Staff Tony Iro

[Maraea]

Just wanted to get some thoughts about what Tony Iro's move into a Recruitment Manager's role could mean for the Warriors. Do you see it as a good move, finally one person who can coordinate efforts for training and recruitment across all grades? Is it too big a role for one person? Do you think he's the right person for the job? Is it a token gesture? My humble opinion is that its seems like a great idea and the most interesting change at the Warriors under Doyle's tenure. What do you think?

 

[the borg]

If that's the case, it means he's not defensive coach any more...woohoo...for that I'm more than happy. As for recruitment...I don't believe he will just be allowed to sign up anybody willy-nilly.
Jim and Cappy will have a final say in it I'm sure..
So I'm ok with it

 

[eudebrito]

It was interesting, I’m not entirely sure what Tony Iro is good at that has kept him employed by the club under two different CEO’s and head coaches, but it seems pretty clear the Big Jim will be handling the major additions and subtractions to the roster, and Iro’s job is to do the donkey work of contracting, retaining and recruiting across the rest of the 3 grades.

 

[t-wade23]

Nothing against Tony at all but just would like to see an team or maybe 3-5 people that handle recruitment and set up a liaison office in Sydney or Brisbane.

Set up an network so that off contract players are in direct contact with the team without having to fly over to meet potential players or vice versa during the season would be the only thing that could improve recruitment IMO.

 

[snake77]

Some good points raised. We need a Recruitment Manager as Doyle probably has enough day to day with the business side of things.

The role definitely needs to be a managerial role where he over looks a team. If it is across the board under 20's, NSW Cup and NRL it will require more than the one person. For the 20's you'd need to scout across the country and organise moving youngsters up to Auckland. It would definitely need another recruitment officer for this level along with helping provide another viewpoint.

It would be good to have a presence somewhere in Australia for recruitment. It would help with the positions we may not have depth or any youngsters coming through.

For the NRL level the CEO and coach would still be involved. The coach needs to be on-board with the players they are bringing in and the CEO needs to manage the cap. I could see Doyle being more hands on in-terms of the first grade roster.

 

[Sup42]

Bit unsure so I'm going to take a quietly optimistic veiw.
Iro has been firmly entrenched in the kiwis set up for a long time with Doyle, so each knows the others strengths.

Iro has a working relationship with kiwi players at other clubs through the NZRL, so that's a positive.

It also makes sense that Doyle not carry the recruitment work on his own.

Dean Bell and Wayne Scurrah seemed (from the outside, to grow stale and have limited options).

Basically we need to win more and play a better more consistent brand of footy to be more appealing to recruits, its a catch 22, since we need to sign the player type to get there.
If we were strong and looked stable, recruitment wouldn't need to work so hard.

 

[Iafetas Kickstand Wang]

Nothing against Tony at all but just would like to see an team or maybe 3-5 people that handle recruitment and set up a liaison office in Sydney or Brisbane.

Set up an network so that off contract players are in direct contact with the team without having to fly over to meet potential players or vice versa during the season would be the only thing that could improve recruitment IMO.

IIRC, Jim Doyle spoke of that early last year. I believe the Warriors want to expand their operating base particularly into Sydney.

 

[bruce]

Dean Bell and Wayne Scurrah seemed (from the outside, to grow stale and have limited options).

They had more losses than wins those two...ditching Ivan Clary for Bluey was right up there and wasn't Iro in on that one as well?

 

[Sup42]

They had more losses than wins those two...ditching Ivan Clary for Bluey was right up there and wasn't Iro in on that one as well?

I dunno.

Wayne Schurrah I thought made that call.

I thought Iro might have said he wasn't ready for Head coach at that time.....not till he took over in the end from Bluey.

I might be wrong.

 

[Buck777]

I am amazed Cappy agreed to Iro becoming the assist coach again. But history supports Cappy - Jesus kept Judas around too

 

[bruce]

I dunno.

Wayne Schurrah I thought made that call.

I thought Iro might have said he wasn't ready for Head coach at that time.....not till he took over in the end from Bluey.

I might be wrong.

With a little help from his friends...an anti John Hart clique maybe?

 

[mt.wellington]

They had more losses than wins those two...ditching Ivan Clary for Bluey was right up there and wasn't Iro in on that one as well?

Do tell...

 

[bruce]

I am not privy to what goes on at Mt Smart but I recall about the time Ivan was shown the door some discussion either in print or on radio talkback, I think from memory it was Hugh McGahan but I am not sure and I forget the actual words but I got the impression he was not a fan of Hart and by implication Cleary.

I then recalled the rumour when Bluey first quit Leeds that he was being lined up for the Warriors. I couldn't believe it at the time but it turned out to be true. This year I heard somebody say Scurrah wasn't a bad manager he just listened to the wrong people.

McGahan Bell and Iro were old team mates so when I heard Jim Doyle talk about "jobs for the boys" I connected the dots. Maybe I have it all wrong but my comment above was a question.

 

[mt.wellington]

I am not privy to what goes on at Mt Smart but I recall about the time Ivan was shown the door some discussion either in print or on radio talkback, I think from memory it was Hugh McGahan but I am not sure and I forget the actual words but I got the impression he was not a fan of Hart and by implication Cleary.

I then recalled the rumour when Bluey first quit Leeds that he was being lined up for the Warriors. I couldn't believe it at the time but it turned out to be true. This year I heard somebody say Scurrah wasn't a bad manager he just listened to the wrong people.

McGahan Bell and Iro were old team mates so when I heard Jim Doyle talk about "jobs for the boys" I connected the dots. Maybe I have it all wrong but my comment above was a question.

From what I know Tony Iro was behind Cleary. You had Ivan Cleary, John Hart, Tony Iro and John Ackland in one corner with Dean Bell and Wayne Scurrah in the other. No surprises that once Scurrah went behind everyones back to the Board and sold them the big Bluey dream the rest of the old guard got picked off one by one. Most believe that it was Matt Elliott's call to axe John Ackland. That is false. It was Dean Bell and from what Im told it was because he was trying to save his own ass after the repeated failures of the club since Cleary left. Thankfully Scurrah was forced to leave and Jim Doyle didnt take long to see straight through Bell.

Thats what Ive been told from numerous players and family members of the former coaches and trainers...

 

[bruce]

Thats what Ive been told from numerous players and family members of the former coaches and trainers...

Thanks for that, it seems to make sense because McGahan and Bell were mates as well. Sad thing is that those guys were world class players in their time and Dean Bell carried the team almost to the finals in 1995. Just another example of a brilliant footballer not being able to carry the skills into management.

 

[mt.wellington]

Thanks for that, it seems to make sense because McGahan and Bell were mates as well. Sad thing is that those guys were world class players in their time and Dean Bell carried the team almost to the finals in 1995. Just another example of a brilliant footballer not being able to carry the skills into management.

It worked well when there was a clear disconnect between the front office and the on field team. John Hart was that link between the two. Ivan Cleary ran the front room and Wayne Scurrah ran the backroom.

Problems started when Wayne Scurrah though he knew better and went to the Board selling Bluey. Have to give Scurrah dues for whoring the jersey and getting memberships up, as was his main job, but our onfield issue started when he meddled with shit he had no business or knowledge of. That being the onfield area.

How has the club gone since?

Others may have a different account from Scurrah or Dean Bell's perspective but thats what I know to be true. Take it for the hearsay it is and make up your own minds...

 

[bruce]

Sounds fair enough...very sad though...now we can watch Jim turn the place around like Phil Gould said he would...I remember him using the word "behemoth"...haven't checked it out on Google though!

 

[Maraea]

Shit I'm feeling all fucken enthusiastic about the Warriors again with all these fun changes and signings. Might lie down till it goes away - ha ha. Like most I remember Ali from his glory days and because of that I can't wait to see him in a warriors jersey again. Iro fits his new role

 

[Iafetas Kickstand Wang]

What you say makes sense MtW. One former player I know rated Tony as being honest and transparent, similar in trait to Ivan but could be a bit more vocal. Bluey he said was a numb nuts its little tactical preparation for the team who lost the dressing room by trying to be purely the motivating type. Bluey was as likeable if not more liked as a mate by the players, but they wanted someone to coach them which wasn't happening. As I understand it, some of the lads that left to go with Uncle Ivan left not only because Ivan left but because they thought Bluey would be a disaster in place of Tony Iro.

 

[mt.wellington]

As I understand it, some of the lads that left to go with Uncle Ivan left not only because Ivan left but because they thought Bluey would be a disaster in place of Tony Iro.

And what about James Maloney and Micheal Luck? We offered to make Maloney the highest paid player in the game. You think he was going to hang around that dumbass Bluey? You think Luck was going to go through all the pain of another season for that muppet?

Dont think so.

I ask every player I get to have a quiet word with that was around in 2011-2012 what they thought at the time and all without exception say the club messed up big time losing Ivan Cleary and that Brian McClennan was the dumbest coach they ever had...