Bennett v Meninga: Wayne wants to help Kiwis tackle Mal and the Kangaroos

Wayne Bennett wants to take over from Michael Maguire as head coach of the Kiwis - DAVID RICCIO and PETER BADEL reveal why it’s the appointment that rugby league needs.

Black and white Benny.

Supercoach Wayne Bennett has declared he is interested in taking over as Test coach of New Zealand.

In a stunning sliding doors moment for the NZRL board, Bennett has emerged as an unlikely candidate to take over from former Kiwi Test coach Michael Maguire.

The NZRL are on the hunt for a new Test coach after Maguire stood down to instead take over as the new leader of the NSW State of Origin side for 2024.

Maguire wanted to continue on as coach of the Kiwis, while also leading the Blues.

However, the NZRL board cut Maguire loose after seeking counsel from both past and present Kiwi players, who felt that the Test coach needed to be entirely invested in the national job.

Former Kiwi captain Nathan Cayless and New Zealand legend Stacey Jones are leading contenders for the position.

However, Bennett’s first public declaration that he is interested in the job will send shock waves across the Tasman.

The seven-time premiership-winner’s interest provides the Kiwis with a stunning opportunity to be led by one of the greatest rugby league coaches of all-time.

Wayne Bennett has put his hand up to coach the Kiwis. Art: Boo Bailey

In addition, the prospect of Bennett coaching against one of his most successful under-studies in former Queensland State of Origin and current Kangaroos Test coach Mal Meninga, would deliver the international game with an advertiser’s dream. Bennett is contracted to the Dolphins until the end of next season (2024), the timing of which suits the Kiwis perfectly ahead of the Pacific Championships to be held at the end of next year.

“I’m not retired yet so if the Kiwis are interested, I’m certainly open to it,” Bennett, 73, told News Corp.

“I’ve got a history with New Zealand. I was involved with the All Golds team (in 2007), that was a great experience, we had a tour of England and I was coach of the team.

“I’ve also worked with Steve Kearney (former Kiwis coach) when he was coaching the Kiwis and they won the World Cup in 2008 with Steve in charge.

“I have great affection for the Kiwis, I coach several of their guys at the Dolphins in the (Jesse and Kenny) Bromwich boys and Jamayne Isaako.

“The door is certainly open for me. If it’s an option for the New Zealand Rugby League, they know where to find me.”

Former MAroons confidants Mal Meninga and Wayne Bennett could go head-to-head on the international stage. Picture: Getty Images

Bennett, who has also previously coached Australia and England during his astonishing 36-year coaching career, has long been an active campaigner for the growth of the international game, believing the game’s development is tied to the passion and influence that stems from players representing their country.

“I have a great regard for international rugby league,” Bennett said.

“I’ve always given back to that arena. The reason I was part of the 2008 World Cup with New Zealand (as an assistant)... the media were bagging the international game and saying it was just a walk-over for Australia.

“That’s why I got involved. I didn’t want to stand there and watch international league die, I thought let’s give this a shot and it was a great tournament for the Kiwis.

“With the Samoans and Tongans on the rise, there’s a lot more interest, there’s a lot more to be done, so the international game is heading in the right direction now.

:I don’t know what the end of the year (2024) holds for me but I’ll be finishing up as head coach of the Dolphins, so I’ll be unemployed and looking at all my options.”

NZRL CEO Greg Peters indicated in numerous interviews across radio and print last week that the NZRL board were prepared to assess every available candidate and that only appointing Kiwi-born coaches wasn’t part of the board’s criteria.

“We will have a thorough and comprehensive process to cast the net as wide as we can and see who we can flush out through that process,” Peters said.

“Because we don’t play until October, there’s not a huge rush on this, so we won’t be rushed.

“We’ll make the right decision in time and I would anticipate that we’d like to see something settled early next year.

“Our priority is to have the best coach. And that should always be the foremost aim. Yes, we’d love to have a Kiwi coach, no doubt about it.

“But you’d also like a coach who has coached at the highest level and that’s the challenge because we’re not inundated with Kiwis throughout the NRL that have got head coaching positions.”