No time to celebrate for incoming Eels coach

Brad WalterNovember 15, 2010WITHIN hours of New Zealand's victory in the Four Nations final, Stephen Kearney was already focusing on his new job as Parramatta coach.While the Kiwis continued their celebrations in Brisbane, Kearney last night flew to Sydney to prepare for his first day at Eels training.''I had contact with [head trainer] Hayden Knowles last night,'' Kearney said. ''He actually came up [for the game]. Hayden, Brad Arthur, Peter Sharp and Matt Cameron have been doing a good job putting in place the programs we came up with, and so far it has been going really well.''Advertisement: Story continues belowAfter biding his time at Melbourne as Craig Bellamy's right-hand man while waiting for the right opportunity to coach in the NRL, Kearney said he was excited to be starting at the Eels.''I realise the enormity of the role, but I am looking forward to coaching the footy team given what I have got to work with,'' he said. ''So far they have responded very well so I am looking forward to it.''The first area Kearney plans to work on is defence, but he said their attack also needed improvement.Despite boasting the likes of Jarryd Hayne, the Eels last season managed to score just 413 points - the second worst attacking record after Cronulla, who scored 354.''That is an area we need to work on but I want to get the other side right first so our focus … is going to be on our defence, and working through our structures so that everyone is on the same page,'' Kearney said.After taking the Kiwis to World Cup success in 2008, Kearney's coaching reputation was further enhanced by Saturday night's 16-12 win over the Kangaroos, and his decision to have all of his playmakers - Benji Marshall, Nathan Fien, Issac Luke, Thomas Leuluai and Lance Hohaia - on the field in the dying stages of the match proved a masterstroke.With New Zealand due to host Australia in Christchurch in May and then travel to Britain for the end-of-season Four Nations tournament, Kearney said he didn't believe the Kiwis job would have any impact on his role with Parramatta.''I don't think it is a problem. I think I have got a lot of good people with me in terms of the staff, and they have a good understanding of what we are all working towards,'' he said. ''I have only missed the first two weeks of pre-season training, and during the year it is not an issue. Juggling the time, it is probably the family time that is going to be more affected but we will work that out.''■ Star South Sydney recruit Greg Inglis will have his first training session with the club today but is unable to perform any media or promotional duties until he resolves a dispute over an unpaid legal bill.Melbourne granted Inglis a conditional release from his contract after he signed with Souths but he is only allowed to train with the club.Source. SMH.http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/no-time-to-celebrate-for-incoming-eels-coach-20101114-17stv.html

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  • Good to see SK has his priorities right.

    Parra first - with contingency plans in place when he has international duties.

    Love the bit about GI - Storm could still screw him with the "conditional" release.
    This is probably the only time in my life I would support the Storm and their actions LOL
  • It will certainly be a balancing act for him wearing 2 hats.
  • I too would support the Storm in this decision.

    At the end of the day he is still contracted with the Storm until the end of 2012, people seem to forget that he was only released to join Brisbane because of the Family thing, to sign with Souths without honouring his current contract could be a very embarrassing lesson young GI needs to learn.

    IMO the Storm need to make an example of Inglis and force him to honour his contract or sit out of the competition (without pay) until the current contract is up, St George did it with Gordon Tallis, same happened to Ruben Wiki!
  • With all our prospective signings falling into a hole I believe Stephen will have his work cut out improving our attack because (and no disrespect intended) we just don't have the calibre of player to create and take the right options and opportunities and we cannot rely soley on Jarryd for all our attacking options.
    2011 is going to be a very long year and I'm already depressed about our chances. But there is no chance in hell I could support any other team and if I didn't leave in the early 90's there's no way I'm going anywhere. I just hope someone at the club realises the continual frustration us fans are feeling and for God's sake they need to get a real recruitment officer who will not sit on his arse until everyone available is gone then go shopping for retirees (someone needs to be held accountable)
  • I feel u Brett. Rod Reddy has to go. but i believe this coach in 2 years or maybe in one...will make us a great team regardless of our squad. we do have some great players here and he will get the best from them. our defence will be our backbone.

    look at the kiwis holding the aussies to 12 points and the first try shouldnt of happened. he proved that the players wanted to play for him .

    if he brings that storm attitude and we respond...we will be a force trust me. our attack will come from our defence being strong and wearing down teams like st.george do.

    i know it might be boring but look at the last 5years where st,george and melbourne have dominated. defence and strangling teams then the attack will come. thats how you win games in this era. co incedence that wayne bennett and craig bellamy have been the the coaches of these two teams? i dont think so. Kearney has learnt off both these guys.

    we made a good choice with him. have faith.

    look forward to the year.
  • Thanks Richard, I am very happy that we signed Kearney just no so happy about the attacking options we have been left with due to Reddy's ineptitude and DA"s beligerence towards certain players
  • Don't get me wrong I think SK will go ok.
    I just worry that without someone that can "make something happen out of nothing" like Benji in the halves (I know we have the Hayne train or plane it's just he doesn't have 6 or 7 on his back) we are going to struggle for the first year at least while we hopefully bring the 2 young halves we picked up through to first grade.

    I just hope at the end of the day the club give him the time to put the plan in place and not get all chop happy like they did with DA.
    Because I think the team will need more than a year to sort it out IMO.
  • I thought it was a very curious move by Kearney to pull Isaac Luke from the field when he did and then put him back on in the dying stages. It ended up being OK in the end but if the Kiwis hadn't scored that last minute try I am sure there would have been questions asked today. It looked a bit pre meditated and unnecessary and Luke was really getting the Kiwis on a roll, they could actually have put the game away earlier if he has stayed on the field.
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