First-year Mounties coach Ryan Carr has started his Intrust Super Premiership NSW career in the best possible fashion – but one of Rugby League’s youngest elite coaches is just thankful for the opportunity.
Carr’s side won a thriller 22-20 in Saturday’s clash with the Dragons at Wollongong in his first match at this level.
“The nerves were definitely going there,” Carr tells NSWRL.com.au of his coaching debut.
“I’m really, really proud of the boys, the way they fought back, after we didn’t start great. I couldn’t be more proud of their effort.
“We talked about it going down to the last play, and it did – [the Dragons are] a great opposition – but credit to the boys, they did a great job to fight as they did.
“For the boys to have stood up with some of the things not working how we wanted them to, I just couldn’t be prouder.”
Carr, just 29, points to two of Rugby League’s hardest workers and toughest markers when asked who have been his greatest influences.
“I’m very fortunate and humbled to be coaching Canberra Raiders [Intrust Super Premiership NSW] side in Mounties – it’s a big honour. It’s a really proud club, both Canberra and Mounties, and they’ve got a great relationship built over the past six or seven years,” Carr, a journeyman player who has also coached at Cronulla and South Sydney at under-20 level, says.
“I’ve been fortunate to have been at a lot of good clubs, I’ve done a bit of travelling, learning off guys like Michael Maguire and Ricky [Stuart] – they’ve helped me out immensely.
“Personally, having Ricky Stuart there as a mentor, teaching me and helping me, learning as much as I can from him and the other coaches in Brett White and Mick Crawley down there (in Canberra), it’s unreal for me.
“Ricky had me when I was a young kid at Cronulla, playing in the junior grades. We have known each other for a long time now.”
For now, though, the as-yet undefeated Carr is just focused on the next challenge.
“We’re only one game in and we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Carr says.
“We’re going to face a tough Wyong side and we now need to prepare for that.”
One week at a time – Stuart and Maguire would be proud.
