Hawks coach McDermott latest challenge already begun
After winning the 2011, 2012 and 2015 Super League titles, the 2012 World Club Challenge and the 2014 and 2015 Challenge Cups, it is hard to find coaches who have achieved as much success in Rugby League as Brian McDermott.
The USARL Hawks are now fortunate enough to now have McDermott as their head coach for the Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers next month, aiming to take the Hawks through to their second consecutive World Cup.
McDermott was announced to take up the role in July, and will join the USARL squad on December 1 before their first clash against Jamaica on December 4. Since the announcement in July, McDermott led the Leeds Rhinos to both the Super League and Challenge Cup titles. Coaching the Hawks will be a new challenge for McDermott, but he is looking forward to the role.
“There are going to be some obvious differences (when compared to coaching Leeds) but interestingly I’m expecting a level of commitment to equal that of any ‘full time Pro’. The task of qualifying for the 2017 World Cup isn’t something that comes around too often and again it’s this challenge that draws me to the role,” McDermott said.
The Leeds Rhinos have developed a relationship with USA Rugby League, seeing them hosting their pre-season training camps in Jacksonville, Florida, which will occur again in 2016. Similarly, Leeds have hosted USARL players in the past in their own pre-season training camps, where the players even got to play in Leeds’ warm up game. The inspiration for McDermott to coach the Hawks actually progressed from the pre-season training camp in Jacksonville earlier this year.
“Whilst on our pre-season camp of the Leeds Rhinos in Jacksonville, Spinner Howland and myself were involved in lots of conversations generally about Rugby League, coaching and how it’s done in the USA. I initially offered to come over and hold some coaching clinics,” McDermott stated.
There may be an expectation that McDermott will join the team prior to the World Cup Qualifiers and instantly have the team playing like Leeds. Despite this, the focus for McDermott and the Hawks squad will be to become proficient in certain key performance areas in order to simplify the style and improve their execution in both offense and defense.
“I'm a strong believer in the notion that, once you've found what you have a talent for... And with enough sacrifice... Anything can be accomplished,” Brian McDermott, USA Hawks Coach.
“I feel we need to be great at keeping it simple… Coaches often talk about getting ‘your own backyard in order’ and this is something I feel is at the top of our list while preparing for both the other teams (Jamaica and Canada),” he said.
McDermott is joining the Hawks in less than a month, but plenty of work has already been done behind the scenes both on and off the field to prepare the team for the crucial matches. USARL Chairman and Coach (throughout the Colonial Cup matches), Peter Illfield, as well as other USARL staff have been preparing the team in the lead-up to the tournament. Efforts have been ongoing throughout and prior to the USARL season, including the combine camps held in August as well as the preparation for the Colonial Cup. Consistent communication between Illfield and McDermott will ensure a smooth transition when the team is handed over to McDermott.
“I have passed on a whole range of philosophies I'd like to be instilled in both practice and how we might play… between Peter and the USARL management there's been a huge amount of preparation gone on already. They kept me in the loop of all developments and it's been interesting to watch both the 'Colonial Cup Games' on the 'net,” McDermott said.
The appointment of McDermott is not only aiming to benefit the Hawks in the short term. Players from the World Cup Qualifiers will be taking the knowledge they have gained and then helping their teammates when the 2016 USARL season springs into action.
“The 'Long term' is something that only our time together will tell. I'm a strong believer in the notion that, once you've found what you have a talent for... And with enough sacrifice... Anything can be accomplished,” McDermott affirmed.
Get Tickets and Hotel information for the FireHouse Subs Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers Americas being held in Jacksonville and Deland Florida between Dec 2-12.