Brisbane may ask question again of Craig Bellamy as they look to revive fortunes

Brisbane may look beyond Kevin Walters and Paul Green and ask the question of Craig Bellamy as they attempt to revive the club

Maroons coach Kevin Walters is one of two frontrunners for the Broncos job

A race in two between Kevin Walters and Paul Green may yet expand as Brisbane officials consider reaching out to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Craig Fitzgibbon in their attempt to find a coach capable of reviving the Broncos’ fortunes.

Walters and Green were both reluctant to discuss their futures on Wednesday in the wake of confirmation that Anthony Seibold had stood down as Broncos coach with immediate effect.

There has been widespread speculation that they will fight it out for the job next season, but The Australian was told by sources close to the club that the Broncos could yet sound out other contenders about their interest.

Bellamy would seem a logical target given the club has tried and failed to convince him to return to Brisbane on at least two occasions in the past. The chances of succeeding at a third attempt are slim, but the Broncos would be mad not to ask the question given Bellamy is regarded as the best coach in the business.

Fitzgibbon is ranked as the next in line among assistant coaches, although he has indicated he will honour a commitment to stay at the Sydney Roosters next season. He has already rejected approaches from the Warriors and North Queensland and is likely to do the same should St George Illawarra come knocking as they look to replace Paul McGregor.

The Storm would no doubt resist any approach for Bellamy, who has one year remaining on his deal and has already indicated he will leave full-time coaching after that. However, he has also shown an interest in returning to southeast Queensland and would be the ideal mentor for the likes of Walters should the club decide to head down that path.

Alternatively, Brisbane could consider appointing an interim coach on a one-year deal if it meant Bellamy would be free to join the club when his contract came to an end in Melbourne at the end of next season.

The Broncos appear in no rush at this point given the coaching cull that has taken place this season is unlikely to continue. North Queensland are in the final throes of appointing a replacement for Green with Todd Payten still the favourite to get the job ahead of England coach Shaun Wane.

The Dragons are likely to go with Dean Young, potentially with former Broncos coach Anthony Griffin as his assistant. The Broncos will then have unfettered access to any coach they decide to target.

They will no doubt be inundated with resumes, Walters and Green among the best credentialed but for vastly different reasons. Walters is a favourite son with the Broncos in his DNA, but he is yet to be a head coach in the NRL.

The Broncos hierarchy are understood to harbour concerns over his lack of top-flight experience and his inability to land a job among the many he has pursued. It is understood he has already begun working on his support staff and he would help his cause if he surrounded himself with experienced assistants.

Green won a premiership and took the Cowboys to a grand final during his time in Townsville. He has gained a reputation for being a tough taskmaster, but rightly points out that all successful coaches are sticklers for discipline. Look no further than Bellamy.

Like Walters, he has connections to the club having played there for a season at the back end of his career. Whoever gets the job will need to have a thick skin, something chief executive Paul White noted on Wednesday as he discussed Seibold’s departure.

“The levels of scrutiny, some of it bordering on hysterical if not slanderous in recent times have placed a very heavy burden on Anthony and his family,” White said.

“At the end of the day only Anthony can understand what it is like to walk in the shoes of the coach of the Brisbane Broncos and live the highs and lows of that role.”

Wayne Bennett, whose relationship with Seibold was terminally damaged when they traded roles, refused to gloat over Brisbane’s misfortune.

“It is a tough job we do,” he said. “It is what it is. When you go into coaching, you know what awaits you. You have to handle it.”

Seibold declined to discuss who should replace him at the helm of the Broncos. However, he said whoever does get the job will walk into an encouraging situation given the number of players who were blooded during his short time in charge.