Phil Gould
Encyclopedia
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league
broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's
coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast
. He is the expert commentator on Monday Night Football on Triple M
radio and writes for Sydney's Fairfax paper, The Sun-Herald
. Before his media career, he was a State of Origin
and NRL coach, and before that, a premiership-winning player.
. Graded by Penrith
in 1976, he spent two years in the lower grades, before becoming a regular first-grader in 1979. Following the retirement of Penrith's British import star Mike Stephenson
, Gould was selected as captain of the Panthers at the age of 20, becoming the youngest New South Wales Rugby League premiership
captain since Dave Brown
led Easts in the 1930s. The 1979 season marked the beginning of injury troubles for Gould which ultimately kept him on the sidelines for most of 1980 and which recurred later in his career.
Gould moved to Newtown
in 1981, where Warren Ryan
was still honing his innovative coaching approach that transformed the way that top-grade rugby league was played in Australia throughout the next decade. After being also-rans for many years, a turnaround was achieved when Newtown made the 1981 Grand Final against Parramatta
, though losing 20–11.
Gould signed with Canterbury in 1983 under Ted Glossop
, losing in the final to Parramatta 18–4. By now Gould had become regarded as an astute ball-playing forward. Years of playing "smart" to avoid further eye damage had tuned his ball distribution and organising skills. In 1984, under Warren Ryan at Canterbury, Gould was expected to be selected for City Firsts. However, he broke his ankle the afternoon before the selections were announced and didn't get back to first grade before season's end, taking no part in the club's 6–4 Grand Final win over Parramatta.
Injuries also took a toll on Gould's 1985 season with Canterbury. He played only 14 first-grade games that year and captained the reserve-grade side into the semi-finals.
After leaving Canterbury at the end of that season, Gould played the final year of his career with South Sydney
in 1986, taking the field in 23 first-grade games. It was a springboard to his coaching career, as Souths coach George Piggins
welcomed Gould's opinion and insight on tactics. Souths finished as runner-up in the minor premiership and Piggins was awarded Dally M
coach of the year.
Overall, in his playing career, Gould made 104 first-grade appearances across four clubs.
which was lost to Wigan.
In 1992, Gould took over as coach of New South Wales
in the State of Origin
series. Gould is credited with instilling in Blues players a pride for the NSW jumper which previously hadn't matched the Queenslanders' renowned passion. The Blues were victorious for the next three series. In 1995, at the start of the Super League
war, Gould's NSW side lost 3–0 to the Paul Vautin
-coached team of relative unknowns patched together from the ranks of Queenlanders loyal to the ARL. The following year, NSW completed a series whitewash of its own with the Brad Fittler
-captained Blues becoming the first and only team to go through a series with the same unchanged squad of 17 players. Gould then stood down, having inspired four NSW series wins in five years.
While coach of the Panthers, during a 1994 match Gould was sent from his seat on the sideline to the dressing room by referee Bill Harrigan
. Gould left Penrith for the Sydney City Roosters
in 1995 (actually officially coaching the Roosters for the final game of the 1994 season after having departed Penrith mid-season), at a stage when the once high-flying Roosters club was continually dwelling at the bottom of the ladder. Before joining Easts, the Roosters had made the finals only once since 1983. A long rebuilding phase followed under Gould, enabling them to make some quality signings, one of the most important being Brad Fittler
, the champion five-eighth/centre who had a close association with Gould at Penrith and with the NSW Blues. The Roosters were consistent semi-finalists from 1995 to 2004, though no Grand Final appearances came until 2000, the year after Gould had stepped down as coach and been replaced in the top job by Graham Murray
. Further Grand Final appearances followed in 2002, 2003 and 2004 under Ricky Stuart
, who won a premiership in 2002, the Roosters' first since 1975.
Gould returned to State of Origin
coaching New South Wales
from 2002 to 2004, winning two series and drawing the third. To date, he has been the most successful New South Wales
coach.
Gould filled a role as Coaching Director at the club.
In May 2011, it was announced that Gould would take up the role of General Manager with the Penrith Panthers
. The role was said by club chairman Don Feltis to include direct involvement in all aspects the football club management particularly the coaching and team support operation.
radio during rugby league telecasts, including NRL, State of Origin and International football contests. He also writes for the Sydney Morning Herald. He is considered controversial within rugby league fan circles for his blunt opinions about the playing and administration of the game. Many of his repetitious commentary catchphrases are used to criticise refereeing decisions: they include "dear oh dear oh dear", "no no no no no" and "that's ridiculous, that is ridiculous".
He won the TV Week Logie Award for "Most Popular Sporting Commentator" in 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Ironically, he also won the TV Fugly Award for "Most Biased Sporting Commentator" in those same four years http://tvfuglyawards.com/awards.
Gould also spends some time posting on Sportal forums.
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...
broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast
The Sunday Roast
The Sunday Roast is an Australian sports talk show that deals with the issues in the National Rugby League. It airs on the Nine Network, and first aired in 2005, beginning at and leading into The Sunday Footy Show. In 2006, with the axing of Boots N' All, The Sunday Footy Show moved to , with The...
. He is the expert commentator on Monday Night Football on Triple M
Monday Night Football on Triple M
Monday Night Football on Triple M broadcasts each Monday night NRL game, ever since its most recent inception in 2007.Austereo recently extended its deal to continue broadcasting rugby league until the conclusion of the 2012 season....
radio and writes for Sydney's Fairfax paper, The Sun-Herald
The Sun-Herald
The Sun-Herald is an Australian tabloid newspaper published on Sundays in Sydney by Fairfax Media. It is the Sunday counterpart of The Sydney Morning Herald. In the 6 months to September 2005, The Sun-Herald had a circulation of 515,000...
. Before his media career, he was a State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
and NRL coach, and before that, a premiership-winning player.
Football career
Born in Sydney in 1958, Gould played junior rugby league with Wentworthville LeaguesWentworthville Magpies
The Wentworthville Magpies, colloquially known as Wenty, are a Rugby league team based in the suburb of Wentworthville in Sydney's Western Suburbs. Founded in 1963, the club has competed in various Sydney district competitions and, since 2003, the semi-professional NSWRL Jim Beam Cup competition...
. Graded by Penrith
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
in 1976, he spent two years in the lower grades, before becoming a regular first-grader in 1979. Following the retirement of Penrith's British import star Mike Stephenson
Mike Stephenson
Michael "Mike" Stephenson, also commonly known as Stevo, is an English Rugby League World Cup winning Rugby League, and presenter/commentator on British satellite television channel Sky Sports who also represented Great Britain in the sport.Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known as on TV...
, Gould was selected as captain of the Panthers at the age of 20, becoming the youngest New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
captain since Dave Brown
Dave Brown (rugby league footballer Easts)
David Michael Brown born Kogarah, New South Wales, died on 23 February 1974 in Sydney) was one of Australia's greatest rugby league footballers....
led Easts in the 1930s. The 1979 season marked the beginning of injury troubles for Gould which ultimately kept him on the sidelines for most of 1980 and which recurred later in his career.
Gould moved to Newtown
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1981, where Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan is former rugby league football coach and player from Sydney, Australia. He is considered as one of the most influential coaches in recent times. Ryan also played 1st Grade Rugby League for the St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks....
was still honing his innovative coaching approach that transformed the way that top-grade rugby league was played in Australia throughout the next decade. After being also-rans for many years, a turnaround was achieved when Newtown made the 1981 Grand Final against Parramatta
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
, though losing 20–11.
Gould signed with Canterbury in 1983 under Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons then went on to become a first-grade coach with Cronulla-Sutherland, Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George....
, losing in the final to Parramatta 18–4. By now Gould had become regarded as an astute ball-playing forward. Years of playing "smart" to avoid further eye damage had tuned his ball distribution and organising skills. In 1984, under Warren Ryan at Canterbury, Gould was expected to be selected for City Firsts. However, he broke his ankle the afternoon before the selections were announced and didn't get back to first grade before season's end, taking no part in the club's 6–4 Grand Final win over Parramatta.
Injuries also took a toll on Gould's 1985 season with Canterbury. He played only 14 first-grade games that year and captained the reserve-grade side into the semi-finals.
After leaving Canterbury at the end of that season, Gould played the final year of his career with South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in 1986, taking the field in 23 first-grade games. It was a springboard to his coaching career, as Souths coach George Piggins
George Piggins
George Leslie Piggins AM is an Australian rugby league personality. He is a former player, coach and administrator of the South Sydney Rabbitohs club...
welcomed Gould's opinion and insight on tactics. Souths finished as runner-up in the minor premiership and Piggins was awarded Dally M
Dally M Awards
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
coach of the year.
Overall, in his playing career, Gould made 104 first-grade appearances across four clubs.
Coaching career
A successful coaching career followed for Gould. His first five coaching seasons brought two premierships (with Canterbury in 1988 and Penrith in 1991) and a loss in a Grand Final (with Penrith in 1990). Following their 1991 grand final victory, Gould travelled with the Panthers to England for the 1991 World Club Challenge1991 World Club Challenge
The 1991 World Club Challenge was contested by 1990–91 RFL Championship winners, Wigan and 1991 NSWRL season premiers, the Penrith Panthers. The match was played on a dry Wednesday the 2nd of October, 1991 at Anfield, Liverpool...
which was lost to Wigan.
In 1992, Gould took over as coach of New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in the State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series. Gould is credited with instilling in Blues players a pride for the NSW jumper which previously hadn't matched the Queenslanders' renowned passion. The Blues were victorious for the next three series. In 1995, at the start of the Super League
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...
war, Gould's NSW side lost 3–0 to the Paul Vautin
Paul Vautin
Paul Vautin , is an Australian sports television personality and former rugby league footballer and coach. He currently hosts the NRL Footy Show and provides commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league matches...
-coached team of relative unknowns patched together from the ranks of Queenlanders loyal to the ARL. The following year, NSW completed a series whitewash of its own with the Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...
-captained Blues becoming the first and only team to go through a series with the same unchanged squad of 17 players. Gould then stood down, having inspired four NSW series wins in five years.
While coach of the Panthers, during a 1994 match Gould was sent from his seat on the sideline to the dressing room by referee Bill Harrigan
Bill Harrigan
-External links:**http://www.billharrigan.com.au/Referee-career-pg2853.html*http://www.mediaman.com.au/profiles/harrigan.html*http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s1766903.htm*http://www.claxtonspeakers.com.au/speakers_profile/134...
. Gould left Penrith for the Sydney City Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in 1995 (actually officially coaching the Roosters for the final game of the 1994 season after having departed Penrith mid-season), at a stage when the once high-flying Roosters club was continually dwelling at the bottom of the ladder. Before joining Easts, the Roosters had made the finals only once since 1983. A long rebuilding phase followed under Gould, enabling them to make some quality signings, one of the most important being Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...
, the champion five-eighth/centre who had a close association with Gould at Penrith and with the NSW Blues. The Roosters were consistent semi-finalists from 1995 to 2004, though no Grand Final appearances came until 2000, the year after Gould had stepped down as coach and been replaced in the top job by Graham Murray
Graham Murray
Graham Murray is an Australian rugby league player and coach. Murray is currently the High Performance Unit Director of Coaching at the Newcastle Knights.-Playing career:...
. Further Grand Final appearances followed in 2002, 2003 and 2004 under Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
, who won a premiership in 2002, the Roosters' first since 1975.
Gould returned to State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
coaching New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
from 2002 to 2004, winning two series and drawing the third. To date, he has been the most successful New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
coach.
Coaching director
During Ricky Stuart's tenure as coach at the Sydney RoostersSydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
Gould filled a role as Coaching Director at the club.
In May 2011, it was announced that Gould would take up the role of General Manager with the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
. The role was said by club chairman Don Feltis to include direct involvement in all aspects the football club management particularly the coaching and team support operation.
Football commentator
Gould currently works as an "expert" for Channel 9 and Triple MTriple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
radio during rugby league telecasts, including NRL, State of Origin and International football contests. He also writes for the Sydney Morning Herald. He is considered controversial within rugby league fan circles for his blunt opinions about the playing and administration of the game. Many of his repetitious commentary catchphrases are used to criticise refereeing decisions: they include "dear oh dear oh dear", "no no no no no" and "that's ridiculous, that is ridiculous".
He won the TV Week Logie Award for "Most Popular Sporting Commentator" in 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Ironically, he also won the TV Fugly Award for "Most Biased Sporting Commentator" in those same four years http://tvfuglyawards.com/awards.
Gould also spends some time posting on Sportal forums.
Sources
- Chesterton, Ray (1996) Good as Gould Ironbark Press, Sydney