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For people who cannot be bothered reading through I have highlighted in bold the part about Nathan Ross. Sounds like he is a target, whether he goes will be up to Twiggys cheque book but without knowing too much about Ross, I hope he isn't another Leaguie flake..
https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5...f-the-knights/TOOHEY'S NEWS | All Blacks forwards' coach Mike Cron impressed after spending a week in the Knights camp
18th January 2019, 10pm
BARRY TOOHEY
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Unless you are a rugby fanatic with a penchant for all things All Blacks, you may not have heard of Mike Cron.
But it just so happens that for the past 15 years, he has played an unassuming yet pivotal role in one of world sports most successful and admired organisations.
And it’s fair to say the All Blacks forwards’ coach knows a thing or two about winning.
But more than that, he knows about the importance of laying the right foundations to create the sort of culture and environment that has made the All Blacks the dominant force in world rugby for so long because he has been an integral part of it.
This week, Cron has been in Newcastle at the invitation of Knights coach Nathan Brown to watch, observe and critique if necessary, all aspects of the club’s football operations.
The pair crossed paths and clicked when Brown and assistant coach James Shepherd spent a week with the All Blacks last October, when the Kiwi juggernaut was preparing to play a Tri-Nations Test at home against South Africa.
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He is a fascinating bloke who says he’s liked what he’s seen in his limited time at pre-season training with the Knights.
Despite his 15 years with the All Blacks, including 199 Tests and two World Cup victories, the coach, known as the “scrum doctor”, says you never stop learning and is always looking outside the square to improve.
He has taken himself off to the ballet for instance to study their lifting techniques [for line-outs] and has also looked at cage fighting, sumo wrestling and shot-putting.
Anything to do with how you use you body, he says, you can learn from.
”I’m always open to new ideas because you are always learning,” he said.
So to the obvious question: What makes the All Blacks so great?
“This is my 16th year and I’ve been involved in 199 Tests but I know that I’ve got to be better this year than I was last year,” he says.
Nathan Brown with All Blacks insider Mike Cron.
Nathan Brown with All Blacks insider Mike Cron.
“That is the mindset of the organisation. We’ve got some wonderful athletes and systems but we deal in brutal honesty, confronting inconvenient facts and as a group, we try to get better every day.
“That’s easy to say but I think we actually strive for it. We live it every day. As a coach and as an athlete, you are critiquing your methods, your technique, your approach the whole time until you retire.”
What about the All Blacks famed culture?
“The athletes I see today are far more rounded than what I saw back in 2004. They understand dietary requirements, strength and conditioning, dealing with the media and public and they know how to behave.
“They actually do it quite naturally, it’s not forced. It’s education and when it comes to behaviour, it’s leadership.
“Good leadership is vital. If your senior leaders are behaving poorly, there is every chance some of the younger ones will as well. If your leaders are acting like you would want them to, the young ones generally follow that.
“You set the right standards and the young guys coming in see that and respond accordingly.”
When we spoke to Cron, he had only been with the Knights a couple of days but was optimistic about the road the club is on.
“Browny is doing a great job. He’s got some really good staff around him and there is a real good vibe here. I like the vibe,” he said.
“They have a great complex here and what we always look for is a safe learning environment. If you have that, it allows players to grow.
“They are pretty motivated these kids because they are learning. That‘s a great sign and you just have to keep fueling that on a daily basis. I love the commitment of the boys and I really like their team spirit. They help each other. You can sense that, smell it even.”
As for future success after such a lean run, Cron believes the Knights have their priorities spot on.
“You have to get your pillars in place. The foundation has to be there to build the house and from what I’m seeing, there are some really good foundations being put in here,” he said.
“Browny is running a really good ship. The biggest thing is everyone is here to try and get better and they want to have a good season. Good luck to them.”
Rossdog catches rugby eye
Billionaire mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forest’s ambitious Global Rapid Rugby competition apparently has Knights winger Nathan Ross in its sights.
Knights insiders have told this column Ross’ management has been sounded out about the possibility of him switching codes to play in the inaugural breakaway rugby competition this year.
Nathan Ross
Nathan Ross
It’s unlikely anything will come of it but it is no secret Ross has been shopped around by his management at the request of the Knights during the off-season with English club Huddersfield still said to be interested if they can off-load another import to fit him in.
Uncut lunch
A “no-holds-barred” Mal Reilly will be back in town early next month to headline a fund-raising lunch at South Newcastle Leagues Club for the senior and junior football clubs.
The former Great Britain international and Manly premiership-winner, who will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Newcastle Knights supporters after the club’s 1997 grandfinal triumph, will lift the lid on his controversial playing career as well as relive the inside story of the Knights first premiership win with host Mike Rabbitt.
Mal Reilly
Mal Reilly
Nothing will be off limits.
Souths Leagues has all the details for the Friday, February 8 lunch.
On the same day at Soldiers Point Bowling Club, Fox Sports league caller Andrew Voss and Knights legend Danny Buderus will be the special guests at a Port Stephens Men of League fundraising lunch.
Best chauffeur
Since quitting school on the Central Coast and moving to Newcastle in the past few weeks, promising young Knights centre Bradman Best has been getting the treatment.
Currently living with his uncle in Merewether and yet to get his driver’s licence, Best is being chauffeured to and from training each day by none other than Knights skipper Mitchell Pearce.
“Yeah, it’s mad,” Best told us.
“Pearcey asked where I was staying and when I told him Merewether, he said he was happy to swing by and pick me up and take me to and from training. How good is that?