Kidwell: Ban always mycall
As much David Kidwell is trying to move forward to the World Cup at the end of the year, the drugs scandal that rocked the Kiwis during this month’s Anzac test continues to linger.
Kidwell and England counterpart Wayne Bennett fronted a press conference at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium yesterday to promote the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea from October 26.
Yet there could be no ignoring the elephant in the room - Kidwell will be without his captain, Jesse Bromwich, and fellow key forward Kevin Proctor after the pair were suspended from the tournament for allegedly talking cocaine outside a nightclub in the hours following the heavy defeat to Australia in Canberra.
In an interview with Australia’s Fox Sports earlier this week, Bromwich intimated that he intended to stand down from the Kiwis but Kidwell wanted to make the announcement.
Kidwell, however, was adamant that the decision always lay with him.
‘‘I don’t where that has come from,’’ Kidwell said.
‘‘The process was I made the decision and I spoke to Jesse and Kevin. They were the first two people I talked to.’’
The coach said he accepted an apology from the pair and left the door open for them to return to the team next year.
He is now much more focused on the players who could take their place at the World Cup.
‘‘We’re moving forward and there’s two opportunities, two spots for someone to put their hand up and say ‘hey, pick me’,’’ Kidwell said.
‘‘I want hungry guys out there who are going to do the right thing on and off the field.’’
Bromwich’s actions has left Kidwell needing to appoint a new captain, which he will announce tomorrow.
Former skipper Simon Mannering, fellow Warriors trio Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Issac Luke and Shaun Johnson are all options along with Brisbane veteran Adam Blair. And Bennett, who is in Auckland for the Broncos’ clash against the Warriors tonight, said Kidwell couldn’t go wrong with Blair.
‘‘He’s a very stable bloke, extremely responsible and always plays well himself, which is a pretty important part when you’re captain,’’ Bennett said.
‘‘He has a great rapport with the players and he’s meant a lot to the Broncos, I can tell you. He’s captain here tomorrow.
‘‘David has got a lot of choices there which is good but Adam Blair is an pretty outstanding bloke.’’
While the scandal has heaped even more pressure on Kidwell, who has overseen just one win in six tests since taking over from Stephen Kearney last September, it’s the damage to the team’s reputation that may prove even harder to overcome. Kidwell remains confident he can get the team on track in time for the game’s showpiece.
He is hoping a rare opportunity to appear on home soil – the Kiwis last played in New Zealand in 2014 – and interact with the public will go some way to winning back the supporters.
‘‘They’re rugby league fans, they love rugby league and they want to see the best players out there playing with passion and with heart in an exciting game,’’ he said.
Kidwell, meanwhile, has revealed that North Queensland coach Paul Green has ruled himself out of helping the Kiwis at the World Cup.
Kidwell approached Green, who led the Cowboys to their maiden NRL title in 2015, in March about the possibility of joining his coaching staff after the Anzac test.
‘‘As far as I know he has made himself unavailable,’’ Kidwell said. ‘‘He was one I reached out to and there’s a couple more that I’m in the process of going through.’’