Holbrook to the Gold Coast (Merged Threads)

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

As a Saints fan I’m gutted  

Also it shows how far ahead of Super League the NRL is if the coach of our best club wants to leave to join their worst. 

That’s pretty stark but  put like that it’s hard to argue . Disappointing for saints but can’t blame him personally , NRL is where it’s at for these fellas . I thought he could hold out for better though , Titans just seems a basket case . They’re really poor to watch and however they recruit or whichever brain they bring in to the back room and coaching staff nothing changes.They just seem to tread water so it’s a huge task turning that ship round . From the culture to the roster 

[EastLondonMike]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/holbrook-beats-walters-to-be-new-titans-coach-20190729-p52bxd.html

Not official yet, but looks all tied up.

Best of luck to him. Always comes across as a real decent bloke, and his impact on Saints is pretty clear to see.

[DoubleD]

22 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Nope, still think I was right the first time - worst squad in the NRL !

There's maybe 5 good quality players there (Brimson, Arrow, Wallace, Proctor & James), Most of the rest wouldn't even be worth a spot in a SL team

You should perhaps include Fotuaika in there, he’s immense!

[Rupert Prince]

2 hours ago, goldcoaster said:

He needs to leave Saints immediately and start sorting out our rubbish players and telling those that are not wanted they need to leave.

if he waits until November to start then 2020 is a write off because he needs to clear out players and bring in new ones

He can pick up the phone can't he, or use this interweb thingy?

[Superb Chops]

1 hour ago, Saint 1 said:

Great appointment by the Titans and as a Saints fan I'm absolutely gutted. Not only has he massively improved our team, often transforming players who looked awful under KC, but he also has got us playing exciting rugby again. He has brought through lots of youth, and he's also improved the clubs position with the community and the fans, and seems a genuinely likeable bloke.

I'm surprised he went for the Titans job rather than wait a year for the Bulldogs job, but suppose there's no guarantee he would get it. I don't think it's money or lifestyle as much as the challenge of coaching in the NRL unfortunately. I just hope we can send him out with the trophies he deserves.

Agree entirely with the first para. With a gem like Holbrook, I guess it may be best to be thankful for what you've enjoyed rather than what you're losing.

As a Wigan fan I, however, disagree with the majority of Saint 1's final sentence. ;

[DoubleD]

I wonder how many Saints players will want to follow him, if not in 2020, in 2021 (assuming he’s still there). I’m sure he’d want to take a few with him to change the culture and personnel there

[Rupert Prince]

Just now, DoubleD said:

I wonder how many Saints players will want to follow him, if not in 2020, in 2021 (assuming he’s still there). I’m sure he’d want to take a few with him to change the culture and personnel there

Any Saints players thinking of going to the Gold Coast will be hoping it does not rain.

[Padge]

North West Tonight are saying it will be confirmed in the next 24 hours.

[Chris22]

Not unexpected after weeks of rumours, but still disappointing to hear. Holbrook has honoured his contract with us and his high win percentage and style of rugby has earned him a shot at a NRL head coaches job, so can't blame him or his family for wanting to head back when such an opportunity presented itself.

As some have said, he's transformed the club. Towards the end of the Cunningham era, we were approaching open hostility between club and fans. Since Holbrook's come in, we've had regular open training sessions, junior member open days and a lot more engagement from the players in local projects, which has restored the relationship.

His recruitment decisions have been bang on. He has moved on players and replaced them either internally or externally with stronger ones. I questioned the decision to move Lomax back to 6, but it proved to be inspired, with him now playing the best rugby of his career.

We've also seen the likes of Lees, Ashworth, Grace, Smith, Bentley, Costello and Welsby become either regular starters or solid back-up players, all with the potential to become future regulars.

But most importantly, he's made going to the game enjoyable again. Our style under Cunningham was utterly turgid yet with the same players in 2017, you could see the change in style immediately. At times under Cunningham, you would look up at the clock with 20 minutes gone, thinking it must almost be half time is was that dire! Fans now watch the match at games, instead of their phones!

I hope our fans offer patience to Holbrook's replacement, because we would be extremely lucky to get someone who has done as well as he has. Hopefully, we can send him off with a trophy or 3 and here's also hoping he succeeds at Gold Coast, however tricky that may be!

[Man of Kent]

Expectations of the Titans are so low that if Holbrook has any kind of success he will seen in a very favourable light. It’s not a bad move at all on his part.

Sad to see him going from SL. The speed of his turnaround of Saints was remarkable - they went from pretty much a basket case under Cunningham to within a Golden Point of the GF in his first half-season. 

Think he’ll go well. Seems a player’s coach who has the right balance between fairness and firmness. A class act.

[Moove]

Rumour has it Holbrook's replacement might be Adam O'Brien, current assistant at the Sydney Roosters, previously at Melbourne. Would be a great choice if true. Either way it would be good to get it cleared up smartish and hopefully Holbrook can finish on a high

[ghost crayfish]

If super league clubs keep looking to Australia for coaches, this is going to keep happening. Most Aussie coaches are looking to build NRL coaching careers and super league is purely a stepping stone. I don't think that reflects badly on super league, it's just a fact. Coaches who do well there come back and do equally well here.

[Moove]

Now confirmed by Saints...

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2019/07/31/holbrook-to-leave-the-saints-at-the-end-of-the-2019-season/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/49157381

[EastLondonMike]

I guess the worry now for saints fans is twofold. Bringing on board a new coach who can keep the good work Holbrook has started and continue to move forward, and the fear that any Saints players who have an interest in having a crack in the NRL now may want to do that sooner if Holbrook is coaching at a club looking for additional players.

The obvious candidates, who have been linked (some tenuously) with the NRL previously, would be Makinson, Walmsley and Thompson (Sorry Saints fans.. had to bring it up!)

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 minute ago, EastLondonMike said:

I guess the worry now for saints fans is twofold. Bringing on board a new coach who can keep the good work Holbrook has started and continue to move forward, and the fear that any Saints players who have an interest in having a crack in the NRL now may want to do that sooner if Holbrook is coaching at a club looking for additional players.

The obvious candidates, who have been linked (some tenuously) with the NRL previously, would be Makinson, Walmsley and Thompson (Sorry Saints fans.. had to bring it up!)

I can remember when we lost all our players to Newcastle Knights when Nathan Brown went there too...

 

[EastLondonMike]

1 minute ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I can remember when we lost all our players to Newcastle Knights when Nathan Brown went there too...

 

So you had no concerns then and have none now? good for you.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

27 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

So you had no concerns then and have none now? good for you.

No, not particularly. 

Thompson was being linked to the NRL long before Holbrook’s announcement and rightly so. I think even the most optimistic Saints fan wouldn’t begrudge him from going.

Walmsley and Makinson I’m more confident of keeping because of their ages and the fact they’ve got young kids. 

 

[Oxford]

On 30/07/2019 at 04:30, ghost crayfish said:

If super league clubs keep looking to Australia for coaches, this is going to keep happening. Most Aussie coaches are looking to build NRL coaching careers and super league is purely a stepping stone. I don't think that reflects badly on super league, it's just a fact. Coaches who do well there come back and do equally well here.

Course it doesn't reflect badly on SL he's an Aussie!