MAROONS’ PLANS FOR CHANGE-UP
WAYNE Bennett and Paul Green would be the alternatives as Queensland State of Origin coach next year if Kevin Walters takes the Titans job, QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher says.
Walters would not be able to do both the Titans and Queensland head coaching jobs because of the special challenges at the Gold Coast club, Hatcher said.
Hatcher said he wanted to stress his preference is for Walters to sign an extended contract to coach Queensland beyond 2018, but saw Bennett or Green being better placed to handle NRL and Origin jobs simultaneously in 2018 on an interim basis.
“I’m very supportive of Kevin as Queensland coach. I’d like Kevin to coach on and sign a contract extension with the QRL,’’ Hatcher said.
“If he says he wants to coach the Titans (next year), the QRL board would have to make a decision on whether they would hold him to his contract or release him.
“I won’t answer on behalf of the board – I have an opinion. In the event he took the Titans job and if the QRL board released him, it would be highly unlikely he would be able to take that job and continue to coach the Origin side.”