the Board to not be doing so.
It's also hypocritical of Buzz to criticise the Board, given that he's been one of the main cynical and breathless hype-masters on the matter.
(PS: I'm hoping - desperately - that we're working on getting both Hasler and Ryles - both with players in tow).
I don’t think Hasler and Ryles will do much with this crop of players. I feel Tallis is partly correct. I don’t know a whole heap about coaching, and this no real defence of our current sub-par head coach but I’ve seen enough from these players that they are are hard to coach.

Take the off field antics for starters - from the bbq to the no shows to the hammer to the hotel. They are displays of mental weakness. Then each week you see a lot of dumb stuff which show up their weakness as individuals and as a dynamic. The players should have to answer for the stupid penalties and the missed tackles. That’s squarely on them as professionals. Then there’s players like Bird who lose their marbles when heat is applied is another case in point.

The coach has failed to get results with the players he wanted. Didn’t look like scoring after half time yesterday, hardly ever holds players accountable by dropping them,inability to nurture talent… just some of his frailties. I’m just not sure I trust this group of players to be up to carrying out a game plan or have the mental and physical stamina when playing for a decent proven coach.

Get the broom.
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,509
I don’t think Hasler and Ryles will do much with this crop of players. I feel Tallis is partly correct. I don’t know a whole heap about coaching, and this no real defence of our current sub-par head coach but I’ve seen enough from these players that they are are hard to coach.

Take the off field antics for starters - from the bbq to the no shows to the hammer to the hotel. They are displays of mental weakness. Then each week you see a lot of dumb stuff which show up their weakness as individuals and as a dynamic. The players should have to answer for the stupid penalties and the missed tackles. That’s squarely on them as professionals. Then there’s players like Bird who lose their marbles when heat is applied is another case in point.

The coach has failed to get results with the players he wanted. Didn’t look like scoring after half time yesterday, hardly ever holds players accountable by dropping them,inability to nurture talent… just some of his frailties. I’m just not sure I trust this group of players to be up to carrying out a game plan or have the mental and physical stamina when playing for a decent proven coach.

Get the broom.
....and the garbage bins.
 

bathtime

Juniors
Messages
66
Not taking anything away from the bloke because hes a decent player but we were that bad yesterday with all the time he had to do whatever he liked we made Nicho Hynes look like Jonathon Thurston
Nico Hynes played as good as JT, almost perfect except when Hunt got one up. Hunt hasn't had good games since round 2, Reynolds and Hynes have given masterclasses. One thing , You can't blame Sloan he has done everything asked.
 

Phantom V

Juniors
Messages
410
Agree with the others Phantom V but not Flannagan, he did nothing for us as AC, he did nothing for us as R & R, yes he knew the playing group but what did he do to help out with our woeful attack and defense. We seem to be changing things with the 2 new AC's. We have never been in a position to roll the dice on anything and thats because we make stupid decisions at board level ie extended Hook's contract before a ball was kicked last season.
Fair call Justa, all valid points re Flanos lack of success but one wonders how much input he had with Hook running the show. I’d love to see Rylsie as coach provided he has a good support team behind him
 

twinkletoes

Juniors
Messages
920
Everyone is backing Ryles but I know very little of his coaching capabilities… I don’t think I’ve even heard him talk in recent times. Is he a good communicator? What skills does he have?? All I know is he’s been assistant to Bellamy and Robinson so you would hope he’s learnt some skills but then Adam Obrien has the same pedigree and I’m not overly impressed with him as a coach.
So can anyone fill me in??
 

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