Hickmans follows Bennett

[Argus]

Just my opinion but I would have no problem with punting Bennett now and installing Henjak as head coach. Benny could then concentrate on retention and recruitment for his next job as head Dragon and Henjak could get on with the same for his. The other benefit would be less access to our current roster for Benny.

From what I hear Henjak is basically coaching the side now anyway with tactics and game plans so it would probably be a relatively seamless exercise.

 

[Clintos]

Who cares if he leaves...there are plenty of strength and conditioning coaches around. I for one have no problems with a total facelift of the coaching staff. We are losing the only coach we have ever had, time for some changes.

 

[Flutterby]

I think the staff such as Hickmans leaving will leave a bigger hole in the club than players leaving, but I will reserve my final judgement until the new staff are appointed and see how they are going.

I agree Nahsy. Not inly wuld off season negotiations limit any scandalous behaviour during the season, it would keep our beautiful game in the spotlight off season.

Win-win

I disagree, because while there will be no public negotiations taking place players and clubs will always talk in secret and there will be lots of inuendo, rumors and 'gossip' going on all season which has a much more destabilising effect on clubs and players. At least if they can make the deal and announce it ASAP - everyone knows where they stand and can just get on with season without the speculation going on in the background.

 

[Je$ter]

Who cares if he leaves...there are plenty of strength and conditioning coaches around. I for one have no problems with a total facelift of the coaching staff. We are losing the only coach we have ever had, time for some changes.

Strength and conditioning isn't just a matter of making players do a few benches and laps around the oval. It is a science unto itself and takes a lot of hard work and know how ie must have a bit of prior rugby league knowledge.

As long as Dan Baker stays on at the Broncos the club is in safe hands, one of the best S&C coaches going around.

 

[Coxy]

Who cares if he leaves...there are plenty of strength and conditioning coaches around. I for one have no problems with a total facelift of the coaching staff. We are losing the only coach we have ever had, time for some changes.

Strength and conditioning isn't just a matter of making players do a few benches and laps around the oval. It is a science unto itself and takes a lot of hard work and know how ie must have a bit of prior rugby league knowledge.

Not convinced that's a prerequisite. I think having a strong education in human movement and sports science is far more important. Gary Belcher has a great football mind, but he's an absolute waste of space as a conditioning coach.

Dean Benton didn't have much, if any exposure to League, primarily being involved with AFL and a bit of Union, but he knew his stuff. And the results were instant.

 

[Je$ter]

Not necessarily being able to teach players football skills, but moreso having a knowledge of the intensity and wya rugby league is played, ie what components of fitness are the most important to a rugby league player. If you can have that little bit of knowledge it will make training a lot more specific.

Like you don't need players doing massive 10k jogs, because you are never going to jog 10ks in a game of league. Its more about anaerobic and interval stuff.

 

[ALH]

Dean Benton is coming back.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 31,00.html

 

[Nashy]

Very nice. He was harsh but fair, and certainly helped the team last year.

 

[Coxy]

Not necessarily being able to teach players football skills, but moreso having a knowledge of the intensity and wya rugby league is played, ie what components of fitness are the most important to a rugby league player. If you can have that little bit of knowledge it will make training a lot more specific.

Like you don't need players doing massive 10k jogs, because you are never going to jog 10ks in a game of league. Its more about anaerobic and interval stuff.

No I agree, but I don't think you specifically need to know about rugby league by being involved in it, playing it or whatever. Dean Benton studied video and live games, watching the way players move, the way the game is played and from that devised what areas needed work.

I suppose it's the same thing, but I don't think a conditioning coach needs to know about rugby league BEFORE being hired, they just need to do their homework before they actually start.

Belcher etc go with the endurance training (10k runs etc) because that's what he would've done as a player. But that was 20 years ago. That's the problem.

You need specialist professionals, not ex-players (though ex-players who have done the education that's another story).

Also bear in mind you need a sound understanding of sports psychology as well. Those boot camps with the military aren't going to help players run faster or break tackles, but they are going to help them stay focussed when their body is exhausted.

 

[Coxy]

Interesting article this one:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html

BRISBANE boss Bruno Cullen has rubbished suggestions high performance director Jeremy Hickman's decision to follow Wayne Bennett to St George Illawarra could destabilise the club.

Cullen pointed out that Hickman, who took over responsibility for getting Brisbane's player into top shape this year, was a member of Bennett's staff, not the Broncos.

“I don't have a problem with it at all, Jeremy works for Wayne, he doesn't work for us,†said Cullen.

“Wayne hasn't taken anyone, he's just kept a staff member.â€Â

As was pointed out earlier in the year, the Broncos pay Wayne X amount of dollars, and he uses that to hire his coaching staff. That's why reports that he was on $500K per year salary are ludicrous, a fair whack of that is used to hire guys like Hickmans, Scott Barker etc.

Anyway, this is NO different to if you were to resign from your current job and have another one waiting. Depending on the job, you would be talking to your new employer about what things you need to know, what things you want established etc before you get there.

At the same time, you remain committed to your current job because they pay you for at least another few weeks, and at the same time you're handing over your duties to someone else.

Seems like that's the exact situation here. Wayne is getting himself prepared for the Dragons, and handing over the reins to Ivan Henjak, who as others have said is taking over more and more of the head coaching jobs now.

Destabilising? I very much doubt it.

 

[spoonbled]

good to see he's letting Ivan get more involved but at the same time he's employed to be the man this year, i dont want to hear him thinking about the Dragons at all.

 

[renouf]

Whats this crap about Ben Hannant leaving, god the media piss me off.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Whats this crap about Ben Hannant leaving, god the media piss me off.

Yeah I have been hearing it too, hopefully it is not true.

 

[badav]

Interesting article this one:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html

BRISBANE boss Bruno Cullen has rubbished suggestions high performance director Jeremy Hickman's decision to follow Wayne Bennett to St George Illawarra could destabilise the club.

Cullen pointed out that Hickman, who took over responsibility for getting Brisbane's player into top shape this year, was a member of Bennett's staff, not the Broncos.

“I don't have a problem with it at all, Jeremy works for Wayne, he doesn't work for us,†said Cullen.

“Wayne hasn't taken anyone, he's just kept a staff member.â€Â

As was pointed out earlier in the year, the Broncos pay Wayne X amount of dollars, and he uses that to hire his coaching staff. That's why reports that he was on $500K per year salary are ludicrous, a fair whack of that is used to hire guys like Hickmans, Scott Barker etc.

Anyway, this is NO different to if you were to resign from your current job and have another one waiting. Depending on the job, you would be talking to your new employer about what things you need to know, what things you want established etc before you get there.

At the same time, you remain committed to your current job because they pay you for at least another few weeks, and at the same time you're handing over your duties to someone else.

Seems like that's the exact situation here. Wayne is getting himself prepared for the Dragons, and handing over the reins to Ivan Henjak, who as others have said is taking over more and more of the head coaching jobs now.

Destabilising? I very much doubt it.

I dont think its the same at all. Bennet is obviously spending time actively recruiting both players and staff for the dragons, as you would expect as he is looking after his future. But when those things are going on when he is head coach of the Broncos, is a bit of a joke.

How can your mind be on the job when your recruiting for another club??

 

[Flutterby]

So happy Benton is coming back. He is a way better option than Hickmans and basically taught him most of we he knows and has been implementing at the Broncos this year.

His quick return from England back to the Broncos does however make me wonder if either Bennett or Hickmans was part of the reason he left in the first place. eusa_think

 

[GCBRONCO]

Interesting article this one:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 14,00.html

BRISBANE boss Bruno Cullen has rubbished suggestions high performance director Jeremy Hickman's decision to follow Wayne Bennett to St George Illawarra could destabilise the club.

Cullen pointed out that Hickman, who took over responsibility for getting Brisbane's player into top shape this year, was a member of Bennett's staff, not the Broncos.

“I don't have a problem with it at all, Jeremy works for Wayne, he doesn't work for us,†said Cullen.

“Wayne hasn't taken anyone, he's just kept a staff member.â€Â

As was pointed out earlier in the year, the Broncos pay Wayne X amount of dollars, and he uses that to hire his coaching staff. That's why reports that he was on $500K per year salary are ludicrous, a fair whack of that is used to hire guys like Hickmans, Scott Barker etc.

Anyway, this is NO different to if you were to resign from your current job and have another one waiting. Depending on the job, you would be talking to your new employer about what things you need to know, what things you want established etc before you get there.

At the same time, you remain committed to your current job because they pay you for at least another few weeks, and at the same time you're handing over your duties to someone else.

Seems like that's the exact situation here. Wayne is getting himself prepared for the Dragons, and handing over the reins to Ivan Henjak, who as others have said is taking over more and more of the head coaching jobs now.

Destabilising? I very much doubt it.

I dont think its the same at all. Bennet is obviously spending time actively recruiting both players and staff for the dragons, as you would expect as he is looking after his future. But when those things are going on when he is head coach of the Broncos, is a bit of a joke.

How can your mind be on the job when your recruiting for another club??

Didn't stop Bennett do his job in 1987, guiding the Canberra Raiders to their first Grand Final under the guidance of Don Furner, a hell of an achievement for a side who struggled for years in the competition, consider too that prior to the Broncos signing him that season for next the Raiders had him very much in a role Ivan Henjak is at present and Don Furner in the head role. I don't see it effecting Bennett's role at the club and I see him putting in measures similar to that he had at the Raiders to make sure the changeover of coach for next season goes as well as it can, hardly the signs of someone who is distracted from their job. Frankly I like the arrangement, Henjak can continue in this role and learn under Bennett's guidance building experience in the job and having a mentor there to help him prepare for next season.

 

[Dexter]

GC that is right but don't forget he also picked the eyes from his previous side and took them to Canbera with him.
ATM its looking like something similar may happen.

 

[Kee]

Looks to me like he is the head coach out there when we see them training.He also looks much more relaxed and laughing more lately with Henjak taking over the media side of things.

He must be very busy with all this talk of his working on poaching players,getting the Poms to hand over players to play for NZ in the test,working with Kearney via phone on the test, and getting these guys to play to the best of their ability and doing very well at it to.

This team while he has them will be first and foremost on his agenda.He loves this club whether he is moving on or not and yes maybe taking some guys with him.Up to them if they go isn't it?