Brian McDermott
Encyclopedia
Brian G. McDermott is an English professional rugby league
football coach and former player. He started as Head Coach of Harlequins RL of Super League
on 8 July 2006 and departs on 4 September 2010.
.
in 1994, where he stayed for 10 years. He played mainly in the position at the Bulls.
In the 1997 post season, McDermott was selected to play for Great Britain
at prop forward in all three matches of the Super League Test series
against Australia.
After ending his playing career in 2004, McDermott moved into coaching. He had spells on the coaching staff at fellow Super League clubs Huddersfield Giants
and Leeds Rhinos
before accepting his first top-flight head coaching role at Quins RL in July 2006, replacing Tony Rea
.
In 2007, McDermott's team won at St Helens away at the start of the season. His luck from 2006 was not followed up with narrow wins being replaced by a series of home draws and he also saw him team lose the only tryless game in Super League history at Salford, 5-2. The club won just 9 games and finished 9th but was competitive in the main.
He started 2008 started with a heavy home loss to Wigan but then gained four successive wins before being smashed at Leeds. The promising start evaporated and the club again won just 9 games, finishing 9th. The victory again Leeds was his best result of the season but a crushing home defeat to Castleford was his worst.
In 2009 the season saw Harlequins with 9 wins from 15 out of the first 16 rounds on 12 June 2010 and up to fourth place. These early results saw Warrington thrashed 60-8 plus Harlequins win away to Leeds and Hull KR, but also four wins against the newly promoted Celtic Crusaders and Salford clubs which helped show a strong record.
After 12 June, McDermott saw his side collapse with only one further win - away at Bradford on 2 August 2009 - from the last 12 games of the season. Supporters had grown used to a second half of the season decline but the fall from fourth to eleventh was not expected. The long series of embarrassing home defeats including losing an 8 point lead to Salford with four minutes to go, a 0-48 loss to Castleford and the Bradford home defeat which included a 0-36 reverse at half-time. This gave an overall of 11 wins from 27 games.
In 2010, the continuation of Brian's tenure was not entirely supported and the club won just the third game of the season against Catalans from all the first eleven games. This took his record to just two wins from twenty three games. Perhaps the biggest shock in the 15th season of Super League was the comeback from the halftime 6-24 reverse to win away at Wigan in round 12. He then signed Kevin Penny on loan and won four out of five games. After this run ended on 1 May and as in 2009 it was 9 July before the next win and another 6 weeks later before a late try took the two points on 14 August against Catalans. This gave him 6 wins from 26 games, with a last match against Warrington to come.
By the end of 2010, McDermott had won just 40 games from a total of very close to 120 games and seen the club decline from 7th to 9th, 9th again, 11th and then to a position between 12th and 14th and was out of contract in July 2011. 7 wins from 38 games made a contract renewal implausible and it was no surprise that there was no offer of a new contract at Quins. He was declined by Bradford and England as Head Coach and he eventually chose to rejoin the Leeds Rhinos
on the support staff to Brian McClennan
in his old job and return to his native Yorkshire to rejoin with his family. Soon after joining he became head coach.
Brian McDermott worked as assistant to Tony Smith and has played under the likes of Brian Smith
, Matthew Elliott and Brian Noble
at Bradford
On 25 October 2010, following the resignation of Brian McClennan
, it was announced that Brian McDermott would take over as head coach at Headingley on a three-year contract.
(3 matches).
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football coach and former player. He started as Head Coach of Harlequins RL of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
on 8 July 2006 and departs on 4 September 2010.
Biography
McDermott was a Royal Marine for five years before playing professional rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
Playing career
McDermott joined Bradford BullsBradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
in 1994, where he stayed for 10 years. He played mainly in the position at the Bulls.
In the 1997 post season, McDermott was selected to play for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
at prop forward in all three matches of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Australia.
After ending his playing career in 2004, McDermott moved into coaching. He had spells on the coaching staff at fellow Super League clubs Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
and Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
before accepting his first top-flight head coaching role at Quins RL in July 2006, replacing Tony Rea
Tony Rea
Tony Rea is an Australian rugby football coach and former rugby league administrator and player. He was the relief head coach of the Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition, following the dismissal of Andy Friend....
.
Coaching career
Brian McDermott won his first ever match as a Head Coach against Castleford. He went on to claim 5 wins and 4 losses in 2006. His record was boosted by the fact that he won three of these games by two or less points to take Quins to a very flattering seventh position in what was a season long battle against relegation with safety only certain with a couple of games to go.In 2007, McDermott's team won at St Helens away at the start of the season. His luck from 2006 was not followed up with narrow wins being replaced by a series of home draws and he also saw him team lose the only tryless game in Super League history at Salford, 5-2. The club won just 9 games and finished 9th but was competitive in the main.
He started 2008 started with a heavy home loss to Wigan but then gained four successive wins before being smashed at Leeds. The promising start evaporated and the club again won just 9 games, finishing 9th. The victory again Leeds was his best result of the season but a crushing home defeat to Castleford was his worst.
In 2009 the season saw Harlequins with 9 wins from 15 out of the first 16 rounds on 12 June 2010 and up to fourth place. These early results saw Warrington thrashed 60-8 plus Harlequins win away to Leeds and Hull KR, but also four wins against the newly promoted Celtic Crusaders and Salford clubs which helped show a strong record.
After 12 June, McDermott saw his side collapse with only one further win - away at Bradford on 2 August 2009 - from the last 12 games of the season. Supporters had grown used to a second half of the season decline but the fall from fourth to eleventh was not expected. The long series of embarrassing home defeats including losing an 8 point lead to Salford with four minutes to go, a 0-48 loss to Castleford and the Bradford home defeat which included a 0-36 reverse at half-time. This gave an overall of 11 wins from 27 games.
In 2010, the continuation of Brian's tenure was not entirely supported and the club won just the third game of the season against Catalans from all the first eleven games. This took his record to just two wins from twenty three games. Perhaps the biggest shock in the 15th season of Super League was the comeback from the halftime 6-24 reverse to win away at Wigan in round 12. He then signed Kevin Penny on loan and won four out of five games. After this run ended on 1 May and as in 2009 it was 9 July before the next win and another 6 weeks later before a late try took the two points on 14 August against Catalans. This gave him 6 wins from 26 games, with a last match against Warrington to come.
By the end of 2010, McDermott had won just 40 games from a total of very close to 120 games and seen the club decline from 7th to 9th, 9th again, 11th and then to a position between 12th and 14th and was out of contract in July 2011. 7 wins from 38 games made a contract renewal implausible and it was no surprise that there was no offer of a new contract at Quins. He was declined by Bradford and England as Head Coach and he eventually chose to rejoin the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
on the support staff to Brian McClennan
Brian McClennan
Brian "Bluey" McClennan is the head coach for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League . He was previously the head coach of the New Zealand national team and then England's Leeds Rhinos club...
in his old job and return to his native Yorkshire to rejoin with his family. Soon after joining he became head coach.
Brian McDermott worked as assistant to Tony Smith and has played under the likes of Brian Smith
Brian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
, Matthew Elliott and Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
at Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
On 25 October 2010, following the resignation of Brian McClennan
Brian McClennan
Brian "Bluey" McClennan is the head coach for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League . He was previously the head coach of the New Zealand national team and then England's Leeds Rhinos club...
, it was announced that Brian McDermott would take over as head coach at Headingley on a three-year contract.
International honours
Brian McDermott won a cap for England while at Bradford Bulls in 2001 against Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Bradford Bulls in 1996 against Fiji, and in 1997 against Australia (SL)Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
(3 matches).
External links
- Quins RL profile
- Harlequins 2008 guide - Profile on page 27
- International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
- Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
- Bull Masters - Brian McDermott
- [BBC Look North 6:30 pm 17 August 2010 under sports news]