Under siege Cowboys mentor Graham Murray has just hours ago quit his post as head coach of the struggling NRL club. Given the tap on the shoulder in the past 24 hours, Murray has fallen on his sword and made things easier for the club and his close friends within the organisation.
Under the pump for much of 2008, the Cowboys hit rock bottom with last Saturday’s loss to Manly being the club’s 4th in a row keeping them anchored to the bottom of the NRL Table.
Assistant trainer Ian Millward, who only recently agreed to terms with Canberra to take over in 2009, will shortly be confirmed as the caretaker coach for the remainder of this NRL season.
The Cowboys are reportedly looking tol pay out the owing porting of Murray’s coaching contract, estimated at around the $150,000 mark.
North Queensland will breathe easier now, ending the uncomfortable situation with Murray resigning and saving them from the tough task of walking the clubs best ever coach. It seems the situation bears some similarities to the coup in North Sydney, when Jason Taylor and the senior playing group schemed to oust out of favour coach Peter Louis.
Murray, who should go on living in Townsville, has been a highly successful Rugby League coach throughout his career.
He steered Illawarra to clinch their first ever finals slot, brought hope a Challenge Cup with UK Super Leage big guns Leeds, worked with the Roosters and took them into a grand final and then took the reigns at North Queensland and turned them into a true NRL powerhouse.
North Queensland reached the grand final for the first time ever under Graham Murray in 2005, losing to the Wests Tigers joint venture.