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Nice guys finish... first? Club’s ‘worst call in history’ exposes seismic NRL shift — Crawls
Would you rather turn up to work if your boss was wearing a smile, or carrying a baseball bat? The reason I ask is because we are witnessing a cultural shift in the NRL where the days of the hard-arse coach could be numbered.
And comparing Justin Holbrook’s extraordinary success at Newcastle this year with Michael Maguire’s dramatic fall from grace at Brisbane is a good starting point. WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Watch every game of the 2026 NRLW Finals Series LIVE and ad-break free during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? This time last year, Madge was the man of the hour after his hard-edge approach transformed the Broncos into premiers. Yet fast forward 12 months and the place is already falling apart at the seams, with talk more players could end up following Payne Haas out the door if Madge is extended.
Meanwhile, the mild-mannered Holbrook has taken Newcastle from the wooden spoon to a grand final with none of the fear tactics required. In doing so, he’s also made the Gold Coast Titans’ decision to sack him and replace him with another hard-arse in Des Hasler look like one of the worst decisions in rugby league history. Remember, when Holbrook was punted midway through 2023 the Titans were ninth and still in the fight to play finals that season.
Yet the knock on him was that he was supposedly too nice and lacked the “hard edge” required to deliver success. While acknowledging Holbrook was “a very decent man” and “a good coach”, Frizelle made no apologies about the fact the club hadn’t achieved its benchmarks — and they needed a harder edge to deliver on their expectations of “four premierships” within 10 years.
Yet two-time premiership winner Hasler lasted just two seasons before the Titans decided that wasn’t working either. Ironically, they then turned to Josh Hannay, who shares many of the qualities that made Holbrook so popular on the Gold Coast. Which takes us to Newcastle. After Adam O’Brien, who often appeared cranky and overly stressed by the pressure of the job, Holbrook’s relaxed personality must have been a breath of fresh air for the Knights players.
And it’s an interesting contrast that at a time when Maguire finds himself under pressure at Brisbane, other old-school coaches such as Hasler, Shane Flanagan and Anthony Griffin have also lost their jobs in recent years. We’ve all seen how the mentality of the modern generation has changed significantly across society. And it’s just as obvious today’s players also don’t necessarily respond to the old-school take-no-prisoners approach that once dominated the game.
Especially when you look at what the always calm and composed Ivan Cleary has achieved at Penrith. Trent Robinson has also built a similar culture at the Roosters, investing enormously in his players as people and their connection to the community. Andrew Webster has done the same at the Warriors with a level-headed nature that has rewarded him with a long contract extension to go with his two Dally M Coach of the Year awards.
At Cronulla, there’s no denying Craig Fitzgibbon has a bit of that old-school feel about him. But it’s more in the mould of a Wayne Bennett-style personality than a Hasler or a Flanagan. Of course, Bennett has built his legendary career around understanding individual personalities and coaching them accordingly, while investing in their lives away from football.
While Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart drive standards as hard as anyone, but there’s also this genuine care that has sustained their relevance and respect among players over two decades. Because being a demanding coach doesn’t necessarily mean being an intimidating one. Just as having a relaxed personality doesn’t mean accepting anything less than the highest standards. His premierships at the Rabbitohs and Broncos prove that.
It was the same for Hasler where his coaching style that won him two premierships earlier in his career just appeared out-dated in the end. As for Holbrook, while Newcastle’s revival is still in its infancy, you get the feeling this fella could be around town for a long time to come. I just hope he never loses that infectious smile and good nature that Knights players and the people of the town have been feeding off.
Because despite the Titans belief that Holbrook didn’t have that hard-edge required to compete for premierships, he has shown that in the modern game you don’t have to be the chief head kicker to get results. And as is the case in any workplace, sometimes wearing a smile can be every bit as powerful as carrying a baseball bat.
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