What If...

Quote: Adeybull "What they said.

All that said, seems increasingly clear that there is a big issue with both confidence and motivation. Increasingly wondering if Macca is maybe an excellent technical coach, but is struggling to inspire them to perform to their best? That may help explain why other clubs with similar teams on paper (if that) are outperforming us. If that's the case, then we won't get anywhere under the present set-up. But I said "IF". Is there anyone on here sufficiently qualified to comment from first-hand experience, rather than just from their armchair? I'm sure not, so that's why I am asking.

And, again, even if we DO want a change, who would come on the sort of terms likely to be available? Someone above mentioned an upcoming guy from the NRL keen to try and make a name for himself as a stepping stone to top grade coaching in the NRL. Maybe that would be affordable?

What's so bugging me is that we seem to have been only just the wrong side of winning so many times. We got hammered by the Pies and the Wire, but we've been hammered in games in previous seasons and still gone on to do really well - so I'm discounting those - it happens. Its all those "other" games where were just not good enough that are the problem. And each time we saw the same - either we were doing fine, then let something in and suddenly collapsed and went into panic mode, or we started badly and could never really pull it back. Seems to me its locked in players' heads now, that's the trouble.

Either that or there are problems behind the scenes. If so, doubt the fans' forum will shed any light (obviously) but you never know.

For now though, I'll just echo what someone else sensible said above - I'm actually glad its two weeks till we have to endure all this again.
Good points, as usual Adey.

I guess confidence is inevitably going to be low, chiefly since it comes from winning and probably no words from the coaching staff are going to do what a few back to back wins will. I`m not so sure about a lack of motivation though; many teams just go to pieces when they go behind and that`s only happened to us in a couple of games where we got hammered plus the Catalan cup game second half, of course (how could I forget that!!). As you point out we`ve been agonisingly close to a win on so many occasions.

I`ve heard it said that Macca is a bit `too close` to the team (I think that means he socialises with them) though I`ve no idea whether it`s true or not (or even if it matters, to be honest). It`s also said he doesn`t `do` bollockings which, perhaps, might be a bother.

I say that because in a previous incarnation I was in charge of a small team in the world of engineering and if there was one thing I learnt it was that all people are different and to get the best out of your team they had to be treated as the individuals they were. Where one would respond to being told that you felt let down another needed a kick up the jacksie, the trick of course was to know the difference. Back at the Bulls maybe a second coach with whom Steve can play good cop bad cop with might be the way to go, though I suspect finance might rule out that option.