If you are going to punt the coach (and eat the inevitable payout), then you better make sure the replacement is better. We’d all love to have Bellamy, Bennet or Robinson but that’s unrealistic. Of the folk who actually are or might be available, it’s slim pickings especially in the context of coaching better and changing the roster:
Paul Green – no. Things didn’t end well at Cowboys as the roster aged/deteriorated
Neil Henry – no sustained success at Raiders, Cows or Titans
John Morris – maybe. Ex Tigers player, played in the modern era, got Sharks to 2 finals
Shane Flanagan – no. Integrity issues and comes as a package deal. No club wants him, only Rothfield
Cameron Ciraldo – yes. Successful at a pathways club, some likelihood of bringing players with him
Josh Hannay – no. Not enough experience
Geoff Toovey – no. Seemingly out of the coaching scene
Nathan Cayless – only as caretaker. Lacks experience, was behind Fitzgibbon at Roosters
Ben Gardiner – no. Lots of assistant jobs, hasn’t knocked the door down for a Head Coach position
Tim Sheens – maybe. Could do the job but not sure if he has the motivation.
Brad Fittler – yes. Interested in a full time role. Has done well at NSW level and has good rapport with players. Could attract players.
Laurie Daley – no. Has had opportunities but hadn’t delivered.
Billy Slater – maybe, down the road. I like how he thinks and commentates about the technical aspects of the game. See how he goes with the maroons.
And this shows how difficult the decision will be. We are so deep in the poo that we need an experienced coach, but we also want a coach that can connect to a younger generation.
We need a younger coach that can man-manage younger personalities, but we need a strong character at this time.
It's a conundrum and very few will fit - and even then they might not be interested.
The other name that might fit but is not on this list is Kristian Woolf, although I don't know a lot about him...
Declan raised a good point on our group chat - does the re-signing of Cleary Snr at Penrith for another five years change the situation for Ciraldo?
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Declan raised a good point on our group chat - does the re-signing of Cleary Snr at Penrith for another five years change the situation for Ciraldo?
Well he is going to be an assistant coach for the next 6 years if he stays at Penrith. No Harm in asking him again & let him have full say in who he wants or does want.
with the whole Penrith cleary thing
do the coaches now come under a cap ?
Otherwise they pay Nathan cleary 1.1 million
and Ivan cleary 1.2 million
I've then gives Nathan 200k to supplement his income ?
That's a good point on Cleary's and certainly provides a window of opportunity. That Ciraldo will unlikely be willing to sit behind Voldemort for another 5 years is obvious, but they've thrown a lot of money at Nathan which leaves less for others. Ciraldo plus a few good Panther has plenty of appeal for me. Mind you Dragons and Bulldogs are probably thinking the same thing.
It would be peak Tigers if Ciraldo did become available and we missed out on him due to our dithering over Maguire.
It would be peak Tigers if Ciraldo did become available and we missed out on him due to our dithering over Maguire.
Yep, and Gould snaps him and they win a premiership 😮
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https://www.rugbyleagueeyetest.com/2022/04/11/are-any-positions-seeing-more-or-less-touches-in-2022/
last part of this article is another nail in the Madge coffin. We have below average forwards who don't or can't run hard.
Sad reading 🙁
Thanks for sharing, very interesting (but depressing) read. In Twals defence, he is incredibly reliable in that he doesn’t drop the ball, miss tackles or give away penalties like mikaele and musgrove, but he is one dimensional. I would love to see him develop an offload, he is certainly strong enough.
https://www.rugbyleagueeyetest.com/2022/04/11/are-any-positions-seeing-more-or-less-touches-in-2022/
last part of this article is another nail in the Madge coffin. We have below average forwards who don't or can't run hard.
Sad reading 🙁
Thanks for sharing, very interesting (but depressing) read. In Twals defence, he is incredibly reliable in that he doesn’t drop the ball, miss tackles or give away penalties like mikaele and musgrove, but he is one dimensional. I would love to see him develop an offload, he is certainly strong enough.
Twal has been really disappointing this year.
I think Shane Flanagan is the perfect match for the Tigers.
They seem to be a club that’s always under pressure and I don’t think that’s going to change if a new coach comes in — in fact, there could be even more pressure. I see Flanagan as a resilient type of coach that could handle that.
And his recruitment experience is really important too. They need a coach with a good understanding of the market, who knows the price of players, knows who is available and has a connection with agents. I think he’s got that after working as a list management consultant at the Dragons.
We know he’s a successful coach — a premiership-winner. The only reason he’s not in a head coaching role is because of his suspension.
Flanagan also has a knack for developing players. He brought in Jack Bird, Valentine Holmes, Chad Townsend, the Brailey brothers — skilled position players — which is where the Tigers are lacking.
The Tigers have done a lot of great work in developing their pathways in the last few years, particularly around that Group 6 area and I think while they’ll reap the rewards of that, Flanagan can really assist too.
Flanagan knows Sydney well and his son is around that mid-20s age so he’s watched a lot of players in that age group come through.
I think he could be really competitive at the Tigers.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
I'm not a Shane Flanagan fan but he could work well with sheens doing the pathways. He is a bit similar to Madge in intensity though.
I'm not a Shane Flanagan fan but he could work well with sheens doing the pathways. He is a bit similar to Madge in intensity though.
I don't think intensity is the issue with Madge. I think it's that he can't adapt to the squad he has or to the changes in the game over the past few years.
I think Shane Flanagan is the perfect match for the Tigers.
They seem to be a club that’s always under pressure and I don’t think that’s going to change if a new coach comes in — in fact, there could be even more pressure. I see Flanagan as a resilient type of coach that could handle that.
And his recruitment experience is really important too. They need a coach with a good understanding of the market, who knows the price of players, knows who is available and has a connection with agents. I think he’s got that after working as a list management consultant at the Dragons.
We know he’s a successful coach — a premiership-winner. The only reason he’s not in a head coaching role is because of his suspension.
Flanagan also has a knack for developing players. He brought in Jack Bird, Valentine Holmes, Chad Townsend, the Brailey brothers — skilled position players — which is where the Tigers are lacking.
The Tigers have done a lot of great work in developing their pathways in the last few years, particularly around that Group 6 area and I think while they’ll reap the rewards of that, Flanagan can really assist too.
Flanagan knows Sydney well and his son is around that mid-20s age so he’s watched a lot of players in that age group come through.
I think he could be really competitive at the Tigers.
I look forward to hearing you and Garry debate this on the next poddy Joel 😀 . I think he's fine technically, I just can't get over what he did with the peptides - so no for me.
