Brad Fittler as a coach

[Les Tricolores]

From his causal muffin eating days at the roosters to trying to build a coaching career off the back of origin, Brads future as a coach looks as healthy as a battered sav.

Origin is a series based on hate.
Nothing more, nothing less.

Earthing, calmness, insight…….are meaningless in rugby league and this level of competitive sport.
Particularly concerning is the lack of contingency around the Turbo injury last night. Cook in the centres for the whole match was not a solution.

When Lindsay Collins’s( who played like a different person) made an effective tackle close to the line Slater pounds the glass in the coaching box and declares” he is fuc.ing QLD boy!”

The disparity in intensity between the two coaches is quite remarkable. Polar opposites in fact.

Clubs would be bending over backwards to sign Slater, and why not?
Fittler on the other hand won’t be coaching in the NRL ever and will get the axe at the end of this series.

I don’t think Freddy is the worst coach ever but he indeed is well behind Slater

He also hasn’t helped himself with a series of oddball selections… and picking guys like Luai who only play for their ego… that works fine when you’ve got the talent overload but that’s not the case anymore

Blues chance for an historic dynasty has come and gone… the majority of the QLD side is set for the next 10 years

[zac]

With all due respect Zac anyone could have coached that qld team with Smith,Thurston,Slater,Cronk and Inglis and had success. They were by far the best league team I've watched in over 50 years of following the game.
Fittlers record at origin coaching will stand at 3 from 6 when in all honesty with the players he had they should have won 5 of those series.
Playing a hooker in the centres was the death-knell for his reign at the helm.

either way mal was a crap club coach but had a great record at origin and freddy wasn't able to follow that example

[zac]

just checked the facts, always dangerous, and mal had more wins than losses at club level. freddy on the other hand ...

freddy was a great player for us and after a shaky start as a commentator he's better than a lot of them but unless they resurrect city v country he might want to put the clipboard away

[Johnny73]

It's like when Rusty Fairfax was the coach for a hot month. I would have followed that man through fire (and to his car boot during Randwick home games but that's another story) but he wasn't a coach's bunghole, neither is Fittler.

[milanja]

just checked the facts, always dangerous, and mal had more wins than losses at club level. freddy on the other hand ...

freddy was a great player for us and after a shaky start as a commentator he's better than a lot of them but unless they resurrect city v country he might want to put the clipboard away

Mal was the head coach, but even he admitted he was the man manager, and Hagan had more to do with the coaching, he always said there is not much more I can coach into these top line players, it’s more about getting them to bond and gel in a short period of time.

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

I've only now been able to catchup on the footy shows from the last 48hrs. Watching the replay of NRL360 (Thursday's show). Listening to Brandy's explanation of why they chose to put Cook into the centre when Turbo went down, the coaching staffs rationale at the time made sense. They preferred to keep Murray and Yeo in the middle. And needed to utilise Cook's speed to defend against Walsh attacking the edges.

In Freddy's defence you can't cover for every position, especially when having two hookers. Obviously hindsight is 20/20. Game 1 they selected Nicko but didn't use him till the end. Game 2 they should've selected him but didn't.

The concern I have is that making selection mistakes like that in origin will cost you. Its been said before, you need to select "origin players" not just superstar players. Moses, Luai, Cook, even JAC and Yeo to a lesser extent haven't proven that they belong in that arena. Whereas Walsh, DCE, Hunt , Holmes and our man Collins have.

Caz I love Freddy I hate to say this, but his time is probably up. I can't see who NSW replace him with though. And he shouldn't be the only one. Some of the above mentioned players should be dropped as well. Time for the tough as nail players who just go out and get the job done without excuse

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

And another thing on Luai. Whether he played poorly or not, whether we think he is a wanka or not, no one should be subjected to death threats. And he does have the last laugh. Win, lose or draw he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.

[milanja]

I've only now been able to catchup on the footy shows from the last 48hrs. Watching the replay of NRL360 (Thursday's show). Listening to Brandy's explanation of why they chose to put Cook into the centre when Turbo went down, the coaching staffs rationale at the time made sense. They preferred to keep Murray and Yeo in the middle. And needed to utilise Cook's speed to defend against Walsh attacking the edges.

In Freddy's defence you can't cover for every position, especially when having two hookers. Obviously hindsight is 20/20. Game 1 they selected Nicko but didn't use him till the end. Game 2 they should've selected him but didn't.

The concern I have is that making selection mistakes like that in origin will cost you. Its been said before, you need to select "origin players" not just superstar players. Moses, Luai, Cook, even JAC and Yeo to a lesser extent haven't proven that they belong in that arena. Whereas Walsh, DCE, Hunt , Holmes and our man Collins have.

Caz I love Freddy I hate to say this, but his time is probably up. I can't see who NSW replace him with though. And he shouldn't be the only one. Some of the above mentioned players should be dropped as well. Time for the tough as nail players who just go out and get the job done without excuse

Haas to me is one of the biggest disappointments in the origin arena at the moment. Nowhere near club level dominance.

[ism22]

And another thing on Luai. Whether he played poorly or not, whether we think he is a wanka or not, no one should be subjected to death threats. And he does have the last laugh. Win, lose or draw he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.

What's stupid about all the threats...etc that go on (usually because some wanka's bet their life savings on an unlikely multi and blown it because the said player didn't score a hat trick and win by 30+) is that they forget who's actually suffering from the loss.

As a fan, I get drunk and have bantz with the boys regardless. Footy players? You'd be physically destroyed after loss like that and they've probably all gotta backup for games this weekend.

I dunno, people are absolute wankaz about this stuff!!!

[trewhella]

Haas to me is one of the biggest disappointments in the origin arena at the moment. Nowhere near club level dominance.

sorry mate just don’t agree with you.
Junior and Haas were the reason we had so much great field position.

I thought the hooker went well.

the hole running from the back rowers was too sideways and that’s because Moses, Laui and Tedesco all run across the field.
At Penrith Cleary straightens the attack.
At easts it’s Keary
At parra it’s Brown.

Too many crabs.

[A Country Member]

Cook to centre will go down in Freddie’s coaching annals like Anasta to fullback did.

[Thirteen]

Cook to centre will go down in Freddie’s coaching annals like Anasta to fullback did.

I thought Cameron Murray would have been the more obvious choice from what was available. Should have had Burton on the bench instead of a second hooker. Cameron Murray would have covered nine if needed.

[zac]

Mal was the head coach, but even he admitted he was the man manager, and Hagan had more to do with the coaching, he always said there is not much more I can coach into these top line players, it’s more about getting them to bond and gel in a short period of time.

yeah, origin isn't about being a great club coach - bellamy had little success at that level - and i was thinking freddy might be able to do a mal but that didn't happen

[chopstiks]

I thought Cameron Murray would have been the more obvious choice from what was available. Should have had Burton on the bench instead of a second hooker. Cameron Murray would have covered nine if needed.

I could not believe my ears when Brandy Alexander almost bragged on NRL360 that they didn't put Murray in because Cook was faster to keep pace with Reece Walsh . Christ. Yeah great brandy, he's a rocket in a 100 metre dash , but can he defend .
Agree about Burton, start him. Keep Hynes in the squad. Get shot of crocked Turbo and bring Robson in next time . It's not hindsight for most of us, very simple stuff ,. but were they trying to be too smart or what