: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:40 pm  

Monmouth Wire wrote:

My choice?

I'd move heaven and earth to get Justin Morgan - and I thought that from the day they put us out of the CC a few years ago, but be honest, who would leave any club at the moment to get involved with us?

I wouldn't touch any coach who has not won trophies at the highest level. Preferably at two different clubs, although I'm sure that would limit the numbers quite a lot!

According to a league official, up to 10 clubs are now spending pretty much the full salary cap, so this must include the likes of Hull KR, so it will be interesting to see what they do this year.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:44 pm  

Thing is DaveT in that CC game his club was a league below us and he had his game plan bang on against us.

During the game it struck me that he had Cull in his pocket and the result proved that. Would like to have known what he could have done with our "talent" as I think he really is a stand out coach but I understand where you are coming from - by the way, who does that leave us with to choose from?

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:50 pm  

Monmouth Wire wrote:

Thing is DaveT in that CC game his club was a league below us and he had his game plan bang on against us.

During the game it struck me that he had Cull in his pocket and the result proved that. Would like to have known what he could have done with our "talent" as I think he really is a stand out coach but I understand where you are coming from - by the way, who does that leave us with to choose from?

Really not sure. Not sure if it was earlier in this thread where I discussed it, but I have concerns with hiring someone who has just done well at one top level club. Millward was always rated as a world beater, yet screwed Wigan up. McRae has done nothing since Saints.

Maybe my criteria of silverware at two clubs is over the top, but I would like someone who has proven themselves at two clubs, or in two comps.

I am very interested to see how Wayne Bennet goes at St George this year, and how Daniel Anderson goes at Parramatta.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:28 pm  

Dave T wrote:

Really not sure. Not sure if it was earlier in this thread where I discussed it, but I have concerns with hiring someone who has just done well at one top level club. Millward was always rated as a world beater, yet screwed Wigan up. McRae has done nothing since Saints.

Maybe my criteria of silverware at two clubs is over the top, but I would like someone who has proven themselves at two clubs, or in two comps.

I am very interested to see how Wayne Bennet goes at St George this year, and how Daniel Anderson goes at Parramatta.

i've mixed feelings over the first part, wigan were ballsed up prior to millward turning up, money was tight, the squad was crap and tbh i don't think you could blame him, he wasn't there long. But his record of improvement with leigh was very good, so he had something about him, and kept and sort of maintained st helens for a while.

Likewise, tony smith, did a season with huddersfield in the NL, got them promoted and had a decent first season in sl then went to leeds, and the rest is history.

I'd like to say morgan looks like he's got something about him, that he wouldn't sink if he were chucked in at a big(ger club).

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:48 pm  

Rictoria Catpiss wrote:

i've mixed feelings over the first part, wigan were ballsed up prior to millward turning up, money was tight, the squad was crap and tbh i don't think you could blame him, he wasn't there long. But his record of improvement with leigh was very good, so he had something about him, and kept and sort of maintained st helens for a while.

Likewise, tony smith, did a season with huddersfield in the NL, got them promoted and had a decent first season in sl then went to leeds, and the rest is history.

I'd like to say morgan looks like he's got something about him, that he wouldn't sink if he were chucked in at a big(ger club).

Millward also steered Saints to a 4th and 5th finish, which wouldn't be acceptable to us now.

If you are going to use that argument for Millward at Wigan, then couldn't Jimmy use that now with us? Millward didn't have a bad squad with Wigan, they massively underperformed (IMO).

The simple fact is that Millward hasn't done anything as head coach since leaving Saints.

In my earlier posts, I was bing OTT. My point really was to have a coach who has proven themselves at more than 1 club. You mention Smith, and I agree, he proved himself at Hudds, imporving them before going to Leeds and improving them. He then improved GB (no doubt people will quote the injuries that NZ had in that series) but GB did perform well in that series. It didn;t work out in the WC, but I still think Smith has proven that he has improved the teams he has coached, and would be happy with him.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:57 pm  

Dave T wrote:

Millward also steered Saints to a 4th and 5th finish, which wouldn't be acceptable to us now.

If you are going to use that argument for Millward at Wigan, then couldn't Jimmy use that now with us? Millward didn't have a bad squad with Wigan, they massively underperformed (IMO).

The simple fact is that Millward hasn't done anything as head coach since leaving Saints.

In my earlier posts, I was bing OTT. My point really was to have a coach who has proven themselves at more than 1 club. You mention Smith, and I agree, he proved himself at Hudds, imporving them before going to Leeds and improving them. He then improved GB (no doubt people will quote the injuries that NZ had in that series) but GB did perform well in that series. It didn;t work out in the WC, but I still think Smith has proven that he has improved the teams he has coached, and would be happy with him.

Have a look back at their squad from 04/05 05 especially it looks very odd, some poor recruitment(for wigan standards) and obviously farell leaving mid season(sort of) , it tread water in 05, and obviously as you've pointed out it did go a lot worse in 06

i forgot to add to my post at the end, i still maintain my original choice for new coach of steve folkes.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:05 pm  

Rictoria Catpiss wrote:

i forgot to add to my post at the end, i still maintain my original choice for new coach of steve folkes.

Under the circumstances he would be my choice tomorrow. I'm sure he would rather get back into RL instead of his fitness work with the WIndies (even taking the weather into account). Would he be willing to take a 9 month contract with healthy bonuses and an option for extension based on performance? I suspect he would.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:05 pm  

Rictoria Catpiss wrote:

Have a look back at their squad from 04/05 05 especially it looks very odd, some poor recruitment(for wigan standards) and obviously farell leaving mid season(sort of) , it tread water in 05, and obviously as you've pointed out it did go a lot worse in 06

i forgot to add to my post at the end, i still maintain my original choice for new coach of steve folkes.

The squad still included players like Dallas, Calderwood, Richards, Vaeliki, Orr, Logan, Higham, Paleasina, Hock, Fletcher, Tickle, O'Loughlin, Ashton and a ruck of younger lads and crap players that they brought in during the season.

I don't follow the Aussie game enough to give an opinion on Steve Folkes tbh. But I know he has made a couple of Grand Finals and the semis a few times, which considering how competitive a league it is, sounds okay to me.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:11 pm  

You're overlooking the obvious point: I doubt Kear would be remotely interested in going to the Wire. You are becoming the Newcastle United of rugby league. Great heritage, great fans, inexplicably unsuccessful. A real poisoned chalice and you shouldn't assume there is a queue.

You need a tough Aussie coach, no frills and no baggage. I cringe when I think of people like Matt King having to listen to the coaching expertise of Lowes when you think of some of the coaches he will have played under. It must be like going to back to park football.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:16 pm  

Dave T wrote:

The squad still included players like Dallas, Calderwood, Richards, Vaeliki, Orr, Logan, Higham, Paleasina, Hock, Fletcher, Tickle, O'Loughlin, Ashton and a ruck of younger lads and crap players that they brought in during the season.

I don't follow the Aussie game enough to give an opinion on Steve Folkes tbh. But I know he has made a couple of Grand Finals and the semis a few times, which considering how competitive a league it is, sounds okay to me.

The alleged problem with Folkes is his man management skills. Sonny Bill Williams, who granted is no great character witness cited Folkes as one of the main reasons he left. Maybe he was an easy target, I don't know.

Also, don't forget the Dogs GF appearances coincided with the poop storm that followed the salary cap breach.