League: Kearney charged with building World Cup squad

Stephen Kearney will be looking to the likes of Kevin Locke (pictured) to carry on the Kiwis' World Cup-winning form. Photo / Dean Purcell

Building depth for the future is the prime focus of coach Stephen Kearney as the Kiwis head into the Four Nations.

Given that a contract extension he signed yesterday should keep him at the helm until their World Cup title defence in 2013, it's an entirely understandable approach.

"I've said it before that winning the World Cup was great for everyone involved in the group, for our game and for our country, but it has gone," Kearney said.

"We have to keep working to prove we can be consistently competitive. We also have to continue to do all we can to develop new test players. That's what we're committed to achieving over the next few weeks."

To that end, a 23-man squad containing seven potential new caps has assembled in Auckland for a 10-day training camp.

Their first assignment is a test against Tonga in Rotorua next Wednesday, a game that will be their first on home soil since winning the World Cup last November.

"To have the backing of the New Zealand Rugby League's board to continue on a long-term basis gives me confidence we can build on what we have started. I'm really grateful for the support," Kearney said.

The NZRL board viewed Kearney's extended time in the role as critical to the game's development, said chairman Scott Carter.

"Stephen isn't just the coach of the Kiwis - he is a key figure in our total strategy," he said. "What he and the Kiwis deliver at the top end has an enormous knock-on effect through all layers of the sport ..."

Kearney's coaching term is set to cover six years, a span bettered only by Frank Endacott (1994-2000) in the modern era.

NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle said Kearney had contributed significantly to a new optimism in the code.

"While he has barely started at this level he has already given us something unique as the only Kiwi coach to win the World Cup, but he doesn't want to rest on that," said Doyle.

"His work with both the Kiwis and Melbourne has shown he is one of the most capable coaches in the game right now and we're fortunate we've secured him for the long haul."

Next Wednesday night's game against Tonga will be Kearney's ninth, a total which would grow to 13 should the Kiwis reach the Four Nations final in Leeds on November 14.