OPINION
What do they say about the definition of insanity? Trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
Well that’s where the Blues find themselves.
Queensland has won a staggering 14 of the past 18 series. It’s time for change.
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Freddy wields axe – Too little too late? | 02:38
The New South Wales coach has only ever been a former player who represented the state, or had aspirations to, and it’s time to think outside the box.
It looks like Brad Fittler’s tenure is coming to an end and I want to put forward a candidate to replace him.
Sam Burgess.
The Englishman is one of the greatest rugby league players to ever lace a boot, has coached his own team in the bush and is now a highly-respected Rabbitohs assistant.
But most importantly, Burgess knows how to win.
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South Sydney wouldn’t have broken their 43-year premiership drought in 2013 without him – it simply would not have happened.
Burgess is back at the club working alongside some of the best players in the game, several of which are NSW stars.
Latrell Mitchell is the Blues most dangerous player, while his Rabbitohs teammates Damien Cook, Cameron Murray, Cody Walker and Keaon Koloamatangi will all play in Game III next Wednesday. Campbell Graham is another Souths star destined to play for NSW.
That’s potentially half the Blues starting side for Game I next year and Burgess can get the best out of them, while his sheer presence will inspire the rest of the team.
Latrell alone playing to the peak of his powers could turn a series and there’s every chance he’ll be the NSW fullback for the next five years at least.
Burgess is a powerful figure in the game, someone who guys want to play for and he’d be perfect in rebuilding the broken Blues.
IT’S TIME TO GO… SHEENSY
The only way is up for the Wests Tigers and it’s time for Benji Marshall to take the head coaching reins.
The club lacks direction and it’s time to bring Benji’s immense influence – which has been operating behind the scenes – to the fore.
The Tigers were humiliated 74-0 by the Cowboys last weekend and it was the final confirmation the club needs a fresh approach.
When you’re the coach, you have a real influence publicly in the way the club presents itself and you can portray the message of what you want from players.
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It’s really important for coaches to have the ability to connect with fans through the media and I think it’s one of Benji’s greatest traits.
That’s what the Tigers need – a fresh face, particularly to front the media as a lot of people have a lot of respect for Benji.
The Tigers are just an easy shot at the moment, rightfully so for how they’ve played, but putting Benji in as coach will start to right the ship.
Respectfully, I think the club must part ways with Sheens.
BIG HELP NEEDED FOR BATTLING CLUBS
Leading into the 2023 season, everyone was questioning the Dolphins and whether they would fail. They have not.
And based on results and their signings for next year, they’re clearly not going to anytime soon.
The Dolphins have passed with flying colours under Wayne Bennet this season and the NRL will be thrilled, but adding a 18th team is only going to hurt the already struggling clubs.
Spreading the talent pool even thinner will just make things tough for sides like the Bulldogs, Tigers and Dragons.
Sure, the salary cap rises but it’s like inflation, everything rises with it so clubs can’t just buy their way out of trouble.
The NRL must find a way to even out the competition by doing things like introducing a draft.
If a player comes through a club’s development system then they must compensate the team looking to draft him by giving up their own picks.
So if the Tigers have the No. 1 pick and they want a Panthers teenager, Penrith can keep him but they’ll have to give up their picks 15, 27 and 43 for example.
The AFL are likely headed for a fourth premier in as many seasons and they can largely thank their draft for the parity of their competition.
In the NRL on the other hand, Penrith are favourites to play in a fourth straight grand final and win a third straight premiership.
The NRL also needs to give their expansion sides more time to prepare for the competition, talk of another team potential coming in by 2025 is crazy.
TITANIC PROBLEM ON THE GOLD COAST
It’s funny what clubs will put in a contract when they’re not in a position of power.
The Titans somehow allowed their captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and star backrower David Fifita to have get-out clauses in their contracts if coach Justin Holbrook was sacked.
The bosses on the Gold Coast wouldn’t have been sold on Holbrook when Fa’asuamaleaui re-signed in November 2021, and they certainly knew he was skating on thin ice when Fifita extended in March this year.
Holbrook was axed last month after not hitting his mid-season KPIs that were set out for him by the board.
But now they’re paying for those clauses big time.
The Raiders have already submitted a $4 million offer for Fa’asuamaleaui and there are six more clubs circling.
It’s a sloppy approach for clubs to push through deals without giving serious thought to the potential consequences.
With respect, Holbrook isn’t Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy so this move was a real head scratcher from the Titans.
They’ve finally got some stability in their roster this season but two clauses have thrown that out the window and invited the circus to town.
Sure, incoming coach Des Hasler is a premiership winner but a club should never risk losing their two best players over something they could see coming.
