Coaches to join forces after Griffin axing

FORMER Titans boss Neil Henry is leading the charge to form the NRL’s first coaches association in a bid to help the league’s mentors in their highpressure role.

In the same week Penrith sacked Anthony Griffin with more than two years left on his contract, Sydney Roosters counterpart Trent Robinson revealed plans were under way to support coaches.

Griffin’s shock axing comes a year after Des Hasler and Canterbury took more than six months to reach a settlement over his termination payout, despite having two more years on his contract.

Henry himself was forced into legal action to get his own payout from Gold Coast after his dismissal last year.

Robinson has long called for the formation of a coaches union and yesterday revealed moves were afoot to ensure the game’s mentors formally assisted.

Robinson said there were two main reasons for an association.

“The education of coaches and development of coaches in the way that they are ready to handle the rigours of coaching,” he said. “And also the welfare of coaches. It can be short term or long term, but the support of that.”

Robinson insisted were being current coaches, all of whom have ticked off on the association, weren’t oblivious to the harsh nature of the industry.

However, he said it was important there were avenues for coaches to receive assistance.

Robinson’s comments come as rival coaches sympathised with Griffin, who is left unemployed despite being on the cusp of leading the Panthers to a third- straight finals series. Former Kirwan High student Sam Thaiday deserves all the praise he gets when he retires at the end of the year – for the work he does on and off the field. His retirement announcement a few weeks ago, when he dressed up as an old man at a nursing home, was brilliant. He also took time to pose with a cardboard cutout of Thurston at the airport for this paper on Wednesday when the Broncos arrived for his 300th game. He’s one of the few old- school characters left in the game.