Coaching carousel: Expectations for your NRL coach for 2013 and pass marks for a successful season
By Ben Glover FOX SPORTS October 30, 2012 8:00AM
We run the rule over the coach of every club and assess what each will have to achieve in order to gain a pass mark for 2013.
WESTS TIGERS
Coach: Mick Potter
What to expect: Potter's signing completed the coaching carousel in the lead-up to the 2013 season and his will be among the toughest jobs in the game. His first task will be to convince leading players Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall that he has a plan to yield success. If that can be done, the players can be united behind him and he will get an opportunity to implement a game plan without player power undermining him. On that score, Potter's well equipped. He is well known as a straight shooter and has an air of authority, which every coach needs. The arrival of Braith Anasta gives Potter another headache to remedy. He will have to decide if Benji and Braith can be a fruitful halves pairing, and if not, come up with a credible Plan B. If not, his solid grounding as a successful Super League coach will come to nothing and he will come under instant pressure to hold on to his job.
Pass Mark: Top 8
WARRIORS
Coach: Matt Elliott
What to expect: Likeable former Raiders and Panthers coach Matt Elliott has been handed the poisoned chalice that is the Warriors coaching gig and he has a big job ahead of him if he's to bring the success expected from the demanding Auckland public. While talk of a "player revolt" when Tony Iro wasn't offered the job were overblown, there's no doubt Elliott's biggest challenge is getting the players behind him. As an accomplished people person, Elliott is well equipped to get the backing of his players and if he can do that, the sky's the limit. Elliott has enjoyed a degree of club success, leading Canberra to four finals appearances in five seasons. Whether or not he has the tools in the kit bag to deliver premiership success is another matter but with a roster the envy of most of the competition, his biggest task apart from man management will be implementing the discipline and defensive structure to compete with the heavyweights.
Pass Mark: Top 8
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Coach: Trent Robinson
What to expect: Trent Robinson is perhaps the most unlikely coach to get a gig for 2013. After a modest playing career (he played four NRL games), Robinson was snapped up as a Roosters assistant coach under Brian Smith in 2010. He instantly impressed and is credited with having played a big role in their charge to the grand final that year. He has since had success with Super League club Catalans but no apprenticeship could fully prepare a coach to the mess he has walked in to at Bondi. Robinson has new management to answer to, an unhappy halfback, a new five-eighth, not to mention a volatile deal with Sonny Bill Williams to help negotiate. For now, Sonny Bill is still a far-off problem and Robinson has seemingly targeted Mitch Pearce as the man he needs firing on all cylinders if his team is to succeed. He has already stated he wants the NSW halfback at the club long-term and has encouraged him to become a leader. And with a talented young forward pack at his disposal, Robinson has probably put his eggs in the right basket.
Pass Mark: Top 8
PARRAMATTA EELS
Coach: Ricky Stuart
What to expect: After years of underachievement, Ricky Stuart's appointment has given Eels fans hope that their fortunes are about to turn. A premiership winner with the Roosters and an impressive contributor to State of Origin, Sticky has the resume to achieve results but his appointment by no means guarantees success. Stuart has had his share of failures, resulting in unhappy exits at the Roosters, the Sharks and as Kangaroos coach, and even his stint with NSW finished short of the benchmark set for him. His virtues are his passion for the game, his work ethic and his loyalty to his players but those same qualities can also be his downfalls. A great halfback in his playing days, Stuart has made Chris Sandow a personal project and if the livewire No.7 can rediscover his mojo, it will give the Eels instant improvement. Even so, the side is too heavily reliant on Jarryd Hayne. Stuart's appointment is a long-term project, so expect him to overhaul his list in a big way.
Pass Mark: 10 wins
PENRITH PANTHERS
Coach: Ivan Cleary
What to expect: Penrith seem to have dispensed with quick fixes in search of sustained success, with Phil Gould hoping to tap in to the rich junior resources in western Sydney to achieve it. Luke Lewis's departure and the Panthers' apparent willingness to allow Michael Jennings to go, points to a club building a war chest to make some big plays for some handpicked stars to build the side around. Johnathan Thurston is one name that has been repeatedly linked with the club, but that move can't happen until 2014 and in the meantime the Panthers might have to cop some pain. Ivan Cleary is experienced in building a side from the ground up and his focus will be on building a club culture that breeds success. Discipline and commitment will be the cornerstones of this philosophy, so look for the first signs of improvement to come at the defensive end.
Pass Mark: 10 wins
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Coach: Steve Price
What to expect: It was an unhappy first year in charge for Steve Price but there were signs towards the back end of the 2012 season that the best of the Dragons under Price is yet to come. What he would have learned from his first season at the helm is that he needs to put his own stamp on the side, rather than trying to extend the legacy of Wayne Bennett. We don't yet know exactly what a Price-coached team looks like, and that in itself is a problem. A good starting point to breathe new life in to the Dragons would be a more expansive attacking blueprint to better utilise the likes of Brett Morris, Jason Nightingale, Daniel Vidot and the Stanley brothers. If he can find a halfback with a bit of flair to replace Ben Hornby, without compromising his side's stingy defence, it will go a long way to securing a top eight berth in 2013.
Pass Mark: Top 8
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Coach: Michael Maguire
What to expect: After more than 40 years without a premiership, the Rabbitohs are finally in a place where you feel they could again lift the trophy. And after a stellar first season, Michael Maguire has set a benchmark that takes excuses out of the equation. Now that he has his structures in place and a fairly settled line-up, Maguire will spend the off-season plotting how to close the gap between his side and the two grand finalists of 2012. Further improvement from halves John Sutton and Adam Reynolds is a must, while eliminating the all-too regular lapses of concentration in defence will also be a focus.
Pass Mark: Top 4
BRISBANE BRONCOS
Coach: Anthony Griffin
What to expect: The Broncos extended Griffin's contract to the end of 2015 on the back of the club's superb first half of the 2012 season but it will only take a mediocre 2013 for them to start to regret that decision. Griffin is well-liked by his players, so he shouldn't have any problems delivering some strong messages in the off-season and he'll need to if the Broncos are to contend next season. When you've got a talented roster at your disposal, there's no hiding as a coach and that's certainly the position Griffin finds himself in. The keys to success? As distasteful as it is, Griffin needs to get his forwards doing plenty of work with a wrestling coach so they can compete at the ruck with the likes of Melbourne Storm and Canterbury-Bankstown. Getting Peter Wallace and Corey Norman firing on all cylinders is the other key requirement.
Pass Mark: Top 4
MANLY SEA EAGLES
Coach: Geoff Toovey
What to expect: After an off-season littered with booby traps leading in to 2012, Toovey has got a comparatively easy job to get his side prepared for success in 2013. And with the threat of Tony Williams, as well as the attacking cover of Dean Whare and Michael Oldfield leaving Brookvale, Toovey will need to make good use of his time. After exiting the 2012 finals series with arguably their worst performance of the season, the test for Toovey will be putting measures in place to have his side playing their best football at the pointy end. That means managing the pre-season workloads of his players effectively and, potentially, taking a step away from the immensely physical style the Sea Egles play. If a re-think is needed, the tactically astute Toovey will have a good lieutenant by his side to devise the right gameplan after the arrival of Parramatta's caretaker coach of last season, Brad Arthur.
Pass Mark: Top 4
CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Coach: Des Hasler
What to expect: If the old saying, you've got to lose one to win one is anything to go by, the Bulldogs are in good shape to claim a premiership in 2013. Hasler's class as a coach was demonstrated as he took a side most experts felt had an average roster to within one win of premiership glory in his first year at Belmore. It wasn't to be, but it took a near-perfect game from the Storm to stop them. Hasler doesn't have too much tinkering to do but will benefit from having a full pre-season with a side that is taking shape more as his own than one that he's inherited.
Pass Mark: Top 4
CANBERRA RAIDERS
Coach: David Furner
What to expect: Furner has had some tough years in Canberra, with plenty of fans wanting him axed at various times and calls of nepotism, given his relationship with the CEO, brother Don Furner. But his critics faded away during the Raiders' breathtaking charge to the second week of the 2012 finals. Like Canberra's weather, critics are fickle, and they'll be back to give Furner a hard time if the Raiders don't make a real impression in 2013. They've got the line-up for it and, if Terry Campese can stay fit, we can expect Furner to build on an expansive gameplan that has netted plenty of points against some good sides.
Pass Mark: Top 6
CRONULLA SHARKS
Coach: Shane Flanagan
What to expect: From the lowest paid coach in the competition to a man with one of the most impressive rosters in the NRL at his disposal. What a turnaround it's been for Cronulla under Shane Flanagan. Excellent management of Todd Carney made the troubled star one of the best recruits of 2012 and went a long way to making Cronulla not just competitive but dangerous. Next season they could go the next step and become a contender. Flanagan has done such a good job at the Sharks that he now has the respect of some of the superstars of the NRL and he has been rewarded with the signings of Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon just as a start. If Flanagan can massage the new recruits in to a workable game plan over the next couple of months, they will be a very good side.
Pass Mark: Top 4
MELBOURNE STORM
Coach: Craig Bellamy
What to expect: Bellamy has been a top coach for long enough now that his success is so predictable it's almost boring. Storm fans aren't bored. In fact, after their 2007 and 2009 titles were stripped, they're hungry for more. Much more. Bellamy may be entering his last season in Melbourne and if he is, he will want to add another premiership as a sign-off present. Once again he will be meticulous in his preparation and the structures his side plays to won't change much. If, as expected, the big three fire and the forward pack plays above the sum of its parts, the premiership trophy could again head to Melbourne.
Pass Mark: Top 4
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Coach: Neil Henry
What to expect: After six years as an NRL head coach, Henry has moved in to a phase of his career where he needs his side to be playing in the last two weeks of the season to justify the support he's been given. While the Cowboys have played finals in each of the last two seasons, they've still underachieved given the talent at Henry's disposal. With James Tamou and Matt Scott now established as the premier prop pairing in the competition and arguably the best player in the competition pulling the strings from No.6, anything less than a top four spot in 2013 is unlikely to be tolerated by the Townsville public, or more crucially for Henry, Cowboys management.
Pass Mark: Top 4
GOLD COAST TITANS
Coach: John Cartwright
What to expect: After securing a five year contract extension leading in to the 2011 season, John Cartwright has had to oversee a side in crisis for different reasons for much of the past two years. The latest drama on the Glitter Strip is Scott Prince's situation and if it's not sorted quickly it will make things tough for the coach to get his players in the right frame of mind to achieve good results in 2013. Whether or not Prince is still in Titans colours next season, Cartwright has got at his disposal a roster capable of qualifying for the finals. If that can't be achieved, Titans management may start to wonder how wise it was to lock the coach in for such a long stint at the helm.
Pass Mark: Top 8
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Coach: Wayne Bennett
What to expect: You have to go back almost 20 years to find a Wayne Bennett coached side preparing for a season on the back of failure to qualify for the play-offs. But that's the situation the supercoach's Knights are facing leading in to 2013. It would be foolish to start talking about Bennett as a man whose powers are fading but what can't be disputed is that for the first time in recent memory Bennett is not considered the best coach in the game. That title now belongs to Craig Bellamy. After basically inheriting a side when he arrived for the 2012 pre-season, Bennett has now had an opportunity to bring a number of his own players to Newcastle, so that excuse is past its shelf life. Working for a mining magnate can't be easy but Nathan Tinkler brought Bennett to the Knights to deliver premierships and, given his salary, big improvement on 2012 is the very least that will be expected of Bennett next season.
Pass Mark: Top 4
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Statistics: Posted by Raidersrawesome — October 30, 2012, 1:30 pm