In his professional dealings with the media, including myself on occasion, Russell was always willing to chat, was honest, sometimes curt but always insightful. Even post-sacking last week the 48-year-old refused to "make waves". Instead, he was as composed as we saw him before every home game, meandering under the posts, suited-up but hands in pockets, expressionless, relaxed, always impossible to read. Apart from saying he enjoyed his time with the team, all he was prepared to say was he refused to get into "a media s**t fight".
In many respects his biggest accomplishment was off the paddock, recapturing fans' belief.
As a 13-year-old kid watching the Magpies get slaughtered by Auckland in the mid-80s I remember Zinzan Brooke looking up at us in the McKenzie Stand and rubbing in a 50 point lead: "Look at the scoreboard Hawke's Bay".
Who would have thought 25-odd years later we'd beat that powerhouse convincingly at the same venue.
Fans now queue with a realistic whiff of a win outside McLean Park. It's a testament to the guy.
I wish the new coaches - who aren't without credentials of their own - all the best. But it's not without a hint of injustice that fans welcome them aboard.
Russell's tenure gave rise to three All Blacks, numerous Super rugby selections from his stable, three consecutive semi-final appearances between 2007-2009, not to mention this year's ITM Cup Championship win. And you can't coach that.
