I’m undecided on the Kear thing, it depends what we are looking for. If we want a short term boost for a season or so then he’s possibly the man but shouldn’t we be looking more long term than that? And would he want the stress of moving to a struggling superleague club anyway? He turns 67 shortly and has another year on his after this on his Bradford contract so there would be a fee to pay. I also listened to an interview he did last week after some random rumour appeared about him going to Cas as director of rugby and he was quite forceful in his rebuttal of the suggestion he was leaving and he wants to finish the job he has committed to at the bulls. JK was good for us in both his stints here and he should be fondly remembered but on balance i’d probably look elsewhere.

Danny Ward would be my choice, he seems to have some of Kears traits in getting the most out of lower rated players, creates a good team enviroment and is willing to kick some backsides if needed. He also comes across as quite media friendly, something Chester never really looked comfortable with. He is also available now. And I’ll guarantee you Andrew Henderson will apply if he hasn’t already. He has already tried for the Salford, Hull & Cas jobs in the last 12 months and has been linked with Leigh.

If Willie is doing the Head Coach job next year on an assistant's salary, his judgement has to be questioned, so the money has to be found somewhere.

Willie has been an assistant for too long. If we have an end-of-season bounce, he'll end up with the job and 2022 will be 2006 and 2015 all over again, people who are really assistants discovering their shortcomings.

Henderson did well at London, I seem to recall, but why has he been turned down so often?

Perhaps we could offer him cheap digs in Cas as part of the deal. I seem to recall he spoke very fondly of the town (not).

That was his brother Ian. Andrew played for them for quite a few years and is well thought of there and vice versa.

For me the first choice would be Kear. Yes he's in contract but this is at a lower league club which we could probably buy out of. Also for the quality and experience he brings I think he would be good value and not the high price of some other coaches. Bradford are also not the best in their league and have had recent financial issues so are not going to pull up any trees.

I would look to bring Kear in for 2 years to steady the ship. In 2006 he made an immediate impact and saved the club. By 2009 he had got us to a CC semi-final and the top 5 of the league. Then the finances fell apart and he grafted with a make shift squad, again keeping us off the bottom of the league. The rugby wasn't great in that final year but it did the job with an extremely limited squad.

Roll forward to 2017. He had a great impact as director of rugby and effectively Chester's no.2. In around 35 years of following the club 2017 was the best season I've seen and was us punching above our weight.

JK knows the club inside out, has a good relationship with the current management and has worked with a lot of our existing squad. He would come under no illusions about budget, talent or ambition.

As for others, Danny Ward maybe a probable 2nd choice. I just don't know why he left London, anyone have the full story? They had a full time squad but weren't pushing up trees in the Championship, why?

Brian Mac, hmm not so sure. He inherited a great, winning squad at a big club which is a complete contrast to what we have. Also, with a big budget at Toronto they didn't win a game in their short lived SL life.

Rowley, no thanks, thug rugby which is just awful. He had Leigh and Toronto dominate the Championship and failed to get either promoted with all the talent at his disposal.

That's how I view it, I'd have been more optimistic if it had been Last tbh, but we may be wrong.

For me it's poop or bust, we are struggling on the Stadia front again so we have to win out on the pitch if we are to survive. I may differ from others but I'm not all that interested a Trinity in a second-tier comp. If we are going to take a gamble, and I know that's not MC's way, then we need to do it regarding a coach. We can't skimp, we need the best we can possibly afford and heresy I know but perphaps a little bit more than we can afford.

We really can't bugger this up, so if WP can manage a few wins for absolute safety then we need to use that time to shop around.

JD would be absolutely perfect but my god it would take some doing. Out of interest I'd have thought his kids were now old enough to have left home for Uni?

JD has been confirmed as South Sydney head coach for next year, he would be foolish to turn that down in favour of Wakefield Trinity, unfortunately we missed the boat on him when we went with Chester.

As I said previously though, if we are looking in Aus, it would be good to appoint JD as a consultant to hire a new coach.

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That was brother Ian.

See BOJ042 recommendations above....who needs JD ??

(We'll send you some Foster's and Bundaberg vouchers in the post, BOJ, 'cos that's all we can afford for a consultancy fee



)

Cant disagree with any of that.
I'd have JK back at a heartbeat but, I'm not sure that he would walk out on his contract at Bradford.
The guy is an absolute legend and can do no wrong, if only he would come.

Is the internet connection in Cas strong enough for him to be involved in the Inveteviews over Zoom though?

There is talk in the Bradford camp that they have a new coach incoming and JK was to move upstairs, I guess it all depends on what JK wants to do, it may suit him to be in a less hands on role, who knows but my guess is if he wanted the job he would get it.

Henderson and Briers are available

Briers, seriously

Apparently we've run out Fosters vouchers. We can send vegimite vouchers.

Anyone old enough to remember Mitch Brennan! Think he went back to manage a car park or something.

I guess a lot will rely on the new coaches ideas but I would take a serious look at bringing Applegarth in as one of the assistants if we could, not only have the academy been playing some fantastic rugby, he could be pivotal in managing some of those players introduction to first grade.

I remember we got hammered by Oldham I think and a few of the players were in Rumours afterwards laughing and joking.
Don't know of it was the same night or another Friday night after a game, Brennan was strolling around Rumours looking for players I think!

Mick Monaghan anyone?

I knew Andrew played for them. I hadn't realised it was his brother who'd made the comments. I take it back.

But then again, I don't speak fondly of the town either!

Not a bad call but willie as head coach with Henderson and Briers as his assistants.

Talking of assistants, does anyone know where (and his chuffin name has gone, old age!) he has gone to. He played for us at stand-off, tall, dark hair, think he is from Hull and a few years ago he was getting plaudits as an assistant. He, whoever he is, could do a job as 'backs coach'.

You thinking of paul cooke

Yes. that's the fella. I knew that it would come to me

Paul Cooke?

If him other than writing a column for the Hull Daily Mail i'm not sure what he's up to these days. He left Donny RU a couple of years ago, not sure if he's coached since.