Paul White Interview

[vertigo]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/broncos-want-rivals-to-fear-them-again/story-fndv2w3r-1226660603688

WITH their shot at the NRL top four all but gone, Brisbane chief executive Paul White is adamant the Broncos will fight to uphold their proud tradition and reputation.

In an in-depth interview with The Sunday Mail, White declares there is no room at Red Hill for people who want to be comfortable. But he says he has confidence in the players and coach Anthony Griffin to turn around their poor first half of 2013.

THE COACH

Griffin led the Broncos to the preliminary final in his rookie season, but since he signed a new deal through to 2015, Brisbane have won just six of 20 games.

The Broncos have just five wins this season, sit 11th on the ladder and have lost four of their past five games.

"He is not a guy who is easily derailed and he is not a guy who is easily panicked," White said.

"He is hurting but I think he has got the capability to handle it and handle what needs to happen as well as anyone."

Griffin's head is not on the chopping block, but like the chief executive or any Broncos employee, he will be judged on performance.

"This is a performance-based industry and we are all constantly measured on performance," White said.

"I know everyone questions you when you lose. People question your roster, they question your CEO, they question your coach.

Paul White with Broncos coach Anthony Griffin at the annoucement of his re-signing last year. Picture: David Kapernick

"That is natural. That is sport.

"We're very confident we have the right structures and people in place for him to do his job."

Brisbane's aim every season is a top-four finish, but those hopes are fading fast.

"I'm sure the punters out there would have us at reasonably long odds," White said.

"(But) momentum is a great thing if you can get it at the right end of the year. I'm sure we can be there when the whips are cracking."

THE PLAYERS

Brisbane have publicly backed their playing group for the future, even if outsiders wonder whether there is enough talent to challenge for a premiership. The roster is constantly being reviewed and change has not been ruled out.

"We're not looking to make wholesale changes at the end of the year," White said.

"We started this year with a roster that we believe was good enough to take us into a top-four position.

"There's plenty of talent in our existing squad. But I will say, and we have said quite clearly, there's nothing static in rugby league or in sport.

"We're looking to get the best from the guys we've got. They're good people, they've got ability. They're in a tough patch at the moment and we have to pull together as a club and as a team to dig ourselves out of that.

"If we see an opportunity to recruit a player that is going to add to our club and give us a greater ability to win premierships and they're the right fit, then we will take advantage of that."

RECRUITMENT

The Broncos have refused to get involved in bidding wars for superstars such as Cooper Cronk, Johnathan Thurston or Greg Inglis.

The 2014 market is thin for superstars. But it only takes the breakdown of one third-party deal or a falling out between players and coach for an opportunity to open up for Brisbane. Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and Dally M winner Ben Barba may reportedly fall into those categories.

But White dismissed the notion that a "superstar" was needed.

"We need players who are going to want to perform, going to want to be at our club and want to put in and help us win premierships," he said.

"If you take a straight view that by signing what is deemed in the opinion of others 'a star' to think that will be the panacea to premiership success, I think you're misguided."

As White points out, Brisbane's most recent rep stars Matt Gillett, Josh Hoffman and Jack Reed were all discovered through their affiliations with Intrust Super Cup clubs.

"People might want solutions tomorrow, but our systems stand this club in good stead," he said.

"If the club works hard, we will continue to find them."

LOST AURA

Brisbane's aura has eroded and it's clear the Broncos are no longer feared by rivals.

But does that same aura put too much pressure on the players? Is the expectation too high?

"Those people who built the club, they have set a yardstick," White said.

"You have to be good enough to perform if you want to work at the club. You can't lament it, it is what you sign up for. If you wanted to be comfortable this isn't the right place for you to be working."

CORPORATE

Despite on-field struggles, corporate support is thriving, membership is at record levels and annual profits have more than doubled in the past three years.

The strength of the organisation means the football department is among the best funded in the NRL.

"As a club I think our position there is a strong position and it augurs well for where the club is headed because it gives us confidence," he said. "If you're not strong commercially, if the business isn't strong and you're not profitable, you are limited in what you can reinvest back into the business, including your football operations."

SUPPORTERS

White can feel the pain of supporters. He has promised their faith during troubled times will be rewarded when success comes in the near future.

"I know they hurt and they should know I hurt," White said.

"They want to know I'm accountable and also want to know that I'm working hard to make this place the best place it is.

"They're good people. They have been very loyal. We respect that and value that and hopefully they can stick with us through a tough period and we will turn it around for them."

 

[vertigo]

So Griffin's being measured on performance... only won 6 of the last 20 and conceded 58 points at home last week yet:

I think he has got the capability to handle it and handle what needs to happen as well as anyone.

Am I missing something?

We started this year with a roster that we believe was good enough to take us into a top-four position.

 

[Big Pete]

This

"There's plenty of talent in our existing squad. But I will say, and we have said quite clearly, there's nothing static in rugby league or in sport.

"We're looking to get the best from the guys we've got. They're good people, they've got ability. They're in a tough patch at the moment and we have to pull together as a club and as a team to dig ourselves out of that.

 

[ningnangnong]

Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Kimlo]

All I read is denial and bullshit. This interview has actually made me less hopeful if that's the attitude White has.

Why can't White just say that they've messed up and they need to make some changes instead the only thing he's saying is "we'll dig ourselves out of this massive hole" by doing the same thing and working harder.

Would have been nice if he even very vaguely he detailed what he will do or is doing to turn things around.

As White points out, Brisbane's most recent rep stars Matt Gillett, Josh Hoffman and Jack Reed were all discovered through their affiliations with Intrust Super Cup clubs.

"People might want solutions tomorrow, but our systems stand this club in good stead," he said.

"If the club works hard, we will continue to find them."

Stars, lol. That's hardly what fans mean when we say we need a star player.

But White dismissed the notion that a "superstar" was needed.

Yeah...

"We started this year with a roster that we believe was good enough to take us into a top-four position.

"There's plenty of talent in our existing squad. But I will say, and we have said quite clearly, there's nothing static in rugby league or in sport.

I don't know about that, we couldn't make the top 4 last year and we've lost Te'o, Petero, Beale and Gagai with Prince and Stagg being our "gains" I don't think we're a top 4 squad, we have a lesser team than last year.

"We're looking to get the best from the guys we've got. They're good people, they've got ability. They're in a tough patch at the moment and we have to pull together as a club and as a team to dig ourselves out of that.

"If we see an opportunity to recruit a player that is going to add to our club and give us a greater ability to win premierships and they're the right fit, then we will take advantage of that."[

So they have to be a saint and be the right "fit", that's a nice way to define nothing. I guess Tomkins fits that ideal but with Annual profits doubling we couldn't risk paying a release fee which would damage our profits. It's all about making profits for those shareholders. Tomkins would increase ticket sales, lets do a really rough calculation and say having Tomkins there is 2,000 extra ticket sales per week at $25 x 12 home games = $500,000... Over 2-3 years could well and truly payback his release fee but that's still a risk to profits.

"This is a performance-based industry and we are all constantly measured on performance," White said.

6 wins out of the last 20... Constantly measured on performance?

"We're very confident we have the right structures and people in place for him to do his job."

Those constant performance reviews would likely indicate otherwise.

 

[Big Pete]

Earlier, I told a fellow poster that they could have summed up their argument in two words.

In here, you can basically sum up this article with 3 'We got dis'.

It's a PR puff piece and a waste of time for any of us fans to read. What I'm saying here is, don't take any of his words seriously.

The article did raise an approach I don't agree with and that's our vulture recruitment policy. If that's honestly true, it's one of the laziest recruitment methods I've seen. We're going to wait until some high profile stuffs up or a club fluffs their cheque book? C'marn! I know that nearly nabbed us GI and TheDugan but jiminy christ if Nolan wasn't keen on signing Norman on $450K I'd almost want him back over Gee.

This idea that we can sustain ourselves entirely on our 20s/ISC affiliates is silly on a couple of fronts.

1. They haven't been that good. Ever since Hook stopped coaching them they haven't made the 8 and the only debutants to make first grade for us in that time have been Jordan Kahu, Lachlan Maranta and Aaron Whitchurch.

2. We don't put up that big a fight to keep them.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If Paul White truly believes what he has said in this article he is delusional for the most part.

 

[Ari Gold]

Earlier, I told a fellow poster that they could have summed up their argument in two words.

In here, you can basically sum up this article with 3 'We got dis'.

It's a PR puff piece and a waste of time for any of us fans to read. What I'm saying here is, don't take any of his words seriously.

The article did raise an approach I don't agree with and that's our vulture recruitment policy. If that's honestly true, it's one of the laziest recruitment methods I've seen. We're going to wait until some high profile stuffs up or a club fluffs their cheque book? C'marn! I know that nearly nabbed us GI and TheDugan but jiminy christ if Nolan wasn't keen on signing Norman on $450K I'd almost want him back over Gee.

This idea that we can sustain ourselves entirely on our 20s/ISC affiliates is silly on a couple of fronts.

1. They haven't been that good. Ever since Hook stopped coaching them they haven't made the 8 and the only debutants to make first grade for us in that time have been Jordan Kahu, Lachlan Maranta and Aaron Whitchurch.

2. We don't put up that big a fight to keep them.

If we really are trying to vulture, we can at least do it right. I mean, there was some merit in cutting Dugan, but if people in his situation are basically what we are relying on, we fucked up big time in letting him go so easily. His form at the Dragons is kind of depressing right now.

 

[Bull Shark]

agree with all of the above ... also came away from reading that yarn more pessimistic about the broncos' future than ever ... these guys are clearly on a different wave length to the hungry, success-driven football departments down south .... they just don't get it, at all ...

6 wins from the last 20 starts will have to extend to 30 wins from the last 100 starts before these guys start to shift uneasily in their chairs ... The most aggravating part of all this is reading the pleas from the old boys for the club to get off its ass and get with the program.

 

[Nashy]

If they both believe we had a good enough team, they both need to go.

i

 

[hayseed]

Basically what he is saying is that they will continue to sit on their hands and watch every other NRL team pass them. Most have already gone past.

 

[Big Pete]

Fullback Cameron Munster had a couple of nice touches for the Capras this afternoon. Of course we were beaten to the punch by the Storm.

 

[vertigo]

It's ok Pete, we'll just pick him up when hes 34.

 

[Ari Gold]

It's ok Pete, we'll just pick him up when hes 34.

I'm on board with this theory.

Shaun Johnson is a Bronco
Shaun Johnson is a Bronco
Shaun Johnson is a Bronco
Shaun Johnson is a Bronco

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I knew Paul White was a lazy douchebag and this just proves it.

 

[Broncoman]

After reading that interview It's obvious that the club isn't going to try anything new anytime soon. If I was running the Broncos I would be taking new measures right now, it's obvious we aren't moving forward and need to regain our reputation as a mighty and feared team, that reputation is no more.

 

[Son Edo]

His superiors should relieve him of his duties.

 

[Unbreakable]

Quade Cooper not selected for the Wallabies.. as much as I think he probably won't be a superstar in league, we've gotta try something, sign him up. Don't care where he plays.