Staff Andrew Webster

[Tonbridge(aka Swanley)]

What sort of time is it in the hour?

I watched in on the Watch NRL app, it's the Face to Face shows, interview was for about 30 minutes. It's separate to NRL360

 

[marv.]

That was me re the Rainman thing.

You can spot it easy hey.

Gives him extra cool points in my book.

ah! sorry, yeah. great eye!

 

[Rick O’Shay]

I consider myself lucky after supporting this club since inception to finally get to see the beginning of a dynasty.

This guy is the real deal and in the words of Sting (slightly modified) "Every little thing he does is magic"

We need to lock him up and it appears he's happy to throw away the key.

 

[juju]

It's kind of a nice feeling he's been here before an enthusiastically wan't to return.
Also I nice story that Ivan's DNA are over it all also.

 

[snake77]

I just quick scrolled through an hour on Kayo 15secs at a time and saw no Webster?

Is this some sort of sick joke making me have to even scroll through that excuse for a show?

Oops my bad was meant to say announced on NRL360 Webster on Face to Face tonight.

Typed to fast as it was announced on the end of the show.

 

[kos]

Yes he is a good communicator clear and positive.
Ability to get the players to buy in and delegates responsibility to the players.
The players buy into self improvement and responsibility.
Bingo you have a great culture which is lead by the players.

An impressive leader this guy.


Rare abilities but suspect he picked up some good learning from Ivan

At the end of the day i m happy but wish the club had at least two more tough props. AFB goes down our side s capability reduces.

 

[RiceOwl]

 

[Kav1]

Working class Webby: The making of the man behind the Warriors​

Corey Rosser

As the middle part of the session approaches and the last of the sunlight disappears in southern New England, the call goes out and the sound of jingling car keys fills the air.

A narrow strip of grass in this unassuming park, located behind a supermarket, becomes illuminated by the headlights of half a dozen or so vehicles, which in lieu of proper floodlights is enough to allow the Connecticut Wildcats to finish their mid-week training run.

The man in charge, Andrew Webster, is there mostly for his ability as a player, having previously been a handy talent in the Sydney lower grades.

But this particular year he's getting more satisfaction from the latter part of his captain-coach title, and while the season in Connecticut ultimately ended in heartbreak – when his glory-bound cut-out pass that was destined to send Cutris Cunz over for the winning try in the grand final was tipped into touch – he left knowing he'd found his calling in coaching.

"That was my first opportunity to coach and I preferred the coaching more than the playing, as much fun as it was. That's when I realised it was actually what I wanted to do with my career," Webster tells NRL.com.

"The learning curve was unbelievable in Connecticut; you had to have more than just a coaching head on, you had to be around every role, down to sorting sponsorship and making sure guys could get to training."

Keen to pursue this new vocation, but still with a desire to see the world, he headed to Hull KR in the UK, where older brother James, who was the team's halfback, asked then head coach Justin Morgan – who ironically is now one of the assistants at the Warriors – to give Andrew a chance.

"He was coaching our U-21 team and they had to train in the carpark because there was no facilities," Morgan recalls.

"I can’t remember the figures we were paying him, but it was a token amount of money, and he just said, 'I’ll just do whatever I need to do’.

"So I got him some work cleaning at the stadium and instead of saying ‘oh na, I want to be a coach’ he said ‘righto, that's sweet' and he went and did it.

"He was great for me as a coach. I was a young head coach and he didn’t let me get away with stuff, he challenged me.

View attachment 62

Visa issues at the end of 2007 forced Webster back to Australia and he was left without a paid gig for the following season.

If ever there was a time to change course, or give up on coaching completely, this would have been it, but instead he was willing to do what plenty of others weren't - offering up his services free of charge to the Eels' U-20 side.

In order to survive Webster earned a crust as a personal trainer during the day before heading to trainings at night.

"I worked hard. In every disappointment there is always an opportunity and that was that opportunity for me," Webster says.

"If you add up all those moments in your life, you're grateful for every single opportunity and that’s one that if I didn’t have it, I don’t know where I’d be now."

For Matt Cameron, the coach of that Parramatta U-20 side, who has since gone on to become the CEO of the Penrith District Rugby League Football Club, Webster was the gift that kept on giving.

"I thought he would just come for a few sessions. In the end I don’t think he missed one all year," Cameron tells NRL.com.

"It was pretty clear he was going to be something in this space.

View attachment 63

After helping to develop talent that included future NSW representatives Trent Hodkinson, Tony Williams and Tim Mannah that season, Webster returned to the UK in 2009 where he spent another three years.

He's now a two-time premiership-winning assistant and among the favourites to claim Dally M Coach of the Year, after taking the Warriors from 15th place to the top four in the space of 12 months.

But ask Webster about the more humble parts of his career and he has nothing but gratitude and praise for the opportunities.

Cameron also has no doubt those times are a big reason why the 41-year-old has been successful at NRL level.

"It's meant he has experienced a whole range of head coaches and he has seen a broad spectrum," Cameron says.

View attachment 64

"I think part of his make-up is that stuff, and he’s picked the really good bits out of each of them.

"Watching him in the '21 and '22 seasons at Penrith and his work at other clubs, it was very clear he had the skillset to do it, he just needed the opportunity.

"I think this was meant to be."

Working class Webby: The making of the man behind the Warriors

From training under vehicle headlights to sessions held in an actual carpark, Andrew Webster has taken the tough road to NRL coaching.

www.nrl.com

What I like about him is that he is like a big kid; fun to be around and enjoying what he does. It is rubbing off on the players (particularly S J who cannot keep the smile off his face).

 

[Canonball]

He's so great - always astounded when I hear him talk, there's always some new variation or full insight he gives, and that's the best sign that there will be more yet - let's see this happen, go from 'why not?' to 'that was the reason'

 

[miket12]

One of the things I like about Webster is how he's turned the squad around from when it looked like half the squad were just happy to play in the NRL to a team that wants to play in the finals.

 

[Bruce]

Im down with him not been a former NRL great. Narrow thinking and undiagnosed brain damage going that route. Sticky isnt all there.

Sticky not all there??
What about Des Hasler? At Manly his nickname was "Sorry" after the Ronnie Corbett character...when he was coaching Manly he used to wear old slippers all the time. The players stole them one day and left a ransom note
or even better the late Tommy Raudonikis, the time he had all the Wests players get down and kiss the turf in their in goal area....
and another one, Tommy Bishop, the fierce little Pom who Wiki says was 5'2", which had to be with long sprigs on... Tommy was captain coach of the Sharks when they surprised everybody by making the 1973 GF against the star studded Manly.
Tommy knew they weren't up to beating them to they started the niggle and it was one of the fiercest grand finals ever...and they almost won 7 - 10.
I saw Tommy Bishop in a test at Carlaw Park in 1966. He picked a fight with a big Kiwi forward. and had to leap from the ground to punch him....he was that short.
They were all half backs, full of ticker, and the game is richer for them.

 

[Bruce]

i think it was @

Bruce that called it some time ago? but bang on autism diagnosis.

It wasn't me.
First question, WTF did we find this guy?
I suspect Phil Gould might have been involved. I say that because Gould is known for is personal loyalty to people and it just seems to add up.
From my perspective Webby is obsessed about the game, which is cool, so was I.
I wouldn't read too much into his performance on TV, even though it was really good.
One of our most effective coaches on TV was Mathew Elliott. He could spin the bullshit but couldn't coach for shite.
Also one of our best coaches was Ivan, who was almost as bad on TV as SK.
Webby has coached under some greats, including Phil Gould, who is a coaching genius believe it or not, probably just too clever..
My guess is he has studied a lot of man management, and likes the KISS approach.
Just amazing times.
With the injury to SJ I worry a bit about the games ahead, but who cares.
This is the first finals since 2015, enjoy the ride.

 

[Defence]

I could tell in the body language from Tohu earlier in the season he had mad respect and admiration for Webby

A match made in heaven and….. it looks like he said yes!!

 

[Beastmode]

I LOVE THIS GUY.

 

[Stalefish540]

Loved the interview, cheers for the link.

Funny seeing DukebotCP30 trying his best to look normal. They must have upgraded his firmware from the sideline player interview version.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I LOVE THIS GUY.

Great interview.

Could be reading into to, but I swear he's got that look of someone who just knows something that everyone else doesnt.

Not in a smug way, in a way that shows through his careful consideration of wording.

 

[NZDoug]

I finished reading “Extreme Ownership “ by Jocko Willink, which explains Webb’s lifestyle technique for the club.
Full inversion into Kraf, Durch Freud.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I finished reading “Extreme Ownership “ by Jocko Willink, which explains Webb’s lifestyle technique for the club.
Full inversion into Kraf, Durch Freud.

Can you expand on your thoughts on this so I don’t need to read the book?

 

[NZDoug]

Can you expand on your thoughts on this so I don’t need to read the book?

 

[NZDoug]

check out the titles of his podcasts. For a taste.

Jocko Podcast – Leadership and Discipline

jockopodcast.com

Amazon product ASIN 1250183863Auckland Library has hard and uncomfortable digital copies.
I downloaded the book on the Library. App Libby, and also rerurned the book the same way.