Outgoing Cowboys Laurence Lancini says Paul Green needs to change his ways

In an exclusive interview with Peter Badel, outgoing Cowboys boss Laurence Lancini has revealed he has spoken to coach Paul Green about his future and how he needs to change his ways.

Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini says Paul Green is not under pressure to save his job but insists the embattled coach must change his ways to revive North Queensland as a premiership force.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Lancini has met with Green for a heart-to-heart where the Cowboys coach has been urged to soften his competitive hard edge to restore North Queensland as a finals contender in 2020.

The curtain fell on the Cowboys’ 2019 campaign on Friday night with a 24-16 loss to Melbourne that consigned the club to a bottom-five finish for the second consecutive season.

Stream every match of the 2019 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial and start streaming instantly >

The latest capitulation has turned up the heat on Green, who has won just 17 of 48 matches for a 35 per cent success rate in the past two seasons since he steered the Cowboys to a fairytale grand-final appearance against the Storm in 2017.

Green is contracted to the Cowboys until the end of 2021 and there are fears a third consecutive finals blowout next season could have dire ramifications for the coach who delivered the club’s maiden premiership in 2015.

Lawrence Lancini with coach Paul Green in Townsville. Picture: Evan Morgan

Lancini is adamant Green is not in danger of being sacked, but concedes the club’s only title-winning coach but make modifications to his style to reignite the Cowboys in the post-Johnathan Thurston era.

“There is no talk of sacking ‘Greeny’,” said Lancini, who will stand down as chairman next March when the new $250 million North Queensland Stadium is officially opened.

“I totally support the guy – 100 per cent. He is the best coach for our club, I have no doubt about that. He will stay as our coach.

“You don’t toss people in the rubbish heap because they have made a few mistakes. You help improve them and we will help improve Greeny.

“I’ve spoken to Paul about it and I believe he can fix things and rebuild the club, that’s my honest opinion.”

Johnathan Thurston and Paul Green congratulate each other after winning the grand final. Picture: Adam Head

Green enters his seventh season next year in charge of the Cowboys. Green, who turns 47 this Thursday, has enjoyed career-defining success at the Cowboys, coaching the club to the holy grail and breaking North Queensland’s 20-year title drought.

Green was also the man who revived Jason Taumalolo, helping him win the 2016 Dally M Medal, three years after the Cowboys wrecking ball requested a release under former coach Neil Henry.

But this season, cracks have appeared. There are fears Green has had strained relationships with players and alarm bells rang when Fox Sports dressing-room footage captured him giving Coen Hess a savage half-time spray against the Wests Tigers in Round 14.

Last month, there were revelations of a pub argument between Green and his skipper Michael Morgan, one of the most genial players in the NRL.

Paul Green was caught on camera blowing up at Coen Hess.

Lancini believes Green is not facing a dressing-room revolt and says the Cowboys can hit back as a top-eight contender if the coach makes some personal adjustments.

“Paul is just so competitive and he just has to tone back his mannerisms a bit and allow himself to be more vulnerable and show more empathy. I think he can do that,” Lancini said.

“When things aren’t going right, Paul cares so much he wants to drive the bus himself if you know what I am saying.

“He understands where things have gone wrong and he is too smart not to turn things around. He is a very intelligent guy and because of that, he has the ability to learn and evolve.

“Man management is everything in NRL coaching. Paul knows how I feel and I have a lot of faith in him. Greeny took us to two grand finals in three years and he won the club its first premiership. How many other coaches have done that outside of Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett?

Michael Morgan,Laurence Lancini and Paul Green together. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“I have been in business for 38 years and I reckon I’ve had to reinvent myself 20 times. That is part of life and maturity and business. You have to reinvent yourself in business and it’s the same in sport.

“The crop of young fellas in the NRL today have different personalities to the previous generation. The rugby league player 30 years ago is very differently to the NRL player today, you have to manage them and communicate a certain way.”

The Cowboys have been accused of allowing their roster to go stale but Lancini is confident the club’s next batch of young guns will fire in 2020.

“We have such a good young crop of kids coming through, we will not be outside the finals for too long,” he said.

“On paper we have a strong roster, we have Michael Morgan and some great young talents coming through in Peter Hola, Jake Clifford, Scott Drinkwater and Shane Wright.

“They are quality young men.”