kearny may leave
THE Bulldogs are set to make Storm assistant coach Stephen Kearney their prime target as the replacement for coach Steve Folkes.
In another sign of sweeping change at Belmore, the Herald has learnt that sections of the Bulldogs board have identified the former New Zealand international as the man they want to take over when Folkes's contract expires at the end of next season.
Former Bulldogs fullback Mick Potter, who coaches Catalans Dragons in the UK Super League, is also being strongly considered.
But it is understood the odds of Folkes's long-time assistant and brother-in-law, Kevin Moore, taking over have lengthened - another indication of the desire to change the club's culture.
While Kearney has not been actively coveting NRL positions and is focused on helping the Storm to back-to-back titles, his stocks have risen sharply since joining Craig Bellamy's staff last year. He declined to comment last night but it is believed he is poised to be at the centre of another coaching merry-go-round early next season.
The former Storm back-rower is contracted to the Storm until the end of 2009 but has a handshake agreement with Bellamy that he can take a head coaching job should one became available.
The Bulldogs would want to secure Kearney early because the Storm view him as the perfect replacement for Bellamy, who is being widely tipped to take over from Wayne Bennett at Brisbane when both their contracts expire at the end of the 2009 season.
Chief executive Brian Waldron said the Storm would not stand in Kearney's way if he wanted to take on a senior role at a rival club.
"We would encourage him to take it if a position came up and he was interested in it," Waldron said. "It would make sense because he's been successful under Craig in the last few years. But in the short term it is not an issue because Craig's our coach and we haven't looked beyond that."
Some at the Bulldogs consider Kearney a positive influence for the club's Polynesian players. Bulldogs superstar Sonny Bill Williams considers the former Storm captain a mentor.
Bulldogs chairman George Peponis denied Kearney had been discussed at board level but admitted other directors on the board might have privately.
The Dogs board is believed to be driven by a faction that does not want Folkes and chief executive Malcolm Noad at the club.
"It may have been discussed among other board members, I'm not privy to private conversations," Peponis said. "Identifying another coach at this stage would be very premature. It's not on the radar. But I haven't talked about it and it has never been discussed at board level."
The Bulldogs recently quashed suggestions there could be a change of coach before the season started, with Noad telling the Herald: "Steve Folkes has got a contract with the club for next season and he will be seeing that out. Like many of us, the board will be looking at the results of the early games before making any long-term decisions."
Kearney's star has risen since he retired from Super League club Hull in 2005 and was appointed to Bellamy's coaching staff.
He withdrew from the race to become Leeds coach this year before former Kiwi coach Brian McLennan was given the job.
He has also been touted as a possible replacement for embattled Kiwi coach Gary Kemble but has not been considered because of the NZRL policy insisting its coach resides in New Zealand.
The Herald has been told Kearney would be the frontrunner for the national job should the NZRL change the policy next year.
In another sign of sweeping change at Belmore, the Herald has learnt that sections of the Bulldogs board have identified the former New Zealand international as the man they want to take over when Folkes's contract expires at the end of next season.
Former Bulldogs fullback Mick Potter, who coaches Catalans Dragons in the UK Super League, is also being strongly considered.
But it is understood the odds of Folkes's long-time assistant and brother-in-law, Kevin Moore, taking over have lengthened - another indication of the desire to change the club's culture.
While Kearney has not been actively coveting NRL positions and is focused on helping the Storm to back-to-back titles, his stocks have risen sharply since joining Craig Bellamy's staff last year. He declined to comment last night but it is believed he is poised to be at the centre of another coaching merry-go-round early next season.
The former Storm back-rower is contracted to the Storm until the end of 2009 but has a handshake agreement with Bellamy that he can take a head coaching job should one became available.
The Bulldogs would want to secure Kearney early because the Storm view him as the perfect replacement for Bellamy, who is being widely tipped to take over from Wayne Bennett at Brisbane when both their contracts expire at the end of the 2009 season.
Chief executive Brian Waldron said the Storm would not stand in Kearney's way if he wanted to take on a senior role at a rival club.
"We would encourage him to take it if a position came up and he was interested in it," Waldron said. "It would make sense because he's been successful under Craig in the last few years. But in the short term it is not an issue because Craig's our coach and we haven't looked beyond that."
Some at the Bulldogs consider Kearney a positive influence for the club's Polynesian players. Bulldogs superstar Sonny Bill Williams considers the former Storm captain a mentor.
Bulldogs chairman George Peponis denied Kearney had been discussed at board level but admitted other directors on the board might have privately.
The Dogs board is believed to be driven by a faction that does not want Folkes and chief executive Malcolm Noad at the club.
"It may have been discussed among other board members, I'm not privy to private conversations," Peponis said. "Identifying another coach at this stage would be very premature. It's not on the radar. But I haven't talked about it and it has never been discussed at board level."
The Bulldogs recently quashed suggestions there could be a change of coach before the season started, with Noad telling the Herald: "Steve Folkes has got a contract with the club for next season and he will be seeing that out. Like many of us, the board will be looking at the results of the early games before making any long-term decisions."
Kearney's star has risen since he retired from Super League club Hull in 2005 and was appointed to Bellamy's coaching staff.
He withdrew from the race to become Leeds coach this year before former Kiwi coach Brian McLennan was given the job.
He has also been touted as a possible replacement for embattled Kiwi coach Gary Kemble but has not been considered because of the NZRL policy insisting its coach resides in New Zealand.
The Herald has been told Kearney would be the frontrunner for the national job should the NZRL change the policy next year.
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steaming stormer
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Hope he stays, but that's always going to be an issue for assistant coaches. If they desire to be head coaches, they will move on and fair play to them
Storming our way to glory!
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Super Cronk
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would suck to lose mooks again....but a top coaching job would be awesome for him.
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what gets me is the bellamy part, i dont want him to ever leave! come on belly-ache do a sheedy
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Super Cronk
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i think he will leave one day...unfortunately...but hopefully much much later rather then sooner.
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stormin_kes
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It's inevitable that they-coaching staff, players etc will leave oneday. The days of one club or predominantly one club (insert Matt Geyer's name) players are over. It's sad but true. The clubs are now a business and referred to as a 'brand' to be sold to the highest bidder. They only ray of sunshine is the true supporter, there through thick and thin. I'm a one club supporter.....God I love my Storm boys!
It's just a Storm in a tea-cup.
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Mrs Cooper Cronk
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Would be sad to see him go, but as someone said, most assistant coaches do wanna be head coaches!! So if he does go, I hope he does well, just not against us!!! We'll smash em haha!!!
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