League: NZRL look to unique deal for Kearney

Steven Kearney's contract as Kiwi coach expires next year. Photo / Getty Images

If Steven Kearney is hired in a full-time capacity by the New Zealand Rugby League, it will be on a unique dual contract basis.

It could mean that he is still employed in a development or high performance capacity by the national body, even if his services as national team coach were no longer required.

Kearney, who had his last game in charge of Parramatta last week, is in talks with the NZRL about the shape of his role in the future. NZRL CEO Jim Doyle hopes Kearney can be engaged full-time and expects that he would be employed under two different contracts.

His contract as Kiwis coach, which expires at the end of the 2013 World Cup, would sit apart from an additional agreement governing his role in all matters below the senior team.

"It seems logical to me," Doyle told the Herald on Sunday. "The advantages of having separate contracts are obvious. If at some time in the future another NRL offer comes along, then we would want Steven to be able to consider that, without giving up his Kiwis coaching role. On the other side of the coin, in five or 10 years there may be someone else better placed to coach the Kiwis but we would not want to lose Stephen in all his other capacities."

Doyle sees Kearney's new role as all-encompassing, involved in young player development, coaching clinics, helping to mentor up-and-coming coaches and advisory roles with the national under-16, under-18 and junior Kiwi teams. Kearney's time will be divided between Auckland and Sydney, though he will be based in New Zealand.

Doyle says that the potential of a full-time role was first discussed with Kearney back in 2010, when the former Kiwi captain was still an assistant coach at the Storm.

"He's keen on the idea," says Doyle. "He was keen two years ago before the Parramatta role came along. He has a lot of thinking to do over the next few weeks but he knows [this role] is quite unique and offers a lot of development possibilities and continuous learning."

Doyle hopes that Kearney can go on fact-finding missions to learn off AFL and rugby clubs and also learn from other "collision" sports, like the NHL and NFL.

Meanwhile, past history would indicate that Kearney is unlikely to be given another chance at NRL level - at least for some time. Despite his record with the Kiwis, his status as a legendary player and his achievements alongside Craig Bellamy at Melbourne, his copybook will be blotted by two disappointing seasons at Parramatta.

There are several examples of coaches getting an NRL chance, not being able to deliver and then never being seen again. Terry Lamb was an iconic player who notched up 349 games for Western Suburbs and the Bulldogs (an NRL record until Darren Lockyer broke it last year). He immediately became an assistant coach, then won two premierships as coach of the Bulldogs reserve grade team in 1998 and 2000. He took the top job at the Wests Tigers in 2001 but they endured two unsuccessful seasons and he was given the boot in 2003, replaced by Tim Sheens.

Kevin Moore, also a faithful servant at Belmore, with a 40-year association with the club, waited a long time for a shot as a first-grade coach but only lasted just over two seasons before being fired. His name is now rarely mentioned when NRL vacancies arise.

Ivan Henjak enjoyed a lengthy NRL career with the Raiders, Dragons and Magpies, before beginning a long coaching apprenticeship in 1994 under Wayne Bennett. He finally succeeded Bennett in 2009, when the master coach went to the Dragons. After initial success in 2009, he failed to take the club to the finals the following year and was axed before the start of the 2011 season.

Former Warriors coach Tony Kemp is another who is unlikely to be seen in the NRL coaching arena again. He served three years as Daniel Anderson's assistant but only lasted a season and a half as first grade mentor.

"In the NRL you have to choose your first job very wisely - and also have a bit of luck," reflects former Bulldogs and Warriors captain Steve Price. "If you don't deliver first time round it is very difficult to get another opportunity."