Former Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika has emerged as a shock candidate to exchange Dragons coach Anthony Griffin at St George Illawarra subsequent yr.
Griffin will reportedly be axed “in a matter of weeks” because the membership begins “canvasing candidates” to exchange him. The 56-year-old, who’s coming off contract, has been below strain for the reason that membership started exploring teaching choices for subsequent season — he reportedly might want to reapply for the job.
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The strain has gone up a notch after six straight losses, together with a crushing defeat to final yr’s picket spooners the Wests Tigers. The Dragons are the one NRL membership but to win an away match this yr, presently reeling at sixteenth on the ladder.
On Sunday morning, The Daily Telegraph reported that Cheika has been put ahead as a possible substitute for Griffin subsequent yr.
Cheika, who’s presently making ready Argentina for the this yr’s Rugby World Cup in France, coached Lebanon finally yr’s Rugby League World Cup and beforehand labored alongside Trent Robinson on the Sydney Roosters.
“A third party, someone very close to Michael Cheika, rang Ryan Webb, the St George chief executive, during the week and said he just wanted to put his name in the mix,” News Corp reporter Phil Rothfield advised Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast on Sunday morning.
“Cheika is still overseas, so he hasn’t had the chance to do an interview. At the moment, he’s coaching Argentina through the rugby union World Cup, which starts in September and finishes in October, so he could get back here if he got the job and oversee pre-season.
“I think it’s highly unlikely to happen. I think Ben Hornby is ahead of him, as is Jason Ryles. But it’s interesting that he’s got this passion, Michael Cheika, to one day coach an NRL side.”
Last yr, Cheika confessed his curiosity in at some point mentoring an NRL group, which he referred to as an “awesome challenge”.
“I am starting to understand the language of NRL, that is for sure,” Cheika mentioned.
“I am starting to learn more about it, being a coach you can transition to anything because it is about getting the best out of people.
“The technicalities I am getting a handle on nicely, but for me coaching has always been a two-way street.
“You don’t go looking for anything, you do your best, and when things come your way and the opportunities are there you try to make the best of them because it will make you better as a coach.
“If that opportunity comes it’d be something that would be a huge challenge for me, because not many have done it, but I think it’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”
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Source: www.foxsports.com.au