Tweet
AS the Newcastle Knights and coach Brian Smith prepare for arguably their season-defining game against Parramatta today, Paul Harragon is holidaying in the US.
The irony is hard to miss.
Harragon is the man who brought Smith to the Knights.
But while debate rages over the success or otherwise of his three-year tenure at the club, there is little question where the former captain and club figurehead stands on the issue.
Harragon would never say as much publicly, but he lost all faith in the coach he appointed long ago. At the height of the Smith clean-out drama in 2007, Harragon called for his sacking during a board meeting.
When Smith declared three weeks ago he was heading to the Sydney Roosters next season, it was Harragon who again led the charge to have him removed immediately.
It's no secret what his feelings are within the club's corridors of power. And Harragon is not alone.
While Smith enjoys support from sections of the media and certain individuals within the club, his impact on the Knights has divided the city, who feel they have lost touch with their team.
His detractors struggle to lay a glove on him when it comes to his tactical coaching nous.
"He improves players, no question,'' says Andrew Johns. "He has proved that with the Knights. He is a deep thinker about the game. His strategies and planning for the opposition are always first class.''
For much of this season, those strategies appeared to be working.
Armed with $1million more in the football budget than his coaching predecessor Michael Hagan enjoyed, Smith has all the hi-tech training equipment and facilities at his disposal.
In that regard, he has led the Knights out of the dark ages.
And the football team he built, largely from the ground up, was getting the business done on the field.
But five losses from their last seven games have left the Knights' finals hopes in jeopardy again. If they miss the top eight this season, where does that leave the Smith legacy?
He was brought in to rebuild the club and reform the junior system. But is the club in a better position now than before he arrived? Do his results justify the pain he has put the club through?
Barring a major late-season resurgence, the answer has to be an emphatic no.
HIS APPOINTMENT
Smith was not even on the radar when the Knights went looking for Hagan's replacement in early 2006.
Several candidates were interviewed. They included Matthew Elliott, Peter Sharp and David Fairleigh. Applicants such as Jason Taylor didn't get a look in.
The decision was made to go with Elliott and he was told he had the job. Then, at the urging of Harragon, the group made an 11th-hour decision to chase Tim Sheens.
The process unravelled at that point. Sheens said no, a miffed Elliott did likewise and signed with Penrith.
Of the experienced coaches left, Smith was it, even though there were those who doubted he would be a good fit for Newcastle.
With Harragon in charge, the deal was done - but the appointment was never unanimous.
THE MANDATE
Smith's mandate was to prepare the club for life after Andrew Johns and improve an ailing junior structure.
But it's a myth the board sanctioned or encouraged a mass "clean-out'' of the playing roster. However, Smith was given total autonomy over the recruitment and retention of players.
"That was our biggest mistake,'' a source said. "There was always the fear that things would go pear-shaped with him, but we didn't want him coming back at us and saying he never had total control."
"That was Chief's main argument, and to be fair, I don't think anyone expected him to be so savage.''
THE CLEAN-OUT
The merit or otherwise of what Smith did in unloading more than a dozen players, many of them locals, will be debated long and hard.
It can be argued only a few of those cut have gone on to bigger and better things. Clint Newton won a premiership with Melbourne. Josh Perry did likewise with Manly and he has since played for NSW and Australia.
More recently, Luke Walsh, another Smith reject, is delivering at Penrith, while Chris Bailey is a regular in Manly's top grade. One thing is clear: the treatment of Kirk Reynoldson and a year later the shunning of Danny Buderus can never be justified.
Of the new players Smith brought in, the likes of Chris Houston, Zeb Taia, Junior Sau, Richie Fa'aoso and Matt Hilder have all improved under his coaching.
But the effects of the clean-out have eaten away at the heart of the Knights.
By shunning locals to bring in a host of imported players at both senior and junior level, the old "Our Town, Our Team'' mantra no longer sits well with Novocastrians.
There is little doubt the relationship between the city and its football team was fractured because of the controversy, a point former club chairmen Michael Hill and Mike Tyler have both said publicly.
And it's why Harragon and others won't be unhappy to finally see the back of Smith. Corporate and public support suffered and, while some have returned, the bridge has not been mended for many others and maybe never will.
JUNIOR SYSTEM
Smith has a reputation as a coach who rebuilds a club.
If that's the case, there are plenty of questions that need to be answered about his three years at the Knights.
He was given free rein to work his magic with the junior system and its structure. All he has done is polarise the local junior leagues in the area.
His insistence on bringing in imports at the expense of local kids in the junior grades infuriated many.
Smith spent a staggering $400,000 on the Knights' SG Ball side last year to bring in six or seven imported players, only for the team to finish 11th. Many of those players, armed with two-year deals, are now in the Toyota Cup squad, which is sitting 13th, some 20 points behind competition leaders Manly.
Seeing the problems he had caused, the club reacted by poaching respected recruitment and development manager Keith Onslow back from the Bulldogs this season to clean up the mess and reconnect the club with the local junior leagues.
That rebuilding process has begun, but it may take a few years before Newcastle see another batch of locals graduate to NRL ranks.
The Knights will work hard to reclaim their identity and the appointment of local Rick Stone as Smith's replacement next season may well be where they start.
He would no doubt give the Knights a Newcastle touch, something that has been sadly lacking under Smith.
The irony is hard to miss.
Harragon is the man who brought Smith to the Knights.
But while debate rages over the success or otherwise of his three-year tenure at the club, there is little question where the former captain and club figurehead stands on the issue.
Harragon would never say as much publicly, but he lost all faith in the coach he appointed long ago. At the height of the Smith clean-out drama in 2007, Harragon called for his sacking during a board meeting.
When Smith declared three weeks ago he was heading to the Sydney Roosters next season, it was Harragon who again led the charge to have him removed immediately.
It's no secret what his feelings are within the club's corridors of power. And Harragon is not alone.
While Smith enjoys support from sections of the media and certain individuals within the club, his impact on the Knights has divided the city, who feel they have lost touch with their team.
His detractors struggle to lay a glove on him when it comes to his tactical coaching nous.
"He improves players, no question,'' says Andrew Johns. "He has proved that with the Knights. He is a deep thinker about the game. His strategies and planning for the opposition are always first class.''
For much of this season, those strategies appeared to be working.
Armed with $1million more in the football budget than his coaching predecessor Michael Hagan enjoyed, Smith has all the hi-tech training equipment and facilities at his disposal.
In that regard, he has led the Knights out of the dark ages.
And the football team he built, largely from the ground up, was getting the business done on the field.
But five losses from their last seven games have left the Knights' finals hopes in jeopardy again. If they miss the top eight this season, where does that leave the Smith legacy?
He was brought in to rebuild the club and reform the junior system. But is the club in a better position now than before he arrived? Do his results justify the pain he has put the club through?
Barring a major late-season resurgence, the answer has to be an emphatic no.
HIS APPOINTMENT
Smith was not even on the radar when the Knights went looking for Hagan's replacement in early 2006.
Several candidates were interviewed. They included Matthew Elliott, Peter Sharp and David Fairleigh. Applicants such as Jason Taylor didn't get a look in.
The decision was made to go with Elliott and he was told he had the job. Then, at the urging of Harragon, the group made an 11th-hour decision to chase Tim Sheens.
The process unravelled at that point. Sheens said no, a miffed Elliott did likewise and signed with Penrith.
Of the experienced coaches left, Smith was it, even though there were those who doubted he would be a good fit for Newcastle.
With Harragon in charge, the deal was done - but the appointment was never unanimous.
THE MANDATE
Smith's mandate was to prepare the club for life after Andrew Johns and improve an ailing junior structure.
But it's a myth the board sanctioned or encouraged a mass "clean-out'' of the playing roster. However, Smith was given total autonomy over the recruitment and retention of players.
"That was our biggest mistake,'' a source said. "There was always the fear that things would go pear-shaped with him, but we didn't want him coming back at us and saying he never had total control."
"That was Chief's main argument, and to be fair, I don't think anyone expected him to be so savage.''
THE CLEAN-OUT
The merit or otherwise of what Smith did in unloading more than a dozen players, many of them locals, will be debated long and hard.
It can be argued only a few of those cut have gone on to bigger and better things. Clint Newton won a premiership with Melbourne. Josh Perry did likewise with Manly and he has since played for NSW and Australia.
More recently, Luke Walsh, another Smith reject, is delivering at Penrith, while Chris Bailey is a regular in Manly's top grade. One thing is clear: the treatment of Kirk Reynoldson and a year later the shunning of Danny Buderus can never be justified.
Of the new players Smith brought in, the likes of Chris Houston, Zeb Taia, Junior Sau, Richie Fa'aoso and Matt Hilder have all improved under his coaching.
But the effects of the clean-out have eaten away at the heart of the Knights.
By shunning locals to bring in a host of imported players at both senior and junior level, the old "Our Town, Our Team'' mantra no longer sits well with Novocastrians.
There is little doubt the relationship between the city and its football team was fractured because of the controversy, a point former club chairmen Michael Hill and Mike Tyler have both said publicly.
And it's why Harragon and others won't be unhappy to finally see the back of Smith. Corporate and public support suffered and, while some have returned, the bridge has not been mended for many others and maybe never will.
JUNIOR SYSTEM
Smith has a reputation as a coach who rebuilds a club.
If that's the case, there are plenty of questions that need to be answered about his three years at the Knights.
He was given free rein to work his magic with the junior system and its structure. All he has done is polarise the local junior leagues in the area.
His insistence on bringing in imports at the expense of local kids in the junior grades infuriated many.
Smith spent a staggering $400,000 on the Knights' SG Ball side last year to bring in six or seven imported players, only for the team to finish 11th. Many of those players, armed with two-year deals, are now in the Toyota Cup squad, which is sitting 13th, some 20 points behind competition leaders Manly.
Seeing the problems he had caused, the club reacted by poaching respected recruitment and development manager Keith Onslow back from the Bulldogs this season to clean up the mess and reconnect the club with the local junior leagues.
That rebuilding process has begun, but it may take a few years before Newcastle see another batch of locals graduate to NRL ranks.
The Knights will work hard to reclaim their identity and the appointment of local Rick Stone as Smith's replacement next season may well be where they start.
He would no doubt give the Knights a Newcastle touch, something that has been sadly lacking under Smith.
Comment