It doesn't look like he's teaching anyone anything. I try and take notice of people who know more about the game than I do and not get carried away with the emotional ramblings that emerge from a lack of constant success.

Most of the 'authorities' on the NRL opine that Royce, whilst a top fella, ain't a first class coach. Our performances this year amply demonstrate that we lack a strategy, modus operandi and any appreciation of what leadership entails.

2 captains. No successful team has TWO captains. It dilutes leadership not the opposite. It's like being at work and having 2 bosses.

Call it early. Call it transition. Call it injuries. Call it loss of experience. Good coaches make things happen quickly. Maguire at Wigan. BenneTt at St George. Bellamy at Melbourne.

I could go on.

We have second best. We need the best. We deserve the best.

We haven't got the best.

Ok, let's take those two. As I have just said, Maguire had all the materials to hand. He had a team that was 80 minutes away from a Grand Final (and possibly CC final too, but I can't remember) at least two seasons on the trot. All Maguire has had to do is put the finishing touches to what was already a pretty good set up and those touches were a tough defence and a winning attitude. Anderson did exactly the same to us but he came halfway through a season and we had important injuries at a vital time, although we still managed to get the League Leaders Shield in his first half season with us.

Bennett took TWO SEASONS to get St George to a Grand Final win, I believe.

Royce Simmons may be a crap coach, he may be an average coach or he may be an extremely good coach. However, five weeks into his first season at a new club, especially given his lack of player availability, the lack of consistency within the team, the Kyle Eastmond saga and the unsettlement of Saints in this transitory year, is no time at all in which to be making anything like accurate judgements of his abilities. It's just ridiculous.


What do these 'authorities' in the NRL say about Daniel Anderson? I'm curious because he got sacked, presumably because the Eels thought he wasn't up to the job, and yet look what he did at Saints. The NRL is not heaven. It's pundits are not gods.

And you have been closer, you have been to three GF on the trot. There are quite a few fans who have been waiting for the fall of Saints and a few more that have been predicting it for years, you have coped well with change, the loss of players and the change of coach so far. May bee KC going is just one two many. Andy Farrell carried us for the last two years he was at the club. Once he went there was no one with the same Wigan ethic left, the Wigan way! We went through coaches like they where ten a penny, looking for some one to take us back to where we where. The main problem we had, we thought it was all the coaches fault, it wasn't. MM has done a fantastic job at Wigan but don't be fooled its all down to him. SW and Rads are as vital. If you have not read Radlinskis book, do so, it explains allot. You may start to understand why a few are comparing the Ashton situation to Eastmond, its not the signing but more to do with attitude.

I agree to the above, another thing is that we are not communicating either particular in defence. Not sure if this 2 captain role is working either, I would give the proper role to Graham with Wellens as vice captain.

Don't think we can make a judgement on Royce Simmons yet, he has had no stability in the side and no organisers at his disposal in the games so far.

If I was doing the coaching role, for the next 2 months (Pyrce) I would take Eastmond out of the organising role and put him at Full Back. Wellens to try and organise from Loose Forward position. We would have to perservere with Gaskell at Scrum Half he is at putting in an effort (with errors) Lomax would go to Stand Off . Don't know why we keep Meli on the Wing when we have Foster who is more reliable at Wing, Meli is more of a danger to the opposition at Left Centre.
In theory the pack looks OK, but is not operating as a go forward unit, for me this is a priority and needs sorting quickly by Simmons as this is where we have lost games so far, we are not comeback kings anymore, giving teams 20+ start (Wire + Harlequins) just means making the score line more respectable in the second half.

Lastly the biggest concern is relying on one player (Pyrce) to make our season, I think fans should accept we have lost the prime component of Stability and get ready for a Jekyll and Hyde Season.

'All' Maguire had to do was put the finishing touches'. Is that not the point of my post, which you seem to have avoided/missed? Answer me this - had Brian Noble remained at Wigan last season would they have been as competitive? The evidence before us would indicate not.

Maguire added something that CLASS coaches have - the ability to, QUICKLY, squeeze every last ounce of ability out of every player, motivate them and develop a cohesion amongst the group that changes attitude.

Bennett may have taken 2 years to WIN anything but that's not what I said. I said top coaches change things quickly and start to make things happen. St George started to become far more competitive once he took over. Save for a poor final season Brisbane went the opposite way.

Read Wayne Bennett's book - 'Don't die with the music in you'. You'll read that his approach is all about combining technical knowledge and an approach that nurtures your players and that you have to CHANGE the way things are done and instil a winning culture and positive behaviours.

Bellamy is the same; albeit with a different approach and clearly Maguire has learnt from him. I understand that prior to Royce's appointment we were after the hottest young property on the NRL coaching scene in Shane Flanagan - someone revered as having a very bright future in the game for the same reasons.

As far as Anderson is concerned they rate him the same as, say, Shaun McRae - decent bloke but not having the sustainable ability of coaching at the highest level. You can get as defensive as you like about SL as opposed to the NRL but their comp and standards are way ahead of ours - that's why they consistently kick our ar$es. They produce better players and they produce better coaches. If they didn't then we'd stop clamouring to bring 'em over here wouldn't we.

The point in my post is that Royce's track record doesn't categorise him as either a top coach or a potential top coach and this is a view, rightly or wrongly, reinforced Down Under. In my opinion this is already beginning to become evident and which I feared would be the case when he came. It may be early, that point I'll concede, but he wasn't an appointment with the pedigree we SHOULD have been chasing.

We need a top coach. We do not have one. I actually do hope I am wrong.

After the ludicrous amount of time dedicated to bashing Potter last season, there is zero chance of SaintsFan admitting we look worse off without him.

Potter is a very good coach and did a sterling job with a decimated squad last season. I haven't seen or heard anything from Simmons that gives me any confidence in him whatsoever.

Spot on and exactly what I've been saying. Potter did a ok job with a injury hit team.

It look like the current team don't want to play for Royce.

That's pathetic even by your standards, FTV.

If we are playing as poorly as we are at present in Simmons' second season I will be equally as glad to see the back of him as I was of Potter. In my view that would mean we had experienced two poor coaches in succession. If Simmons turns out to be a bum appointment then that doesn't make Potter better; it just makes for two poor coaches!

And Potter was flush with resources when compared to Simmons. At least Potter had two functioning halfbacks for most of his two year stint with us. Simmons has yet to have a bloody week. AND Potter had Cunningham, our leader. Where is our leader this season? (Recruitment is the responsibility of the club, btw, not the coach)

Royce has got a better squad than potter had.

He appointed Two leaders. Not one. Two.

None of whom are leading thus far. One is probably too old and in the wrong position. The other is wrestling with a career choice.

Neither were good appointments in isolation let alone in tandem.

Meh, it's my view on it.

When Saints were working the way towards the GF with a weakened squad last season, it was nothing to do with Potter and only happening because the players were ignoring him. When we played badly, it was because Potter was clueless.

It is no surprise to me that the exact opposite appears to be the case this season; players losing games and Simmons winning them.

There was no evidence to suggest Simmons would make a good head coach, but ample evidence to suggest he wouldn't. A lot of people got their wish with Potter being replaced, time will tell if it was the right thing to do but at the moment we appear to be being coached by a dud. Not that I would expect the more vociferous anti-Potter posters to acknowledge it any time soon.

I was responding to your reference to me, as you well know. That was the pathetic bit. You're entitled to your view and I don't have to resort to sarcasm or silly put downs or whatever because I respect the fact that other people are entitled to their opinion. I don't agree with your opinion, either on Potter after two seasons or Simmons after five weeks, but you're entitled to it nonetheless.

You continue to make your childish comments about my opinion of Potter which was based upon a full season and a bit of his tenure and yet you think you are justified in writing off a coach after five fooking weeks? Hypocrisy.