NRL 2023: Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika emerges as option to replace Dragons Anthony Griffin

There’s a fan push to install ex- Wallabies coach Michael Cheika ahead of Dragons club legends, should Anthony Griffin be replaced as head coach - but the favourite is different altogether.

Michael Cheika St George Illawarra Dragons.

Former Wallaby coach Michael Cheika is preferred to former players Ben Hornby and Jason Ryles in an online poll on who should be St George-Illawarra’s next coach.

Anthony Griffin is expected to be told this week by the Dragons board within days that his services will not be required beyond this year after another disappointing loss to the Cowboys.

The Sunday Telegraph revealed a third party had approached the Dragons on behalf of Cheika to express his interest in the job.

Until then it was seen as a two-horse race between Ben Hornby and Jason Ryles, the Dragons apparently preferring the coaching rookies to proven premiership winners Des Hasler or Shane Flanagan.

We spoke to Cheika last night in France. He declined to comment out of respect for Griffin.

Interestingly he was second among the preferred choices for the job in a Daily Telegraph poll behind only Flanagan and well ahead of Ryles or Hornby.

Cheika is currently preparing Argentina for the Rugby World Cup in France in September.

The tournament finishes in October which would leave him with enough time to return to Australia to prepare for an off-season with the Dragons.

He said last year of coaching in the NRL: “It’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”

“I am starting to understand the language of NRL, that is for sure,” he said from England last October.

“I am starting to learn more about it, being a coach you can transition to anything because it is about getting the best out of people.

“If that opportunity comes it’d be something that would be a huge challenge for me, because not many have done it, but I think it’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”

Roosters assistant coach Jason Ryles is considered a warm favourite to take the Dragons job. Picture: Getty

CHEIKA EMERGES AS SHOCK DRAGONS COACHING CONTENDER

By Phil Rothfield

Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has had his name put forward as a potential replacement for Anthony Griffin at St George Illawarra next year.

In a bombshell move, one of Cheika’s closest associates contacted St George-Illawarra chief executive Ryan Webb last week to express his interest in the job.

He is currently preparing Argentina for the Rugby World Cup in France in September.

The tournament finishes in October, which would allow Cheika to be back in Australia to oversee the off season.

Cheika has had experience in rugby league.

Michael Cheika and Adam Doueihi during Lebanon’s Rugby League World Cup campaign last year. Picture: Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images

He coached Lebanon at the rugby league World Cup last year and has previously worked on Trent Robinson’s coaching staff at the Sydney Roosters.

He said last year of coaching in the NRL: “It’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”

A St George Illawarra official, who asked not to named, has confirmed the approach from a third party.

“I guess you could say it’s another name we’ve put to the list,” he said, “It came from right out of the blue.”

Cheika could not be contacted on Saturday.

There were suggestions on Saturday that he had in fact already met with the Dragons.

However this has been denied.

South Sydney assistant Ben Hornby is also being considered for a return to the Dragons. Picture: Getty

The Dragons now have Ben Hornby, Jason Ryles and Cheika in the mix for the job.

Cheika has often spoken about his desire to coach in the NRL.

“I am starting to understand the language of NRL, that is for sure,” he said from England last October.

“I am starting to learn more about it, being a coach you can transition to anything because it is about getting the best out of people.

“The technicalities I am getting a handle on nicely, but for me coaching has always been a two-way street.

“You don’t go looking for anything, you do your best, and when things come your way and the opportunities are there you try to make the best of them because it will make you better as a coach.

“If that opportunity comes it’d be something that would be a huge challenge for me, because not many have done it, but I think it’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”

Cheika is currently head coach of the Argentina rugby team. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

Robinson spoke in 2020 about Cheika’s involvement at the Roosters.

“He is helping push myself and the assistant coaches to improve and challenging our ideas and helping push us again in 2020,” Robinson said.

“He is also a really skilful attacking style of coach as well. We are taking anything we can learn from his style of coaching and his attacking mindset.

“He brings a depth of knowledge with a real simple punch to his delivery. He is very good at delivering messages.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika emerges as option to replace Dragons Anthony Griffin