I think I've written the words "performance-based culture" a thousand times on this site over the many years I've been writing blogs and comments here. It's always been my view that you will never achieve sustainable success until you manage to put in place a performance-based culture. What does that mean? You can't have that without a number of things being in place. 1) A well-communicated, clearly understood top-line objective that every member of the team understands 2) A well-planned breakdown of individual responsibilities, with clear KPIs which form the basis of your rewards and consequences 3) Commitment and accountability at an individual level to achieve those KPIs and systematic processes for ensuring that takes place and the removal of individuals who repeatedly fail to meet the required outcomes.
Now, you don't know how any organisation really runs until you're inside of it, but particular in recent years since I've been close enough to get any understanding about the way things have been run, I've not had any belief that this is the way our club operates. I think Kearney wanted to bring some of this to the club, based on his Melbourne experiences, but I don't think he was a strong enough character to put it in place. Nor do I feel we've had experienced enough managers at any level for a long time, or the resources to execute this kind of organisational behaviour for many years.
So having just listened to Ricky Stuart's recent press conference, I cannot tell you how happy I was to hear the "accountability" mantra, come up on at least three occasions during the five minutes or so that he was interviewed.
We all know that every year, regardless of who is coaching, we hear the same old cliches. It's the toughest year of pre-season training, there is a strong bond with players who will play for each other, etc, etc. The thing I've liked about Stuart so far is when he says he wants accountability, I for one, believe it. I believe Stuart is a true leader. He's a little bit scary, but he also comes across as no bullshit.
Asked if he believed he had something to work with, with the existing roster, he didn't fall into any politically correct clichés, he simply stated rather plainly that he had to review everything before he was going to form any opinion on that front. Just in the way he handled that answer, if you're a player then you'd be a little nervous about your place in the club.
I thought Kearney was actually pretty good in that respect, but I don't believe Kearney ever had real authority especially over some of the senior players. With an administration that didn't really back him, it always felt like he was talking tough but not really ever able to put his stamp of authority over the team. Kearney was always more one of the boys than the boss, in my view.
Stuart already feels like boss. You even compare some of the answers Jarryd Hayne has given in regards to Stuart compared to some of the answers he gave re: Kearney which showed a real lack of respect, to see a very noticable difference already. Stuart has won premierships, he has coached the national side and NSW Origin. You have to take him seriously.
At the same time, I also like how Stuart said that his number one objective was to have the players wanting to get back to training. It's not that difficult to just be a hard-arse, but you can't enforce discipline or get results if you don't at the same time inspire enthusiasm. It also shows him establishing his own level of accountability - "it's my job to get these boys motivated".
Finally, I like how Stuart talks about "the club". It's a handy reminder that accountability and getting this kind of performance-based culture in place, has to come from the top-down. It's probably fair to say, it hasn't been a characteristic of our club's off-the-field in recent years as various folk have scurried about looking for cover in the light of our poor results. That's got to change too.
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Well articulated, exactly my feelings on Ricky n the club, his to the point no bullshit nature is like a breath of fresh air, he is a leader and i think he has the traits that will command respect off his players, imo he was the best coach on offer at the time n thank god we got him..
^^^^^^ LIke
I just hope that we play some great footy all year round, because we haven't had a side do that since 2005. We don't have to be the best in the comp but if we can work on what we've got we'll be a consistent top 8 team in 1-2 years, a consistent top 4 team in 5-6 years and powerhouses of the comp in 9-10 years. With the recent signings of 2 young and hopefully promising NZ juniors we'll breed a culture of excellence from the grass-roots to the NRL level for a very long time
This is what urinates me off. In 2014 - 2015 I expect us to be in a Grand Final. At the end of 2013 we will have a massive amount of players coming off contract. I read somewhere we will have atleast 14 players coming off contract and with the salary cap rising each year for atleast the next 3 years I don`t see why we can`t do exactly what the friggin bulldogs do. And that is to sign up to 14 players if need be.
I remember a few years ago they actually went out and bought around 14 players and that year they had 8 players recieve Dally M medals. Then again, this year they bought who they needed to buy and they`re favourites to atleast play in the grand final. And even though they are where they are, they still friggin go out and buy whoever they want and re-sign just about their entire squad for next year (except J.Wright) the cheating bastards.
Look how many teams in the past 5 or 6 years have gone from spooners to grand finalists and visa versa.
I don`t see why we can`t be seriously challenging for the title in 2014 not just when Hoppa comes but when we "do a bulldogs" and go out and buy any players we want to join him as well. Especially as we will have heaps of money to buy whoever we want because of the 14 or so players we have coming off contract at the end of 2013.
Add to that our very best up coming talent and we really can be Premiers in 2014. Why friggin not ?
Look at Canberra this year, they reached the finals without Campese, Brett White, Bronson Harrison, and for so many weeks without either Tom Learoyd Lahrs or David Shillington or both missing at the same time. They went out and bought Sandor Earl and Blake Ferguson, promoted their best juniors and made the friggin top 8. And once again I remind you they did it without the above mentioned stars.They just didn`t progress past week 2 because they weren`t as pumped up as they were in week 1 of the finals when they played at home. Everyone knows the Raiders are a different team at home compared to away games.
WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN BLOODY DO IT SO EASILY IN 2013 AND THEN WIN THE PREMIERSHIP IN 2014. RICKY STUART WILL FIX THEIR ATTITUDES AND WE WILL BE IN TOP 8 IN 2013.
In terms of "the club" angle - I know Ricky is keen to include Wenty &NYC in training and social activities. He has already flagged that as something he wants to see as an improvement in the club. Not many people would be aware that as well as keeping the NRL squad training through to the grand final he has also kept a big group of the NYC boys training as well. On Thursdays the NRL & NYC train together showing he means what he says.
Do you know who the players are that he's kept back from the NYC?
lol, crow you idiot, lol
I think Ricky will be able to get the senior players to buy into the way he wants to take the club forward. The horror-tahs in rugby are similar to Para coming off a poor season and appointing a new coach. There is a good yarn in the SMH today where they interview the new coach Michael Cheika. He talks about grooming a team with as much ''dog'' in its DNA as ''flair''. I can really see Ricky doing something similar with us in that he will make the group much tougher and they will play tougher.
Cheika says: I think I've got to balance between making a few immediate decisions around structure, a timetable of when we're going to do certain things in terms of preparation for the coming season and be really clear with the expectation of what I'm expecting as far as the whole lifestyle. Not just how I expect you to train but the whole way of life that leads to being well-prepared, not getting injured, that sort of way of life. And then seeing how guys buy into that.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/i-can-make-a-differenc...
No I don't Ham. I assume it's the players that are eligible to play next season.
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