Ex-Titans colleague helps woo Annesley
NRL head of football Brian Canavan has emerged as one of the key figures who helped lure former Gold Coast Titans colleague Graham Annesley back to the game’s governing body in Sydney.
Canavan worked alongside Annesley during his four-month stint as chief operating officer at the Titans in 2016.
He was approached by NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg to provide his assessment of the Titans boss as they searched for a man to join Canavan in his role as head of football.
Canavan’s glowing endorsement helped convince Greenberg that Annesley was the man for the job.
“Graham is a high quality individual, very decent and diligent. He handles pressure extremely well and he was the ideal person to shape the Titans,” Canavan said.
“He brings to the NRL industry knowledge at the NRL competition level plus a very extensive officiating and referring background.
“The ethics he has shown at the Titans rolled over into the way he handled the role and he was able to handle very heavy workloads successfully.”
Canavan will oversee the participation and pathways side of the game while Annesley will be given the job of looking after the elite side of the NRL, including the referees, rules and match review committee.
Canavan backed Annesley, a former Test and long-serving first grade referee in the 1990s and former NRL chief operating officer, to help improve the officiating of the game.
“Graham’s knowledge and experience is exactly what is required to develop the programs for the referees,” Canavan said.
“He will be able to identify with the pressures on the referees and come up with improved programs that go far beyond physical coaching.
“It’s about decision making, mind setting, resilience and perseverance which we are always trying to get better with our referees.”