ratticusfinch:
I got up early to watch Russell play in those PNG tests last year. It did not take long to realise he was nowhere near the level of player we should be entertaining. I wonder how much our board have had to pay out in paying off sub-standard players over the years? Far more than it would cost to get a competent CEO/recruitment specialist.
I was battered on here, by the usual suspects, when I questioned the recruitment process for the Director Of Rugby position (for which recruitment and retention would naturally reside). I outlined the experience skill set and background that I would be looking for inviting serious applicants from the UK and Australia. I wanted someone with a strong character, international reach and profile, who had experienced the game at the highest level, and who held respect in the game and would be able to sell the club and it's ambitions. I was worried we would make a classic "jobs for the boys" appointment taking the simplest path. In the end we recruited a loyal servant who had never been in a pro RL environment other than Warrington.
But it's not his fault, I suspect Chambers has very little remit in real life and effectively does as he is told. Remember after Powell, Middleton saying that never again would the board cede so much power again (i.e. it was all Powell's fault *). The recruitment is likely to be collectively agreed by the board - that's why there is no head to roll!
I bet recruitment is a mixed bag of Simon Moran's / Stuart Middleton's chance meetings with agents, whims, vanity projects (Johns/Burrell/Inglis/Johnson), Sam's contacts/former team mates (Musgrove), in house research, or implosion of SL clubs leading to exodus of players and inbound calls from agents touting their available player (Sneyd/Stone), and a fair few panic signings.
I would love to think that there was a process of defining club playing style/ethos/values first followed by identification and qualification of prospective players to match it. But there isn't based on the evidence we see. Sadly, as well as recruiting sub-standard players, we also manage to recruit a good number of players with questionable character and behaviour to add to the mix. (McGuire / Musgrove etc).
However, the club owners can run the club in exactly the way they want. We can only choose whether to pay for season tickets or merchandise which, to be fair, they seem to be quite animated about.
*
https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/warrington-chairman-didnt-like-how-people-were-treated-under-daryl-powell-79578
