The overiding sentiment on this site, and in the media noise, is: we need a "new voice" and "new ideas".
Now, let's assume we can somehow nab seven-premiership winning Bennett who poured icy cold water on the Eels' idea a few weeks back.
It's unlikely we could get a better credentialed coach.
Let's put the obvious reality aside, which is, without certainty of knowing what the Eels' footy board, a seemingly optimistic, stoic "turtle wins the race" duck sailing smoothly on the surface is really doing underwater. Perhaps, paddling like mad. In all likelihood, it's unlikely that the footy board - who apparently have a very transparent and honest relationship with Brad Arthur and would go through the "front door" if there was a new coach on the horizon - have made any serious moves on the coaching front.
In all likelihood, Arthur will see our the rest of the year, at least. And when Moses returns if there is a renaissancenof sorts the landscape could change temporarily. A few wins could change the temperature quickly, quieting the rising drum noises and some of the natives.
The thing is, even if we nab Bennett somehow, which is far from a certainly, how long would he with us how long? Three years?
How much can he change in that time?
The tale of the tables tells we're in decline, overall as a footy club.
Our NRL squad currently sits 13th (gone up from 14th because the Tigers had a bigger loss than us this week), bottom five, with the 13th worst defence and since mid last year concede over 35 points a game away on average. Our Cup side is also 13th, in last place, with the third worst defence in the competition. Our Jersey Flegg side is also 13th, in last place, also with the third worst defence in the competition. Our woman's team is 10th, in last place, with the worst defence in the competition. Anyone seeing a trend?
Sure, it's only round and "not the end of the world" to quote Clint Gutherson from earlier mid-week. Just before the Manly loss.
From a distant galaxy, the good news is we're doing well in our juniors. Something not new. Our SG Ball Cup U-19s are 5th (from 16). Our Harold Mathew's Cup U-16 squad is 3rd (from 17). The polar opposite of what is going on higher up.
It seems the younger we go, with our enviable nursery, the better the results, at the moment.
It echoes the sentiments of 100% Footy by Gus Gould who pointed to our "cultural" woes running deeper than a head coach.
"Brad Arthur is not the trouble with why Parramatta are where they are now," Gus pointed out.
"In all the time that I have followed Parramatta, and I was a Parramatta junior, they have never really set up their pathways properly."
"They've never produced a culture, a character of their own, that's brought through the grades with young fellas wanting to be there and a part of the club. And that in the end becomes the problem of the head coach."
"In the end, that becomes the problem for the head coach, who is trying to win games today when no one has really planned adequately for the future."
"Someone has got to take that responsibility - that's not Brad Arthur's responsibility."
"They have great sides in the junior representative fields but it doesn't transition through to a culture or stream of players coming through in the club."
"It's become exhausting for him now."
Back to the we-nab-Bennett Hypothetical.
One of the other benefits that comes with Bennett is his trusty leitenant Dr Jauncey (see above). Bennett's Dr Massey of sorts. They go back decades from Bennett's Broncos premiership winning days. Jauncey is a highly successful sports psychologist, probably one of our best. It's also intriguing, why hasn't our footy board approached him? Results since 2022 suggest we may need a damn good shrink.
So, what's the best case scenario?
Bennett does what he has done before. And we do a St George 2010 to win a title. See above. The longest title drought in the NRL would be broken.
We celebrate. Drink. Dance. Be merry.
But, then what?
Think about what happened after Bennett left St George. The Broncos. Newcastle. Souths. The Broncos have finally started to regroup after their first wooden spoon in 2020 and make good on their God given talents and advantages. But how are Souths going right now?
There are two sliding door moments, here, depending on your perspective.
If you're an out and out optimist and believe we don't have deep rooted cultural issues or more fundamental issues - just need a new coaching voice - it's simple. We just keep throwing everything at the best coach we can find. Problem solved.
However, another door leads to what Jack Gibson said: winning starts at the front office. Perhaps, culture is a complex interdependent web, top to toe?
And in that case, we're going to get back where we started. After all the red wine has finished and the music dies down.
Replies
TBH. If we could celebrate,drink,dance and be merry once I don't give a flying fuck what happened after that.
Haha, Strange Eel. Great comment. You cracked me up with it. Gold. Love it.
Agree 💯
Sorry Strange eel's comment is the problem amongst many on here and maybe else where within the organisation, patience and understanding of what needs to be built is key at every level.
I agree with your summary Hoe, I will say that it would be very short sighted if we go with Bennett in the primary sense and did not get a HOF like Cameron and develop the whole process with the pathways and a successor to Bennett.
That successor may have to be someone a bit different. It seems to me that the ones appointed have a natural level of the group relaxing because the main man, who was intimadatory has gone.
Manly has has a lot of success with ex player coaches, Parra has had a poor record with same. We maybe should be looking at bringing someone like Webster back to his home land or a new challenge for an Ivan Cleary.....all assuming that Bennett goes 3 years, his age should not be a problem, Sluggy is older and he is smarter than any one!
This
I think the biggest problem with Bennett is every club of late signs him for 2 years and moves him on thinking that all the problems can be solved in such a short time. It took Bennett years to get the Broncos to the level they were and would likely take a similar amount of time for the Eels. Give him a contract for at least 4yrs (If he wants it) and stop thinking about him as simply a bandaid solution. Think LONG TERM.
Let him choose all the people he wants around him (including assistant coaches) and get his toughts (If not let him take over) on how to better develop our junior pathways. The Broncs (similar to the Pathers) seem to have an endlsess stream of talent coming through. The Eels have one of the biggest junior nursureys yet we don't have that. Why?
I completely agree the club needs to take a wholistic apporach to why the club has underpreformed for so long. That starts at the top but needs to be built from the ground up. Get the recruitment and retention of juniors right. How did Gallen, Maloney, Paps, Olakuwatu and many more not make it through our junior pathways but went on to be stars at other clubs? Why don't the Eels have an endless stream of junior talent coming through putting pressure on the top grade but other clubs do?
We need the right people at the top who can make the tough decisions and can see that great clubs start from the bottom up. Success breeds success. Get it right down below and it will fliter up, not so much the other way around but it can play a part going top down.
I would want Bennett for no less than 3 years.
Mathew, when Bennett was building Broncs it was a time of his career where he was also developing. he was like Cleary is now with Penrith. Yes Broncs took him over the hump and he did go back there and was in turn told he wasn't wanted after clashing with their board.
Those Parra juniors you pointed out are not specifics because they are now successful, but Parra has a different problem because other clubs cherry pick our top juniors and pay them over the top. We cannot do that with all of them. Sanders going to Canberra is a prime example, Utoikamanu is another one. Stehano has had 4 years or so with Wests and he has been blooded in First Grade from a stage where if he was at Parra. he would not have played first grade till possibly the 3rd year of his Wests experience. he was pretty lazy and disaapointing to Parra when we tried to blood him and they paid what we would not match.
What I'd do if I was CEO today.
- Meet with BA this week. End his services effective immediately.
- Appoint Barrett as interim for 2024 only.
- Meet with Bennett asap and get him signed. 2-3 years.
- Advertise for Bennett's assistant who will be his successor (similar to Kristian Wolf at Dolphins)
- Work with Bennett throughout 2024 to get him what he needs for 2025. New player signings, removing some current players, resources, assistants etc.
This way the club hits the ground running for 2025 pre-season.
What will happen:
BA will eventually be sacked in 2nd half of 2024. Barrett takes over. Bennet is no longer an option.
Club begins the pain stakingly slow recruitment process. Announces new Coach just prior to the end of season or even after the season.
New Coach arrives and has no chance to have any impact on 2025 recruitment etc. New Coach has 2025 golden excuse that this is not his team. Eels finish mid table.
Rinse / repeat.
Mutts 100% correct . How sad is it that we have to go back to Dennis Fitzgerald to see the last time we had a decent CEO , and he was nothing to get excited about🤣.
Very sad times for the club .
Lets face it, we are very unlikely to see Parramatta win a competition in our lifetime .
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