NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League / NRL

NRL: Elliott wants Iro as assistant

NZ Herald
12 Oct, 2012 05:08 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Matthew Elliott. Photo / Getty Images

Matthew Elliott. Photo / Getty Images

If Tony Iro wants the job, he will be the assistant coach of the Warriors next year according to new coach Matthew Elliott.

The former Bradford, Canberra and Penrith coach today signed a two-year-contract with the Warriors, replacing the vacant spot left by Brian McClennan and made it clear that he wants Iro's help with the 2013 campaign.

"I haven't spoken to him personally but it will be my strong desire to maintain Tony in the organisation as assistant coach," Elliot said.

"I really want to talk to Tony Iro, I have a great deal of respect for him and look forward to working with him. There will be another assistant as well."

The appointment of Elliott will be a bitter pill to swallow for Iro, who took over from McClennan for the remaining games this season but failed to retain the job fulltime despite strong backing of the players.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The new head coach also brushed off comments by Warriors utility Elijah Taylor that Iro was the right man for the job.

"The players all want Tony to be the coach," Elijah Taylor said yesterday at a Kiwis media session.

"He has been there for seven years now. The majority of our team are Toyota Cup players now and Tony has brought us all through. I don't understand why he doesn't get a shot."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Elliott had no issue with Taylor's support for Iro and said the the loyalty and trust displayed in his statements were positives.

The Warriors haven't made any other appointments, with any new decisions in naming assistants or the new general manager of football to be in Elliott's hands - effectively making him the CEO of football at the club.

Warriors Chief executive Wayne Scurrah said that Elliott was the man that they wanted, after he "blew their socks off" with a formal presentation and "shone the brightest" throughout their coach-hunt.

Billionare owner Owen Glenn admitted that he had never even heard of Elliott two months ago, but said he was now convinced Elliott was the right man for the job and asked that the fans give him their support.

Discover more

Warriors

NRL: How 'father figure' Hasler solved Krisnan Inu riddle

09 Oct 04:30 PM
Warriors

NRL: Bellamy eyes Warriors role

09 Oct 09:21 PM
NRL

NRL: Slater holds no malice toward Graham

10 Oct 02:01 AM
NRL

NRL: Door still open for Bellamy in 2014

10 Oct 06:47 PM

"He's a good bloke so give him a fair go. We want positive thinking in New Zealand, not negative. Especially those with pen and paper, I don't want to have to buy APN," he said, generating a number of laughs from the packed room of journalists at the Sky Tower press conference.

Elliott becomes the club's ninth head coach, including Iro's brief two-game stint, and the fourth Australian to take over the top job following John Monie (1995-1997), Daniel Anderson (2001-2004) and Ivan Cleary (2006-2011).

With the contenders for the job having steadily dropped out over recent weeks while the club delayed making a decision to see if an improved big money offer for Storm coach Craig Bellamy would bear fruit, Elliott was almost the last man standing.

However Scurrah denies that was the case.

"Matthew was not the last man standing. He was the one we wanted. Contrary to reports only one person pulled out. Everyone was live till this week." Scurrah said.

"He's had wide experience and success with a number of clubs, initially making his mark winning titles with Bradford in the English Super League and also taking Canberra and Penrith to the NRL finals a total of five times.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"While we have spoken to a number of contenders, Matthew consistently impressed us every time we met him with his total vision of how our football programme should be structured and run."

While he enjoyed success with Bradford in the early years of the Super League - winning the inaugural 1997 title and enjoying a 72 per cent success rate over four seasons - the 47-year-old was unable to translate that success into the NRL.

Under Elliott the Raiders won 59 of 130 matches, while Penrith won just 49 of 113.

Over nine-and-a-half seasons since 2002, Elliot's success rate in the NRL is 44 per cent.
He did guide the Panthers to second place in 2010, however the club lost both finals matches.

After a poor start to the 2011 season with Penrith, Elliott was told his contract would not be renewed, with newly-appointed director of football Phil Gould determined to recruit then Warriors coach Ivan Cleary. He resigned from the Panthers in June last year, with assistant Steve Georgallis taking over as a caretaker until Cleary's arrival.

Elliott said he's already planned the pre-season with his first priority getting to know the players. That seems to be crucial following the lack of enthusiasm from players via Twitter following today's announcement.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Players were told of Elliott's appointment five minutes before it was announced.

Halfback Shaun Johnson tweeted "Mathew Elliot ay" (sic) while fullback Kevin Locke replied "#AawwwwGummmmOnnnn where's sponge at. I'm #gutted" in reference to Iro.

Former Raiders fullback Clinton Schifcofske however praised the appointment.

"Matt Elliott will be a great appointment 4 the @NZ_Warriors best coach I had in 16 years. Hopefully the players r pro's & buy into his style," he tweeted.

"..which is Work hard, professionalism, accountability &most ofall enjoyment. Only my opinion but qualities clearly lackin in 2012."

- Steven Holloway, Steve Deane and Cameron McMillan

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from NRL

Warriors

Late field goal lifts Warriors over Dragons

10 May 10:30 AM
Warriors

Buy of the year? The recipe behind Erin Clark's stunning start to life at the Warriors

10 May 12:17 AM
Warriors

Injury-hit Warriors welcome back star winger to face Dragons

06 May 06:25 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from NRL

Late field goal lifts Warriors over Dragons

Late field goal lifts Warriors over Dragons

10 May 10:30 AM

The Warriors only scored one point in the second half. That point decided the game.

Buy of the year? The recipe behind Erin Clark's stunning start to life at the Warriors

Buy of the year? The recipe behind Erin Clark's stunning start to life at the Warriors

10 May 12:17 AM
Injury-hit Warriors welcome back star winger to face Dragons

Injury-hit Warriors welcome back star winger to face Dragons

06 May 06:25 AM
Metcalf masterclass tops Cowboys' comeback as Warriors take Magic Round win

Metcalf masterclass tops Cowboys' comeback as Warriors take Magic Round win

03 May 09:27 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP