STEVE Kearney stood in the middle of the Parramatta dressing room, looking like he'd seen a ghost and almost as thin as one.
His Eels had just scored 30 points in the final 14 minutes but still lost to the Wests Tigers 31-30 at Parramatta Stadium.
The pressure of the job was showing. The coach had dropped a stack of weight. I asked him how he'd done it.
"Try being a first-grade coach," Kearney said. "That will do it."
He smiled but I'm still not sure if he was joking.
On Wednesday, Parramatta chairman Roy Spagnolo relented - on the advice of several players - and told Kearney he would be gone at the end of the season.
The following day, Kearney told the chairman he would prefer to go after tonight's home game against Melbourne. He also conceded that he underestimated how hard it would be to drive the bus at this level.
Maybe Kearney isn't a first-grade coach, but I'll tell you who is: Ricky Stuart.
The deal is far from done, but Eels players, officials and fans should be preparing themselves for a revolution at their club and it comes in the form of the NSW coach.
We're told Stuart is a long way down the road in talks with Canberra, but a lucrative deal with the Eels now beckons given this week's events.
Stuart desperately wants to coach in the NRL again - yet the Eels need him more than he needs them.
Put simply, the joint needs a headkicker. Someone to have absolute control. There is no other choice for them to make.
In less than three years, having deposed long-time club boss Denis Fitzgerald, Spagnolo and his board turned the Leagues Club into a financial powerhouse.
Great businessmen they might be, but when it comes to running a football club they could do worse than take pointers off the volunteer committeemen at the Maitland Pumpkin Pickers.
Parramatta could be a football powerhouse. Should be a football powerhouse. The resources at a coach's disposal are seemingly endless; as good as what is on offer for Anthony Griffin at the Broncos.
Stuart is surely salivating at the prospect of resurrecting a great club.
The tricky dilemma, though, is what to do with the revolution he has instigated with NSW's Origin team.We're told the NSWRL board will not budge on him juggling both gigs.
Should he go, there will be a push for assistant coach Trent Barrett to run the NSW side, with Stuart remaining as a figurehead hovering above it all. That is a concession Parramatta and NSW must
make.
Parramatta Eels target Ricky Stuart to replace Stephen Kearney
PARRAMATTA have earmarked State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart to turn the long-suffering Eels into rugby league's super club of Sydney's west.
Fordham last night told The Daily Telegraph he was expecting to have further negotiations with the Eels over the next few days.
"I met with Bob Bentley at lunchtime and he expressed on behalf of his club a great interest in Ricky," Fordham said.
"He believes it would be a very good fit for the club and having spoken to him about their operations, it's quite clear they tick a lot of the boxes that Ricky would be looking for.
"We've agreed to continue dialogue. This is very early in negotiations. I've given them an idea (money wise) on what it would take."
The Daily Telegraph understands Stuart is the only serious candidate for the Parramatta job.
The club is desperate to attract new playing talent and knows how tight Stuart is with representative players he has coached in the NSW side.
The recruitment has been an absolute disaster over the last two years with the purchase of Reni Maitua, Willie Tonga, Ben Roberts, Chris Sandow, Chris Walker, Carl Webb and other strugglers.
Stuart would be a big chance of attracting players like disgruntled Penrith centre Michael Jennings next year.
Fordham says that while the Parramatta option is attractive, there are still other considerations.
"Ricky has a lot of things to consider including his family and their lifestyle," Fordham said.
"All the other interested parties remain alive because there is no official offer from Parramatta as such at this stage.
"I expect to hear from Bob again soon. We've agreed to stay in touch."
The likelihood of Stuart signing at the Eels is a devastating blow for the Canberra Raiders who were hoping to entice Stuart back home to the national capital next year.
But the NRL will be delighted by the news that such a passionate, high profile and highly regarded coach will be leading the fight against the AFL in the western suburbs.
The problem is that it leaves a massive hole to fill with the NSW State of Origin campaign for next season.
Replies
Fuck Ricky Stuart!!!
I will seriously consider following another team (have been a Parra supporter since I was 5) if Ricky Stuart is put in as coach. He is an absolute muppet.
Ricky Stuart is coming to Parramatta, there is no doubt.
Hope so, but whoever the coach is why would you stop supporting the club? bit strange
yep, read between the lines of Stuarts recent interviews and the meeting yest with Bentley, same day as Kearney stood down. Stuart said all along he wont undermine another coach.
Stuart will be coming on board, i for one am happy, Stuart is what we need if we ever want to win another premiership. We have the talent pool, we have the money, just need a capable coach....
Ricky will be great for us and if we ever want to see Hayne as a successful 5/8 Ricky is the man who will bring it out of him.
Now Ricky, I'm just not sure about. Yes he's resurrected his career somewhat by coaching the Blues......but....is...he....the....answer. I for one will say that I'm not against him coaching the Eels, but I'm a little apprehensive given his last years at the roosters and the sharks. I still have a feeling that Taylor might be the right fit, but with a Snr advisor. Just my two pennies worth.
After all these years we are right back where we started 😂
So who will be our next Ricky Stuart , swooping in with his experience to dig us out of the rookie experiment?
Brian Smith. Back to the Future one of my favourite movies.
Trent Robinson after the Chooks sack him.
I will say one thing, Ryles looks more comfortable than Kearney. Too comfortable? Maybe but he doesn't look like what Kearney did in his first 4 games. Doesn't mean Ryles succeeds either.
But at same time many people carrying on about a rookie coach, how many coaches have won a comp at the second team they coach? In the last 30 years only 5 coaches have won a comp with the second team they have coached. Only two of the 5 winning their first comp.
Ivan Cleary 21-24'
John Lang 02'
Wayne Bennett 00, 06'
Tim Sheens 05'
Chris Anderson 99'
All coaches, like players, start somewhere. Again not saying Ryles works out as i have no idea, but to just right off rookies is ridiculous considering 2nd time coaches do not always garner success. Those that would are the greats and how often are they available? I bet had we gotten Sheens after his stint at North Queensland many here would have complained that he is washed up, he went on the deliver a premiership for Wests.
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