Michael Maguire emerges as Brad Fittler’s biggest threat to NSW State of Origin coaching role
PLENTY of candidates have put their hand up, but Brad Fittler heads a group of four in the running for role as NSW State of Origin coach.
Blues
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blues. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MICHAEL Maguire has emerged as Brad Fittler’s biggest threat in the race to replace Laurie Daley as NSW coach.
The NSW Rugby League board is set to meet on Tuesday, when the sacked South Sydney coach will be brought up as one of four contenders still in the fight for the job.
Fittler is still the clear favourite, while John Cartwright and David Furner are the other options.
While Tuesday’s meeting will determine who sits on the interviewing panel, an announcement is not expected until after the next board meeting late next month.
Maguire has stated publicly his interest in taking over as Gold Coast coach but expressed a reluctance to take on the position until the club’s new ownership is finalised.
Plenty of other candidates have put their hand up for the job but it is understood these four are the only ones left with any chance to take over from Daley.
MORE: Subscribe to The Daily Telegraph website for just 50c a day
Dean Pay was also in the running before he took over the top job at Canterbury.
Fittler is considered the frontrunner at this point, while Cartwright and Furner are also former NSW players with experience as NRL head coaches.
While Maguire never played for NSW, he has won a premiership with the Rabbitohs and his no-nonsense attitude would also count in his favour given some of the events that emerged during this year’s series.
One of the main issues the board wants the new coach to address is how he plans to change a culture that has been widely criticised for having a “selfish” mentality.
There is no doubt the controversy that surrounded Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson drinking in the build-up to the series decider was just one of a number of incidents that contributed to Daley’s demise.
The NSWRL made the decision not to consider current NRL head coaches for the position, mainly to eliminate any possible conflict of interests relating to team selections.
That ruled out Ricky Stuart, Trent Robinson, Craig Bellamy and Shane Flanagan.