Matty Johns and Gus Gould among contenders to replace Fittler NSW coach

There’s no shortage of candidates to take over from Brad Fittler in the NSW hot seat, but has one prominent figure emerged as the early favourite?

There's plenty of potential candidates to take over from Brad Fittler as NSW coach. Picture: Getty

The debate surrounding the New South Wales coaching position continues to rumble on, with several candidates being trumpeted amid Brad Fittler’s uncertain future in the role.

Fittler, who would have triggered an automatic one-year extension of his deal had he led the Blues to Origin success, could still be extended but it appears unlikely after another series defeat.

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It now means the NSWRL board must begin to draw a shortlist of names to replace Fittler for the future.

One name that has been constantly mentioned is Canberra Raiders Ricky Stuart.

Stuart has coached the Blues on two separate occasions: once in 2005 and then from 2011 to 2012.

He was able to lead NSW to Origin success in 2005 but struggled to do the same in his second stint.

However, Daily Telegraph journalist Phil Rothfield believes Stuart deserves another crack and is the ideal candidate to take over.

“I think Ricky Stuart’s better,” Rothfield said on NRL 360.

Gorden Tallis responded that “you can’t do both” given NSWRL’s rule of picking full-time coaches, but Rothfield wasn’t having it.

“Why can’t you do both? You know who his assistant is in Canberra? It’s Michael Maguire, Gordy. I think he can run the club for six weeks.

“Ricky Stuart is the man to put pride back into that NSW jersey.”

Could Phil Gould return as Blues coach? Picture: NRL Photos

Another name thrown into the discussion is Phil Gould, the most successful Blues coach in history.

Going against Gould is his role as General Manager of the Canterbury Bulldogs as well as the fact he has not coached a team in almost 20 years.

However, Fox League reporter James Hooper and Tallis feel he could be the shock to the system NSW needs.

“Maybe a circuit breaker, someone like Gus,” Hooper said.

Tallis added: “He was very successful. He got under our skin. He knows Origin. He’s the most successful coach in Origin in NSW.”

Michael Ennis has also been heavily pushed by News Corp’s Brent Read and although Hooper isn’t sure if the former rake is keen on the gig, he knows “how passionate he is about the state.”

A rookie option who is also being mentioned often in rugby league circles is Matty Johns.

Johns made four appearances for the Blues in his playing days but has not coached, preferring a wide-ranging career in the media.

Although Johns has previously stated he’s purely focused on his media career, Rothfield believes his mind could be changed with a phone call.

“He is focused on his media commitments, but I think last night he was hurting big time,” Rothfield said.

“If someone actually asked him, I think he’d give it serious thought.”

Matty Johns says his media gigs would make it hard to be NSW coach. Photo: Phil Hillyard.

Johns told SEN: “The bottom line is, I’d never put my hand up but you’d also say, ‘You never say, I’ll never do it,’ you just don’t know what circumstance is going to come up in the future.

“The Origin job to even consider it, you’d actually look at it and say, ‘If I can’t give the campaign 100 per cent focus, my entire focus,’ then I wouldn’t even consider it,” Johns said.

“At the moment I’ve got that much on my plate, you couldn’t find the hours to do it, it’s not just the coaching, you’ve got sponsors, dinner, charities and whatnot to do.

“It’s a lot bigger job than just coaching a side for six weeks.”

Even if it’s not Matty who takes on the role, his brother Andrew Johns has been touted as another option.

‘Joey’ was listed as one of 11 candidates in the Daily Telegraph’s suggested choices to take over from Fittler and is embedded within the Blues set-up.

Former Blues coaches Laurie Daley and Craig Bellamy were also named in the report, although the latter is nearing retirement as Jason Ryles gears up to eventually take over from him at the Storm.

Danny Buderus, who has coached just six NRL games but knows the Blues set-up better than most, was listed as a candidate.

There’s also love for two former NRL coaches sacked in the 2022 season, with Michael Maguire (now assistant at Canberra) and Trent Barrett (assistant at Parramatta) other options to take over.

Geoff Toovey and Paul McGregor, who have not coached in the NRL since 2015 and 2020 respectively, could be brought back into the coaching fold should the Blues look for an experienced head not tied to a club.

Originally published as Matty Johns and Gus Gould among contenders to replace Fittler NSW coach