Rugby League: Hunt for Kiwi coach likely

By Chris Rattue

New Zealand Rugby League chairman Gerald Ryan believes his board will reject Kiwi coach Frank Endacott's wage request today when they consider whether to reappoint him for another two years.

Ryan is backing Endacott's reappointment but if his prediction about a majority of the board is correct, it will open the way for the appointment of a new coach unless Endacott agrees to come back with a reduced offer.

Two NZRL board sources have told the New Zealand Herald that Endacott made a verbal request for an $80,000-a-year deal, twice his current salary.

It is also understood that the NZRL has about $3 million in the bank following its severance deal with News Limited, who promoted the failed Super League competition which the NZRL joined during rugby league's media-driven war.

The NZRL board meeting which starts in Auckland this morning will also appoint a new chief executive to replace Jennifer Haydock, who was sacked in September after 14 months in the job.

The Herald understands that high-profile administrator Peter McLeod and provincial referee Gary Allcock are the leading candidates on the final list of five.

McLeod is the former Auckland Rugby League and Warriors chairman, who led the group which won admittance for an Auckland side into the Australian competition.

Allcock has been an Auckland-based media relations officer for the police but has recently been promoted to the rank of inspector in Wellington.

Former Warriors chief executive Bill MacGowan was also interviewed, but he is in negotiations with New Zealand Soccer to run the world under-17 tournament in this country next year.

The appointment of MacGowan - a former chief executive of New Zealand Soccer - could be threatened by legal action from former All White Chris Turner, who believes he was promised the under-17 job. Turner refused to comment yesterday.

If Endacott was not retained, national nines coach Graeme Norton - who was also in charge of the New Zealand side which played in the 1997 Super League tri series - would head the list of prospective replacements.

Of Endacott's wage proposal, Ryan said: "My feeling is the board won't go for it.

"I've been working on them all week but my guess at the moment is they'd say no. We do have money in the bank but then you can't go throwing it around.

"Frank would have the opportunity to think about it over the weekend and maybe come back to us.

"We've offered Frank a new contract under the current terms but he has come back to us with new conditions."

If Endacott departs, after five years in the job, his only avenue to continue coaching would appear to be in England, but there are no major openings at the moment.

Endacott, who is at a junior rugby league camp in Christchurch, could not be reached for comment.

The problem for New Zealand coaches is that below test and Warriors levels, there are no other regular top-class positions in this country.

Norton, the former Northcote forward who began his coaching career with great success at Northcote and North Harbour, looks the logical successor.

After coaching the nines to the world title in 1997, Norton had to return to coaching his son's junior team before he took the tri-series team. They were beaten by Queensland in Auckland, then lost to New South Wales in controversial circumstances with a late no-try ruling against them at Canberra.

The Kiwis are due to play tests against Australia and Great Britain this year.

The World Cup will be held in Britain next season.

Pictured: Frank Endacott.