Paul Green was lost without the game he loved

And all of a sudden he was dealing with two difficult coaching exits. Difficult for anyone. Impossible for someone not accustomed to failure.

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Green was moved on from the Cowboys in 2020 and then Queensland last year after a 2-1 series loss. Then, to make matters worse, Queensland won this year and the NRL team he helped turn into a force was back on top.

Green had read an article six weeks ago saying that he had been in the running for the Titans job, but due to the manner in which he left his past two positions, he was not considered. He was hurt by that, and started to wonder aloud if he needed to put himself in the public eye to change perceptions of him. I have considered going on a charm offensive in the media.

Wayne Bennett knew what Green had to offer, however. Bennett finalized a deal with Green to join the Dolphins during two meetings in the past 10 days. His only brief from him to Green was “to make me look good”, and he was told if he got a head coaching role he was free to leave. Bennett is known for his ability to read people. He saw nothing in Green to suggest what was to eat.

Nor did Mat Rogers, who lost his father, Steve, at the age of 51 following a long mental health struggle.
“This hurts so much for lots of reasons, but also because I’ve been through this,” Rogers said. “I played golf with him [Green] last Friday … he was talking about the boat he bought for the family and was asking me about the Titans and coaching.”

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His agent, George Mimis, spoke to Green at his son’s birthday on Wednesday about his Dolphins deal and Green said he would call him back the next day.

Raiders boss Don Furner spent a considerable part of Sunday and Monday talking about his concerns for the welfare of coaches without knowing how prophetic his words would be by Thursday morning. Furner wasn’t to know what would happen. Furner was talking about his own coach, Ricky Stuart, and the pressure he was under following his explosive comments about Panthers player Jaeman Salmon.

Stuart won’t like me writing this, but on Sunday morning he was in tears as he spoke to me about his attack on Salmon. He snapped after his club’s season was effectively ended by the Panthers and his tears from him were for his family from him and the pressure he put on them. He was not feeling sorry for himself, but he knew what he said reopened an old wound. He lost it momentarily in public when his personal life overtook his professional one.

Furner offered his best mate a week off. Stuart said no. Furner felt his mate needed it and feels the game is not doing enough for coaches. He thinks the mental strain they are under is too great.

Family members say Green would have tough and challenging days, but no more than other people. Or so it appeared.

Now his friends are rallying around his wife, Amanda, who has shown remarkable strength in horrible circumstances, and his children. They may never fully understand why their father has died. Nor may we.

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Chappelli signs off, calling it as he sees it right to the end

After calling his first game of cricket in 1977, Ian Chappell has broadcast his last. Chappell was the last working link to the halcyon days of Channel Nine’s legendary commentary team, and he had been employed by ABC radio. Those days are over.

“I remember the day when I knew I’d had enough of playing cricket,” he said. “I looked at the clock and it was five past 11 on a day of play and I thought, ‘Shit, if you’re clock-watching at that time, I have to go’.

“So when it comes to commentary, I’ve been thinking about it. I had a minor stroke a few years back and I got off lucky. But it just makes everything harder. And I just thought with all the travel and, you know, walking upstairs and things like that, it’s all just going to get harder.

“Then I read what Rabbits [legendary rugby league commentator Ray Warren] said with retirement and it really struck home when I read the bit where he said, ‘you’re always one sentence closer to making a mistake’.“

I sat down with “Chappelli” to reflect on a remarkable career.

Danny Weidler: You loved working for Kerry Packer, but it would have been a challenge.

Ian Chappell: Kerry wanted to sack me a couple of times. He used to get the shits about one-day cricket, because that was his baby. And I might have said something about one-day cricket. With Kerry it was just like a storm – you’d let it blow over til the next one came.

DW: Was Richie Benaud the greatest commentator you worked with?

IC: Well, everybody had their own strengths. But I learned more from Richie about life because, for some reason or other, Rich was very good to me. He always was, right from the start of my career.

DW: What did he teach you?

IC: He didn’t tell you things – you had to ask him. He’d suddenly say something and I’d think, ‘where’s that come from?’ Richie had that mind – he came from left field. Mainly what I learned from Richie about life was just watching him. But he was very, very strong on the business of, if you haven’t got anything to add to the commentary, you don’t say anything. So I just listened to him. I watched him. A lot of people thought that I copied Richie. Well, that was bollocks because I didn’t, but I learned from Richie and I learned a lot of good things from Richie.

DW: If I asked you to write one paragraph about Steve Waugh what would it be?

IC: Not very complimentary. I’d probably prefer not to.

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DW: What about Ian Botham?

IC: Well, I won’t speak to him, so why would I write anything about him?

DW: Have you ever had anyone confront you about something you’ve said in commentary?

IC: I think the only bloke who ever spoke to me was Kerry O’Keeffe, when we’re in England in ’77. I said something along the lines of that he was not in the class of Ashley Mallett. Kerry came up to me and said something and I said to him, ‘If you don’t like what I say, there’s a switch on the television, it starts with a “v”. I’d turn it down if I was you. And if that doesn’t work for you, turn the whole thing off’. That was my approach. If a guy didn’t like it, and he came to me with some suggestion, I’d listened to it. But if they were just bitching… I’d stand my ground. Kerry couldn’t blow wind up Ashley’s ass. He was a magnificent spin bowler; Kerry was a journeyman in Test cricket.

DW: Of the current Australian players, is there an all-time great?

IC: I’m not big on the ‘all-time great’ tag – certainly not about a current player, because I always think you’ve got to see their whole career. I’d say this about Pat Cummins. Firstly, anybody who thought that he wasn’t going to be a good captain is a dill. Because if you go back to Imran Khan, Imran Khan said that to be a good captain, you’ve got to understand bowling. Well, guess what? Cummins is going to understand bowling because he is a bowler. And, secondly, he’s far and away the most inspirational player in the team. So that’s a good combination to start. He seems to get a wicket for you when you need it. Just like Dennis Lillee.

DW: What do you want to be remembered for?

IC: It’s up to other people to decide what they think of me and some will think I’ve been all right. Some will think I’ve been a prick. That doesn’t bother me one bit.

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