Former Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika has emerged as a shock candidate to replace Dragons coach Anthony Griffin at St George Illawarra next year.
Griffin will reportedly be axed “in a matter of weeks” as the club starts “canvasing candidates” to replace him. The 56-year-old, who is coming off contract, has been under pressure since the club began exploring coaching options for next season — he reportedly will need to reapply for the job.
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The pressure has gone up a notch after six straight losses, including a crushing defeat to last year’s wooden spooners the Wests Tigers. The Dragons are the only NRL club yet to win an away match this year, currently reeling at 16th on the ladder.
On Sunday morning, The Daily Telegraph reported that Cheika has been put forward as a potential replacement for Griffin next year.
Cheika, who is currently preparing Argentina for the this year’s Rugby World Cup in France, coached Lebanon at last year’s Rugby League World Cup and previously worked alongside Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters.
“A third party, someone very close to Michael Cheika, rang Ryan Webb, the St George chief executive, during the week and said he just wanted to put his name in the mix,” News Corp reporter Phil Rothfield told Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast on Sunday morning.
“Cheika is still overseas, so he hasn’t had the chance to do an interview. At the moment, he’s coaching Argentina through the rugby union World Cup, which starts in September and finishes in October, so he could get back here if he got the job and oversee pre-season.
“I think it’s highly unlikely to happen. I think Ben Hornby is ahead of him, as is Jason Ryles. But it’s interesting that he’s got this passion, Michael Cheika, to one day coach an NRL side.”
Last year, Cheika confessed his interest in one day mentoring an NRL team, which he called an “awesome challenge”.
“I am starting to understand the language of NRL, that is for sure,” Cheika said.
“I am starting to learn more about it, being a coach you can transition to anything because it is about getting the best out of people.
“The technicalities I am getting a handle on nicely, but for me coaching has always been a two-way street.
“You don’t go looking for anything, you do your best, and when things come your way and the opportunities are there you try to make the best of them because it will make you better as a coach.
“If that opportunity comes it’d be something that would be a huge challenge for me, because not many have done it, but I think it’d be an awesome challenge to take on.”
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