Rugby League Coaching Manuals

SMH - Mal Meninga's chances of taking over the vacant Australian team coaching job have dimmed, with Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr saying he could not coach both the Kangaroos and Queensland. However, Carr confirmed Meninga's name would be on a shortlist to be submitted to the board next month.

Queensland Rugby League chairman John McDonald believes Meninga is the best man for the Kangaroos job, made vacant when Ricky Stuart stood down following an investigation into his verbal attack on World Cup final referee Ashley Klein. He has urged the ARL board to change the rules to allow Meninga to coach Australia and the Queensland State of Origin team.

Carr said the ARL's policy of not appointing an Origin coach to the national job was not likely to change. Meninga, who is set to bid for record fourth consecutive Origin series win with the Maroons, has said he will not step down as Queensland coach, despite the prestige attached to coaching the national team.

Meninga said the ARL had to get moving on appointing a new coach. "Particularly if it's going to be an NRL coach, because a bit of planning goes around that," he told Channel 10.

Carr said the ARL board would determine the best coach. "Mal is on the list, if he doesn't coach Queensland," he said.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy is similarly ruled out and Wayne Bennett would be unlikely to be interested in returning to the Kangaroos, given his new job with St George Illawarra. Manly's Des Hasler, Roosters coach Brad Fittler and the Gold Coast's John Cartwright may be possibilities.