NRL Player Agents’ Survey: Managers reveal which current players would make the best coaches

An exclusive CODE Sports survey of more than 50 player agents has revealed which current NRL stars are best suited for a move into the coaches box in the future, with a couple of premiership-winning Panthers emerging on top.

Rugby league player agents have given extraordinary insight into Penrith’s premiership juggernaut, revealing the all-conquering Panthers’ success has been driven by two potential future NRL head coaches among their playing ranks.

In an exclusive Code Sports survey of more than 50 accredited NRL player agents, Panthers co-captains Nathan Cleary (17.3 per cent) and Isaah Yeo (15.4 per cent) emerged as the top two current players who would make the best NRL coaches in the future.

The results reveal the players who could soon shape the next generation of NRL coaches.

The on-field generals have guided the Panthers to four straight premierships.

For Cleary, he would follow in the footsteps of his father and current Panthers head coach Ivan, who transitioned from a decade-long playing stint to an even more successful career with the clipboard.

Cleary and Yeo will be named in NSW coach Laurie Daley’s Blues team on Monday for the opening game of the State of Origin series, where they could take over the captaincy from incumbent, Jake Trbojevic.

Player agents believes Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary would make the best NRL coaches in the future. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Brisbane Broncos captain and veteran halfback Adam Reynolds also received strong backing, polling 13.4 per cent of the vote.

Reynolds, 34, is off-contract at the end of this season but is keen to extend his 14-year playing career. However, player agents believe he could have a much longer future in the game as a coach.

Queensland Origin captain Daly Cherry-Evans, Maroons teammate Harry Grant and Dolphins playmaker Sean O’Sullivan — each received 7.7 per cent of the vote, along with veteran Gold Coast five-eighth Kieran Foran (5.9 per cent).

Along with Ivan Cleary, a large majority of the current NRL head coaches enjoyed first-grade playing careers before moving into their current roles.

Of the current crop, Wayne Bennett (South Sydney), Craig Bellamy (Melbourne), Des Hasler (Gold Coast), Ricky Stuart (Canberra), Shane Flanagan (St George Illawarra), Michael Maguire (Brisbane), Trent Robinson (Sydney Roosters), Craig Fitzgibbon (Cronulla), Anthony Seibold (Manly), Todd Payten (North Queensland), Cameron Ciraldo (Canterbury), Benji Marshall (Wests) and Jason Ryles (Parramatta) all played first grade.

Originally published as NRL Player Agents’ Survey: Managers reveal which current players would make the best coaches