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Sport Nation
NRL debate: Maguire or Cleary for coach of the year?
SEN • September 23rd, 2025 1:51 pm
Does the NRL have an issue when it comes to how Dally M awards are decided?
Specifically the Coach of the Year award which, until now has only included votes from the home and away season.
Andrew Voss and Greg Alexander debated the system on SEN Breakfast with the latter suggesting the system was flawed and that a coach's leadership and performance through finals should be taken into account.
Point in case being Ivan Cleary - who has only won the accolade once (2020) and never in a year he has won the premiership.
The Panthers coach has lifted the club from bottom of the ladder to a preliminary final with a fifth straight premiership on the cards should they beat the Brisbane Broncos this weekend.
But if you look at how their season ended - in 7th spot and defeats in three of their final four matches - Cleary will not have polled many votes despite some losses being as a result of him resting players knowing that the top four was out of reach but finals was assured.
On the other hand, Voss suggested that Raiders coach Ricky Stuart should be named coach of the year given how spectacular the side has been all season - despite falling to the Broncos and the Sharks in the first and second week of finals respectively.
Then there is Michael Maguire who sits on the precipice of achieving something incredible. In a year when so many voices wanted him sacked, he has the Broncos in the semi-finals a year after guiding NSW to an Origin series win over Queensland. And don't forget the 30-0 annihilation he guided New Zealand to over Australia in the Pacific Championships trophy.
So who should be named coach of the year? Should it automatically go to the coach of the premiers? Should the Dally M be held the week after the home and away season finishes or even after the Grand Final?
CRAIG FITZGIBBON
Voss: No way Craig (Sharks) would win coach of the year if they lose this weekend – but he would if they won the comp.
RICKY STUART
Voss: We should wait until the Grand Final but I do think Ricky Stuart is the coach of the year. I had them bottom four and they were they were great from round one, from Vegas. They weren’t just good, not just winning games but they were great to watch. That doesn’t happen by accident.
Brandy: Whoever wins the competition though, how do you have Ricky in front of them?
MADGE MAGUIRE
Brandy: Half of Brisbane wanted him gone this season. If Broncos go on and win the competition, how can you say he’s not the coach of the year?
Voss: The McGuire slam, he goes consecutive years if Brisbane reach the Grand Final. He coached New Zealand to a 30-0 win over Australia and coaches NSW to Origin win the next year and the next year he could be winning a comp
IVAN CLEARY
Voss: Is he coach of the year pending this weekend? If Penrith don’t get the Grand Final is he bumped? Does McGuire go past him? Ivan Cleary wins this premiership and doesn’t win coach of the year it will be an embarrassment from a historical point of view.
Brandy: If Penrith win the comp, then Cleary’s effort to do that will surpass nearly everything that has ever happened.
