Kidwell eyes roles for Morgan and Poching

The Kiwis coaching team will be completed today, with David Kidwell expected to announce his assistants for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.

Former Warriors assistant coach Justin Morgan is believed to be a strong contender, while the Herald understands former Kiwi Willie Poching is the other name tipped for a role.

The appointments will be short term, covering the Perth test against the Kangaroos on October 15, as well as the Four Nations, where the Kiwis face England in their first match in Huddersfield on October 30.

It’s been a relatively rushed process, after Stephen Kearney’s sudden move to the Warriors two weeks ago, and there was a reluctance to make long term appointments. Those will be made in December or January, after reviews are completed and the widest possible pool of candidates has been identified. The NZRL is keen to establish pathways for Kiwi coaches, given the dearth of New Zealanders operating at the professional level in the sport, and ideally see one of the assistant roles as a developmental one, with the other falling to a more experienced candidate.

The job would be good timing for Morgan, who has recently been moved aside at Mt Smart in the Warriors’ coaching reshuffle which saw Kearney come in, Andrew McFadden demoted and his two assistants (Morgan and Andrew Webster) move on.

This past NRL season has dented Morgan’s reputation, as he was defensive coach at the Warriors. Morgan can’t wear all the blame for the Warriors’ porous defence in 2016, where they conceded the third most points (601) in the competition. The players’ attitude and technique were also found wanting, but there is no doubt that Morgan and the Warriors’ brains trust failed to come up with a system and structure that the squad were able to effectively implement.

But Morgan has plenty of experience. A former player at Mt Smart (28 games in 2001-02), Morgan retired at 26 to turn to coaching. He initially worked in France before seven seasons with Hull Kingston Rovers, guiding the Robins back into the Super League. Morgan (41) returned to the NRL for two seasons as an assistant in Canberra (2012-13), before working under Craig Bellamy at the Storm in 2014 and 2015.

Poching played for four NRL clubs (Warriors, Cowboys, Hunter Mariners and Dragons) but made his name in England with Wakefield Trinity and Leeds, winning the Super League with the Rhinos in 2004.

He played a single test for the Kiwis in 2005 under Brian McClennan and has coached at Leeds ( academy), Warrington (assistant) and Hull KR (assistant) as well as being Samoan national coach since retiring as a player in 2006.