Warriors EOS awards.

[Meth]

I sort of agree with this. It's an easy narrative to blame us but is Brad Arthur a super coach? It was more probably that Papali'i (and so many others) cruise in their home town and around their mates if they're getting picked, then move and have to bar up in a new environment.

There's definitely an element of this, but Arthur really seems to have tapped in to Papali'i to get the best out of him. Not saying he's a super coach. I'd suppose every decent coach has a few of these relationships in him. The best have more.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Ironically part of why Melbourne especially are so successful- nobody there is in their local comfort zone. Even the few players who come from the Victorian system would feel like they have to prove themselves to the big names from the League states.

Agreed. And when they had Bellamy, C.Smith, Slater, Cronk etc you couldn't come into that system and cruise. You'd be gone in 2 seconds flat. We had a similar set up with Cleary, Price, Wiki etc. No one was allowed to f**k around, or there's Mt Smart #2 - go play there for the Vulcans. Luck in particular drove that hard as hell, although towards the end he had too much incompetence around him

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Quite right about having leaders by example that drive standards at the club

In Papaliis case, he had Adam Blair as his example. He would have come through the juniors having to put no work in, then seen Blairy lark around on the park with zero consequences under Kearney

Heading into a club filled with harder working Aussies probably woke him up a touch to what needs to be done to be a professional athlete

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Quite right about having leaders by example that drive standards at the club

In Papaliis case, he had Adam Blair as his example. He would have come through the juniors having to put no work in, then seen Blairy lark around on the park with zero consequences under Kearney

Heading into a club filled with harder working Aussies probably woke him up a touch to what needs to be done to be a professional athlete

Exactly right. Adam Blair was always a shit signing for that reason. I feel like he improved slightly in his last year, but signing a guy who basically said losing to Fiji was no biggie in a World Cup - and had been dialling it in at any club that wasn't the Storm - to an already lacklustre 'professional' environment like ours was always going to be a poor decision.

 

[Cloudsurfer]

When you're a diehard fan for many years its hard to lift your head up and see what's happening. BMM was always a risk & his character is a question mark imo...you play where you're asked to play. Also, he's put on weight not because of training but because he's indulged himself over Covid. His go to is comfort yourself first I've heard...
Re Papa'ili, why should he be embarrassed? He did well for the Warriors first year, dropped in the 2nd yer (as a lot of them do) but he just needed someone to simplify his game (which Arthur did)...Warriors should be embarrassed they didn't keep the faith lol. But everyone scapegoated Kearney who did. Not saying SK was the right person to be there long-term but he knew what was needed to build. Hey, but history now lol. As for Peta Hiku, same SK recruitment for the right reasons and now cries for letting him go...and on, and on, annd on

 

[Meth]

I feel like he improved slightly in his last year

me too

unlike Maloney, who phoned it in for his last year.

 

[JJ]

When you're a diehard fan for many years its hard to lift your head up and see what's happening. BMM was always a risk & his character is a question mark imo...you play where you're asked to play. Also, he's put on weight not because of training but because he's indulged himself over Covid. His go to is comfort yourself first I've heard...
Re Papa'ili, why should he be embarrassed? He did well for the Warriors first year, dropped in the 2nd yer (as a lot of them do) but he just needed someone to simplify his game (which Arthur did)...Warriors should be embarrassed they didn't keep the faith lol. But everyone scapegoated Kearney who did. Not saying SK was the right person to be there long-term but he knew what was needed to build. Hey, but history now lol. As for Peta Hiku, same SK recruitment for the right reasons and now cries for letting him go...and on, and on, annd on

Wow that’s a fresh, but unsurprising take

I’m not convinced by Brown, but Kearney was literally the worst fist grade coach I can think of, people will say Langmack I guess, but Kearney stunk up two clubs in monumental ways, and yet the BMM occasional person thinks he was a blameless victim in both cases….

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Wow that’s a fresh, but unsurprising take

I’m not convinced by Brown, but Kearney was literally the worst fist grade coach I can think of, people will say Langmack I guess, but Kearney stunk up two clubs in monumental ways, and yet the BMM occasional person thinks he was a blameless victim in both cases….

The first club was already stunk up...should never have gone there thinking he could change anything...look how long its taken them since & what happened to get there, none of which was Kearneys fault nor was he given any real time to make a difference, cracks me up that Eels or anyone else thinks that was his fault & I'm not even a real fan - just hate how people judge. Perhaps thats his actual role, be scapegoat so things actually happen?
Re. Brown, hopefully the right timing and the right person for some kind of transition...not convinced either way

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The only thing I can say is that Kearney is absolutely hopeless. Watch the guy talk. I feel the same about Ian Foster. Has there been a successful coach in any sport around the world that is either a pretty sub-par public speaker (Kearney) or is as uninspiring as Foster?

 

[Meth]

Wow that’s a fresh, but unsurprising take

I’m not convinced by Brown, but Kearney was literally the worst fist grade coach I can think of

Tony Kemp was worse

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Tony Kemp was worse

I’d also rate Bluey worse than Kearney. He took a grand final team to spoon contenders in half a season.

 

[Meth]

I’d also rate Bluey worse than Kearney. He took a grand final team to spoon contenders in half a season.

ugh remember that press-conference?

 

[JJ]

Tony Kemp was worse

I've repressed him from my memory

 

[Meth]

Its interesting that you specify 'first grade coach' though- Kearney, and Bluey, probably had the kind of skillset which made them decent representative coaches (like Meninga), but not what's needed for a week to week role.

 

[JJ]

Its interesting that you specify 'first grade coach' though- Kearney, and Bluey, probably had the kind of skillset which made them decent representative coaches (like Meninga), but not what's needed for a week to week role.

No doubt, both did well there and Bluey in the UK where the season is long but many games can be won phoning it in

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Its interesting that you specify 'first grade coach' though- Kearney, and Bluey, probably had the kind of skillset which made them decent representative coaches (like Meninga), but not what's needed for a week to week role.

Kearney is also a proven assistant coach. He just doesn’t have whatever the nous is for NRL head coaching.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

No doubt, both did well there and Bluey in the UK where the season is long but many games can be won phoning it in

I remember hearing that Bluey’s record in the UK was pretty much like Michael Hagan at Newcastle, he basically inherited a team that coached itself.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The only thing I can say is that Kearney is absolutely hopeless. Watch the guy talk. I feel the same about Ian Foster. Has there been a successful coach in any sport around the world that is either a pretty sub-par public speaker (Kearney) or is as uninspiring as Foster?

Don’t think we call him successful, but Anthony Griffin is the most dour guy I’ve heard