Cowboys coach Paul Green still has the desire to coach Maroons

COACHING a Johnathan Thurston-less Cowboys side and his desire to one day lead Queensland are just two of the challenges facing Paul Green over the next three years.

Paul Green resigns as coach for the North Queensland Cowboys. Picture: Evan Morgan

COACHING a Johnathan Thurston-less Cowboys side and his desire to one day lead Queensland are just two of the challenges facing Paul Green over the next three years.

The North Queensland coach announced he will be staying in Townsville until the end of 2021, finally signing a million-dollar contract extension after prolonged negotiations.

And while his immediate focus is to turn around the Cowboys’ fortunes for this season — with the club on a five-game losing streak — Green said there was plenty about the future that enticed him to stay.

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Green, who joined the Cowboys as head coach in 2014 and led them to their first premiership a year later, said while the club has enjoyed a lot of success, he knows the job is far from done.

Paul Green resigns as coach for the North Queensland Cowboys. Picture: Evan Morgan

One of the biggest challenges will present itself as soon as next year, with champion halfback Thurston to hang up his boots at season’s end.

But it’s a hurdle Green is ready to embrace.

“Whenever any club has a player such as JT go through (retirement), how you handle that can be challenging,” he said.

“But I am looking forward to it and I think we’re well placed to handle that.

“I’m really looking forward to the next lot of challenges.

“The last few years have been an incredible ride for everyone and I’ve really enjoyed it but the job isn’t finished yet.

“There’s plenty for us to achieve over the next few years, mainly enjoying that journey of seeing young guys develop and become not only better players but also better people.

“There’s still plenty for this squad and club yet to achieve and I’d very much like to be a part of that.”

Paul Green says he’s looking forward to the challenge of coaching a Thurston-less Cowboys. Picture: Evan Morgan

Green also confirmed he still had an interest in one day coaching Queensland.

The 45-year-old had to turn down the opportunity to take over from former Maroons mentor Mal Meninga at the end of 2015 so he could focus solely on his job at the Cowboys.

But he said if that opportunity presented itself again in the future, he would take it.

“I’ve always said that’s a goal of mine,” Green said of coaching Queensland.

“Kevvie’s obviously doing a great job there at the moment so my immediate focus is on the Cowboys.

“But if that opportunity was to come up down the track, hopefully one day I might be able to have a crack at it.”

However, Green is now fully focused on fixing the Cowboys’ shocking start to their season.

While no team in the NRL era has made the grand final after starting the season with a 1-5 record, Green did lead Intrust Super Cup side Wynnum Manly to the premiership in 2011 after losing the first six games of the year.

He said while he did not believe his prolonged contract negotiations were a distraction for him or his playing group, there were no excuses now to not turn their form around.

Coach Paul Green during training. Picture: Evan Morgan

“The players might have a different opinion but I don’t think so,” he said of the distraction.

“I’ve been open and honest with them the whole way through and said if they ever have any questions about where it’s heading to come and see me. None of them have.

“But if it is a distraction, now it’s off the table for us and we can get our heads firmly around preparing and playing the best footy we can.”