Stephen Kearney said he had unfinished business as Kiwis coach and he has been given a chance to tend to that after being retained in the top job.
He beat off the challenges of Wests Tigers assistant David Kidwell, former Auckland Vulcans coach Richie Blackmore and outsider Glenn Morrison, who is coaching Dewsbury in the second-tier English competition. All four were interviewed last week with a six-strong panel making a recommendation to the NZRL board, which was ratified.
Kearney retained considerable support with both the hierarchy inside the NZRL and players, despite the Kiwis' limp ending to the World Cup when they were well beaten by a slick Australian outfit in the final and despite an investigation into the use of sleeping pills and energy drinks by players at the World Cup.
Some findings from that investigation are likely to be released at the same time Kearney is officially confirmed in the job and the NZRL are waiting until he travels to New Zealand to be unveiled to do this.
Kidwell provided the stiffest opposition to Kearney. He has made a significant impression in his short coaching career and is ambitious.
