'No-brainer': Stephen Kearney on taking up new role with Kiwis

26 Jul 2024

1 News

After being through the NRL head coaching wringer, Stephen Kearney couldn’t be in a better place.

Home in Brisbane with his family, away from the harsh Australian league limelight, he's now helping to shape the careers of future Kiwi international players and in a new role with his beloved Kiwis.

In a rare interview, Kearney admitted to 1News he doesn’t miss hands-on coaching.

“I spent so much time away from my family in my coaching career, it’s nice to spend quality time with them," Kearney said.

“When I watch league games now and see the stress in the coaching boxes, I’m more than happy to be sitting on the couch."

Kearney is now doing pathways work for NZRL in Australia and also working closely with half a dozen young players in NRL programmes, helping with their league development.

The 52-year-old had an illustrious playing career spanning over 250 first grade appearances. It started as a teenager from Wellington with the old Western Suburbs Magpies in the Winfield Cup nearly 30 years ago, then to the Warriors for their inception, then on to the star studded Melbourne Storm. His playing career ended in the UK. He played over 40 Tests for New Zealand, many as captain.

Stephen Keanrey playing for the Kiwis in 2001. (Source: Photosport)

Kearney coached the Kiwis to a famous World Cup win in 2008, before entering the dog eat dog world of NRL coaching.

Assistant roles on and off with the Storm and Brisbane Broncos followed, before becoming Parramatta head coach in 2011, then the Warriors in 2017. He was let go by the Warriors in 2020 during the tumultuous Covid period in Australia.

Kearney was asked if he had any advice for Andrew Webster amid the Warriors' current troublesome run.

“It’s not my place to hand out advice, but they’ve had their share of injuries this season which doesn’t help," he said.

“I was over there in Auckland for the Storm-Warriors game and loved seeing the excitement around rugby league in New Zealand."

After his own tough Warriors experiences he returned to help coach the Melbourne Storm for the last three seasons, continuing his close ties with head coach Craig Bellamy before keeping a low profile in the last 12 months.

Kearney worked behind the scenes with the Kiwis last year under Michael Maguire, but cements a selection role with new coach Stacey Jones, as well as being a cultural adviser. Jones and Kearney have known each other for 30 years, when an 18-year-old Jones burst on to the scene along with the Warriors in 1995.

“Stacey approached me, it’s a no-brainer. I want to help Stacey and his new group and the Kiwis have success."

The Little General has taken the three-year deal despite interest from Aussie ‘supercoach’ Wayne Bennett. (Source: 1News)

At home in Brisbane with his NZRL pathways role he monitors junior competitions in Queensland and further afield, where young talent with New Zealand roots is plentiful.

“Look at a young kid like Keano Kini at the Gold Coast Titans, he’s part of a whole batch of Kiwis coming through."

Lightning-fast fullback Kini, 20, is a former Northcote league junior and a rugby union player at Rosmini College.

Kearney said around 50% of players in the top NRL grade are of New Zealand, Māori or Pasifika heritage, and that lifts to around to 60 to 65% in junior football, especially in Queensland.

“It’s important we’re giving these young men a pathway, they’re brought up in Australian systems but it’s important we give them a pathway to play for New Zealand."

“Over the last two years I’ve been watching under-17 and under-19 footballers in and around Brisbane, where there’s a flood of players with Kiwi heritage. I put calls into the NZRL, hence my new role. The amount of talent is astounding and only going to grow."