KEY POINTS:
The Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm have given coaches Wayne Bennett and Stephen Kearney clearance to take the Kiwis into the centennial test in Sydney in May if the New Zealand Rugby League asks.
The chief executives of both clubs are happy for both their coaches and players to be involved in the international match. So it appears the NZRL has only to put a reasonable deal to Bennett as head coach and Kearney as assistant to put to bed the nightmare start to the New Year.
It appears the league will bypass the coaching selection panel process via which it appointed Gary Kemble, who resigned on Saturday after pressure from players.
It is thought a screening process is not sensible given the short space of time to the test against the Kangaroos and that other contenders were judged to be behind Kemble.
So football manager Graham Lowe and general manager Peter Cordtz could recommend a direct approach to Bennett, who wants Kearney as his assistant.
All that would then be required is settling details of contractual terms, with the May 9 test and the World Cup in Australia in October as priorities.
Bennett has not spoken publicly about a role with the Kiwis, preferring to let the Kemble saga play out first. His only comment so far: "I'm not ruling anything in or out."
Nor has Kearney, though it is known he has ambition to move to a head coach position in the NRL and to take the Kiwis job in the future.
There is speculation in Brisbane that Bennett's crumbling relationship with some in club management there, and also with News Ltd bosses, may lead him to pull out of his contract at the Broncos - giving him more time to coach New Zealand at the cup.
World test appearance record-holder and former Kiwis skipper Ruben Wiki spoke yesterday of his sadness for the game in New Zealand as he watched the drama between Kemble and players unfold.
He feels for both sides - captain Roy Asotasi and David Kidwell must have been enduring extreme frustration for them to speak out in the way they did, Wiki said, but it was probably not the right way to do it.
The team would have played better and played more for each other, and not suffered such horrible defeats, if they had had better leadership on both sides and had stuck together.
"We have fallen a long way back from where it was with Bluey [Kemble's predecessor, Brian McClennan]."
Wiki underlined that his test playing days were over after 55 games for his country. "I've just had my first full off-season ever, and it feels good."
But he is keen to act as a player mentor to help an incoming coach regather the Kiwis' momentum.
He said at Warriors' training yesterday: "I'm still in contact with all the players. They treat me like a big brother."
