Incoming Warriors coach Nathan Brown had “one or two concerns” that stopped him jumping at the job earlier but says he’s now sold on the club’s vision to become one of the NRL’s leading outfits.
The former St George and Newcastle mentor confirmed his three-year deal from 2021 on Saturday, taking over from interim coach Todd Payten who knocked back the fulltime job vacated by the axed Stephen Kearney.
Still chasing a maiden NRL title, the Warriors will also employ prominent rugby league figure Phil Gould in a consultancy role, with club owner Mark Robinson describing the pair’s arrival as “best thing to happen at the club in 20 years”.
Brown has coached more than 400 games, the Warriors gig to be his fifth across Australia and England since the former hooker began with the Dragons in 2003.
He said any fears were allayed after a discussion with Robinson and CEO Cameron George, with the deal struck swiftly on Thursday.
While he said a handful of smart signings could project them into the finals equation, Brown said junior development would be the focus.
“To go from fourth-last to seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th it’s one or two good recruitment decisions, and a couple of young blokes developing,” he said.
“To get that major prize takes a lot of hard work and that’s what it’s about.
“Any time the club’s had success they’ve had it on the back of your Stacey Jones’s and the like.
“So trying to secure that best young talent is a real key for the club to move forward.
“Consistency gives you the opportunity … you can’t just wave a magic wand and win something; if it worked like that you wouldn’t be having this conversation with me now.”
George hinted that more football department additions were in the pipeline, while bold owner Robinson made certain of his aspirations when asked on Saturday.
“We’re going to have some fun, but we’re going to knuckle down and push hard over the next two, three years to make us one of the best clubs in the NRL for the New Zealand people,” he said.
“We’re just going to go for it.”
Brown said the Warriors were “far better” placed than the Knights were when he joined them in 2016, winning only 26 per cent of games before his departure three years later.
He has consulted with the Warriors since and will return as a fan of a game he said has changed for the better this year.
“It’s a far better spectacle; the importance of centres, a smart dummy-half have been really highlighted and it’s had a big impact on rosters,” he said.
NATHAN BROWN’S CAREER
* 1993-00 – 172 games with the Dragons
* 2003-08 – Dragons coach (53 per cent win rate in 151 games)
* 2009-12 – Huddersfield (58 in 131 games)
* 2013-14 – St Helens (63 in 62 games)
* 2016-19 – Newcastle Knights (26 in 94 games)