NRL 2022: Mick Potter keen to play a role in Bulldogs’ revival as club circles Cameron Ciraldo

Bulldogs interim coach Mick Potter admits Cameron Ciraldo would be a “good fit” as head coach, but insists he would be “up for the challenge” to take on the top job.

Mick Potter has declared he is ready to take on the head coach role at Canterbury, as club powerbrokers meet Cameron Ciraldo to woo the Penrith assistant into take the top job at Belmore.

Ciraldo was spotted dining with Craig Laundy, the son of major sponsor Arthur Laundy, on Wednesday in the strongest indication the Bulldogs have landed the highly sought after rookie coach.

But less than 24 hours after Ciraldo’s meeting with the Laundy, Potter sent a reminder to club officials openly expressing his desire to stay on as head coach next season.

“It’s a real tough one but, yeah, I think I can take it on,” Potter said.

“I think it would be a real good challenge. I know there are another couple of tough seasons to come for the Bulldogs, I suppose they are all tough in the NRL, I think I could handle it.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Mick Potter believes he can be Canterbury’s head coach next season. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

“I think it would be a good challenge for me personally. I’d be up for it. But I said I only wanted to be interim so that’s on me.”

Potter agreed to be the Bulldogs’ interim coach after Trent Barrett walked away from the role in May. But with Ciraldo likely to snare the gig, the former Wests Tigers coach and Bulldogs premiership winner wants to stay as an NRL assistant in 2023.

Potter was coaching the NSW Cup side Mounties before being appointed to take over from Barrett.

“It’s their job to find a coach,” Potter said. “I’m an interim coach … if I can play some part with the club going forward then that’s great, whether it be assistant or something in the football department, I’ll have a discussion later. I think I can do various roles.

“But I know what they are after. I think he (Ciraldo) would be a good fit for the club, going forward it’s a case of …. I would love to stay involved in the club and do something in the football capacity. But I think he’d be a good fit.”

Since taking over two months ago, Potter has delivered the club’s first back-to-back wins in almost three years and quickly become a favourite with Bulldogs faithful and players.

Des Hasler, Dean Pay and Trent Barrett all tried and failed to ignite Canterbury’s dire attack.

Under Barrett, the Bulldogs averaged a low 10 points per game but with Potter at the helm, the side has averaged 24 points per game.

“He’s (Potter) brought a different approach,” Bulldogs fullback Jake Averillo said. “He has really simplified everything. Footy is a simple game.

Cameron Ciraldo is tipped to take over as head coach at Canterbury. Picture: NRL Photos

“He simplifies everything and I think that gives the boys a lot of confidence.

“He’s given us the freedom to play our attacking style of footy.”

Potter has also not shied away from making tough selection calls.

Unhappy with Matt Dufty’s inconsistent performances, Potter axed the fullback in round 13.

A week later, Averillo was handed the No.1 jumper, with little notice. The move worked and Averillo has flourished in the role.

The local junior has scored six tries from his four games at fullback and has emerged as a genuine long-term option at No.1.

“It was thrown on me the week of … I had one training session,” Averillo said.

“We had a short week before Penrith and then that was pretty much it.

“I always thought I could possibly play there, it’s similar to five-eighth. But there were no words of it before it actually happened.”

Averillo will miss Sunday’s clash against the Gold Coast after being ruled out with Covid-19.

Arthur attempts to laugh off link to Bulldogs

-Nick Walshaw, David Riccio

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has described suggestions he wants out of the club as “funny”, stressing the Eels have never been better placed for a premiership under his nine-year reign.

It comes as News Corp can reveal Canterbury is the club that has been sounded out about Arthur’s coaching future. Nothing is likely to eventuate from the Bulldogs link.

Speaking before a team field session at Wyong on Tuesday, Arthur laughed off reports suggesting his management team, Pacific Sports Management, had this week offered his services to another club.

Currently contracted to Parramatta until the end of 2024, Arthur said he not only had no knowledge of any approach being made on his behalf, but revealed his agent had also denied pitching him to any rival NRL bosses.

“So I was surprised,” Arthur said of suggestions he was being shopped around. “I didn’t know anything about it. We’ve come up here (Central Coast) to have a camp and I got the call yesterday.

Eels coach Brad Arthur insists he’s staying at Parramatta. Picture: NRL Imagery

“But I don’t know anything. I’m contracted until 2024, I live seven minutes from training, so why would I want to go anywhere?”

Asked what his management had told him about the situation, the coach said: “I spoke to them this morning and they said they don’t know anything about it”.

So you weren’t offered to anyone else?

“That’s what they told me,” he said.

Asked why people within Club Land would make up such a claim, Arthur said: “I’ve got no idea. (But) how many coaches are there that have been sacked? How many coach’s jobs are on the line we’re being told?

“It was only two or three weeks ago I was getting sacked.

“Now today I’m going somewhere else.

“I’ve got no reason to leave though. Like I said, I drive seven minutes to work.

“I think everyone would love to drive seven minutes and work for Parramatta.

“But it’s been the same for … I’m nine years into my job here and every year there is a question mark around whether I’m the coach moving forward.

“It’s part and parcel of the job. I get it.”

When it comes to the coaching merry-go-round in Sydney, Canterbury remain on the hunt for a coach in 2023 while the spotlight is also being shone on St George Illawarra’s Anthony Griffin. But as for if Arthur could even picture himself coaching another NRL side?

“No,” he replied. “Well, I don’t want to.

Brad Arthur said he was surprised by suggestions he had been shopped around to rival clubs. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“(Although) I’m not silly, everything comes to an end at some stage.

“I just don’t want that to be at the moment. Or real soon. But I don’t have a crystal ball.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next week. But, at the end of the day, I’m committed to this team and club.

“The boys haven’t even asked me about it. Because they know.

“It’s a five-minute conversation with you guys and I’ll move on from it.”

Asked by a reporter if he wanted to replace Griffin at the Dragons, the coach deadpanned: “No. I’m not here to take other people’s jobs. I’m here to do my own job.

“And I love it.

“I think it’s funny, really. So we’ll see the funny side of it and move on.”

Elsewhere, Arthur rejected suggestions the Eels’ premiership window was closing, while stressing the club had never been in better shape to claim a premiership under his tenure.

“This is the best opportunity we’ve had since I’ve been here,” the coach said of an elusive NRL title. “But that doesn’t mean (the window) is shutting.

Brad Arthur believes the Eels are in a good position to finally end their title drought. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“For the last two or three years I feel like that same question, or that same point has been made – this is your year.

“And we certainly want to do better than we did last year.

“We’re in a good place. We’re healthy with our squad. So there are no excuses.”

And as for what this is the Eels’ best chance?

“This team has been together two, three years now,” he said.

“Our spine are getting more experienced playing together.

“It just takes a little bit of time. But we’re in a better position now than we were this time last year. We still haven’t played our best footy.

“Our best footy is ahead of us … we’ve got a good run of home games coming up, so there’s no excuse.”

Sticky extends Canberra contract

- Paul Crawley

Ricky Stuart will be the first man to jump off the NRL coaching merry-go-round after agreeing to a contract extension at Canberra until at least the end of 2025.

It comes as speculation mounts over the futures of Parramatta’s Brad Arthur and St George Illawarra’s Anthony Griffin, with Griffin’s future up for discussion at a Tuesday night board meeting.

The Dragons have tried to shoot down the speculation about Griffin by saying this is a regulation board meeting and Griffin is safe for the remainder of his current contract, which was extended earlier this season until the end of 2023.

But that hasn’t stopped the talk of unrest within the playing group and certain sections at board level.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has agreed to a contract extension at the club. Picture: Matt Blyth/Getty Images

There has also been shock claims this week that Arthur’s management has shopped the Eels coach to a rival club for next season.

The other coaches under huge pressure are Gold Coast’s Justin Holbrook and Newcastle’s Adam O’Brien.

Arthur has denied any knowledge of the situation and said it’s his intention to honour his current deal that ends at the end of 2024.

But there is no doubt Arthur is under pressure to make sure the Eels deliver in this year’s finals series given they are yet to make it past week two of the finals on Arthur’s watch.

Meanwhile, Stuart has locked up his future at the Raiders where he has already made a grand final and two preliminary finals appearances in the same period Arthur has been at the Eels.

Stuart’s name had been linked to the Bulldogs previously after a third party made an inquiry about his potential availability.

But Stuart has made it clear he will not coach against the Raiders at any point in the future.

He has now backed that up by agreeing to a new deal that will keep him at the club for a further two seasons beyond his current deal which was set to expire at the end of 2023.

Titans coach Justin Holbrook is under pressure to retain his job. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Stuart is only five games short of Tim Sheens’ all-time Raiders record for most games coached in Canberra.

Sheens was in charge of 219 games at the Raiders while Stuart is currently at 214.

Overall, Stuart has coached 459 games which puts him fifth on the all-time list behind Wayne Bennett 890, Sheens 669, Brian Smith 601 and Craig Bellamy 515.

Des Hasler is next behind Stuart on 451 games.

Stuart kicked off his coaching career in 2002 where he coached the Roosters in 130 games including a premiership in his rookie season.

He was in charge of the Sharks for 91 games and the Eels 24 games in 2013 before moving to Canberra which opened the door for Arthur at Parramatta.

Stuart has an amazing bond with the Canberra community as well as being one of the Raiders’ most legendary players where he won three premierships alongside the likes of Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and Bradley Clyde playing under Sheens.

An official announcement of Stuart’s coaching extension is expected within the next week.