SECRET TO COACHING

Q

It’s often said your coaching success is due to you being a master motivator. What’s your secret to success?

A

Well technically and tactically from a representative point of view, we have got the best players so I facilitate that because at the end of the day, the players go out on the field and play footy and they’re in control of their own destiny. They have got to be able to make their own decisions. From a rep point of view, the smart thing to do is to engage them in strategy and technical.

The other thing when you go to rep footy is they already have the technical skills, they have already mastered it. It’s not about teaching, it’s more about leading people, getting to understand people pretty well, how they tick and get them wanting to play for that jersey. That’s the art to rep footy.

Q

How does the day-to-day grind of working at an NRL club compare to rep footy?

A

It’s funny because I never considered playing footy or training or being part of a club or anything I do in rugby league as a grind. It’s enjoyable coming to work and working with people of the same interests and the same motivations, same purpose.

We don’t want to be languishing in 11th spot on the ladder; we want to be a club that has got continuous, sustainable success and playing finals football every year.