New Zealand Warriors coach Daniel Anderson sees being named as the National Rugby League (NRL) coach of the year last night as a "nice bonus".
"But it's not something you aim for. You aim for competition wins, and play-off wins, and hopefully premierships," Anderson said early today from Sydney, where he
received the award, before catching a morning flight back to Auckland.
His team clinched the NRL minor premiership on Sunday to gain the coveted No 1 spot for the top-eight playoffs.
Brought to the Warriors after the club nearly folded in late-2000, Anderson was little known at the time.
That year he had been assistant to the Parramatta Eels first-grade coach Brian Smith and had helped take the so-called "Baby Eels", average age 22, to the last four of the NRL where they were beaten by eventual champions Brisbane.
From 1994 until he became Smith's assistant every one of the teams he coached -- from under-15s to reserve grade -- made it to their grand finals, and two won premierships.
Today Anderson said the coach was just another part of a team.
"There's plenty of parts in a team. I don't think there's someone who's more important than others," he said.
- NZPA
