League: Kidwell-Kearney a very Kiwi alliance

Stephen Kearney snapped up David Kidwell as his assistant. Photo / Photosport

At first glance, David Kidwell's coaching partnership with Stephen Kearney is one of the more unusual in Kiwis history.

Kidwell went for the top job himself early in 2014 - one of several running against Kearney - in the wake of the failed 2013 World Cup campaign.

At the time, Kidwell seemed the only serious alternative, the only one who had a reasonable amount of NRL experience (the others were Richie Blackmore and Glenn Morrison).

The New Zealand Rugby League opted to stick with Kearney and Kidwell refocused his attention on his assistant's role at Wests Tigers.

However, when Andrew McFadden withdrew from the assistant role with the Kiwis after getting the top job at the Warriors, Kearney approached Kidwell, who said yes immediately.

You might think there could be some awkwardness - think of Alex Wyllie and John Hart together with the All Blacks in 1991, or imagine Robbie Deans' joining Graham Henry's coaching staff after the 2007 Rugby World Cup - but Kidwell claims there wasn't

"The reason I went for the job was if they weren't looking at Stephen I didn't want it to go to anyone else," said Kidwell. "But when Mooks [Kearney] got appointed and then asked me I had no second thoughts. None at all.

"It was for the good of the Kiwis jersey. That is the most important thing. There were no egos there or anything. The most important thing was to get that culture right. I knew we had it when I played and Stephen had it, too. We built something here, now we just need to make sure it stays there."

Kidwell's deal with Kearney was sealed with a handshake, shortly after the Tigers had hosted the Broncos at Campbelltown early in the 2014 season.

"We went in the sheds afterwards to see Stephen and some other old Storm guys," remembered Kidwell. "He asked me there - simple as that - and I said yes straight away.

"He said, 'do you want to think about it?' But I said, 'no, I don't want to think about it, I'm there straight away'."

Kidwell says he was motivated by the opportunity to rebuild pride in the jersey after the World Cup disappointment.

"I knew I could add something to the jersey," said Kidwell. "To see us lose that World Cup in that way really gave me some motivation. I wanted to be involved, to be a part of rebuilding the Kiwis."

Regardless of the result of this morning's second test against England, the Kearney and Kidwell combination have already established a great legacy.

They've guided the Kiwis to three-straight defeats of Australia and brought the Four Nations trophy back to the NZRL cabinet.

They've also stopped the Anzac test drought and developed a young team with years of test football ahead of them.

"We are great together, I think," said Kidwell. "We have that energy about us that I think the boys feel and respond to."

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