Welcome to the final episode of The Bye Round’s interview show for season 2023! In this episode Jimmy is joined by St Helens Premiership winning coach, former Gold Coast Titans head coach and current assistant coach at the Sydney Roosters, Justin Holbrook.
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0:00 Working Under Trent Robinson
4:43 Almost Joining Warrington
11:10 Move Into Coaching
19:27 St Helens
54:42 Gold Coast Titans
1:23:54 Coaching Future
1:35:30 Stitching Up Jimmy
1:41:00 Tooheys Spine & Three Questions
Hey there Byron listeners before we get stuck into the episode with Justin hallbrook we’re just going to let all our fans know thank you for the year and that will be going to one show a week after this stay tuned we’ve got some great shows coming out the week of
January 15th we’ll be back to our usual three shows a week so enjoy the festive period I know we will watch out for Charlie on the streets of Sydney everybody enjoy this episode with Justin hook hello and welcome everybody to the latest edition of the by round interview
Show today I am joined by none other than Justin hallbrook and man I’m really excited to sit down and speak with uh I’ve been given plenty of ammunition as well from some mutual friends uh so there’s some questions coming up later courtesy of Kyle Amore so just watching
The heart rate of you go up slightly after hearing his name uh Justin thanks for joining us thanks for having me obviously yeah as you mentioned mutual friends but obviously never met you so great to be on the show and thanks for having me yeah uh really pleased for you
For you coming on and getting into a few things um first off how are you um roosters preseason under Trent Robinson how are you finding all that at this moment yeah really good I’m obviously busy busy as it always is but uh really enjoying it um obviously I worked at the
Roosters I think seven years ago prior to prior to going over to St Helen so um back there now great people at the club obviously you know good playing group and um straight off the back of you know fortunate enough to to coach PNG the
Pacific test at the end of the year and then soon as that finished straight into to preseason so I’d gone from obviously a couple of months of um Treading Water doing nothing to um 100 mph which is much better the way I like it anyway yeah I like to keep busy um working
Under Trent uh what are your observations so far of um what’s behind his his greatness and what he’s managed to achieve in the game is there any sort of traits or or any of the clues that he leaves about how and why he is so successful oh there’s heaps I think one
Obviously he’s such an intelligent guy he’s he’s an interesting person to to just talk about anything with have conversations with obviously a great student of rugby league you know for myself going back there I knew he challenged me a lot um but I know that you know he’s a great listener and he
He’ll Implement also my ideas um as long as you you know you’re clear on them um but also he’s got a great Knack of delivering to the players so you know we have a a lot of meetings with staff and a lot of coaches meetings but then when
It’s in front of the players it’s it’s never too long it’s clear it’s direct and and with a sense of humor which I really like I think that’s really important you know we uh we’re in a lot of meetings we do a lot of training sessions but robo’s got that that Knack
Of um you know knowing how to get his point across but but in the right manace so it’s always interesting and um yeah I’m I’m happy to be back here there’s two points you say that so how he challenges you could you go could you give us maybe an example of that how
That environment works yeah just around um with with his assistant coaches and all staff around you know if I want to implement a certain style of play um you know he’ll ask why and what it’s going to achieve or or a drill IT training you know what why is that important why you
Want to do that and um and then how’s it going to be run and just just really detailed to make sure that um well the old you know no stone left Stone unturn you know so um but also you know gives a lot of responsibility to the staff which
Is what I like so he’s not um he’s not a microm manager either asks a lot of questions but then hands it over and says you know what do you want to do today and you know you’ve got this much time what you want to do and um then
Obviously you know very supportive on that and and obviously Everyone is always happy pre-season and everyone’s happy how they going but um you know it’s been Fest I’ve ever been yeah all that sort of stuff yeah but train the house down best I’ve ever been sign me
Up yeah that’s right um but for me it’s a bit different you know when I was here the first time um they’re obviously already successful under the trend and I was sort of coaching lower grades and on my way up so I was just really appreciative to to spend time at at the
Roosters um you know everyone talks about oh the club’s got a lot of money but but it’s the environment and and the people that are there which which is why ultimately I end up I end up coming back um obviously Trent a but you know Kath k
Who was recently just been spoken about for being you know going to be the first woman The Roosters sort of Hall of Fame things like that like she’s equally as important to the club as Trent and and the rest of the staff you know Kelly receptionist you know all all the same
People that you know media manag still the same Alex so people that were there seven years ago that you know they they attract good people and and they tend to stay um you know which which is which is great and um yeah so obviously Rober
Leads the ship but there’s a lot of good staff there and obviously you know a good playing group so um everyone’s trying to catch penr when they’re different and um you know hopefully we can do that next year yeah well very nearly didn’t happen you nearly went down a different path didn’t you
Now I’m glad you didn’t go yeah because I’d have probably been at the airport booing you on departure and you you’ve had some saints fans waiting for you in at Manchester Airport as well ready to with the pitch folks ready to ready to get you yeah so it’s it’s quite funny that actually
Because obviously when i’ been moved on by the totens you know and it’s obviously a horrible feeling and and you’re not sure what to do next and I was really lucky at a few coaches reach out which which I’m very grateful for and um but then with what you’re
Referring to with with with Warrington I guess it I sort of thought at first it was good timing CU obviously they unfortunately just parted with their coach so all of a sudden they they’re looking for a new head coach I’m sitting there without a club love my time in
England as as you probably know as I said I haven’t spoke to you about it but through the people that we know um although I’m not sure I’m happy with the stories that are com up especially with Kyle but um uh and then I obviously love
Being a head coach so you know then quickly trying to weigh up do do you want to go back as an assistant or if you want to stay a head coach and then it’s back to England and I got nothing but good memories over there so it was like well I love
I know warrington’s a big Club I know Warrington have never won it before that was a big sort of I guess selfish thought from me like thinking that’s you know I want lot incentive so Sam’s taking over huge carrot you can definitely it’s been a very very long time between
Drinks y with warington wolves and and lifting the well they’ve never that’s right y um and and as you know that one of the big clubs over there well resourced good people you know obviously I was lucky enough to to to meet um the staff while I was over there I know a
Lot of the staff I know a lot of the board just from from being you know my good mate pricey was there at the time when I was over there so I know they’re a great club and and well run um and yeah obviously came really close and
When when I didn’t end up going um that’s when I realized obviously how important was to the the Saints people that I didn’t come back because then I got a lot of messages uh in a nice way that I thought GE had have gone back there it wouldn’t have been the same
Because the science pH would have like me it’s it’s probably it’s hard for our Australian listeners to to get a an understanding of that because you know St Allens and Wigan that’s that’s deep rooted history very close but the Rivalry between Saints and Warrington that’s it it’s it’s close to
And those two teams don’t like each other um St ‘s fans take so much joy in warant and not winning one um I think I think if you even asked like a St Helens fan if Wigan and Warrington play in the grand final which they did one year like
Which one do you choose I think they choose wi you know to win yeah right yeah well and as you know that that that’s the beauty of the game over there how how how passionate it is and how much it means to him and the rivalries
Are just the obviously the best in the world so it’d be interesting to see how um how Luke Thompson is received in a Wigan shirt so obviously St Helen Jr came through made his name there came here played in Australia and then goes back to Wigan I don’t know if he quite
Realizes what he’s in for you know well it’s funny because I think from from our point of view here you feel like time moves on but then you realize over there that that they got such great long memories of and I use Ma maninger as example he had one year there one year
And if any player comes to Australia for one year we’re not going to talk about him forever bit of an impact gone but but when I arrived they were talking about M like it was yesterday and I’m thinking he must have been here for 5
Years how long was me one year I was like oh my goodness so and they all still talk about the impact he had in the town and the team and obviously I wasn’t a player so I was I was only a coach there but um yeah so obviously um
But yeah as as I said at the start you know Warrington tar a great club and from a coaching point of view um there’s a lot of upside to it I’d be living obviously in the same area that which I got F memories of um but obviously would
Be coaching a different sides was there was there a specific reason as to why you said no to warington oh because the job was yeah pretty much it was it was yours to yeah it was it was a fairway down the track yeah um probably taking the the kids back
There to be honest they gotten older now you know when when when we first went over to St Helen’s yeah my eldis was was only seven and he’s now 14 and um obviously as you know the sort of the the climate’s the hardest part over there um in terms of kids playing
Outside it didn’t worry me you get on with it especially with my pale skin mate it suits me over there um so getting sunburnt but um yeah uh but but it was a tough decision because as I mentioned you i’ been a head coach for Saints for nearly three years for goal
Coast nearly four so it was you know do you swallow everything and and go backwards and and more or less start again to a certain extent as an assistant coach so that was the hardest part and as I said it felt like at the time um perfect timing to go you know
That the not too often openings that those big clubs come up so um and and as I mentioned a lot of good people at Warrington but in the end um now that you know obviously as you mentioned at the start I’m back at the roers and been
There for a while feels great to be back there and um yeah I’m happy I made that decision well it’s a fantastic fantastic position to be in to be to to be wanted right and to have those options um at your disposal like that’s a that’s a pretty incredible position to be in
Where you’ve got there’s no right or wrong answer but you’ve got two great options there you go to the roosters as an assistant or War back to back to England and take over the Warrington wolves two upside two hug upsides but being a coach now many there’s different way
In the pathway to coaching I look back at your playing career a handful of games here and there is that type of player better suited to coaching than say uh the Superstar natural rugby league freak talent I think the answerers both like I think you can be a a super Talent
Obviously I I’m wasn’t one of those I didn’t have a a great playing career no doubt that’s what’s Driven me on the to be a coach I think it would be hard if you’re at a player that’s played 10 or plus years at the top to then want to
Have the work ethic to go down the coaching path because as we all know they they put in a lot of hours coaches and assistant coaches and um players when they are that good they sort of earn the right to like yourself do a couple of days on Fox call a couple of
Caves um you know play a bit of golf and and uh yeah you know rather than uh you know you want to watch games all day but um but for The Fringe guys I mean there’s as as you know there’s a number of great coaches that are the The Fringe
Guys obviously Trent been one of them um I think that’s probably what’s Driven me into coaching knowing that I I was disappointed in my own career feel short obviously as a lot of people do you look bang I I should have trained harder I should have done more and um you get
Older you get wiser and um then you know having the opportunity to get into coaching which which I absolutely love I love being around the playing group especially that’s that’s the best couple hours of the day when you’re on the field that’s for sure so um yeah very
Fortunate to be able to to to do the job that I do yeah well when you were playing you were coached by the legend that is Warren Ryan I’ve had so much about him but did you take a lot from uh being under his wing was tough for me
Because we played a handful of games at Newcastle would I obviously only play if Joey didn’t play so I know I know who the walk prefer having the side so it was um it was difficult but you could see his amount of knowledge in the game
Like he he he was Miles Ahead you know he he talk rugby lean as as you already know they talks about the salt and pepper shakers and he be here on the table in our case moving the two’s new can around um so highly intelligent guy
Um but yeah there’s there’s um yeah so so many good coaches out there and um obviously you take parts of them off them all but then you add your own little sprinkling on there and obviously yeah be your own coach and um yeah do your best so pardon for the lack of
Knowledge but was there a catalyst to hanging up the boots no no there wasn’t um I sort of a kid that now that you get older you’re else I love playing all sports growing up so that’s probably you know what I look back at now may help me back a bit
In rugby league because I love going to rugby league training but then I had a lot of mates outside of rby Lee that I’d love to you know go surfing with have a game of I I was a cricketer growing up um did little I just I just did every
Sport so um I wasn’t one of those only rugby league um I think now that’s helped me coaching because as you know and as all coaches know you deal with such a diverse group of players well for myself with an upbringing of loving every sport and loving every sort of
Interest I think that made it easier to to connect with players and people because you can have certain coaches at are just rugby league 24 hours a day well that that that’s not going to work with players so and in terms of hanging up the boots I was probably lucky that
That I wasn’t that good a player because it led me down the captain coach path which is my introduction to coaching so as a player I never really thought about coaching I love the game obviously I played in the halves um wasn’t quite fast enough so I had to have an
Understanding of the game um and then I went down first coaching opportunity was at dapto down in the wooling gun comp which was um sort of a semiprofessional level really good standard rugby league and that’s when I I love coaching um started thinking hang on I’m enjoying um
Obviously I’m at the back end of my career but enjoying coaching these younger guys and and watching them improve and that was my real um as coaches say it’s like a drug you get a fix and you love it and so that’s when I sort of thought you know I would like to
I knew it was going to be a long road I was okay with it because not having the playing career there’s not going to be a a Bard member that’s going to go let’s bring this old player back cuz we all love him and the fans all love him and
What a great you know you know this is going to going to be well received it’s going to be the hard yards but that that didn’t work I was in no rush I just then got in coach the lower grades um we played the Bulldogs I think 10 and 11
Won a couple of comps and then the next sort of door open and coached under 20s which will seen above New South Wales cup at the time which no one agreed on but that’s just the way the game was back then um did a good job couple of
Clubs there and then the opportunity come to to be an assisting here at the roosters so that that was a huge step and then obviously the step to to get over and Hill it came from sort of nowhere in a hurry so um yeah each sort of door opened and um yeah really
Fortunate it’s funny what you say there about um being across or or participating in a number of sports that there’s a great book that that the author escapes me but it’s called Uh why generalists Triumph in a specialized world so actually um it it by spreading
Out your activ ities and and taking up different sports that what this book suggests is that helps you when you finally do specialize in a in a sport like rugby league and um it’s a really good book anyway uh coaching you’re actively conscious of knowing this is
Going to be a really difficult path it’s not going to be easy but you volunteer into this difficult path did you have any idea just to how brutal and how difficult and how taxing and demanding and consuming it could be I get the idea of Captain coach and you
Talk about having that fix and it’s like oh I get to you know you you get the upside right and maybe that’s that that’s like you know you you get the upside of of something anything in life and then you don’t see the the flow on effect or the detrimental side or the
Cons to to this art form I guess previously you know to to what happened to me a few months ago I’d never I’d never witnessed that you know even Captain coach level’s good enough to win um Reserve grade won a couple of comps under 20s couple of Grand Final qualifiers roosters are obviously
Successful Club um then you know i’ always been a head coach in the Lower Gate so I probably struggled the first time around being an assistant because it always been used to been in control of the whole teams and that’s why I always you know enjoyed the head coach
Role um got to send look had some had some disappointing finishes there so it wasn’t all all you know Rosy but obviously had some success there and won the competition and um so obviously look even at the Titans you know when took over them they obviously come last we
Got the ninth we got to eighth and you know it was improving so it was really only a few months ago when you get moved on and um it’s funny you say that cuz um spoke to the manager and uh he said well mate you signed up for this stuff and
And I had actually said um yeah but I only thought the [ __ ] coaches got sacked so I said I’m one of them now so you look at things so differently that you don’t realize until it happens to you you you honestly don’t you just you know hear reports of the other coaches and
You think Oh you’s obviously lost the pl he’s not doing a good job and then I’m one of them and you go oh [ __ ] so um yeah I hadn’t really had any you know disappointment in when you’re finishing the season and disappointment of weekends absolutely like you you you
Want to win every week you know when you do what the best feeling in the world everybody in the dressing room is happy when you’re down everyone’s got the [ __ ] so um but it’s great to be a part of I I I imagine well we’re going to talk a
Little bit later on about the the psyche and being almost attracted to the chaos because it it takes a different Beast to to be to become a coach um you’re making your way through the ranks and this opportunity comes to St Helens did you have much knowledge of
What that club was about and and did you understand what you were stepping into obviously I I was a fan there uh came through the junior ranks I I get what that club means to the town and how important Ruby league is to those people and how they they demand success they
Hadn’t had success for quite some time before you came were you aware of just how not how not how big the job was but how the the level level of importance yeah obviously with without sort of boring you too much even if I tell you the story how it come about because it’s
Um you know I’d never been over there to play so i’ never been over England to play um obviously I watched a few games obviously over there and even when I was coaching um you know Rober used to watch it closely because he coached Catan dragons um Fitzy who was assistant at
The time he played for Hall so they were constantly talking Super League while I was an assistant coach at the rers the first time I never experienced it um never really thought i’ I’d go there and Coach it wasn’t like I had my heart set
On it either I was just um as I mentioned to you just doing a good job door opening not you never looking at that as like a career option to like what actually happened it sort of springboarded you to NRL head coach yeah no well I literally woke up one morning
And manager said look sellens just moved on there the coach who you obviously didn’t know really well Kieran keny one of the the you know until this current ERA played he he’s you know the best player that played for the club and and fortun he hadn’t worked out as a coach
And and they’ moved him on and he said the CEO’s on a plan to send him out and and you’re one that he wants to interview and I hadn’t even spoke to him had even thought about it so first thing I did I went to work and I said look
Rober this is just got a message and had it had a real good conversation with Robert about it and he said um look um go for the interview mate um you know I he coached over there himself he said look I love my time over there I’d
Obviously known the big clubs I didn’t know exact history of sellens at the time but I knew they one of the the bigger clubs um and obviously weren’t going well and in the SE come over rushy who you’d know well um couple of conversations with him and then within
12 days I was on a plane going over to coaching England which was the middle of the Season which was awkward you know I Robo was really good at the start of Year let let me take the nines team was only a handful of training sessions we went over and
Won the nines um at the start of the Year and that that really got me ke I jez I love to you know get into the head coaching and and then obviously with it not being in this same competition um Robert’s like might it be great for you
So sort of gave me the the okay to go um you know I felt like I spent every minute packing the house but my wife reminds me all I did was pack my clothes so I’d rig her from back home and I said what are you doing she goes I’m cleaning
The house packing the house I said oh okay so um I landed there and and that’s once once I said yes and and once they were happy with me I I I done a lot of homework on the club and for them to do their homework on me
Without even meeting I really like that I thought well rushy knows a lot of rby league as you know he’s he’s a CEO that’s that’s a handson in football department for him to sort of ask a lot of people and and give and for me to
Have that sort of reference of you know being at the top of the list so to speak with without having a playing career I I really like that um and then did my homework and watched as many games as I could you know got on the long flight
Over that you’ve done a number of times and um and I got really excited about what we could achieve I knew they had a good playing group that just weren’t weren’t playing well the last game you know they got bundled out the challenge cup 5410 by by Castleford so um I landed
On the Thursday met the staff we captains run on the Friday and then of all games that have Bo it was magic round which started early you know been playing in England for years before it took off here in the NRL so after flying
All the way over I’m on a 3our bus trip up to Newcastle was played up there I’m like oh my God I’m sick of traveling plenty of aies would do that though yeah but just not to coach first grade rby League true true um so then up
Different path yeah well that’s true a lot more enjoyable but even even that experience woke up and then Ben barar at the time he was sign he just left French rby Union and rushy says to me the CEO come on mate after breakfast we’re going
To meet B said maybe I got a coach today like and it was a day game like 3:00 CU it doesn’t matter he’s going to meet Warrington he’s meeting we he’s me H he me three or four Club we’re one of them so all a su before even coached the
First game having breakfast with Benny who who I did know cuz I coached at the balog reserve G so I wasn’t like I’m meeting a stranger but here I am selling the dream for Benny about how I’m going to turn the club around this inning Ninth at the time I hadn’t coached a
Game Benny we’re going to turn this around mate they’re a big Club we’re going to turn around turn him we go out and play Hall that day I said to Russy well the boys better play well because Benny’s watching all the games and Hall was sitting third and the boys went out
And terrific we won 35 n and just sort of I think it was 45 n yeah right yeah yeah even better uh and they took off took off from there um obviously yeah loved it yeah do you when you go to a any new club um the first statement is very important
Uh your first meeting your first words do you remember what you said I do I I’d spoken to the staff and you know man Daniels had a performance oh CH mate they all are like he they all are can’t speak highly enough but he does the job of about six
People in in terms of NRL staff he does so much he does it’s incredible and as a coach it’s actually quite good the less people you you have to work with the better and as you said mat’s the head of performance he’s the football manager he Logistics he’s he’s everything W trainer
Sprint trainer conditioner yeah does all the academy stuff as well a lot of the time he yeah well even that I was it actually jumped on the plane about to leave and and Russy Remy said mate you need to ring the physio noan Mill who you no well mate he’s about to leave
He’s the best physio in the country we can’t lose him I’m like [ __ ] I haven’t even coached a game yet I can’t lose melsy what mate wait till I get there i’ never met him I say mate we we’ll turn this around together and he was sort of
Fed up with the standards that that that were in the club and and MD was the same I never forget what Matty said him he said unfortunately for us doing the wrong thing has become the right thing I said oh [ __ ] so just in terms of wearing
The wrong a game turn it up like just all all all little things there was a million little things cuz I got asked a hundred times or more when I was over there oh what have you done you know to turn things around but it was just a
Million little things but so anyway listen to the staff wello was there as you know really well Paul Will’s absolute champion and you know he was yeah when you’re not doing well you obviously a lot of times you can work harder and work longer so they were they
Were doing you know an hour and a half video sessions and Captain drum were going forever so all the you know which is which is hard not to do that if you’re not playing well and trying longer and harder and all those type of things so when I finally met the players
And and and they were they hated the fans in the town because the fans were hammering them yeah so I you know quickly worked out and I I I was clear that you know I’d left a great position here so I said listen I wasn’t a coach
That come over that didn’t know what I was doing or or or needed a job you know I left a really good club that was sitting first at the time of the NRL to the opportunity cuz I’m excited to be here every single one of you guys is
Frustrated by how you playing what’s happening where you going so I said I’m the only one on me own here I’m on the excited side every every staff member in players on this frustrated side and bet we get a clean slate here we start to rip in we start to simplify things we
Start to do the right things I said and all those people that that are bagging at the moment all that all the reason they’re bagging is cuz they want you to do well I got the passion of the Town instantly without meeting the the the people of the town just you know the
Footy players and the staff so um yeah and fortunate enough that you know that that first game that you know we had a good win and then we won the next couple I think we played uh Wigan round three and and pretty much won on the bill at
Home so that was um another huge um occasion so yeah yeah I do remember sort of trying to set the tone and thought what going to start with me and um you know I’m big on sort of coaching energy you know if I’m moping around and
Players follow suit so I was always a coach that wanted to be upbeat and you know how good is it that we’re playing 40 coaching 40 and and that type of approach and and lucky enough the the players responded I put a couple of guys
Out to join they they they had the the table tennis table in and that become more important than a you know a training session I sbody what’s going he goes mate the guys can’t wait to get off the training field to play this before a video session there of competition I
Said right it’s it’s gone I said boys unless you plan on going the Olympics you’re not playing T ises anyone playing against the Olympics Alex Wy puts his arm up the big front rower loves He makes himself always doing go King his said I am I said you going to better
Make a choice today cuz you’re the plan part of this side or t lot lots of little things but but mate as you know a great Core group of players a great club that you know didn’t take a lot to to turn around well M you used two words
There and that’s exactly what James Roby said I messaged him and and ask him to to talk a bit a little bit about yourself and he said you said um first day we want to go from frustrated to excited because we’re frustrated at the moment and he he he can recall that and
That’s from 2017 Midway through 20 2017 he said immediately you got the buying from the group and he said you were that type of character that was always upbeat which I think then became infectious cuz the the mood had probably turned sour and they needed somebody to come in with
Well some positivity and some excitement which you certainly did and obviously teing off on a 45 Victory um what a way to to start your career obviously um St H’s went in the best position in 17 18 you get your first full preseason W with the group after a World Cup which
No was 17 the World Cup yes it was it was yes so after in Australia y you know you you’ve got players coming back you know High representation from St Helens in that World Cup 2018 best team in the competition by light years only two losses in the in
The the I think in 23 rounds um but you don’t make the the GF horrible absolutely horrible yeah look to to quickly touch it even 27 so we you know we we fought our way to get in the finals um it was only a four team semi
One play place four two Place three we we go to Castle Fu the drop golf that was a drop golf so Cass had beaten him 5410 in challenge knocked them out they were flying um you know we’ beaten them in the round game and then I remember
Going up there I was that confident I’m thinking mate we play well we’re winning here and as you know it’s a jungle the the the the change room as big as his table the toilets it is the jungle absolutely um and look we we our way
Back we we level we got in front actually a couple of Miss together then we gave away a penalty we didn’t need to give away they kick it Go a level and they beat us by a point in extra time and so that that was devastating for me
I I could picture us just get getting o traffing and winning it and coming from nowhere and going well what a what a year and well and really Castleford lost basically on the Tuesday when Zack hard had got yeah he got he got suspended didn’t he so basically it
Was leads leads won it where St H would have put up a much better contest but I guess it wasn’t to be it wasn’t to be and you’ve rolled into 2018 and um yeah we we were flying and um once again you get to the finals and it’s just a
One-off semi and we’re playing at home we’re playing Warrington and U and Warrington you know I remember that you know going in worry that night you know and it’s not a it’s not a good position to being as a coach because they know how much danger they had in their side
Knew what they’re capable of um we we’d beaten them a couple of times earlier which um you never sure was good or not and uh and then look we when you look back we we only got beat 18113 so we we were close we we didn’t get beat 30 n
But we might as well got beat 30 cuz as you mentioned we were first we were miles in front of everybody um and then once again you know we’re watching The Grand Final which was which was the one you mentioned earlier Wigan vers Warrington and I’m and I was just
Absolutely Ely devastated you know because you get to know the people in the town I lived in the town you know so many people looking forward to it um but almost seems like the stars are aligning it almost seems like because saints were so far ahead of everybody else in the regular
Season it was almost almost a given yeah or or or it’s you know for you there would have been very short price favorites to take out the competition that year was that was that difficult to you you talk about being worried going into the game was part of the worry
Overconfident no definitely not like not with you but with the group no definitely not no no not not with that playing group you know they they’ had a few years of not been successful if you if you’d won a few things it could be a but not not with a Level Playing group
With James rabby Johnny Lis Tom mson Alex to for just on that Alex swarmy unfortunately you know he was the the best front row in the competition and he unfortun broken his neck early in that season um and we were we were winning games by 30
Nearly every week and I thought if we can get him back and he was pushing to try and get back for challenge C and he was still getting doctors saying you should be right you’re not right you should be right you’re not right in the
End he didn’t make it back and you know every team has injuries but I got no doubt if the big fell was there we would have got the job done but yeah he’s one of the most awkward absolutely human beings you could ever possibly imagine
Yep to play the game of Ruby and he’s so good yeah do you know much about the story of him coming over from battley he could barely play the ball yeah well I remember him coming in liing he was here going to Union 23 24 when he come over I
Didn’t know about barely play the ball but yeah uh look he always it was great tremendous player you know um but look that was that was a yeah horrible finish to year the hardest thing about that is you know as a player or coach that you
You can’t fix that for a full 12 months so uh even the backtrack when we got bundled out by the golden Point uh field goal in 2017 they they matched us against Cass round one as a big buildup cuz cuz Cass got beat Easy by leads in
The GF so they didn’t have a grand final replay they thought they’d replay our game yeah um and one funny part cuz as you know Russia they everyone wants to go to the warm weather Camp for schools training in January just to to beat the the horrible
Winter but Russ’s like no no you got to win first to have the money to be a to go so C were going to um I think brands at Portugal and our players knew and Big Al and John M they going over there they going we were going to North Wales so we
Turn up to North Wales and it’s first field session it’s hailing it’s coming in sideways boys good this and the only thing I did say I said listen I can promise you one thing round one when we play cast it will not be 28°
In sunny I promise you that so I said a contradiction is the way got a warm weather I said NRL don’t spend preseason in freezing Cal for Rounds 18 to 24 so why would you spend preseason in warm weather when your first 10 12 games in
England are going to be freezing but I do understand you get the more skills and the bit of warmth put my player hat on yeah I’d be taking it to come on yeah I get it team bonding yeah that’s right what could possibly go wrong there was a reason why saying stop
Going away you you you probably cus that but anyway that that that round one game we hammered hammered Cass I think we beat him 50 50 nil but but that that couldn’t fix that year and then we got 18 wrong and I’m like [ __ ] so I knew we
Couldn’t fix it till the end of 19 but but one thing I had to change as you know you played there like so many games straight We There was 30 rounds yeah in 2018 we played 30 rounds and then challenge Cup on top of that so the only
Way you get a week off is if you aband other challenge cup which you don’t want yeah so we end up playing 35 weeks straight we we were just catch plus the Easter program the Easter cramming in the the three games in a week so 2019
Roll around and and um yeah we we thought you know we’re got to get it right this year um so I took a couple of games to to rest all the players which didn’t go down well with some of the other clubs but we just had to cuz we
Didn’t have a buy and um we were all actually sweating on Toronto with the red H favorites to to um to get promoted to Super league and and everyone was hearing about Toronto and how good it was they’re all going to Niagara Falls and they’re playing at these great
Stadiums having parties after the game and uh they played London the million million pound game to get promoted in Toronto and and actually got beat 6’4 so London came up and every was like oh no we want to go over so the twice we had to play London down in London on the
Synthetic pitch so that’s they the games that we had guys with with new history Johnny low makes Al and all that so arrested everybody um we only lost three games all year and two were to London so yeah with weaken team yeah I remember the being upro about that because obviously that helped
London’s case to maybe stay up I don’t know if they did but it certainly it helped them yeah but well I couldn’t worry about that I don’t well exactly you don’t care everyone else you s your [ __ ] out get your own backyard sorted you win more games don’t worry about
What I’m I’m here to win a Premiership and yeah I think there was in 2019 you lost three two against London with a weakened team yep and one we just got beat cat L’s Aber in cat L which is a tricky game um and and look that which
Which I still love I love talking about now that because it’s been a few years but we finished 16 points clear a second Wigan which is still a record for the game over there so and obviously if you don’t rest your players they could have played the boys but I didn’t feel was
The right thing to do we we could have finished 20 points clear but then they changed it to the five team so I thought that really helps us now we get the week off then we rolled into Wigan at home and then everyone saying oh they going
To choke again this and that and we absolutely battered wean I think we beat him 40 to4 and then um we’re naturally all thinking we’ll we’ll play them again play they they couldn’t get up for it Weg they just couldn’t we we job you battered them that much that they they
Were spent and they were too bruised and obviously a highly motivated sord team y just quickly before that Grand Final you lost the challenge Cup Final against warington at wemy y a well when I say lost let’s just of England every time you talk to me disappointed let’s just
Say robbed yeah Morgan NOS scor scores a try doesn’t go to the video ref yep and the replay shows it’s more to try oh and that’s uh still keeps me awake at night um look I want to win the treble you know we were miles in front of League
Leaders and I still talked to and Ted as the last coach to win the trible in 2006 and um yeah look Warrington I knew they they’re such a good side obviously and um yeah for Morgan n he scores a try three minutes into a final the referee
Decides did not check it sprinted back to the 20 to let them have a seven tackle set they didn’t score if it but the whole game flips on its head and then it was tied all the way we’re down sort of 124 to the D seconds and they
Score at the end and I got no doubt it would have been different we would have made them play catch up and I think if morg scores it’s yeah a big score it’s it’s a you know and yeah it’s um yeah I actually read something recently people
Had sent it over you know the poor referee had said that you know that his biggest regret in his career is not going the video ref in the in the you know 2019 challenge Cup finals that’s my biggest regret as well so um yeah so it was another near Miss um leading into
That Grand Final absolutely that used a not that you needed much more motivation but did that hurt really I don’t think it helps I think when you play that challenge Cup Final so late in the year you ended up you end up having like five or six games before
Super League finals so you find teams that win it then they they go backwards they can’t get up for the for the bigger games because they’re still on a high win in challenge cap but even if you lose it like I remember when when we it
Was hard for a cou of ways cuz every was so devastated and you got five or six days to to get up for the next round game and then you’re just and and we were well clear at the top so there was no real pressure on us to to to finish
First we were clear um but I can’t I came back to such a you know such a good playing group that just stuck at it and and as opposed to 2018 semifinal the 2019 Grand fin all Trafford I’ve never been more relaxed and I remember chatting to wellow and Matty Daniels at
The day of the game we went to to a hotel first and I said I’m fine I said look it’s if it’s meant to be we’re going to do it we’ve done everything right as staff I got no hesitations um you know I’m really clear on on how
We’re going to go we got to play well on the day we know that and the boys did and and I’m happy for them because we all know you might talk about what s have gone on to do but for me it was the
Players that I I felt for I felt for the the James Rob’s a Johnny low maxers who you know Johnny had a number of injuries as a kid you know never got the joy of winning you know robes as a kid and then had so many and I’m thinking this this
Guy deserves to go down as one of the great but if we can’t win it and we’re fumbling our way through the next couple of years he’s done and dusted and and won’t get talked about but lucky enough um we won that game easily we finished
16 points clear we’ll keep at the same side for a few years and I thought they they’re in a good spot here and um to to full credit to him as a club for for continuing on Ju Just how important for you the group was that
Outcome like I know you’ve touched on it there but to to be circling and so close and so dominant how was how yeah how important was that capping that up and and having that outcome for me it was the the best feeling for the town like
You know that um you for anyone that hasn’t hasn’t hasn’t been over in north of England everyone hears about how it’s get spoken about you know there can be a crowd at 5,000 but it feels like 30 there can be a crowd at 10 feels like
100 and it is like that like the north of England is you know they work hard all week and then they can’t wait to watch the rugby which is rugby league and the football the soccer they’re the two things they’re not worried about G fishing or a holiday or or anything and
And and the responsibility I felt was huge and I love that I love that I’m responsible for so many people being happy if we win and and the fact that we won 2019 I was just relief for the whole town for everyone involved in the club um you
Know you know rash aan mcace is the best chairman in the world like just wants to win and you know so supportive and things like that so just the the whole town and knowing that put smile on people’s faces and that was going to last six months I just felt like for my
Time job done you know that that next week um was terrific just everywhere you know just walking down to the the local shop everyone’s thank you thank you you know and just um yeah best feeling in the world at what stage had you made the decision to take up the gold coach job
Was that was that post Grand Final or was that made Midway through the season yeah it was later than Midway and it it was hard because um all along as I said I’d sort of just got another opportunity and it was always a step up and that one was over at England and
Then obviously we were you know we won League leaders 2018 we won at 9 and I’m sort of flying and that’s when I started thinking he I’d love to love the coaching the NRL um and then there was a bit of interest from a couple of clubs nothing concrete
And then had a couple of real good conversations with Mal maninger and um you know he show me about you know what the the goal Coast wanted to do and and then obviously aan and rushy which which was terrific of them they they sort of
Said we’ love you to stay and but we respect you having a bit of time but we can’t wait forever and I think it might have been August and and and what you you learn quickly in life how quick social media can organize things so I’d
Actually agreed to to go I think it was 7:30 that morning and I was due to meet the players at 8:00 so I thought this is great I’ll get straight to work tell the group tell the staff I want them to hear it from me and
By the time I’d got there it was out and everyone had knew and and and they’re thinking that I known for weeks oh you didn’t then Rush Oh you could have told me early I said honestly i’ I’d made it with M this morning and I literally
Thought 20 minutes to get you know was 10 minutes to get the training and tell everybody but um people think oh no you’ve known for ages go honestly I didn’t know and uh so that that that didn’t sit right I felt horrible and and I actually felt awful telling the group
You know I’d become great friends extremely good friends with the staff like great not just good people but excellent at their jobs like tremendous like mdty Daniels Nathan Mill Paul Well’s assistant you know they are just awesome at what they do so I was so fortunate that I’m coming in on my own
Not knowing anybody and I had such great support um and then the players are just well you know you’re from there but the the north ofland they’re just awesome people you know it’s just so much fun to be around and um that that that’s what I
Miss the most um I miss the the people with the benefit of hindsight you think you should have sh stayed for a little bit longer obviously um you built that group uh built that Squad built that a lot of the culture um handed over the Reigns to Christian wolf
Who then went on to win at three more after um your win in 2019 you possibly think you should have looked to capitalize on what you had built there yeah it’s a tricky one I think as a as a coach you’re always looking for for your next challenge and
Um and I felt like at the end of that year that that the the playing group in such a good but as I said no one was going to change and and look if I didn’t have the desire to coach the NL it would have been great to stay cuz I love the
People to finish 16 points clear a second I think I knew they were set up long term and not taking anything away from Wolfie he tremendous coaching and you know not to say we would have kept winning but he he’s done a tremendous job it would have been hard for him to
Go in knowing that 16 points clearer first and you know but to to stay and obviously would have played The Roosters in the world club challenge in St hens like I would have loved that um yeah look I would have and and my time there was such a a happy time so uh
Yeah look hindsight bit it’s hard to know as well it would have felt easy but because I felt like in the end of that season we we’d have people come in actually longy good assistant too by the way I forgot to mention longy was a did a great job uh
Great character of the game he’d moved on and I brought Richard Marshall in the back end of the year and he he like couldn’t believe the envirment many go I can’t believe how how lighthearted you are I can’t believe that the boys can be having a laugh but then instantly KN
When the train will we have other people want to come in because we were doing so you know from other sports it we were doing so well and um and a guy called Keith MO is a great great friend of mine who is sort of uh coach of coaches in
Soccer over there and um he he loved coming into our environment and yeah look it’s such a special group of players you know not too similar to what penrith are doing there if you I’m sure if you walk into everybody’s happy they they’re all getting on well the staff
Are terrific the players are you know because of you know when you’re winning it’s such a good place as long as you get the right environment and we had that and we had a great core of players that that you know and and great young
Guys you know um even the year I left um those games we lost you know Jack wisby Lewis do I thought myself wow we got the two best young players in England at our club and we’re 16 points gear a second I’m thinking this is almost unfair like
You know but there’s some other great clubs there but I’m just yeah I would have loved to have stayed and kept winning but um but no for me it felt right to to come back yeah well I guess with the benefit of hindsight we can
Look at things Co hit as well which I’m not sure how that would have sat with you know yourself your your family being in total lockdown there very different to what we experienc here in this country so huge and you know not a lot I I I know what it’s like when you
Consumed an all in but those things play A Part as well and sometimes there’s more to life and football but yep just finally on your um your time at St Helens I’ve got three questions from KY of Kyle Amore so did you ever single out a player to get a point Across H you know what we call absolutely loved him and and oh look he’d be you know I obviously shouted him one what that actually it was 2018 then semi-final he was in the side and I ring him game there said man I’m going to switch it that’s horrible for a coach to
Do so I got no doubt to be disappoint in that but a guy that I absolutely loved in the group so so limited ability yes but but had the gift of the gab like he he’s a front rower that had boot sponsors like he’d have update
Amount of boots and then you got Tommy M’s an absolute genius and Mark p and all that that are paying for their boots and K’s here with the New Balance sponsor you know asking me oh mate do you mind if I leave training early day cuz I’m actually I’m on the plane with
The Liverpool soccer team that’s playing a Champions League game in such and such in Europe he the so he’s a and and now he’s obviously you know commentators they call him pundits over there he’s a genius I said manate how do you understand the game so
Well now that you know he’s um so I’m interested to see what else he’s got to say but do you do you remember leaving a bar in Billing high-fiving everyone going how good of the scene I think that might have been one of your last Harr I’m not too sure yeah
Probably could have been but there was some um as you know mate there’s some great pubs over there that uh yeah it’s so different to Australia you know here if if you walk into a pub here you and you want to have a beer with your mates
They’re all looking up at the tab or you know it’s not a real good you know fun environment whereas in England there’s there’s none of that there’s just M the soccer on the afternoon and then they Chang the music everyone singing and it’s a close it is it’s terrific you
Take your kids that’s another great story I I remember well because as you know summer’s beautiful you know it’s light till 10:00 at night and my wife was going in with I think robes is missing all that had a day in at Liverpool and I had the four kids we’re
Sitting out the back we played Friday night we’ done review Saturday it’s lunchtime Saturday what do you want to do kids not sure how about we get in the Griffin so I got in the pub and as you know in summer like there’s to play in there’s big grass areas they can ride
Their bikes in the car park and they’re running all their all their mates from school so I’m ring wellow come down mate bring your kids so next he need no oh no no took about one minute to get there yeah he wasn’t even home so next minute
There’s about 6 or eight dad’s having a beer with the kids playing and I stayed there till it got dark at 10 at night when I said and I’m looking after the kids today this is awesome have a good day out yeah so that was my job so uh yeah look Terri
Say yes I do I do remember and um final question why didn’t you like any of the songs where they changed the words to include smees or I did I used to but the boys were so quick at oh as you know the everyone changes words of the songs and
Um but they’re all good fun um sure Cole would have made a few up about himself but um yeah no he said specifically though you didn’t enjoy maty Smith inspired songs oh no well I actually did um the song itself was the one I didn’t like I made that song cuz that all
Falling in love with and that song just kept getting replayed at training and I said to Matty Dennis M can you take this song off your playlist please and uh it come on every trainer session so was not nothing on uh Manny Smith um actually on the don’t
Write off the Saints it was a terrific field goalie kick we were down like 248 the first year I there against sford with seven minutes to go scored three tries leveled it up they tried a chip kick on the 40 Robert Louis actually Louis McCarthy scarsbrook got it I’m
Glad he passed it I’m surprised he didn’t take the shot threw it to Manny Smith who kicked a 42-minute field goal after the sirens so want a terrific and then that’s the whole don’t right Saints never right off the Saints yeah so every now and then
I’ll I’ll go on YouTube and look up like St Allen’s greatest comeback victories and some of them you just like HS of them yeah your best one ever was the 2020 phenomenal I was at the wide to West I’m not sure if you’ve seen yeah seen that brilliant that’s the spirit of
You never write off the Saints I played in one of the warington games as well where the infamous commentary Appo wins it for warington Eddie Eddie Heming says it and there’s like six minutes left we’re down by three scores I think yep and so oh no we were down by six 16 we
Come back and we win by two so good so for for me to be able to just slip into that for a short period of time with with that history of the club is just awesome repeats itself you land at the goal Coast um they’d not won in a long
Time I think the season before you got there they hadn’t won since round 13 what’s your assessment of the club when you land uh well I I knew you know we had a lot of work to do I knew it was going to be a tough challenge but I was
Excited by it you know I’d only come off um even though we mentioned that disappointing finishes I I’d come off um you know a lot of good times in coaching really confident that that I could make a difference real winning culture right vers versus going to the the opposite
Extreme of it’s It’s funny CU I remember Brad fitler asked me something I was I think I was on radio I might have been I can’t remember but he said to me how you going to go now you’re used to winning 80 something percent how you going to
Get used to losing every week or most weeks and I I don’t plan on that and and that’s and that was the approach I took didn’t plan on that happening and um that first year the start was tough we you know we didn’t win a lot early but I
Remember we won five straight at the end of the year and they had to cut the season short so we only played 20 games instead of 24 and we finished ninth I’m thinking mate if we’ have play the 24 I was confident we we were we were far and
And um you know not not confident we were in the comp but confident we get into the eight in the first year but you finish the season five straight um so you know what I I understand the the challenge that was ahead it wasn’t going to be easy you’re playing well
Established sides that they’re at the top most years is it is it difficult um or is it is it more difficult on the goal Coast than other n NRL clubs is obviously it’s a it’s a it’s not got like the nailed on support and also the
The lifestyle which a lot of people are attracted to but it can come with you know that bit of a relaxation holiday style feel you’re right and and that’s I’m well aware of and that’s what we were sort of set about to change so we we
Obviously made a lot lot of change we went really young we you know we it’s such a huge area for rugby league up there like there are so many kids playing rugby league I was tag touch footy it’s it’s thriving it’s it’s a huge and and you got a lot of new
Zealanders up the north a lot of the you know Australians down sou so you got a great mix coming in the Titans and and they will get it right but um yeah in terms of time as you said that now that I’m out of there that that is hard you
Know we just talked about s how well stab I’m back at the roosters you know been here since 1908 you know you look at pen you look at Melbourne storms the sides are at the top whereas they’re still fing their feet at the Go Coast but you got so many people that move
There so many people from Melbourne now which which sucks cuz they all follow AFL so they like every time I see Mel and npl up you’re bloody another AFL person up you’re far um but then he got all the Sydney team so we’d have a home game and obviously
The far side of the field would be full of South Sydney or pen whoever you playing so but they were the challenges we had to overcome so that was why strategically we wanted to go young you know we brought Tino and day for fer and then we were under aline the young guys
That were already there you know AJ brion’s a big part of the Gold Coast and Jaden Campbell’s coming through so so many good young kids coming through um that you know that they’ll get it right but you know I ran out of time in in that process so but Ju Just quickly on
On one of those plays that you did bring in David F it was huge it’s huge money for any player in any position and you know when the media get a hold of a story like that they probably inflate it a little bit but did you
Feel so well what did you feel when you when you know you’re going big on an edge back row that hadn’t played too many games but how did you you manage that and what would why why go so hard for a player that with all due respect
Was well he’s an edge back and was INF like it inflated Edge backro prices yep one thing with Dave you know he he went to school in the area at cuber Park he had players there which is is what sort of we we said about bringing the the
Players back to the area that were from there he had connection to the club and the and the players that were there um in terms of the price he he got a more to come to Sydney and as you said it does it gets inflated slightly like say
Say signs for a million or on to 1.2 and you go you never actually take 200 off why don’t you come out and say it’s 800 if it’s a million that that’s never happened obviously for obvious reasons it’s not interesting so um but we were looking at our Squad and and and there
Weren’t halves out there so um that the the were available and you go well how do we strengthen our side for next couple of years and and help development is is the sort of strike players that are out there and um so yeah look Dave
Dave did get well paid but um you know he he was only young too you know and that’s where people get frustrated by how he runs what they see do that for 80 minutes it takes young players a long time to get up to NRL standards obviously cost us some games last year
Where you can’t compete for 80 but we brought Tina and dve in as as 21 year olds that that are already classed as superstars in our game um and it took Dave a while and I think last season was by far his best you know he got back to
Origin and um even that first year I think he was the the leading tuckle breaker in the competition the leading tries for forward the most tries of forwards ever scored so while people are critical of him it was always going to take us a while to to get really good
Players around him as well because he was still learning how to play the game so um was that quite frustrating as a coach so he could have you know three to four really positive um super over moment in a game but then you he would get accused of going missing but
Probably wasn’t he was still having a strong impact on a on a game and on a season yep and and that’s just because of what he can do you know and and but people expect it every because he is that type of player that as soon as he
Receives the ball in any sort of space everyone goes yep what’s what’s you going to do and you’re almost left disappointed when yep it’s just he just gets tackled play the exactly which as a coach is probably not a bad thing cuz he’s absorbed Defenders and changed the
Defensive shape and attracted you know attracted numbers to the tackle but for the punter or the person on TV they go oh yeah he’s not scored he’s not tackle busted he’s not offloaded he’s just yep and and that was tough for him because he he’ played some as I mentioned those
Stats in that first year but then he come and he’d be disappointed he’d be getting hammered for a few days and he’s such a lovely young man that you think oh you know it’s it’s hard for the players but but he you know he’s capable of doing those special things so that’s
What people want to see so they expect it every time but uh he he can have a big um impact in a game that’s for sure and and that’s what we need to bring to the club you know when I first came back the hardest thing was getting plas to C
Well Luke Thompson’s a great example you know I’d coached him for a few years at sellens said come on Tomy get up here You’ be great for us great for us and in the end he went oh man I can’t come to the goast you know I want to and chose the ball
And that’s when I went sh what was his reason for well just want to be successful club and they never had success you know as as a club up there and obviously spoken a lot of people and you know in the end you know chose another and we and we had
Some meetings with some other players that that opted not to come and um that’s before you know would have even even coached a game there so so to have that within that first year well well prior to that just in January I think we Tino would agree which was great you
Know obviously Mel and Ezra the recruitment guys have spent time with him and then I met him and him and his partner GE Jord and he’ made the commitment to come home that was Prior of the Season which was great um and then Dave was an ongo one stay at
Brisbane come down so it was a really big win for us to you not many people leave the the Broncos and and for us to get Dave and KN he is a game breaker um and knowing who we had around him um you know um you know as I said you know sort
Of that that was the path we had to take and by the end of that first year we sort of finished night then people were open to coming and and and PRI me leaving you know were able to get semi veril and unfortunately just couldn’t
Get on the field for him he played I think injured round two and I think come back the game got moved on so um you know we had to we had a you know it was a big job um but you know they they’re
In a good spot now they got a good group of players and and ready to do well I I can only imagine when you you get knockbacks like that from guys like Luke Thompson who you’ve got a already a relationship with strong relationship feel feel like you can he can take your
Team and also you can take his game and suit it to the NRL that adds pressure but even despite that in 2021 you land yourself in the playoffs um and you’re a pass away from advancing sorry to bring it off yeah uh was it Patrick Herber who didn’t pass the ball yeah unfortunately
Yeah yeah yeah what what are your what are your memories from from that day like from from your coaching perspective like in in the Box what’s the um do I like coach bring it up that that whole season was we you know we we’d gone through the co times
And then the the game became Reckless with six againsts it was awesome for the The Playmakers like now the game became how do you defend now when the game’s so different you know turbo scoring four tries a game and and all the excitable players were having a huge impact and
Then it looked like no one’s no one’s defending we all know know defense wins competitions we’re all working hard on defense but but sometimes you you they were like under 20s games when a coach 20s you could be in front by 20 thinking I’m not still confident he can get beat
Or you could be you think that was players not adapting to the six oh without doubt and hadn’t been trained for it you know so it was just such a fast game it became um but we adapted enough to to get into the final even the last game before we
Made it was awesome you know I’ve never been involved in a game where you have to win by more than 14 points you just had to win normally win a game but we had to beat the Warriors by more than 14 to make eighth spot um and similar that
First game S as we went out and I think we won 40 n which was awesome but the just the different feeling of just winning is not enough today but the players responded we sneak in we we go up to Townsville to play The Roosters
And and that had a few out so I was really confident and obviously when you finish eth everyone says you’re just there to make up the numbers and I’m like I generally think we can get these guys and then we pass away from advaning of the week two of the finals which was
Um what are you doing the coach’s box like at at that time we had have the masks on it and I just felt like stop breathing it was it was awful it was and it was awful for all the players too you know I felt sorry for p he he wished he
Had a passed it wasn’t you know it was um devastating it was uh it was a horrible and and those things they last forever I think as a player you know you know you played and you feel different you finish the game you disappointed you right our boys were out we’re going over
A beer whatever they do you you’ve played in it so as a coach oh well it can it HS around well I guess you’re in the position of you you have such an impact on the game but you you can’t actually do it yeah so you’d be stewing over
Around training drills or or whatever it may be like Y what could I have done differently to influence the outcome I can only imagine the oh and and it is coaches are so different I mean you look at Wayne Bennett who who looks so relaxed like he fall asleep and then you
Look at the opposite and Craig B how intense he so it is everybody handles that that that differently that um but that’s yeah that situation was you know especially for for the for the area the club as you said hav had success to if to we were good enough to beat the
Roosters and I actually said to Sam Walker the other day said well I do a couple of field goals after the train so were your miles or you B you’ve kicked two to beat me twice you know he kicked one at the round game at the goal Coast
To beat us 35 34 and then beat us in the semi-final as well so um yeah hopefully he can kick him next year and I’m on his side well M like coaching is a very tough gig um and again we’ll fast forward to Midway through this
Year you have a victory against the West Tigers you do your review what can you talk can you talk the aftermath of that game from it’s it’s been done now but look we we we’ stuffed some games up I knew that you know we LED I think we sat second in
The competition at half time yeah behind pen so it was clear our second hours were poor look as a coach and as a playing group we we stayed up beat about it we were like okay boys we’re getting this wrong we’ll get it right you know we’ll get it
Right and then every Club has injuries unfortunately for us as I said semi verel was out since round two for was playing bus until might just have a couple of weeks off you know cuz he was coming out in the second half barely running brimson had done his Hy twice um
So they weren’t just injuries they were three spine players so and we were still hanging in there you know we got s another example you know we LED sou at half time but that was Jaden cell’s first game at 58 Keanu Kenny’s first game at fullback we leading sou second
Half Damen cook and Cody Walker put on a clinic and we get beat so um then thinking she better start then obviously you hear a bit of heat around which is never enjoyable to hear about yourself and then we’ll playing the Tigs and I said no no we’ll be sweetie we
We’ll turn around I knew they weren’t going well but I had verel back I had brimson back and I said we’ll be right he got four him back and um and and you know yeah we won sort of I think it was 2810 or something like that and then had a
Buy um so that was the boy we giving the boys a few days off and then we came back the training we’re playing Brisbane Sunday and I think we’d had three training sessions cting into the week so I mean Brisbane were flying and that’s what we like with thought we were a good
Chance here you know boys were going to you know have a good back half of the year but we got our playing group back so everyone was really upbeating and unfortunately for me they they already obviously made a decision and and sort of called me in and um said of sort of
Finishing up straight away so that was um a a real shock obviously was it blind was it was it completely it was from my end yeah look I don’t want to say too much probably obviously I knew I had to win games thought better make the a
There but um but you know you want your destiny in your own hands and and but look there’s no easy way of doing that you know I’ve learned that since you go well geez so many coaches have been sucked so I don’t want to nothing about feeling sorry for myself of course not
But then do you feel as if perhaps you should have been given um an indication that it was on the radar Horizon that yeah I yeah don’t I don’t think there’s an easy way no there’s not so um look who knows could have been worse
They yeah we’ll give a few and we lose and then it’s a slow death isn’t it so l k your losses a move on so um and as I mentioned I said the thought the [ __ ] on one of them now but I guess the the appreciation now of of the position and
Um and and the the change in your life you go from having 30 you’re responsible for 35 players and 15 staff so you you got sort of 50 people and you come in to work every day and you love what you do and you’re excited about the B and then
Nothing and then you go to nothing and it is it is awful so um it’s it’s a real change you’ve been it’s the double blow but but you know may a fault if we’ have won more games they wouldn’t have ped me so I’m not yeah I’m I can understand
From there in you know had had we not LED so many games and and been beaten it might not have happened if we’ have won a couple more and I was sitting six it wouldn’t happened so you know we can’t dwell on on on on things but um it was
Definitely a big a big change for me and um um but you know as I said I was lucky that um do you think it could have been handled better from oh look as I said there’s no there’s no easy way there’s not you know they can yeah they’re nice
Some nice people up there um but it’s there’s no easy way of doing it yeah how did you sort of manage your emotions and I don’t I don’t even know I don’t know how I remember it did it did look I think it shocked the Rugby League World any time
There’s not many secrets in the game no and and because it happened it it seemed to come from so left field yeah like how when you’re the person at the you you’re the the main lead in the story how do you regulate that like this
Is this is like for me it’s like oh that’s a shock and I’m talking about it and might chat with people around the traps but for you that you you’re the person that’s involved in this story and it’s it it comes at an emotional cost how how do you navigate your way through
It’s weird to know that they yeah they’re talking it’s about your life you don’t like that look it oh definitely tough you know everyone that cas that’ll will say the same thing but um you know I was fortunate enough had some players reach out and you know we which was great um
Uh it’s probably harder for my wife and kids to be honest that’s that’s one thing that everyone will talk about you know I’m no different to any other coach but how much the kids had invested in especially I got twins at 10 and they had that the whole school going for the
Titans I we they were so passionate about it and then they instantly changed and and wife had she’s there everywhere you know they they got four young boys so she she knew I I I pretty much knew no one I just go to work and come home
And so it was her friends that was going to you know were devastated cuz she knew we’d have to be moving and things like that whereas for me it’s just like yeah you got to move on to somewhere else what’s the next type of thing but um but
Anyway you know better for it um everyone’s talking about you know building resence in life and it was good for me good for the family no big drama you know it’s difficult to rec recognize that fact when you go and well you can’t recognize that when you’re going through it um did you
Have in the aftermath did you have any feedback from the power Brokers around sort of why they were going to make this decision or it was just we’re going to cut ties oh look I I didn’t really want to discuss it they’ made up their morning and there there’s no um as I
Said there’s no easy way there nothing that you needed to really be discussed they made the decision and and obviously announced you know a new coach the same day that was the approach so there’s no there’s no real need did you did you want some feedback though did you want
Some to be able to rationalize it I knew I knew I had to do well you know I had a really poor year the year before so was not like you know you’re not going to last forever in this game if you don’t have success so um so you know I knew I
Was sort of had some work to do and had to get him far and as I said didn’t help you know we lost plenty of second halfes easily so um it wasn’t like the you know I’m just you we’re sitting third and they disliked me personally so it’s just
Part of you got to win um you got to be successful and um you know so moved on L hard for a while and then um had some great sort of support luckily you know it’ be be hard if uh you know you don’t hear from from people and and then you
You know you’d be knocked around a bit but I was I was lucky enough to to have some conversations pretty pretty quick and and um yeah moved on and the PNG really helped you know coaching them at the end of the year as so spoke
A lot about England but to go up there and and see the passion for the game and the and the joy and um you know playing that PMS game against Australia we you know we didn’t beat him we fell short but we pushed him and just to see the
Whole country were were over the moon with there where all the boys competed and then to go up and you know beat Fiji in the Pacific Bowl so that that was um that that was great for for my coaching you know that was really good to get the
Passion back and the the reason why you’re coach um and then yeah enjoy me time back the roosters what were your learnings from your time at the Titans like what have you have you taken uh oh look there’s lots um it’s a great job it it is you know
We’re talking Doom and Gloom but that’s just because of been moved on you know every coach is um and and look there’s all different coaches um I probably shouldn’t talk about but Michael MC you know he he was at the Tigers and he’s known as been a very
Firm coach well that that sort of couldn’t improve them but then he gets opportunity with New Zealand beats Australia 30- n and he’s flying again so um it does doesn’t mean you’re you know you’re a bad coach it just means maybe you weren’t suited for that that
Envirment I guess so um yeah there there’s different styles of coaches and and and clubs will look for different styles to what they feel they need and and that’s how clubs make their decision so then and they’re not no one’s wrong right or wrong here so so you’ve not
Come away from that and gone well I need to change my Approach or or anything like that oh you know yeah look I’ve learned so much and you know down the track I’d love to get another opportunities probably to to include more people I guess more often you know
I I really um you know love love talking to the playing group and the direct staff and probably need to be more informing of of of the the hierarchy and other people around on what’s going on and and more and things like that but look there’s no um yeah plenty of
Learnings don’t don’t want to bore you bore you or the listeners with them but um it’s uh yeah something that yeah moved on now and excited for the for the future do you think that’s a a key component of coaching is not necessarily your ex’s and O’s or
Your game plan it’s about managing the group and you spoke there about how like Style don’t necessarily match up with the playing group but that’s a it’s probably a under utilized or under thought about resource of adaptability and the ability to walk into a organization and go I need to make my
Style suit these guys or it’s like I’m putting my fork in the ground this is the hill we’re going to die on you think there there needs to be more of adaptability for from coaches because the easy fix is to sack the coach and move the coach on it’s very
Difficult to get a whole new playing roster in front of you yep yeah that’s right so you can’t you can’t you’re not going to sack 35 players if you’re not having a good year you’re going to sack the one but is it interesting yeah I don’t know the answer I’ve never been on
That that side of it so but it’s results driven and I didn’t get the results so I got to be accepting of that but yeah it it is funny like when you when you do sort of improve them and do well and then um had a few people speak to people
And they go well the things they said about you to start with you’re still the same person so why have they changed you well I don’t know but you got to win games so um yeah so it’s uh that’s the way it goes and as I said clearly not
The first to to be sack won’t be the last but it’s um yeah it’s obviously as I said the first time i’ never really been um think coach since 2005 so I’m getting older like 18 years and it’s the first sort I guess little setback I’ve had so
That’s I guess can be a good thing you know I’m on a coaching group now with with four other coaches who are all assistants around the world one’s soccer in England and America and um another one in Australia and they’d all been head coaches at times and moved on and
Given it their all and then not not good enough moved on and like it’s it’s it’s happening everywhere so don’t don’t get too bogged down and don’t be hold grudges and all that you know so why’ you keep going back I love it it’s awesome so what what what
What is it there so what what I think I speak about people being wired up differently and you you have a look on the inside and you go inside the mind yeah what is like what is it though like that you go I’ve just been emotionally drained yeah you know you could argue
Whether you it was justifiable or not and you’re obviously going well I could have stuck I could have got them to finals have just been given more time y you know most saying people go you know what I’m going to change career yeah I’m do something else yeah but I I don’t
Look at myself like you wouldn’t see me as he’s wide different that’s where a headat like I’m I’m actually not one of those coaches I reckon a lot of people you all but I I just love the environment of of being there you know I love um I love being around the players
Is terrific you know you you love seeing players improve you love seeing players come to training and just want to do well and then it doesn’t matter if you’re the you’re the kit man you’re the head coach you’re player 18 if you win a game on the weekend it’s an awesome
Feeling it is so good you know and um and you feel good about obviously when you’re a coach by the next day you’re doing review and you’ve moved on the next game you de said enjoy it for about 3 hours but um but but it’s awesome and very fortunate like you know
I’m sitting here chatting to you and probably boring a lot of people hearing about me getting moved on but um it’s just a great opportunity and and it’s something that that I love um being around and and and I love the game you know and as I mentioned I love all
Sports but you know as a as a surfer I can only just go across the way I’m not going to be a surf coach you know and um you know spray a lot of balls if I play golf so um you know it’s just it like
Makes You Makes You Tech it I just I get excited about I love being out there and um you know I love seeing what the the young guys can do on the field now you know it’s it’s it’s awesome there’s there’s so many good athletes playing rugby league and our game’s never been
In a better spot you know we know the other other codes are around but um as a game we we are flourishing we’re flying and um hope that continues you know look at the Pacific Nations now like we are we we are really accelerating with a
Game um in those countries it’s on a great trajectory it really is you know you’d witness what’s happening in Papa New Guinea as well like awesome I’ve been there as a player and it’s y a real ey open like oh my goodness me what is this place it’s yep it’s it’s awesome
You know they they just it’s hard to believe that they’re playing Ruby league on the streets you’re like is that some sort no no no it’s not soccer yeah it’s oh they they’re playing on the dirt and you know that that’s what I loved I got
Up for that PM’s game and just talking to all the players for that game they they’re only Queensland coup or local League Dell cups the local competition up there and we’re playing Cherry Evans Ben at the like and I said don’t even worry about them boys let’s do ourselves
Proud but then I got to chat to him and most of them don’t start playing until they’re 16 17 because they play at the end of high school they playing in the street but a reg a registered game and then Nixon put the back row who who’s
Going over to C now actually he’s going to Castle it he said we us to go to school I mean no one would have all any money but whatever little coins you had you had to give to the guy that had the football so one person have a football
And he got to get a bit of money to play then he picked the teams and he he was like he was like the king of the school just cuz they had one football cuz otherwise they’re taping up the the um cartons of milk and when I was looking
At my window they were playing with a flat footy cuz it had a hole in it and you just go you that that’s the best thing about the game now the guys are up there working on the development at a younger age so that that’s in place now
So it’s it’s awesome um well the fruits that that will bear by putting some resources into those um younger participants is going to be massive think of some of the you know some of the athletes and players that have been produced from those areas with the with
The same level of um pathway and resources that we have here in Australia New Zealand and and in the north of England y you know the it’s it’s looking outstanding and it’s going to be great for you to be a part of just on looking forward future and
Ambitions you’re the roosters now yep is a top job you want to be back in the hot seat oh I’m mean I’m in IR rash for that it’s a you know it’s like obviously I’m because I’m obviously very aware as well of the roosters uh recent history with assistant coaches and and honoring
Your word so yep you how long is your your contract yeah I’m there for a few years and that’s actually a big conversation I’d had with Trent cuz as you know there they’ve had some coaches move on and and I I moved on mid year
And robell was really good he said no we sat down and and spoke about you and I understood your opportunities and I was happy for you go so that that you know I’d never thought about going was a little bit that was a little bit different actively pursuing y yeah yeah
It’s a different um but you just honestly you can’t I know you can’t plan long term in this game you know mentioned the sellens I’d never thought about going there 10 days later I’m going to playing and coaching the other side of the world so it’s not like you
Can say I want to be a head coach in 3 years an opportunity might come in a year an opportunity might come in six an opportunity might not come so for me it’s getting into a really good job at the roosters I’m really happy um you
Know cuz I wasn’t sure you know I’d gone from Ed coach seven years how I going to go stepping back but loved it coming in obviously Rober no well is a great go and great coach so really loving it and you know my focus now is getting the
Roosters back up there you know they they finished the year well um I want to get up and obviously be the ones that can knock penth off and uh that’s you know I know if I do a good job there and and help the club that another
Opportunity will arise and if it does I’ll I’ll love it how can a team like the roosters challenge penth because penth have been what they’ve done is yep almost almost unbelievable yeah it really is I know that phrase gets used a lot but why they’re they’re magnificent team and
They’ve got a lot of teams come for them I think there’s a few others in the pack as well might S I guess p personal observations of the roosters if they’d have started a little bit better they would have been in a better position top four would have yep seen them compete a
Little bit deeper into finals but Y how can what is it what’s what’s missing from the roosters yeah well you can’t you can’t copy them obviously as we know what pen stand there they’ve been good enough to lose staff lose key players and still win competitions like that
That that is the ultimate in in any code anywhere around the world um you know we mentioned Saints have been good enough but not many can so for us it’s about getting our own game on and and and not trying to mirror pen you can’t beat penr
The way penr play because they’re the best at it so you got to you know Brisbane nearly found the formula didn’t they 60 Minutes they were they were looking comfortable so um you know that’s that’s given a lot of team so mate I think you got to play your own
Footy and then be good enough to to stop their their strangle hold of style cuz they’re so good at it as you mentioned and they got you know the the main seven Orchestra in that so um they yeah they’re they’re the the side everyone’s chasing but but I’m I’m confident you
Know in the playing I’m excited you know we I go to training I’m going well there’s a good footy side here so you need everything to to go well as you know in in Seasons they’re long um and you never know what can happen but um
Yeah I’m confident in the in the group and in the club yeah I umum they’ve made some handy Acquisitions as well and I think I think they’re one of the teams that that can challenge penth obviously the stars are line for them I I thought they’d win the com last year didn’t work
Out but I think they’ll be uh there or there abouts this year just on beating penth um how do you feel when Saints got the victory over them un unreal I go but I mean yeah you you felt the same my um as all the boys have spoken about you no
One gave him a chance especially out here obviously they would have given him a chance back home but um I I didn’t get many days because obviously I was training myself up there but I made the effort to fly down on a on a Monday after afternoon and um I got them in
Their serious part of the week when they’d moved to homebush but I love the way they’d set that whole trip up you know they they gave him the freedom to spend time at mey beach um for the first couple of weeks and then knuckled down
Um and got it right against penri but I I I just knew not just for S ens the whole game over there I knew what it would do for the the whole game for him to uh to win that night it was um yeah I mean I wasn’t as excited you know
As yourself but um I was you know all the current players but but through no knowing the players that was still there from a time there it was just I would have loved to have been at the ground that night and had a be with him
Afterwards and it pretty well I was a fan again I was a fan I was fanboying like literally fanboying some players who who I played with it’s like you played for England played for great Brit and played it scint with them and I’m like yeah and and for the fans that made
The trip to come over be on the in go and to have those you weather conditions possibly their almost well I think it did I think those conditions just helped and obviously watching Jack Wells be do his thing he was yeah Sensational I spoke to him on this show um last week
Yeah listen to it y love to wellow doesn’t like me saying this he actually we went for a beer in the Griffin and I said to him like oh wellow um one got an interview tomorrow and he’s said all right I thought you back for robes thing
I was like yeah I’m doing an interview tomorrow who who I one of yours and he’s like who oh wsby he’s oh all right that’s good and then three or four be later he’s like right what are you going to be asking no no don’t you say you should be
Going over there man I’m like well relax I’m just having a bit I’m just talking with him he’s like right and then I was meeting wellby at 2:00 5 to 2 wellow Calla wellby being like what you up two going on Jimmy’s podcast like don’t say
Anything but um mate it’s it was a remarkable achievement I think anybody that has anything to do with that Ruby league club had a sense of Pride that that evening oh that yeah that was awesome and even on Jack you know I think from hearing your chat to him and
The way he plays the game you know you know he’s complimentary the side but gez yeah that they really look after him to give him the freedom to to come up with some errors and for the kid himself to as you say just move on quickly but to
Know know that you know that that side’s going to defend no matter what to give him the freedom to play way he does you know if he’s at a number of other clubs you don’t you don’t get that freom you’ll back be on the goal post with the
Coach saying do not throw that ball again or you’re getting hawked he’s in a such a good environment that okay man it didn’t come off it’s okay go for it again we’ll be right it’s interesting the the Shapers of the environment and and the leaders that set the set the
What’s acceptable and what’s not and it’s like okay well we’ve got Jack we need him to throw this pass y we’re not going to say like if he we’re not going to let him do it until he fails yep and then throw him over the call we’re going
To let him do it we’re going to let him fail yep we’re going to let him fail again we’re going to keep encouraging it because and we we’ll have his back and we’ll look to improve it y we’re not going to be okay with it it’s okay to
Fail yep it’s um but they won’t fa the good thing was they don’t fail over the 80 minutes they fail in moments but they get most of the moments right that’s right you got a couple things strong the night mate but we’re still good enough
To win 20 to 12 or you know but we want to win 20 n so yeah good group just obviously on your experience there at over in St Hounds in the super league would would you as your I guess if there was any conversations with the retention and recruitment committee over
There obviously Daniel Anderson’s involved in that is well across the super league but would you throw your two cents in for for any players and even if you know a head coach’s job became available obviously you said you went after Luke Thompson is is the Super League somewhere you’d look to go oh
Definitely you know and I just think um you know it’s it’s it’s got to be a two-way you know as you know a lot of guys like robes is a good example he he nearly came out to Australia a few times but um tash’s partner got pregnant so
It’s got to be the right fit cuz as you know they you know I thought in Australia our families are close and we all love our families it’s next level over there like you you don’t move towns you grow up you know with your parents with your grandparents nothing changes
And you don’t move and on the same street on the same street all that so there’s not a big move out here’s got to got to suit both both player and club and um look you know just talking to you about it now you know i’ down the track
Could could be back there Cas it could be another roosters few years AG go back there so i’ um just don’t go to a club that begins with W well look that as a said man there’s some good people at that club too um there’s some you know really good people
That deserve success at some stage obviously I’m I’m greedy like you I’d love to see Saints win it every every year that I watch it but you know they’ll um there some good people there but it’s a it’s it’s such a a great competition as you know a bit less uh
Scrutiny than than the N but um I think there’s plenty of players over there that could do a magnificent job over here but it’s kind of that fine balance isn’t it again like I want to support the English game and by supporting the English game removing some of that
Talent and bringing it over here yep it probably well it definitely impacts the super league but it probably improves the international game I think that’s my opinion but then it weakens the the domestic comp so very difficult find Balancing Act in fact that’s what me and wellow uh were um discussing discussing
While he a headlock yeah it’s it’s actually easy for me the biggest thing when I left that in rushy leads a charge but everyone was like do not take any of our players and cuz I don’t think I would to be one of the first coaches to
Leave there and go straight into head coach and roll back here you know a lot of other successful haven’t yeah gone straight in I think Daniel might he went to parata in he left in ‘ 08 I think param maybe straight to par other than
That it’s it’s been a it’s been a long time between drinks like Roy mCP poter you so I was you know I didn’t want upset anyone there and it was only in the end that Tomo told them I’m definitely going there I wasn’t I’m coming to me and he didn’t come to me
Anyway in the end so s people didn’t get upset with me by that but but now it’s been a number of years So Gone by so um yeah if Jack wiy wants to come the roosters he sorry wellow sorry rushy no I went upset those boys I love wellow and rushy
So um all right so pretty close to the end it’s been fascinating conversation I’ve really enjoyed it uh we got four questions that we do for each and every guest and the first one is all thanks to tuis how do you feel feel like a twois
Or two these are the the three p penth cans which you probably plus not C so M Charlie the fridge is stocked full of um of Tes there’s no room for the waters I think I don’t know I don’t know what he’s doing he’s having After parties in
Here I’m to fail a mod suit you I I don’t care what those people can I tell tell a quick story about you you know I’ve never met you and I spent a lot of time in St Helens and your name came up more than anybody’s and you know
To talk about James roby’s career at sin Ellens which started with yours and you know for how good a player you were they never mentioned onfield stuff it was it was the off field and really really which you’re not surprised by but um James roby’s dad who’s a bit of a a man
About the the St Ellens town he’s one of them you know robes is anyone that knows you know people know him in Australia but a quiet unassuming fellow just goes about his business but his dad and his uncles are real much more lively and great to have a beer with I
Love to have a beer with robes but you congregate more to the dad and the uncle but I loved having to be with Rob’s dad and he’d be talking about Jammer oh jam have you met no I haven’t met James going oh bloody H I miss him but I’m
Sort of happy he’s over there oh what do you mean well you know i’ be have a beer with him sometimes most of the time I wouldn’t even be there and then 3:00 in the morning the I get the knock at the front door and he’d be gone I reckon
Nine times out of 10 it’ be it’ be Jammer and I’d go and open it and he’d be going R we’re having a beer sometimes he had even had a beer he’ had 5 hour sleep and to his credit he’d let you in every time would he and you would stay
There for another couple hours and drink with him well he he had an area in his house called the Black Bull which was like he made this room room into a pub and you know when people talk about man caves this wasn’t a man cave this was a
Pub he had like the pub carpets all like memorabilia he had all set up for you I’ve never been this I don’t think which was brilliant um and he had he had absence as well like this very strong spirit I think absence yeah like but
Yeah one I remember one time me and and did you meet Mark Malone clubber yes yeah me and cl knocked on his knocked on his door after 10 one night it’s like 3 in the morning I’m like what Rob that’s in he’s like L I’ve got a I’ve got a I’ve
Got a job interview tomorrow at 8 I’m only having one it’s three in the morning like yeah we love you Rob he brilliant honestly what a guy no one else like if if you’re being it on more sh just we get somewhere else thank it up just pretend you can’t hear him
You know but robes he goes I’d open it every week I love the bik I love you come in and I’d have a few be I couldn’t wake up at 3: in the morning and start drinking I I think that’s what he was doing you were continuing on you had a
Thousand I was never wanted the party to stop and but I I think his mistake was once he allowed it once yeah that was a yeah you knew that was the goto do you know so I think wellow still got it he give wellow as a present for reaching
Like so many games he give him uh any time pass to come in the black ball so he’s still got this pass and it’s still valid the black ball being Mark roby’s house so he can play it and he’s still got it and I was trying to get him to
Play no no I don’t know what he’s saving it for I don’t know what he’s saving it for but he’d have to be the only man in the world that he got a about at 10 at night gone I hope Jim knocks on the door
At three I feel like a beer at three yeah I think I think sometimes like he’d message me like where are you where where are you out tonight you in Liverpool or St Helens be Liverpool you be oh yes no worries I’m not not getting a knock up tonight but St hours
Later all the way 1 in the morning Liverpool is3 you good at both of them to so I’m glad I finally get to meet you and I want to hear more of those more social stories there was plent did have a dig on the field as well despite what
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Round that’s drink a1.com byound for our exclusive Australia wide offer check it out all thanks to two is the dream spine uh you 1679 there’s no real rules or regulations around this people you’ve played with Coach coach against whatever it may be so yep um
Yeah oh yeah for me uh I look Joey at seven I just love watching him play the game you know whether he needed a a kick a pass a run or a big tackle he had at all um 5’8 uh well I guess you know you know in a
Weird way I’m new South W but Wally LS had that same effect in origin you know we used to love New South Wales but always enjoy watching W he those play well so probably him at six um fullbacks at a tricky one I reckon like we you
Know when I think of recent guys at your Billy Slaters and that but I think this current group are playing now that they they are so good to watch play rugby league I’m not going to put them in but you know what ree Walsh has done what
Tesco can do what turbo can do what kalum pong can do like you know every nearly every NRL Club you know I love Jaden Kim what nearly every NL club now has just got a freak number one was I don’t think we were were blessed with a
Heap of those back in the the day um so probably maybe a throw Darren lock here back there obviously played a heap at six but just defend him somewhere and lot of good nines but James Roby you know obviously didn’t coach any of those other guys but you know anyone that come
Across him in his career to you know play 550 Club games and such a humble man and such a tremendous player like competitive is you wouldn’t know it never got frustrated never got angry never got anything but just wanted to win more than anybody in always there
Yeah always there just he was just always there yeah he was phenomenal player to watch even when I came over here and i’ I’d watch St Helen’s games I’d be like yeah Jesus I used to play with him yeah he’s everywhere yeah I never never caught a bad pass running off him yeah
He he’s phenomenal I just his effort areas were huge second and on yep oh he was just I’m so glad he’s finished the career that way it has for him you know he he deserves it and as they all do you know but he’s I’m I’m definitely putting
Him at number nine he’s um you know what talk about players coming out you know he few he he would have absolutely brined out he he would have been done it easy he was just so suited to the he probably would have been a better player here than England to be honest the
Conditions suit him much easier to pass a footy than than the Jewel and the wet there and he could he could throw a 25 M pass both ways he he could run quick enough out of n obviously his last couple of years where he slowed up a bit
But um in you know in the Cameron Smith M he can make 50 tackles without blowing out a candle and um he was I don’t think I ever saw him tired or out of breath no sometimes coaches would remove him give him a spell but I don’t think he was
Ever didn’t never looked tired I think the greatest attribute of robes is uh is the resilience you know like I say 06 we come through we win and we just keep the party rocking forever Y and then 0 7 8 99 10 11 lose it’s like how’ you come back from that
Yeah I I left you know like and had my own shortcomings in in Grand finals here but he stuck it out and you know you go from that and is that going to be part of your like the the talking point of your career of what could have been but you
Know he went back to back to back to back awesome just stuck at it oh good yeah so good so I’m really happy you asked me that so I’m really happy that we we we to little uh our little love and uh yeah our admiration for for Jr that’s
A a pretty handy spine though luy at the back Wally Lewis at six John’s at seven and I’ll make Jr at nine so that’s a pretty decent spine uh love I win some games if I’m coaching that yeah be be hard to lose my n could coach that absolutely that’s I was going
To just say what do you want to do run the ship well um yeah the dream spine all thanks to tu’s TW are all about teamw work you need a great spy to make the team workor so that’s thank you very much for that just that’s a a quality
For players um if football didn’t exist what do you think you’d be doing um sort of happy doing a lot of things to be honest I even before I got into coaching as it said it took me a while to to get into it you know I didn’t
Retire and go straight into it I I was working I’d worked at swept soft drinks five six years in in the sort of sales team looked after pubs and clubs which I love become real good mates actually with the the big uh main man at the Bulldogs Arthur laundy oh yeah yeah
Become great mates with him actually still talk to him weekly and um yeah met a lot of great people there and then um actually before I I lefted to dive down the coaching path because it was part-time for a lot of years I I had the best job in the world State business
Manager at Coca-Cola looking after gol all things Golf and and I love golf at the time so I was just looking after golf clubs and Pro Shops and um we won a reserve grade Grand Final for the last player of the game actually Joshy Reynold set up I think it might have
Been 2010 or 2011 and I just love it I thought no I want to go down this path so um glad I did yeah so yeah be happy doing anything as long as you join yourself fair enough um a sliding doors moment that you think about if the
Alternative would have happened so uh I think I think in a good way G and Ill you know just just coming on and being able to talk about obviously it’s been I don’t talk about it a lot now but just the the slowing no were just come from
Nowhere and I end up over there slowing no in a positive way is always great you know there not no point worrying about things that don’t work out worry about things that do hold on to them and see what happens next so that that was um
Such an awesome time you know not you know not just coaching but life’s experience and meeting the great people over there um finally the most interesting person you’ve met you can’t say Kyle more well he’s interesting from what he’s been able to achieve absolutely he he
He’s at the top of the pole there um look realize now a big NFL is over here now like all the broster staff are in in the fantasy and all the players watch it and in the 2015 I went over to America with actually M and MSY on a little
Coaching study trip and I love the Seahawks cuz I um love Pete Carol the way coaches compete don’t compete you know you’re either compete or you’re not and um we ended up stumbling across a guy that had coached in England in cricket Rog B for 20 years Dean riddle
Who was sort of performance analyst got us in two days um with the Seahawks with obviously with Pete carol which is um yeah it was awesome so that was um yeah number of years ago but that’s that that was probably a great couple of days and
Another great thing I got out well we all got out of that experience was it’s not about how much money you got or what facilities you go to it was the people it was the environment that that they were working in big less than that isn’t
It it was awesome like Pete Pete was open and chatting and then he he was sort of in his 60s and that coaching energy bit I said he jump on the field he he’s he’s thr the balls with the quarterback for like 20 minutes at the
Start of training and I’m go wow that’s that I’ve com out a video go she I’m can hardly CL he’s out there zinging around music playing up beating I I just always remember that it’s not not around the bells and whistles about the environment that that you got your players and and
Your staff in and I loved it so so yeah that’s probably one that’s probably to a lot of people now NFL’s getting big so yeah there’s a lot there’s a lot to be said for that well um Justin thank you so much for coming on and chat and I’ve
Thoroughly enjoyed it you uh you’ve lived up to the expectation I’ve spoke to a number of people about you and they nothing but a glowing compliments so um thank you for for living up to that and thanks for for opening up and talking about your journey so far and your
Ambitions for the future genuinely sincerely wish you all the very best and thanks again from everyone here at the barand cheers Jim and thanks for two we yeah and uh thanks for spilling the beans on my Antics when I’m back home
8 Comments
Christmas eve 😅 we are not worthy.
Comment for the algorithm – thanks for the content tho Mr G
Thanks bye round been listing from the start love all the content from ex players .let’s trot /bloke/byround rugby league guru all consistent every week great content thank you guys for 2023
United would have won a title by now if they’d kept Mourinho… idiots
gutted the way he left the titans great guest wish justin best going forward with png
Brilliant interview
The guy that built the foundations for the 4peat 🤌🏻🙌🏻❤️
Absolute legend at Saints we will never forget what you did for us.
Brilliant coach and yet so humble ,good luck in whatever you do Justin x