Muppets Murray: Why did we kill him off at Bondi?

[Guest]

Welcome Back, Graham Murray: The Newcastle Knights have staged another coup, signing one of the sharpest minds in the game to come on as coaching director in Graham Murray.

Murray is arguably the most underrated coach of the last 20 years. He never won a premiership but he took the Roosters to their first Grand Final in two decades, led the Cowboys to their first and only Grand Final appearance and led Illawarra through their most successful period.

In 349 games with Illawarra, Hunter, the Sydney Roosters and North Queensland, Murray won 50.4% of his matches, an incredible achievement considering the teams he took over.

The Steelers were wooden spooners two years before Murray took the reins and in his second season he had the club in a preliminary final, never coaching the club to a finish in the bottom half of the table.

The Mariners were hastily thrown together but Murray guided them to a 7-11 sixth-placed finish in Super League, also coaching them to the World Club Challenge final.

In his first season at the Roosters he took the Tricolours to a Grand Final and led them to the finals in his two years at the club before being knifed.
At the Cowboys, Murray inherited a team who had won three wooden spoons in seven years and whose best season was a 9-15 16th in 1998. Within three seasons he had the club in a preliminary final and within four, the Grand Final.

Murray is a smart football operator and he is just the man to bring all facets of the new Knights together. And he is sure to be a lot more popular in Newcastle this time around than he was 14 years back, when he was one of the most hated men in the city. He is a perfect complement for Wayne Bennett and is sure to prove a great success at Newcastle.

[Guest]

"Muppet" Murray was Mark Murray - we got rid of him as coach because he lived up to his nickname.

Graham Murray's sacking seemed premature but, as we won the comp the next year, the decision was clearly vindicated. We did have a pretty poor year in 2001, scraping into 7th and getting flogged out of the semis (by Newcastle from memory).

Also worth noting that the two years G Murray was at the chooks was in the middle of 9 straight finals years, also known as the Freddy years.

[Kingbilly]

Plenty of onspiracies involving Gould in this one.

But please be away Graham Murry was not Muppet.

[rooster_booster]

"Muppet" Murray was Mark Murray - we got rid of him as coach because he lived up to his nickname.

Graham Murray's sacking seemed premature but, as we won the comp the next year, the decision was clearly vindicated. We did have a pretty poor year in 2001, scraping into 7th and getting flogged out of the semis (by Newcastle from memory).

Also worth noting that the two years G Murray was at the chooks was in the middle of 9 straight finals years, also known as the Freddy years.

Im pretty sure that was on Freddy. From what I can remember from his book, his groin was absolutely gone at that point.

[Guest]

Im pretty sure that was on Freddy. From what I can remember from his book, his groin was absolutely gone at that point.

Yeah but we generally were average in 2001. I clearly remember the WLWLWLWLWLWLW

[Headless Chook]

2000 was a good year. Murray introduced youngsters such as Hegarty and Mini to first grade that year and they went on to be mainstays of our golden period. We finished 2nd that year but in reality were light years behind the Broncos. In 2001 we struggled in the middle part of the year. I remember a great win over Melbourne early on without Freddie and after losing Cross midway through the game with a broken leg but it all went pear shaped from there. The thing I remember about Murray's time in charge is that we were a very simple team, we didn't seem to have any set plays at all and the whole game plan seemed to revolve around banging it up for 4 then giving it to Freddie to work his magic.

[Headless Chook]

Im pretty sure that was on Freddy. From what I can remember from his book, his groin was absolutely gone at that point.

You're way out on that point I'm pretty sure. Freddie's only injury worry in the back end of 2001 was a cut lip, his groin injury was way back in 1996. 1998 he had rib cartilage damage in the Qualifying Final, and in 2003 he had a shoulder problem.

[Guest]

I have a distinct memory of Graham Murray's demise having a lot to do with the senior players at the club rather than poor results. What better way to get rid of a coach than playing like a bunch of old women.

Ricky Stuart is a myth, with Brad Fittler in my side I could coach a team to a grand final.

[Guest]

"Muppet" Murray was Mark Murray - we got rid of him as coach because he lived up to his nickname.

Graham Murray's sacking seemed premature but, as we won the comp the next year, the decision was clearly vindicated. We did have a pretty poor year in 2001, scraping into 7th and getting flogged out of the semis (by Newcastle from memory).

Also worth noting that the two years G Murray was at the chooks was in the middle of 9 straight finals years, also known as the Freddy years.

We actually finished the regular season in 2001 in 6th position, not 7th. But I agree with the rest of what you wrote.

[The Brain]

Its quite simple why he was flicked and straight to the point .He introduced the culture that we have been fighting to change for years The Grog - Murray loved a drink .he introduced grog in the dressing rooms for the players -piss up after games was the norm .Now you know the main reason .
Stuart came in and got rid of most of it but once the disciplinarian was gone the Murray culture came straight back

[Cockadoodledoo]

I clearly remember late in the 2001 season Murray admitting that he had run out of ideas.. At that point he had to go.

[Guest]

I clearly remember late in the 2001 season Murray admitting that he had run out of ideas.. At that point he had to go.

That quote explains a hell of a lot. About Murray, I mean.

He had the best player in the world at his disposal twice (Freddy then J.T.) and has nothing to show for it.

[Guest]

Its quite simple why he was flicked and straight to the point .He introduced the culture that we have been fighting to change for years The Grog - Murray loved a drink .he introduced grog in the dressing rooms for the players -piss up after games was the norm .Now you know the main reason .
Stuart came in and got rid of most of it but once the disciplinarian was gone the Murray culture came straight back

maybe that disciplinarian needs to come back then?

[Guest]

I clearly remember late in the 2001 season Murray admitting that he had run out of ideas.. At that point he had to go.

Correct, the players lost confidence in him because he was clueless for most of the time. Freddy was even considering retirement thanks to murrays ability (or lack) to motivate anyone.

[theGman]

maybe that disciplinarian needs to come back then?

Be careful what you wish for!!!

In hindsight, some at Bondi headquarters believe Ricky was hard done by when they pursued supercoach Bennett.
Sympathetic suckers imo.