By STEVE MASCORD
“WELL, then, this next reply is going to be contentious. I’ve got to tread carefully.”
Leeds coach Brian McDermott is sitting in the bowels of Headingley Stadium, discussing his role as coach of the United States at this year’s World Cup.
And Big League has just asked him about the delicate balance between heritage players and domestic stars that he will seek in finalising his squad for the tournament, where the Hawks are pooled with Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Italy.
The US made the quarter-finals of the 2013 tournament but since then the domestic administration there has changed from the AMNRL to the USARL and the attitude towards importing players under the grandparent and parent rules has changed.
It’s a minefield from playing and philosophical points of view – but also politically.
“In the last World Cup the USA team got a lot of headlines, it gathered a load of interest because of how well they did,” McDermott begins, recounting the campaign that inspired a Wiggles song.
“So the strategy they had, the philosophy of ‘let’s just fill it with a load of heritage players’, you can’t argue with because ultimately, on the field, the really made a mark.
“But we’re talking about legacy, aren’t we?”
Clearly, the USARL administration led by Australian Peter Illfield and Jacksonville-based Daryl ‘Spinner’ Howland have impressed upon McDermott the importance of not alienating their own clubs and players.
The Rhinos boss continues: “I get that from my time at London Broncos. Once you’ve left, there’s got to be more London people aware of rugby league.
“One of the objectives is to play well, one of the objectives is to try and get through the later stages, one of the objectives is to create some headlines.(continued below)
“But I’ll tell you the important one: after the World Cup, a load of blokes who were born in America, who’ve got an American accent, who are American by nationality can go back to the USA and they can say to their clubs, to their areas, to their competition ‘I’ve been involved in a World Cup, I’ve been involved at the highest level, we’ve played against some great teams and this is how it’s done’.
“That’s called legacy. That means there’s some foundations for the following World Cup.
“I don’t know how we’re going to go. We’re up against some good teams. But I’m conscious some of these guys need to have such a good experience that they go back and say ‘this is how you play, this is how you train’. They can go spread the gospel, that’s how you grow games.
“We do have a sense of duty; I do.”
Interestingly, the Hawks appear to be waiting for foreign based players to approach them expressing interest. “I don’t think the players in Australia and New Zealand realise the urgency,” said McDermott.
London Broncos’ Mark Offerdahl, Cronulla’s Joseph Paulo, Wentworthville’s Danny Howard and Corey Makelim, Tuggeranong’s Steve Howard and Illawarra Wests’ Junior Vaivai are among the foreign-based players expected to be involved.
“What we’ll get may not be the most star-studded USA team but I’ll tell you what, it will be the most committed team out there,” said McDermott.
“I think everyone knows we’ll have to punch above our weight to compete with Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
“I won’t meet any of them until we land in Townsville. The first time we see each other, meet each other, will be two days before the warm-up game.”
