I know this is debated a lot but thought id quicky cut and paste some numbers into the discussion. The Knights loss yesterday brings BA's overall record in games as head coach to 62 Wins and 74 Losses. Over those 136 games we've conceded around 400 more total points than we've scored.
During his full seasons in charge (excl 2016), this is how we've looked on the ladder:
2014 Finish 10th , Won 12 Lost 12. PF 477 (9TH) PA 580 (13TH) FA -103 (11TH)
2015 Finish 12th, Won 9 Lost 15. PF 448 (12TH) PA 573 (13TH) FA -125 (12TH)
2017 Finish 4th, Won 16 Lost 8 PF 496 (8TH) PA 457 (8TH) FA +39 (9TH)
2018 Finish 16th , Won 6 Lost 18 PF 374 (16TH) PA 550(13TH) FA -176 (15TH)
2019 Current 5th Won 4 Lost 3 PF 163 ( 3RD) PA 125 (7TH) FA +38 (5TH)
So where does it sit with you guys I think there's been a marked improvement in our style of play. We are playing with much more width in attack and ball movement. Mahoney has been the biggest help in the width as we have a dummy half who can actually throw a nice pass. How this wasn't addressed earlier who knows. For the first time in Brads tenure we have some good juniors coming through. Their development was fast tracked by a disgusting 2018 season though , where many of these players wouldnt have been given a chance had we been in finals contention throughout the season. So in other words I feel these young dudes who have injected a lot into our side weren't really the plan but its the road we've gone because BA's plans lead to dead ends.
Defensively Sivo has improved one of our flanks immensely.Again, not sure if that was by design or accident as I suspect George Jennings was going to be given first crack. Our effort in defence has been markedly improved barring yesterday which was a throwback to 2018.
Our discipline has improved a lot as a whole , again , except for yesterday.
I still think we still struggle to bring an effort to away games. Our effort in games in Sydney is much better than games where we travel. This has been a common theme in sides he's coached. Whatever is being done to address our attitude on the road isn't working. I think it comes back to lack of leadership and not enough mental toughness.
From where I sit it feels like Brad is learning from mistakes on the job , and his coaching is very reactionary. I don't think what i've seen this year is a big enough improvement overall to not at least see what else is out there. I'm not sure there's any better though? The club is doing the right thing by giving this as long as possible to play out.. I don't think them or any of us can be convinced he is the right man for the job with the overall record of his tenure not very flattering. I just hope we're sourcing out possible alternatives to at least give us options.
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It’s hard to judge BA. On these stats he don’t look to good. But he’s had to put up with a season with points removed and the board driven salary cap debacle.
Last year was a bad look.
GW& F: You are right to emphasize that the use of juniors was not the plan. It came out of the review. They have been a success. If it was left to Arthur he would have cut them rather than use them. Or, as you put it, BA`s plans lead to dead ends.
Exactly, I've seen him defend his record with the juniors coming through as well. Where apart from this crop the only one he's really bought through in 5 years was Bevan French and his development has been a disaster.
I don't think the answer is a short term 1 or 2 year deal. We need stability with the next coach, I'd hope the board actually has an idea by now and doesn't just settle for medicore because 'its better than last season',,, last season should never have been as bad as it was. This season should be compared against 2017 imo.
Robert sorry but it’s a little incorrect to suggest the juniors being placed was due to the review... and there were a few promoted well and truly before the review. What makes you believe Brad would’ve “cut rather than use” impressive Nuikore and Mahoneyfor eg?
Spose we could’ve dropped Moses and or Norms but would’ve been a little rough debuting Brown into a side struggling desperately to avoid the spoon.
I think you've glossed over a lot of the work that's been done by Brad and our wider coaching unit. Our juniors have been developing under BA since 2014. They've developed some guys from the SG Ball and Harold Matts teams while poaching some up and coming juniors. The plan was always to have them involved at some point in 2018 and 2019.
BA thought he'd solved his hooker problem when we bought Nathan Peats. 2016 meant we lost him and top-shelf hookers don't hit the market every week. Thinking about it. Peats is really the only high profile hooker who has switched clubs in the last five years. Granville (Cows), McCullough (Brisbane), Cam Smith (Storm), Friend (Roosters), have all been bedded in at their clubs and were never available. Damien Cook was playing reserve grade when Souths poached him. In 2017 we began rectifying that through the poaching of Mahoney from the Bulldogs and now the development of Kyle Schneider.
We had four juniors debut last year, all before the review. The review was not some kind of magic bullet in that the review didn't magically produce juniors overnight. It's taken five years of work to have guys like Kaufusi, Stone, Mahoney, Brown, Niukore all in the NRL and the likes of Utoikamanu waiting for his crack.
Sivo was poached with the view to have him as a starting player. The injury to Jennings obviously made it easier to just throw Sivo in there.
I'll agree with your last paragraph to a degree. All coaches are learning from their mistakes. Even Bellamy and Bennett make mistakes and learn from them. Unless a team is winning 50-0 every week, then they're making mistakes somewhere. But yes, we have been improving, I would like to know what the club is considering in the future, because the end point has to be a Premiership. If they don't see BA as that coach, then they have to find someone who can do it.
Yeah what are coming now
I believe the juniors were always on the plan, and that's why he hired a lot of older journeymen in the ealy years to fill the gaps. Not a lot of other options if the club refuses or is unable to deal with TPAs like every other club does. Those juniors are now established in the NRL and will shape the team over the next few years. The transition was never going to be instant and 2016 put the club back a long way. The only good thing over that time was that the juniors were still getting vital experience.
Agreed on your comments re away games. We need to find a way to lift without the crowd support.
Great blog and worthy of consideration.
I think BA isn’t the worst and he’s definitely not the best out there. No one can question his love for the club but that isn’t enough where I come from - results and the potential to deliver are and tbh I don’t doubt his desire I doubt his ability to deliver what we all want, a premiership.
I say it’s time to look elsewhere and try to bring a new fresh perspective, ideas and tactics to the club and the squad.
I have no issue with forward planning, but where are the next premiership winning coaches coming from? Trent Robinson isn't leaving the Roosters, nor is Bellamy leaving the Storm. Bennett just joined Souths, as did Michael Maguire. Des Hasler isn't coming here while Paul Green seems to have been relying more on the brilliance of a future immortal than coaching genius in the same way Michael Hagan's career was propelled by Andrew Johns.
There aren't any other premiership coaches in the NRL. Who would we consider an upgrade on BA who is available?
Nathan Brown - No.
Garth Brennan - No.
Stephen Kearney - No.
Ricky Stuart - No.
Paul McGregor - No.
John Morris - No.
Michael Maguire - Unavailable.
Wayne Bennett - Unavailable.
Craig Bellamy - Unavailable.
Trent Robinson - Unavailable.
Paul Green - Maybe, but yet to be proven without a genius playmaker.
Ivan Cleary - No.
Anthony Seibold - Probably the only coach I'd consider, but he's signed for 5 years with Brisbane.
Des Hasler - Unavailable.
Dean Pay - No.
Looking at former NRL coaches:
Jason Taylor - No, but would have him as an assistant.
Ivan Henjak - No.
Anthony Griffin - Maybe, seems pretty old school.
Steve Price - No.
Tim Sheens - Seems pretty comfortable in England but could get the job done here. Is actually one of the few with multiple NRL premierships to his name that would be available.
So right now, the only Premiership winning coach who would be available should we part ways with BA would be Tim Sheens, who hasn't coached in the NRL since 2012.
IMO, you're not chasing another rookie coach or a middle of the road coach. That more than likely sees you ending up in the same position we're in at the moment. You want a proven success, a known quantity who has produced in the past.
I'm happy with BA but I've always thought Toovey would be a good replacement if we decide to go in another direction. What's he up to these days?
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