NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has flagged concern over new Dragons coach Anthony Griffin's choices for assistant coaches after opting for experience over youth.
Since assuming the reins from Paul McGregor, Griffin has begun piecing together his vision for the Red V ahead of his appointment to the head coach's role in 2021.
Alongside a mooted bid to lure Cowboys enforcer Josh McGuire south, McGregor has moved to appoint his assistant coaches, opting to bring in recent Broncos caretaker coach Peter Gentle and former head coach Matthew Elliott to sit beside him in the Illawarra.
It's an "interesting" move from a coach who was criticised just two-years ago for being rigidly "old-school" in his philosophies towards rugby league, and Fittler wasn't convinced the 55-year-old would be able to avoid the same narrative this time around.
"I know he trains a little a bit differently to what they do now, he's a bit old school," Fittler told Wide World of Sports for a Dragons season review.
"I know at Penrith they went and did a lot of running which no one really likes, but what it does do is it just makes you a little bit fitter and a little bit tougher.
"He's gone and got some experienced assistant coaches. Peter Gentle from Brisbane and Matty Elliott, he's been around.
"That was interesting to me that there wasn't any big positions for some younger people who are coming through - some ex-players, whether they're St George (Illawarra) players it doesn't really matter, but they give you a bit better of an insight into how the young are thinking these days.
"I don't see them rocketing toward the minor premiership."
Ending their season 12th on the ladder, 2020 was another year wracked by mediocrity for the joint venture.
There's a school of thought that on paper the club had the talent to secure a top-eight finish, but with just seven wins this season and two consecutive victories marking their longest streak, Fittler could only think of one word to sum it up.
"Uninspiring," he said.
"I just never saw spirit, it just never came out. I never saw players working together that well. Don't remember them really digging in and having any great victories throughout the year.
"They had a good one against Parramatta, but they [Parramatta] had a few players out. I just never saw any inspiration at all. There was very little resilience."
NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has flagged concern over new Dragons coach Anthony Griffin's choices for assistant coaches after opting for experience over youth.
Since assuming the reins from Paul McGregor, Griffin has begun piecing together his vision for the Red V ahead of his appointment to the head coach's role in 2021.
Alongside a mooted bid to lure Cowboys enforcer Josh McGuire south, McGregor has moved to appoint his assistant coaches, opting to bring in recent Broncos caretaker coach Peter Gentle and former head coach Matthew Elliott to sit beside him in the Illawarra.
It's an "interesting" move from a coach who was criticised just two-years ago for being rigidly "old-school" in his philosophies towards rugby league, and Fittler wasn't convinced the 55-year-old would be able to avoid the same narrative this time around.
"I know he trains a little a bit differently to what they do now, he's a bit old school," Fittler told Wide World of Sports for a Dragons season review.
"I know at Penrith they went and did a lot of running which no one really likes, but what it does do is it just makes you a little bit fitter and a little bit tougher.
"He's gone and got some experienced assistant coaches. Peter Gentle from Brisbane and Matty Elliott, he's been around.
"That was interesting to me that there wasn't any big positions for some younger people who are coming through - some ex-players, whether they're St George (Illawarra) players it doesn't really matter, but they give you a bit better of an insight into how the young are thinking these days.
"I don't see them rocketing toward the minor premiership."
Ending their season 12th on the ladder, 2020 was another year wracked by mediocrity for the joint venture.
There's a school of thought that on paper the club had the talent to secure a top-eight finish, but with just seven wins this season and two consecutive victories marking their longest streak, Fittler could only think of one word to sum it up.
"Uninspiring," he said.
"I just never saw spirit, it just never came out. I never saw players working together that well. Don't remember them really digging in and having any great victories throughout the year.
"They had a good one against Parramatta, but they [Parramatta] had a few players out. I just never saw any inspiration at all. There was very little resilience."
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