Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 07, 2023 8:08 pm  

Long and Gleeson rumoured to be part of the set up. We could all be laughing on the other side of our faces if it works out but had somebody mentioned that coaching team a couple of weeks ago, they’d have been laughed out of town.

I saw a Wire fan on Twitter ask a very valid question. If they wanted Holbrook and all that he would bring, what made them think Sam Burgess would be the next best bet? It seems a total change of tact.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 07, 2023 9:13 pm  

It’s the sort of coaching line up I would have expected Cas to announce not Warrington.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 07, 2023 9:17 pm  

In fairness to Warrington there aren't too many options for them. I get the feeling it's too big a job for Paul Rowley. Wane must not want it. Briers has only just moved his family across to Australia - you'd imagine he wants to give it more than 6 months. Flanagan doesn't want to move to England and any talk of Bennett was fanciful at this stage.

They're going down the same path as plenty of other SL clubs in recruiting an assistant coach from the NRL but I get the impression people are more skeptical because he isn't Australian. He's probably had less time in the assistant role than some others but I'm not sure it's the car crash some have made out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 07, 2023 10:16 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

In fairness to Warrington there aren't too many options for them. I get the feeling it's too big a job for Paul Rowley. Wane must not want it. Briers has only just moved his family across to Australia - you'd imagine he wants to give it more than 6 months. Flanagan doesn't want to move to England and any talk of Bennett was fanciful at this stage.

They're going down the same path as plenty of other SL clubs in recruiting an assistant coach from the NRL but I get the impression people are more skeptical because he isn't Australian. He's probably had less time in the assistant role than some others but I'm not sure it's the car crash some have made out.

Burgess may turn out to be a gimmick appointment, or he may not. But to be fair, I think there are plenty more reasons why people are sceptical about Long than the fact he isn't an Aussie.

For me, Warrington are a big club in a big mess. They need a total culture change. Surely, no one thinks this is that?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Aug 07, 2023 10:38 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

Burgess may turn out to be a gimmick appointment, or he may not. But to be fair, I think there are plenty more reasons why people are sceptical about Long than the fact he isn't an Aussie.

For me, Warrington are a big club in a big mess. They need a total culture change. Surely, no one thinks this is that?

I wasn't commenting on Long - that definitely strikes me as more of a risk than Burgess.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 08, 2023 4:53 am  

All I can see is a 'lad' culture incoming. Can't see any positives in this from a Warrington point of view. From Holbrook to slammin Sam in the space of a week. It's gone from 'jeez, they might be challengers' to 'set them back even further' for me

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 08, 2023 6:57 am  

A strange appointment. No doubting that Burgess would be an inspirational leader and was a superb player but this is a huge gamble. Sorry to refer to Saints but we've seen Wellens struggle with his first Head coaching role after taking on a club with a winning and positive culture. Wellens has been an Assistant for years and is highly regarded by Wane and the overall England set-up.

Burgess has basically coached a pub team so far. Culturally he's not exactly an ideal role model either with his brushes with the law for various misdemeanours. Add in the fact that his kids are in Australia and he openly loves the lifestyle there and I can see an early exit back to Australia citing homesickness within a year.

Of course it could go completely the other way and he smashes it but its a gamble. A big gamble.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 08, 2023 8:56 am  

Wayne Bennett was desperate to get Sam Burgess to the Dolphins as his assistant. His second choice was Kristian Woolf which shows how highly regarded Sam Burgess is. Sure its a gamble but I don't blame them for taking it. I imagine he will have the pull to bring in top players. With Wighton coming in next year for Souths could Cody Walker come with him. Getting on now but what a player he still is

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 08, 2023 9:02 am  

bazdev wrote:

Wayne Bennett was desperate to get Sam Burgess to the Dolphins as his assistant. His second choice was Kristian Woolf which shows how highly regarded Sam Burgess is. Sure its a gamble but I don't blame them for taking it. I imagine he will have the pull to bring in top players. With Wighton coming in next year for Souths could Cody Walker come with him. Getting on now but what a player he still is

Wightons signed to play centre next year.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:09 am  

Stu M wrote:

A strange appointment. No doubting that Burgess would be an inspirational leader and was a superb player but this is a huge gamble. Sorry to refer to Saints but we've seen Wellens struggle with his first Head coaching role after taking on a club with a winning and positive culture. Wellens has been an Assistant for years and is highly regarded by Wane and the overall England set-up.

Burgess has basically coached a pub team so far. Culturally he's not exactly an ideal role model either with his brushes with the law for various misdemeanours. Add in the fact that his kids are in Australia and he openly loves the lifestyle there and I can see an early exit back to Australia citing homesickness within a year.

Of course it could go completely the other way and he smashes it but its a gamble. A big gamble.

He literally said in his statement to Souths that he intends going back there. Something along the lines of "This isn't goodbye, it's see you soon". How is that going to play out with players who know they're going to be there longer than the coach?

It seems a very strange appointment given that the number 1 priority at that club is to sort the culture. Leaving aside his own indiscretions for a second, they're basically gambling on Sam being able to turn that culture on its head in 2 years when the players know he, himself, isn't sticking around!

Very bizarre from the Warrington board in my opinion but I guess the proof of the pudding and all that. Going to be interesting times over at the HJ, that's for sure.