Yeah kinda where I’m at too. I’m keen for a coaching change but also AOB/coaching is only one part of a number of issues that have us where we are now. IMO we had a pretty decent squad in 2020 + 2021 but since then we’ve messed our roster up and we’ve probably had one of the worst sides in the comp since 2022, especially bad since our two only genuine stars in Ponga and Best have been out a lot. We probably overachieved in 2023 and 2024 for our roster. Im keen for a new coach now, but I also don’t think a lot could have done much better with the recent squad.
Sack Adam O’Brien
- Thread starter HarVeeGee13
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Yeah kinda where I’m at too. I’m keen for a coaching change but also AOB/coaching is only one part of a number of issues that have us where we are now. IMO we had a pretty decent squad in 2020 + 2021 but since then we’ve messed our roster up and we’ve probably had one of the worst sides in the comp since 2022, especially bad since our two only genuine stars in Ponga and Best have been out a lot. We probably overachieved in 2023 and 2024 for our roster. Im keen for a new coach now, but I also don’t think a lot could have done much better with the recent squad.
danknights
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Things went for us when they threw the AOB coaching plan out the window and actually started utilising the strengths of the players. KP started playing wider off the ruck, Bradman was getting early ball, Dom was getting early ball, the halves were actually getting good service from dummy half over the ad line a fair bit which helped the pigs make metres. Somehow we forgot that worked and went back to AOB ball. All on AOB that one.
Tim
Aaron Grainger
100%. If AOB had Moses next year we would still finish bottom of all teams for attack. And Moses would have his worst ever season.
Les Misérables
Mark Hughes
Thieves Like Us
Julian Bailey
As much as I want AOB gone I don’t agree with this point. Your special sock friend Dom is surely a good example of a player who has developed significantly during AOB’s tenure (and regressed in a different environment).
frankLauda
Matthew Johns
Off the top of my head
Jacob Kiraz
Conner Watson
Kurt Mann
Josh King
Nick Meany
Mitch Barnett
Jacob Kiraz
Conner Watson
Kurt Mann
Josh King
Nick Meany
Mitch Barnett
Eh, you could find just as many, probably more, that have improved under him too. There’s nothing wrong with his player development. His issues as a coach are purely tactical imo.
mudmarn
Willie Mason
His issue is not playing to the team he has to its strengths.
His still using an outdated blueprint of what the Storm were doing 10 years ago.
When players leave here, more often then not they are used to their strengths and look 10 time
better then they ever did here.
AOB just isnt a head coach in my opinion.
His still using an outdated blueprint of what the Storm were doing 10 years ago.
When players leave here, more often then not they are used to their strengths and look 10 time
better then they ever did here.
AOB just isnt a head coach in my opinion.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Dom was always going to be Dom. My opinion which I voiced very early on was he was going to go well in the NRL, has such a big frame and mobility how could he not. And he did.
1st season he struggled as he had to adjust to Australia, moving countries, the NRL way of playing vs Superleague. Once he got through that first season and was settled, he was able to show what he can do. Dom I don't put down to AOB bringing out the best in him, rather Dom just being Dom.
Roosters he struggled sure.
I'm not saying AOB has had no positive impact on our players at all, just the Dom one I don't agree with.
Thieves Like Us
Julian Bailey
Ok, fair enough. Agree to disagree.
I just like making fun of Les Mis for his obsession with the big fella.
Thieves Like Us
Julian Bailey
BA certainly seems to be turning round the fortunes of the Leeds Rhinos this year. Hopefully we’ll get to see how AOB does in the Super League next season…..
mudmarn
Willie Mason
Maybe BA assistant?.....
Players doing better and worse at certain clubs isn’t really black and white like people are making out.
It’s easy to say “X, Y, Z player has performed better since going to a new club which means AOB is a bad coach” but that’s way too simplistic for most cases.
There’s a heap of factors that influence it: players general maturity levels and how seriously they take their football at that time of their lives (biggest factor for the likes of Barnett and Tapine), how comfortable they feel within the club and their relationship with the other players, the talent of the players around them, injuries, etc. To be honest of the list of players that have apparently flown since getting away from AOB, the only one I’d say came down to bad coaching might be Watson, simply because we just couldn’t get his position right. The Melbourne lads like King and Meany have definitely done extremely well under Bellamy too, but tbh he’s probably the only coach who could do that, and you need to consider the class they have around them.
I’m keen to move on from AOB too because I hate the way we play tactically and I’ve just never really warmed to him and his attitude. It needs to be balanced though. He deserves criticism for a lot of things, but the pile on about his player development is over the top imo.
It’s easy to say “X, Y, Z player has performed better since going to a new club which means AOB is a bad coach” but that’s way too simplistic for most cases.
There’s a heap of factors that influence it: players general maturity levels and how seriously they take their football at that time of their lives (biggest factor for the likes of Barnett and Tapine), how comfortable they feel within the club and their relationship with the other players, the talent of the players around them, injuries, etc. To be honest of the list of players that have apparently flown since getting away from AOB, the only one I’d say came down to bad coaching might be Watson, simply because we just couldn’t get his position right. The Melbourne lads like King and Meany have definitely done extremely well under Bellamy too, but tbh he’s probably the only coach who could do that, and you need to consider the class they have around them.
I’m keen to move on from AOB too because I hate the way we play tactically and I’ve just never really warmed to him and his attitude. It needs to be balanced though. He deserves criticism for a lot of things, but the pile on about his player development is over the top imo.
Tackleslikeagirl
Rodney Howe
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Yep another point in his favour. It's not like a successful stint at St Helens or Wigan where you almost need to put an asterisk against it because they're always good no matter who's the coach. Rhinos were struggling when he took over and most of his changes to get them back on track have been tactical/stylistic rather than in personnel. Similarly Willie Peters has done great over there.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
No, he has no interest in it.
This year They added brodie croft in the halves , keenan palasia, sivo and ryan hall on the wings and also english international kallum watkins and nearly every player they got rid of is now playing 2nd teir footy. Their squad is heaps better.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Brodie was there last year.
Didn't deny they made some signings, but they also started playing very differently. Forget where now but I saw an article going over all the changes to their attacking systems etc since Arthur came in, and the differences in how Leeds and Parra have played under him, was very interesting & showed he's more adaptable than his reputation at Parra indicates.
Didn't deny they made some signings, but they also started playing very differently. Forget where now but I saw an article going over all the changes to their attacking systems etc since Arthur came in, and the differences in how Leeds and Parra have played under him, was very interesting & showed he's more adaptable than his reputation at Parra indicates.
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