Didn't Hetherington say a few years back that all coaches only have a shelf life of 3 to 4 years. It's in the clubs interest to keep it rotating. I know it's a bit off topic but I for 1 would love to see what a Trent Robinson could do with our squad. Not that he would come but there will be some great ones there. His tactical knowledge on Friday was outstanding.

We seem to have something of an obsession in this country with wanting our coaches to be people who played the game at the highest level.

Trent Robinson played four games in the NRL. Wayne Bennett played 7 times for Queensland in the pre State of Origin days, but never played in the much stronger NSW competition of that period. Brian Smith played 31 games for St George & Souths. There is no requirement to have been a top player in order to be a top coach, something the NFL shows over and over again.

Does it come down to pathways again? Are talented coaches with a depth of knowledge and understanding of the game being given the opportunity to test themselves in the professional ranks, or is having a "name" and a connection to the club more important? How do the likes of say Chris Plume get to be in an influential position at a top SL club, and what can we do to give more coaches within the community game an opportunity to cut their teeth ahead of ex-players?

Totally agree. Coaching skills and playing skills are very different. All you need playing wise is to have pulled in a shirt and played the game at top level, or been around that environment - Robinson may have only played a few NRL games but that probably included going through the system and being coached at top level for a number of years. That's enough to understand what RL players actually feel when they are on the pitch etc. Four games or 400 makes no difference IMO.

I wouldn't compare with the NRL though, it's very, very different and head coaches who haven't played will have several ex players doing the nitty gritty. Coaching teams are huge.

The NFL? Oh yeah, I know. Coaching teams will often include ex-players along the line somewhere, but a high percentage of those who move into coaching often do so because they've not made it as a player when they've left college. They'll start as interns or coaching assistants working alongside experienced coaches on short term contracts, then go on from there.

Have thought for a few years that their recruitment has been dodgy.

For me they have struggled to replace genuine quality leaving or retiring. Now I don't want to get too carried away only two games into the post Sinny and peacock years but that is a clear warning for us in my eyes.

Why? Who could do any better than what Brian Macca has done last season
?

The way it's going with saints at the moment, they'll be moving Kieran Cunningham's statue from outside Langtree park stadium to
outside the Wire ground.

not saying it is the case with Cunningham but think some great players are not always able to relate and improve lesser players than they were because they can't see/ understand the player's weaknesses or limitations. Unlike more workmanlike players.

In Australia there are good standard comps for coaches to learn at below NRL (Qld and NSW Cup), and most clubs have decent structures for bringing coaches through. Bellamy at the Storm is the best example, with other clubs knowing that his assistants are generally really high class.

There's a reason why Robinson and Maguire did very well in SL - they are damn good coaches. They are also a younger generation from when SL was getting the likes of Folkes, Simmons etc. They are seemingly far more technically proficient. Its probably no coincidence that NRL clubs seem to have jumped ahead of SL again.

The best older coaches are the likes of Bennett, who both keeps learning but also surrounds himself with quality assistants.

You seem to think I was criticizing McDermott??. I was very happy with what we achieved last season. I was merely pointing out a comment Hetherington had previously made and the fact that I would like to see what a good Aussie coach could do with our team. Apart from Murray we have never had in recent times what I would call a top overseas coach, who is very tactically aware, unlike most of our rivals. Not saying in the slightest that I want rid of McDermott.

On the contrary, it just seemed a tad left field to me. If it was intended to be hypothetical than my apologies.