It's getting closer to squeaky bum time. With the news Brian Smith has made a last ditch effort to join the race, it would not surprise me if he is appointed as an experienced advisor to the Eels coaching team. That makes sense. Reputable experience with a track record to counter-balance the youthful ambitions of one of the rookies.
A decision should be just around the corner. Perhaps, the round 20 bye if not earlier.
Josh Hannay has finished Origin 2 commitments and should have made his big pitch to the Eels (as he told 2GB). My guess is they are in the final straight, finalizing the coaching team. He has a more active public presence than Ryles and Young and active club-and-origin experience. He seems a more likely bet.
We have been trying to work out who is our new coach since May 1st which hints of the challenge.The Leicester Tigers, a 144 year old club, took five days to nab Cheika. With plenty of time to think and be fluid without looking silly under covert operations, could the early scratching of Madge be another useful smokescreen?
Fans and outsiders have yet to make headway through the marathon fog and plot twists in this Hitchcockian thriller. A book is in the works. The Mother of all cliffhangers: The Hitchcock Cup Classic.
Josh Hannay - $2.50
Jason Ryles - $2.75
Dean Young - $5
Joker Wild Card - $20
Michael Maguire - $100
Holbrook - $500
Barrett - $1,000,000
McDermott - $2,000,000 head coach; could be an advisor or assistant
Most Reputable
The NRL King: Bennett (gone off to Souths, declined our offer)
Rockstar Rookies
NRL reputable, highly-touted, highly-recommended by biggest stars and coaches in the NRL
Josh Hannay (in Origin) $2.50
- Highly recommended by Billy Slater, QLD camp, Cronulla, Wade Graham.
- Top NRL Assistant Apprenticeships with QLD, Cowboys, Cronulla
- Record Interim head coach: Cowboys, Cronulla, 2020-23; 30 games (37%).
- Record Head coach: QRL, 2015-16; 49 games (39%).
- Eels are waiting on him. Told 2GB (Sun 23/6), he will get back to the Eels after Origin II
- He has a more active public presence than Ryles and Young and active club-and-origin experience. He seems a more likely bet.
Jason Ryles $2.75
- Highly recommended by Craig Bellamy and Cameron Smith, Storm, Roosters.
- Premier NRL Assistant Coach Apprenticeship with Storm and Roosters
- Record NRL head coach: Sydney 2022; 1 game (100%).
Dean Young $5
- Highly recommened by Wayne Bennett. Might be a dark horse into the final straight with reports he's back for another interview after wow-ing the interviewing committee (Source: SMH 22/6)
- Record as Interim/Caretaker, Dragons & Cowboys: 7 games (29%).
Recycled Rehashes
NRL recycled Coaches
Madge $100
- Apparantely could not partake in interview process due to Origin commitments; Hannay is a different story. Or was this a smokescreen
- Does a huge Origin II win and a potential series win open the door for him?
- Has won a title which no other of the recycled coaches available can say; puts him in a "more reputable" bracket along with the huge Origin win (with Moses) and the NZ 30-0 whitewash (with Dylan) gives him the edge.
Holbrook (TBC), $500
- Swashbuckling underdog with attacking charms; much loved by players; best-pal
- Record NRL head coach: Titans, 82 games 2020-23 (38%, 1 finals loss).
- Super League head coach: St Helens, 87 games, 2017-19 (80%, One SL Title, 50% finals record)
Barrett (TBC), $1m
- Backed by Eels' senior players (helped blowout his odds)
- Has zenned-out, ''knows himself now'', and has admitted to learning from his ''pig-headed'' past
- Record Head Coaching: Manly 2016-18, Dogs 2021-22, Eels caretaker 2024; 32% (1 finals loss)
Jason Demetriou (not in running, scratched atm)
- Made it through initial ''informal'' interviews that lasted a few hours but was told by the Eels board he didn't make it to the presentation stage of interviews (Source: Demetriou told MMM 17/6 Monday Scrum at 37:30 - 39:00)
- Loved the adrenaline rush of getting back on the horse
- Has been rumoured to be linked to Leeds along with BA
Unlikely: Anyone else. $1,000,000 Mary, Morris, Taylor, Steve Price (assistant for 2010 title Dragons under Bennett, for 2016 title under Flanagan, for Madge when Kiwis beat Aussies 30-0 last year title) etc
Left Field
Brian McDermott: Assistant ?
- Possibly may be at the club in some capacity. Eels are likely too conservative and ideologically bound to appoint someone as left-field.
- An English Supercoach of over 15 years; won 8 Titles as a head coach and 10 Titles as a player; the most successful and competent rugby league head coach in this field after Bennett; recruited best of English talents and the likes of Sonny Bill Williams
- As a head coach at 58% has won the following: Super League Titles (4): 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 Challenge Cup Titles (2): 2014, 2015 League Leaders' Shield (1): 2015 World Club Challenge (1): 2012 15 years of top-level SL head coaching experience
- As a former player 250-odd games for Bradford with 5 tests for England/Great Britain: Super League Titles (3): 1997, 2001, 2003 Challenge Cups (2): 2000, 2003 League Leaders' Shield (3): 1999, 2001, 2003 World Club Challenge (2): 2002, 2012
- Broad life experience: a former combat serving British Royal Marine, Gulf War veteran; former pro-boxer no losses
- Super League Finals record at 81% (13/16); Four from four grand final wins Lifted Leeds 5th on the ladder to Grand Final Wins (2): 2011, 2012
- Since arrived at NRL scene as defence coach (2023-24) improved defence: 4th in 2023 (best in their NRL history); improved resilience; unique training methods using games (gamifying)
- Largely unknown in the NRL world except for a minority such as Gus Gould who suggested him and warned against us going for the Rockstar Rookies without more experience behind them at the club.
There is news coming out of the Knights' camp, via Barry Toohey (the best source for Knights' news) they are on the lookout for a new assistant. McDermott - is or was their senior assistant specialising on their defence - and he was actually keen on the Eels, and believed he could make a difference. There was a rumour (Analyst) that Hannay was going to be head coach and McDermott his right hand man. Stay tuned. Toohey has not confirmed if McDermott was heading out of the Knights yet along with the outgoing Knights assistants - Ronny Griffinths and Rory Kostjasyn. If he's coming to the Eels in some capacity, it's unlikely as head coach, and there's only an outside possibility as an assistant or in some capacity on the coaching team.
Knights newest high profile recruit starts work plus the club’s search for a new assistant coach and Davey Armstrong’s acrobatics.
— Barry Toohey (@BarryToohey) June 20, 2024
My Toohey’s News column in today’s @newcastleherald https://t.co/IWUp3ALxgO
Far Left Field
Michael Cheika (not in running, scratched atm)
- Wowed Eels' board at the interview
- Self made millionaire; highly successful Rugby Union coach of the Wallabies, Argentina, and Waratahs among others; Director of Rugby of the Paris-based club
- Limited NRL head coaching experience (handful for Lebanon); bonded with Mitchell Moses
- Eels' board concerned at Cheika's ''capacity to deal with day-to-day NRL dramas'' of head coaching' (Source: Read talks to a dissappointed Cheika via MMM 21/6 about his elimination from the running).
On the Rockstar Rookies
I think it (the Rookies) provides some real excitment for the fans. When you get a coach that's done time somewhere else, you kind of know what you're going to get. If it's a Des Hasler, a Michael Maguire, you know their style of football. You know the personel. You know what's going to happen. But the fact, that it's three guys that have never really had a head coaching role before - it brings that little bit of intrigue. Like we're seen with Ciraldo and Webster, coming in and creating their own environment. Building their own culture. I think that's exciting for Parramatta.''
Ryan Girdler on on the Intrigue and Excitment of the Rookies (MMM, 22/6 )
The Rollercoaster Ride Of Rookie Rockstars: Webster's Warriors lost 66-6 against the then last-placed Titans, R16.
The Eels are now last placed at R16 following the wins by the Titans and the Tigers.
Replies
That 66-6 thrashing yesterday should give the board reason to second guess the potential appointment of a rookie.
McDermott is the way to go - hopefully that spooks them into rethinking.
Exactly. Hope so, Frank. It's great the Dogs lost 26-8 too. Tomorrow we need the Tigers to get a Mother of all hidings. Keep it going. Thankfully, origin delayed Hannay's big presentation. We might need some Voodoo dolls, priests and exorcists as a last resort.
Good to see you have come around and seen the light Frankie, who said you were a dinosaur that was so stuck in his own idealism he could bever change? You never know one day we may turn you into a contrarian.
Rookie Webster's Warriors got thrashed by Vetran Haslers Titans.
A Rookie coach vs a 3 time premiership wining coach.
On paper, the Warriors have the better squad and should've won.
On a side note, how bad was the sin bining of RTS. The call to bin him came from the bunker and surprise surprise, it was that twat Casey Badger in the bunker. How the hell she keeps her job is a joke.
I would be more surprised than not if Brian Smith was not appointed as an advisor or in some capacity in the Eels' coaching team. His experience and track record would help the young P-plater rookies no end.
BA's scratched after 11 years. He's done some good things & worked hard. But our declining defence over the last 4 years - like clockwork - and a 33% finals record and ageing roster with limited tactical nous is the tip of the iceberg on what went wrong.
We weren't going to win a comp with BA, why persevere. Will we win one with these three? Who knows. I would prefer that than knowing we wont with BA.
The process is being run like an Special Branch/ Asio / CIA / MI6 joint operation. A hunt for the magic Head coach that can find and bring home the holy grail to 1 Eels Place Parramatta. The mission to hunt and track down the best candidate across the globe leaving no trace , no snippet of information and no media leak is taking on a life of its own. The only evidence being left are the disposed interviewees bodies and the public declaration of failure to secure the coveted role. Are we sure that this board are just Bankers.
After such a well oiled operation such as this, i do hope we find someone at the height of their coaching powers, able to recruit stars from across the globe, implement a defensive structure capable of holding the best from crossing the line, the vision and nouse to create an attacking powerhouse, the ability to strive in pressure finals footy. Surely! Surely! we are not considering a Rookie for the position.
That would be too easy, hit the yellow pages and give an assistant coach a call and get a deal done by dinner. Rookie coach signed.
Surely we are looking for at least someone with experience after this enormous world wide search. That would be a minimum requirement wouldnt it.
Brilliant, Bluey. And like such government organizations they have hidden ideological politics that they believe in at the higher levels. Well intended and full of optimism, but not always with beautiful consequences.
I think when you look at how the list was characterized, it's suggesting what could be some of that ideology.
Hopefully, we get a last minute U-Turn and go for a McDermott or even Holbrook with a Steve Price type assistant (everyone's lucky charm lol). Everyone would look like gooses, but we'd be better off.
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