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Former Australian rugby league team coach Ricky Stuart. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Let’s for a moment ignore the mass hysteria about which players may be leaving the NRL and instead focus on the impact of the coaches who are returning to these shores. In the past few weeks, England-based coaches Mick Potter and Nathan Brown have announced their intention to return to Australia and explore opportunities in the NRL.
While they publicly made noises about “putting the family first,” privately it is only natural they harbour ambitions to coach at the highest level.
So who should be worried?
Both have enjoyed success in the Super League, particularly Potter who was a revelation in charge of the Catalan Dragons before moving onto St Helens; while Brown was won plenty of fans in Yorkshire during his stint in charge of the Huddersfield Giants.
Potter has probably seen the chances of him grabbing the assistant coach’s job at the Dragons disappear before he even touched down with favourite son Brown the favourite to take that role, and then ultimately the place of Bennett, once the high priest steps down.
But who else might be worth a phone call?
Broncos: Have to be worth asking the question. Current coach Ivan Henjak has even received the full support of the board. We know what that means.
Bulldogs: Potter won a Dally M Player of the Year award and Grand Final with the Bulldogs. He has little chance of displacing current boss Kevin Moore, but there may be some role available.
Cowboys: The pressure builds on Neil Henry. He’d have to be one of the coaches favoured for the chop.
Dragons: No chance of the top spot and Brown would be favourite to take any assistant role to become available.
Eels: Daniel Anderson has won himself plenty of time with last year’s Grand Final.
Knights: Rick Stone has waited a long time at Newcastle and the Knights are likely to give him a while to develop his own team.
Panthers: A key season for Matt Elliot at Penrith. Miss the finals and he’ll have to find another job, give them a shake and he could be there for a while.
Rabbitohs: John Lang fell into the role after Jason Taylor fell down the stairs. Rusty and Co may prefer to get someone in who has a longer term potential.
Raiders: Zero chance of anyone shifting Furner for a long time.
Roosters: An assistant coaches role to Brian Smith could be good option with a pathway to the top job defined (surely Smith can’t coach forever). And Smith’s mentoring is highly thought of.
Sea Eagles: Can’t see anyone moving Des until Des decides he had enough.
Sharks: That is a different story on the other beach. The mail is strong that Stuart won’t be there next year, and given the fact that there could be little else available, even coaching the Sharks becomes attractive.
Storm: At the start of the season, and even now, you’d say there is no chance of dislodging Craig Bellamy. But if revelations force the club’s hand for a completely new set-up, who’s to honestly say it couldn’t happen.
Tigers: Should the Tigers fail to make the finals this season, then surely it’s time for a change in Tiger town. That said, with Royce Simmons and Steve Folkes already in the queue, it looks a bit congested. Folkes himself might fancy getting out of the weights room and back into coaching in the UK.
Titans: John Cartwright could well be on the Gold Coast as long as Wayne Bennett was in Brisbane. A snow’s flakes chance in hell.
Warriors: Ivan Cleary must be getting very nervous, especially if the rumours of former Kiwi coach Brian McClennan heading south are true.
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