Waratahs 2022

[dru]

Thorn is also in his fourth year as the Reds head coach. Credit to the Reds for sticking with him as they're now enjoying some success and he's brought through a very talented young group combined with some good recruitment (mostly JOC (James O'Connor)).

The Reds have also had to deal with Thorn learning on the job. There was a lot that didn't go well in those first couple of years.

The Trans Tasman comp will also give us an idea how good they are and how far they and Thorn have come.

Could Coleman expect the same runway with the Waratahs?

It's a tricky choice and a lot of it will depend on how much money they are willing to offer the head coach. I don't necessarily think Coleman is a better candidate than Gilmore or Manenti and we definitely need to look at who else might be available.

Hell yes. The initial appointment was way premature, but the decision to stick was not. Plenty of pain. It's not the sort of thing that comes easily to mind as issues that the Waratahs board can cope with.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

Is Seru Uru off-contract with the Reds at the end of the year? That's a player the Tahs could use who is clearly under-utilised in Queensland.

 

[I like to watch]

According to Wikipedia, Coleman also boasts coaching experience in the ARC, NRC, head coach of Brumbies academy, and head coaching in Japan and Italy - a lot more than just Shute Shield titles. Makes him a much more impressive contender than I previously thought.

Whilst the head coach role is crucial, a less experienced head coach can be helped a lot by an experienced assistant, or GM. Cheika had Alan Gaffney with him in Leinster and at the Tahs, I'm sure Laurie Fisher's work at the Brumbies has assisted greatly when bringing in a less experienced head coach.

But - for the ground-up rebuild that the Tahs require, and with the pressure that the Sydney market places on the head coach - an experienced head is required.

Head of the coaching academy?
then let’s put Tim Rapp back in the mix....

pretty sure he also had a gig in Japan.
he’s got a 20 year resume, with a dozen positions lower than this.
that’s not the basket that you put all your eggs in.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Years ago Twiggy selected Coleman to be GRR Western Sydney team head coach before NSWRU in their wisdom canned Western Sydney team bid. On his continued record of success you keyboard warriors are going to be hard to convince me that Coleman is not near top of the list of candidates for Tahs gig as per what media is portraying.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Years ago Twiggy selected Coleman to be GRR Western Sydney team head coach before NSWRU in their wisdom canned Western Sydney team bid. On his continued record of success you keyboard warriors are going to be hard to convince me that Coleman is not near top of the list of candidates for Tahs gig as per what media is portraying.

Not Twiggy.

 

[fatprop]

Hell yes. The initial appointment was way premature, but the decision to stick was not. Plenty of pain. It's not the sort of thing that comes easily to mind as issues that the Waratahs board can cope with.

I think the pain was getting the culture right and clearing out those who weren't living up to those higher expectations (something I think he learnt from Wayne Bennett) and I think that pain had to happen whoever was the coach

Now the Tahs have to find a board with large enough testicles to back the new coach to build the culture through the shitty years to come.

It will be the 2023 before the Tahs have a home ground again, if the experience of other sporting teams who have gone through this can be used it ain't going to really improve until then because in 2022 we don't have a home game again

 

[Derpus]

I think the pain was getting the culture right and clearing out those who weren't living up to those higher expectations (something I think he learnt from Wayne Bennett) and I think that pain had to happen whoever was the coach

Now the Tahs have to find a board with large enough testicles to back the new coach to build the culture through the shitty years to come.

It will be the 2023 before the Tahs have a home ground again, if the experience of other sporting teams who have gone through this can be used it ain't going to really improve until then because in 2022 we don't have a home game again

But 2022 they can lay the foundations for a breakout year in 2023. A half decent team, new board, coaching set up and home stadium. Quite a bit of potential there.

 

[fatprop]

But 2022 they can lay the foundations for a breakout year in 2023. A half decent team, new board, coaching set up and home stadium. Quite a bit of potential there.

It is what the Eels did, did OK stuck in the hell that is Homebush and kicked on when they could get home

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Not Twiggy.

Correct. It was Gilchrist. His current employer.

 

[dru]

I think the pain was getting the culture right and clearing out those who weren't living up to those higher expectations (something I think he learnt from Wayne Bennett) and I think that pain had to happen whoever was the coach

It's a side note on this thread, but whether you agree with that early ruthless cut or not, it was carried out in spite of commercial commitments that left the club finances unnecessarily tested. Any reasonable board would either not have made those initial player commitments or sounded out a coach willing to work with the assets provided. Certainly they should have required a commercially responsible way forward. What Thorn did was not, imo.

As you say, there was learning on the job pain - remember when The Reds got stuck in Argentina on the way to Africa (from recollection) because they had not done the homework around entry restrictions in each of the nations? Buses not available or delayed on tour in Africa?

The decision to appoint Thorn was premature. The decision to stick with him after that was necessary and smart. FWIW I'd counsel NSW to avoid the early Qld errors, and seriously commit to the later smarts.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Correct. It was Gilchrist. His current employer.

Right you both are - and yes went to invest that money otherwise would have invested in Western Sydney side in MLR side Coleman now coaching - you can't help but feel the pain of that missed investment opportunity. But of course NSWRU have since done so much to advance Western Sydney rugby without that investment and the Tahs are going from strength to strength lol since that fateful decision....

 

[Braveheart81]

I look forward to there still being mention of this potential Western Sydney Global Rapid Rugby team for years to come even though the competition never happened, is highly unlikely to ever happen and the team would have folded before it even played a game.

 

[eastman]

I look forward to there still being mention of this potential Western Sydney Global Rapid Rugby team for years to come even though the competition never happened, is highly unlikely to ever happen and the team would have folded before it even played a game.

I don't know how you can argue with the rational and coherent points that are put forward though.

 

[Wilson]

I look forward to there still being mention of this potential Western Sydney Global Rapid Rugby team for years to come even though the competition never happened, is highly unlikely to ever happen and the team would have folded before it even played a game.

Pretty sure that makes them undefeated

 

[Braveheart81]

If any of the usual suspects complain that the Tahs never approached them when looking for a new coach, ignore them.

 

[Sheepie]

They never approached me!

Not that I have ever coached before, nor have the slightest idea how to go about doing so.

 

[Blackadder]

They never approached me!

Not that I have ever coached before, nor have the slightest idea how to go about doing so.

So you are perfect for the Tahs

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I look forward to there still being mention of this potential Western Sydney Global Rapid Rugby team for years to come even though the competition never happened, is highly unlikely to ever happen and the team would have folded before it even played a game.

I call BS - as did the Force fold - oz side with financial backer and you don't think it would have survived - yeh ok sure righto. If you think about it it would have made a nice neat 6 sides for Super Rugby AU which is big thing discussed would be ideal. I guess we will never know as NSWRU in their wisdom canned it and the private backer now invested that in MLR side which Coleman coaching. You are going to tell me the financial case for Fiji side in Super rugby is better then a Western Sydney side (please!!!)

I know you don't side with the view WS GRR side was missed opportunity but we will continue to agree to disagree.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

So you are perfect for the Tahs

At least they know they can afford him

 

[Blackadder]

At least they know they can afford him

Not necessarily