ANDREW Dunemann claims he was "handed a hand grenade" when he took on the coaching job at Canberra and hopes the last two heavy losses won't count against him for the vacant positions at both the Raiders and North Queensland.
Dunemann opened up to The Australian yesterday about his burning desire to make it as a head coach in the NRL as the Raiders look to salvage some pride in their final game of the season against Cronulla at Canberra Stadium on Sunday night.
"I hope I'm not judged on basically two weeks and two sessions with the team," Dunemann said.
"I know I can coach. I can do the job and I wouldn't change a thing I've done in the last two weeks.
"I knew when I took the job what I was getting myself into.
"I basically got handed a bit of a hand grenade, to be honest.
"I'm not making excuses but had I had the team earlier I've got no doubt we would have got some results."
The Raiders have formed a sub-committee comprising of chief executive Don Furner, club legend Mal Meninga and directors David Thom and Allan Hawke charged with finding a new coach.
Counting against Dunemann is the fact the club has seemingly been trying to poach Ricky Stuart from battling Parramatta and a belief from officials that they need to hire an experienced coach.
Dunemann was promoted to the top position two weeks ago after a player-driven revolt prompted the club's board to dump David Furner after five years in the job.
The Raiders' caretaker coach had already been touted as a contender for the vacant position at the Cowboys following the club's move to release Neil Henry but also has plenty of support from the players in Canberra.
Unfortunately Dunemann has inherited plenty of baggage. The club is at odds with centre Blake Ferguson, who is agitating for a release, while the versatile Anthony Milford also wants to return home to Brisbane to be close to family.
Dunemann admitted that players were still struggling mentally and the results had shown that over the past fortnight. The club's finals hopes were quashed in the 36-22 loss to Manly and a 50-12 flogging from the Warriors.
"We've got some issues here. There's no doubt about that, and it's not going to take two weeks or two sessions to fix them," Dunemann said. "It's going to take an off-season to fix. The boys need to get away from here and refresh their minds because mentally they're at the end of their tether.
"The best thing that is going to happen for this club, mate, is the six-week break and whoever gets a crack at them in the off-season -- if they get it right -- I can see the team soaring. They're a very good team, but they're mentally gone at the moment."
Dunemann said he had given the team a few days off after they returned from Auckland following the loss to the Warriors to try to freshen them up for the Sharks.
He named his team yesterday and the club is seeking a salary cap exemption to play rookie Mitch Cornish in the halves.
"I've asked them to get rid of all the demons they've got in their heads and forget about the past and concentrate on this week," Dunemann said.
"There's no doubt that some of them need to toughen up as well.
"I'm not hiding from that fact and I'm not making excuses for them. But I'd like to see the general public put up with what they've put up with and be able to perform at their best in any job they do because it's been tumultuous the year they've had."
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/andrew-dunemann-fears-his-hand-grenade-job-may-hurt-him/story-fnca0von-1226710077268
Topic: Dunemann fears his 'hand grenade' job may hurt him
