Brian McDermott says he’s “still trying to work coaching out”

At the height of any profession there are still things that can be learned, adapted and developed and that’s a belief that even elite figures in sport have as well.

Sport is perhaps one field where there is always room to continue to learn and adapt given the ever-changing style of the game due to new date, better athletes and simple variance such as changing play styles.

One of the coaches who has been at the top of the game for over 15 years, pushing on two decades, is Brian McDermott and the four-time Super League winning coach finds himself in a new environment this season.

McDermott has traded the head coaching role to go back to being an assistant however he’s headed to the NRL where he will work with Newcastle Knights and he’s admitted on the club’s podcast, KnightsHQ, that heading into his 18th season he’s still learning.

“I’m a fan of coaching and leadership, it always fascinates me how someone can deliver something and it have a certain effect on the group. Someone else can deliver the exact same thing but the way he does it and how he says it, the eye contact or whatever it may be has a different effect.

“You can be confident in your coaching but until you see it work I think every coach is guessing.

“I sit here today and I’m still trying to to work coaching out and now that I’m in the NRL then whatever I thought I knew, it’s almost like you can park that to one side. I’m learning and re-learning as we go right here in the NRL.

“If you put something in place and it works that’s great, if you put something in place and it works repeatedly then I think you’ve got something. Then there’s an 18 month period where you use that, then 18 months later the game slightly changes or adapts or a different rule comes in and you’ve got to readjust.”

McDermott clearly learned what worked during his spell at Leeds as he landed four Grand Finals in a seven year stint before his departure midway through an eighth year.