Queensland Reds lose another coach after Damon Emtage quits

[jargan83]

Queensland Reds lose another coach after Damon Emtage quits

August 28, 2009 02:16pm

QUEENSLAND Reds coach Phil Mooney must look for a second assistant after backs coach Damon Emtage quit his post on Friday.

Emtage's decision, after opting to return to his teaching career to spend more time with his young family, leaves Mooney without any of the lieutenants he started 2009 with.

Reds forwards coach Mark Bell and manager Brendan Morris were axed by Mooney and the Queensland Rugby Union while high-performance manager Ben Whitaker also quit after the team finished second last in the Super 14.

It was the sixth straight season the embattled Reds have finished in the bottom three of the ladder.

QRU chief executive Ken Freer and chairman Peter Lewis have also resigned from their jobs in the fall-out of the defection of vice-captain Berrick Barnes to NSW.

Emtage announced his decision at a team meeting on Friday, citing a job offer at Brisbane Grammar School as too good to refuse.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...-10389,00.html

[Darren]

They missed a few bits...

Emtage announced his decision at a team meeting today, saying that while he was sorry to be leaving, the opportunity he had been offered at Brisbane Grammar School was too good to pass up.

"The Reds are now a more attacking side and we have some exciting Wallaby backline talent in Digby (Ioane), Will (Genia), Hynesy (Peter Hynes) and Quade (Cooper), so the next person that steps into this role is going to have a ball,” Emtage said.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here immensely, but I’ve been offered a fantastic opportunity at one of Australia’s best schools,” Emtage said.

“Outside of my family, teaching and rugby are my two great passions. Grammar has offered me a wonderful opportunity that involves both teaching and rugby and also allows me to spend more time with my family.

"It's been an honour to have both played for, and coached the Reds and I leave with a heavy heart," Emtage said.

"The past four years have been fantastic and I've enjoyed seeing players improve and go on to represent their country, along with so many others who have also become great ambassadors for the game.

“The experience I’ve gained and the things I’ve learned over the past four years have enabled me to take this exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to it immensely.

"I also look forward to sitting with (young son) Jonty in the stands watching the Reds in a semi-final at a packed house in Brisbane.”

Reds Head Coach Phil Mooney said Emtage had made a "massive contribution" to Queensland Rugby and that the evolution of the Reds' attacking style was a testimony to the amount and quality of the work done behind the scenes by Emtage.

"He's also been central to the development of players like Digby, Peter, Will and Quade to become Wallabies," Mooney said.

"Damon has a real passion for the Reds and has always put the team first. It's now time for him to put his family first."

Mooney said the Reds had already begun the process of finding a replacement for Emtage, while the recruitment of a new Forwards Coach is close to being finalised.

[AndyS]

Tell me those first four paragraphs don't paint his departure as part of the Reds woes though - typical negative reporting. He got a good offer that also keeps him in the sport, it happens. Why does it have to be related to all the post-season coaching problems?

[Darren]

they were 2 articles from different sources - granted the 2nd article I posted actually came from the Reds, but it does paint an entirely different picture

[brokendown gunfighter]

maybe an opening for Tom Fearn

[TOCC]

well i know he was under pressure because of barnes defection, apparently Mooney wanted to play Barnes at 5/8 but Emtage pushed for Cooper at 5/8, Barnes eventually left for NSW so he could apparently play 5/8.

[tic]

Yeah i wonder what Barnes makes of it - I understand Emtage was a big part of his reason to leave the Reds.

Oops, too late Berrick - you are a poofTAH now