Time has come for Kearney to shine

It could be said that Stephen Kearney’s entire coaching career has been in preparation for next Sunday’s game between the Warriors and Knights.

The 44-year-old has experienced a fair few highs and lows since retiring as a player and getting involved in coaching in 2006 as an assistant at the Storm.

There was the Rugby League World Cup win in 2008 and the Four Nations triumph in 2014.

But there was also the disappointing time he had as head coach at the Eels in 2011 and 2012, as well as the 34-2 loss to the Kangaroos in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final and the subsequent revelations that players in the team were mixing sleeping pills with energy drinks.

But Kearney has come through it all and quite rightly gets another shot at being an NRL coach.

A former Warriors great, Kearney has served an apprenticeship under a couple of legends in Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett and has a proven track record of success with the Kiwis.

He has plenty of experience, but is still on the way up and no other coach in the club’s history ticks as many boxes as Kearney does.

He quit the Kiwis on the eve of the Four Nations to take on the Warriors job and since October has worked hard at reshaping the attitudes at the club.

He’ll give the utmost support to any Warriors player, but woe betide any one of them who steps out of line.

His willingness not to pick any of the Warriors players for last year’s Anzac test who were involved in the Tramadol and energy drinks night following the Warriors’ loss to the Storm last year shows that talent is only one factor on why he’ll select a player.

‘‘I feel my role is to get the players the best prepared as they can be for them to play at the weekend,’’ Kearney said.

What was apparent during Kearney’s time with the Kiwis was that he had no time for distractions or issues on the periphery that are irrelevant to team performances.

Supporting Kearney will be a coaching team second to none in the NRL. Last year’s head coach, Andrew McFadden, will work on the defence with him, while club legend Stacey Jones and former England coach Steve McNamara will work on attack.

Kearney wants to be hands on with the coaching, rather than delegate everything while sitting in his office, but the four coaches will openly share ideas and discuss issues.

‘‘We do that daily and it’s a really positive dynamic that we have,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘We’re all aligned and want the same thing for the club and that’s really important, we have a talented group of coaches.’’

Kearney has previously coached 10 of the players currently in the Warriors squad, but he has a special relationship with one of them in particular, Simon Mannering.

Kearney made Mannering the Kiwis captain in 2013 and it was only when David Kidwell took over from him late last year that Mannering lost the job to Jesse Bromwich.

Mannering says it’s nice to be working with Kearney again and in a situation where they’re together more often.

‘‘I’ve been lucky enough to be coached by him for a number of years, he’s a good person,’’ Mannering said.

‘‘He wants what’s best for the club and knows how to get the best out of the players.

‘‘Cappy [Andrew McFadden] is still here, too, and he’s a great coach and a familiar face.

‘‘Then you throw in Steve McNamara who’s an international coach, and Stacey Jones and it shows we’ve got all the personnel we need off the field and it’s up to the players to do it on the field now.’’

He wants what’s best for the club. Simon Mannering on Stephen Kearney, above