Elliott wins over Raiders fans

[Grimmace]

Elliott wins over Raiders fans
Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 5:24 PM

Canberra fans were calling for his head at the start of the NRL season but Raiders coach Matthew Elliott has won them back.

A poor start to the season - including a 70-32 flogging by Newcastle in round two - coupled with Elliott's decision to link with Penrith next year, had supporters baying for his blood.

Yet despite being written off all year, the former St George forward has steered the Raiders into a preliminary final against the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium on Saturday night.

"This job teaches you plenty of lessons," Elliott said of the flak he copped early in the year.

"Those fans make those comments because they care and are passionate about the club and I understand that.

"I don't hold any grudges for that and because this is what I do everyday, I have a better insight and understanding than those guys.

"I remember coaching at (Super League side) Bradford after winning one year having 17,500 fans cheering my name - and then suggesting I go back to Australia after losing a home game to a lowly placed team.

"I didn't understand at the time but I understand that now.

"I don't really lose too much sleep over it.

"It's tough losing those games, but it had nothing to do with me going (to Penrith)."

While the fans again warmed up to Elliott after the results improved, the players were never in doubt about his commitment to the club.

"I think we've been able to generate a fair bit of trust amongst us," he said of his decision to link with the Panthers.

"I don't believe telling them you're committed to them or anything like that cuts any mustard.

"I think people make assessments on the way you behave more than what they say.

"The players have never questioned my commitment because I'm the first here and the last gone."

The Raiders were most experts' tip for the wooden spoon at the start of the season - and have been dubbed overachievers after making the finals.

But Elliott has never used criticism to motivate himself or his teammates.

"I've never concerned myself with external opinions," he said.

"I can understand how people could make that assessment, it was a very poor finish to last year and we had a heap of injury.

"We probably didn't have the most recognisable roster.

"In some ways, we probably should have won more games than we have."

The 41-year-old said he was savouring every moment of this season, his fifth and last with the Green Machine.

"I've been really lucky in sport and in life in that I've been with some very special groups.

"I played for St George in the `90s and there were some special people there and Bradford was the same.

"That's happened again here, the Canberra Raiders have been brilliant for me.

"I'm lucky, I owe a lot to the game and the game owes me nothing.

"I've been hit in the backside with a rainbow."

Source: AAP

[Darren Lockyer]

great coach and will do good things at penrith next yeasr

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

Hopefully he can turn things around for penrith.