Sport Confidential: Maroons begin coach search; Harry Grant pledge; The man could have been Brisbane’s majority shareholder
The position vacant sign has gone up at the Maroons, with one former NRL coach a pronounced favourite. Meanwhile, Brisbane’s largest private shareholder is ready to sell his stake in the club. It’s all in SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
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Queensland are ready to throw applications open to be the state’s next Origin coach — putting unemployed former Cowboys mentor Paul Green back in the frame to lead the Maroons.
While Wayne Bennett has taken the reins for the upcoming series after Kevin Walters took on the Broncos job, the Maroons are on the hunt for a new mentor from 2021.
Former Cowboys coach Green is one of the favourites, but the likes of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk could be tempted if the QRL decides to make it a part-time role.
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Green lost out to Walters for the Broncos job last month and is itching to get back into the coaching world after spending the past three months taking a well-earned break with his family in Townsville.
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher said the Maroons would look to throw the application process open.
“We’re having a separate and detailed process,” he said.
“We’ll have to review this series but it’s intended to go to the market.
“We believed we needed the best people for a very short time. A lot of the problems were caused by the very late appointment of Kevvie to the Broncos job.
“The fact Paul Green missed out this year is not a slight on him at all, he is an excellent coach and will certainly come into calculations next season.”
‘JEALOUS’ HARRY DOESN’T WANT TO MISS ANOTHER STORM PARTY
Queensland Origin squad member Harry Grant has hosed down suggestions he is poised to walk out on Melbourne as uncertainty continues over Cameron Smith’s future at the Storm.
The off-contract Smith is tipped to announce his retirement but almost a week after the Storm’s 26-20 grand-final defeat of Penrith the skipper has yet to officially inform club officials whether he will be at Melbourne next year.
As part of Melbourne’s grooming process, Grant was loaned to the Wests Tigers this year in a bid to give the Maroons rookie some experience before he eventually takes over from Smith in the No.9 jumper.
But with Smith remaining tight-lipped about his future, and Grant enjoying a sensational year at the Tigers, there were fears the 22-year-old would activate a get-out clause and quit the Storm.
Grant, however, says he is committed to the Storm for the 2021 season, admitting he was envious at the sight of Melbourne players celebrating their premiership triumph.
“Yeah mate, absolutely,” said Grant when asked if he will return to the Storm.
“It was special to watch the guys win (the grand final).
“I was a bit nervous the last few minutes but I was really excited for the boys.
“I’m a bit jealous in a way, I wish I could have been with them but if they didn’t let me go to the Tigers for the year, I wouldn’t be in this Origin camp.
“I wouldn’t have played too many NRL games at the Storm this year.”
Grant says he has the ability to play a utility role if Queensland need him to slot into the No.14 jumper for this year’s Origin series.
“If they wanted me to be that utility, I will jump at it,” he said.
“I can play a bit of lock and I played in the halves in the juniors, so if a spot comes up, I will put my hand up.”
ORIGIN BOOK OF FEUDS
It wouldn’t be Origin without a colour yarn from legendary News Corp scribe Mike Colman.
Mike covered Origin for The Courier-Mail for 30 years before his retirement six months ago.
But while Colman is gone, his words live on in his new book ‘Mike Colman On Sport’, a collection of his best long-form sports writing released this week. Three of the chapters are about the greatest days of Origin. As the saying goes, oldies but goldies.
MAD MARWAN TRIED TO BUY BRONCOS
Brisbane’s largest private shareholder Phil Murphy is ready to sell his stake in the club, revealing English billionaire Marwan Koukash once expressed interest in buying the Broncos.
News Corp, publishers of this esteemed column, own 69 per cent of the Broncos, leaving Murphy with a 22 per cent stake that he is willing to offload in the wake of Brisbane’s nightmare season under Anthony Seibold.
Property tycoon Murphy has had shares in the Broncos since 2013, but has had several approaches in recent years including one from Koukash, the eccentric business mogul who once owned English rugby league club Salford Red Devils.
“I have been approached three times in the last six months about my shares in the Broncos,” Murphy said.
“Marwan Koukash approached me two years ago when he was out here for the Melbourne Cup (with his horse Magic Circle).
“We had two or three chats. I was interested to meet Marwan but it never came to anything.
We had some short conversations but he lost interest. I don’t think he wanted to buy into the Broncos unless he could be the majority owner.
“I am considering selling. If I felt as warm and comfortable as when I first bought into the Broncos and someone said can I buy your shares, I would tell them to jump. But the last 18 months to two years has been horrible.
“There’s been a few inquiries but it hasn’t got to the stage of actually selling just yet.”
CARTY BACK ON THE HORSE
Former Titans coach John Cartwright believes he can help Kevin Walters bring the Broncos back to life.
Cartwright will join the Broncos in the coming weeks as one of Walters’ assistant coaches along with Broncos legend Terry Matterson.
Cartwright was the Gold Coast Titans’ foundation coach from 2007-14 before taking up assistant roles at the Cowboys (2015) and Manly (2016-2020).
He narrowly missed out on replacing Paul Green at the helm of the Cowboys for 2021, but insists he can help the Broncos bounce back from this year’s wooden spoon debacle.
“I wasn’t really disappointed (to miss out on the Cowboys job), I was really appreciative of the opportunity,” Cartwright said.
“I got down to the last interview and they told me it was reasonably close. I gave it my best shot.
“I was appreciative of the chance. It didn’t happen so I’m going to attack this one with all the enthusiasm I’ve got.
“I’m really excited. They’re a side that’s got a hell of a lot of potential. I know Kevvie is working on the squad at the moment, but regardless there is plenty of talent there.
“Even without changing the squad too much, they are a top eight side and should be threatening the top eight. I certainly think they didn’t finish anywhere near where they could have this year.”
Walters and Cartwright struck up a bond during Kangaroos camps in the early 1990s.
“Kevvie has had a great grounding,” he said.
“He’s spent time under Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett and at a stage of his career where he wants to challenge himself.”
NO CAM DO FOR BRONCOS
Broncos chairman Karl Morris has hit out at speculation Brisbane are in secret talks with Storm champion Cameron Smith.
One rumour sweeping league circles is that Smith is holding off announcing his future because the 37-year-old is in talks with the Broncos and poised to sign a deal for a one-year cameo at Red Hill next season.
But Morris is adamant Smith will not be in Broncos colours next season.
“That is 100 per cent not true,” Morris said of the Smith signing rumours.
“I do not know anyone at the Broncos who has spoken to Cam Smith. We have not approached him or his management or anyone else, it’s completely false.
“Look, Cam Smith would be a target of 16 teams in the NRL, of course any club would love to sign him in a perfect world. But the reality is Cam is now 37 years old and he might play one more season at best.
“I have not met Cam Smith in my life. It’s not a long-term option for us.”
BONDING SESSIONS OVER
The State of Origin bonding session is dead - for now.
The traditional session did not take place at Camp Maroon this week after the Queensland players gathered on the Gold Coast on Sunday.
“We didn’t really have one,” said Maroons forward Jai Arrow.
“We sat around and watched the grand final and had a couple of beers.
“It’s all changed now. It’s a bit more professional these days.
“It’s good to hang out with guys from other clubs. You build new friendships.”
There were a few dusty souls when the Melbourne Storm’s premiership winning players arrived in camp on Wednesday afternoon following three days of celebrations.
DOG OF A MEDICAL BILL
Queensland Origin star Jai Arrow won’t be keen for a trip to the vet anytime soon.
The Titans ironman recently had to fork out $4500 after his beloved dog required a knee reconstruction.
Arrow won’t have to worry too much about financial stress — he will join Souths next season on an $800,000 deal.
BELLAMY’S GENERAL STICKS TO HIS GUNS
Melbourne Storm football chief Frank Ponissi has ruled himself out of the running for the club’s chief executive role.
The Storm are expected to be on the lookout for a new CEO, with Dave Donaghy set to replace Paul White at the Brisbane Broncos.
Ponissi has been a key administration staffer since 2007, working intimately with coach Craig Bellamy to foster Melbourne’s dominance.
But he has no interest in replacing Donaghy next year.
“I’ve never had any aspirations to be a CEO,” Ponissi said.
“The role of the CEO is totally different to my role. It’s so much involved with sponsorship, members and governments. I respect anyone who does it.
“Dave does a great job doing it. I enjoy the footy side. I was a coach before and I enjoy the adrenaline of getting up for the games and being a part of it.”
SHOOSH (literally)
Which Queensland Origin star has been annoying the hell out of his neighbours by hosting loud late-night parties over the past few weeks after moving into a new house?
ASIATA EYES BRONCOS
Former Cowboys utility John Asiata could find a home at the Broncos.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Broncos are in talks with Asiata’s management, but cannot proceed with a formal deal until a wide-ranging review of the club is completed.
Asiata was a member of North Queensland’s 2015 premiership team, but quit the Cowboys at season’s end in search of a regular starting spot next season.
The Broncos have a posse of young forwards and Asiata’s experience could be a handy asset for new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Maroons begin coach search; Harry Grant pledge; The man could have been Brisbane’s majority shareholder