'A huge lure': key reason Smith wants Australia job
Smith is one of the leading contenders to take over from new Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga as Kangaroos mentor ahead of the first three-Test Ashes tour since 2003.
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett, who has been in charge of Australia previously, is also a contender, but for that to happen the ARLC must make a change to the protocol that club coaches are ineligible to guide the Kangaroos.
Smith, who played an extraordinary 56 Tests for Australia, spoke about the appeal of being at the helm of the 2025 series in England.
"It's huge, isn't it? I grew up watching Ashes tours where Australia would play Great Britain or England," he said.
"I never got to play in one, but that's a huge lure to be a part of such a prestigious and historic tour. It hasn't been done for a long, long time - over 20 years - so it would be great to be a part of."
While touted as the favourite for the job, Smith said it was too early to count his chickens.
"Until I hear anything official from anyone at the NRL or from the commission, I haven't really given it too much thought" he said.
"I haven't spoken to anyone about the role as yet. I'm aware that my name has been tossed up as a potential coach.
"I do understand though, it's a wonderful opportunity. It's a great privilege to be able to be the coach of our national side, the Kangaroos. I was lucky enough to play for that team many, many times, so it would be a great privilege."
If Bennett was to get the job for the Ashes tour, there has been a suggestion that Smith would be an ideal assistant in a "dream team" before taking over ahead of next year's Rugby League World Cup.
"I haven't put too much thought into it. As it stands right now, the rules are that club coaches can't be involved," Smith said.
"But I'm hearing that they might be discussing that and maybe altering their thoughts on that, which is entirely up to the game and the executives in charge. If that happens, that's great.
"Wayne Bennett's a wonderful coach. He's probably one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in our game, so if he ends up being the Kangaroos coach, they'll be in good hands."
Cameron Smith never played on an Ashes tour, which is another reason why the prospect of coaching Australia has such a strong appeal to him.
Smith is one of the leading contenders to take over from new Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga as Kangaroos mentor ahead of the first three-Test Ashes tour since 2003.
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett, who has been in charge of Australia previously, is also a contender, but for that to happen the ARLC must make a change to the protocol that club coaches are ineligible to guide the Kangaroos.
Smith, who played an extraordinary 56 Tests for Australia, spoke about the appeal of being at the helm of the 2025 series in England.
"It's huge, isn't it? I grew up watching Ashes tours where Australia would play Great Britain or England," he said.
"I never got to play in one, but that's a huge lure to be a part of such a prestigious and historic tour. It hasn't been done for a long, long time - over 20 years - so it would be great to be a part of."
While touted as the favourite for the job, Smith said it was too early to count his chickens.
"Until I hear anything official from anyone at the NRL or from the commission, I haven't really given it too much thought" he said.
"I haven't spoken to anyone about the role as yet. I'm aware that my name has been tossed up as a potential coach.
"I do understand though, it's a wonderful opportunity. It's a great privilege to be able to be the coach of our national side, the Kangaroos. I was lucky enough to play for that team many, many times, so it would be a great privilege."
If Bennett was to get the job for the Ashes tour, there has been a suggestion that Smith would be an ideal assistant in a "dream team" before taking over ahead of next year's Rugby League World Cup.
"I haven't put too much thought into it. As it stands right now, the rules are that club coaches can't be involved," Smith said.
"But I'm hearing that they might be discussing that and maybe altering their thoughts on that, which is entirely up to the game and the executives in charge. If that happens, that's great.
"Wayne Bennett's a wonderful coach. He's probably one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in our game, so if he ends up being the Kangaroos coach, they'll be in good hands."
Cameron Smith never played on an Ashes tour, which is another reason why the prospect of coaching Australia has such a strong appeal to him.
Smith is one of the leading contenders to take over from new Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga as Kangaroos mentor ahead of the first three-Test Ashes tour since 2003.
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett, who has been in charge of Australia previously, is also a contender, but for that to happen the ARLC must make a change to the protocol that club coaches are ineligible to guide the Kangaroos.
Smith, who played an extraordinary 56 Tests for Australia, spoke about the appeal of being at the helm of the 2025 series in England.
"It's huge, isn't it? I grew up watching Ashes tours where Australia would play Great Britain or England," he said.
"I never got to play in one, but that's a huge lure to be a part of such a prestigious and historic tour. It hasn't been done for a long, long time - over 20 years - so it would be great to be a part of."
While touted as the favourite for the job, Smith said it was too early to count his chickens.
"Until I hear anything official from anyone at the NRL or from the commission, I haven't really given it too much thought" he said.
"I haven't spoken to anyone about the role as yet. I'm aware that my name has been tossed up as a potential coach.
"I do understand though, it's a wonderful opportunity. It's a great privilege to be able to be the coach of our national side, the Kangaroos. I was lucky enough to play for that team many, many times, so it would be a great privilege."
If Bennett was to get the job for the Ashes tour, there has been a suggestion that Smith would be an ideal assistant in a "dream team" before taking over ahead of next year's Rugby League World Cup.
"I haven't put too much thought into it. As it stands right now, the rules are that club coaches can't be involved," Smith said.
"But I'm hearing that they might be discussing that and maybe altering their thoughts on that, which is entirely up to the game and the executives in charge. If that happens, that's great.
"Wayne Bennett's a wonderful coach. He's probably one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in our game, so if he ends up being the Kangaroos coach, they'll be in good hands."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Is he a selector?' Di Venuto responds to concerns about Australian top order
Di Venuto, who made more than 25,000 first-class runs, accepted Australia's top order had been below its best over the past couple of years but implored people to give the likes of Konstas and Green time to prosper. Green made a hard-fought half century in Australia's second Test victory in Grenada, while Konstas was out for 25 and a duck, taking his overall Test average to 18.25 from eight innings. 'I think there is a lot of [Sheffield] Shield cricket leading into that first Ashes Test. Guys in form I dare say will get picked. At the moment, there's no point sitting down and trying to nut something out when you're three months away,' Di Venuto said. 'We don't hide behind the fact that we haven't functioned as a unit for the last couple of years. Take out the Sri Lanka series where we were outstanding in spinning conditions, it's been really hard work. We've relied on individual brilliance to get us totals. Batting averages have come down and so too the bowling averages. That's just the way it is.' Meanwhile, Di Venuto also addressed recent comments made Healy after Australia's shock world Test championship loss to South Africa. 'Australian cricket's batting head coach and every state batting coach [should be under pressure] because there's not enough runs being scored around the nation,' Healy said on SEN. 'Michael Di Venuto – a friend of mine who is a good coach and a good man – has held the job since mid-2021. In this time, our national team batting has regressed in performance at Test level. That's all that's important to me, the performance.' In response, Di Venuto said: 'It was disappointing, but that's Heals' opinion, isn't it? I can't really control that. Asked if he'd spoken to Healy, Di Venuto replied: 'No. If he's so worried about it, he can call me. There's no issues there. We're comfortable with where we're at. 'It's hard work domestic cricket … [and] now in Test cricket. I think gone are the days in the era that I played in where they're flat wickets. You had 15 or 20 blokes averaging 50, 60, 80 [or] 100 in domestic cricket and the same in Test cricket. 'The legends that played through that time, they were playing on very good wickets as well. Conditions have changed, balls have changed. 'We've got to be patient with these guys. Is [Konstas] good enough? Absolutely he's good enough. Loading 'Steve Waugh, one of our greats, took 27 Tests before he got a hundred. We've just got to be careful how we judge some people. 'Matthew Hayden is another one. How long did it take Haydos to get used to Test cricket? Now there's someone who absolutely dominated domestic cricket for years … but it took him a few times to get the hang of Test cricket before he started to dominate Test cricket. '[It is] tough for people to hang young people after a few Tests, and especially when we're playing the conditions that we are.' Meanwhile, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to be rested from Australia's upcoming T20 series against the West Indies. Hazlewood, as expected, will play the third Test in Jamaica.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
‘Is he a selector?' Di Venuto responds to concerns about Australian top order
Di Venuto, who made more than 25,000 first-class runs, accepted Australia's top order had been below its best over the past couple of years but implored people to give the likes of Konstas and Green time to prosper. Green made a hard-fought half century in Australia's second Test victory in Grenada, while Konstas was out for 25 and a duck, taking his overall Test average to 18.25 from eight innings. 'I think there is a lot of [Sheffield] Shield cricket leading into that first Ashes Test. Guys in form I dare say will get picked. At the moment, there's no point sitting down and trying to nut something out when you're three months away,' Di Venuto said. 'We don't hide behind the fact that we haven't functioned as a unit for the last couple of years. Take out the Sri Lanka series where we were outstanding in spinning conditions, it's been really hard work. We've relied on individual brilliance to get us totals. Batting averages have come down and so too the bowling averages. That's just the way it is.' Meanwhile, Di Venuto also addressed recent comments made Healy after Australia's shock world Test championship loss to South Africa. 'Australian cricket's batting head coach and every state batting coach [should be under pressure] because there's not enough runs being scored around the nation,' Healy said on SEN. 'Michael Di Venuto – a friend of mine who is a good coach and a good man – has held the job since mid-2021. In this time, our national team batting has regressed in performance at Test level. That's all that's important to me, the performance.' In response, Di Venuto said: 'It was disappointing, but that's Heals' opinion, isn't it? I can't really control that. Asked if he'd spoken to Healy, Di Venuto replied: 'No. If he's so worried about it, he can call me. There's no issues there. We're comfortable with where we're at. 'It's hard work domestic cricket … [and] now in Test cricket. I think gone are the days in the era that I played in where they're flat wickets. You had 15 or 20 blokes averaging 50, 60, 80 [or] 100 in domestic cricket and the same in Test cricket. 'The legends that played through that time, they were playing on very good wickets as well. Conditions have changed, balls have changed. 'We've got to be patient with these guys. Is [Konstas] good enough? Absolutely he's good enough. Loading 'Steve Waugh, one of our greats, took 27 Tests before he got a hundred. We've just got to be careful how we judge some people. 'Matthew Hayden is another one. How long did it take Haydos to get used to Test cricket? Now there's someone who absolutely dominated domestic cricket for years … but it took him a few times to get the hang of Test cricket before he started to dominate Test cricket. '[It is] tough for people to hang young people after a few Tests, and especially when we're playing the conditions that we are.' Meanwhile, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to be rested from Australia's upcoming T20 series against the West Indies. Hazlewood, as expected, will play the third Test in Jamaica.
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
Retired England fast bowler Stuart Broad says Australian top three too shaky ahead of Ashes
Retired England fast bowler and long-time Ashes villain Stuart Broad has fired an early shot ahead of this summer's showdown, declaring the Australian top order the 'most muddled' he's ever seen. Broad, who ended his illustrious 167-Test career in the final game of the 2023 Ashes in England, declared veteran opener Usman Khawaja was 'struggling' and Cameron Green, who peeled off a second-innings half-century in Grenada against the West Indies, wasn't a No.3. In a scathing take-down of the batting line-up that coach Andrew McDonald and captain Pat Cummins have both backed in despite mixed returns in first the World Test Championship and then the opening two Tests in the West Indies, Broad said Marnus Labuschagne should return. Australian batting coach Michael de Venuto said patience was required with teen opener Sam Konstas, who is yet to reach 30 in four innings back at the top, and the rejigged top three, with Green replacing Labuschagne. But Broad said relying on Steve Smith at four and Travis Head at five could be problematic. 'I'm not out of place in thinking it's the most muddled top three in my lifetime. I've grown up with Hayden, Langer and Ponting,' Broad said. 'But I think Usman is struggling. Cameron Green at three … he's a six, isn't he? Or a five. Anyone who used to take off stump guard would really excite me as an opening bowler because they play at fifth stump and don't know where their off stump is. 'Ultimately with Labuschagne, I know he's struggled for a couple of years, but he's a good player, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't come back into the frame at some stage. 'Konstas is young and learning his way, those pitches in the Caribbean have been quite tricky, so I imagine he'll get a run (in the Ashes). 'I watched him net before the World Test Championship at Lord's and even though he didn't play, the crunch off the bat that you hear (was impressive), but he's got a couple of low scores and you start to question yourself a little bit. But I think he (Konstas) is there to stay.' Broad told The Grade Cricketer that the top three needed to protect Smith and Head more and he'd be installing reliable batters to see off the opening bowlers. 'I can't see this being the same top three for the Ashes. I'm trying not to look that far ahead, particularly with English cricket, but the Aussie selectors generally get it right and they can't be watching the top three currently in the Caribbean going, 'That top three is amazing',' Broad said. 'They need to find a way to protect Smith and Head at four and five who are unbelievable and Carey is playing great at seven. 'You can't have Steve Smith in so early every game. One of Australia's greatest strengths is when 'Smudger' arrives with a 35-over old ball and it's doing nothing … so they need to find a way to do that.' The Ashes will begin in Perth on November 21.
