Quote ="AntonyGiant"An unknown to me. His coaching history doesn't look really impressive but probably good enough to turn our fortunes around for next season and make us a top 4 team again. Hopefully it isn't too late for this season!
Will be interesting to see what players he can attract and how his motivational skills are. Hopefully he'll pick teams on pure merit and sticks with bringing young players in often.
Anybody any idea of what type of play he's promotes?
Expansive? Defensive?'"
His strength is working with the players he has and getting the best out of them.
In his first stint as Newcastle head coach he had a pretty poor squad and was able to get them playing a style that made use of their strengths and got them into the top 8.
When Bennett came to Newcastle Rick was given the reserve grade side, and was given a very young squad to work with. He did a great job with that squad, getting them into a grandfinal after a slow start to the year.
As a coach he tends to try to keep a very stable side and works with them on a style of play that suits their strengths. Over time his teams get better as they learn to play to their strengths, and as he tweaks the game plans and positions. He over achieves with the squads he has worked with.
One player he has worked with a lot at both the Knights and currently in the Roosters reserve grade squad is 25 year old Cook Islands international Zane Tetevano. Stone brought Zane through the grades at Newcastle. Zane was cut by the NRL after some domestic violence issues, but he is clearly a very good NRL standard prop, and has been playing great football for Wyong in the NSW cup (feeder side for the Roosters). I don't know what the legal issues would be (I think he is on a good behaviour bond), but he is a top quality player - NRL standard - and has a long history with Stone.
