Some NRL players have great playing careers, while others have incredible coaching resumes.
It's difficult to determine which is more rewarding, but very few men cross the threshold of a successful NRL and head coaching career.
While many footballers excel due to their freakish athleticism and natural abilities, others simply have a knack for the game, with a blueprint to success that could hand them a handy coaching gig post-retirement.
5. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
Nathan Cleary is known by many names; The Prince of Penrith, The Ice Man, The Goat. His list of titles is seemingly endless, however, one name we can see the Panthers' halfback possessing after his career is Coach Cleary.
Cleary is already a legend of the game at just 27 years old.
The four-time premiership winner has mastered rugby league in a way only a few have, and there is no doubt he will continue to dominate until he retires.
However, it is possible his domination would be prolonged if he were to assume the role of a coach, a position his father and Panthers' boss Ivan Cleary would certainly have prepared him for.
The Penrith Panthers co-captain's ability to execute every gameplan to perfection is second to none, an attribute that some head coaches struggle to showcase.
Cleary's cool-headed demeanor is contagious on the field, with his teammates often feeding off their halfback's ability to slow down intense in-game situations.
With another decade of NRL experience under his belt, Cleary could potentially be an elite head coach within five years of his retirement.
“Harry Grant is a guy who lets his actions do most of his talking.
This is a skill not many players in the league possess, but Grant’s ability to lead a side by example is a unique characteristic that would surely make him a stellar coach post-retirement.”
Leading by example is not a useful skill for a coach on the sideline, away from the action.
I’d recommend identifying what it is that a coach actually does, and what skill-sets he needs, before trying to identify players who look like they may be decent at that job.
Assistant coaches are focused on the technical side of the game.
They may also be responsible for running pathways programmes and developing young kids – that’s a different skill than working with the young professionals in Jersey Flegg and above.
NRL Head Coaches are about the day to day grind of motivation, promotion / dropping from the team, dealing with injuries, setting strategies for particular opponents, working with recruitment & retention, cap management etc.
SOO coaches don’t have to worry about most of that. They get a bunch of players who are fit, and who already have the requisite skill set. SOO coaches have to be able to deal with huge egos and to meld the bunch of alpha-males into a team.
Kevin Walters and Michael McGuire were good SOO coaches, but neither has been successful as an NRL coach. Craig Bellamy and Rickly Stuart have not been successful as SOO coaches. Different jobs and different skills.
At its most basic, being a player is about being good at YOUR job. Being a coach is about MAN-MANAGEMENT, and making individuals into a team.
Not easy to pick man-management skills from players who don’t need to have such skills, but to start by trumpeting _playing_ skills is not offering any insight on which players _might_ become decent coaches.